The cannon fodder original wife's bad story

Ren Dong thought about it, and then talked to Song Guanzhou after dinner, "Young Madam should try to go. She is not feeling well anyway, so she doesn't need to serve the old lady. If she doesn't show up, people may get suspicious and make wild guesses."

"Madam...how did my mother-in-law retreat to the family temple to cultivate herself?"

The master and servant talked by candlelight at night.

The month or so that Rendong had returned to the mansion was not in vain. She had already found out some things, and since she had not really left the Duke's Mansion, she was not completely ignorant of the news.

"It's related to the Third Young Master."

Song Guanzhou put down the storybook and asked, "The third young master's name is Pei Che, right?"

Rendong nodded. She didn't know how Song Guanzhou had been living in the mansion in the past two years. She knew so little about the mansion. However, since the master and servant were on the same side, she thought she should leave with the tray.

She had been observing the Fourth Young Master's wife carefully these days and found that there were some discrepancies between her and the rumors outside. Rather than saying that she was stupid, it would be better to say that she was not interested in managing family relationships.

Now that she has suffered, and wants to sort things out, she will naturally tell everything she knows.

"Although the Duke's title was inherited from his ancestors, he was also a military commander who had made military achievements. He had four sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Pei Jie, died at the age of nineteen. However, he was born with a weak body, and when the Crown Prince requested the title, he was seriously ill..., leaving behind the eldest mistress and a son, Qin."

"I didn't see my sister-in-law come home during the Chinese New Year."

Song Guanzhou now needs to actively look through his memories. Ren Dong sighed, "I heard that the eldest young lady asked Qin'er to take Mr. Chen from Qijiang as her teacher, and she has lived in Qijiang for many years."

Meng's mother moved three times?

Honeysuckle sorted out the time, "Qin'er is almost ten years old now. I saw him a lot when he was a child, but at that time the old lady was still the housekeeper. Who would have thought that I had been married off for only half a year when I heard that something happened to the third young master. The wife of the prince was still in confinement after giving birth, so I had no choice but to step up and take over as the housekeeper."

Song Guanzhou couldn't help but be curious, "What happened? Where is the Third Young Master now?"

"The Third Young Master is the same age as the Fourth Young Master, but his family background is a little different. He was born in Aunt Qin's womb. But Aunt Qin died of illness when he was twelve years old, leaving the Third Young Master alone in the world, and the Duke raised him by his side."

He personally taught this illegitimate son.

Recently, Ren Dong was making some underwear for Song Guanzhou. While threading the needle, she told the story, "Originally, the most dazzling people in this mansion are the third and fourth young masters. They are close in age and have a close relationship. Compared with the prince, the fourth young master is more like the third young master's younger brother."

At this point, Ren Dong smiled and looked at Song Guanzhou, "I have heard a few idle words, but Madam, please do not be angry after hearing them."

Song Guanzhou had no idea that eating melons was related to him, and nodded ignorantly, "It's what you said." In her memory, she could find the appearance of the third young master, but it was very vague.

It seemed like a farewell family dinner for Song Wenqi as he resigned from his official position and prepared to return to his hometown. Many of his father's students came to the party, including Pei Che and Pei An.

She once fell in love with Pei An at first sight, and also noticed the young man next to Pei An who was wearing a royal blue brocade round-necked robe. As for his eyebrows and eyes, she had no memory of them anymore.

Ren Dong covered her mouth and smiled, "It is said that the son-in-law that Grand Secretary Song originally favored was not the fourth young master, but the third young master——"

Hey!

Really?

Song Guanzhou was not embarrassed at all, but his face was full of confusion. "My father never mentioned it to me. It was only later when my mother became seriously ill that I chose Pei An when we talked about marriage."

There is no denying that Song Guanzhou was attracted by Pei An's appearance and status at that time.

And the fleeting glimpse at the farewell party when I was young.

Ren Dong sighed, "By the time the Fourth Young Master was discussing marriage with you, the Third Young Master had already left the Duke's Mansion and went to Qingjiang Gorge, and eventually disappeared." Although she was at the manor, she could still hear many rumors within the mansion. Her master did not allow her to mention them, but could this be stopped?

"When the Third Young Master left, he only took with him the old nanny Jiu Niang, a lame servant Zheng Bao, and two guards given by the Duke."

Such a miserable departure is tantamount to expulsion.

Song Guanzhou's eyes widened. "Where is Qingjiang Gorge?"

Ren Dong touched the scarred neck and thought for a while, "I heard that this is the hometown of the Third Young Master's concubine. But when she left, the Duke hid in the study and cried for a long time."

cry?

Song Guanzhou couldn't imagine that in her eyes, although Pei Jian, whom she had only met once, was over sixty years old, he was completely different from the old man she imagined. Because he had been a military general, he had an upright posture, was thin and capable.

Besides being serious, he is also distant and indifferent.

Such a person actually cried so much that everyone in the house knew about it. He must be extremely sad.

Song Guanzhou was totally unaware of these things. Ren Dong continued, "I heard that the Third Young Master left late at night, and the old lady fell seriously ill the next day. I don't know when the old lady started to stay at home and rarely show up."

"No wonder. In the two years since Pei An and I got married, I have only been able to see her once every one or two months. Could it be that something happened to the Third Young Master and she murdered him?"

The candle flame burned brightly, and the wick crackled.

Ren Dong lowered her voice, "Madam, there is no definitive conclusion to this matter, but the third and fourth sons were supposed to take the imperial examination together the following year. Everyone in and outside the mansion wanted two Jinshi candidates... After this incident, the third son never came back, and only the fourth son took the imperial examination as scheduled."

The fourth young master passed the imperial examination and was ranked second in the list.

It was such an honor, but also made many people feel regretful that the young man who was no worse than the Fourth Young Master died in the darkness before shining in the capital.

Song Guanzhou held her chin with one hand. She felt that the original novel was a rubbish book. It didn't even mention where the handsome Third Young Master had gone. She listened to Ren Dong talking about Pei Che's past. The more she listened, the more surprised she became. "He is so outstanding. No wonder the old lady didn't allow him."

Ren Dong raised her eyes, "No one in the mansion dared to say anything. The maids and servants who served the Third Young Master were all sold far away. And the maids and two stewards who served the Old Madam, as well as Aunt Chu's mother and sister-in-law who served the Young Master's wife, were all beaten to death."

Hey!

"The Duke gave the order personally?"

Ren Dong shook her head, "I don't know the details. I'm telling you this now, Madam, because I feel that although the old lady still has some influence, she has long since passed her prime. The wife of the Crown Prince is now in charge of the family. Although she is the girl I have followed for many years, she is ambitious but has limited ability. Although the Xiao family has tried their best to train her, she is still timid and cowardly. Madam Four doesn't need to be humble in front of her."

At this point, Song Guanzhou exclaimed.

"You still have resentment towards her..."

Ren Dong lowered her head, threading her needle and sewing, and only looked up at Song Guanzhou after a while, "Madam, if I say I don't blame you, I'm just fooling you. She was afraid that the prince would get close to me, and she was also afraid that the prince would not get close to me, so she went back and forth, putting me, a servant, between them and their husband and wife. It's fine if she beat and scolded me, but later she simply married me to a sickly woman. I'm not afraid that you will laugh at me when I say this, but that Zhang Lang... is useless, but he has high aspirations and tortures me day and night. I want to have a baby, but it's not easy with my body in such a bad state for so many years..."

People outside said that the Zhang family treated her very well.

In fact, she was tortured day and night and could hardly go out to see people...

Song Guanzhou had read all the "strange books" in modern times, so he naturally knew how perverted these "incompetent" men were. Upon hearing this, he sighed deeply, "In this case, it's understandable that you blame her for being cruel."

"But I am not a treacherous person. The Xiao family took me in and raised me and the girl together. Now I am here before the young lady because of their grace. No matter how much resentment I have, I have let it go." She bit off the needle and thread, found a colorful embroidery thread, and split it into four strands in front of the candlelight.

"It may not be a good thing for you to be with me, but just live like this for now." Song Guanzhou still cannot see the end of his life.

Honeysuckle chuckled, "There are a lot of gossips in this mansion. I didn't want to listen but I heard a lot. I just don't understand. You and the fourth young master are a young couple and should be loving to each other. How did it become like this?"

I vaguely remember Pei An coming to Shaohua Garden to give instructions before leaving Beijing.

But Song Guanzhou closed his eyes and seemed to be sleeping soundly. Pei An withdrew his concern when he saw this. He said a few words to Rendong and went out with Alu.

Song Guanzhou lay on his back on the soft pillow, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

"I think my father knew my character at the time and thought that the good nature of the Third Young Master would be better to me."

"Oh my God! You can't say that. If outsiders hear it and report it to the master and the mistress, she will definitely be punished." Rendong exclaimed. The young lady in front of her was good in every way except that she had a great mouth and dared to say anything.

Song Guanzhou chuckled.

"Aren't there just the two of us in the room? What are you afraid of!" There are four rooms in the main house, with only one door for entrance and exit. When Lianhua Hehua was not on night duty, Song Guanzhou sent them back to their rooms to rest early.

It is not as easy for others to break through the window as it is shown in TV dramas.

Honeysuckle sighed, "My ancestors, the old saying is right, you should be on guard against others. Aren't you afraid that I'm a gossipy girl and will tell others about it?"

Song Guanzhou laughed, "Who are you going to talk to? The girl you served for many years? Or the old lady in the small Buddhist temple?"

"…I won't go anywhere."

"That's it." Song Guanzhou disagreed. "If you want me to die, I can't escape death even if you don't say anything. If you still don't allow me to die, who would take these few jokes to heart?"

Ren Dong looked at the somewhat sad Song Guanzhou and whispered, "I think that since the Fourth Young Master and you are husband and wife, he will naturally take it to heart."

Song Guanzhou looked up when he heard this and chuckled, "Silly girl, don't think of men so well."

She complained in her heart: This damn man cares about her, but he is taking the path of no return, sacrificing his own relatives for the sake of justice.

"But the Fourth Young Master is the one that you, Madam, have always wanted to marry—"

Song Guanzhou yawned and waved his hand. The nails on his fingers had peeled off due to too much blood stasis, and now looked weird.

"That was once."

"Now..." Honeysuckle couldn't help but want to ask the young lady what she really thought.

"The love between husband and wife is not as important as life and death."

Pei An was standing at the door, looking exhausted and dusty. When he heard Song Guanzhou's words from his heart, he felt mixed emotions. He had just gone to visit his father and mother, and when he passed by Shaohua Garden, he saw that there was still a light in the main room, so he walked in.

The gatekeeper's wife didn't dare to say much. She lowered her head and listened to Alu's instructions. She called another little girl to light the fire, and the two of them started a fire in the small kitchen to cook.

Pei An stood outside the door, listening to the master and servant talking in low voices.

"The Fourth Young Master treats you well with good intentions. Between husband and wife, if you push the Fourth Young Master away, I will naturally lose my love for him over time."

Honeysuckle said carefully.

After all, if Song Guanzhou wants to live a good life in this mansion, he relies more on Pei An.

Song Guanzhou held his chin with both hands, leaned his arms on the table, and said truthfully, "Dong'er, I know what you mean. The old lady in this mansion doesn't care about things. Although my second sister-in-law is the wife of the prince, she is like the mistress of the mansion, but because Pei An has become a Jinshi, she dare not look down on me casually."

Honeysuckle: Don’t you know everything?

Unexpectedly, Song Guanzhou continued to say something shocking, "But a man must have backbone. In the past, I chased Pei An. Didn't he know that I only had him in my heart? No, he hated me."

Ren Dong was stunned. "Maybe you are too intense sometimes, Madam."

It is not something an ordinary lady would do, like destroying the Manyue Tower.

Song Guanzhou pouted like an ignorant girl, staring at the candlelight and muttering, "When you love someone, shouldn't you be passionate and unrestrained?"

The man outside the curtain felt his feet weighed like lead, not knowing what to do next.

Song Guanzhou's voice could be heard from inside, "I love him so much that I want to monopolize him, but what do I get in return? One must know when to advance and when to retreat. I can't die once and still hope for those vague and ambiguous love affairs."

Honeysuckle sighed, "After all, they are husband and wife."

Song Guanzhou laughed, "It's because we are husband and wife. If he wasn't my husband, how could I give my heart to him so easily? But it's also because he is my husband that I am so disappointed."

Pei An had no choice but to leave quietly.

Song Guanzhou looked at Ren Dong's worried face and was overjoyed. "Forget it, please ask Miss Sun to come in again another day and I'll give you some scar removal medicine. It's a pity to waste such a beautiful face."

Honeysuckle blushed, "How can I compare to you, Madam? Please don't embarrass me."

It was not until the faint footsteps faded away that Song Guanzhou lowered his eyes and hid all his emotions deep in his heart.