Noble Lady

When Xiaocao left the Marquis' Mansion, she left crying. Xue Chenyu asked Qiuhua to send her out and also gave her some grain, oil, rice and flour and asked someone to send them back to her.

Everyone watched along the way as a woman with a big belly came out of the marquis's mansion crying, and brought back a cart of grain, oil, rice and flour.

Maybe not everyone knows about the disgraced Hanlin He Minzhi, but the neighbors know that Xiaocao is the concubine of the He family.

I also know that she has a paralyzed mother-in-law at home, who has a bad temper and is prone to beating and scolding people. Neighbors can hear the old lady smashing things and cursing on the street every now and then.

Seeing Xiaocao coming back crying, he couldn't help but ask, "Have you suffered any injustice? The baby in your belly is already a month old. Just bear with it a little longer, and the baby will be born. Then the suffering will be over."

Xiaocao had just stopped crying, but when the neighbors asked her about it, she burst into tears and said inconsolably, "My master passed away on the way to his new post."

The aunties and grandmas from the neighborhood were all shocked, “Gone, gone?”

Xiaocao went back into the house crying.

The man from the Marquis' Mansion who came with the delivery said, "We are from the Marquis of Wu'an Mansion. Aunt Zhao used to be living under our eldest daughter. After hearing the bad news, she was at a loss and went to ask our daughter for help early in the morning."

"My daughter asked us to send some rice and flour over. In the future, we can only take care of these orphans and widows."

These words were three parts emotion and seven parts helplessness.

All the aunties and sisters-in-law who were neighbors of the He residence opened their mouths wide, and it took them a long time to react.

They all sighed, "It's not easy for this little woman. She has a big belly and has to take care of the family. Now she has lost her husband. What will she do in the future?"

"That's right. The man died before the child was born. And with their paralyzed mother, who knows what will happen to Aunt Zhao in the future?"

"If you ask me, the eldest daughter of the Marquis' Mansion is also a good person. Seeing that the orphans and widows are having a hard time, she sent them rice and flour. She is really a good person."

After that, someone said, "Don't you know? That eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wu'an was the mistress of the He family before. She divorced the man from Aunt Zhao's family."

The aunt who was speaking looked at everyone's bewildered faces, and couldn't help but let her gossip spirit burn. "No, it was a big commotion in the city last year. How could you not know? Let me tell you, this He family used to be a Hanlin..."

The sister-in-law gossiped with everyone else about what she had heard, and some people also remembered the incident.

By piecing together various pieces, they came up with the story of how the eldest daughter of the Xue family helped her ex-husband take care of orphans and her widowed mother after her divorce.

He even developed a liking for the daughter of the marquis, whom he had never met before.

However, these are exactly the results that Xiaocao wants.

She must let everyone know how good and kind their girl is.

The girl wants to marry the prince of the Shang Palace in the future. Only if he has a good reputation can she marry well.

After asking the people from the Marquis' Mansion to put down the rice and flour, Xiaocao wanted to treat them to tea, but the people from the Marquis' Mansion received orders to leave after delivering the things. Xiaocao had no choice but to see them out personally.

Afterwards, she went to tell Liu about He Minzhi's death.

The old lady was paralyzed in bed because she couldn't go out and He Minzhi was demoted to Lingnan. She was in a bad mood and cursed everyone she saw every day. She had become a little crazy.

Only Mother Huang was by her side to take care of her. When Mother Huang was in a good mood, she would give her food, and when she was in a bad mood, she would let her go hungry.

Instead, I got back all the anger I had suffered in the past.

Xiao Cao came in, but was unwilling to come closer. She just stood at the door and bowed politely, "Old Madam, I'm here to pay my respects to you."

"Do you still have me, your old lady, in your heart? Why don't you wait until I die before coming back? I should have known not to let my son marry a jinx like you!" Liu was so angry that she started cursing.

Xiaocao was not angry. The old lady's current condition was already retribution, and there was no need for her to add to her bad karma.

"I know the old lady is angry and unhappy, but this matter is too important. I dare not take the initiative. I can only ask the old lady to make the decision."

She had also told Xue Chenyu that she did not dare to take the initiative, but when she was facing Xue Chenyu, her heart and eyes were full of respect. At this moment, she was just saying these words to deal with the old lady on the bed.

"Hmph, you're such a capable person, what can't you decide for yourself? You've already hooked up with that ruthless bastard from the Xue family, so stop trying to please me!"

That's it.

She won't listen when I talk to her nicely.

Xiao Cao sighed, "Madam, Shitou sent an urgent letter back from the south. The master died on the way."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Get out!" Liu didn't take her words to heart at all.

Xiaocao refused to give up and repeated, "Madam, the master passed away on his way to take up his post. Shitou has carried the coffin back to the capital from a thousand miles away and is already on his way."

Liu finally froze, "You, what did you say?"

"My Lord was ambushed and killed by criminals on his way to take up his post. I am about to report the case to Jingzhao Prefecture. Old Madam, from now on, we will depend on each other for survival."

Liu's cloudy old eyes slowly stopped moving and widened in disbelief.

"No, that's impossible. My Dalang... he wants to fight for me, for the imperial decree."

"Da Lang is still very young. The fortune teller said that he will definitely become an official in the future. I sold tofu for many years and worked hard to raise him. He will not be ahead of me. I, I..."

"You lied to me, you lied to me, didn't you?"

Liu suddenly reacted, grabbed the pillow and threw it at Xiaocao.

Fortunately, after she became paralyzed, she always used things to hit people. Huang's mother had replaced all her porcelain pillows with soft pillows made of bird feathers, which could be thrown beside the bed without any killing power.

Liu started to curse incessantly, saying all the nasty things, as if she wanted to curse all of Xiaocao's eight generations of ancestors.

Xiaocao knew that she had suffered a great blow, but she didn't care. She asked Mother Huang to look after her and left with Chunhua.

After Xiaocao left, Liu had almost vented her anger and began to mutter to herself, "No, Dalang won't die..."

"My Dalang was destined to be a great man. How could he die like this? My Dalang, my Dalang will not die..."

When Xiaocao came back from Jingzhao Prefecture, Mother Huang said that Liu had gone crazy and didn't recognize anyone.

But that’s a story for another day.

……

After Xiaocao left, Xue Chenyu also called Suying.

He Minzhi’s death was just the beginning, there were many related things to come.

Previously, because only a few people knew about this news, she did not dare to act rashly for fear of attracting attention;

Now that Xiaocao has received Shitou's letter and has come to him in person, she doesn't have to be afraid anymore.

"Suying, did you find a suitable buyer?"

Su Ying, wearing a plain apricot-colored spring dress, stood beside Xue Chenyu and said with her head lowered, "According to the young lady's instructions, the news was released earlier."

"Several families have taken a fancy to the original He Mansion's layout and want to buy it along with Furongju and Mingyu Pavilion, where the young lady used to live."

Xue Chenyu touched the peony embroidery on her sleeve, her lips curled up slightly, "Sure, then sell Mingyu Pavilion and that small courtyard together. As long as the price is right, it doesn't matter who the buyer is."

Sooyoung nodded obediently.

"Go back and make a list of people who are interested in buying the house and hand it over."

Suying was well prepared and quickly handed over the list she had prepared earlier.

"Miss, I have done a simple investigation on all the people I have come into contact with."

Xue Chenyu smiled and said, "It really is reassuring to leave these matters to you. You can spread the news later. I only have one condition: the buyer must be personally interviewed and screened by me."

Suying paused, then answered yes.

Xue Chenyu supported her chin, picked up a piece of sugar cake with silver chopsticks and put it into her mouth.

This is Yuzhu’s new sugar cake, which is quite different from the good white sugar cake.

But this is not the point. The point is that she has to play the long game to catch a big fish.

He Minzhi is dead, but he still has secrets.

If they can't get it from Xiaocao, those people will think of looking for it in the former He family.

The house being sold at this time is the best bait.

Who knows what you can catch from that house.