NOVEL NEXT Chapter 40
Chapter 40: The Su Family Arrives
When the gang entered the room and sat around the table, Qiao An asked, “Has Chief learned all the proper social etiquette?”
Nanny nodded. “As long as the Young Lady does it seriously, there should be no flaws! The biggest question now is how to let the Young Lady meet our Master and Mistress. We don’t have to worry about the Eldest Mistress. She hasn’t been in charge of the affairs of the house for a long time, and she will not show up even if our Mistress comes along this time. We mainly have to worry about the Second Mistress.”
Puzzled, Qiao An asked, “Isn’t Miss Su born to the Eldest Mistress? Why should we be more worried about the Second Mistress?”
Nanny’s gaze flickered, and she smiled awkwardly. “You see, the Eldest Mistress has always been chanting scriptures and has chosen to stay in isolation, so the Young Lady was closer to the Second Mistress!”
“Oh!” Qiao An nodded.
Su Jiu’s slender fingers drummed at the table, and she smiled. “If worse comes to worst, we’ll deal with the Su family’s Second Mistress as we dealt with the Ji Family’s Second Mistress!”
“Chief, you mean you will pretend to be sick?” asked Qiao An.
Nanny thought for a moment, nodding. “This is the only way to handle this. I will cover the Young Lady’s face with a face towel and say that she is seriously ill, and perhaps she can muddle through!”
“We’ll have to count on you, Nanny!” Qiao An said.
“The Young Lady can muddle through the details, but the Su family knows about the servant girl and the entourage of attendants around the lady. If they are different, that will arouse suspicion!” Nanny was worried again.
Qiao An could still look convincing, but Hu Dapao and Ah Shu’s auras of hostility were too strong, and they looked like bandits, which was really suspicious!
“At that time, Chang Huan will still be dressed as a servant girl, and the three of us will not show up that day, we’ll go to the tavern!” Qiao An said.
“Well, then I’ll think of an excuse!”
After coming to a conclusion, Nanny gave Su Jiu details again, and just waited for Miss Su’s parents to enter Shengjing tomorrow.
The sky darkened as the snow grew heavier. All of Shengjing was covered with a blanket of white, the scenery magnificent.
Outside the capital, Yuhu Mountain’s roads were closed under the heavy snow, and the snowy mountain night was particularly quiet.
In a small town under the mountain, the big Liu family was more lively than usual, because they had guests. They paid hefty accommodation fees, so Master Liu especially welcomed them with food and wine.
The men drank around the table in the lobby, and the women sat gossiping by the fire.
When Mrs. Liu added charcoal to the stove, she asked, “I heard that you’re from Fuyang?”
Opposite her sat a forty-year-old lady in a green dress. She was a little plump, but one could still see her beauty left over from when she was in her youth. She sat elegantly, her smile defensive. “Yes, we came into the city to visit relatives!”
“Why didn’t the Eldest Mistress come out for a drink?”
“She’s not in good health. It was a long, arduous journey here, so she took an early rest.”
“Yes, Fuyang is far from here.”
The two were talking when they heard a dog suddenly bark outside the yard, and then there was a rebuke from an attendant, mixed with a cry or two from a man.
Master Liu stood up and asked, “What’s the matter?”
The attendant ran in and said, “My lord, it is that Zhao guy who lives at the foot of the mountain. He said that his wife was seriously ill and came to the town to find a physician. But it’s snowing heavily and the physician isn’t open for business, so he came to our yard to ask for herbs!”
“No, no, hurry up and get him out of here. Don’t let him disturb our guests!” Master Liu waved impatiently.
As soon as his voice fell, the man in his shabby cotton-padded jacket had rushed over and knelt at the door, his hair disheveled. His head slammed on the ground as he kowtowed.
“Master Liu, please give me some herbs. My wife is not in good health and has a high fever due to a cold in this weather, please show mercy!”
Master Liu frowned and said coldly, “My house is not a physician’s clinic. Why would I have herbs? Scram!”
Zhao Sheng knelt on the ground and refused to leave. He still cried, “Master Liu, you are very kind and merciful, please give me some medicine, and I will send you the silver tomorrow!”
Mrs. Liu hummed coldly and said disdainfully, “You are so poor that you can’t even feed yourself, where can you get the money?”
Zhao Sheng lived under the mountain, 20 miles away from town. It wasn’t easy to come all this way, and thus, he refused to leave no matter how the attendants tried to pull him away.
Su Wenqian, who was sitting next to Master Liu, got up, dragged the Second Mistress Surin to one side, and whispered, “Look at how pitiful he is. Let Housekeeper Qin take the medicine to their house to have a look!”
Housekeeper Qin was the housekeeper who followed them all the way and knew a few medical skills. Through the long journey, they had brought with them some commonly used herbs.
Second Mistress Surin glanced at him. “Even the Liu family doesn’t care. Why are you showing them kindness? We paid for the herbs. Why should we give them to someone who has nothing to do with us?”
Su Wenqian sighed. “I just find him pitiful!”
“There are so many poor people, can you save them all?” Second Mistress Surin retorted, her gaze dripping with apathy. “Don’t get involved with these people!”
Su Wenqian had become more and more henpecked over the past two years, and at this time he was afraid to speak.
The two sons of the Su family, who were drinking, said disdainfully, “Get out of here! Throw him out, don’t disturb our drinking!”
Hearing the guests’ displeasure, Master Liu snapped, “Do you hear me? Get out of here now!”
Immediately, four or five attendants rushed up and dragged Zhao Sheng out. They could still hear his pitiful wails from faraway.
Mrs. Liu closed the door and asked, “The Zhao family is so poor that they are starving to death. How did he still have the money to marry a wife?”
“I heard they picked her up!” Master Liu answered casually.
The dog barked for a while until gradually, the yard regained its quietness.
Everyone drank happily and exchanged banter, the atmosphere infectious. It was not until late at night that the crowd dispersed.
The next morning, the snow still did not stop, and the snow on the ground was thick. Although the road was difficult to walk, the Su family went to Shengjing, still driving the carriage on the road. It was a wet and difficult journey, and it was almost dark when they reached Shengjing’s gates.
Su Wenqian lifted the curtain and looked out. His gaze was conflicted as he sighed. “After all these years, we have finally come back!”
Beside him, Second Mistress Surin mocked, “What’s the use even if we have returned? We’ll have to go back after the wedding!”
He put down the curtain. “If Yuejiu is worthy, our Su family will return to Shengjing soon!”
When the carriage entered the city, Su Wenqian went to see his daughter according to the address stated in the letter.
Looking at the wine taverns on both sides of the street and the spectacular pavilions, the two sons of the Su family were amazed. Sure enough, the capital was the capital. Fuyang was also a prosperous place, but it could not be compared with Shengjing at all.
All the way west, the carriage went into Flower Alley and parked outside a black door. The coachman said, “Master, we are here!”
“Are you sure!” exclaimed the Eldest Young Master of the Su family, Su Di. “Isn’t the Ji Family Shengjing’s richest family? Why would they arrange such a shabby yard for Yuejiu?”
“Shut up!” Su Wenqian said, looking at the door. He hesitated and asked, “Coachman, is this the wrong place?”
The coachman said at once, “No, it is here!”
Second Mistress Surin got out of the car, frowned, and said, “We’ll know if it’s here if we go in and knock on the door and ask!”
“Yes, of course!” the coachman answered. He stepped forward, knocked at the door and shouted, “Miss? Miss, my lord and mistress are here.”
“Is there anyone in the yard?”
After shouting three or four times, they heard footsteps coming.
Creaking, the door was opened, and Nanny poked her head out, looking happy.
“Master, Second Mistress, Young Masters!”
When they saw Nanny, there was no doubt at once, this was it!
“Where is our Young Lady?” Second Mistress Surin asked eagerly.
Nanny’s gaze flickered, and she opened the door wider. She looked out and smiled respectfully. “Where’s Eldest Mistress?”
“Madame is not well, so she’s resting in the carriage!” the Second Mistress Surin replied nonchalantly.
Nanny nodded at once. “My Lord and Second Mistress, welcome, please come in!”
At this time, a servant girl came down from the last carriage, went to Su Wenqian, and bowed. “My lord, Madame said she was not feeling well, so she won’t get out of the car!”
Su Wenqian seemed to be accustomed to Eldest Mistress’s attitude and replied calmly, “It’s fine if she doesn’t come down!”
After that, he brought Second Mistress Surin and his two sons into the yard.