Mrs. Xu San is the second daughter of Mrs. Cao. Mrs. Cao had two daughters after giving birth to four sons in succession. The eldest daughter was not good at talking and learned etiquette from her husband early on. She was stiff and unlovable.
The second daughter was different. She was born with a cheerful personality and was very good at making people happy. She was held in the palm of Mrs. Cao's hand and doted on her. She liked female celebrities and loved writing. Mrs. Cao invited the best gentleman to teach her.
As for her being famous for calligraphy at a young age.
Because she cherished her too much, Mrs. Cao was extremely picky about the choice of her second son-in-law. When her second daughter was fifteen, she chose a marriage. Who knew that that year when the rebels attacked the city, Mrs. Cao and the fourth master of the Cao family passed away, and the second son-in-law of the Cao family...
My daughter was also frightened and fell ill.
Mrs. Cao came forward to cancel the engagement for her second daughter. It was not until Mr. Xu San came to ask for marriage that Mrs. Cao married her second daughter.
This marriage also failed to save the second daughter of the Cao family. She is still sick in the house all year round. On weekdays, everyone only knows about Mrs. Xu San, but it is difficult to see her. To the extent that when Mrs. Xu San is mentioned outside, they only say:
"That sick man is still alive. What a pity, Mr. Xu."
Xu Qinghuan's eyes fell on Master Xu San and his wife.
Except for his poor legs and feet, Mr. Xu San is ordinary in other aspects. His face is somewhat elegant and he is very gentle and polite.
Mrs. Xu San was different. She was wearing a brown coarse cloth dress, without any accessories on her head. There were no traces of rouge and gouache on her face. Her skin was dull and wrinkled, and her eyes were as dead as dry wells, as if they had died long ago.
She was alive and looked like a widowed old woman.
The couple stood there as if they were more than ten years apart.
Xu Qinghuan stepped forward and saluted Master Xu San and Mrs. Xu San.
Mrs. Xu San nodded and ordered her servants: "Serve tea to the madam and the eldest lady."
Mrs. An Yihou said with a smile: "Third sister-in-law is away from home, so you should call me brother and sister at home!"
The Xu family is divided into two families. The eldest family inherited the title of Marquis Anyi. The old Marquis Anyi fought on the battlefield when he was young. He gave birth to two sons one after another in his forties, namely Qing Huan's father Xu Changxing and uncle Xu Changting.
The second wife took over the family affairs in Fengxiang County. The second old master had three sons. The first master Xu passed away early. The second master Xu and the third master Xu were both older than Marquis An Yi, so when he returned to the clan, An Yi
When Mrs. Hou performed family etiquette, she directly called her brother and sister-in-law.
Mrs. Xu San didn't say anything, she just picked up the tea and drank it.
Mr. Xu San just wanted to break the silence and say a few common things to ease the awkward atmosphere.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Xu San raised her head and looked at Mrs. An Yihou: "Madam, can you find out who framed the prince?"
Mrs. An Yihou shook her head: "Not yet."
"Don't you think it's strange, madam?" Mrs. Xu San's hands were turned yellow by the Buddhist incense, and her skinny fingers slowly turned the cup in her hand, "The murderer knows the prince so well, he is not like an ordinary person."
After saying that, Mrs. Xu San stood up straight away and walked into the inner room. However, after walking a few steps, she suddenly turned around and looked at Xu Qinghuan: "The eldest lady is a girl. It's best not to get involved in these things in the future."
I regret it so much, you should go back to the capital as soon as possible, there is nothing good to live in Fengxiang."
Mr. Xu San hurriedly bowed his head and apologized to Mrs. Anyihou: "Don't mind, madam, she just has this temper..."
Before he finished speaking, Xu Qinghuan next to him said: "Thank you, third aunt."
Mrs. Xu San froze: "Thank me for anything."
Xu Qinghuan said: "Third Aunt said this to remind us to pay attention to the people around us."
After hearing this, Mrs. Xu San opened the curtain and stepped in as soon as she saw it.
"But I can't just ignore it," Xu Qinghuan looked at the shrine not far away, "I just asked Buddha to protect my family's safety, but if I don't work hard, how can Buddha reach out."
Mrs. Xu San's hands froze in mid-air. After a long while, she took her feet back and turned around: "Then what are you going to do?"
Xu Qing said with a smile: "The newly appointed prefect is an old acquaintance of my father's. I heard that he will come to Xu's house early tomorrow morning. The prefect's wife is also from Fengxiang and is a talented woman. I can't help you..."
Mrs. Xu San suddenly raised her voice and said: "I have been ill for many years, and I don't even recognize the old person anymore. You can go back."
Mrs. Xu San's figure disappeared behind the curtain.
Within a moment, a steward mother walked out of the house. The steward mother saluted and said, "The third wife said that the maids around the eldest lady don't need to steal the fruit. They can just come and get it at the end of every day."
Xu Qinghuan looked over and saw that the clothes on Feng Chu's chest were bulging high, and she didn't know how many things were packed inside.
Feng Chu met Qing Huan's gaze and said without shame: "Miss, I have gained a lot of weight. I should make my clothes wider in the future, so as not to lose the face of the Hou family."
Faced with Feng Chu's scheming, Xu Qinghuan didn't know how to praise her.
Coming out of Mr. Xu San's yard, Mrs. Anyi Hou was worried: "Qing Huan, do you want to ask the third wife for help? She won't go, and what can she do? Mr. Wang, the prefect of Fengxiang, is not an old acquaintance of your father.
"
Xu Qinghuan said: "Maybe it will be soon."
Mr. Wang Yun, the prefect of Fengxiang, was a well-known upright official, but it was a pity that he died at the hands of a traitor.
However, these days were when Mr. Wang was in high spirits.
…
"Didn't you see it?" Mrs. Xu Er looked at her son.
Xu Qingshu nodded: "Advocate Sun Chong said that the letter written by someone pretending to be Xu Qing'an is very important evidence and has been sealed until the prefect personally reviews it."
Mrs. Xu Er's hands clenched slightly.
Xu Qingshu was a little surprised: "Why did mother want to read that letter?"
Mrs. Xu Er said: "I just want to know if I can find any clues to the murderer from that letter."
Xu Qingshu shook his head: "You must not be able to tell that even the gentlemen in the pen and ink shops on the street can imitate human handwriting. If you want to borrow a letter to find someone, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Mrs. Xu Er said: "Is there any other way in the Yamen?"
Xu Qingshu took a sip of tea and said: "Sun Chong took people around to ask people to see if any of the murderers had any trouble with Xu Qing'an recently. Xu Qing'an was causing trouble everywhere. He was making a big fuss in Guiyang Restaurant a few days ago. He was angry at his ignorance.
There are many suspects, so I’m afraid it won’t be easy to find out.”
Mrs. Xu Er's eyes suddenly flashed, but she soon became calm: "What you said makes sense."
"It's a pity about Sister Wan," Xu Qing wrote. "When I was in Beijing, the Zhang family asked me about Sister Wan. The Zhang family still wants to marry the Cao family. How about my grandmother? If my mother is not helping at my uncle's house, why?
Just come back?"
Mrs. Xu Er said: "Sister Wan hasn't been laid to rest yet, so I'm of no use there."
Xu Qingshu frowned and thought about the Zhang family again: "Xu Qing'an went too far. He laughed at Zhang He like this. Now my uncle Guo's family still refuses to eat eggs. Thanks to my long-standing friendship with Zhang He, I was not beaten by Zhang He."
The family is angry."
Mrs. Xu Er didn't want to listen to this: "The prefect is visiting tomorrow. Have you thought about what to say?"
Xu Qingshu was full of confidence: "The murderer's methods are cruel, which shows that he is a habitual criminal. There are no similar records in this county, so he will check all the cases in Linxian County, maybe he will find clues. Then send someone to arrest the man whose household registration is not in Fengxiang.
Bring them all to the Yamen for questioning, and there will definitely be a result."
Mrs. Xu Er looked at Xu Qingshu and smiled: "My brother has really grown up. You have to be careful about Xu Qing'an and don't steal your limelight."
"He?" Xu Qingshu sneered, "He's just a waste."
After sending her son away, Mrs. Xu Er walked into the inner room and saw Master Xu Er. Mrs. Xu Er's eyes couldn't help but sore, and she punched Master Xu Er on the shoulder: "You really want to kill me."
……………………………………………………
Let me just say a few words. The relationship between the characters of the Xu family is at the end of the chapter.
