"Madam, the village chief and elders have arrived."
Uncle De, the housekeeper, walked in.
He had just been waiting at the door and saw the servant coming back. As soon as he got the news, he came in to report.
"Go and invite in."
Mrs. Zhou took a cup of tea, took a sip, sat down on the chair on the left side of the corridor, and waited for the village chief and others to come in.
"Why don't you let me in?"
Zhuang Keqing stood at the door and wanted to go in with the village chiefs, but was stopped.
"Madam only invited the most respected people in the village, and with a family like the Shen family, how can a little girl like you easily get into it?"
The servant at the door held out his hand and refused to let Zhuang Keqing in. Although the villagers behind him also wanted to go in and watch the fun, they felt that this was reasonable.
Normally, when a farmer's family handles some important matters, such as splitting up a family, the village chief and elders are invited to attend, and there is no need for people to watch, let alone a large family like the Shen family.
"Girl, if I don't let you go, then don't go."
"Yes, it's just for fun. When the village chief comes out, won't it be the same if we ask again?"
Later, the sister-in-law and daughter-in-law saw that the banker's girl was in a daze and started to argue with the disciples about going in, so they all came over to persuade her.
But how could Zhuang Keqing listen?
Her life was saved by that person. Looking at the current situation today, I am afraid that this family is going to act as a monster. Although she is a girl, she also knows that a kindness must be repaid. How can she hide at this time?
Qin Manzhi knew why her daughter was so excited and didn't stop her at this time.
Zhuang Keqing was making such a loud noise at the door that the village chief who was walking in front frowned when he heard it. He stopped and thought about it, and finally felt that this girl's noise was unusual, so he said to Uncle De who was leading the way, "This
The girl outside is the donor of the hydraulic stone mill in this village. She is a kind-hearted and reasonable child. I would like to ask the owner to do it convenient and let her in. Just think of it as refilling my tea and water."
Uncle De was stunned. He didn't know what Laoshizi's hydraulic stone mill was like, but he was a little surprised that the little girl outside had the background and asked the village chief to ask for a favor for her.
In fact, the Shen family is not afraid of people coming to see what happened today.
Shen Ling was stubborn and refused to tell what happened yesterday from the beginning. In this case, no matter what they tried to put on him, as long as he didn't want to tell the truth, he would have to admit it.
Uncle De lowered his head and pondered for a while, making a reluctant look, "Since the village chief has spoken, I will let him in."
Immediately, he asked several elderly people to wait for a moment, then turned around and asked the doorman to let Zhuang Keqing in.
When the villagers outside saw Zhuang Keqing entering, they all started clamoring to come in. Unexpectedly, the Shen family closed the door, leaving them shouting and shouting outside without any response.
Zhuang Keqing followed the village chief and elders through the front yard of the Shen family and arrived at the main room.
As soon as they turned around the screen wall in the front yard, they saw a man kneeling under the patio.
Looking at that figure, he is still just a teenager.
"Village chief, elders, please be polite."
Zhou was sitting on the porch. She did not come forward to greet her. She just stood up and bowed slightly before sitting down again. Uncle De invited a few old people to sit in a shady place.
Zhuang Keqing didn't sit down, she just followed the village chief, bent down to pick up the tea on the side table, and gave the old man a sip first.
She saw Shen Ling kneeling at a glance.
The young man lowered his head and turned a deaf ear to what was going on around him. He was neatly dressed and no longer as embarrassed as yesterday. However, under the thin sleeves of his robe, his right hand was wrapped with a bandage, and his kneeling posture was a bit awkward, as if he had been injured.
Why is Zhuang Keqing not in a hurry?
But the more anxious she is, the less impulsive she can be.
Let’s first see what Mr. Zhou said.
Mrs. Zhou, who was at the top, picked up the cup and took a slow sip.
"Village chief, elders, something happened to the Shen family, and I shouldn't have invited you here. But the master is not here, so I am the only woman left. There are some things that are really difficult to handle, and I need you to be my witnesses. "
As soon as she said something, Mrs. Zhou's eyes turned red, as if she had been wronged, which made the elders a little confused.
"Madam, don't be impatient. If you have something to say, please speak slowly."
After pinching the handkerchief and pressing the corners of her eyes, Mrs. Zhou added, "Yesterday, I was at home with my younger son. I hadn't seen my older son for a long time, and I was worried. I wanted to send someone to look for him, but who knew that the unfilial son had returned at this time. "
"It's just, it's just..."
Zhou was about to say something but stopped. She glanced at the kneeling Shen Ling through the gap in the veil, with a trace of cruelty flashing in her eyes.
"Just how?"
The village chief was impatient. Seeing Zhou's hesitant speech, he couldn't help but ask more questions.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the village chief asked, Mrs. Zhou turned her eyes to the kneeling young man in the courtyard, then covered her eyes with a handkerchief and cried loudly.
"Yesterday, the eldest son went out to do something unknown. When he came back, his right hand was injured and he was soaked. When asked what he had done, he was vague. My wife was worried that he had done something treasonous and wanted to accuse the family, but she He resisted and even injured the young master."
Uncle De spoke.
Shen Ling lowered his head. When he heard these words, even though his heart was hardened, he was also excited and laughed out loud.
"Why are you laughing!" Uncle De said again, "Although you are nominally the eldest son of the Shen family, everyone knows that your mistress was kind enough to take you in, otherwise you would still be working as a beggar on any street!"
"Although I am a slave, I also know how to be grateful. I never thought that someone like you, who has inherited the kindness of the master and his wife for more than ten years, would actually rush into the mistress like this. The tired young master is now lying on the bed and unable to get up!"
Uncle De had a stern look on his face and asked questions, but it was as if the incident had really happened, causing the village chief and elders to frown.
Zhuang Keqing didn't believe it, not a word of it.
At this time, Mrs. Zhou spoke again.
"I don't blame him for hurting Huan'er, but what he did yesterday needs to be clarified. This child has been rebellious since he was a child. When he was in the county, the master detained him every day and couldn't go out. But here he is. , but I can’t control it. I’m just afraid that I’ll do something outrageous and disgrace the Shen family’s family status.”
She wiped the corners of her eyes and said, "Master pays great attention to family tradition. If he knew that he was doing evil here, he would definitely be angry with me for not being strict in discipline."
After what Zhou and Uncle De said, the village chief and elders already had a bad impression of Shen Ling, but then they turned to look at the young man kneeling on the patio.
He has raised his head.
The hot midday sun shone on him, but there was no trace of depression at all. His whole person had a cool temperament and a calm demeanor. Even when he was kneeling, his back was straight, and his dark eyes were straight. Looking up at Mr. Zhou, although he didn't say a word, he could tell at a glance that things were not that simple.
As for Mrs. Zhou, who had taken off the veil covering her eyes, she was struck by that look and turned her head away, with a trace of panic on her face.
"Young man from the Shen family," the village chief said, "What do you have to say?"
