For Xu Qingyao, Zhang Wanya is just a person who recovered from her injuries after being hurt by her future sister-in-law. The two families are still in contact now, and they should not be so estranged. But for Zhang Wanya, she does not like everyone in the Xu family.
, she was hurt all over by the Xu family in her previous life, but she didn't know from the beginning to the end that she was being hurt by someone else.
The Xu family never came to apologize, but Xu Qingyue's apology for her only pushed her Zhang family into worse situations again and again.
Instead of doing this, it is better not to worry about it and not feel guilty.
Chu Yunli's cold face not only frightened Xu Qingyao, but also made the other three people around her feel a little embarrassed for her good-tempered scholar family.
Xu Qingyao is an unmarried young girl with a thin skin, and she suddenly felt embarrassed: "I am talking to you with good intentions..."
Chu Yunli interrupted her, "What has your family done that you don't even know about? Can I trust your good intentions?"
Being pushed back in front of others, Xu Qingyao couldn't help but said angrily: "You are like this, I don't know what Yu Xiucai sees in you?"
This... seems a bit sour.
Chu Yunli raised his eyes to look at her again. Xu Qingyao probably guessed that her mind had been read, so she stomped around and ran away.
The wife of Yuan Xiucai beside her said with a faint smile: "Mrs. Yu, please be careful, this little girl..." She shook her head.
The words were not finished, but the unfinished meaning was understood by everyone present.
Another Mrs. Chen answered with a smile, "Isn't that right? When a normal man gets married, other women won't care about them. But this scholar seems to be particularly different. My child is ten years old, but those little ones in the village
The girl still shyly calls my brother... no matter how many years older he is, he can be a father."
Maybe scholars have a good future?
The further you go to college, the higher your status, and the more girls you fall in love with.
The three ladies talked about this with even greater interest.
As soon as the banquet ended, Chu Yunli and the two went home. Regarding Xu Qingyao, she didn't mention it after returning, pretending that it didn't happen.
Between the couple, there is no need to mention other girls.
At the beginning of June, a group of people met outside the city, and five carriages slowly headed towards the official road.
Even though we are traveling together, there are actually a lot of things going on along the way.
For example, if you are too busy to catch up on the journey and feel the carriage is bumpy, you won't eat dry food. Every time you go to a place, you have to stop for a day and stay in the best restaurant.
Chu Yunli and the two were fine, but the other three scholars from the town couldn't bear the expense. So Yu Changfeng saw their embarrassment and simply suggested that they go first.
Xu Qingyue was not very happy, but no one cared about him. It was his business to support his squeamish wife. The rest of the people couldn't afford such a burden.
So, it became a journey of four people.
Among the four people, the richest one is Yu Changfeng, but both of them are people who can endure hardships. They are in a hurry, so they can stay at a farmer's house.
Ten days later, they arrived in Fucheng. Among the three scholars, Yuan Xiucai and Chen Xiucai were not the first to come back. They rented a small courtyard near the inner city gate where they were familiar with each other. It happened that the four households were not far away, and they couldn't shout even louder.
audible distance.
Those three people took care of themselves on the road, but when they arrived in Fucheng, they were particularly generous with their accommodation.
Chen Xiucai smiled and said: "Although the rent here is expensive, it is actually the most cost-effective to live here. The rent is only as good as a second-class apartment in the inner city, but it is actually only a quarter of an hour away from here."
Yuan Xiucai agreed, "It is inconvenient to live too far away when rushing for exams. Moreover, there are many scholars rushing to take exams living nearby. We are close together, and we can occasionally debate."
Li Xiucai was relatively silent and only nodded in agreement.
A few people study at home every day and only go out occasionally. As for the female family members, their main task is to cook and buy some meat and bones to stew for the men to eat every day.
Their carriages are all rented, and Yu Changfeng's is from home, so Chu Yunli has a carriage driver to help. And she herself, coming to Fucheng this time is not just to take care of Yu Changfeng.
When Chu Yunli was recuperating from her injuries, others thought she was taking a nap at home doing embroidery every day. In fact, she only didn't go out on the surface. She often went out at night, and she went to several shops that Mr. Shen often went to at night.
Fortunately, she didn't run in vain and achieved great results. She found several account books in Mr. Shen's salt shop.
The Shen family is a salt merchant recognized by the yamen, and it is right to monopolize salt. However, not all of their salt is official salt, there is also private salt in it.
Selling illegal salt means that according to the law, the family property will be confiscated and the whole family will be executed.
In fact, selling private salt is very profitable. The Shen family, the richest man in the county, can also occupy a place in the capital.
As long as the right person is found to complain, the Shen family will never be able to turn around.
However, if the Shen family dared to use private salt as official salt, someone in the yamen must have tacitly approved it. Therefore, handing over the account book is particularly important.
It's okay if it's handed to the right person. If it happens to be handed to the person in charge of the Shen family, there's no chance that he'll be found out even if it's a warning.
Chu Yunli often went out to drink tea, and sometimes went to the inner city. Yu Changfeng would accompany her when she was free. Soon she found out that there were two examiners from the capital this time, one of whom was Mr. Yang, the imperial censor.
, the other is Mr. Zhao, the Minister of Household Affairs.
Among these two people, Mr. Yang was famous for his impartiality. Especially after he came out to drink tea one day, someone stopped the sedan chair to complain. He accepted the complaint, urged the prefect to conduct a detailed investigation, and actively helped find evidence of the crime, and his reputation became even stronger.
big.
Chu Yunli found an opportunity and asked a beggar to deliver the account book to Master Yang who was about to return to the inn, and then quietly exited the inner city.
The sale of illicit salt must have involved officials from both the DPRK and the Central Government. This matter was not trivial. Usually, it was a small matter that led to a big deal. Therefore, within a few days, Chu Yunli, who was paying close attention to him, learned that there was a yamen official with someone in the yamen.
Out of the city.
It should be heading to Yingcheng.
After that, Chu Yunli seemed to have had enough of visiting the city and stopped going out.
Ten days after they arrived, Xu Qingyue and his wife finally arrived.
Before coming, Xu Qingyue heard Yuan Xiucai and the others talking about this place, so when they arrived in Fucheng, they went all the way to find it. Shen Shen was not short of money. After hearing Xu Qingyue say that she wanted to live with a few people, she
Just use the money to throw away the most spacious family among the several families.
She drove people away without using a whip, probably... she also learned to keep a low profile after arriving in Fucheng.
It happens to be another month, and it’s time to get the antidote.
Shen Shen brought the maid over, and Chu Yunli didn't waste any time, just handed the medicine to her.
In fact, after taking the medicine for several months, Shen Shen usually didn't feel like he was poisoned and didn't feel any pain. Therefore, every time he wanted to break up, he had to think carefully.
I'm afraid that if I offend Chu Yunli, I won't be able to get the antidote.
"If it weren't for the antidote, I wouldn't have hurried so fast. The carriage ride made my back hurt." Shen Shen couldn't help but muttered after taking the medicine.
Chu Yunli seemed to be smiling but not smiling: "We don't have the money to hire someone. Miss Shen was born into a noble family, so she can stay in Yingcheng and wait. Just send a maid to take care of her."
Hearing this, Shen Shen snorted coldly, "Of course I want to accompany my husband to prevent him from being seduced by the wild woman outside."
As for Xu Qingyue, Shen Shen was so domineering and ruthless, and he wouldn't dare to give him the courage.
"Speaking of which," Shen Shen looked at Chu Yunli, "I didn't think highly of you at the beginning, but I didn't expect that you still have some tricks. Marrying a scholar is barely on an equal footing with me. It's no wonder that Qing Yue fell in love with you at the beginning."
These words imply that Chu Yunli has deep thoughts, but no one knows better than Chu Yunli that Zhang Wanya is really a simple girl! She really doesn’t want to seduce anyone, nor does she want to marry into a wealthy family. " It's his business to be reasonable and fall in love with me. I didn't know from the beginning to the end that the whipping you gave me was really unjust. My mother has taught me to respect myself and love myself since I was a child. If I had known what he was thinking, I would have rejected him long ago. Okay!"
Shen Shen didn't believe it, "Of course you will say this now that you are married. Qing Yue has good looks and a good future. Who would be a normal girl to refuse? I don't believe you were not tempted at all at the beginning!"
Chu Yunli: "..."
She didn't know whether Zhang Wanya would be tempted, but she really wouldn't be tempted by someone like Xu Qingyue.
Chu Yunli didn't want to talk much, so he served tea to see the guests off.
Shen Shen didn't want to leave and asked: "When will you give me the antidote?"
Chu Yunli said meaningfully, "Soon!"
Shen Si was not satisfied with this answer and immediately asked: "How long?"
Chu Yunli looked up at the blue sky outside and said with a smile, "No more than half a year."
Shen Shen was half-convinced, but someone happened to call her back, so she got up and left.
The rural examination was at the end of August, and now it was only the beginning of July, with nearly two months left. Several people studied hard every day. By August, almost everyone who had participated in the rural examination had arrived, and the city became increasingly lively.
But on this day, the maid who went to buy food for Shen Si rushed back in a hurry, not even caring about losing her basket on the way. After entering the door, she was hit by the door threshold, rolled over and knelt down in front of Shen Shen, "Girl, something happened at home." Got it!"
I pondered that the Kwai Shui was postponed two days ago, thinking it was a good thing, but when I woke up this morning, I found that the Kwai Shui had arrived. I was irritated. When I saw the maid being so busy, I immediately scolded: "What are you doing in such a hurry? Let people see it. How embarrassing!”
The maid ignored the scolding and said, "I just heard on the street...I heard..."
Shen Shen was furious and threw the teacup in his hand, "What did you hear?"
The teacup fell on the maid's head, causing her a headache, but she didn't dare to cover it, and said in a low voice: "Our master committed a crime and was arrested and brought to the capital. I heard that he will be taken to the capital for interrogation."
Shen Shen frowned: "Did you hear it wrong? How did it come about?"
The maid also thought she heard wrongly, but after she heard it, she repeatedly confirmed with others that it was indeed Mr. Zhang, a salt merchant in Yingcheng. How could there be any mistake?
Now the voice was even lower: "The Zhang family, the salt merchant in Yingcheng, is our family, isn't it? It is said that the master is selling smuggled salt. The Zhang family has been ransacked and the whole family has been jailed..."
Shen Shen slumped back on the chair. She felt that she must have injured her body and needed to recuperate. Otherwise, why would she be so dizzy after just coming to Kuishuitou?