The First Volume of Qinghe County

  Wu Yue's daughter didn't come by herself, but was accompanied by the steward and four or five young servants, who brought a carriage from their home.

  Watching Wu Yue's majestic momentum, the owner of the Hao Men Lou also cleverly got rid of the puffy-faced guy who looked like a pig head and didn't ask for any food money.

  Anyway, this Haomen building is no different from the one opened by Zhu Zhi County, and Zhu Zhi County has taken enough from Ximen Qing. Since Zhu Zhi County didn't give any special instructions, the landlord naturally wouldn't stop it either.

  As soon as they came out of the mansion gate, before even getting on the carriage, Wu Yueniang's silver face suddenly turned black: "Get in!"

  Ximen Qing took a look at this obedient woman, and suddenly a wave of disgust surged up from his memory, which was not brought by his own traversal, but rather something that Ximen Qing originally had. This made Ximen Qing feel a sense of estrangement towards Wu Yue'e.

  As the coachman called out, the two-wheeled carriage moved steadily along the cobblestone street, with hardly any jolting.

  In the carriage, Wu Yue-niang and Ximen Qing sat shoulder to shoulder. Her face was still dark as ice: "Tell me, what's going on with Pan Jinlian on Purple Stone Street?"

  "Pan Jinlian?" Ximen Qing finally came to his senses, realizing that Wu Yue'e hadn't come because she had heard he was ill and wanted him to rest at home, but rather because she had heard rumors about him and Pan Jinlian and couldn't bear not to rush over and ask.

  It is said that Ximen Qing is the tyrant of Qinghe County, known as "the leader of wife-beating and the commander-in-chief of henpecked husbands", but now the reality before our eyes is Wu Yue'e scolding him with a straight face.

  Ximen Qing only then realized where the disgust in his memory came from. This Wu Yue Niang was two-faced and treacherous, with one set of words for the public and another behind their backs. Her father had been a left guard commander and had intricate connections with the government, no wonder Ximen Qing got stuck with this marriage and couldn't do anything about Wu Yue Niang.

  So Ximen Qing and Wu Yueniang, although husband and wife at home, rarely lived together, let alone emotions. Therefore, Ximen Qing's previous approach was "out of sight, out of mind", if I don't provoke you, I can avoid you.

  But now Wu Yue-niang is still the same Wu Yue-niang, Ximen Qing is no longer the previous Ximen Qing.

  Ximen Qing calmly said to Wu Yue'e, who was pale and haggard due to extreme lack of sex life: "Madam, you don't know that I've had an old illness since childhood. When it flares up, I get dizzy and can't move. Pan Jinlian is also kind and helping me out. You're just being paranoid!"

  "What old illness?" Wu Yue's voice burst into a heart-wrenching, ear-piercing laughter: "I, Yue, have been in your household for many years, and I've never seen you mention any old illness of yours, let alone having an attack. Do you think I'm a three-year-old child, that you can just scare me with some nonsense?"

  "Besides, there are people all over the street. Why did that scoundrel have to hit you on the head with a bamboo stick used for supporting windows? Couldn't he have hit someone else?"

  "You're really something, directly fell to the ground! Are you made of paper or mud? A single bamboo stick weighing no more than a few ounces can knock a grown man to the ground?"

  "Go tell it to the whole street, who would believe you!" Wu Yue's wife was in an agitated state, her teeth chattering and her whole body shaking uncontrollably.

  Ximen Qing patted his sleeve, reached out and grasped the sheep fat jade pendant, playing with it, unmoved by Wu Yue's performance this time, without even the interest to respond, only using his eyes to look at Wu Yue as if wanting to understand something.

  "You're the one who's talking..." Wu Yue-niang saw Ximen Qing as a bottomless muddy pit, not to mention throwing money couldn't even make a splash, even throwing a big stone in wouldn't have any ripple, instead it made her feel hairy and a thread of panic appeared in her eyes.

  "Could it be that thing that made him aware?" Wu Yue's daughter was stared at with some doubt, but immediately denied her own idea: "No way, absolutely impossible. That thing only heaven knows, earth knows, I know, he's always outside messing around, but it's impossible for him to know."

  Wu Yue-niang pretended to be angry and turned her back, but soon burst into sobs.

  One cry, two make a scene, three hang oneself, this method is indeed an excellent tradition of women in our country.

  Ximen Qing's mouth curled up into a faint smile as his hand continued to play with the sheep fat white jade pendant, without any pause in his movements.

  "Madam, is there something you want to tell me?"

  "Brother, there's a commotion inside." The little servant sitting at the front of the carriage heard Wu Yue-niang crying and making a fuss inside, and spoke in a low voice to the steward who was hunched over and driving the carriage himself.

  The steward's face was expressionless, intently watching the road ahead, seemingly not having heard the words at all. The young servant sulkily withdrew his body, and only then did the steward slowly say: "In the Ximen household, just doing your own job is enough."

  "Mind your tongue, lest Master strips you of your skin." The housekeeper's voice was also icy.

  The young servant couldn't help but shudder at the thought of something, and he clamped his legs together tightly, leaning against them, and said no more.

  Wu Yue-niang heard this and suddenly turned her body around, with tears already streaking her face: "What words? What are you talking about? You're always out gallivanting all day long, never minding the household. Every single person in the Ximen estate is managed by me, Wu Yue-niang. Think carefully, what have I ever done to wrong you?"

  "My life is so bitter..." Wu Yue's crying grew louder, Ximen Qing knew that at this time he couldn't speak, and tilted his head to look at Wu Yue, suddenly remembering someone had said a famous saying: "Women are unreasonable."

  Ximen Qing was moved by Wu Yue's crying and fussing, but instead confirmed one thing: Wu Yue must have done something wrong behind his back. Because from the way Wu Yue cried, it seemed like thunder with little rain, and there was a hint of panic in her eyes, while she covered her face and cried, secretly observing him at the same time.

  "He's probably secretly given a lot of money to his wife's family." Ximen Qing thought to himself.

  The family's finances were all previously managed by Wu Yue'e, and Ximen Qing rarely asked about them. The account books were also in Wu Yue'e's hands, making her seem like a ridiculous cashier cum accountant.

  Ximen Qing didn't say a word, Wu Yue'e couldn't figure out what Ximen Qing was thinking, the crying gradually stopped, she wiped her face with her sleeve and continued to look outside with her back turned.

  "Open the big gate!" With a loud shout from the butler, the carriage had already arrived at the entrance. The little servant inside quickly opened the large gate. The butler jumped down from the carriage and walked to the side of the carriage with the servants: "Master! Madam! We're home!"

  As the carriage door opened, Wu Yueniang was the first to get out and then helped Ximen Qing down from the carriage. She still clung to him like a bird on a branch and said in a sweet voice: "Master, it's windy outside, let's hurry inside."

  Ximen Qing coughed twice, struck a pose, and walked in with a swaggering gait, while Wu Yueniang supported him with great kindness. Behind them followed the steward and a group of servants.

  The little servant sitting in the front of the carriage saw this scene, sighed and thought to himself: "Rich people can really pretend!" He shook his head and drove the carriage to the backyard.

  "Master, why don't you go sit in Wu Yueniang's room for a bit?" Wu Yueniang's voice was so sweet it could be used to make syrup.

  "It's all right." Ximen Qing's attitude was very resolute, and his tone was polite: "I have some things to think about clearly, so you go back first, Yueniang."

  Having finished speaking, Ximen Qing directly turned around and went to the study.

  Wu Yue-niang stood still for a moment, then stamped her foot and went back to her room.

  There were two young servants waiting in the study, one was a book boy and the other was a painting boy. Seeing their master coming, they hurriedly welcomed him into the study.

  Ximen Qing looked at these two young servants who were only twelve or thirteen years old, and thought that if it were his own time, they probably wouldn't have even graduated from elementary school, and couldn't help but sigh at the backwardness of feudal society.

  Fortunately I didn't become a young servant, not every young servant can meet Bai Hai Chan.

  Seeing the old master of his own family come to the study room today, he really came to read books. The book boy and the painting boy couldn't believe their eyes. You know, in the past, the old master always treated the study as a secret meeting place, and they two often saw some things that shouldn't be seen.

  Ximen Qing noticed the doubt in the eyes of these two young servants, had Shu Tong'er bring up a cup of fragrant tea, and ordered Hua Tong'er to grind some ink, then instructed them to go out and not disturb him.

  Two young men bowed and retreated respectfully, while Wu Yue-niang cried and made a fuss. Ximen Qing's intoxication was completely gone, he rubbed his temples and sat in the armchair to start thinking seriously about life.

  Many things really need to be sorted out. Ximen Qing thought while holding a brush and drawing on the rice paper, this was his own habit, when thinking about things, he always had to move his hands and brain at the same time, in order to feel smooth.

  Although Bai Taichang was squeezed to death, every year the Shengyao shop had to squeeze out four more old ginseng for Zhu Zhixian's tribute. As for other precious nourishing medicinal materials, it goes without saying. Can't you make money by letting the county magistrate come to your house to grab medicine?

  Of course, there are also three hundred taels of silver that need to be given as a filial gift when becoming the county magistrate. In these three years, the Clear Knows Prefecture has ten million Snowflake Silver, not a single bit is fake.

  Zhu Zhi County ordered Wu Song to go on an errand, and Ximen Qing vaguely remembered that it was also for the tribute to the Eastern Capital. In this world, without money, nothing can be done smoothly anywhere.

  It seems like I haven't even seen any profit for myself yet, but I've already lost a few hundred yuan. Calculating it this way, it appears to be a loss.

  However, being able to be Wu Song's direct superior, Ximen Qing was quite satisfied, after all Wu Song was also someone he admired, and it seemed that his transmigration had not been in vain.

  It's like suddenly discovering that Jay Chou is a servant in your household, and he can even sing for you at banquets, how impressive!

  Ximen Qing's mind was racing fast, constantly writing or drawing on the rice paper, quickly jotting down all the ways to make money that came to mind.

  It's no wonder that a few hundred years of being ahead of its time is not ordinary, and with just an idea, you can make a lot of money.

  After a long while, Ximen Qing looked at his scribbles and had used up three large sheets of rice paper before he was satisfied and put down his brush to review them again.

  Yeah, except for the handwriting being a bit ugly, all three pages are full of golden ideas!