Chapter 18: Nan Zhuang

  Five days later, Chen Qi ran to Qi Wan Xiang early in the morning, wanting to find Chen Qi to revisit Wen Jun Ge and then see Xi Wen.

  The door opened by Qing Yun, and it was Chen Qi. Mei's beautiful eyes were filled with anger as she glared at him, looking like a cat with its fur standing on end.

  "I came looking for Zhong Ji..." Chen Qi hastily explained.

  He thought of going to the door, and after Qingyun opened the door, he saw that it was Chen Qi, so he immediately took the door bolt to hit him; then Chen Qi's sister-in-law saw it, grabbed a rolling pin with one hand, and quickly walked over, looking like she was about to fight to the death.

  That attitude made Chen Qi stunned, standing at the door and didn't dare to step in.

  Where is the virtuous woman? She is more ruthless than a rural shrew.

  It wasn't until Chen Jiong came out that the misunderstanding was cleared up.

  This is Chen Qi's third visit this month.

  Like the first two times, Qing Yun saw him and stared at him fiercely as if he was an archenemy.

  Chen Qi stepped forward, and suddenly felt a chill run down his back.

  It's too much, Chen Qi thought. Such a fierce woman is still suitable for teasing Chen Xuan's brother, Chen Qi doesn't want her anymore. His little crush on Qing Yun also dissipated with these few visits.

  "End of the month, how did you come again?" Chen Jiu's sister-in-law was airing clothes and saw Chen Qi coming in. Her tone was cold, "Your great-grandfather forbids you from entering the door, you've done this three times already, do you want me to report it again?"

  "Hey, sister-in-law," Chen Qi begged for mercy. "I came looking for Yangji, not to cause trouble. Where's Yangji?"

  Chen Jie hasn't come back with the water yet.

  Chen Jiong's elder sister-in-law, Li, slightly furrowed her brow.

  She knew that Chen Qi was not looking for trouble. Chen Qi had come several times, and his attitude was quite good. Even if he really was looking for trouble, going to Jingzhong Alley to report him might not work. The people in Jingzhong Alley were under the control of the master of the house, and Chen Qi was the master's favorite, so at most they would just scold him lightly.

  Last time Chen Qi nearly beat Chen Jing to death, Li Shi made a scene at the ancestral temple, startling the elderly patriarch who was already advanced in years, and only then did he heavily punish Chen Qi.

  It's not worth risking one's life, so Li didn't dare bother the old master either.

  As for Chen Qi, Li had no way to deal with him.

  For some reason, Chen Qi has been looking for Chen Xuan several times in recent days.

  Every time Mr. Li asked Chen Xuan, Chen Qi found him what was going on, and Chen Xuan always made excuses, saying that he borrowed books.

  Chen Qi hated reading, and Li Shi immediately knew it was a lie. Li Shi was just the elder sister-in-law and couldn't interrogate Chen Jing like a child, so she worried about him in her heart but couldn't scold him, which made her anxious and worried.

  "Sister-in-law, where is he?" Chen Qi asked again. Li Shi and Qing Yun ignored him, continuing to dry their clothes.

  When the wet clothes were shaken open, water droplets splashed everywhere. Qing Yun deliberately flung water onto Chen Qi's body, and many water droplets landed on Chen Qi's face, forcing him to retreat several steps back.

  He felt rather displeased.

  From young to old, let alone a maid, even his own mother didn't dare treat him so lightly.

  But thinking of Chen Nian being able to take him to see Xi Wen, he could hardly bear it.

  Someone knocked on the door, and Qingyun went to open it again.

  This time it was Chen Jing who came back.

  "Master Qi, Master Qi, you're back!" Chen Qi hastily stepped forward and helped Chen Jing carry a bucket of water.

  It's so heavy.

  These two heavy buckets of water, Chen Jing carried back from the Jade Garden River, amazingly without a red face or shortness of breath. Chen Qi was slightly surprised. Chen Qi also thought that last time Chen Jing pinched his waist, he almost rolled on the ground in pain.

  It wasn't luck, Chen Xuan's strength was beyond ordinary people, it was trained.

  "Seventh Brother, why are you up so early? What's going on?" Chen Jing poured water into the vat with a gentle whoosh.

  Chen Qi also followed suit, but ended up not being able to lift the water jug, and his face turned bright red from exertion, his arms trembling, water splashing all over him, getting his precious blue satin embroidered cloud-patterned jacket half wet.

  Chen Jiong smiled and said, "Give it back to me. The water I worked hard to carry back was spilled by you for half a bucket..." He took the water bucket from Chen Qi's hand and easily lifted it up to pour into the water tank.

  Chen Qi felt a bit awkward and coughed, patting Chen Jing's shoulder: "You little scamp, you've got some strength."

  Chen Jiong smiled and asked him again: "What's up, Seventh Brother?"

  Chen Qi knew that Chen Jing had gone to Wanyun Pavilion to treat his illness, and he had been keeping it a secret from his sister-in-law. Of course, he wouldn't expose him directly, so he came up with an excuse: "The day after tomorrow is the birthday of Second Brother's youngest son, and our family will be hosting a banquet for the female relatives. Second Brother has invited some male guests to go to Nan Zhuang for fun. He asked us brothers to help with the preparations, and I'm inviting you to come along."

  Second Brother Chen Ying, last year set up a side room, gave birth to a son, his second son, in the Jingzhong Lane family "Wen" generation ranking fourth, so Chen Qi is called "Xiao Si Er".

  The day after tomorrow is Little Four's first birthday.

  In ancient times, one's first birthday was a grand occasion and required a banquet at home.

  Chen Yun's sister-in-law knew about this matter. Yesterday, Chen Yun's sister-in-law went to buy two gold bangles, preparing them as gifts, each weighing six points and costing twelve taels of silver, Qingyun was heartbroken and wanted to cry.

  Having obtained this son, Second Brother was very delighted and so invited the male guests to go play at South Villa.

  Nanzhuang is one of the Chen family's properties, a riverside villa in the southern suburbs. It was once the old master's summer resort, so it was built to be very magnificent and is considered one of the Chen family's most impressive assets.

  Only Second Brother can use it, even when Old Master Chen wanted to borrow it for a banquet, the old master refused.

  "Oh." Chen Jiong nodded and then asked his sister-in-law, "Is there anything going on at home today? If not, I'll follow Seventh Brother over first, so Second Brother won't have to wait..."

  Sister-in-law's eyebrows slightly furrowed.

  If Chen Jie really went to Nanzhuang to help, Li Shi agreed.

  Chen Er Chen Ying held a high position among the Chen family's younger generation and also had many friends in Wang County. Chen Jing followed him to Nan Zhuang, if he could recognize a few people of the same age, they would often come and go, and it would be easier for him to study at home without becoming a bookworm.

  It's just that for some reason, it was Chen Qi who invited him.

  Mr. Li is afraid that Chen Jing will follow in Chen Qi's footsteps and mix with him, and won't study well.

  In front of Chen Qi, Li didn't question Chen Xuan, fearing that Chen Qi would think Chen Xuan had no status at home and was controlled by a woman. So she smiled and reminded Chen Xuan: "Your fourth nephew is having his first birthday, it's a big deal. Since you're going to help out, don't be lazy and cause trouble for your second brother."

  Chen Jiong said yes.

  He went back home to change into some clean clothes and then followed Chen Qi out of the door.

  Chen Qi's carriage was a magnificent eight-treasured chariot with a green canopy and red tassels, its compartment spacious with a small table set up inside. On the table were tea and snacks, as well as a pot of steaming hot tea.

  "Do you really want to go to Nanzhuang to help?" Chen Jing asked Chen Qi.

  Chen Qi poured Chen Jing a cup of tea and said, "What's the help for? Let's go to Wanyun Pavilion." Then he glanced at Chen Jing's clothes several times, "Why do you always dress so shabbily, are you guys very short on money?"

  "Short of money." Chen Jing said, "Don't you know, our family has always been short of money?"

  Chen Qi had also heard of this.

  Can't afford money but can't buy a better set of clothes?

  Chen Jiong wore this garment, Chen Qi saw him wear it for several months.

  "If you're short of money, just ask me," Chen said generously. "After we've finished our business, I'll take you to have some clothes made."

  "You directly give money, it's also the same." Chen Jing said.

  Chen Qi gave him a white eye.

  It's really embarrassing for Chen Qi to speak on behalf of Chen Jing.

  What's the difference between asking someone for money and being a beggar?

  Chen Jiong didn't mind at all and just said a casual remark before dropping the subject.

  The horse carriage left the Seven-turn Alley, and Chen Jing said to Chen Qi: "Let's go to Nan Zhuang first. Since we said we'd help Second Brother, it wouldn't be good if we didn't go. Besides, it's still morning now, and Wan Niang is busy with her business, she usually gets up late in the morning."

  "We're going now, aren't we disturbing them?"

  Chen Qi heard this and immediately felt a bit disheartened.

  He couldn't wait to see Xiwen.

  Ke Chenjing's words make sense, going so early is very impolite.

  Wan Jun Ge is actually a brothel.

  He must calm down, lest Wan Niang and Xi Wen think he's inexperienced and reckless. Thinking this, Chen Qi endured his temper and let the coachman drive the carriage out of town, heading towards Nan Zhuang.

  Many of my cousins are over at Nanzhuang.

  Just preparing some wine, food and entertainment.

  These things are done by the servants at home, what is called helping is just helping to take a look, don't let the servants do it wrong.

  It is equivalent to a foreman.

  The foreman doesn't need so many people. The brothers of the clan all fawned on Chen Er, so they all came, and Chen Qi and Chen Jing couldn't get a word in edgewise, so the two just stood aside drinking tea.

  But seeing them together, including my second brother, was quite surprising.

  "How can the emperor and the common people be together in one place?" someone whispered.

  "Look at Chen Jing, he's been following Chen Qi lately. Now he only brings Chen Qi with him, those two from the fourth house are not brought along anymore..." A paternal uncle said this with a tone of sarcasm, thinking that Chen Jing is greedy for Chen Qi's money and is willing to follow him around like a lackey just to make a living.

  "Zhāng and that little brat, no more studying, following the riffraff won't learn anything good. If his older brother comes back, he'll break his legs!"

  "His brother... who knows if he'll come back or not, maybe he's already dead outside. It's been two years." someone said with a sour tone. Chen Jing's older brother Chen Zhang passed the imperial examination and became a jinshi, shining brightly, naturally overshadowing his other brothers who studied but didn't achieve success.

  The adults at home also often compare their own children with Chen Zhang.

  After a long time, some people got tired of listening and became dissatisfied.

  These idle words were all spoken behind their backs; no one dared say them in front of Chen Qi and Chen Jing.

  Today, Chen Er invited a blind storyteller to tell stories. There was nothing for them to do, so Chen Jing sat aside listening to the story and drinking tea with a relaxed expression; but Chen Qi couldn't sit still and kept wanting to leave.

  It wasn't easy to hold on until midnight, but Chen Qi couldn't bear it any longer and dragged Chen Xuan away.

  "Wait for everyone to return to the city together." Chen Er shouted from behind.

  Chen Qī didn't even turn his head: "I still have things to do, I won't go with you guys."

  Chen Er shook his head helplessly and smiled at the other brothers, "Still a child's temper, doesn't understand things." A typical older brother's doting on his younger brother.

  Others expressed indifference.

  Chen Er turned around, with his back to the crowd, gazing in the direction where Chen Qi and Chen Jing were leaving. A flash of cold light flickered across his broad and gentle eyes.

  It was just for a moment, and then it returned to its warmth.

  Chen Qi's carriage, returning from Nanzhuang to the city, went straight to Wanjun Pavilion.

  All the way, Chen Qi urged the horse cart to hurry up.

  Chen Jiong smiled and asked him: "You like Xiwen so much? Is she good?"

  Chen Qi glared: "Of course it's okay, she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Didn't you take her pulse last time and see her?"

  "I've seen her before," said Chen Jiong. "However, she's so sickly pale that only her face looks good. As for the rest, I don't think there's anything special about her."

  Chen Qi took a deep breath.

  It's just a pretty face...

  What a stunning beauty! You actually use such an unenthusiastic tone to evaluate her? You little brat, you should be condemned by heaven!