Volume 1 Chapter 132: Unbearable (5)

  Chapter 132: None Other Than Me (5)

  Mozi finished speaking, but saw Lin Zhen Niang looking puzzled and not quite understanding. She sighed silently to herself, thinking that this was still too profound for someone like her who had been raised in a wealthy family's inner chambers. In contrast to the open society of the Tang Dynasty, the trend of the Zhou Dynasty emphasized the Three Bonds and Five Constants, especially the strict etiquette for women. Women who were active outside were becoming increasingly rare. According to what she read in books, the women of the Southern De Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period were said to be more free-spirited and uninhibited. She hadn't traveled much, so she didn't know if this was true or not.

  Let's put the big truth aside for now, and just hope that Lin Zhen Niang can slowly understand its meaning, and one day be able to live freely. Mozi then asked, "Miss Lin..."

  "Mo Ge is my benefactor, just call me Zhen Niang." Lin Zhen Niang finally sat down under Mo Zi's persistence.

  "Lin Zhen Niang, I won't pretend to be polite with you either. Do you have any other relatives that you can turn to for help?" The most pressing matter at hand was to arrange a safe place for Lin Zhen Niang.

  Lin Zhen Niang lowered her eyes, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, she raised her head and said, "Zhen Niang still has an uncle doing business in Yunzhou."

  Cen Er yi listened, his eyes shining brightly, "This is great. We often come and go with Luozhou, Yunzhou is adjacent to Luozhou, we can send you there." Amitabha, trouble solved.

  "Miss, your uncle and aunt have had no contact for a long time, and I haven't even seen you before, nor have we exchanged letters. If we go to rely on them, I don't know if they will accept us or not." The little girl's name was Lingxiang, she was young but had an old qualification, however, she loved to cry, and she had a few points of sisterly affection with Lin Zhen Niang.

  Mozi smiled and looked at Cen Ergou's fallen face, continuing to ask Lin Zhen Niang, "Then, are there any relatives or clansmen?"

  "There is indeed, but since the old master and mistress passed away, the young master has offended all the relatives, and even Miss has been ostracized by them. If Miss were to go to them for help, she would definitely be met with cold shoulders." Lin Zhen didn't wait for an answer before Ling Xiang hastily spoke up.

  "Is that the only way out?" Mozi knew it would be like this. If there was a place to rely on, Lin Gongzi might not have been so ruthless. Clearly knowing he had no backing, he still resented his own sister for following and wasting more silver. The one who could make such a heartless decision was probably Mrs. Lin.

  "Mo Ge doesn't have to worry about Zhen Niang. Zhen Niang still has some jewelry, can exchange for some silver coins, rent a small house, and do some needlework for people. Not afraid of the hardships in life, as long as she can settle down and make a living. Mo Ge just said that although Zhen Niang is foolish, she couldn't understand thoroughly, but from now on, she will never have the idea of taking her own life again." Lin Zhen Niang not only has a strong character, but also isn't stupid.

  "I thought you were a spoiled rich girl, but hearing you say that, it doesn't seem like you're completely clueless." Lin Zhen's eyes, which were as dark as ink, sparkled with amusement at her own words.

  "Our house has been out of money for a long time, and the money from selling antiques and furniture is spent by the second mistress on her own purchases. When it comes to Miss's turn, she pretends to be poor. Miss has no choice but to embroider some small things and ask me to sell them outside. Later, a famous embroidery shop saw that our miss embroidered beautifully, so they asked Miss to embroider silk fabrics, which is how we can get monthly allowance for the people below us." Lingxiang helped explain it to everyone again.

  "Can Zhen Niang still do something else?" Xun Er thought, embroidery is of no great use in the Wang Qiulou faction.

  "Zhen Niang is clumsy, only embroidery is barely passable." Zhen Niang felt a bit embarrassed.

  "Qin Qi Shu Hua?" Cen Er thought of letting Zhen Niang lean towards Ge Qiu Niang.

  Zhen Niang shook her head.

  "Poetry and lyrics?" Xun Er thought everyone should be like Qiu San Niang.

  "Zhen Niang is illiterate." But she was a typical little home jade, except for being good at needlework, she couldn't do anything else.

  Cen Er couldn't help but slap his forehead with a loud crack.

  Zhen Niang and Ling Xiang were shocked, unsure of what was happening.

  Mozi knew what Cen Er thought, but she wasn't flustered. To say that saving one was a clever and formidable figure, that was Qi Xia Liu Yi.

  "Zhen Niang, it will take more than a month to fix up this place. Why don't you just temporarily move in and stay here for now? However, your original small building might not be suitable because it's going to be demolished and rebuilt, and the construction noise from the workers will be non-stop. How about moving into the two side rooms on the south side? Although they're small, they should be enough for you and your maid, and it's quiet. For daily meals, Xun Er, that is, this steward, will have someone deliver food to you. If you need anything, you can also find him. Let's take this opportunity to think about how to arrange things in the long run." She calculated the time and found that Qiu San Niang would arrive soon.

  Zhen Niang was even more grateful, got up and bowed again, "Thank you, Mo Ge, Cen Da Zhu Shi. My luggage was already packed, all in the small building in the back garden, if it's not too much trouble, please have someone send it to the south wing."

  "Today's trouble, I think you're all tired too. The road to Nanyuan, you are more familiar with it than me. Let Zan Jin follow and go rest quickly." Mozi saw that Zhen Niang's gift was a bit shaky and couldn't be received with much strength, "Later, let someone take your luggage over for you."

  Ling Xiang rushed forward and helped Zhen Niang up, also thanking Mo Zi.

  Zan followed naturally and listened to Mozi's words, following behind the master and servant as they swayed out of the main hall.

  "Mo Ge, this Zhen Niang cannot stay in Wang Qiulou." After Cen Er and others left, he said to Mo Zi, "It's not that I don't pity her, but she doesn't understand anything about music, chess, books, paintings, poetry, or songs. Even if she knew one of them, it would be easier for me to explain to the master."

  "Not every family's young lady can do these eight things. To say, it is also rare for a young lady to be able to do them. Whether she is from a humble background or a prominent one, the most important thing is that she knows two things: needlework and household management. These eight things, in some families are like adding flowers to brocade, while in others they are not appreciated at all.

  A woman without talent is virtuous, after all. Take Jiang Suxin, the fourth wife of Qiu, for example. She didn't know any skills or arts, but she could manage a household with precision and flair, grasping the essence of domestic struggle and using it with ease. She is indeed a model for women of our time, the most favored daughter-in-law among mothers-in-law."

  "Hearing Mr. Mo's words is better than reading books for ten years." Today, Cen Er learned a lot of truths from Mo Zi.

  "Then I'll teach you another thing. You're already a big shot now, don't think that everything big or small has to be reported to the master. This huge Wangchun Building can afford to support two more people, how much silver would it cost? Besides, Master doesn't care about which partners or accountants are used in Luozhou." Mozi didn't think it was necessary to tell Qiu San Niang.

  Cen Er listened and indeed, smiled and said, "I'm used to reporting everything clearly to my dad, for a moment I forgot that now I can also handle things on my own like him."

  "Lin Zhen Niang staying here is also temporary. When Wang Qiulou opens up, she might think it's similar to a brothel, just selling art not body, and when the time comes, she'll be scared away by herself." The more I think about it, the greater this possibility becomes. "You still think she can play chess, paint, write poetry or compose music? Even if she really knows how, she won't necessarily want to become a Qiulou."

  Although the idealized courtesan is a profession that doesn't distinguish between high and low, Mu Zi isn't naive to this extent. When the courtesans are all from relatively poor families and have no choice but to come out and show their faces, this job really does involve selling art not one's body, and can earn a relatively large amount of silver.

  "That's good, we're at ease. Also, if the leopard gang really comes to make trouble, at least people have left, and we don't need to worry too much. In this line of work as a wine shop owner, all kinds of people from all walks of life must be entertained. We haven't even opened the shop yet, but we've already offended the local snakehead, my heart is uneasy.

  Saying it's nothing, actually it's not true. Stinky fish, even if he swore an oath, it wouldn't work, he's been running a business for a long time, and he knows that every place has its own rules. But he's a very righteous person, Lin Zhen Niang is also someone who can't be saved. So, it's gotten him stuck between two fires.

  "Hmm, not right. What about Ge Qiu? If she has talent, dances well, sings well, looks beautiful, who knows, maybe some kind-hearted man will take a liking to her and marry her properly, that would be Lin Zhen Niang's good fortune." There have been several good marriages in the Wutai Lou of Luozhou.

  This is Taowang Autumn Building, a wine house rather than a brothel. The guests are not only men who come to indulge in the beauty of women, but also gentlemen brought by fine wines and delicious food, and female guests are also welcome.

  "Alright, I won't say anything more. Anyway, Miss is free to do as she pleases. If she wants to leave, she can leave; if she wants to stay, she can stay. You just help take care of her more often and stabilize the situation for now." Mozi saw Cen Er nodding repeatedly, knowing that he could entrust things to him with peace of mind. "As for Luozhou, has the person set off yet? Don't let them miss the opening."

  The environment is still unfamiliar, and hastily finding a good teacher and a woman who can sing and dance well is not easy. Mozi suggested early on that the best batch of Ge Qiu be trained from Luozhou to put on the opening day of the wine tower. The initial prosperity or decline will determine the future business. Therefore, becoming an overnight sensation is necessary.

  "At first, it was said that it would be late for half a month, and there were still seven or eight days left. This person didn't arrive, and I wouldn't open the door to do business either." Xun Er had made up his mind.

  "Smiling, 'Turn around and give me a copy of the blueprint for the main hall. I want to design the bell pull. I also have some ideas about the furniture and chairs in the private rooms. Let's take a look together after I finish drawing them.'"

  Cen Er knew that Mo Zi's hands were very skilled, and when she said she wanted to draw paper and painter's furniture style, he naturally agreed quickly.

  Two people were talking there, while Qiu San Niang's carriage had already entered Tongyu Street.

  The carriage is the one sent by Princess Jing. The coachman is Princess Jing's personal driver. There are two high-headed horses in front and back, with four sturdy palace guards.

  Every time Qiu San Niang slightly lifted the curtain, there would be a sharp-eyed squad leader riding over to ask, "Third Young Master's wife, what are your orders?"

  After being pulled back several times, Qiu San Niang got angry and said to the squad leader, "I just wanted to try something new and take a look outside. I didn't call you, you wouldn't have come forward to talk again."

  "Unexpectedly, the handsome and spirited squad leader replied to Zhuo San Niang, 'The Third Young Master's wife is not an ordinary citizen, it's better not to lift the curtain frequently. If others see it, they will misunderstand that the Third Young Master's wife is not dignified enough, damaging her reputation.'"

  Qiu San Niang was stunned for a while, then slammed down the curtain and said to Xiao Yi and Bai He with her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, "Look at me, I really chose a good husband's family for myself. Now it's harder to go out than to ascend to heaven, not to mention that even looking at the scenery is like being tied together with dignity."

  "Bai He hastily said, 'Grandma, speak softly. If the guards hear us, the princess will know.'"

  Xiao Yi suddenly said a very wise thing, "Break off relationships with two people."

  The air in the car suddenly turned cold.

  My body doesn't feel too good, I really need to sleep early, double update tomorrow.

  Sorry, guys.

  Chapter 132: None Other Than Me (5)

  Chapter 132: None Other Than Me (5)