Volume 1 Chapter 90 The Falling Curtain (2)

  Chapter 90: The Curtain Falls (2)

  "Who?" The gatekeeper was more cautious than before.

  "I am Mozi, a maid in the Third Young Lady's courtyard." Mozi replied from outside the garden gate.

  The lanterns are red and festive, but the people in the mansion don't have much to be joyful about. After all, the mistress of the house is in a precarious situation, and how can the servants who are used to reading the mood of their masters be happy? Although, the marriage arranged for Chou San Niang is as good as it gets, she will be leaving, and those who have to stay behind to make a living are actually farther away.

  "What time is it now, still outside?" The old woman's voice inside the door was cold and inhumane. "Don't you know? For the past two days, no maids from the inner courtyard are allowed to go out, and the garden gate is locked after noon. Except for the masters and their personal attendants, not a single person can enter."

  "Mei Zi didn't recognize the voice, so she just called out 'Mother', 'I left the garden seven or eight days ago. Someone at home was ill, and my sister-in-law was kind to me, allowing me a few days off to visit the sick person. I just got back today and didn't know that the lock had been changed. Mother, please be accommodating and let me in.'"

  "The person inside said with a mouthful of refusal, 'The mistress's orders, who dares not to listen. Besides, I've already made an exception for you, what if another one comes later and I make another exception? What if the mistress blames me and you help me take the punishment? Go, go to the outer garden and tell the person in charge, find a place to sleep anywhere, come back early tomorrow."

  "This is terrible, how can I stay in the garden all night? I told Third Sister that I'd be back today, and if I don't return early tomorrow, I'll get scolded by her. My sister's getting married soon, and we need all hands on deck to help out." Meizi begged at the door, "Good mom, please let me in. I'll definitely take good care of you and never forget your kindness."

  The woman in the doorway heard this and seemed to be moved, she opened a gap as big as her face in the door and said "Let me see how you show your filial piety?"

  It seems that the silver given was not enough. In extraordinary times, even the tolls are inflated. Mei Zi lowered her head to search for the pouch containing loose change at her waist, but couldn't find it for a moment. Then, she suddenly remembered that she had just changed into a new skirt, and the pouch was still in the bundle.

  Then she put the red lantern aside, squatted on the ground and unpacked her bundle, saying "Mom, wait for me to find..."

  Before he had finished speaking, a bright light suddenly flashed before him, and with a loud creaking sound the garden gate swung open. Immediately afterwards, the voice of the old woman who kept the door was heard shouting in pain from inside the gate.

  "The greedy dead woman, what a master's prestige is blind and deaf, hurry up to buy a coffin board and handle the funeral, don't dirty the masters' faces here. Take a closer look, who do you want to show filial piety to?" someone behind Mozi cursed viciously.

  Mozhilian hastily picked up his bundle and stood up straight, looking back.

  Three bright lamps, four human shadows. The one who kicked open the door was a sturdy fellow. The one speaking was a middle-aged steward. The one smiling and looking pleased was young servant Qi Shu, and the one being treated like a moon and bowed to was Fourth Master Ming of the Qiu Manor.

  Ran into the person she least wanted to see, Mozi's heart wailed in anguish.

  The old gatekeeper crawled to the doorstep on her hands and knees, with a bitter expression on her face. "The old woman had just drunk a small cup of wine, and it was mostly the intoxication that misled her eyes, she didn't see clearly that it was Master Si returning to the garden, so please forgive the old woman this time." As she spoke, she slapped herself in the ears with a loud slapping sound.

  The sound in her ears was indeed real, much heavier than the slap she received from Zhang's wife at first, and it didn't seem like she was being clever. Although a naughty slave deserved to be beaten, but seeing an old man of this age kneeling down and hitting himself, she couldn't bear to watch, so she slightly turned her face away.

  Qiu Si looked at Mo Zi with a stern expression, seeing that she seemed to be unable to bear it, he said to the servant, "Alright, I'll spare you this time. If there's a next time, pack your things and leave the manor yourself."

  The old woman knocked her head and repeatedly said she didn't dare, retreating to one side and trembling.

  To be honest, it's normal for people to take advantage of the benefits given by the Marquis' household, and it can't be considered a big mistake. The old woman just happened to have bad luck tonight.

  Three gleaming crystal lanterns had passed, and the four people had also gone by. Ink Purple waited in place, wanting to wait until they were a bit further away before continuing her red lantern's illumination, advancing with small steps.

  Unexpectedly, it didn't turn out as she had hoped.

  "Still can't keep up?" Qiu Si urged.

  Mozi's scalp went numb and her whole body stiffened as soon as he called out to her. Why follow him? He was heading back to Chun Guiyuan, while she was going to San Niang's small courtyard, which were completely different routes.

  "Fourth Master..." She hugged her bundle with both hands, and a thought suddenly occurred to her, "Mozi has already returned late today, I need to hurry back to the young lady's place. Fourth Master, you go your way."

  "Your daughter is at my mother's place, and I'm just going there, let's go." Qiu Si turned around and looked carefully at the person who wanted to hide in the shadow.

  Undeniably, Mozi was the first to capture his heart because of her talent. But now, he found that he was also very satisfied with her understanding of boundaries. In front of people, she lowered her head and was careful not to draw attention to herself. This way, there wouldn't be any rumors about them, right? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a burning anger.

  Ai Lian, this woman, although he didn't love her dearly, treated her fairly well. Who would have thought that she would do such a despicable thing with her own brother, and even try to pass off the child as his? He didn't mind the women outside who fooled around with other men, because they were just courtesans. But the ones in his own house had to be loyal only to him, even if he rarely touched them, or almost never touched them. He disliked women who couldn't read a few big characters and had no talent. His wife was very intelligent and capable, but when it came to managing the household, she had no sense of romance. Not to mention playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting, she even struggled to read the Hundred Family Surnames. His concubine, Hu Mei, had pleased him in bed for a while, but her ignorance soon made him tired of her.

  Unlike his fifth brother who did not strive for self-improvement, he diligently read books and took the imperial examination as a child prodigy. However, those classical texts were not something that could be turned into great talent just by being interested in them. When he realized he didn't have the talent for reading, he began to socialize with scholars, visit brothels with them, drink and sleep with the courtesans who understood poetry and music, and learn from the scholars who patronized those talented women, as if this way he could become one of them.

  Nor did she know whether to mention the matter of taking her in, Mu Zi looked at Qi Shu and the others who seemed to be deliberately keeping their distance from her and Ju Si, and secretly smiled bitterly.

  Qiu Si was a master in Qiu's mansion who rarely smiled or spoke, and from his appearance, it was impossible to tell that he led an extremely dissolute life.

  Qiu San Niang once described her two younger brothers like this: Eldest Fourth is a scholar at heart but a fake merchant, while Eldest Fifth is an embroidered pillow with a bundle of straw.

  Hit the nail on the head.

  "How's your family?" I heard from Jiang that she had returned home to visit her sick relative several days ago.

  Mozi had no choice but to tell a lie, "Thanks to Fourth Master's blessing, I'm doing quite well."

  "I heard it's a dry relationship?" Understanding has just begun.

  It's better not to drag things out, lest you say too much and make mistakes, which will lead to trouble in the future.

  "What kind of books do you usually like to read?" Jiu Si himself didn't have the ability to study, but he liked others to study.

  "Tell Fourth Master, Mozi doesn't read books, he just recognizes a few characters."

  What a standard and safe answer.

  "Zither, chess, calligraphy and painting? Poetry and songs?" But before he could finish, the fourth brother rushed in, like a flock of ducks being herded onto a rack.

  "He was completely clueless." He liked women with talent and emotion, so she absolutely didn't belong to that type.

  Mozhi discovered that the person beside her was approaching when it was already too late. Before she could even cry out, Qiusi pushed her against the white wall of the corridor. The lantern in her hand fell to the ground and quickly caught fire, turning bright red into a dark char, with sparks flying up.

  Qī Shū turned his head to look back, and quickly understood the situation, turning his head back around. He called out to the other two people to quicken their pace, as if his master was going to do something that couldn't be seen by others. The three lanterns swayed wildly, causing them to rush along without a clear path.

  Not to mention those three, even Mozi herself doubted whether Qiu Si wanted to learn from his younger brother. If that was the case, she would have to be aware of it.

  What kind of enlightenment?

  When beating the master and servant girls is at its lowest awareness, when escaping slaves is at their highest awareness.

  Mei Zi didn't say a word, but her face slightly lifted up, and she could no longer lower her head and be obedient. She had to look straight at the other person in order to understand their intentions.

  Qiu Si's hand grasped the purple shoulder tightly, and his other hand pinched her chin, gently lifting it. The sky was starless and moonless, and the corridor had no light, but he could vaguely make out the contours of her facial features.

  "Mozhi, you're not only good at telling stories, but also very beautiful."

  Mozi wanted to tell him that she only knew one story, and if he wanted to hear a beautiful one, his wife was very beautiful, and his little wife was also very beautiful. But before she could open her mouth, her hand had already grabbed onto Qiu Si's wrist, using force to move his paw away from her chin. She then lowered herself by another half inch, moving sideways, allowing her shoulder to regain its freedom.

  "On a dark night, even the front and back of Master Si's black clothes can't be seen clearly. So, Master Si shouldn't joke about his black clothes anymore." Alright, she used a move to pretend to be stupid and foolish. If he dared to come over again, she would throw him away.

  Qiu Si suddenly burst out laughing, and stepped forward in the direction where Mo Zi was dodging, "Don't be shy, little one. From now on, I'll spoil you well, as long as you can keep making me happy like this."

  Who scolded his grandmother? Who wanted him to be spoiled? And who was so stupid to keep making him happy? What she said, a normal person wouldn't find it funny at all. Mozi turned around to run away but was caught by Qiu Si's grabbing her sleeve.

  Tease? Tease

  Mei Zi raised her foot, planning to kick him into Buddhahood, one Buddha emerging from the world and two Buddhas ascending to heaven. (Uh? Is that what they say? Is it?)

  "Fourth Master, the mistress is urging you to hurry over, Elan's mother is making a scene." Qi Shu had barely spoken when he ran into the housekeeper sent by the main courtyard, and had no choice but to turn back and interrupt the master's "good deed".

  "What's wrong with her mother? The daughter is immoral and has ruined my reputation, I haven't even asked her mother how she was raised." Qiu Si heard this and became furious.

  Mozi took advantage of the opportunity to pull out his own sleeve and hide in the dark.

  "Could it be? Her father is still somewhat reasonable, kneeling there without a word. But her mother is a complete lunatic, I don't know how she managed to barge into the mistress's courtyard, sitting on the ground wailing and crying out loud, whoever tries to persuade her says she wants to smash her head against a rock and seek death."

  "Qī Shū, did you bring my whip?" Jiù Sì strode towards the main hall in big steps.

  "Grandpa, I've got it." Look at him, so clever.

  Purple ink footprints on hands and feet, just posing.

  "Come on, let's go see the excitement with Grandpa."

  Who would have thought, people still remember her

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  Chapter 90: The Curtain Falls (2)

  Chapter 90 The Curtain Falls (2)