Volume 1 Chapter 99: Switching Dowry (4)

  Chapter 99: The Switched Dowry (Four)

  Xiao Er Lang finished reporting his name and title, while Mo Zi secretly rejoiced on this side.

  Mrs. Wei's intention was to let Xiao Er Lang acknowledge his identity as the second son of Jing Wang Fu, but just listen to what he said...

  "In the lower surname Xiao." Everyone knows that his surname is Xiao, okay? Not to mention that Old Master Xiao of the Xiao family is still alive, and even if we don't count the brothers of the Duke Jingwang, there are already many people with the surname Xiao in the Jingwang Mansion.

  "A single name with a surname." Okay, this is new data. However, there's no direct connection with who he is.

  "This is the most nonsense. Aunt Wei always calls him Er Lang, how can he be the third or fourth in the family?"

  "Mozi, what's so funny about being alone?" Wei Qiongyu was indeed a formidable figure, and she could sense when others were amused.

  Can't let your guard down even a bit in front of people, Mo Zi's expression was as if he had been caught red-handed, "As the lady said, isn't it all clear to us except for the name?"

  "Mei Zi, you're so unruly! Can Second Master also make you laugh?" Jiang San Niang scolded Mei Zi.

  "This has nothing to do with being proper." Wei Qiong Yu had always liked Mo Zi, so she spoke up for her, "It's the second master who is being careless."

  "Where did the second young master say that? Is it that the maid doesn't have such a broad vision." Li's face couldn't hide her surprise, "Xiao Wei, the youngest general on the imperial court, with an official rank of second grade, and also the second son of King Jing and Queen Jing. I often hear my husband mention General Xiao's brilliant military achievements, didn't expect to see him in person today."

  Mrs. Tang praised him." Xiao Erlang bowed in respect.

  "General Xiao will arrive in Luozhou immediately, it's only right to inform the governor's office so we can have a chance to entertain him." Li felt regretful, "My husband always says that General is a young hero, a rising star."

  "This can't be blamed on Erlang, it's the intention of Wangye and Wangfei. Erlang escorted me back to Luozhou and also wanted to welcome the relatives, these are all family private matters, cannot disturb the local authorities, so he used the name of a distant nephew. I hope Madam Tang will understand." Wei Qiongyu explained.

  "It's really like that. In the future, if there is official business, even if Governor doesn't invite me, I will take the initiative to go. At that time, please ask Madam to prepare good wine, and I will drink with Governor." Using a private matter as an excuse, even if Governor's wife mentions it to Governor in the future, Xiao Erlang won't be too worried.

  Luozhou Governor Tang Shu belongs to the pragmatic faction, has always been an official outside, and takes a relatively neutral stance on the new and old factions in the court. He and his wife are Gu San Niang's godfather and godmother. Maybe one day they can use this relationship to win her over to their side.

  "It's settled then." Li liked Xiao Erlang's straightforwardness in inviting him for a drink.

  Li thought it was straightforward, while Mozi thought it was making a fuss over nothing, either deceitful or thieving. Xiao Erlang carried out the secret order and went to Luozhou, where he could sit on a private boat without even notifying the local government office, clearly those officials couldn't gain his complete trust. Now saying such nice things, isn't that hypocrisy or having other intentions?

  "Third Sister truly doesn't know. If there's any disrespect, I beg Second Uncle to forgive." Qiu San Niang stood up and curtsied slightly.

  "Xiao Wei has been hiding his identity all along. Don't blame Xiao Miao." Xiao Er Lang took a step back, supporting himself in mid-air.

  The two of them were being polite to each other, pretending to be a family that didn't enter the same door, flattering each other. Mozi felt annoyed in her heart and turned her eyes to change the scene, but as a result, Wei Liu's appearance caught her attention.

  Her face flushed with a rosy glow, her eyes shone like apricots, and an incredulous expression of surprise was written all over her face. Her eyes sparkled with delight, her lips curled up slightly, and the dignified and inviolable ladylike demeanor that usually surrounded her suddenly dissipated completely, just like a flower blooming in the spring breeze, as if waiting to be plucked by someone.

  Mozzie originally thought that Wei Liu Niang was a cold and beautiful woman. Whoever teased her would be met with a chilly attitude. On that day at the Wangchun Building, Mozzi saw that although Wei Liu Niang had a good impression of Xiao Er Lang, she maintained a very reserved demeanor, as if wanting to get close but not daring to. It was probably because she wasn't clear about Xiao Er Lang's background, and even though she had feelings for him, she didn't dare to take the initiative. However, things are completely different now. The second son of the Jing Wang Fu, with his title as a junior general, might just become the next Jing Wang Ye. He sounds a hundred times better than that bookworm brother who has divorced two wives. Running into someone with such great prospects, even ice would turn to steam. But, since her younger brother had married two official wives, it wouldn't be right for her older brother to still be unmarried, would it? Hopefully, this Wei Liu Niang won't let her youth slip away in vain.

  Mozi discovered that apart from herself observing Wei Liu'niang, there was another pair of eyes watching her, which belonged to Wei Liu'niang's aunt, Wei Qiongyu. Madame Wei had apparently also noticed her niece's thoughts, but she furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips tightly, clearly not intending to help her niece tie the knot. It seemed that Mozi's guess was correct - Xiao Erlang probably had a legitimate wife. And now that the Wei family was prospering, they didn't need to marry off another daughter to the Jing Wang Fu as a concubine.

  "Yu Niang, it's getting late, we still need to hurry to the next town to find lodging, can we set off now?" Xiao Er Lang, as the second son of Duke Jing, finished paying his respects and asked for instructions from his elders.

  Xiao Er Lang is very respectful to his elders despite being arrogant.

  "From now on, you don't have to ask me when to go and when to rest. Whatever you say goes." Wei Qiong Yu stood up.

  Xiao Er Lang had to accompany her back to the horse carriage.

  Weiqiong Yu however held onto Weiliu Niang with one hand, "Let your niece accompany me to get on the carriage, you attend to your own matters, if there's anything I'll send someone to call for you."

  Mei Zi thought, it's time for ideological education now.

  "Mozi, you swap with Baihe and sit in my car." Qiu Sanniang held onto her mother-in-law Li Shi.

  Liu Niang is listening to ideological education, she is doing work reports, both are quite difficult.

  Mèi zǐ piē yǎn wàng jiàn Qiú Sān Niáng shēn hòu yī gè tū qǐ de gāo yǐng. ā, Qiú Xīn. zhè wèi rén xiōng zuò zài liáng tíng lǐ gàn shén me le? tā jìng rán yī diǎn méi yìn xiàng. tā de cún zài gǎn kě zhēn dī.

  Li was sent off in the carriage, and Qiu San Niang returned to the bridal sedan chair.

  The festive couplet on the outside has been taken down, but the interior decorations are still a deep red.

  Xiao Yi saw nothing of her and sat leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, sleeping.

  "Mei Zi, don't you feel like something is missing in this carriage?" Jiang San Niang herself folded the quilt and leaned half of her body against it.

  "A table?" Qiu Sanniang used to run outside and there must be a small table in the car.

  What is it used for?

  Used for abacus.

  "When I get to the next town, I'll buy one." Mozi received the electromagnetic wave emitted from her brain without needing Qiao San Niang to explain.

  "What if someone asks?" Still a bit worried.

  "The long road is endless, four people gather at a table, play cards or copy scriptures." Mozi smiled and replied.

  "Mozhi, you know? Listening to you talk is sometimes quite entertaining." Qiu Sanniang also smiled.

  That's because she isn't always precise in switching between ancient and modern languages, so it sounds incongruous.

  "Who did Shimada call out?" The opening is over, and the formal speech begins.

  "It's Old Chen from the accounting room, who rarely shows his face in public." What he wanted to say was about changing the dowry.

  It's like this——

  The contradictions between Qiu San Niang and Zhang Shi had been going on for a long time, and she had expected that Zhang Shi would tamper with her dowry, so from the time she managed Wang Qiulou and smuggled goods, she began to prepare her own dowry box. Even if she didn't believe in men anymore, as the eldest daughter of the Qiu family, getting married was inevitable.

  These years' accumulated dowry were all placed in the Wang Qiulou. One end was to confirm Zhang's eighty lifts, and the other end was to let Cen Da handle the installation of eighty lifts. They agreed to exchange dowries at the Liangting outside the North City Gate. Therefore, Qiu San Niang had Xiao Yi tell Wei Yifu that after passing the pavilion, there would be no place to rest before nightfall. Wei Yifu immediately ordered the carriage to stop and have some tea before continuing on their way.

  Some people may ask at this point, since Mozi knew the one with the surname Chen, why didn't he acknowledge him in front of Xiao Erlang? At first glance, it seems completely unnecessary.

  To clarify, the person who impersonated the manager of the Qiu Mansion at the Wang Qiulou was indeed Qiu San Niang. However, it was Mo Zi who suggested that they pretend not to recognize the visitor and that Qiu San Niang should not show her face. Qiu San Niang's original intention was to give a warm welcome in front of everyone.

  "Miss, let the steward of Old Master's household handle it. He'll say that he mistakenly took Sixth Miss and Seventh Miss's trunks, which sounds strange but not entirely unreasonable. Moreover, it seems like this is the only way to openly exchange the dowry now. However, you've forgotten that Wei Shi Tai is a good friend of Madam's, and although their relationship may not be as close as before, they still keep in touch through letters. She'll definitely ask Madam about this matter in her letter. Madam will naturally investigate but won't be able to find out who did it. So what will she think? She'll probably think that Old Master took pity on you and secretly sent someone to exchange the trunks. Given Madam's personality, she won't be afraid of Old Master and will make a big fuss about it. Since it's not something he's done before, Old Master can't admit to it. At first, Madam won't believe it, but later on, she might start to suspect that you're the one who did it. You used to manage all of the Qiu family's accounts, and although Madam thinks you've handed everything over, she still has her suspicions - otherwise, why would she keep checking the account books? She'll think that you faked the accounts, embezzled money for yourself, and bought new things. And since you know the steward but can't find him in the household, it's as if you're incriminating yourself. If you can't explain this clearly, Madam will be able to take back the dowry. So, since this matter is already suspicious, we need to make it even more suspicious so that no one can do anything about it. Just sit in the pavilion and drink tea with your head covered. I'll handle everything and pretend to only recognize clothes and waistbands but not people. If Madam asks, both you and I will be able to deny any involvement. With time, whether it was Old Master's arrangement or Miss's plan, it will become an unsolved mystery that can only be thought about in private, with nothing that can be done about it."

  Everyone says that things should be done neatly and efficiently, but Mozi does the opposite. He deliberately leaves a tail behind, and what's more, he leaves many tails for people to grasp. When someone thinks they've caught hold of something, they find that the tail is completely useless.

  Mozi thinks that the ancient people she met were not easy to deal with, so she simply let her opponent think, thinking that their brain would crack, and the answer was already in their heart, but they just couldn't say it, finally being suffocated into a daze, and could only give up.

  Today's second update, with two thousand words also being a double update for fans 90.

  Next double update, 120 fans now, still short of more than 20 votes.

  Thank you for your support, I'll take this opportunity to rest a bit.

  Chapter 99: The Switched Dowry (Four)

  Chapter 99: The Switched Dowry (Four)