Chapter 153: Beyond Laughter and Tears

  In front of Shen Muqing's face, such an unexpected thing happened.

  The face of the second shopkeeper turned red.

  He took a few steps forward and was about to scold him, but Shen Muqing suddenly thought of Liu Niang's insistence on returning five taels of silver every year...

  "Never mind, they are all friends who came to help." She smiled and pointed at Chang Hui, "Add one more portion according to the agreed price for this master."

  The two shopkeepers were taken aback.

  The several escorts who came with Chang En all burst out laughing: "This grandma is really generous!"

  Chang Hui's face turned red, and he waved his hand at Shen Muqing: "Miss, I, I really don't want any money... I heard someone was coming to cause trouble here, so I followed them myself, really..."

  Shen Muqing couldn't help but laugh at his embarrassed expression: "Since you consider the Shen family as friends, then don't decline even more - just consider it a favor to us, the Shen family's old and young, for not being able to entertain you properly, and give you money to buy wine."

  Chang Hui listened, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and he wanted to argue. Before he could explain, a man named Yue Shan said: "Brother Chang, your aunt thinks highly of you, so don't decline anymore. Besides, you're the most clever person, we also want you to come, just stay!"

  "Really!" Shen Muqing smiled and said, "The masters all say you're good at anticipating... They're so far away from me, what if I get into trouble?"

  Chang Hui smiled awkwardly: "I guess so..."

  It's settled then.

  Second Master Zhang followed Shen Muqing's request and invited the escorts to a nearby large restaurant for dinner: "Just can't drink, lest something goes wrong. After that, let Second Master Zhang accompany everyone to Tianxiang Building to have fun!"

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  ******

  At noon, Shen Muqing had lunch in his house at Baizhangfang, took a short nap, and then got up to tidy himself again.

  Her raven-black hair was styled in a bun, with a pearl pin inserted, and she wore a lotus-colored jacket and a pleated skirt. Her pink gloves made her look delicate and gentle - an image that was somewhat weak and easily evoked sympathy. In negotiations, people who looked stronger than they actually were had the upper hand.

  As it was getting late, Shen Muqing took Yingfen and Mingxia to a nearby tea house.

  The shopkeeper went to greet her. Warm Pavilion: "Everything is arranged, that one called Chang Hui, just lie on the beam in the pavilion... you can rest assured!"

  Shen Muqing raised her head and saw that Chang Hui was lying on the big beam of the warm pavilion, grinning at her with a smile.

  She smiled back at him and instructed Yingfen and Mingxia to wait at the garden gate: "If it's a male guest, let the shopkeeper accompany them in. If it's a female guest, you and Mingxia be more clever."

  The two of them nodded in unison.

  Shen Muqing picked up a book and started reading - everyone was at a loss, she wanted to appear even more calm and composed, reading could achieve this effect.

  The expressions of Er Ye and others were indeed no longer as tense as they were just now.

  Shen Muqing, who was holding a book in his hand, couldn't read a single word.

  No wonder everyone says that doing business in Kyoto is not easy, she has ample funds and a good general in Zhou Bing, and with the remaining prestige of Shen Zhen, yet someone still dares to cause trouble in her shop. How do those ordinary merchants usually do business?

  She suddenly thought of Xiao Xiao.

  The Xiao family is one of the four major merchants of the Great Zhou... If it were someone from the Xiao family, how would they handle this matter?

  Is it like oneself privately? Or report to the official and take the path of the government office?

  A thought flashed through her mind, and Shen Muqing's heart suddenly became a mess.

  Did Xiao Xiao see herself yesterday?

  This idea, which had been suppressed by her for a long time, still emerged!

  How come he wore a coarse linen garment?

  There doesn't seem to be any servants around either.

  It's just the beginning of October, he should be in Gansu, how can he be in Kyoto?

  It's been almost three years since they last contacted each other...

  Thinking of this, Shen Muqing silently cursed in her heart "This is terrible".

  Is something wrong? That's why he doesn't want to see me?

  The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

  Those people who have dealings with Xiao Sa, such as Wang Gonggong and Feng Qima, are all people he has something to gain from. To be honest, in the eyes of those people, you, a merchant-born minor seventh-rank official, are basically nothing. They will only give you face and eat and drink with you if they want something from you, and they will only use your money if it's convenient for them. If they're not happy, they'll shut their doors on you, and you should feel honored just to have been considered. Take his uncle Xiao Qian, for example - although he was a double-provincial scholar, his reputation in official circles has always been "honest, timid, and weak". From eighth-rank county magistrate to sixth-rank assistant magistrate to fifth-rank assistant magistrate, his promotion speed is neither fast nor slow, but the problem is that he has never taken charge of any affairs, only serving as a deputy for a long time... If something really happened to Xiao Sa, it's not like he would take the lead - if he could just wash his hands of it, that would be good enough!

  Is it because of this that he became so fierce... The brightness of before is gone... Very gloomy...

  She was deep in thought, and on a cold winter's day, she had actually sweated through her collar.

  Shen Muqing felt his own bias for the first time.

  She had always thought that Xiao Xiao's survival ability was amazing... even if ninety-nine out of a hundred people in the world didn't have food to eat, he would be the only one who could fill his stomach. So in her heart, she never thought that Xiao Xiao would have any problem that couldn't be solved... or, in her subconscious mind, even if Xiao Xiao was hurt, it would only be temporary, he would lick his wounds clean himself and then heal or find a way to cure them...

  "Yingfen! Yingfen!" Shen Muqing lifted the curtain and loudly shouted for Yingfen, regardless of her image.

  Today's situation is special. Yingfen thought that something had happened to Shen Muqing, her face changed greatly, and she ran over in a hurry: "Auntie, what's wrong?"

  Shen Muqing pulled Ying Fen into the warm pavilion: "Do you still remember Xiao's house in Bai Shu Hutong?"

  Ying Fen nodded and said: "I remember!"

  "Go and take a look. See if the Xiao family is still living there? If they are, ask around to see if anything has happened to them in recent years?"

  "Look, it's almost nine o'clock... or should I go again later?"

  "It's time to go!" Shen Muqing said resolutely. "I've arranged for escorts here, and Mingxia... You quickly go take a look at Bai Shu Hutong!"

  They all dispersed in an instant.

  Shen Mu's delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed as she sat down, and Ming Xia had already come to report: "Young Mistress, the guest has arrived!"

  She took a deep breath, suppressing the unease in her heart, and smiled as she walked towards him.

  Ming Xia lifted the curtain and two women walked in.

  The girl walking in front was about 15 or 16 years old, with a peony bun hairstyle and five or six crimson gold hairpins inserted into it. She wore a white silk jacket, a skirt with embroidered lines, and a large red cape with plum blossom patterns that set off her bright face like a summer flower. Behind her followed a middle-aged woman, who was the same one who had shouted in the shop that day.

  Shen Muqing knew that the little girl in red was the real mistress, and smiled: "Yesterday I heard the shopkeeper say that someone came to the shop looking for me, I don't know what I did wrong, I didn't sleep well all night. Who would have thought that today I saw a flower-like beauty... I worried for nothing." She instructed Mingxia: "Quickly serve tea and snacks to our guest." And led the little girl to sit down at the black lacquered square table in the warm pavilion.

  That little girl, since entering the door, had been staring at Shen Muqing with a pair of eyes like spring water, not making a sound. Seeing Shen Muqing ask her to sit down, she didn't hesitate and directly sat on the rose chair in front of the table, very straightforwardly sizing up Shen Muqing from head to toe.

  The middle-aged woman who saw yesterday smiled and gave Shen Muqing a courtesy, without introducing herself, saying: "We heard that Yiwentang Tea House does business with integrity, so we came to take a look. We disturbed the lady, it's really embarrassing!"

  Does it deserve such an attitude?

  Shen Mu Qing didn't say anything, just as Ming Xia led the steps of Yue and Jing Bi brought up the tea and snacks. She smiled at the little girl and said: "This is the pre-rain Longjing tea I brought back from Jiangnan, try some."

  The little girl however, raised an eyebrow: "My husband's surname is Liang, third in line, you can call me Third Young Madam!"

  Shen Mu Qing was taken aback for a moment.

  It wasn't the little girl's report that made her feel familiar, but rather the little girl's mouth corner twitching, and the corners of her eyes and eyebrows exuding a fierce aura, like a wild beast's ferocity, giving people an uncomfortable feeling, completely destroying the good first impression she had left on Shen Mu.

  "It's actually the third young mistress of the Liang family!" Shen Muqing smiled and said, "I'm sorry. I don't know what you're looking for me for, is there something going on?"

  That little girl listened with a cold smile, and the spring water-like eyes were filled with chill: "Don't you think that the title of Liang's third madam sounds familiar?"

  Shen Muqing sighed silently in her heart.

  I didn't expect Liang Jimin's new wife would be like this.

  She smiled and replied with a sentence "Indeed we have met before", then quietly looked at Liang Jimin's wife, waiting for her to state her purpose.

  Who knew that Liang Jia's third young madam coldly snorted and said with disdain, "You look pretty good, no wonder Wang Wenxi praised you for being beautiful!"

  Deeply shocked and saddened.

  He glanced at the woman beside the third young mistress of the Liang family.

  The woman stood behind her with downcast eyes, expressionless, with a look of being used to it.

  She almost imperceptibly furrowed her brow.

  Firstly, the tone in which the Third Young Mistress of the Liang family spoke to Wang Wenxian was completely devoid of respect; secondly, how could someone as intelligent as Wang Wenxian casually boast about his previous wife in front of Liang Qiming's current wife?

  Shen Muqing was slightly annoyed.

  Wang Wenxu is completely using borrowed strength to attack a bull.

  She's not going to be a fool!

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and said: "The third young lady of the Liang family is overpraising. To say, the third young lady is a beauty like a heavenly immortal..."

  Just as she was about to finish speaking, the Third Young Mistress of the Liang family sneered coldly and interrupted her: "You don't have to flatter me, I'm not stupid. That Wang Wenxuan came to find you to fight, I understand what's going on in my heart. However, she is also clever and has indeed guessed my thoughts. I really wanted to come and take a look at you, to see what kind of person this Shen family's eldest daughter is, who kicked Liang Qiming with one foot!"

  Shen Muqing could no longer suppress the astonishment in her heart and stared at her in surprise.

  The third young lady of the Liang family saw him, her eyes flashed, and she slightly turned her body, propping up her elbow and supporting her cheek, saying lightly: "You don't even have three heads and six arms!" Her tone was quite disdainful.

  She smiled slightly and seemed to be at a loss for words. She pointed to the pastries on the plate: "This is Mrs. Ma's lotus seed paste red date filling pastry, Third Young Mistress, try some, does it suit your taste?"

  (I know I still owe eleven more... but I really want to get a good sleep... If I can persist and write another chapter, I will update it at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. If not... please forgive me... thank you again for everyone's support of LiLi (*^__^*) Hehe... the pink ticket for January is second!)

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