Chapter 196
Zhang Moqing was indeed quite capable and dedicated to her work, so she quickly learned about this news.
Moreover, she also knew that Xu Shi had suffered a miscarriage because of a certain shop.
With a little thought, she knew that her mother-in-law had given the shop to Wen Yu, and Xu Shi had found out about it.
“Oh, she’s really slow on the uptake! It’s almost opening!” Thinking of Xu Shi’s scowling face, Zhang Moqing was very happy.
She quickly sent a servant girl to tell Wen Yu about this matter.
As soon as the servant girl left, someone came to Concubine Liu’s courtyard and “kindly” informed her of this “joyous event.”
The intention to urge her to get pregnant was obvious.
Zhang Moqing found it amusing, “How many days have I been married? This Concubine Liu…”
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When Master Qing left Rainbow Phoenix Pavilion, she couldn’t take anything with her.
Later, Wen Yu listened to her and collected all the good leather from the shop.
Now, with the opening of the clothing shop in the capital, Master Qing thought of Rainbow Phoenix Pavilion.
There were her early embroidery works and her collection, accumulated over decades!
She was getting old, her eyesight wasn’t as good as before, and she was busy with business matters all day long, unable to concentrate… She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to embroider those things in the future.
And those collected items, from all over the country, would not be easy to find again!
After the Zhang family arrived in the capital, Master Qing encouraged Wen Yu to ask Madam Zhang to write to Magistrate Zhang, to find a way to get those things back.
Wen Yu spoke to Madam Zhang about it.
Madam Zhang wrote a letter and entrusted the matter to the advisor by Magistrate Zhang’s side. The advisor inquired and learned that Rainbow Phoenix Pavilion’s business had plummeted since Master Qing’s departure.
The Liu family regretted it immensely and wanted to find Master Qing back, but where could they find her?
Then, the eldest and second branches of the Liu family started fighting, blaming each other, causing the shop to open one day and close the next. All the workers in the shop had left.
Master Qing’s room was full of stuff, so messy that one couldn’t even walk.
The Liu family didn’t understand and were lazy! They briefly looked through it and saw no gold or silver, only “junk,” so they thought about throwing it all out when they had time.
The advisor found a way to buy it all. Regardless of whether it was good or bad, it was all transported to the capital.
For the past few days, everyone had been busy sorting through it.
Some of the embroidery works were seen by the embroideresses for the first time, and they were constantly amazed. After working for so many years, they felt like they had truly broadened their horizons today.
Even Wen Yu shook her head and sighed for a long time, “Such beautiful things are truly a feast for the eyes! Even the old, the worn, and even the incomplete ones, with their sense of age and stories, are so touching!”
Master Qing nodded, “Miss, you truly understand me! Even just looking at these is so beautiful, even without doing anything!”
After Chen Wenhui had rested, she often came here too. Seeing several carts of “junk” arriving, she couldn’t stand it and simply stayed. These past few days, she had been the one leading the sorting.
For the particularly dirty items, she hired specialized people to wash them.
Then, they were aired, ironed, fumigated with incense, sorted into categories, and recorded in the account books. It took several days to complete.
Seeing Wen Yu and Master Qing sighing with admiration, she poured cold water on them, “The things are good! But storing them like Master Qing did before was truly a waste. The only fortunate thing is that good insect repellent was used. Otherwise, they would have been ruined long ago. Now that they’re sorted and recorded, I’ll be responsible for them from now on!”
Chen Wenjie quickly nodded, “When we were young, my sister organized everything in the house!”
Wen Yu was delighted, “Eldest Cousin is amazing! Oh my, the people around me are all so talented!”
With this matter settled, Wen Yu went to the shop again.
Although some things were not yet in place, the final cleaning was already underway.
As they were discussing matters, Zhang Moqing’s servant girl arrived.
After listening, Wen Yu grumbled to Yan Zhu, “This person is simply baffling! Madam Qi’s private property, who she wants to give it to and how she wants to dispose of it, is entirely up to Madam Qi herself! What does it have to do with her? She’s even making a fuss about pregnancy, I really don’t know how her brain works.”
“Exactly! This person is so annoying!” Yan Zhu shared her indignation.
“When I marry in the future, I’ll have a lot to deal with her!” She thought to herself smugly, “My mother-in-law just loves me! So what if you’re angry? You deserve it!”
Yan Zhu said, “Ah Yu, don’t worry! You’re very capable! And you have Madam Qi’s favor. If she gets angry over this, she’ll have even more to be angry about later!”
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“That’s right! The current work is coming to an end, the rest of the things will have to wait a few more days. I’m very happy today, let’s go on an outing!?”
“Okay, okay!” Yan Zhu agreed.
“Li Jiang, go and inquire about which temple near the city has the best scenery, with flowers and grass. Let’s go on an outing! And by the way, let’s get some lucky pouches for the Zhang brothers, wishing them success in their exams!”
Li Jiang happily ran out to inquire.
Yan Zhu said, “Just right, let’s use our stove and make some snacks to take with us.”
“And some marinated meat… I also want to invite Madam Qi to go with us!”
“Good! What about Fifth Young Master Qi?!” Yan Zhu asked casually while writing down the things to prepare.
Wen Yu thought of the person who ran away that day and blushed again, “He has things to do, how could he have so much free time!”
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The Crown Prince returned from the hot spring villa and his spirits had improved considerably.
The Crown Prince’s son felt that his father was more relaxed and that with appropriate exercise, his health would improve.
Therefore, no matter how busy he was, after breakfast every day, when the sun was neither too strong nor too weak, he would personally help the Crown Prince walk around the courtyard.
The Crown Princess also stopped being busy with her “important matters” and stood in the corridor, watching her husband and son with a gentle smile on her face.
After her husband returned, the Crown Princess confessed her actions to him and handed over the things she had done during this period to the Crown Prince.
These matters were originally “arranged” by someone, so everything was done perfectly.
The Crown Prince had been married to her since they were young, and she was the mother of his only heir, so he didn’t hold her accountable.
He responded gently to the Crown Princess and even praised her a few times.
The two of them had been getting along very well recently.
Watching their son help his father walk, the two of them constantly chatted and laughed.
There was a smile on her face as well.
But only she knew that she had changed.
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Xu Shi returned to her parents’ home.
Qi Xiao was busy all day and when he arrived home, he saw that she hadn’t returned. Worried, he personally went to pick her up.
The Xu family had once been prosperous, but their descendants were incompetent, and they declined rapidly.
Her elder brother, for example, was a good-for-nothing! Not to mention the numerous women in his backyard, debt collectors from the gambling house had come knocking more than once or twice.
Xu Shi marrying Qi Xiao was considered a miracle in their family, so the whole family relied on her!
And Xu Shi, because her family was looked down upon by her mother-in-law, wanted to make a good impression even more. Over the years, she had given her family a lot of financial support.
Her elder brother had also used the Qi family name to gain advantages outside.
Today, when her elder brother saw his sister come back heartbroken, and then heard about the two shops, he jumped up in anger and wished he could immediately go and confront Madam Qi.
Originally, Xu Shi was most annoyed and afraid of her elder brother behaving like this.
But this time, it concerned her own interests… she remained silent, letting her elder brother take charge.
Although her elder sister-in-law wasn’t much better, she was at least a bit smarter and stopped him from going.
When Qi Xiao came to pick her up, the couple went straight to him…
