Chapter 24 Shuang'er loves me! (5K) Late night A prosperous mansion and a lush pavilion. Sheng Hong felt a little annoyed, and unusually, he did not go to Linqi Pavilion where his concubine Lin Qinshuang lived, but went to his first wife Wang's place. The Sheng family was in a bit of turmoil today, but he slowly calmed down and realized that the son-in-law was not angry because he favored his concubine over his wife, but he had to be angry. This is sticking his face out, even a little provocative, so people have no choice but to fight. However, the fact that he doted on Shuang'er too much really caught Sheng Hong's attention. If it was true as his old mother said, and he would be promoted to an official in Bian Jing sooner or later, then he really had to pay attention to the matter of doting on his concubine and neglecting his wife. No matter what happens in private, no one outside can know it. Shuang'er did the wrong thing. Fortunately, the person she met this time was her son-in-law. If Shuang'er did the same thing again after arriving in Beijing, something serious would probably happen. We need to give Shuang'er a warning and let her calm down. Sheng Hong sighed. He decided to ignore Shuang'er for a while to let her learn a lesson! Sheng Hong had a lot of thoughts in his mind and had already decided some things. However, the eldest lady Wang could not see what Sheng Hong was thinking at all and was secretly happy that the bitch Lin had made a mistake.
Madam Wang was also a person who did not know how to please others, so Sheng Hong naturally had no intention of playing with her. He quietly brewed tea and thought carefully about what he should do. "Master, Master?" "The master has already rested, please don't disturb him, Miss Lin." "No, let me go in and see the master. Master, master?" The sound of pulling and shouting could be clearly heard, and Sheng Hong was startled. It was obviously the concubine and the mistress's confidant pulling each other. A trace of hesitation flashed through his mind, but when he thought of the old lady's words, that hesitation disappeared in an instant. "Humph! How dare that little bitch talk nonsense and run into the mistress's yard to make trouble in the middle of the night. Come, drag her away and lock her up." Wang didn't pay attention to Sheng Hong's expression. When she saw Lin Qinshuang actually broke into the mistress's yard, she felt angry and happy. Lin Qinshuang usually looks like a little bird, so weak and fragile that her master has never been able to see her true face. Now, Lin actually dared to break into the mistress's yard. She didn't believe that the mistress still couldn't see through Lin's aggressive behavior. Wang Ruofu immediately looked towards Sheng Hong, signalling him to take a look at how powerful Lin was. You, the master, dote on your concubine and kill your wife, and dote on your concubine to such an extent that she even dared to break into the mistress's yard. Sheng Hong was obviously moved when he heard the name "little bitch", but when he thought of the old lady's words, he didn't move. Seeing this, Wang was even more delighted. It was obvious that her master saw everything clearly! "Why are you stopping me? I made some mistakes today, but some things are not as they seem. Even if the master wants to beat my skin and tear my bones, you have to let me be an innocent ghost, right? You are stopping me like this, but what are you afraid of?" At this time, Lin Qinshuang's struggling and aggrieved voice came in again. Under normal circumstances, let alone such unfair words, Sheng Hong would have taken action as soon as Lin Qinshuang first called out. But this time he didn't. Master Sheng Hong, be sober enough! At least, that's what he thought. Yes. Madam Wang thinks so too.
Sheng Hong listened to his concubine's cries that were obviously aggrieved, and his heart softened. The more he listened, the more upset he felt. Logically speaking, Shuang'er should be ignored for a while after making a mistake, but my Shuang'er is so virtuous, could there be any hidden story behind this? No, I can’t see her. I have to teach Shuang’er a lesson, otherwise what will happen when she gets to the capital? "Koro, I was wronged." "Hong Lang, please see me." "Hong Lang, I am alone and helpless, unlike the lady who has a family with the Grand Master. Only you can make the decision for me!" The voices crying out for justice became fainter and fainter, and even gradually became inaudible. "stop!" "Let Shuang'er in!" The repeated calls of "Hong Lang" with a lonely and helpless feeling really touched Sheng Hong's heart. Sheng Hong sighed slightly. After all, he was just showing a little favor to his concubine. It was not something that happened in Bian Jing, so there was no big loss! Moreover, this is just to listen to Shuang'er's explanation. If she is making unreasonable demands, it will not be too late to punish her. I, Sheng Hong, am awake! The word "stop" immediately made Wang's face look ugly. "This vixen broke into the mistress's yard in the middle of the night without any rules. Today she caused such trouble. I'm already letting her off easily by not selling her out. I haven't settled the score with her yet! Master, you're not going to punish her for this?" Wang looked at Sheng Hong in disbelief. Even after this, can your heart still be changed? Sheng Hong's face turned cold. He didn't like what he heard. "What do you mean by no punishment? This is just like the case. Lin said she felt wronged. Shouldn't I determine whether her grievances are true and then make a punishment decision? If you don't allow the case to be judged, then it's a wrongful case!" "Haha! That bitch ruined my Hua'er's return to her parents' home, and you, as a father, still want to see her? My Lord, there are many great families in Yangzhou. Look at how other families deal with such things. In this case, they have to be sold." Wang's face was full of disbelief. Although she didn't know Sheng Hong very well, she knew him very well. She vaguely guessed that Sheng Hong might have softened his heart, so she questioned him immediately. She is not like that lowly maid Lin Qinshuang, who looks like she can't live without her master. Her father deserved to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and she was not at all timid. Little did he know that this question would cause Sheng Hong's heart to shift a little. Sheng Hong was questioned a few times, and he immediately thought that the Wang family was really powerful. The mistress is so strong that she even dares to confront the master. If such a person says that she was bullied by a favorite concubine in the mansion, who would believe it? Sheng Hong was the first one who didn’t believe it! This Wang is selling out all the time, and my Shuang'er is the weaker party! How will I live if Shuang'er leaves me? Sheng Hong's peaceful expression suddenly turned a little dissatisfied, "Shut up, you are a lady, why are you so vicious?" Without waiting for Wang's reaction, Lin Qinshuang had already stepped into the house. As soon as she entered, she knelt down decisively, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably, making her look particularly pitiful. In the candlelight, Sheng Hong quietly looked at his beloved concubine who was kneeling on the ground with her back bent, and he couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted. "You have committed a serious mistake. Not only do you not think about your mistakes, but you come to disturb the Lord and the Queen. Do you have any manners at all?" Wang suffered a little setback from Sheng Hong and felt a little dissatisfied. She looked at Lin who was kneeling and begging for mercy and acted like the mistress. "I have suffered a great injustice. Even if I die unjustly, I must be an innocent ghost." Lin Qinshuang looked at Sheng Hong with tearful eyes, then looked at Sheng Hong again, her expression full of grievance. Wang was furious and impatient. "I wanted to save your dignity, but you insisted. Then I'll tell you clearly. Didn't you go outside to welcome guests without permission and ruin Hua'er's return home?" Sheng Hong's eyelids twitched slightly, and he sipped his tea quietly without saying anything.
Lin Qinshuang wiped her tears and glanced at Sheng Hong, who seemed to be feeling a little guilty. "Yes, I took the initiative to go outside, but if..." "Since you took the initiative, there's nothing to say. Come on, drag her out." Wang interrupted Lin Qinshuang impatiently and immediately prepared to have someone take Lin Qinshuang away. "My Lord, my Lady, my Lord" "Can you let Lin finish her words? You are the head of the family, but you don't even give her a chance to explain herself?" Sheng Hong looked at his concubine's helpless, weak and helpless figure and her tearful and aggrieved expression. His inner desire to protect her was aroused and he immediately refuted Wang. Wang's look of dissatisfaction and retort after being refuted was in stark contrast to Lin Qinshuang's look of gratitude and dependence, which shifted the balance in Sheng Hong's heart a lot. "Yes, I was going outside, but I definitely didn't want to welcome guests! If you say that I deliberately disturbed Hua Jie'er's return home, that would be really unfair! The number one scholar only appears once every three years, and has a promising future. Shuang'er just wants to see the number one scholar, and just watch him from afar, without any intention of crossing the distance!" "Then why did you take the initiative to greet the uncle?" "Well, to be honest with you, I do have some selfish motives." "What selfish motives?" Wang's tone was full of annoyance, and Lin Qinshuang's expression revealed a hint of fear, as if she was a frightened little rabbit. "Madam, our Sheng family has two sons and four daughters. The daughters will get married in the future, so there is no need to say more, but the sons must stay at home. Bo Ge'er is the legitimate son, and he will definitely inherit the family business in the future. He is talented and well-educated, so he will naturally have no worries in the future. But...but my Feng'er is a concubine's son, and he cannot inherit the family business in the future. Sooner or later, we will have to separate. He will have no family business to inherit in the future, so he can only rely on himself. I want him to get in touch with the top scholar more often, learn some literary skills, and passing the imperial examination in the future is also a very good way out." Having said that, Lin Qinshuang looked at Sheng Hong with admiration, her eyes charming and moist. "Speaking of the children in the family, Feng'er's background is undoubtedly similar to that of the master. I think the master has also risen from a powerless bastard to a high-ranking official in the state. His life is also enjoyable and his family is happy. If Feng'er can have one-third of the master's charm, he will have a good life in the future! But Feng'er is not as talented as the master, so I thought of letting him learn from the top scholar. If he can learn even 70% of the master's talent when he was young, he will be able to pass the imperial examination and have no worries about food and clothing, and wealth and honor in the future!" The Sheng family has four daughters and two sons. The eldest daughter Sheng Hualan, the eldest son Sheng Changbai, and the fifth daughter Sheng Rulan are all born to the first wife Wang. The third son Sheng Changfeng and the fourth daughter Sheng Molan are born to the concubine Lin Qinshuang, and the sixth daughter Sheng Minglan is born to the concubine Wei. After Lin Qinshuang said this, Sheng Hong suddenly felt relieved. In this world, it is undoubtedly much more difficult for a concubine's son to make a name for himself than a legitimate son. Take Sheng Hong for example. He was repeatedly abused when he was a child, but he still fought hard to make a name for himself in that environment. He studied late into the night, passed the imperial examination, and is now a high-ranking official in a state and his family is prosperous. This is the thing that Sheng Hong is most proud of. He is the one who truly changed his life by studying poetry and books. How hard it was to study back then is how happy he is at this moment. Shuang'er understands me! "What a sharp tongue you have! But you have ruined Hua'er's return home!" Wang was a simple-minded person. She immediately thought that Lin Qinshuang was trying to change the subject. She thought she had found a loophole in Lin Qinshuang's words, and her tone was full of confidence. "If I was wrongly accused to death, I would be speechless. As long as I am still alive, I must fight for my innocence." "Anyway, Hua'er's return to her parents' home was ruined by you, what else do you have to quibble about?" Wang was a little angry. How could this bitch dare to argue and act like “I am the victim”? "My Lord, I really just wanted to take a look at the No. 1 Scholar. When I saw everyone was talking, I thought they had been talking for a long time, so I wanted to say hello and let Feng'er meet the No. 1 Scholar alone. But... how could she know that something was not right afterwards? Before she left, she left a message for Feng'er to get along well with the top scholar. If you say that this was done to deliberately ruin Hua'er's return to her parents' home, that is absolutely not the case!" "Master, people often say that when one prospers, all prosper, and when one suffers, all suffer. I have long regarded the Sheng family and the master as the only backbone in my heart. How could I deliberately ruin Sister Hua's return home!" Lin Qinshuang spoke with tears in her eyes, and her charming appearance became more and more intense, and anyone who saw her would feel pity for her.
"Haha, who knows what some people are thinking, maybe they are jealous of my Huaer's good marriage?" Wang looked completely unconvinced. Her words were just a habitual response and had no special meaning. Unexpectedly "Master, I am a person without dignity and decisiveness, but I absolutely do not have the slightest ulterior motive! Master!" "My Lord and Madam, you are all my benefactors. The gods in heaven are watching us! Everything I said is true. If I really did something wrong on purpose, then let me be beaten to death and never be reborn." Lin Qinshuang wiped her tears, looking like an honest person who had been wronged. "Why don't you tell stories with your clever mouth? After I tell you about it, you are now innocent." Wang was furious. Isn't this too much? "No, I was wrong, I was so wrong! I shouldn't have considered Feng'er's future, I shouldn't have wanted Feng'er to follow my master's example, I was so wrong!" "But... But if you say I have ulterior motives, I will never rest in peace! Apart from anything else, I come from a good family, and I understand the principle of sharing weal and woe!" Lin's eyes were filled with tears, and she knelt on the ground alone, looking lonely and helpless. "You, you shrew, you are so eloquent." Wang was furious as she watched her husband's face gradually warm up. This concubine made such a big mistake, and you won her heart back with just a few words? "My lady says I am good at speaking, but I have always been determined and never thought about my future!" Lin Qinshuang raised her head and looked towards Sheng Hong. Sheng Hong had always been strong in front of Lin Qinshuang, but he avoided her gaze after seeing this look. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have given up my job as the first wife outside and ran to the Sheng family to be the mistress of the master. I have been ridiculed, spurned, and looked down upon by others. I accept all of this, but I am truly infatuated with the master and cannot restrain my deep love!" "Sister, I know you hate me. I dare not defend myself. I beg you to treat me like a kitten or puppy and give me a place to hide. As long as I can see my master from time to time, I will have no regrets even if I am abandoned by thousands of people." "Sister, please have mercy on me, treat me like a little toy, and let me serve you at home!" "Sister, I kowtow to you, I beg you, I kowtow to you, I beg you, sister" Lin Qinshuang looked at Sheng Hong with her clear eyes "infatuatedly", as if she couldn't live without him. She prayed and kowtowed as she spoke, as if she was willing to do anything to stay with Sheng Hong. "Shuang'er, Shuang'er, what are you doing? If you have something to say, get up and talk!" Sheng Hong, who had been supporting his head, immediately ignored his hesitation and stood up to help his concubine up. Unexpectedly, his concubine was determined and kept kowtowing and begging for mercy. Sheng Hong felt helpless and looked at Wang deeply, signaling her to be kind and help the man up. However, Wang had no idea what Sheng Hong was saying, and she just sat there quietly until he kowtowed to her several times. "Sister, if I do anything immature in the future, you can beat me or scold me, but I just ask you not to treat me as a treacherous person. I am really infatuated with Hong Lang, so I beg you to be lenient to me and leave me a small space." Lin Qinshuang begged while crawling towards Wang like a kitten or a puppy. She was so humble that Sheng Hong couldn't help feeling guilty. He turned away quietly and dared not look at her. "As long as I can stay with Hiro, I'm willing to do anything, sister!" "Please, sister, have mercy on me. As long as I can see Hong Lang's handsome appearance from time to time, I will be willing to be a maid!" "I just ask my sister to have mercy on me, please have mercy on me."
Before she could finish her words, Lin Qinshuang, who had been kowtowing, suddenly fainted and fell right in front of Wang. "Shuang'er, Shuang'er, what's wrong?" "Shuang'er? Someone, go get the doctor!" "Shuang'er?!" When Sheng Hong saw this scene, he was immediately panicked. He quickly picked up his concubine and walked out regardless of anything, his face full of panic. At this moment, no mistakes were important to Sheng Hong anymore, and the punishment was thrown out of his mind like smoke. After Sheng Hong left, Wang opened and closed her mouth several times, her expression full of confusion. "Can this be pulled back?" Late night Sheng Hualan quietly looked at her husband who was resting with his eyes closed, and sighed deeply in her heart. Her husband's family was a large family in Yangzhou with a hundred years of heritage, and the family tradition was strict and upright. You know, the last stepmother who harmed the eldest son was even "infected" with a cold. In comparison, my parents-in-law favored my concubine over my wife, and I made such a joke the first time I returned to my parents-in-law after my marriage. I really felt ashamed. "Husband?" Sheng Hualan asked softly tentatively. She wasn't sure whether her husband was really asleep or thinking about his parents' family, and she couldn't help feeling a little nervous. Of course, no matter which one it is, life after marriage must go on as usual. It is best for the couple to communicate more and eliminate some barriers. Chu Hong gently opened his eyes, gently embraced his wife in his arms, and stroked her fragrant hair. "I know what the lady is worried about." "My mother-in-law comes from a big family, and her family has been rich for generations. Old Master Wang helped save the day, so it's normal for her to be a little arrogant. My father-in-law was humiliated by my mother-in-law, so he naturally prefers the weak concubine." "Madam, you must know that the fact that your father-in-law favors his concubine over his wife is not a big secret in Yangzhou. Since I married you, I naturally don't care about these things. The relationship of the older generation has nothing to do with us. After a while, you and I will go to Bianjing, and we will live our own lives behind closed doors. Madam, don't worry." Chu Hong gently hugged Sheng Hualan and comforted her carefully. The heavy stone in Sheng Hualan's heart finally fell. Her eyes became slightly red. She held Chu Hong's hand and shed tears quietly. She was really afraid. In this world, a woman without the love of her husband is doomed to live a miserable life. She was newly married and the couple was in great harmony. Who would have thought that she would encounter such a thing when she went back to her parents' home? Now, with the gentle consolation from her husband himself, she finally put her worries to rest and relaxed her tense nerves. Late at night, Sheng Hualan, who was filled with sorrow and joy, unlocked a lot of new knowledge with the help of Chu Hong. This was the so-called sweet taste of honey. One word, Run! (End of this chapter)