Chapter 33: Plotting for the Position of the Legal Wife
Mr. Chen San was holding a Buddhist rosary in his hands and sipping tea, with no intention of asking any questions.
This was the first time Liu Zhang came into contact with him. He was so scared of these cabinet elders that he even looked at Mr. Chen San in secret and did not dare to do so openly.
He had never thought of becoming related to the Chen family, nor did he expect the Chen family to accept the concubine they sent. He had never thought that this Lord Chen would care so much about a concubine. Even God was helping him. Who would dare to look down on him in the officialdom in the future? And the matter of transporting disaster relief money...
Half a quarter of an hour passed in a blink of an eye and two cups of tea had been drunk. Mr. Chen San didn't want to waste so much time with Liu Zhang.
"Marquis Pingnan, I think Yu'er is still waiting for me, so I won't disturb you." He bowed and was about to stand up.
Liu Zhang was anxious and stood up immediately: "Wait a minute, Mr. Chen."
Mr. Chen San didn't leave after all. He looked at Liu Zhang, waiting for him to speak.
Although he promised her that he didn't have to show that he cared about her, she was his woman and he wanted to give her all the respect.
If possible, she could use his influence to show off her power in the Pingnan Marquis' Mansion. It's not like he doesn't have the power to do so.
"Lord Chen, I heard that the people who will provide disaster relief have not been decided yet?" Liu Zhang could only say this reluctantly.
Hearing this, Master Chen San looked at Liu Zhang seriously:
"You want this job?"
Liu Zhang looked at Master Chen nervously and said carefully: "If Master Chen is willing to help, I will do my best to get this done."
Mr. Chen San thought for a long time and said that Liu Zhang was really bold. The issue of military pay had just been settled, but now he couldn't wait to jump into the Xunjiang River. He didn't even check whether his throat was big enough to see if he would get choked.
"Is this your idea, or have you discussed it with King Qi?" He had no conflict with Liu Zhang, so he would not go to harm Liu Zhang.
Ask Prince Qi? Liu Zhang had never thought about it. This matter had always been the responsibility of the Cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works.
Mr. Chen San put down the teacup in his hand:
"Lord Liu, you'd better ask Prince Qi for his opinion on this matter." He turned and walked out.
Qiu, who was outside paying attention to the situation at Fuhetang, immediately returned to Fuhetang after seeing Mr. Chen San leave.
"Son, what do you think? Has Lord Chen agreed?"
"Lord Chen asked me to ask Prince Qi?" He didn't know whether this was an agreement or not.
……
Here, Master Chen San, led by his servants, came to a small courtyard in the northernmost part of the Pingnan Marquis Mansion.
If it could be called a courtyard, it was not even as big as his room, and the sign on the door had fallen off. The whole house looked like it had been in disrepair for many years and was very run-down. Inside the courtyard, leaves were flying everywhere and weeds were growing everywhere. If he had not entered through the gate of Pingnan Marquis' Mansion, he would have thought this was some run-down house.
"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Third Master." Liu Yu came out when she heard the voice from inside the house. Seeing him looking around the yard, she touched her nose, feeling a little embarrassed.
Mr. Chen San shook his head: "Did you grow up living here?" People in Yanjing said that the Qiu family of Pingnan Marquis's Mansion was kind. Even though the eldest brother went crazy, they did not send him away. They kept him well fed and well-drinked, and even personally asked for doctors and medicine.
Now it seems that rumors are just rumors.
Liu Yu had no intention of leading him in. She smiled and said nothing. She walked back and changed the subject to ask what Liu Zhang had said to him. She also solemnly instructed that no matter what request the Pingnan Marquis' Mansion made, it must not be agreed to.
Mr. Chen San looked at her deeply. Was she worried about him?
"Sister?" A young girl, wearing a hairpin with a double crabapple flower on her head and a brocade skirt with a pattern of precious flowers, walked towards Liu Yu with a graceful step. Her eyes fell on Master Chen San, with no intention of hiding anything.
Liu Yu subconsciously looked at Mr. Chen San, wanting to see his reaction.
Was it her illusion? She actually saw disgust on that elegant and easy-going handsome face.
She looked back at Liu Ling again. The color was just right.
And that look that can pull out silk, how can a man resist?
I don't know what Liu Zhang and his wife are thinking. Are they planning to make Liu Ling a concubine?
Just let your eldest daughter show off in front of Mr. Chen San?
Liu Yu suddenly thought of a possibility. Could it be that the people from Pingnan Marquis' Mansion were eyeing the position of the Third Master's wife?
It's not impossible. Some time ago, she got the news that the old lady and the first lady were interested in arranging a marriage for Mr. Chen San.
It has to be said that Liu Yu's guess was correct. Liu Ling went to Fuhe Hall this morning. Although Qiu did not say it explicitly, she also asked Master Chen San and Liu Yu to come to Pingnan Marquis' Mansion this time so that they could have more contact with Master Chen San. She also implied that Master Chen San had not yet cared about marrying a legitimate wife and asked her to fight for it.
Originally Liu Ling was unwilling to do so. She was a young girl, so why should she marry an old man who was only a few years younger than her father? But when she saw Mr. Chen San from a distance, she changed her mind. His calm demeanor, gentle temperament, and handsome appearance were incomparable to those dandy young men in Yanjing City.
She was going to be this man's wife, and she had secured the position of the third wife of the Chen family.
Thinking of this, Liu Ling disliked Liu Yu more and more, and acted like a legitimate wife.
"Madam Liu, when did you come back? Why didn't you send someone to tell me?"
Liu Yu didn't respond.
Liu Ling didn't care about Liu Yu. She took the initiative to come to Master Chen San and bowed to him: "Master San, I am Liu Ling, the eldest daughter of Marquis Pingnan." Her little face was flushed and she looked shy, as if she had already entered Master Chen San's room.
Mr. Chen San had been waiting for Liu Yu to make a move, but as if she didn't see it, he allowed another woman to seduce him in front of him, feeling inexplicably unhappy.
He deliberately held her hand and squeezed her palm as if to punish her.
Liu Ling was so angry that she deliberately said loudly:
"Third Master really loves my sister. She is lucky to be able to enter the Chen Mansion and serve you, Third Master."
A child born to a concubine is a child born to a concubine. She doesn’t know any rules and is not worthy of being in public.
Feng Mo and Feng Xiao were following behind, guarding not too far away. When Liu Ling approached Master Chen San, they had already walked over. On the surface, Master Chen San did not seem to have an attack, but both of them noticed at the same time that their master was angry.
Feng Mo was not a good person. He immediately raised his hand and pressed the sword in his hand against Liu Ling to stop Liu Ling from trying to get closer to the Third Master.
"Are all of you Pingnan Marquis's people so unruly? You let out all kinds of cats and dogs. What if they try to blackmail my Chen family? We in the Chen family don't accept just anything." Feng Mo didn't tolerate her and retorted without giving her any face. He always had a good impression of Liu Yu, and she was also his master's woman. Don't blame him for saying harsh things about this damn legitimate daughter who dared to give Liu Yu face.
"Brother Guard, Brother Guard, it's a misunderstanding, it's a misunderstanding, we can talk it out."
Lady Lou, the wife of Marquis Pingnan, who had been hiding in the dark and watching the scene, saw the knife against her daughter and didn't care about anything else and ran out in a hurry.