Chapter 213 Zhao Duan: How can people like you change?

At this family dinner, the atmosphere had subtly changed without anyone noticing.

Zhao Duan watched calmly. With his ability to judge people, he could understand the thoughts of the You family very well, but he was almost there.

In his opinion, You Zhande's family had been secretly testing and adjusting their attitude towards the Zhao family since they came in.

It is obvious that You Zhande's sudden visit must be because he learned about Zhao Duan's wealth. As the saying goes, a poor man in a busy city has no one to care about him, but a rich man in a remote mountain has distant relatives.

The You family believed that the Zhao family was worthy of being associated with and befriended.

But how big this "value" is exactly is unclear.

Although You Zhan De was not a member of the You family in Xiping Dao, he was still the head of a local family and not a bumpkin or a poor relative.

When getting along with the Zhao family, it is very important to know how to strike a balance between respect and inferiority.

After entering the city, he asked someone about Zhao Duan's current situation as a test.

Paying a visit, observing the family's words and expressions, looking at the size of the house, the number of servants in the house... are all ways to judge the strength of the Zhao family.

Of course, what is more important is to look at the "people".

So, although Mrs. You seemed to be commenting on the cook, tableware, and her niece's clothes and jewelry... in fact, she was also watching the reactions of the Zhao family.

If Eugene Hua acts bossy, Zhao Pan looks haughty, Zhao Duan is dignified and unyielding...it is naturally a manifestation of "confidence".

However, the attitude of the Zhao family in front of them caused some misunderstandings.

In the eyes of the three men, their niece was a weak and vulnerable person with a smiling face, so they respected them very much.

Zhao Pan remained silent, looking like a beautiful girl from a small family, without any of the arrogance of a young lady.

As for the arrogant and tyrannical Zhao Dalang as rumored, he also has a good temper and a smiling face.

In addition, the Zhao family's house is not as good as my own. I have to hire people to invite people to dinner, the utensils are antique, and I want to wear all the good clothes...

All these things are far from the word "wealthy family".

Invisibly, the You family members, who had a humble attitude when they entered the door, gradually straightened their backs, and their awe of the Zhao family continued to decrease.

Zhao Duan watched this scene with great interest, but no one knew what he was thinking in his eyes.

The conversation and reminiscing about the past continued.

But the topic has quietly turned to the middle-aged woman's teachings and criticisms of Eugene Hua's family.

……

"...So, Jinhua, don't think that just because you give birth to a child and manage the household, you are a mistress. It's okay for a small family, but it's very difficult to be a good mistress for a real big family, a high-ranking family, "

Yu's expression was arrogant, with a smile on her lips that was used to educating the younger generation:
"As your aunt, I have to take charge of all the household affairs at home, and I have to manage dozens of servants in detail. If you don't understand something, I will teach you.

Just like when we entered the house, the old servant who led the way was really ignorant and didn't even know how to use honorifics. This kind of servant should be taught a lesson."

It's old Versailles.

Eugene Hua looked embarrassed and looked at her stepson apologetically.

Zhao Duan looked calm and gave her a look that said "it's okay", which made her feel at ease.

Yu Shi became more and more addicted as she spoke, and added:

"And the eldest son of the Zhao family... After we entered the city, we heard that..."

Beside him, You Zhande, who looked like a wealthy middle-aged man, frowned and interrupted:

"Say less."

Then, he turned to Zhao Duan and smiled:

"Don't be offended by my wife, Dalang."

Haha... Why didn't you stop them before? Now you know it's inappropriate... Zhao Duan smiled, pretending not to see through the couple's double act, pretending to be ashamed, and said:

"It's okay. I'm sorry to make you laugh. My reputation, haha, is really not that good."

Zhao Pan looked at him strangely, wondering why this guy had changed his personality today?

If he had the same temper as before, wouldn't he have been angry by now?

He actually looks like a humble and ashamed junior... Is it to save his mother's face?

The girl bit her lip, feeling a little touched.

When You Zhande saw his humble and submissive look, the awe in his heart faded even more.

He also put on some airs of an elder and taught earnestly:
"Da Lang is now fortunate enough to be appreciated by the Saint, so it's not surprising that he is slandered by some villains. As the saying goes, if you are not envied by others, you are a mediocre person... But, you should also pay attention to this reputation, otherwise, if bad words are heard by the Saint, it will inevitably affect your career."

He always remembered that he had heard about Zhao Duan being thrown into prison and being tried by three courts.

The version that You Zhande heard was that during the joint trial of the three courts, the big shot from the Dali Temple was accidentally involved in an old case, and Zhao Duan was released.

Afterwards, the rampant Zhao Yanwang suddenly stopped and became low-key.

As for the details, at his level, he is not able to access them.

Therefore, combined with Zhao Duan's humble and low-key appearance, You Zhande had an idea in his mind:

It must be because Zhao Duan fell out of favor that he changed his behavior.

This made him quite disappointed - he didn't know how much energy a concubine who had fallen out of favor could exert.

"Haha, that's true..."

Zhao Duan was about to speak when suddenly, there was a scream beside him.

Zhao Pan stood up with a start, staring at the fat boy at the same table, covering his messy hair with an unpleasant expression:
"what you do?!"

Everyone looked over and saw that You Luer, who had been eating quietly, had stood up at some point and moved to the side of the girl, holding a golden hairpin in his fat hand.

He actually took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention and reached out to pull it off Zhao Pan's head.

This will be nonchalant:
"I just took it to see if it's gold-plated. Why are you shouting?"

Zhao Pan's hair, which she had carefully braided all morning, was disheveled. Her autumn-water eyes were filled with disbelief. Her pretty face was cold and she turned pale with anger. She snatched the hairpin back and shouted:

"Who allowed you to snatch my hairpin?! Do you have any manners?!"

As soon as these words came out, You Shi stopped working. The middle-aged woman's face darkened and she said unhappily:
"What does it mean to make such a fuss? Is it Pan'er? It was indeed wrong for Lu'er to pull your hairpin, but he is your elder. According to seniority, you should call him your uncle. How do you talk to your uncle?
Getting angry at your elders is punishable by a beating in our clan."

The fat boy was very confident because he had his mother's support.

But when he met Zhao Pan's murderous gaze for some reason, he couldn't help but feel a little scared and stepped back.

"This this……"

Eugene was in a dilemma and was about to smooth things over when she saw her daughter turn her head and say:
"I'm going to fix my hair!"

Then he walked straight out of the hall.

"Pan'er..."

Eugene Hua looked panicked and tried to chase after him.

But his stepson raised his hand to hold him down. Zhao Duan looked calm and said:

"Auntie, stay here with the guests. I'm going to go see my sister and will be back soon."

Eugene Hua's eyes were filled with guilt. She didn't know why a good family dinner had turned out like this. She could only rely on her stepson instinctively.

Zhao Duan chased out of the hall, and when he was out of sight of everyone in the room, he stopped.

He did not chase after the girl who ran back to her room, but just waved and called the maid, ordering her to keep an eye on Zhao Pan.

As for himself, he came to a pillar outside the hall, folded his arms, closed his eyes and waited.

The hearing of this high-class warrior is so stimulated that any conversation in the room cannot escape his ears.

……

in the room.

As the two left one after another, only the You family members were left at the dining table.

Eugene Hua sat on a stool, her brows slightly furrowed, and she could only force a smile as she looked at the two elders:
"Second Uncle... Pan'er is usually a little willful, but she has good intentions. Today, she will..."

You Zhande raised his hand and said:

"No need to talk about this, since I'm a junior, I can understand."

next to.

Seeing that Zhao Duan had finally left, You Shi perked up and became even more courageous. She said calmly:
"Niece, some of the things I say may not be pleasant to hear, but you are not acting like a mistress in this family. It is the father's fault if he does not teach his children. Now that the father is gone, you, as a mother, should also take responsibility. How can you allow them to be like this? They should be strictly disciplined."

Eugene Hua's smile was stiff, and she wanted to explain: "Actually..."

Yu interrupted her, speaking in a condescending tone:
"The elders speak, the younger ones listen quietly, this is the rule of our You family, have you been away from home for too long and forgotten it?"

Eugene Hua was speechless and had to lower her head and remain silent.

Yu's tone softened slightly:

"Of course, this is not your fault. You are our You family's daughter. You were at a loss when you married a soldier. The Zhao family is also a military family. It is normal that they do not follow the rules and have crude etiquette.

Don't think your aunt's words are harsh. They are all for your own good. It's okay for Pan'er, because she is a girl after all and will get married sooner or later. But your stepson, I don't think he is afraid of you. How can you accept this?
The mistress must put on airs, otherwise he will make a scene in the future. The saying that the husband dies and the son obeys the wife is just to fool the small families. In theory, it is the Zhao family that has married up and we..."

"Enough is enough!"

Beside him, You Zhande frowned, thinking that his wife was using too much force.

He immediately became a bad-faced person, scolded his wife, and then turned to his niece and said softly:
"Your aunt is just like that. Don't pay any attention to her. Now that you have married into the Zhao family, you are a member of the Zhao family. Although I am your second uncle, I am also an outsider..."

Eugene Hua was somewhat moved:
"What are you talking about, Uncle? After all, blood is thicker than water..."

You Zhande smiled hypocritically:

"It's good that my niece still recognizes me as her uncle. I'm just worried that this will be difficult for you."

Seeing that he was hesitant to speak, Eugene Hua said:

"If you have anything to say, just say it directly."

You Zhande slapped his thigh and sighed:

"It's nothing, but we came to Beijing this time to see you and to find ways to improve our family business. Business in the Western Regions is becoming increasingly difficult.

In the past two days, I heard that the court is pushing for a new policy, and it seems that it will designate places to open markets and allow some merchants to join... Second uncle wants you to ask Dalang if he has any connections to help the family." "This..." Eugene Hua calmed down instantly, and the little emotion in her heart stopped abruptly.

She was not stupid and knew that her family came to ask for something.

But the behavior of my second uncle's family after they came in today, and my second uncle has made such a direct request until now.

Or the request of "opening the market with new policies" involved huge interests. Even if she cared about family ties, she knew it was a bit too much.

"Uncle, you're joking. The new policy is such a big deal, how can we just interfere with it?" Eugene Hua declined.

Although, she vaguely knew that with Dalang's current status, it would not be difficult if he was willing to help.

After all, it was Dalang who proposed the New Deal...

However, Eugene Hua would never put her stepson in a difficult position just for the sake of her own family. She would never do such a shameless thing.

"Is that so? Considering the relationship between Dalang and the saint, this shouldn't be a difficult matter." You Zhande asked doubtfully.

Eugene shook her head, looked at the table full of delicious food, and said:

"Eat now, or it will get cold."

Seeing this, the fake smile on Youshi's face gradually disappeared, and she felt disappointed that she had worked so hard for a long time but got nothing in return.

He glanced at his niece, who looked much better than him and had a weak demeanor, and his voice turned cold, throwing down his chopsticks.
"So we came all the way from Xiping just to have a meal with you?"

He sighed again deliberately:
"After all, a married woman is like spilled water. Once she becomes successful, she will no longer care about the relationship."

You Zhande said unhappily: "What are you talking about?"

You sneered, "Isn't it? It's a pity that you've been thinking about this niece all the time and even came to visit her, but you're not willing to help at all."

You Zhande said in a deep voice: "It's too big a matter, Dalang is in trouble."

You said, "When I was at home, I heard someone send a message from the capital saying how great the eldest son of the Zhao family was. Now it seems that they were all lies."

The two of them sang a duet, while Eugene Hua remained silent, her heart growing colder and colder.

She thought she was meeting her family, but in the eyes of her family, it was only about "interests".

"Snapped!"

At this moment, a sudden sound attracted the attention of three people.

I saw the fat boy next to him, feeling bored, fiddling with the wine cup on the table. He accidentally dropped it on the ground and it broke into pieces.

Eugene Hua's expression finally changed, and she stood up suddenly:
"Why did you drop something?!"

She was so heartbroken that she could hardly breathe. This was an antique, and she usually couldn't bear to even look at it because she felt so distressed about it.

Yu stood up, hugged her son, and examined him carefully:
"Did you cut your hand? How could you be so careless?"

Then he turned back and frowned:
"It's just a broken wine cup, how much is it worth? Why are you making such a fuss?"

Eugenia's lips trembled, her chest trembled, and her hands and feet felt cold:
"This wine cup..."

You Zhande was also a little unhappy and said:
"It's just a replica. A few dozen taels of silver should be enough, right? I'll give it to your Zhao family as compensation."

He also felt that his niece was making a big deal out of nothing.

Eugene Hua only felt that her words were pale and powerless, as if the air in the hall was filled with unspeakable depression and discomfort.

Just at this moment, footsteps were finally heard outside the door.

And a voice that had been waiting for a long time and felt that the time was almost right:
"How many taels? Ha, I'm afraid the master has underestimated a few zeros."

Zhao Duan walked in expressionlessly, stared at the You family, and said coldly:
"For breaking an antique from the previous dynasty, for the sake of my aunt, I will pay you three thousand taels of silver, and that's it."

Three thousand taels?
Hearing this amount, Youshi almost jumped up, shocked and angry, and turned to look at her niece:

"Jinhua, is this how you teach your children?"

However, this time, Eugene Hua just walked silently to Zhao Duan's side, drew a clear line between them, and said calmly:

"Uncle, Aunt. This set of utensils was sent by the current Grand Tutor Dong. It is worth more than three thousand taels, not less. I didn't want to use it to entertain guests, but Dalang said that we should respect our elders, so I did this."

After a pause, as if she had guessed what the other party was going to say, Eugene Hua looked up at her tall stepson with a calm expression:

"Uncle, please don't use seniority to pressure me anymore. What you said just now is very true. Since I married into the Zhao family, I am a member of the Zhao family."

At this moment, the filter that I had viewed for my family over the past decade was shattered.

Zhao Duan smiled and blocked her behind him.

All the gentleness, courtesy and frugality he had pretended to have on his face were gone, the corners of his mouth turned up, and his eyes looked disdainful.

How can he be a well-behaved and gentle junior?

More like a dude with an evil face.

"Jinhua...you...ah, that's all."

When You Zhande saw this, his face changed several times. The scene in front of him was not the result he had expected.

Finally I realized it...

I seem to...

Play off.

"It was Second Uncle's fault today for not disciplining Lu'er well. No wonder you are sad. In that case, we will say goodbye now." You Zhande said.

He didn't take the so-called "gift from Grand Tutor Dong" seriously at all.

joke.

What kind of person is Master Dong? He is a real giant in the court.

It is said that he was the empress's mentor.

How could a mistress be able to commit fraud?
You Zhan De certainly didn't know much about the capital, but he was not stupid. He used his brain to think and knew that even if he was the empress's lover, it would be impossible for him to ask the great Grand Tutor to give gifts to curry his favor.

The reverse is more or less the same.

I just thought it was just something my niece said in anger to scare me.

"Wait a minute,"

Seeing the three people were about to leave, Zhao Duan narrowed his eyes and smiled:

"Didn't you hear what I said before? I said, pay three thousand taels, and the matter will be settled."

You Zhande frowned. He was also a warrior, and at this moment a surge of anger rose in his heart.

Behind him, Youshi said loudly:

"Are you crazy? Okay, now I know that this is not a family dinner. This is a trap set up to cheat people. Are you guys here to extort money on purpose?"

Zhao Duan raised his eyebrows and thought to himself, you just realized it, you are not that stupid.

At this time, the sound in the room also attracted the curiosity of the Zhao family servants outside.

Zhao Pan, who had simply tied her hair up in a hurry, also heard the quarrel and ran over with her maid.

You Zhande frowned and said:

"Zhao Jia Dalang, you are going too far. Even if you don't care about family affection, you should be reasonable."

Zhao Duan sneered: "Am I unreasonable?"

You Zhande suppressed his anger and said:

"You may have status in the capital, and my family doesn't dare to offend you, but I am here to visit relatives today, so how can I be blackmailed?"

Zhao Duan sighed softly, his eyes cold:

"It seems you still don't understand, huh, visiting relatives? What a visit, it's nothing more than trying to curry favor with the powerful. I haven't seen you for more than ten years, now that I'm in power, I'm here to curry favor with you.

It's human nature. If you speak nicely and lower your attitude today, I really don't intend to embarrass you. It's just a small favor, and I'll help you if I'm in a good mood, but you don't know how to cherish the opportunity...

Well, how can people like you change?"

At this time, the fat boy in the room probably realized that he was in trouble and looked panicked.

Suddenly, when no one was paying attention to him, he took a step and ran out.

Zhao Duan glanced, and his right leg was like a whip, kicking You Luer hard in the stomach in a flash.

"boom!"

It was as if a sandbag was kicked to pieces. The obese boy weighing more than 200 pounds seemed as light as a feather under this kick.

With a scream, he turned into a black shadow, flew out of the room for several feet, fell headfirst to the ground, vomited blood and filth, his eyes went black, and he fainted.

“Lu’er!!”

You's face changed drastically, she screamed, and rushed towards Zhao Duan.

But he was caught off guard and was kicked out by Zhao Duan again.

His two kicks were so fast that You Zhande, also a martial artist, was unable to react.

Or rather, he had never expected that Zhao Duan would actually take action.

"How dare you, Shuzi!"

You Zhande was furious, his whole body was roaring with energy. He took a step forward and threw out a martial arts punch.

As a high-level martial artist, even though he has been the head of the family for too long and his cultivation is not so advanced, the power and momentum of his fists are not something that other martial artists can contend with.

However, facing the fierce punch from this imposing middle-aged warrior, Zhao Duan simply took an unpredictable step, dodged lightly, and flashed to his side.

With his right hand in the palm position, he gently pressed on his ribs.

boom--

You Zhande only felt a sharp pain coming from his side, his feet left the ground uncontrollably, and the qi of his internal organs became disordered, like a pheasant seeing a tiger, or a vicious dog looking at a dragon.

In full view of everyone, he was beaten away.

"How can people like you change?"

Zhao Duan muttered to himself and gave the answer:
"Can not change."

……

ps: The typo is changed first and then changed

(End of this chapter)

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