After coming out of Hanlin Academy, Sun Zhicai, the master of Sun Mansion, hurried towards Sun Mansion.
On the road, all the passers-by were whispering behind their backs, discussing how his son Sun Luolin could do such a thing, and irrationally thought that their family was still trying to seek power and seize the throne.
Along the way, Master Sun Zhicai felt very uncomfortable after hearing this, and did not want to pay attention to these people, so he quickly walked home.
When we walked to Sun's mansion, there was no one at the door.
Of course, in order to reduce the burden on the family, Master Sun Zhicai expelled two guards. He once expelled dozens of servants, but now there are less than ten servants in the mansion.
Mr. Sun stepped into the mansion wearing simple clothes.
As soon as they heard the master's footsteps, the family hurried out.
Cao Qingxue, who used to be busy in the inn in the past, no longer has the mind to care about the inn.
On the contrary, during the days when Sun Luolin was away, Cao Qingxue almost forgot about her mother.
As soon as she came out, Cao Qingxue was the first to ask.
"Father, how's it going?"
Mr. Sun looked at his daughter-in-law Cao Qingxue with red eyes. Although he felt uncomfortable and didn't want to tell the truth, even if he could hide it for how long, there were still a few people in Yanyang City who often liked to talk about others who knew it.
Sun Zhicai shook his head sadly, sighed, and was about to go to the study.
While walking, I didn’t forget to say: “Pack everything away.”
Just when the main wife He and the second wife Ma beside were about to find out the reason, the master Sun Zhicai had already disappeared.
Sun Mansion, whether it is big or small, can only be regarded as half of the family of Su Yunqi, the current Prime Minister of the Left.
Seeing their daughter-in-law Cao Qingxue shed tears again, the two ladies felt distressed and comforted her.
Mrs. He hugged Cao Qingxue, patted her back carefully, and comforted her with red eyes: "Okay, don't be too sad, ah. This person can't cry too much. Look at you, your eyes are swollen from crying. . If Luo Lin were here, he wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
"Stop crying, ah."
Mrs. Ma on the side comforted her: "Qingxue, don't cry, don't cry, just be strong. Just get over it and you'll be fine."
Seeing that her daughter-in-law Cao Qingxue's mood had stabilized a lot, Mrs. He looked at the two of them, repeated what the master just said, and hurried to the master's study.
As soon as he entered the master's study, he saw the housekeeper Cen Sheng on the side helping the master Sun Zhicai pack things in a panic.
"Master, what happened? Why did you pack so many things?"
Madam He looked at the master in panic and confusion.
Master Sun Zhicai was so anxious that he could only answer his wife's words while packing his things.
"Today, news came from the Ministry of Punishment that Luo Lin had just confessed his crime and left. It was said that Luo Lin was very strict and refused to speak out. He was tortured for a day and a half before speaking out. At the moment, the court is convicting, and I am afraid that it will be detrimental to us. I have As an official, I will go to South Vietnam early tomorrow morning to take refuge."
Listening to what the master said, Mrs. He shed tears. As a biological mother, how could she accept it? A few years ago, the woman Sun Yan was wronged and died. Now, before she can get her innocence, her son Luolin was wronged and died again. Still not cleared.
"How could it be possible...how could it be possible? He is not guilty...not guilty." Mrs. He muttered to herself.
Seeing Mr. Sun packing his things, he didn't seem to look sad, but in fact Sun Zhicai also shed a few tears.
Although men don't shed tears lightly, Mr. Sun just didn't want his wife to see him cry.
"Okay, go pack your things quickly. After tonight, I don't know when I will be able to come back to this house."
"Okay." In response, Mrs. He walked out heartbroken, heading towards the bedroom with tears streaming down her face.
As soon as he entered the bedroom, the maid following He's family hurriedly came over.
Seeing Mrs. He's face bursting with tears, as a maid, she knew the reason without asking.
"Lily, pack everything."
"Hey." After answering, looking at Mrs. He's appearance, the maid Lily said carefully: "Madam, please sit down and let me help you clean up."
After Mrs. He sat down, her maid Lily went to pack things.
In the evening, Yanyang City was quiet. Except for the patrolling secret guards, there were no pedestrians in the streets and alleys.
"I've packed my things and we'll leave early tomorrow morning. I'll just take what I need to bring with me. I don't know if I'll be able to come back in the future."
Master Sun's words made the people at the table even more sad.
Today's dinner is very different from before, maybe it has never been before.
Today's table is filled with all kinds of delicacies, some of which are only available during the New Year Festival, and some of which are too expensive to eat normally, and they are also served today.
The food is not unusual, the talent is.
In Da Mo, it has never happened before that a servant would sit and eat together with the master's family, but today's Sun Mansion has broken such a rule.
Counting the first wife's maid Lily, the second wife's maid Xianghua, the master's housekeeper Cen Sheng, and Aunt Du, there were only eight people in total.
Seeing that no one said anything, Master Sun continued: "A few years ago, in order to reduce the burden on the family, I dismissed many people. You are loyal, so I reluctantly kept you here. Today, Master I’m still the same.”
"If any of you are willing to leave, let's go. The days are still long. If you are unwilling to leave, think about it. You may not have enough to eat or wear, and you may not know whether you will live or die at any time."
After speaking, Master Sun Zhicai looked at them expressionlessly.
For a long time, no one spoke.
"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as if you are willing to leave."
As soon as he said this, several servants started talking and begging for mercy.
First, Mrs. He's maid, Lily, came and said: "Master! Please don't drive me away. I have served my wife for many years and I can't bear to leave. There are no children in my family anymore. My life is still given by the master."
"Master, please don't drive this slave away. Apart from you, this slave has no family. If this slave is willing, even if he is dead, he is willing." Xiang Hua, the maid of the second lady, said.
Seeing what the two said, the master turned his attention to Aunt Du.
There are no children in the family now, and even if there were, everyone would understand the rules and there would be no need for a nanny at all.
"Mother Du, now that the Sun family is in trouble, we don't have much money left to support you. The days are still long, otherwise, why don't you find another place?"
As soon as the master said this, Grandma Du raised her head, looked at the master with a pitiful expression, and begged for mercy on her behalf.
"Master, if I don't leave, my life and food will be given by you. My wife has already gone, and my unworthy sons don't want me as my mother anymore. I am willing to follow you. You guys, wherever you go, the old slave will follow. The old slave can cook, wash, and sweep the floor."
After saying that, Mammy Du knelt down and begged: "Please don't drive me away. I remember that year, when I worked as a slave in the Liu Mansion all day long, I was beaten if I didn't agree with the temper of the master and the old lady. Later, I drove the old slave out of the house. It was you, the master, who gave the old slave hope to live. At that moment, the old slave recognized the Sun Mansion. Please don’t drive the old slave away. "
Hearing what Mother Du said, Master Sun Zhicai couldn't bear it anymore: "Okay, don't go, don't go. Get up."
Seeing that no one is leaving, the only one who is worried now is Cao Qingxue, the daughter-in-law of the second wife.
At this moment, she had no interest at all in facing so many delicious dishes on the table, and her tears kept falling.
"Xue'er."
Upon hearing these words, Cao Qingxue looked at the master.
"Father."
Mr. Sun nodded and said: "You are a good boy. Now that Luolin is no longer here, you haven't had his child yet. The days are still long. You should find a man who is worthy of your life and marry him. Mo I have to suffer this injustice."
If she hadn't married Luolin yet, maybe Cao Qingxue could change her mind, but now that she had decided and had Luolin's child, Cao Qingxue didn't want to think about it anymore.
"Father, mother, little mother, and daughter-in-law won't leave. Besides, I already have Luolin's child, and I don't want to leave the Sun family."
"Really?" The master didn't quite believe it.
Cao Qingxue nodded: "I haven't had my period for a month."
At this time, Master Sun Zhicai felt happy and heartbroken at the same time.
"Okay, then I won't go, I won't go." After saying that, looking at a table full of delicious food, Master Sun Zhicai said expressionlessly: "Come! Eat the food! Eat the food! We won't have these good dishes in the future. .”
After the master's words, several servants took chopsticks and ate while feeling sad.
The two ladies and Cao Qingxue seemed to be in no mood to eat and were still in heartache.
"Madam, Xue'er, eat, eat." Mr. Sun gestured with his hands, with a fake smile on his face: "Let him let it go. When the opportunity comes one day, I will definitely take revenge."
After the master's words, the two ladies started using their chopsticks.
Seeing that her daughter-in-law still didn't move, she gently persuaded her.
"Xue'er, dad, I know. You can't worry about your mother. Let's let him go with us early tomorrow morning. This will also take care of us."
Xueer nodded expressionlessly and responded: "Okay."
"Come on, come on, eat. I haven't eaten this for a long time. Xue'er, eat some. Look, Xinyuan has never tasted this fish or meat."
The words of her father Sun Zhicai made Cao Qingxue, who had lost her father since she was a child, use her chopsticks and eat her food sadly.
It seems that everyone at the table is a poor person, take Nanny Du for example.
When Grandma Du was a child, her father always loved gambling and beat her mother many times. Her mother was afraid of her husband and did not dare to fight back.
Once, Grandma Du's father lost a bet and owed a lot of money. In order to pay off the debt, he married Grandma Du.
The son who married the family whose father owed him money was said to be unsatisfactory and unable to accomplish anything, as if he was decadent.
Some time later, Grandma Du gave birth to several sons for him, but all of them were playful and unsatisfactory.
A few years ago, my wife passed away due to illness. The sons at home could not afford to support Grandma Du, and they kicked her out because they didn't want to.
Later, Grandma Du didn't report it to the officials because she didn't want these children to be punished, and now she chose to cut off contact with them.
Among the servants sitting there, there are those whose parents are dead and some who are not recognized by their families.
Tomorrow morning, we are waiting to be convicted of corruption in food storage.
