It was dark, and the front hall of Du's house was lit with lights.
The Du sisters are playing chess.
They have been here since before the dusk drum sounded, and have been playing chess into the evening.
The chess game is there, but it hasn't changed for a long time.
Du Wei held a black chess piece in her hand, as if thinking about the next move, but her eyes did not fall on the chessboard at all, and she was very preoccupied.
"It's curfew, why hasn't grandpa come back yet?" She finally couldn't help but ask.
"The banquet won't end so soon."
"Um."
Finally, there was movement in the front yard.
The chess pieces fell back into the chess cage. The two sisters had no intention of playing chess anymore, so they immediately got up and rushed over.
I saw Du Youlin and Du Wulang riding horses in front, servants driving the carriage behind, and Hu Shisanniang sitting on the shaft of the carriage holding a copper pot, looking cheerful.
"Grandpa is back."
"Well, I don't want to go over and try some stir-fried vegetables. Madam Guo Guo sent many items as gifts. Let Quan Rui move them down."
It can be seen that she is satisfied with the fact that a clear figure in the Du family is willing to show her closeness to Yang Yuyao.
Du Wei asked: "Is Xue Bai drunk again? Is he in the carriage?"
Du Youlin said calmly: "Let Wulang talk to you."
Without waiting for the servant to carry a lantern to lead the way, he walked to the backyard and sat alone behind the rockery for a while to relieve the depression he had suffered today before returning to his room.
When Lu Fengniang came forward, he opened his mouth and said with regret: "If you eat dog intestines, you will lose 70,000 yuan! I want to set a family rule. Anyone from the Du family who dares to gamble will be kicked out of the house!"
…
Over there, Du Jin had already opened the curtain, but only saw boxes of gifts, not Xue Bai.
"Xue Bai didn't come back." Du Wulang scratched his head, "He stayed at Madam Guo's house."
Du Jin had expected it and responded: "That's good, he has done it again."
Even so, she frowned, but she felt inexplicably very unhappy.
So I thought with self-deprecation that I was jealous of the power of Mrs. Guo Guo. Her original ambition in this life was to be a virtuous concubine who would leave a name in history even if she could not become a queen. But now she could only live in precarious circumstances.
"This matter is a long story. Let's talk about it in the side hall."
The three siblings went to the side hall and sat down.
Seeing that the two sisters were silent, Du Wulang felt that the atmosphere was a little strange. He glanced at Du Wei. She lowered her head, probably because she was sleepy.
"When I arrived at Mrs. Guo's house today, my grandfather praised the cooking first. Xue Bai recruited the famous chef Deng Lian, and Hu Shisanniang took charge of the cooking. I was in charge of the kitchen, lighting the fire and preparing the dishes. Don't think it's simple. This is The most complicated part..."
"Say it's useful." Du Jin said.
"Everything I said was useful. Our stir-fry was delicious, and everyone praised it. After the banquet was over, Mrs. Guo Guo praised me a lot and gave us property, but Xue Bai said she didn't want any property."
"What did he say?"
"Because the famous chef Deng Lian said that his cooking skills are worth thousands of dollars, and the chicken prodigy boy thought the dishes were too small, Xue Bai used this reason to propose to Mrs. Guo Guo to open a restaurant. The property she gave him was the principal. 40% of the profit; the Du family arranges the management and management, and 30% of the profit; since the cooking skills belong to him, he also takes 30% of the profit. In addition, he also has to teach Deng Lian to cook so that Mrs. Guo Guo can eat it at home When it comes to cooking, Deng Lian helps improve his skills and gets a monthly profit..."
Du Jin said: "Go on, I know these."
"How did the second sister know?"
"What Xue Bai cares about is not the money, but the business itself with Yang Yuyao. Do you understand?"
"I don't understand. I was thinking at that time, what kind of person Mrs. Guo Guo is, how could she run a lowly business? She didn't lack a few silver coins. But I didn't expect that when Xue Bai said it, she agreed with a smile. "
Du Jin was a little displeased when she heard that Yang Yuyao agreed too quickly, and said, "I'm going to do business, add some property, and ask Xue Bai to give her money every year. Why wouldn't she say no?"
"My grandpa refused." Du Wulang said, "My grandma said that the Du family has a well-known family and would never engage in low-level careers. Mrs. Guo Guo just smiled and asked people to drive me out, and said to me, 'Tomorrow Please invite Du Erniang to come to my house and talk for a while, but the strange thing is that this time I didn’t say anything."
Du Jin was silent for a moment.
She actually understood that with her status, she could no longer remarry. But she was very angry and always wanted to do something. It was neither right nor wrong for her grandfather to stop her. It was also wrong not to stop her. He might as well just pretend that he didn't know.
"Now that the deal is settled, why doesn't Xue Bai come back? You and I took him out, why don't you bring him back?!"
"He has to stay and teach Deng Lian how to cook." Du Wulang said, "Oh, Xue Bai said, as long as we have a joint venture with Mrs. Guo Guo, those blind people will no longer dare to bully us. .”
Hearing these words, Du Wei's fingers trembled, and she finally raised her head, her eyes blank.
"Sister, what's wrong with you?"
"What did you just say? The last sentence."
"Those who don't open their eyes will no longer bully us."
Du Wei sniffed, turned her head away, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but left the side hall without saying a word and went back to the house alone.
"Oh." Du Wulang had a very understanding expression on his face and explained to Du Jin: "Sister has been in a bad mood recently because of her blindness."
That night, Du Jin could not sleep.
After thinking about it, Xue Bai is also a snobbery. A woman with no power would go to great lengths to get him to look at her...such as Qing Lan, but he is extra attentive and considerate to Mrs. Guo Guo.
It can be seen that in order for her daughter's family to stand in the world, she must eventually strengthen herself, so Du Jin secretly made up his mind.
But turning over, she couldn't help but think about what he was doing in Mrs. Guo's mansion at this time?
~~
Mrs. Guo's Mansion.
The fragrant boudoir covers the fog, and the fine mat gathers the dust.
The stove was burning outside the boudoir. There was only incense in the boudoir, and there was no smell of smoke, but it was quite warm.
Yang Yuyao was wearing very light clothes, and her arms were being scrubbed by a maid. The wet handkerchief wiped her fair and rosy skin. The smell of alcohol had dissipated, but her head was even less clear.
"Don't you dare look at me?"
Xue Bai was sitting beside the couch, facing her sideways.
"It's late at night, and it's time for Yao Niang to rest. Is there a guest room in the house?"
Yang Yuyao raised her legs and hooked his waist to prevent him from getting up and walking away, and said leisurely: "Come here and serve me."
Since she allowed him to stay, hiding her boredom, the atmosphere had arrived, and all she had to do was wait for him to serve her.
Xue Bai didn't move.
He doesn't mind getting along with Yang Yuyao, but he won't let himself become a plaything that may be abandoned at any time. He comes to build relationships, not to get in the face.
The maids retreated and closed the door.
Yuzu hooked Xue Bai's waist and pulled him gently, then moved away to another place. Yang Yuyao leaned there lazily, but smiled with satisfaction.
He was already emotional.
She relies on her beauty and believes that her prosperity and wealth are all due to the beauty of her four sisters. She also believes that she can get everything she wants.
But the next moment, Xue Bai stepped back and turned his back.
"Ashamed?"
Yang Yuyao was stunned for a moment, then stood up and stepped forward, hugged Xue Bai's waist, and teased: "Is this your first time, young man?"
Xue Bai didn't answer immediately, and let her hug her for a while, feeling their body temperature rise before speaking.
"Let go, I'm not someone you can touch."
"There are only people I don't want to touch, and there is no one I can't touch... Don't be nervous, my sister will teach you."
Xue Bai held her hand, took it away, and took a few steps to distance them.
Yang Yuyao was stunned again and couldn't help but become angry.
"This is for your own good." Xue Bai said, "Soon, I will become the son-in-law of You Xiangfu."
"Hey, Li Genu, am I afraid of him?"
"Yao Niang is naturally not afraid. No matter what, the Prime Minister will not dare to offend Yao Niang. But what about me? I am happy for this night and offend the Prime Minister. In the future, Yao Niang will abandon me like a worn shoe, but the Prime Minister can make me Death without a burial place.”
"snort."
Yang Yuyao was still annoyed.
She would not promise to protect him for the rest of her life. She was spoiled and had always been arrogant. At this moment, she felt that Xue Bai was not willing to take this risk for her because it was Xue Bai's fault.
However, Xue Bai turned around and said again.
"Today I can serve delicious food and make Lady Yao smile, I am satisfied."
His eyes had regained clarity, and he was not fooled by her beauty. He had a noble character and an air of purity. He bowed solemnly and then raised his head, his expression filled with compassion and reluctance.
Yang Yuyao suddenly remembered that he said "I specially prepared it for Yao Niang", and suddenly thought that he actually treated her very well.
But her anger will not completely disappear like this.
"I want more than just a few dishes."
"I will stay for a few more days and teach Deng the art of cooking. For the rest of my life, even though I will be in the Prime Minister's house, I know that Yao Niang can taste my cooking at any time... What more can I ask for?"
"I don't believe you. Do you think I don't know how ambitious you are? You are deliberately trying to create a joint venture with me."
"Yes, when a man stands in this world, he should have great ambitions and be upright." Xue Bai said: "The future you want can be given by your right minister, so I agreed to marry into my wife."
"Fool." Yang Yuyao said: "You were deceived by Brother Nu. People say he asked for fighting cocks and meat-loin knives. How can he give you a bright future?"
With that said, she took two steps forward, held Xue Bai's waist, and coaxed him again with kind words.
"Although you are a smart young man, you are still new to the world. I don't know who really treats you well, and you fall into the den of tigers and wolves."
Xue Bai said: "I have lost my life experience, and there is a brand on the back of my neck. I am afraid I will still be an official slave. It is difficult to settle down and make a life. How could I have a choice at that time?"
"Come, let me take a look."
Xue Bai sat down on the bench, pulled his shirt back further, and felt Yang Yuyao's fingers gently caressing the scar on his neck.
"Don't be afraid, even if there is an injury, it may not be a brand."
"But because of this I don't dare to search for my true identity. Only the Prime Minister's Office can protect me."
After saying that, Xue Bai stood up and walked towards the door of the house.
"You," Yang Yuyao said angrily, still feeling his warmth on her fingertips, "Aren't you as powerful as the Lady of Guo State as you are in the Right Prime Minister's Palace?!"
Xue Bai has opened the door and stepped across the threshold.
Yang Yuyao's anger was not completely gone, and now she felt even more like being teased. She was furious, and her mood was ups and downs, unable to calm down.
Angry, she had many ways to punish him.
"Stop!"
Xue Bai then stood in the courtyard and let the snowflakes fall on him.
He turned around, still stubborn and unyielding, and only left her a poem——
"Huanjun Mingzhu sheds tears, wishing we could meet again before we were married."
~~
Mingzhu briefly glanced at the figure in the independent courtyard, then returned her gaze to the skirt of a maid in front, and followed them into the boudoir.
There were many pieces of broken porcelain on the ground. She swept them with a broom and took a peek. Yang Yuyao was stroking her forehead and drinking wine.
Feeling someone peeking, Yang Yuyao turned around and saw Mingzhu's delicate appearance and slim figure, beckoning her to come forward.
"Come here and talk to me."
"Ma'am, are you worried?"
"How dare he disobey me..."
Mingzhu listened for a while, then carefully stretched out her hand to pat Yang Yuyao's shoulder. Thinking that Xue Bai had begged for her, she whispered: "When a man sees beautiful women who have conquered the country, they are like hungry ghosts pouncing on their food. How can Mr. Xue Bai beg for mercy?" Being so dignified, I guess he is a master who has no shortage of women. But he is very considerate towards his wife, which shows that he does not focus on sex, but on love."
She knows how to talk to the pillow, and not all of her words are good. She only uses the last few words to touch her master's heart.
Yang Yuyao snorted coldly, still annoyed, and said: "He only has power."
But thinking back to Xue Bai's poem at this time, she felt a little different, and told the maid: "Is he still in the courtyard? Arrange a guest room for him."
The maids retreated, and Mingzhu stopped talking. She beat her shoulders and comforted her, trying to calm Yang Yuyao's mind.
"It feels comfortable for you."
"The slave family is to serve others."
Mingzhu responded shyly. When Yang Yuyao looked at her, she bit her lip and whispered: "The slave family... The slave family can actually serve the lady..."
~~
It was broad daylight when I woke up.
Yang Yuyao opened her eyes and stroked Mingzhu's blue hair lovingly.
She has gotten what she got, but what she hasn't gotten yet still worries her.
"The son-in-law of the right prime minister's house? Haha."
After all, Yang Yuyao was unwilling to give in. She stood up, called over a confidant and asked: "Is there any family that is not afraid of Brother Nu's power and can listen to my arrangements honestly?"
"It's not easy to find. Although the lady is noble and unparalleled, she is not more intimidating than a person like the right minister who does mundane things. If you want to find such a door, I'm afraid you have to..."
"Then go and prepare a thoughtful gift. I want to see the imperial concubine."
"yes."
After arranging this matter, she immediately wanted to summon Xue Bai to come and give him a promise. Then I thought about it, I would be more grateful if I surprised him after the things to be done were done.
