Chapter 1118 The Shrewdness of the Old Lady and the Shameless Aunt Kang

Hualan was talking to her mother and sister, while Zhou Chen was sitting and talking with brothers Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changsong.

"Brother-in-law, what is the northwest frontier like? Are all Xixia people barbarians?"

Sheng Changwu was very interested in border affairs. When he had the opportunity to talk to Zhou Chen, who was pacifying the border and regaining lost territory, he immediately couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

Sheng Changsong and Sheng Changbai were also very interested, but one of them was older and the other was calm. They were not as direct as Sheng Changwu and would ask directly.

Sheng Changbai had stayed with his parents in Lingzhou on the border, but he was just a child at that time and had no memory of it.

Zhou Chen said with a smile: "They are not all aliens, but they are indeed dominated by aliens. Over there..."

It could be seen that Sheng Changbai and others were interested, so he explained patiently.

Hualan had a conversation with her mother, then left Wei Ruixuan and went to Shou'an Hall. When she saw Zhou Chen talking to Chang Bai and the others, she didn't bother them and went alone.

Returning to Shou'an Hall, in addition to the two old ladies, there were a few more people, including Ming Lan and the two daughters of the Dafang, Sheng Shulan and Sheng Pinlan.

Sheng Shulan was about the same age as Hua Lan, and Sheng Pinlan was about the same age as Ru Lan. Sheng Shulan looked very elegant and quiet, standing beside her grandmother to serve her, while Sheng Pinlan was sitting with Minglan, and the two of them were talking to each other. talking and laughing.

Hua Lan walked in, and everyone's conversation immediately shifted to her.

The old lady asked Hua Lan how she was in the Hou Mansion these days. Hua Lan answered truthfully, but did not tell anything about the stewardship. She just said that it was very good in the Hou Mansion. The officials and parents-in-law were very good to her, especially her mother-in-law. , I like her very much like my own daughter.

The three Lans who have not left the pavilion all looked at Hua Lan with envy. What a woman fears most when she gets married is meeting a powerful mother-in-law. If the mother-in-law is not bad and does not target her, then it is already a great blessing. Being able to do so like this There are probably only a few mothers-in-law in Tokyo who treat their daughter-in-law as their own daughters.

With her mother-in-law taking care of her, the daughter-in-law will naturally not be wronged in her husband's family.

The old lady wasn't worried about her granddaughter. After all, Hua Lan's mother-in-law was her niece. She had met Hua Lan before and liked Hua Lan very much, so naturally she wouldn't make things difficult for her.

The only thing she was worried about before was Marquis Zhongjing, but Marquis Zhongjing didn't care about the backyard after all, and he couldn't make things difficult for his daughter-in-law.

But now I am very happy to hear my granddaughter say that she is living a good life in the Hou Mansion.

"Since your parents-in-law are very kind to you, you should be filial to them and serve your husband well."

"I know, Grandma."

Hua Lan responded obediently, and then quietly winked at her grandmother.

When the old lady saw Hua Lan's expression, she knew that she had something to say to her, and if she didn't say it here, it would mean it was inconvenient.

So she smiled and said to the old lady in the first house: "Old sister, I will take Hua'er into the house first. I have something to give her. You sit here."

"Okay, sister, let's take Hua'er."

Hualan immediately stepped forward to help the old lady, left the main hall and went to the bedroom at the back.

The old lady pulled Hua Lan to sit down at the table in the bedroom and asked with concern.

"Is there anything I can't say? Did you encounter any trouble in the Marquis Mansion?"

Hua Lan replied: "I encountered trouble, but to be precise, it is a good thing, but just because it is so good, I am still very worried."

"Good thing?"

The old lady was confused. She had taught Hualan step by step. Although she was young, she was still very witty and intelligent. She had the air of a big lady and ordinary things would not be difficult for her.

"Then tell me what good thing happened to you that made you so depressed and why you came here to ask me, an old woman."

"Grandma is not old. Grandma is the most powerful."

Hua Lan first praised her coquettishly, and then told the truth.

"Grandma, when I went to serve tea to my parents-in-law that day, my mother-in-law gave me the key to the Hou Mansion and said she would let me take care of the house."

"Huh?"

Even as smart as Mrs. Sheng, she couldn't help but be surprised at this time.

"Give you the right to manage the house? What happened? Please tell me in detail. I remember Hui Niang said that the current Zhongjing Hou Mansion is managed by her eldest daughter-in-law. Why did she suddenly give it to you as soon as you entered the house? How could the eldest daughter-in-law of the family agree? Also, isn’t Marquis Zhongjing always partial to the eldest son? How could he agree? "

Hua Lan said: "I didn't dare to accept it at the time, but my mother insisted on letting me accept it. Later, my father-in-law also asked me to accept it, and the officials also asked me to accept it. In the end, I had no choice but to accept it."

The old lady looked confused: "That's really strange. I know a little about Marquis Zhongjing's character. Why did he suddenly change his attitude? Did Brother Chen say anything to you?"

"The official said that his eldest brother was sick, and his sister-in-law had to take care of him, so she didn't have time to take care of the house. I didn't ask much at the time. Later, Feng's mother talked to the stewards in the house and heard some rumors about the official's big brother. My brother is seriously ill, maybe, maybe..."

Hua Lan did not dare to continue speaking, but the expression on his face made the old lady understand the meaning, and the old lady suddenly fell into deep thought.

After a while, she suddenly realized: "No wonder, no wonder."

"Grandma, what did you say?"

The old lady muttered: "Marquis Zhongjing attaches great importance to the inheritance of the family. As long as the eldest son is still there, he will never allow other sons to get involved in the title. This is why he was partial to the eldest son before, but now he agrees to let you come. The housekeeper can only show that his eldest son's illness is really serious, and he has begun to favor Brother Chen. After all, he is the only two legitimate sons, except for the eldest brother, who is Brother Chen."

Hua Lan looked grave: "Grandma means that the official is likely to inherit in the future..."

"You are so smart, and you are still in the Hou Mansion, you must have thought of this possibility, but you just thought it was too incredible, so you thought of coming back and asking me, right?"

Facing the old lady's gaze, Hua Lan nodded without hesitation. How could she not guess that the stewards in the Hou Mansion were so respectful and polite to her? It couldn't just be because she was the second son and eldest daughter.

"Judging from the attitudes of Marquis Zhongjing, Hui Niang, and Brother Chen in supporting you, I guess it's not wrong. Alas, the eldest son of Hui Niang's family is only a few years older than Brother Chen. He is so young and has a bright future. How come he suddenly... …”

Although she had never met Zhou Tong, he was Huiniang's son and her grandnephew after all. She was also sad when she suddenly heard that Zhou Tong had health problems.

The older the person is, the less able he is to see life and death, and the old lady is equally unable to see the difference between life and death.

"I'm afraid Dalang didn't get this disease recently. I had never figured out why Marquis Zhongjing opposed Brother Chen's ennoblement. Although there was only a slight possibility, it was still possible after all. But if he did that, it would be Hope was completely lost.

"After all, it is the honor of a double noble family. Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, I will try my best to fight for it, but Zhongjing Marquis refused. I am afraid that from that time, his family's health will not be very good; what if Brother Chen really After being knighted, he could no longer inherit the Marquis of Zhongjing. If something happened to Da Lang again, the Marquis of Zhongjing would have to fall on the concubine. This was an outcome that the Marquis of Zhongjing could not accept, so he cut it off from the beginning. Considering the possibility of Brother Chen being ennobled, I would rather not have a double peerage than let my legitimate son inherit the marquisship."

"No wonder this Marquis Zhongjing has made the Marquis Zhongjing's mansion a famous wealthy family in Tokyo. He is so decisive."

The old lady praised that she had lived a long time and had seen many things, but she had to admit that there was nothing wrong with Zhou Yexiong's decision.

If it were her, she would never bet on whether Brother Chen would be knighted. She would definitely refuse to be knighted. After all, even if he was knighted, he would only be an earl at most, and it would not be a hereditary earl, that is, a lifelong earl. .

If the concubine inherits the Marquis, it would be a real big trouble if the legitimate son is still alive. It does not mean that the concubine must be poor in ability, but in today's era, if the legitimate son is here and the concubine inherits the title, he is likely to bring success to the Marquis. There will be great turmoil.

Just like the Sheng family, as long as she still has a legitimate son, it will be Sheng Hong's turn to inherit everything in the Sheng family.

"Hua'er, if everything is true, then the situation in the Marquis' Mansion is very clear. You should be a good steward. Brother Chen is capable and capable, and he is very likely to inherit the Marquis' Mansion in the future, so you have to take care of yourself. The ability is developed.”

"Once Brother Chen comes to the lord, you will be the eldest lady of the marquis. At that time, you will represent the lord's mansion. You will meet the queen and the concubines in the harem, and you will also come into contact with the eldest ladies of other noble and wealthy mansions. If you don't If you don’t have the ability, you will be treated as a joke.”

Mrs. Sheng has always trained Hualan as a eldest lady, but she never thought that Hualan would have the opportunity to become the eldest daughter of a marquis. If she became the eldest daughter of a marquis, what she had learned before would not be enough.

The queen, the concubines in the harem, and even the ladies of other wealthy families, who are not human beings? If you are not smart enough, you will definitely be bullied and excluded.

Everyone said that the situation in the previous dynasty was like fire and water, but little did they know that the backyard of the female family members was also the same with swords and swords, eating people without spitting out bones.

Hua Lan looked nervous: "Grandma, I'm just nervous. I'm afraid that if I don't do it well, I will embarrass the officials and betray the trust of my parents-in-law."

The old lady comforted her with a smile: "Don't be afraid, Hua'er, don't be afraid. Even your parents-in-law trust you and your husband supports you. Don't be afraid of making mistakes, but you must do it and establish your prestige." , remember my grandmother’s words, give both kindness and power.”

"Be kind and powerful at the same time."

Hua Lan murmured to himself and quickly nodded vigorously: "Grandma, I understand, and I will definitely do it well."

"Good boy."

The old lady hugged her happily and distressedly: "Your great-grandmother is right. Whether we women are lucky or not depends on whether she marries well. If she marries well, she will have a worry-free life. If she marries poorly, she may have a worry-free life. Your life has been miserable, but grandma thinks you are lucky, Hua'er."

There were some things that Hualan couldn't tell Zhou Chen, but she had no scruples with her grandmother. After talking to her grandmother, her mood improved a lot and the pressure on her body was relieved a lot.

Zhou Chen came to Shou'an Hall to look for Hua Lan and saw Minglan talking with Pinlan.

As soon as Minglan saw Zhou Chen, she immediately stood up and saluted: "Brother-in-law."

Pinlan also hurriedly stood up and saluted.

Zhou Chen said with a smile: "Minglan, I haven't seen you in a few years. You have grown so big. How is your throwing practice now?"

Minglan was a little reserved at first, but when she heard Zhou Chen talk about what happened back then, she couldn't help but smile.

"I would also like to thank my eldest brother-in-law for his guidance back then."

Zhou Chen shook his head and said: "You have grown up, but you are not as lively as before. I heard your eldest sister mentioned the matter of your little mother. From now on, you should stay with your grandmother. She is a good person and she will love you." .”

"Grandma treats Minglan very well."

Hearing Zhou Chen talk about his little mother, Minglan's face flashed with sadness, but she quickly adjusted herself.

Zhou Chen didn't say anything more, but just warned: "If anything happens in the future, I can ask your eldest sister."

Minglan saluted again: "Thank you, brother-in-law."

Zhou Chen and Hua Lan had dinner at Wei Ruixuan. On the table were Zhou Chen and Hua Lan, Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu, Sheng Changbai and Sheng Rulan, and Aunt Kang.

Yes, Aunt Kang was really thick-skinned. She stayed until the evening and ate at the same table with Zhou Chen and the others.

But except for Wang Ruofu who laughed when he saw her, the others didn't talk to her much, especially Sheng Hong, who didn't have a good look.

Ever since they moved to Tokyo, Aunt Kang has been coming to visit Qiufeng frequently, especially after learning that they were married to the Zhongjing Marquis Mansion, she came even more frequently.

Today is the day when my daughter comes home to live in peace. They are having dinner as a family, and everyone who did not look at the old lady and the big room is too smart to come over. But this Aunt Kang is good, and she shamelessly comes to the table, which makes him feel like he has eaten a fly. Just as uncomfortable.

At the dinner table, Sheng Hong ignored her at all and just said this to Zhou Chen.

"Sanlang, you are now in the Marquis of Yu, the capital of the horse army, and you hold many positions. You must be grateful to the officials and don't slack off."

Sheng Hong originally wanted to take advantage of his father-in-law, but when he thought about Zhou Chen's current position being several levels higher than him, he thought about it and encouraged him instead.

When he thought of this, his teeth ached. He had worked hard for more than ten years and was finally transferred to Tokyo. As a result, his good son-in-law, who was nearly 21 years old, had already received military honors and was still a fifth-rank official in the imperial court. .

The son-in-law is wearing a scarlet robe, but his father-in-law is still wearing a green robe, which is sad.

"My son-in-law, please remember your father-in-law's teachings and you will never let down your holy grace." Zhou Chen cooperated very well.

My father-in-law is a showman, and he is also a showman.

Aunt Kang suddenly said with envy: "Sister, brother-in-law, your eldest uncle is really capable. He has already put on a scarlet robe at a young age. Even my niece has taken advantage of it and been awarded the fourth rank. Gaoming, this is an honor that neither your old lady nor your sister has."

The smile on Sheng Hong's face suddenly stopped. He knew that this sister-in-law didn't hold in her fart well. What do you mean? You can praise her as much as you want. Can you hold back your innuendos?

Wang Ruofu was indeed fooled: "That's right, Sanlang is a capable person, and Hualan is my firstborn daughter, the Fourth Grade Imperial Lady, who is much more honorable than a mother like me."

Sheng Hong was hit with another sword in the chest. This bitch could really piss him off.

It was Hua Lan's words that relieved her father's embarrassment, but she didn't like Aunt Kang at all.

But Aunt Kang was obviously not ready to end it like this, and continued: "Brother-in-law, you have vision and ability. Unlike our family, he can't find a good teacher for Jin'er. If it weren't for our Jin'er He is a young boy who is studying, and I also want him to learn from Saburo and go to the frontier to make contributions."

Zhou Chen's skin got goosebumps at the sound of Saburo's cry.

Sheng Hong curled his lips with a disdainful expression. He was still studying for a young man, but he was still going to the frontier to make contributions, let alone die.

He didn't want to listen to Aunt Kang's nonsense, so he said to Hua Lan: "Hua'er, you can go back after dinner later. It's hard to leave after dark."

Before Hua Lan spoke, Wang Ruofu became anxious: "Guanren, why are you like this? Hua'er and I haven't had a good conversation yet. Are you so pushy?"

Sheng Hong wanted to sew his wife's mouth shut.

"Sanlang, don't think too much, I'm afraid you will be delayed at night."

"Thank you for your concern, father-in-law. We will tell my grandmother and go back later."

Zhou Chen didn't want to sit at the same table to eat with Aunt Kang. He might have some crooked ideas. This woman was really thick-skinned, and it was better to avoid provoking him less.

After dinner, Zhou Chen and Hualan said goodbye to their grandmother, then to Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu, and then left the Sheng Mansion in a carriage.

In the carriage compartment, Zhou Chen said to Hua Lan: "Madam, I see that you didn't eat much at the table just now. You will definitely be hungry when you go back. Last time I asked you to go to Fanlou, you didn't go. It just so happens that it's still early. I I’ll take you to Fanlou for a meal.”

"Are you going now?" Hua Lan looked hesitant, but very excited. She was also very curious about Fan Lou.

Even Cuichan and Caihan, who were also waiting in the carriage, showed excitement. As maids, although they did not have to stay at home like the girls and had been to many places, they had not yet I ate at Fanlou.

Zhou Chen smiled and said: "Of course it's now, let's go."