Miantang patted the table, and the brothers naturally dared not say anything. But looking at their eyes, they seemed to agree that Lu Yi’s proposal was not bad. It was a pity that their boss was blinded by men and mistook that sleeping with a tiger was the way to happiness.
Miantang breathed slowly, knowing that it would take some time for these habitual bandits to change their minds, and then she left the official office after telling them what to do next.
When she came out, she saw that Cui Xingzhou was instructing the county magistrate on what to do. Seeing her coming out, he came over and asked, “How is it?”
Miantang pursed her mouth and said in a low voice, “It’s indeed my brother Liu Zhanpeng.”
Cui Xingzhou saw that Liu Miantang’s face was not right, and she doesn’t seem to not have a happy expression to see her family again. He then remembered the arrogant appearance of Liu Zhanpeng that the county magistrate has told him. He then said, “Let’s get on the carriage and go back to the residence first.”
After returning to the residence, Miantang lay down for a rest after changing her clothes, and then said to Cui Xingzhou, who was drinking tea, “Can I handle my brother’s affairs at my discretion…”
Liu Zhanpeng is a fugitive. If he passes through the government, he will inevitably let him publicize his relationship with herself, and then discredit the Huaiyang residence. She should deal with it. After all, such a brother, she is really embarrassed to bother the prince to deal with it.
In fact, Cui Xingzhou thinks these are small things. He won’t despise Miantang because she has such an elder brother, so he said slowly: “You are you, he is him, and the dragon has nine sons. Each is different. In general, your elder brother is still considered a person compared with my former brothers. You don’t have to worry too much. I’ll deal with this little thing.”
Miantang laughed at him, then thought of the inexplicable fall of those concubines in the Huaiyang residence, and immediately understood what Cui Xingzhou meant. In any case, Liu Zhanpeng, although he is indulging in all kinds of mischief outside, did not harm her after all.
However, no matter how big he was, he was not a good person. Moreover, it is better to deal with this matter by herself than by the government. So Miantang still insists on her idea of handling herself.
When Cui Xingzhou heard that her method was safe, he nodded, “Now that you have thought it out, I will tell the county magistrate to cooperate with you.”
Miantang was just a little relieved, but before she was fully relieved, he heard Cui Xingzhou casually ask, “Your shop assistants are very smart. I heard they know martial arts too. Do they want to work in my army?”
Miantang smiled very sweetly, “I plan to open an escort agency in Lingquan Town, and I managed to find a few qualified ones to be trained as an escort. There are many talented people under your highness, and they are not the only ones…”
Cui Xingzhou looked up at her and said faintly, “Have you checked their background details?”
Miantang rolled over and lay down with her back to him and said, “They are ordinary people. There is nothing to check. The people in my shop are all well, they don’t have so many intentions… I’m tired and want to sleep.”
Cui Xingzhou didn’t ask again, just covered her quilt and walked out.
Miantang hid in the quilt and gasped for breath. She wondered if she had been living in such fear on the Mountain of Yang before.
Miantang yawned and felt that after being frightened, she needed a good sleep to calm her mood. She thought she was unable to fall asleep full of worries. Unexpectedly, she fell asleep soon.
Even the fifth master, who has always lived simply, went to the reunion dinner on the second day of the wedding, but the bride was lazy sleeping and did not attend.
When Miantang got up while washing her face, she complained to Servant Li, “The servant girls are not sensible. Why don’t you call me too?”
Before waiting for Servant Li to speak, Cui Xingzhou said, “I prevent her from calling. You woke up late in the morning and you can eat after you wake up naturally. There are many opportunities to eat with our family. It don’t mind this time?”
Miantang thought he didn’t have the posture of a prince anymore, so she turned around and asked Servant Li, “Who taught the prince’s rules? Why is he so unruly?”
Servant Li felt that the answer to this question was a little tough, and she just pretended that her ears were not working well, so she said, “Princess Consort, the kitchen cooked two pots of soup for you, one was black chicken stewed with sweet chestnuts, and the other was fish soup. Which would you like to drink?”
Cui Xingzhou saw Miantang was upset, so he came to pat her on the back and said, “My mother won’t complain, what’s the hurry?”
Miantang sighed, “Isn’t there your elder sister too? She seems like a person that follow rules when I see her this morning. She won’t be staying in the residence for long, and I don’t want to give her the impression of being lazy. Otherwise, when she returned to her husband’s house, doesn’t she only remember that I didn’t respect her mother?”
Cui Xingzhou will never get the chance to experience the anxiety of a new daughter-in-law in his whole life, especially Miantang, who is so vigorous and resolute, will have such thoughts.
It can be seen that she always cries with regret for marrying, but she also wants to be the daughter-in-law of the Cui family from her heart.
When he thought of this, he couldn’t help feeling warm. He kissed her tender beancurd-like cheek and said, “I know that you as a daughter-in-law are very virtuous and filial. My sister is a soft-hearted person. She might look fierce, but sooner or later she will know your good traits.”
Miantang was kissed by him and smiled again. She stretched out her hand to stop his waist, but she said with some melancholy, “Maybe… I’m not as good as you think…”
At dinner time, Cui Xingzhou had to go to the military camp for business, so Liu Miantang was the only one to eat with her mother-in-law and Cui Fu.
Old Princess Consort Chu said that the fifth master will get married in a few days. It was originally Miantang who should help make arrangements, but now she is pregnant and tired. So Old Princess Consort Chu meant that Cui Fu should do it for her, and asked Miantang if it was fine with her.
Miantang smiled, “It’s better to have my sister to help. I’ll ask Servant Li to give her the key to the warehouse. She can take whatever is in short supply.”
Cui Fu thought that a woman of such a small family taking over the key to the house from her mother’s hand was tough, and she would not give up the power easily. Maybe she would make use of her pregnancy and do it by herself so that the property of the residence would not be divided by the new sister-in-law Lian Binglan. Unexpectedly, Liu Miantang gave her the key without hesitating.
However, when she heard her mother talk about the disaster of the royal residence a few days ago, she thought it was no wonder that she was so happy to let go. She could not help but groan coldly, “The royal residence has been robbed by villains before. I think there is nothing left in the warehouse, and it is useless to give me the key. So is my mother. She has given me such a job, and I can’t make bricks without straw.”
Miantang smiled and said, “My sister’s worries are also right, but recently, the manor under the royal residence has sent tenant silver, and the warehouse is not as empty as it is. There are also rice noodles, meat, fat pigs, cattle, and sheep in the manor, and I also told them to prepare for use when the fifth master gets married. As for the betrothal gifts, after the Lian family agreed to the marriage, I asked the shopkeeper under my hand to help make arrangements. There is a ship in the shop that goes to the Capital to buy goods. When they returned, I chose the satin, tables, chairs, sleeping bedsheets, and so on for the most fashionable style in the city is guaranteed that no other people will have the same design. It will not make the fifth master’s wedding too shabby and lose the face of our residence.”
Cui Fu was stunned. She didn’t expect Liu Miantang to start making arrangements so early. It didn’t seem to be perfunctory.
Old Princess Consort Chu said to the other side, “He is a son of a concubine, and his wedding can’t be bigger than Xingzhou. If it wasn’t for the marriage of the Lian family, it wouldn’t have been so troublesome. Just look at how much the Qin family can afford, and we can fill it up twice as much. But he is lucky and married the Lian family girl, who is the legitimate daughter of an official. We have to make it look good. Look at how much is missing. If the account for the public expenses is not enough, I will take prepare some.”
After listening to her mother’s words, Cui Fu was even more upset, “I heard that Aunt Lian was forbidden to come over to the residence with Cui Xingzhou’s order. Now Cui-Lian, both families are going to get married soon, and she has an excuse to come over again asking you for favors. I want to know how much dowry her family has given, and we can compare it.”
Although the dowry list of the Lian family has not been drawn up, Cui Fu heard Aunt Lian cry about poverty yesterday. She only said that when she fled, she took her gold and silver with her, but it was gone when she was caught.
Marrying a daughter is no better than marrying a son which can devote the properties to one person. Marrying a daughter looks at the rich dowry of the bride’s side and sees if it can help her daughter, otherwise, the groom’s family betrothal gifts will be limited.
Now Lian-Chu was so bitter that she can’t help her daughter. She just asks Old Princess Consort Chu to help her niece. Don’t let her live in poverty with the fifth master in the future.
As for Qin, the mother of the fifth master, when she was favored, she did save a lot of money. But later, the fifth master fell ill and took medicine until now, so they also spent a lot. Now, the monthly salary of her and the fifth master is not abundant, and they can’t afford to marry a wife.
Miantang listened quietly and said with a slight smile, “I don’t need you to add anything, mother. The prince has discussed it with me. All the money for the fifth master’s betrothal gift comes from the public account. If sister finds that there is not enough, I will ask my shopkeeper to send some money to turn it around.”
The implication was that it was difficult for the royal family to turn around. She paid the money for the royal family.
Cui Fu didn’t expect Miantang to be so rich.
When she thought of Aunt Lian’s sour words these days, she said that Liu Miantang was her younger brother’s mistress when Cui Xingzhou still has a marriage agreement with Lian Binglan. She was dubious at first, but now it seems to be true. Otherwise, a woman with a small family background would not have such a large amount of silver in her hand, right?
She used to be a mistress and defrauded the royal residence’s silver. Now she pretends to be rich and generous, and in turn, helps the royal residence. Thinking of this, Cui Fu could not help but groan coldly. She was getting annoyed with this sister-in-law who was not short of this means.
Since it was the money of the Prince’s Residence, she doesn’t have to be polite to Liu Miantang. If there is a shortage, she can just take it from her. It’s just that such a greedy woman has become the main hostess of the residence, which makes her uneasy.
Cui Fu made up her mind and said to Liu Miantang, “Xingzhou will go to the Capital to the Ministry of War in a few days. Your brother-in-law just got promoted and will go to the Ministry of War too. I told Xingzhou that after entering the capital, the two families will live closer and take care of each other. There must be many things you don’t understand when you have just gotten married and become the main hostess of the household. I will check for you so that you don’t make mistakes and become a burden for Xingzhou.”
After hearing this, Miantang slowly looked up at Cui Fu and said, “If so, I will thank you in advance.”
Ruth Ibale On TSFLIP Chapter 1133