Chapter 261: It's better to be bold than to be honest

Beijing began to be built at the beginning of Yongle, and with the relocation of civil and military officials one after another, it is natural that it will gradually have the atmosphere of a capital city. Due to the silting up of the Tonghui River, the grain ships from Tongzhou could not be directly sent to Beijing through the Tonghui River and Jishuitan, so they naturally hoarded in Beijing's Dongcheng District, and the traders gathered here for convenience. And the court officials naturally did not like Dongcheng District, where hundreds of merchants gathered, and almost all of them chose to live in a few squares of Xuanwumen in Xicheng District.

Baoding Hou Mansion is located close to Xuanwumen Street Langfang Hutong, although it is a royal gift, but in fact only gave a piece of quite a large land, the house is not big, successively repaired for more than a year, now there is the Hou Mansion weather. Since Meng Min came back with the seriously ill Mrs. Wu, Baoding Hou Mengying wanted to bring her younger brother-in-law to live in the Hou Mansion, but after thinking about it, she was still worried about getting on fire, so she simply asked her eldest daughter-in-law Zhang Qing to visit often and bring some medicinal herbs to eat.

On this day, Zhang Qing got up early in the morning and sent her husband Meng Jun out, planning to visit Mrs. Wu. She instructed the housekeeper to prepare a box of Korean red ginseng and a few snacks to eat, but someone on the door came to report that Zhang Zhen was here. She always knew that Zhang Zhen didn't like to go out, and the number of times in the Baoding Hou Mansion was less than that of Zhang Chao's Zhang Qi brothers throughout the year. When the sister and brother met, she saw that Zhang Zhen's face was not good, so she hurriedly withdrew the little girl, leaving only Huxia and Yingchun.

"Little Four, what's wrong, why is you so pale?"

"Eldest sister, when I came out of my grandmother's place today, I happened to walk past the small council hall and heard my second aunt reprimanding people there. She said that the family's expenses are too big now, and she also said that her mother recuperates all day long, and she doesn't know how much ginseng bird's nest she eats, but she is always sick and careless, and she also said that there is too much silver sent to Jiaozhi every year...... Anyway, I said a lot of ugly things! ”

Zhang Zhen used to be the most favored long-term chief Sun Tianzhi's proud son, and he had long developed a temper that was above the top. But after his father Zhang Xin was first imprisoned and then degraded, although the subordinates did not treat him slowly, he gradually understood some truths, and the relationship with several brothers also became harmonious. However, after all, his father's matter was a thorn in his heart, and now he overheard Dongfang's words, and he suddenly couldn't help it anymore.

"Jiaozhi Lili has been rebelling for many years, I heard that there are often local magistrates and magistrates who are killed, my father is in danger there, and the second uncle has also returned, if there is a rebellion in his jurisdiction, who can save him?" He clenched his fists all of a sudden, but he couldn't take care of Zhang Qing's pale face, "Eldest sister, I also heard the second aunt say in a weird way, Baoding Hou can't even save his own brother, and he sits back and watches his in-laws suffer in Jiaozhi and don't pull a hand, the Zhang family is unlucky to marry this kind of person......"

"Say no more!"

This word was all stabbed in Zhang Qing's heart, and for a while, she almost drank her brother-in-law in one gulp, and there was no blood on her face. Seeing Zhang Zhen biting his lip and standing there stubbornly, she didn't know that these words had been held in his heart for a long time, and her heart suddenly became more and more painful. What kind of character her father-in-law is, she knows it well, and it may not be accurate to say that she is timid and afraid of things, but it is ironclad to say that more is better than less. I think that when her father was in prison, although she was in Nanjing, she almost didn't hear any news, and she was almost blind.

After a long time, she stretched out her hand and pulled Zhang Zhen over, and said in a deep voice: "The second uncle came back this time and brought a new aunt, and the second aunt was unhappy because of this matter, so she had to use other things to accuse Sang and scold Huai. She's such a temperament, don't listen to her nonsense. Now that my grandmother is still sick, you must hide these words in your heart and don't say them, so that your grandmother will not be happy to hear them. Whether it's my grandmother or my mother, or me, I am worried about my father, but this kind of thing is useless on the face, and it is even more useless to ask others, and everything that others can help has already been helped! Now there is no other way to look at my father's own chance. ”

The words he was holding back in his heart were all gone, and Zhang Zhen also felt a lot more relaxed at this time, but when he saw Zhang Qing wiping his red eyes, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty, and immediately said: "Eldest sister, it's all my fault, I shouldn't be angry with you to say this." I was just...... I just hate myself for being useless, I can't help anything, and I've only been a talent in the exam for so many years. ”

"What nonsense, you were called a prodigy when you were a child, how can you be discouraged at a little tribulation!"

Zhang Qing turned her face flat, stood up and pressed Zhang Zhen's shoulders heavily, and then said with a pleasant face: "Manly man, perseverance is the most important thing, you have to remember that your grandmother and mother are looking at you, and your father who is far away is also looking at you, don't be presumptuous!" If nothing else, for the sake of your life's work, do you know how many people have tested my tone? You, if you have spare time, you might as well go out for a walk and meet friends, not to mention anything else, how many friends do you count? ”

After the family moved to Beijing, because of various things, the Zhang family has not yet settled, so Feng invited a Mr. Xixi to teach at home for Zhang Zhen, and he really has no friends. Therefore, when Zhang Qing said that he would let him have more contact with several peers of the same age in the Meng family, and said that he would let Zhang Yue lead him to meet a few more people, he hesitated for a moment and agreed.

Since it was rare for his younger brother to come, Zhang Qing saw that he was wearing a half-old rose purple round-neck wide-sleeved gauze shirt with a pair of blessing shoes that were also half-old and not new, and hurriedly called the little girl to open the box and take out a set of clothes, shoes and socks made at home. Her needlework has always been exquisite, and after changing it to Zhang Zhen, she couldn't help but smile when she saw that she was in a new spirit, and she kept him for a conversation, and then personally sent people out of the hanging flower door. Seeing Zhang Zhen's figure disappear from sight, she sank her face.

The second aunt Dongfang is really too disagreeable, thinking that the second uncle Zhang Yu is prosperous, pointing out that her father Zhang Xin has not returned, but she actually kicked her nose and face and bullied the head of the long house, and also arranged the Meng family!

"Miss, everything is ready to go out, should we go there yet, eldest lady?"

After listening to Hug Xia's reminder, Zhang Qing suppressed her grievances and nodded lightly: "Of course go, you go and see if the people with the car are all arranged, Yingchun and I go back to change clothes, let's leave immediately." ”

Meng Xian was the commander of the guards in Changshan, and his home was in Beijing, so Baoding Hou Meng Ying had a lot of eyes when he drove to Beijing to buy real estate, and chose Langfang Hutong, which was closer to Meng Xian's house, among the several plots of land given by the emperor. Meng Xian's mansion is located in the Fengsheng Hutong that is only separated from the Baoding Hou Mansion by a Xuanwumen Street, although it is only three rooms and five black oil tin ring gates due to the grade limit, but the interior is exquisitely built, not inferior to the Baoding Hou Mansion.

Since Meng Xian was imprisoned, the Meng Mansion has naturally been full of doors, and even the other residents in the alley often prefer to go around half a circle and not pass in front of the Meng Mansion, as if they are afraid of getting caught in that bad luck. However, on this day, Zhang Qing got off the sedan chair in front of the door, but saw a few horses tied to the tethered horse pillar in front of the door, and there was a rather luxurious sedan chair at the root of the wall, as if there was a guest.

"Grandma, you're here again!"

As soon as Zhang Qing arrived at the door with Baoxia and Yingchun, a middle-aged doorman ran up to meet him. After saluting, without waiting for Zhang Qing to ask, he said with a smile: "Grandma came by chance today, Young Master Yue came first, Lord Chen Liujun just arrived, and he came to visit his wife, and he is talking in the upper room of the north courtyard at this time!" Lord Chen Liujun sent a large package of high-quality bird's nest, saying that his wife had a long-term cough, and using bird's nest and rock sugar to make porridge is the most nourishing. ”

Hearing that Zhu Ning, the lord of Chenliu County, was here, Zhang Qing couldn't help but be surprised. This feudal lord is not unusual, what is strange is that although the lord of Chen Liu is only the niece of the emperor, he is more favored than his own daughter. Such a noble woman of the clan should be the most intelligent and clear, but she did not avoid suspicion and went to the Meng family, which was convicted.

Seeing Meng Tao come out, she smiled and said, "I didn't expect me to be a coincidence today." My aunt's illness is getting better, and she sleeps well tonight? I brought a couple of Korean red ginseng and I don't know if it's available or not. If the bird's nest is used well, I will bring some next time. ”

"Eldest sister, we are very grateful that you can come, you don't have to bring things every time."

Meng Tao instructed the little guy who came out to take the things in the hands of Xia and Yingchun, and he led Zhang Qing inside, and whispered in his mouth: "Sister-in-law, I'll be honest with you, my mother's illness is very bad now, I have to cough several times every night, it's hard to sleep for an hour, Dr. Feng has been frowning every day these days, and his temper is very big." My mother often said these days that she wanted to finalize the marriage of the fourth sister as soon as possible, but she was really confused, where can this kind of thing be mentioned now? And ......"

He looked embarrassed, and gritted his teeth for a long time before he gritted his teeth and said: "In fact, what is more difficult now is another thing, this year has not yet come to the villages to send rent, my mother's illness is very expensive, and I spent a lot of money for my father's affairs before, and now the family is stretched thin...... I also knew that in Qingzhou before, the money spent by the family was actually Brother Yue's own money, and the Du family's sister also helped a lot. ”

Zhang Qingnai is the daughter-in-law of the family, and she is in charge of the accounts and money of the Baoding Hou Mansion, so she couldn't help but be shocked when she heard this, and hurriedly asked: "When I was in Qingzhou, when you two brothers came back, you all the money on the account was withdrawn, and it was not strange that there was no money at that time." The eldest uncle has been an official for so many years, and he has a lot of Zhuangzi industry under his name, how can there be no money on the books? ”

Meng Tao glanced at Zhang Qing uneasily, and then explained: "Although my mother and fourth sister used to manage the house, my father often proposed a large amount of money to do other things, so the family's income and expenditure have not been sufficient. The fourth sister has already taken out the money that her mother had saved for emergency, and I also learned that my father had put a lot of money out before......"

Zhang Qing immediately gasped when he heard this, this third-grade military attache of the imperial court is still operating this kind of business? No wonder the Meng Mansion has no money on the books now, when Meng Xian is in prison, who in the Meng family dares to go outside to collect usury? Although she complained in her heart that Meng Xian was a thousand and ten thousand confused, it was difficult for her to say it, so she had to sulk secretly.

In contrast, it is more stable for her father-in-law to be honest and afraid of things like Hou Mengying of Baoding!