At dusk, on the edge of the largest soup spring in the backyard of Wanquan Villa, Changdi was standing straight, but his eyes glanced at the people in the pool from time to time, and there were always some chaotic thoughts in his heart, but the words on his lips did not pause at all.

"Madam, I've already found out, since the old patriarch of the Jiang family returned to the semicolon, he has hardly gone out except for another trip to us. The news only said that he often went to the back of a small courtyard, but the guards there were all his henchmen he brought from Nanjing, and no additional information could be found, only that it should be the old man's mastermind and other figures. However, after learning the news of the lord before, Mrs. specially asked the Jinyi guard to send the letter to the capital, and it was opened and read by people halfway. ”

Since sending Mrs. Ai and Mrs. Liang away, after getting the sudden news, Chen Lan didn't bother to soak in the hot spring for several days, at this time she was immersed in the deep pool, she only felt lazy, and even the rotation of her thoughts seemed to be a little slow, so when she heard Changdi's long string of words, she paused for a while before nodding and saying, "I know." ”

"Ma'am, what shall we do next?"

Seeing Changdi's energetic appearance, Chen Lan hooked her hand and motioned her to squat down, and when she saw that she complied, she said word by word: "How to do it?" It's very simple, of course, to dig people out along the Jiang family. Don't look at the old patriarch of the Jiang family, who has come twice in three days, but if the situation in Nanjing changes abruptly, he will rush back immediately. When people are flustered, they are prone to make mistakes, and at that time, coupled with the shopkeepers under Eshiro, who is the person who gave him advice, you can make it clearer when you think about it. As for Shuquan's matter, since the imperial court has not written so far, we can't panic! ”

"But," the old lady ......,......

Changdi hesitated for a moment, but finally said in a low voice: "I met Mother Zhuang before, Mother Zhuang sighed for a long time, I was not at ease for a while, so I asked two more words." There is no news from the master" His Royal Highness King Jing has no news, even Mr. Bi has no news, although the young master Jun'er has not said anything in the past few days, he has also quietly cried a few times behind his back, and the old lady has seen it.

Zhuang's mother said that once when she heard the old lady looking at the sleeping young master Jun'er, she quietly muttered a word. ”

Chen Lan closed his eyes, one hand couldn't help but clench a bath towel covering his chest, and asked softly, "What words?" ”

"Mother Zhuang heard the old lady say, in case there is really anything long and two short, you can be my grandson." Changdi's face turned a little pale when he said this, but he still reluctantly continued, "And said that Madame is young," ......

Changdi didn't dare to say anything after that, but how could Chen Lan not hear the meaning of these words? Although the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is very good, it has come to such an unpredictable juncture" and the Jiang family's disturbance, the Jiang family can still smile in front of her, and the panic and worry behind it are naturally not enough for outsiders. Well, when Zhuang's mother revealed this breath, she took a deep breath all of a sudden, and then dived down suddenly. For a moment, "she was surrounded from head to toe in the warm spring water."

"Madame, ma'am!"

Changdi was frightened this time, and hurriedly knelt on the edge of the pool and reached out to catch people, "The first two times she only caught some water beads in vain, and when she stretched out her hand for the third time, she finally saw Chen Lan's whole person emerging from the water. At this moment, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, and sat down on her knees against her chest.

"Madame, don't scare me......"

Seeing that Changdi, who had always been strong and capable, was about to cry, Chen Lan remembered that Changdi was fifteen this year, "only one year older than her age, and couldn't help but smile and stretched out his hand to wipe it under her eyes" and then said: "It's okay, it's just a whim, I want to try this feeling of breathlessness." Don't say this to others again, and don't show your mouth in front of Mother Zhuang, understand? ”

"Yes, the slave can do it."

After soaking in the hot springs and going ashore, and after going to the shower and changing into dry clothes, Chen Lan sent Changdi, whose clothes were also half wet, to take a dip, and only took the red snail to the outer study on the northwest side of the hot spring path. Since the news of Yang Jinzhou's disappearance came, in order to avoid worrying her mother-in-law, she gradually stopped dealing with these news and things in the east house of Yushengzhai. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a note in the page of the book that was never left by herself, and suddenly her expression was clear, but it was only an instant, she covered up the trace of surprise, thinking that even if the red snail stood behind and saw it, she would not show her mouth, she lazily leaned back on the Taishi chair, and ordered the red snail: "You go to the front yard and find Huang's mother." ”

Hongluo agreed, and walked out of the door in three or two steps. After the person went out, Chen Lan immediately opened the book that he had just glimpsed with a note, took out the note and put it in his sleeve, and then looked up again. After making sure that there was no one outside, she unfolded it under the table, only to find that there were only two or three crosses on it.

"Mrs. Ai Song, the daughter of the Songjiang Song clan, and the eldest daughter of Song Yiming, the first assistant of the real cabinet."

With such a note with few words, Chen Lan only felt thrilled, and sat there for a while pinching it, and suddenly crumpled it into a ball. It took her a while to come to her senses, and she flattened it on the table little by little, and finally pressed it down with a paperweight. Mrs. Ai's words and deeds are all to her liking, but she will not really put her heart into people because of this, but even so, the information revealed on this note is really far from what she expected before. And, why did the man who was hiding behind tell her about this secret?

"Madam, Mother Huang is here."

Hearing the voice outside, Chen Lan immediately put these thoughts aside, and immediately ordered someone to come in. When Huang's mother followed Hongluo into the house and politely saluted, she ordered Hongluo to move to Jindun and invite him to sit, and let Hongluo go outside to guard, and then looked up and down at the woman in front of her. said that she was a servant, but Huang's mother was not only the real head of the Puppet Garden, but even everyone in Wanquan Villa did not dare to disobey the dispatch, and the authority was so great that even the housekeeper of the ordinary noble mansion was rare. It's like the color of clothes at this time, if you go outside, who doesn't think that she is a housewife of a moderately solid family?

"First in the Doll Garden, and then in Wanquan Villa for a long time, thanks to Huang's mother in the center." Seeing that Huang's mother didn't dare to say goodbye, Chen Lan smiled slightly, "First you have always said that the master is outside, and we can live in this place for as long as we want, because it has always been eventful, so I haven't asked carefully." I invite you to come this time" to inquire about your elegant master. Being able to have two estates on the edge of Slender West Lake is not trivial. ”

The prefect Fan was vague, and Huang's mother was always vague about her master's affairs, so she really didn't expect it. When the Yang family was facing a big crisis, Chen Lan actually asked her this elegantly. With an unnatural expression on her face, she hesitated for a while, and then said with a smile: ", My master's surname is Shui, because of this, I especially like the house by the water, and this puppet garden and Wanquan Villa came from this way." He has been doing business with people all year round, and he doesn't come back often, so I, as a subordinate, am only ordered to take care of two places, and I don't know much about the rest. ”

Sure enough, it's such a prevarication again!

Chen Lan's face did not show any different color, but his hand gently removed the paperweight, and then looked at Huang's mother and said: "I didn't expect that the owner of your family would come and go without a trace like this, it seems that he can only be on one side." Speaking of which, I just found an interesting note in the study, please take a look at it for me? ”

Huang's mother was stunned when she heard this, and then quickly stood up and responded. Stay at the desk" Seeing Chen Lan move the note in a different direction and face herself, she quickly glanced at it. But just one glance, her whole body froze, and the smile on her face was gone, replaced by a deep horror. She regretted that she should have said that she was illiterate, but she had already seen it all, so she had to think of something else. It took a long time for her to pull the corner of her dress and squeeze out a smile.

"Madam, could it be that someone is caught in it when I buy a book?" ”

"What do you say?"

Seeing that Chen Lan asked back directly without backing down, Huang's mother was suddenly dumbfounded, and at the end she could only say carefully: "Madam, I don't know who is playing a prank...... Mrs. Ai is the daughter of the Songjiang Song clan" Everyone knows, but Song Ge has never been back to Jiangnan for decades, where does this daughter start? Speaking of this, she didn't know what to say next, so she simply stood there with her hands down, her heart fluttering.

"Mother Song knows that a few days ago, the discarded writing paper in my room was quietly intercepted in the middle of the road."

This next sentence suddenly made Huang's mother even more weak, and this time she didn't even have the strength to laugh dryly. Seeing that Chen Lan's gaze was getting sharper and sharper, and there was no smile on her face, she instinctively felt that her knees were straight, and she was about to blurt out the truth, but after all, she couldn't help it.

"Madame, forgive me, the little one must be checked carefully when he goes back, carefully and strictly!"

"Well, you go!"

Chen Lan saw that Huang's mother immediately showed a relieved expression when she heard this, and saluted him respectfully, so he nodded lightly.

When the person went out backwards, she leaned back, and then adjusted the posture to let the lotus leaf hold her head, and then looked at the sky huā and became confused. Sure enough, there is something wrong with the owners of the Doll Garden and Wanquan Villa, which is undoubted.

The red snail outside the door opened the curtain and came in, and when he saw that Chen Lan was still sitting comfortably with his back against him, he stepped forward: "Madam, what did you say to Huang's mother?" When I saw her go out, she trembled like chaff, as if she was frightened. She is so capable in handling internal and external affairs on weekdays, but she didn't expect to have such an embarrassing time. ”

"It's not that she's embarrassed, it's that there are some things she didn't expect, if she was prepared, it wouldn't be like this." Chen Lan left the lotus leaf at this time, and then said with a pun, "Don't scare her, how can she bring the words to the person who should be brought?" ”

Whether Mother Huang will bring the words to the people who should be brought with him, no one will know for a while, however, the old Jiang patriarch of Ruijiang Commercial Bank is not waiting for a reply from the Yang family, but an unexpected bad news. At this moment, he stared at his own son who had come to report the news, and his round eyes were full of anger.

"What do you say? The long house actually wants to be in the ancestral hall at the clan conference, and the top and bottom have all agreed? ”

"It was the seventh master who was under his father's angry gaze, and he just tried his best to shrink his neck," It was the news from Nanjing, and the time was just three days later, and it was said that many famous families in Jinling also sent people to attend the ......."

"Rice buckets, a bunch of rice buckets!" Old Patriarch Jiang wanted to lift the table in a fit of anger, but after all, this was not the small square table and small round table that he usually eats out of, "but a big mahogany case that is thick to the extreme, so he used a lot of strength, and finally sat down stubbornly, and then said viciously, "Go back, the order will be ready immediately, and go back before that day!" I want to see what is the use of the boss's cowardly and useless man, his daughter-in-law, who is so tall and far-reaching, two people together! ”

"It is said that it is no one else who runs errands for the eldest brother and sister-in-law..., "It's Shiro..."

Bang Yi knew that he couldn't lift the table, so Old Patriarch Jiang could only slap it hard, and as a result, he ate the shock force of the blow, "The palms, wrists, and shoulders are all painful." Gritting his teeth and removing his hand, he took a few deep breaths, and then said word by word, "Send a message to the Jiang clan, if they dare to disobey me, think about the consequences that they will suffer in the future!" In this way, you, you take a few people back first, and a few old deacons of the clan will work harder, I don't care what method you use, in short, press them all down! ”

Master Jiang Qi opened his mouth wide, and then immediately agreed, and said something with confidence that he would definitely live up to his trust. However, looking at the back of the person leaving, "Old Patriarch Jiang still had a little bad premonition, but he still gritted his teeth and pressed it. At this moment, he ran to Yangzhou, and he couldn't hurry back without any results, "At least he has to ask for an explanation."

Thinking of this, he immediately called someone to order the car to go to Wanquan Villa. He had not long walked on his front foot, and Mrs. Ai, who had received the news, sent a mother over, and when she learned of this situation, the mother immediately turned back.

"There was a fire in the backyard, and now you are running to Wanquan Villa, trying to earn back face in front of you?" Mrs. Ai sneered angrily, and then stood up, "a handful of old people" but still lack of vertical and conspiracy, and there is no need for us to stay here anymore. Go and tell their people that I want to go to Daming Feng to worship the Buddha, let the people below prepare the carriage, and we will go out of the city! ”

"Madam, I'm not afraid that he will find out that something is wrong and jump off the wall in a hurry and sell you backhanded......"

"Then he has to clean up all those things on himself first! If he sells me, he can't even be the patriarch anymore, and he won't even be able to save his life. Just fornicating overseas and falsely reporting people's household registration is enough for his father and son to be beheaded, and the rest of the clansmen will be sent to fight in the army, not to mention the other deadly deeds he has done over the years! As long as Old Man Jiang still has a little brain, he won't be so stupid! ”

…………

Compared with the last time he saw Old Patriarch Jiang, Chen Lan was keenly aware that although this one was still so calm and talkative, his eyes always unconsciously avoided him, but Yu Guang had been observing her expression. Knowing that the Jiang family in Jinling was experiencing a storm, in just three days, this person would be rushed back" She naturally just blindly played Tai Chi with him, and it took more than an hour, and sure enough, the old man on the opposite side finally couldn't help it.

"County Lord Haining, don't you really care about Lord Yang's life or death? You don't care, Mrs. Fei doesn't care? ”

"Old Patriarch Jiang, please be cautious, I am the housewife of the Yang family first, and then the lord of Haining County." Chen Lan was overwhelmed by his fierce words, coldly left a sentence, and then stood up, "As for the old lady, you made the old lady angry like that first, if it weren't for my hard persuasion, do you think you would still be able to enter this Wanquan Villa?" ”

"You"""

Old Patriarch Jiang didn't expect Chen Lan to suddenly turn his face, and he was stunned for a long time, and finally showed a shocked and angry expression on his face. He also got up from his seat at once, and laughed angrily: "Okay, good, since Madame said so, there is nothing to say about the old decay!" The county lord cherishes his life, and he is old and decrepit! ”

"Wait!"

Seeing the old man in front of him turn around and leave, Chen Lan sneered, and when he was about to reach the door, two words burst out, and then he said slowly: "If you want to put forward conditions, you can put forward conditions, if you want to threaten, threaten, come when you say, leave when you say go, do you think my Yang family is so easy to bully?" Since you are here, I will bother the old patriarch Jiang to answer my questions and solve my doubts, I want to ask for advice, you first said that you can find my father-in-law, where does this grasp come from, could it be that the people in your family are more hand-faced than the official government of the imperial court, and more powerful than the secret whistle of the imperial court? ”

This time, Old Patriarch Jiang, who had been motionless with his back to Chen Lan, finally turned his head, but the expression on his face was no longer the original anger, but was replaced by some kind of indescribable distortion. He was about to defend something, but before he could lift the curtain behind him, two people rushed in from left to right, holding him hostage in the middle. When both arms were tightly grasped and could not move," he finally realized that he had made the wrong trip today, and his words immediately softened.

"Madam, the old man was just speechless for a while. It's just that there are still urgent matters in the clan, and there is no delay, and I hope that Mrs. Madame has a lot of ......."

Seeing that Chen Lan just looked at himself with a smile, but didn't speak, Old Patriarch Jiang couldn't help but feel even more uneasy. Well, thinking of the bad news from Nanjing, and thinking of Chen Lan's sudden turn of face at this time, he suddenly remembered that before he came to Nanjing, he knew that both Jiang Shilang and Mrs. Jiang had some contact with Chen Lan. In an instant, he only felt that those joints were suddenly unblocked, and the hands hidden in his sleeves suddenly clenched into fists.

"What does Madame want?"

"Not good." Chen Lan looked at the old patriarch Jiang in front of him, who was completely lacking in his previous grandeur, and said as if he was careless, "I just want to ask for one thing." I heard that the Jiang family's maritime trade business has been very prosperous in recent years, and they are also handy in the officialdom, and even the matter of helping to handle household registration has been taken over, I don't know if the old patriarch can teach me, what is going on with this yellow book fraud? ”

At this moment, Xiao Ding and Xiao Wu, who were grasping the arm of the old patriarch Jiang from left to right, suddenly felt a weight in their hands, and when they looked sideways, they saw that the old man they were holding was shaky, and it took a while to stand firm. The two of them also heard what they said just now, and they exchanged glances at this time, and they lowered their heads together.

"That...... Where did Madame start with this? "Old Patriarch Jiang never thought that this biggest secret would fall into Chen Lan's ears," he pressed down the mood as if he was overturning the river and the sea, and squeezed out a smile, "Madam, don't listen to people's nonsense. How dare you do such a big thing............

"The old patriarch can even do things that the official mansion and the Jinyi Guard's secret whistle can't do, let alone this trivial matter?" Seeing that the old patriarch Jiang's face was getting worse and worse, Chen Lan didn't bother to waste any more time with this bad old man, so he sat down on the chair at the moment, picked up the tea that was almost cold on the side and took a sip, and then said unhurriedly, "All in all" Governor Fan has come, what do you have to say?" ”

Old Patriarch Jiang was stunned when he heard this, and when Xiao Ding and Xiao Wu moved him to the side, "He saw that the door curtain was lifted, and it was Fan Cheng, the prefect of Yangzhou, who strode in, and this surprise was not trivial." Seeing that Fan Cheng didn't look at him, he stepped forward and greeted Chen Lan with a smile on his face, and he finally had a hint of enlightenment.

From the very beginning, Chen Lan didn't plan to make any deal with him, this woman was calculating the entire Jiang family!

Thinking of this, he only felt that the big beads of sweat on his head couldn't help rolling down, and it took a long time before he shouted: "Mrs. Yang, you really don't care about the life or death of your husband!" ”

"If he has anything in case......" Chen Lan suddenly paused, and saw that the old patriarch Jiang's eyes were almost bulging, so he said word by word, "If he has anything, not only you, your son, but also everyone in your family will definitely give him a funeral!" ”

Seeing the completely paralyzed appearance of the old patriarch Jiang, Chen Lan glanced at Fan Cheng, who seemed to have heard nothing, and showed a cold smile: "Old patriarch, don't think that the weak female stream can only be at your mercy and bullying, I have always done what I say, and I will never say anything." The fact that I mentioned this alone is enough to fulfill what I said earlier! Governor Fan, I'll leave it to you. If Governor Fan feels that he can't bear the pressure, or if there is some other reason why he can't take this matter......,..."

Since the last time he came with Jiang Shilang, Fan Cheng went back and found that the expected severe reprimand and other punishments had not come down at all, although the official face was much more contrary to the official and the official, but the others were in a different direction, tactfully showing goodwill, sending favors, and ventilating the news,..., in the face of this situation, his mind gradually became firm. Therefore, at this moment, he immediately showed an expression of righteousness.

"No, no, no, this is a matter on the ground in Yangzhou, and the lower officials will definitely try their best to share the worries of his wife! This person will be handed over to the lower officials, the county magistrate of Jiangdu County is the same township of the lower officials, and he has always had the most tacit understanding, and this matter must be found out! ”

"Then please ask Governor Fan!"

When the old patriarch Jiang saw Chen Lan and Fan Cheng singing and harmonizing, his anger had already disappeared, and the rest was intertwined with chagrin and remorse. When Governor Fan politely said a few reflexively to leave, he couldn't hold his breath at a great age, and shouted in a hoarse voice: "The old man is just being sent to do things, they are all Mrs. Ai of the Umbrella Ling Academy, and she encouraged me behind her back."