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Chapter 69 Shangxiang
Looking at Nangong Lin, who was
kneeling in front of her, Su Shi's face was as deep as water and thought: Huang
Shi has the audacity to sell the house's collection in secret and to frame Lin
Shi for the crime! Now that the incident had come to light, I had only grounded
Huang Shi, but had not repudiated her to go back to her mother's house, which
was already a kindness. And now she wants to go to the Bailong Temple to
worship Buddha together?
When she saw Nangong Lin's bruised
forehead, Su's heart became more and more displeased. If people saw this, they
would think that she had been so harsh on the concubine's granddaughter!
"Lin Jie'er," Su
Shi looked at Nangong Lin with a disgusted face and said: "Since you are
so filial to your mother, then stay in the house today and be filial to your
mother."
Nangong Lin was dumbfounded then
horrified and shook her head desperately. "No, no, grandmother
......"
But Su shi didn't want to hear any
more and waved her hand, "Take her down."
As soon as the words left her
mouth, two large and sturdy Pozis put their arms around Nangong Lin and
dragged her down. Nangong Lin still wanted to speak, but she heard a pozi whispering
in her ear, "Fourth Miss, don't make things difficult for the old
Salve."
By the time Nangong Yue and Lin Shi
returned from their slip, they found that everyone else had arrived only
Nangong Yan and Nangong Lin were missing.
Su Shi faintly scanned the crowd
and suddenly asked, "How come don't see Yan Jie’er?"
Zhao Shi respectfully stepped
forward: "I was just about to report to Mother that Yan Jie’er was
not feeling well and could not go."
Su Shi didn't ask any more
questions and said, "Since everyone is here, let's set off."
The carriages and staffs needed for
the trip were already waiting in the outer courtyard, but there was an
additional figure that took the crowd by surprise.
"Fourth Uncle!" Nangong
Zhang was the first to blurt out, not expecting Nangong Cheng to be waiting for
them by the carriage.
Nangong Cheng was dressed in a dark
blue riding suit with narrow sleeves, the cuffs and collar rolled with bright
yellow wrought edges, looking a little more handsome and a little more dashing
than usual. He took a quick glance at Su Qingping, who looked haggard behind Su
Shi. These days, he heard that his Qingqing was not feeling well, which worried
him a lot. As a man, it was not convenient for him to enter the inner mansion,
and it was not until today that he had the opportunity to do so.
Nangong Cheng waved his horse whip
and went forward to greet Su Shi: "Mother, Son heard that Mother is taking
sister-in-laws and nieces to the Bailong Temple to worship Buddha today. So I
thought I would be free today, why don't let Son escort you there?"
Although Nangong Cheng was asking,
he was already here, so how could he be driven away again?
Su Shi raised her eyes to look at
him, and her heart could not help but sneer. Pingping is the son of a concubine
and this Fourth son is far worse than the Third son. Third son was in charge of
the Mansion’s affairs. Although he did not have any great merits, he was still
well-behaved and had not made any mistakes. However, this fourth son is not
good at arts and martial arts, and he is always idle and only knows how to
exploit the maids in the house. ...... If his Yiniang Liu(his concubine
mother) saw her precious son in this state, I wonder if she would be so angry
that she would jump out of the coffin.
A sneer flashed in her eyes and she
said, "Since you're here, let's go together." After saying that, she
was assisted by Su Qingping to get on the first carriage.
Nangong Yue was watching Su
Qingping carefully from the moment this Fourth Uncle appeared, but she didn't
expect that Su Qingping was really calm and collected. Su Qingping obviously
also did not expect the Fourth Uncle to appear. But after a brief surprise, she
quickly calmed down and didn’t even a glance with the Fourth Uncle. All along, she
was behaving like a boudoir girl with unblinking eyes and obedience.
There
are four carriages prepared by the mansion, the exterior looks plain and
unadorned, but the interior is fully furnished and covered with extremely soft
cushions to minimize bumps.
The four carriages, Su Shi and Su
Qingping a carriage, Zhao Shi and Nangong Zhang a carriage, Lin Shi and Nangong
Yue another carriage, the personal maids all went to the master's carriage,
leaving the last one for the other maids and Pozies accompanying them.
The beginning of May, the end of
spring and the beginning of summer, is the most suitable temperature, mild but
not sparse, warm but not restrained. It always rains in May in the south of the
Yangtze River, and this May is the right time to go out in the royal capital.
The White Dragon Temple is located
on the eastern outskirts of the royal capital, about an hour's drive from
Nangong House. In order to travel safely, Zhao Shi sent a dozen more guards
along for the journey, and there were no accidents along the way.
It is said that the incense at the
Bailong Temple is very spiritual, so there is an endless stream of visitors who
come every day to pay their respects.
The carriage came to a halt in
front of the Bailong Temple and everyone got off the carriage. When the
sweeping monk outside the temple saw Su Shi's group, he only glanced at them
casually.
On the surface, Su Shi did not
move, but in her heart, she felt a pang of emotions.
She remembered that more than thirty
years ago, Every time she came to Bailong Temple to worship the Buddha,
the Master of the temple would personally go out to greet her , unlike now when
even a floor sweeper treats her so lightly.
The guards stayed outside to guard
the carriage. Su Shi led her group of ladies and girls from the house, as well
as the maids and Pozis into the Bailong Temple.
The Nangong family had already sent
their housekeeper Mama to the Bailong Temple a few days ago to arrange
the rituals of worship. A five or six year old young monk was waiting at the
entrance and led them to the main hall.
The Bailong Temple was indeed full
of incense fragrance and a large number of visitors to the temple. As soon as
Su Shi's group entered the main hall, it was overcrowded.
Su Shi was not happy in her heart.
She remembered that in the past, whenever she went to the Bailong Temple to
offer incense to the Buddha, the temple would be temporarily closed and no one
would be allowed to enter. But now she is being treated so badly and has to
crowd in with a group of people to offer incense. The difference in treatment
was really extreme!
Su Shi suddenly remembered the
birthday banquet a few days ago. She had sent invitations to most of the
influential nobles in the royal capital early. But on the day of the banquet,
some people deliberately came late, and some families even failed to show up
despite the arrival of their gifts. ...... She was humiliated by such neglect
because the Nangong family had been secluded for so many years.
She was not willing, really not
willing!
Su Shi secretly gritted her teeth
and decided that she would make the Nangong family a powerful and honorable
family again in her own hands!
"Grandmother," a soft
voice heard in Su Shi's ears at this moment, "You don't look well, did you
just jolted from the carriage ride? Would you like to sit down in the side hall
to rest?"
It was Nangong Zheng who spoke. She
was looking at Su Shi with concern, her beautiful face was frowning, she looked
worried.
Su Shi's gaze warmed slightly as
she looked at this eldest granddaughter, on whom she had always placed high
hopes. She patted Nangong Zheng's hand and smiled gently, "Grandmother is
fine, Zheng Jie’er don't worry about it."
Nangong Yue sneered in her heart,
she naturally saw the unusualness of Su Shi's eyes.
The reason for this was that Su Shi
was unwilling and was not satisfied. In her previous life, it was because of
her own grandmother's dissatisfaction that the Nangong family had come to a
catastrophe!
"Mother," Zhao Shi walked
over to Su Shi and said softly: "Daughter-in-law has sent someone to
donate five hundred tales of sesame oil money to the temple and asked them to
arrange a compartment for us to rest."
Su Shi nodded her head in agreement.
Nangong Cheng wisely excused himself and was led by a guiding monk to wander
around everywhere.
The little novice monk led the way,
and a group of female family members went to the wing room at the back of the
Xibian Hall.
Two young monks served them hot tea
and Su Shi had just taken a sip when a Pozi came to the door to report that the
wife of Chen Lin, a cabinet minister, had come to see Su Shi.
Su Shi's eyebrows twitched and she
said: "Invite".
