Chapter 22 family dispute

"Receive the God of Wealth" on the fourth night of the Lunar New Year.Because Hu Xueyan had a very smooth year this year, he really seemed to have met the God of Wealth Bodhisattva, so he "burned the God of Wealth paper" that night, and he was in an extremely pious mood. Alone offering incense and kowtow, with no brothers and no sons, I suddenly feel that there is a vastness behind me, even if the God of Wealth and Bodhisattva favors me, it is of no use to make a fortune of tens of millions of taels. When the God of Wealth was "received" back, the whole family "scattered blessings and drank together" in the back hall. Mrs. Hu was very happy, but Hu Xueyan looked melancholy. He reluctantly ate two glasses of wine and half a bowl of chicken noodle soup, put down his chopsticks, and went back to the bedroom .

"What's the matter?" Old Mrs. Hu asked her daughter-in-law in a low voice uncomfortably, "On the day of receiving the God of Wealth, and having supper and time, they were still talking and laughing, and suddenly became like this, did you tell him again? What?" "No! I didn't say anything." Mrs. Hu said, "It's the new year, and the family wants to have good luck. I won't play tricks with him." The mother-in-law nodded again and again, looking very relieved, "I know you are virtuous, and Xueyan is today thanks to you." She said comfortingly, "However, he has a lot of things outside, and entertainment is inevitable. You should relax your tolerance." Come!"

The previous words were all good, but the last sentence was bad. Mrs. Hu felt disgusted with her mother-in-law, and wanted to answer: "I have enough courage!" But she swallowed the words again. Back in the bedroom, I saw Hu Xueyan thinking about things alone under the lamp. Mrs. Hu remembered what her mother-in-law said, forgot that unpleasant sentence, and only remembered the sentence "he has a lot of things outside", her heart softened, and she also Thanks to his bare hands, he fought out the world. At home, everything must be allowed to him. So she asked: "You don't seem to have eaten. There is red date and lotus seed porridge there. Would you like something sweet?" Hu Xueyan shook his head, still looking at the crystal glass "foreign lamp".

"Then, sleep!" "Leave me alone!" Hu Xueyan said impatiently, "You sleep with me." Mrs. Hu felt very uncomfortable in changing his air-conditioning with enthusiasm, "What is he thinking?" She asked herself in secret, "Of course I think about that vixen in Huzhou!" Forbearance, with tears in his eyes, he managed to make the bed by himself, but Hu Xueyan spoke. "Hey!" he said, "I think you need to see an obstetrician!" Hearing this, Mrs. Hu was very surprised, "Why?" She asked, not daring to turn her face away for fear that her husband would find the traces of her tears.

"Why?" Hu Xueyan said, "You are not in a hurry when you say 'the buttocks are bald'?" This refers to her unborn son.Furious and annoyed, Mrs. Hu turned around and stared at her husband. "No son violates the 'seven rules'." Mrs. Hu stared for a while before bursting out. This sentence was very heavy, and Hu Xueyan was also stunned, "How can I say this?" He was really a little confused. He knew that his wife had rough breasts, and she was not an idle girl, but he didn't expect that the words were sharper than the knife edge. "Why don't I say that?" Mrs. Hu sneered slightly. "Having children is a matter between two people. Could it be that there are people in the world who can only have daughters but not sons? Since you want to say that, it is natural I'll back down, so you can go and hire Gao Ming."

It was Furong who came and went, and Hu Xueyan couldn't help laughing when he heard the reason, "You are also quite clever." He said, "'Flower first, bear fruit later', I mean, you might as well consult a gynecologist for help. Try a dose of 'Seed Tiaojing Wan'." Mrs. Hu is really powerful, she refuses to make trouble for no reason, and her attitude has become calm, but her words are very solid, she grasps the opportunity, and when it comes to critical moments, "Did the trial fail?" she asked. Hu Xueyan was already wary and didn't dare to be brave, "If it doesn't work, I have to not work," he said with a bit of aggrieved voice, "It is destined to have no children, so what can I say?"

There is a saying that "softness can overcome rigidity". His two words, which seemed to be self-pitying, blocked Mrs. Hu's mouth.The couple had different dreams in the same bed that night, Mrs. Hu thought it through and came up with an idea. So the next day Mrs. Hu asked her son, "Which day do you plan to go to Shanghai?" "Just go when the lights come on." "Today is the fifth day of the lunar new year, and there are still eight days before the lights are on." Mrs. Hu said, "It's still too late." "Mother!" Hu Xueyan asked in surprise, "Why is it too late?"

Mrs. Hu told him that Mrs. Hu was going back to her mother's house, so she had to count the days and come back before Hu Xueyan left.Mrs. Hu's family lives in Tangqi, a water town near Hangzhou, and the trek back and forth is also very hard. If the days are tight and you have to come back soon, there is no need for such a hard trip. "That's strange. Why didn't she talk to me first?" "I also asked her, did you know? She said that I must agree first, and then I will tell you." It is said that etiquette and reason are all taken up, but in fact it is not the same thing. Every time Guining is discussed by the couple before they are reported to the court, why this time is an exception?At the same time, as soon as the God of Wealth is picked up, the mall will have to treat her to spring wine. Hu Xueyan wants to take advantage of these few days to treat his guests, so he has no one to take care of him. How can he find the time to go back to his mother's house at this moment?

After he explained the meaning, Mrs. Hu replied: "I mentioned it too. She said that you are treating guests in the store, and you don't need her, and she can't help you. Invite a few relatives to have spring wine, and the days are too long." It's fixed, it's tomorrow." "How unreasonable!" Hu Xueyan was displeased, "Why didn't you tell me first?" Because Mrs. Hu already knew about Furong, she felt that her daughter-in-law had been wronged, so she couldn't help but protect her, so she "discussed the truth" at this time, saying that it was her idea and had nothing to do with Mrs. Hu.

Seeing this, Hu Xueyan thought it would be better to speak less, and replied with a sneer: "It's up to her! Anyway, she is the oldest at home!" The implication of this sentence, the mother can naturally hear, "This family is also thanks to her support," she warned her son, "Don't think that no one cares about you because you are outside, and you can do whatever you like! If you If you really have this idea, you will suffer in the future!" Knowing the son is more like the mother, Hu Xueyan was also quite vigilant when he said a word to Hu Xueyan's heart, but after thinking about the matter, he couldn't complain, "Mother!" Hold a grandson?"

"Why don't I think so?" Mrs. Hu said calmly, "Our mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have already discussed this matter. The daughter-in-law is not an unreasonable person. As a mother-in-law, I naturally have to follow her plan." "What is she planning?" "Don't ask yet." Mrs. Hu smiled, "It's only good for you." Hu Xueyan couldn't figure out what medicine their mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were selling in the gourd, so he had to leave it aside for the time being. On the second day, I invited spring wine at home.Mrs. Hu took her eight-year-old daughter and hired a special boat to go back to Tangqi. The trip only lasted five days and returned to Hangzhou on the eleventh day of the first lunar month.The relationship between their husband and wife was not bad at first, although there was a slight quarrel, after this little farewell, it seems that each of them has forgotten it, and they are still talking and laughing happily. Hu Xueyan planned to leave on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, so Mrs. Hu had to pack her husband's luggage as soon as she got home. There are a lot of samples, and it is really tiring to cook one by one. The local products are all collected in large quantities based on booklets. Apart from gifts, of course, some are also kept for personal use. Hu Xueyan opened a bag of sweet-scented osmanthus pork oil and sesame crisp candy. , you come and eat it." Picking up the crispy candy and taking a bite, Hezhu shook her head: "I don't want to eat it!" "Hey! Don't you like eating halva?" "It's not delicious!" He Zhu said, "It's not as delicious as Huzhou's." "Where did you eat the Huzhou halva?" This question is actually too much to ask, and of course I ate it at my grandmother's house, but "a drop of water just melts into the oil bottle", He Zhu, who knows a little about human affairs, suddenly felt scruples, and couldn't answer it, blushing and looking at her. Looking at his father, as if he had done something wrong and was afraid of being blamed. At this moment, Hu Xueyan became suspicious. Seeing that his wife was not around, he took He Zhu's hand, walked to the window, and asked quietly: "Tell Dad, where did you get the Huzhou Sutang? I came back from Shanghai and bought you a foreign girl." He Zhu didn't know how to answer, thought for a long time and said: "I don't know!" The father couldn't help being angry when he heard this answer, but he didn't want to scare her into crying, so he just said, "Okay! If you don't want to tell me, you can do whatever you want! When I come back from Shanghai, my sister has new clothes and a foreign girl. What about you? Nothing!" Under the threat and lure, He Zhu finally told the truth: "Mother brought it back." "Mother has been to Huzhou?" "Yeah." He Zhu said aggrievedly, "I want to go too, Mother won't let me!" "Oh! How many days have you been there?" "Go one day, come back one day." "Then it's two days." Hu Xueyan thought for a while and asked again, "What did your mother say to grandma after she came back?" "I don't know. I went over to listen, but my mother told me to go away. My mother said again, I am not allowed to say that my mother has been to Huzhou." When Hezhu said this, he felt that the situation was serious. Don't tell mother that I told you that mother has been to Huzhou." "No, no!" Hu Xueyan held her in his arms, "I'll buy you a foreign girl." After comforting Hezhu, Hu Xueyan was concerned.Needless to say, his wife's trip to Huzhou was for Furong, but what she did is hard to guess, did she go to inquire about it, or did she do something else?As far as he knew, she was very measured in her actions, and she was by no means comparable to an overbearing and unreasonable shrewd woman.Realizing this, the more he felt that he should not be reckless, he had to make a plan and act later, or in other words, the soldiers came to block her, and the water came to cover her up, to see what method she used, and then plan to break her. As long as he knew her intentions and actions, he would be able to deal with it, and Hu Xueyan was confident in this.However, he is also vigilant. The "opponent" he encounters is too strong to make mistakes. At the same time, he assesses the situation. He is very disadvantaged at home. He has an old mother and a pair of daughters, who are all on his wife's side. Four, it's hard to sing alone.Therefore, the immediate priority is to gain an advantage, and this work can only be done in secret, let the wife know, as long as a little comfort, the "turf" will be very stable. So he first found Hezhu and warned her not to tell her mother what he asked.Then he went to his eldest daughter, Meiyu, who was fifteen years old. Meiyu is very knowledgeable about people, and although she is her mother's "best friend", she admires her father very much, so when Hu Xueyan talked to her, he had a different plan, and immediately said: "Mei Yu, you and Dad will go to Shanghai together, okay? " This remark made Mei Yu both surprised and delighted.Being able to go out was an eye-opener, and I heard that there are countless new tricks in Shili Yichang, so I was naturally yearning for it, but it seemed that I couldn't feel at ease when I was away from my mother, so I just rolled a pair of black eyes and couldn't answer for a long time. Speak up. "What do you mean? Don't want to?" "Which one is unwilling?" Mei Yu said, "I'm a little scared." "Afraid? That's over!" Hu Xueyan said, "Father still wants to rely on you, so you should be afraid first!" "Rely on me!" Mei Yu was puzzled and couldn't accept this, "Father, what do you rely on me for?" "I rely on you to write and do the calculations for me." Hu Xueyan said solemnly, "I do a lot of business outside, and I always need a helper. This helper must be on my own, because some accounts cannot be let Others know. Even Liu Qingsheng, Uncle Liu, and Uncle Chen Shilong, can't let them know. After much deliberation, I can only rely on your help." This set of nonsense changed Mei Yu's mood. She had always thought of herself as a frail girl who was useless outside and could only help with the housework. I have become an "adult", and I no longer think about my mother. I feel very courageous, and it doesn't matter if I go out for a break. However, this is just a bang, and I will be discouraged after thinking about it. "Dad," she said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to settle the score." "So, how do you keep your mother's household accounts?" "Household accounts are household accounts. Dad's accounts are in and out of tens of thousands." "No matter how big or small the accounts are, the algorithm is the same. The household accounts are trivial and trivial. My account only has a few items, which is easier to keep than the household account." Meiyu accepted the encouragement, her "ambition" rose again, and she resolutely said: "Then I will go with my father, but I will take Ah Cai with me." A Cai was a girl who took care of her, so of course Hu Xueyan agreed.And so it was settled. As a result, the whole family knew about it, and Mrs. Hu only thought that her husband was joking. "You want to take Meiyu to Shanghai?" she asked her husband. "Yes!" Hu Xueyan said, "My daughter is grown up, take her out to experience the experience." "Experience!" Mrs. Hu was extremely surprised, "I heard that the atmosphere in the barracks is not good, what good experience do you have? Come back after learning some bad manners, you hurt her!" Hu Xueyan smiled and remained silent. What's so ridiculous?Girls learn from bad and learn from good, it's about life, it's not a funny thing, it's just laughing at yourself for being ignorant!Mrs. Hu was a little unconvinced. "What I said was wrong?" She said calmly and stubbornly, "Besides, I heard that the road is not smooth, so Meiyu should not go!" "The road is not smooth, so what about me? Can you rest assured?" "You are different from Meiyu." Mrs. Hu said, "With Fifth Lord You taking care of me, I can rest assured." "That's right, Meiyu is with me, why don't you worry about it?" The conversation between the couple was tit-for-tat, and it was a "mianli needle", with hidden strength, but after all, Hu Xueyan had the upper hand. Mrs. Hu couldn't compete with him, and she even played a game of chess, taking the old lady out. When talking to his mother, naturally he couldn't nail everything like that. Hu Xueyan still used the same way of saying to Meiyu, saying that someone close to him should manage the accounts for him, but it was a set of lies, which was more detailed than what he said to Meiyu. It is said that there are no vouchers for some social and entertainment accounts. If they were not written down at the time, they would not be clear afterwards.And these accounts, in any case, cannot be known to outsiders, so Meiyu must be brought to help. Speaking of this, he sighed: "If there is a boy, why take Meiyu out? Even if there is a nephew! The bitter thing is that there is no one." This is Hu Xueyan's brainstorming strategy.Mrs. Hu was really thinking that if Meiyu was a boy, he could go out to "study business" with his father at the age of fifteen, and after five or six years, he would be able to become his father's right-hand man. No successor.Even if they have a child now, they will not be able to grow up until more than ten years later. For the Hu family, it is a disadvantage, and they can't help but blame their daughter-in-law for delaying the good time of these ten years. This time Mrs. Hu was at a disadvantage again, Hu Xueyan was very proud, but when she tried to find out more about his wife's arrival in Huzhou, she was disappointed. Judging from Mei Yu's tone, her mother never told her about it. On that night, the bank sent someone to inform that Liu Bucai had returned from Huzhou, and asked Hu Xueyan to have something to say. It was conceivable that it must be about Furong, otherwise Liu Bucai was also a regular customer, so why not come home to talk? Taking into account this level, he must first pay attention to his wife's attitude, "Strange!" He said tentatively, "Why didn't Liu Bucai come? Instead, he asked me to visit him." "You don't care about him!" Mrs. Hu said indifferently, "We'll talk about it when you go." Mrs. Hu's composure is amazing!After meeting Liu Bucai, he found out that she had already met Furong, and only said that she was the poor wife who shared the troubles with Hu Xueyan, and then left a five thousand taels of silver note, and left. "There is such a thing!" Hu Xueyan said, "I really couldn't think of it." "No one thought of it." Liu Bucai said embarrassingly, "Furong asked me to ask you what you mean, so I can make a plan to stay." So Hu Xueyan changed back to the original address, "Third Uncle!" He said, "Please go back to Huzhou, don't worry about calling Furong. I have my own way." "What is the solution?" "I can't tell right now." Hu Xueyan replied, "Third Uncle, anyway, I must be worthy of Fu Rong." It happened that Liu Bucai didn't listen to this. According to his selfish plan, it's better for Hu Xueyan to give another thirty to twenty thousand silver to let Furong go down, don't ask for a home, so as to save himself from such a disgraceful nepotism .But listening to his tone now, it was just the opposite. Although Liu Bucai was disappointed, it was inconvenient to say anything more. "How's your luck in the new year?" Hu Xueyan asked pretending to be casual. This question made Liu Bucai happy again, "It's really good!" He smiled from ear to ear, "Invincible, the harvest is very rich." Probably won a lot.Hu Xueyan thought to himself, at this moment, he must give some advice. "Third Uncle!" he said, "'If a crockpot cannot be broken from the well, the general will inevitably die before the battle'. Have you ever seen anyone who made a fortune in gambling? Now that you have a lot of money, you should do something serious." "I have paid off all my bills." Liu Bucai said, "I have also won a land deed, and I have entrusted Yu Si to transfer the business for me." Speaking of this, he said with emotion, "A person is really I can't be poor! How much money I have on hand is different from others. Just in the past few days, several people have come to match me and persuade me to continue." "That's a good thing!" "Not busy!" Liu Bucai shook his head, "Let me be chic and unrestrained, let's talk about it after a few years of leisure." "This is wrong! If you have never made a fortune, you should first think about happiness and suffer later." Hu Xueyan said, "Third Uncle, I advise you to restore the Jingde Hall." "Huh!" Liu Bucai was surprised, "Didn't you want me to help you open the Qingyu Hall?" Hu Xueyan has almost forgotten about this matter, "I'm telling the truth, I'll talk about it slowly. Even if we start to drive, I'll hire someone else, third uncle," he said, "Your strengths are not here. above." Hearing such an answer, Liu Bucai couldn't help feeling a little sad, "Xueyan," he said complainingly, "You think I can only gamble?" "It's not that, it's not that!" Hu Xueyan felt apologetic, and tried to comfort him, "I know your strengths, and I will rely on you in the future." "Then what's in front of us?" "It depends on what you want at the moment. Your ambition is to restore your ancestral inheritance, so I persuade you like that, and it can help you." "I've changed my mind. Even if the Jingde Hall is restored, it's meaningless. It's even more impossible to ask me to stay in the store. I think it's better to go for a break with you." "That's good!" Hu Xueyan said, "You go back to Huzhou first, tell Furong to rest assured, live behind closed doors, and don't worry about anything. When I come back from Shanghai, I will make my own arrangements. Now that I've said that, please go with Shilong. Come to Shanghai." It's settled, let's break up.Hu Xueyan had already left the bank, so he had a brainstorm and drew a bank note of five thousand taels, which he carried with him. When he got home, he happened to meet his wife in the study and handed over the bank note. Mrs. Hu pretended to be puzzled and asked, "What is this?" "You gave five thousand silver for nothing! I'll give it back to your private house." Hu Xueyan said again, "If you have money from your private house, it's not good to put it in the bank to earn interest? It's under the box. Big money won't make small money." Seeing his attitude, Mrs. Hu was a little unpredictable. The couple secretly competed, and when it came to this point, it was all over. Mrs. Hu was naturally a little uneasy, thinking that since the diorama had been dismantled, it would be better to open up and talk about it. So she first apologized, "Xueyan, don't blame me for not discussing with you in advance! I am also helpless. For the sake of the whole family, we have suffered for so many years. You have just changed your luck. You must not be infected with the 'peach blossom'. I will do this. It’s for your own good. You’ve been married for more than ten years, you always know my heart.” She paused and said, “Of course, I have other plans, and I’ve told Mother about it, so you’ll know in the future. Reasonable, jealous people." The last few words made Hu Xueyan see through his wife's intentions.As long as it is a well-to-do family, after thirty-one years, and there is still no child, the old relatives in the hall will have the idea of ​​buying a concubine for their son. After five or six years, if there are still "worry about the future", the village party clan will come out to "say No matter how aggressive a big woman is, she has to succumb to the "reason" that "there are three ways to be unfilial, and having no offspring is the greatest", and swallow her breath and ask her husband to find another house. Therefore, people who are jealous will take precautions, never show any displeasure on the surface, and are very eager to set up a concubine for their husbands. A girl with thick feet and big hands, as stupid as a cow, as Gillian in her husband's golden house.At the same time, a lot of rules were established as soon as they entered the door. The house order was as big as a military order, and the side house was like an enemy country.Hu Xueyan thought that his wife was such a powerful character, so he immediately said "thanks for not being sensitive"! "You don't have to think about it, and I won't accept your favor." He continued to mention Furong, "You made a mistake when you went to Huzhou this time, a big mistake! I told you, it was just a play on the spot, and I didn't recognize it. Really, I have my own way to get rid of it in the future. Now that you come here, it’s embarrassing for me. If you give a few thousand silver to let people go, say it because I, Hu Xueyan, are afraid of my wife! Don’t blame me I can't save face, and if people think about it, Hu Xueyan can't control everything by himself, so you say people still trust me?" Mrs. Hu was stunned by this reasoning!Although she is shrewd, she has little experience in the world, how can she understand the habits and scruples of shopping malls?I had no choice but to justify in this way: "I went alone, I came alone, and we only met once in total, and we couldn't talk about a cup of tea. It's true that people don't know it, who would know?" "I don't know if it's 'unaware', but if you want to be 'unknown', you have to do nothing. If you don't say anything else, just talk about me, and you will know first." Hu Xueyan deliberately fell to his feet and sighed, "Now Huzhou is already in You’re making fun of me! Do you know what Pang Er said? He said that running a big business is like the emperor ruling the world. What should be killed and what should be let go depends on prompt decision, so women should not be swayed. Hu Xueyan originally wanted to listen to his wife If there is a business coming, making a fortune or losing money, it is all about one sentence at the time, and Mr. Hu said that he would go back and discuss it with his wife. Tell me, how can this be combined to make it bigger? Business?" These made-up words made Mrs. Hu green and red for a while, anxious and regretful in her heart, and was speechless for a long time. "Don't be in a hurry!" Hu Xueyan turned to comfort her, "I have done something wrong, and it is useless to regret it. The only thing I have to do is let them laugh at me. I will talk about it when I come back from Shanghai." The more this is the case, the more Mrs. Hu can't feel at ease.Husband and wife quarreled over the concubine, and even if the husband had a good temper, he couldn't be so calm.There must be something in it!At the same time, what happened to Fu Rong, whether she retreated in spite of the difficulties, or was reluctant to part with her, she had to obtain a definite message from her husband before she could deal with it. All in all, the matter has come to this point, from darkness to light, and it must be settled cleanly. If the husband is allowed to come back from Shanghai, let alone the long nights and dreams, the dissatisfaction in his heart these days alone is enough to make the couple happy. feelings change. Thinking of this, Mrs. Hu thought that although her husband's business was important, this matter was even more urgent, so she had no choice but to stay. "Can you leave a few days later?" she asked. It’s really a common saying that “open your mouth and see your throat”. Upon hearing this, Hu Xueyan saw through the truth, but asked knowingly, “Why?” "It's Meiyu's first trip, so I always have to make more clothes for her." Mrs. Hu made an excuse, "It's okay to leave two or three days late, right?" "It's fine if you say it doesn't hinder you." Hu Xueyan vaguely warned, "But in the past few days, don't cause any trouble for me. If you make it impossible for me to leave, it will cost me half my life." "What's the trouble?" Mrs. Hu couldn't help feeling resentful when she thought that she was falling behind everywhere, so she complained, "No trouble can trouble you! Anyway, it's up to each other." As he said that, the circles of his eyes turned red.A woman with a resolute personality is the most sensitive to such a weak expression. Hu Xueyan felt sore in his heart, and put his hand on her shoulder and said: "We have been married for more than ten years, don't you know me? You have a conscience, I will Also have a conscience, otherwise we wouldn't have a day like today." Thinking of the days ahead, Mrs. Hu became vigilant again, and felt that it was a good idea to keep her husband. Her approach was to ask Ji Heling to come forward to negotiate, and if she made any concessions, she would definitely make concessions. Hu Xueyan only knew that she would definitely make a move, but he didn't know that it was her idea.Thinking about it calmly, I realized that the subject and the guest had changed positions in this serious dispute. It turned out that I was pregnant with a ghost, and I was afraid that my wife would pursue it further. It's not too late to try to break it. With such a leisurely mood, and with the extra two or three days of work, he suddenly felt elegant, and specially asked Ji Heling and Qiu Fengyan to visit the lake during the day, eat "Huangfaner" at night, and go to Chenghuang Mountain to see the lanterns after dinner. Qiu Fengyan made a promise, while Ji Heling resigned from the appointment to visit the lake and came to the dinner.When the wine was half drunk, the topic fell on Fu Rong. One was a sibling with a different surname, and the other was a good friend who talked about everything. Hu Xueyan, who was a little bit drunk, thought of the way he had dealt with his wife. He felt complacent and couldn't help talking. . It was this morning that Ji Heling had been entrusted by Mrs. Hu to mediate the matter, so he had to listen to his "self-confession".Qiu Fengyan didn't know what to say, and echoed Hu Xueyan, saying: "Sister-in-law Hu is really smart, I'm afraid she has read 'The Law of Jealousy'." Hu Xueyan didn't understand, so he asked, "What did you say?" "'The Law of Jealousy', the jealousy of jealousy, the law of laws!" "After drinking, I started talking nonsense again, making up stories." Ji Heling laughed, "I've never heard of such a law." "Of course it's a game of pen and ink, but it's not unreasonable. It portrays the jealousy of a lady in every detail." Qiu Fengyan said with a smile, "Every man in the world who wants to be favored should read it." "Then," Hu Xueyan said with great interest, "you talk about this law of jealousy, what's going on?" "Divided into officials, households, etiquette, soldiers, punishment, and labor, plus 'various cases' and 'laws of supervision and arrest', etc., a total of eight chapters. There are quotations and judgments. It is a wonderful word." "Read a few and listen!" Qiu Fengyan nodded, took a sip of wine, put a "ring bell" in his mouth and chewed it "creaking, crunching". Listen, it's the military law of the Ministry of War: "Every woman who sees her husband entering the concubine's room speaks, that is, under the guise of official business, breaks up and breaks up, and intends to sit on the law of 'breaking the gate'. It is like stopping harassment, not showing anger, and quoting the end of the example. Fifty lashes, no confession. Judgment: In front of the emerald bed, Fang tuned the parrot's tongue; outside the crystal curtain, the sound of a lion's roar suddenly came. If you don't just hang your clothes on the flowers, you may hide a sword in your belly! There are intentions and intentions, but no knowledge. not.'" Hu Xueyan could understand these four or six sentences, "Good verdict! 'Drying clothes on the flowers' is a shame," he said, "It really deserves a slap in the palm of your hand!" "If there is another crime, it will not be light!" Qiu Fengyan said in a drawn-out voice again, "Every woman and her husband are just at the time of silk, and suddenly they wake up and ask him to do other things. The military law——." Before finishing the sentence, Hu Xueyan laughed loudly: "What's the crime for a 'good at transferring officers and soldiers'?" "One hundred sticks, sent to remote areas to serve as troops." "It's too heavy." Ji Heling also smiled. "You say too much, people think that' life is still a lenient song'." Qiu Fengyan continued to read the verdict, "'The battle is deep, and the prodigal son has a spring breeze; the gold medal is suddenly called, and the wife orders three applications, and the siege of Bai Deng is withdrawn. , Do you have the hope of the Yellow Dragon?'" "Think about it." Hu Xueyan asked, "Like my wife, don't you know what 'law' you break?" Qiu Fengyan thought for a while and said: "There is such a rule, 'every woman has a concubine, she has no choice but to boast of her virtues and to be praised by others. She plans to sit in the current official position and set up a stele by herself, with a staff of one hundred, and only three years." Because of the close relationship, the name and the reality are contrary', 'theft of names is prohibited, and the law should be obeyed!'” "Don't talk nonsense!" Ji Heling felt that Qiu Fengyan's jokes hindered his mediation role, so he stopped him from continuing, "My sister-in-law is definitely not that kind of person. He wants to buy a concubine for Xueyan, neither 'Name and reality', let alone 'stealing names'. The law of jealousy you mentioned does not apply at all." Qiu Fengyan could hear what he meant, and he was extremely opportunistic, "It's a nonsense," he said, "You don't need to boast about Mrs. Hu's virtuousness, as all relatives and friends know it well." "Every family has its own difficulties in reciting scriptures——" "Xueyan!" Ji Heling rushed to ask, "How is your new favorite?" Of course, Hu Xueyan had no reason to lie to him, and replied honestly: "It's good to be in Huzhou." "Still bearing your last name?" "Of course." Hu Xueyan suddenly realized that Ji Heling's attitude didn't quite match his own, so he asked, "Brother, what do you think I should do?" "Thousands of words are worth a sentence, so don't give birth to opinions in the family, otherwise it will be a great misfortune." "Yes, yes!" Qiu Fengyan assisted again, "Family and everything will prosper! Brother Xueyan is lucky, and he is in the ascendant. At this time, he needs the help of his wife most." Hu Xueyan took a look at the two of them and said with a smile: "Two fists are hard to beat with four hands. It seems that I can't beat you today." "Lao Qiu is not an outsider. To be honest, I was entrusted to mediate, so I can see the virtue of my brother-in-law." Ji Heling said again, "I also visited my aunt this morning, and I was kindly entrusted to me to use my elder brother's Qualifications, take care of this 'Merry Lawsuit'." "Gaotang's order, the entrustment of a good wife, and the respect of the eldest brother," Qiu Fengyan clapped his hands and laughed, "Brother Xueyan, you really want to obey your orders." Ji Heling hurriedly waved his hand to stop: "It's not that, it's not that! Everyone is for Xueyan. Let me ask you what you mean first, and my sister-in-law has something to say to me, as long as it is reasonable, I will definitely fulfill your wish." Speaking of this, Hu Xueyan felt that there was no need to play tricks, so he said bluntly: "I am not an absurd person, and I have not yet reached the point where I can be absurd. No son is a layer. If you come and go from place to place, you must have a son." The resting place is another floor. So I don’t think that setting up a door in Huzhou is just to be sorry for my wife. I respect her, so I don’t let her know that she just wants to pierce the diorama. This drama is difficult to sing down." "You have to keep singing, and you have to sing even when you are on the top of the stone mortar." Ji Heling said, "Harmony between families is the most important thing, and if you want peace, you have to be patient. My sister-in-law is patient, how about you?" "Aren't I also enduring it? I will do everything and not quarrel with her, and I am worthy of her." "Yes. I know that too. But what about Fleur? There must be a place to go." "The current situation is the landing." "We can't talk about it anymore." From this point of view, Mrs. Hu made a conditional proposal. Hu Xueyan thought to himself, could it be that his wife still insisted on sending Fu Rong away?Sure enough, it's really impossible to talk about it. Just when the stalemate appeared, Qiu Fengyan said something very fair: "Both sides must make concessions. It seems wrong for brother Xueyan to insist on the current situation!" "That's right! That's what I said too." "So what if you don't stick to the current situation? Could it be that everyone is really making fun of me, Mr. Hu, who is afraid of his wife?" "Of course it's not like this." Ji Heling said, "I've already heard the meaning. What my sister-in-law thinks is that you can ask for concubines, but you must live together." "That's not bad!" Qiu Fengyan said, "Sister Hu's meaning is reasonable." "It's reasonable to say that, but there is still a law of helplessness—the law of jealousy!" This is an unreasonable reason, and it is not easy to explain and persuade for a while, unless Ji Heling can make a guarantee!Everything in the world can be guaranteed, only sharing one country and one husband cannot guarantee peace and security.Ji Heling was troubled by embarrassment, so he turned his anger on Qiu Fengyan a little bit. "It's all you! Talk about the law of jealousy, so that you can give someone a handle!" Qiu Fengyan has a good temper, and he didn't feel disobedient when he was reprimanded. Instead, he blamed himself, poured himself a glass of wine and said, "Punish me, punish me!" "I toast!" Hu Xueyan smiled, "It's all thanks to you reminding me." "Don't dare, dare not!" At this moment, Qiu Fengyan realized that the phrase "giving someone a handle" was not a joke, so he didn't want to mention it again, and waved his hands again and again, "Brother Xueyan, don't talk about the law of jealousy! Otherwise, I will become the culprit." Hu Xueyan smiled without answering, with a relaxed expression.Ji Heling felt that something was wrong, brothers with different surnames were duty-bound, and the housework of the Hu family was like his own troubles, so he drank two glasses of wine in a row. "Brother!" Hu Xueyan was extremely alert and could see that he was displeased, "Don't worry, it's nothing serious." "Oh! You don't know my situation." Ji Heling said, "If you and your husband turn against each other, how do you think I will have the face to see my old aunt in the future?" "Absolutely not!" Hu Xueyan's tone was firm, "There will never be anything against each other. Things will be smooth when things are slowed down. Don't be in a hurry. Let's talk about it when I come back from Shanghai, how about it?" "What do you want me to say?" Ji Heling responded with a wry smile, "But I hope you agree with what you say, don't have any opinions on my sister-in-law, and listen to her advice." "If you can listen, you must listen. If you can't, I won't make her breathless." At this point, it's over, we don't talk to each other anymore, we look at the lights after dinner, and go back late at night.Hu Xueyan acted like nothing happened, still chatting and laughing, talking to his wife about the day's whereabouts. 到了第二天，瑞云来看胡太太，她是受了嵇鹤龄的委托来传话的，说胡雪岩的态度很好，事情一定有圆满结局，请胡太太放心好了。这是宽慰的话，胡太太不明就里，只是看丈夫毫无芥蒂的神情，自然相信中间人的传言。 到了动身那天，胡雪岩带着一女一婢上路，当夜在北新关前泊舟，父女俩灯下吃闲食说闲话，做父亲的刻意笼络女儿，把个梅玉宠得依依不舍，一直不肯上床。 “梅玉，”胡雪岩认为时机已至，这样问道，“你晓不晓得爸爸的苦处？” 梅玉点点头：“爸爸一年到头在外头，自然辛苦的。” “辛苦在其次，每到一处地方，没有人照应，是最苦的事。不过，这一趟不会苦了，有你陪我在一起，情形不同。” “那——”梅玉答道，“以后爸爸出门，我陪你好了。” “好倒是好，只怕办不到。”胡雪岩说，“梅玉，我说句话，你会不会动气？” “不会的，爸爸，你尽管说。” “我是说老实话，在家是女儿好，出门是儿子好。如果你是男的，我走东走西，一定带着你走。可惜不是，就算我舍不得你，你舍不得我，也不能趟趟带着你走，第一，奶奶跟娘不放心；第二，别人会说闲话，哪有个女孩子走江湖的？第三，你也不方便，吃不起这个辛苦。所以只好偶尔一次。” 梅玉不做声，只拿忧愁的眼光看着她父亲。 “我倒问你看，假使到一处地方，有人能代替你来服侍我，你觉得怎么样？” 梅玉不明他的意思，只直觉地答道：“那自然好啰！” “乖！”胡雪岩愉悦地拍拍她的肩，“真正是我的好女儿。” 于是第二天胡雪岩吩咐船家，先到湖州去弯一弯，再直放松江。 “咦，爸爸，”梅玉不解而问，“怎么忽然想到湖州去，为啥？” “为了你，我要到湖州去一趟。” 这话越发令人困惑，“为我？”十五岁的梅玉，情窦初开，忽然想到，是不是要把自己“许人家”，所以到湖州去弯一弯？ 这样一想，顿觉忸怩万状，脸也红了，心也跳，话也说不清楚！这一下轮到做父亲的感觉诧异，回想一想自己说过的话，才知道梅玉起了误会。 这是个令人好笑的误会，但他不敢笑出来，然而此时也不便深谈，因为梅玉心神不定，不能去细想他的话，就得不到他想到的效果。 于是，他说：“是为我的事，我要你替我去拿个主意。” So it is!自己完全弄错了，想想有些惭愧，又有些爽然若失，心里说不出是什么味道，只有一点是她能抓得住的，就是深怕她父亲发觉她的误会。 fine!她看不出她父亲有何异样的表情，一颗心放了下来，定定神问道：“爸爸，什么事要我拿主意？” “说来话长。等吃过饭，我慢慢跟你细谈。” 饭罢睡了一个午觉，起来天倒又快黑了，彤云密布，大有雪意，胡雪岩叫早早泊了船，命船家到岸上去买了一尾鲜鱼，一大块羊肉，恰好有人猎获野味经过，胡雪岩买了一只雉鸡、一只野鸭。这顿晚饭就非常丰盛了。 “今天还不错！”胡雪岩举杯在手，慢慢说道，“你不要以为出门都是这样子舒服！今天是因为有你，我的兴致比较好，有时候要赶路，错过地方，荒村野岸，什么也没有，就只好冲碗酱油汤吃冷饭了。” 父亲出门是如此苦法！梅玉心里好生疼怜，虽未说话，手中那双筷子的动作就慢了，一筷一筷拨着饭粒，却不送进口去。 “你吃嘛！”胡雪岩夹了一块红烧羊肉放在她碗里，“在家千日好，出外一时难。你娘不晓得我在外头的苦楚，你该晓得了？” 梅玉点点头，她并不觉得苦，只是她父亲说苦，她也就隐隐然觉得行路难了。 “梅玉！”胡雪岩急转直下地说，“你是我的大女儿，但我当你儿子看待。现在我湖州有个人，要你去看看，你说好，我就留下来，你说不好，我叫她走！” 梅玉一时不解所谓，转一转念头才知道所说的“有个人”是什么人。她也隐隐约约听说过，父亲在湖州娶了个人，问她母亲，母亲反叱斥她“少管闲事”，如今听父亲是这样子说，倒有些不大相信。 "real?" 是问那个“人”的去留，真的凭自己一言而决？胡雪岩懂她的意思，正色答道：“当然是真的！我跟你娘说不清楚。只有跟你商量。” “我——”梅玉不知道怎么说了，心里只想帮父亲的忙，却苦于无从表达，愣了一会才问，“是怎么个人？” “她叫芙蓉。” 接着，胡雪岩便大谈芙蓉人如何好，命如何苦！使得梅玉除却芙蓉，就不会想别的念头了。 谈到最后，胡雪岩问道：“梅玉，你说这个人怎么样？” “这个人，”梅玉答说，“爸爸，你怎么跟她认识的？” 这其中的曲折，做父亲的就不肯细说了，“也是人家做的媒。说我每次到湖州，没有个歇脚的地方，没有个照料起居的人，应该立个门户，做大生意的人，都是这样子的，不足为奇。”胡雪岩又说，“我看她人还不错，而且人家讲的话，也是实在情形，就接了她来住。不过讲明在先，要等我跟我女儿谈过，等你答应了，才能算数。” 再一次提到这话，使梅玉有受宠若惊以及感惧不胜之感，“怎么说要我答应？”她摇摇头，“我哪里敢来管爸爸的事？” “你不敢管，我还非要你管不可。为啥呢？”胡雪岩喝口酒，一层层往下说，“第一当然要告诉奶奶，奶奶答应了，还要你娘答应。你娘答应了，我还要问你，我不愿意家里有哪个跟她不和。你懂不懂我的意思？” “我懂。”梅玉答道，“面和心不和，大家都难过。” “就是这话啰！我为啥非要你管不可呢？因为奶奶最听你的话，你娘也不能不问你的意思。所以将来要你从中说话，事情才会顺利。” 梅玉从来没有为人这么重视过，自觉责无旁贷，当时答道：“爸爸这么说，我回去就先跟奶奶讲。” “你预备怎么讲法？” 梅玉想了想答道：“我说她是好人，蛮可怜的。” “怎么好法呢？奶奶问你，你见过没有，你怎么说？所以我一定要带你去看了她再谈。” 到此光景，胡雪岩已有把握，女儿是自己的不叛之臣，只是父女之情是一回事，梅玉看芙蓉怎么样，又是一回事。所以此时他的心思，抛开了梅玉，在思索着应该怎么安排，才能让芙蓉跟梅玉一见投缘。 一夜过去，第二天午前就可抵达湖州，事先他把在湖州的朋友和关系，如何称呼，都细细告诉了梅玉。等船泊下，先把梅玉带到郁四家暂时安顿，见了面，梅玉叫郁四为“四伯伯”，阿七是“七阿姨”。七阿姨对这些事上最聪明，一看胡雪岩把他女儿带到她家，便知道应有顾忌，所以绝口不提芙蓉，只是极殷勤地招待梅玉。她的心热，又会说话，加以胡雪岩的交情深厚，因而把梅玉看得娇贵无比，刻意取悦。梅玉当然知道，人家是看谁的面子，心里便越觉得她父亲了不起了。 “你坐一下，在七阿姨家就跟自己家一样，不用拘束。我先到知府衙门去一趟，马上来接你。” 胡雪岩哪里是到知府衙门去看王有龄，一径来得芙蓉那里，敲门相见，芙蓉自然高兴，但眉宇间掩抑不住幽怨之色。迎入客厅，先问行李在哪里？ “在船上。”胡雪岩说，“我住一天就走，特为带个人来看你。是我大女儿。” “喔！”芙蓉双目灼灼地看着他问，“大小姐在哪里？” “在郁家，回头我就带她来。小孩子，你骗骗她！” 这句话芙蓉懂得，“骗骗她”就是好好敷衍笼络一番，这没有什么不可以，“我会对付。”她说，“这是小事情。” 什么是大事呢？她认为胡雪岩的态度和打算，一定先要弄清楚。她三叔所转达的话，语焉不详，只说“放心”，却不知如何才能叫人放得下心。她首先问的就是这一点。 这话不是三言两语所谈得完的，两人携手并坐在床沿上，胡雪岩先问到他妻子寻上门来的经过。“那天我在家做年糕，说有个胡太太来了！”芙蓉用委委屈屈的声音说，“一见面就说：'我家老爷叫胡雪岩。'我一听心里就发慌。这样不明不白的身份，实在不是味道。唉！”她叹口气，眼圈便有些红了。 胡雪岩见此光景，颇为着急，这时不是拉拉扯扯诉苦讲感情的时候，辰光不多，要扎扎实实谈办法，但其势又不能不安慰安慰她，只好耐着心说：“你不要难过，不要难过，一切都看在我面上。你放心，我一定会安排妥帖。你先讲给我听，当时她怎么说？” 眨了两下眼，芙蓉又抽出一块手绢，擤了擤鼻子，抑制着自己的情绪谈她所遭遇的窘境：“你太太说：'上门冒昧，实在叫没法子！我也晓得你是好人家的女儿，受了他的骗。如今明人不必细说，只求你可怜可怜我！'我看她的话厉害，态度倒还好，就这样回答她：'胡太太你到底啥意思，请你实说！'她听我的话，不响，从手中包里拿出一个红封套来，放在我面前，'这是我多年积下来的一点私房，你收了下来，我就感激不尽了。'我自然不肯收，她硬塞在我手里，又说：'雪岩一时不会来了。他有没有啥账簿、契约之类的东西放在这里？我顺便带了回去。'我说：'没有！'她有点不大相信的样子，愣了一愣说道：'我跟雪岩是患难夫妻，无话不谈的。千言并一句：大家都是女人，总要你体谅我的处境，可怜可怜我！你年纪还轻，又是这样的人才，实在犯不着做低服小。'”芙蓉说到这里，略停一下，扭转脸去说，“我想想她的话也不错。” 察言观色，胡雪岩知道这句话纵非言不由衷，也是一半牢骚，便不觉得如何严重，扳过她的肩来，轻轻点着她的鼻尖笑道：“你真老实无用！不是嫁着我这样一个人，有得苦头吃。你说她的话不错，我倒问你，她说我不会回来了，怎么我又来了呢？不但来了，我还带了女儿来。你说，她的话是不是大错特错？” “总也有些话不错的。”芙蓉答道，“我实在好难，你们是患难夫妻，我算啥？” 这样扯下去，交涉办不清楚了！胡雪岩想了想，只有用快刀斩乱麻的手法，“那么你倒说一句，”他问，“你到底是怎么个意思？” “我不是说过，我好难！” 这样就不必再问了，“你为难，我来替你出个主意。”胡雪岩故意这样问，“你看好不好？” "you say!" “我说啊，”他这次是点点她的额头，“你仍旧跟我姓胡！” “也要姓得成才行呀！” “怎么姓不成？胡是我的姓，我自己做主，哪个敢说一句话？” 话说到这样，芙蓉纵有千言万语，也没法再开口了。胡雪岩却还有句话，想问她一下，如果必须回杭州，与大妇合住，她的意思怎么样？但话到口边，发觉不妥，此时不宜节外生枝，先取得她的合作，一起“收服”了梅玉，才是当务之急，其他都可以留待以后再谈。 于是他把梅玉的性情、癖好都告诉了芙蓉。她一一依从，只是提出一个条件，梅玉必须认了名分，否则她不招待。 “这你放心，包在我身上。”说完就走了。 回到郁四那里，只见阿珠的娘也在，她是来串门子偶尔遇上的。梅玉跟她见过，即无陌生之感，所以反跟她谈得很起劲。 跟胡雪岩见了，自有一番寒暄。阿珠的娘要请他们父女到丝行去住，胡雪岩不肯，“这就不必了！”他说，“倒是有件事要麻烦你。你做两样拿手菜请我女儿吃。” “容易，容易！大小姐喜欢吃啥，点出来，我马上动手。” 梅玉给大家一捧，乐不可支，但毕竟是十五岁的女孩子，怎么样也不肯点菜，最后是做父亲的拣女儿喜爱的，点了两样。两样都是炒菜，并不费事，阿珠的娘欣然应声，又即问道：“在啥地方吃？” “在芙蓉那里。” “炒菜要一出锅就上桌，我带材料到那里去下锅。” “那就多谢。我们也好走了。”胡雪岩把梅玉拉到僻处悄声问道，“你见了姨娘怎么叫？” 这一问把梅玉弄糊涂了，明明已说了是“姨娘”，还怎么叫？“不叫姨娘叫啥？”她问。 胡雪岩原是暗示的手法，听得梅玉这么说，便即笑道：“我当你不肯叫她姨娘呢！” “肯叫的！”梅玉重重地点头。 “你姨娘脾气最好。在湖州，我都靠她服侍，这也就等于代替你服侍我，所以你见了面，最好谢谢她。这是做人的道理。” “好的。”梅玉想了想，又说一句，“好的。” 于是胡雪岩放心大胆地带了女儿到芙蓉那里，两乘轿子到门，就听芙蓉在喊：“抬进来，抬进来！” 轿子抬进大门，厅前放下，她走到第二乘前面，亲自揭开轿帘，梅玉已经在轿中张望过了，觉得这位新姨娘就是皮肤黑了些，论相貌实在不坏，恍然意会，怪不得父亲这么“舍不得她”！ “大小姐！”芙蓉含笑说道，“没有想到你来。” 梅玉自然有些腼腆，报以羞涩的一笑，跨出轿门，才低低叫了声：“姨娘！” 听得这一声，芙蓉也不好意思老实答应，搀着她的手说：“来，来！到里面坐。你冷不冷？”说着便又去捏她的肩臂，“穿得少了！看我新做的一件丝绵袄能不能穿！” “谢谢姨娘！”梅玉趁机把父亲教的那句话，说了出来，“平常多亏姨娘照应！” 话说得不够清楚，但意思可以明白，既说“平常多亏姨娘照应”，则照应的一定是胡雪岩，不是此时照应梅玉。芙蓉听得她这话，自然安慰，但也有感想，由女及母，认为梅玉有这样的教养，可以想见胡太太治家是一把好手。 因为有此想法，更不敢把梅玉当个孩子看待，领入她自己卧室，很客气地招呼，左一个“大小姐”、右一个“大小姐”，连梅玉自己都觉得有点刺耳。 “姨娘，你叫我梅玉好了。” 芙蓉还待谦虚，刚刚跟了进来的胡雪岩恰好听见，难得梅玉自己松口，认为机不可失，因而接口说道：“对了！自己亲人，'小姐、小姐'的倒叫得生疏了。” 芙蓉接受了暗示，点点头说：“那么，我就老实了。梅玉，你来，试试这件丝绵袄看！” 拉开衣橱，芙蓉的衣服不少，取下一件葱绿缎子的新丝绵袄，往梅玉身上一披，看来长了些，袖口也嫌太大，不合穿。倒是有件玫瑰紫宁绸面子的灰鼠皮背心，恰恰合身，芙蓉等她穿了上去，就不肯让她脱下来了。 “姨娘的好衣服，”梅玉非常高兴，但有些过意不去，望着她父亲说，“我不要！” “一样的。”胡雪岩很快地说，“你姨娘比你娘还要疼你！” 就这一句话，把梅玉跟芙蓉拴得紧紧的，两个人形影不离，像一双友爱的姐妹花。