Chapter 8 Red Top Merchant (6-1)

More than a month later, Liu Bucai returned to Shanghai. He was very capable, and he succeeded in marrying Hu Xueyan.However, the whole family is going to Shanghai, and Hu Xueyan has something on his mind instead, so he has to ask Grandma Qigu for help because of the unknown identity of Aqiao who lives together in the "small house". "Seventh sister, you have to make an idea for me; I have no one to discuss with except you." "Of course! I can't ignore the matter of my uncle. But first, you must set a goal for yourself." When asked about Hu Xueyan's attitude towards Sister Aqiao, it was his problem, so he could only respond with a wry smile: "Sister Qi, the whole book of The West Chamber, is it not in your stomach?" Grandma Qigu really knew their situation very well. , to sum it up in one sentence: On the surface, the love is abnormal; secretly there is a deep gap.Although one fell in love with Hu Xueyan, she would rather live in the outer room than be a small star, because she was afraid that Hu's family would be numerous, and besides serving the old lady, she also had to be courteous to the old woman, and even looked at Fu Rong's words; there was another thought Yes: from Xingyuan, governor of Liangjiang, although he is not a concubine, it is equivalent to "acting" for Mrs. Zhang Yin; no matter who is the concubine of someone else, he feels it is a kind of grievance.

In Hu Xueyan, the biggest concern is precisely because of this.Sister Aqiao and He Guiqing's marriage was entirely facilitated by herself; now that she accepts it, no matter how she feels or the criticism from others, there is always something wrong.Borrowing the "little house" outside to be a dew couple, it is because she is in adversity, because of emotions, she can't be herself, no matter to herself or others, there is always something to say; At home, there are no words to explain themselves. In addition, there is another huge obstacle; Mrs. Hu once stated categorically: It is not surprising that a promising man has three wives and four concubines; but the title of a big wife cannot be taken away by others, so as long as Hu Xueyan took a fancy to it, so he could marry and go home, but he could not set up another family outside.At the same time, she also said that she must treat all those who marry into the family as sisters.In fact, the attitude towards Fu Rong has proved that her words and deeds are consistent; so it is even more obvious that her steps are very quiet, and even Mrs. Hu cannot but respect her words.

However, these are two different things.Grandma Qigu understood Hu Xueyan's difficulties, but she couldn't decide her attitude for him, "Uncle, if you want me to help you, you must first make up your own mind, whether to stay or go, and set a goal before you can figure out a way. But ’” she said bluntly, “I want to say what I said first, no matter what, you want me to help you hide it; that’s impossible.” With this statement, Hu Xueyan was disappointed.His wish was to ask Grandma Qigu to try to hide him from his wife; so after hearing this sentence, he was silent. At this time, it meant that her mind was completely revealed, and Grandma Qigu persuaded him: "Uncle, everything is going well! Auntie is capable and capable, and is a great helper to you. But let me say one more thing: Auntie is also very powerful, so don't mess with him." She hates you. If you say, you want to take Sister Aqiao back, I will try to persuade her for you even if I break my leg and talk nonsense. Of course, there is no guarantee of success. If you make a decision, prepare to Ben things, that bag is on my body, you get along with her and break up, and you will never hurt your friendship." "Then, tell me, how can you get along with sister Aqiao?"" I can’t say it now, I have to use my brain, but I’m sure about this level.” Hu Xueyan thought for a while, but couldn’t decide, sighed and said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

"Uncle, you'd better think about it tonight and make up your mind; if you are going to take it home, I will arrange it for you as soon as possible." Grandma Qigu pointed outside and said, "I want to ask Third Uncle Liu to go home first." In front of the old lady and aunt, I will work hard for you. Hu Xueyan was taken aback, what kind of effort was he going to put in?Only after thinking about it can I understand that although my wife expresses that she can't help her lover to take concubines, she can't help but be jealous.Being able to get along with Fu Rong like sisters is because she intends to be a virtuous role model;This kind of karma will happen from time to time, and it is an odd number to make up a good couple. You can't expect three wives and four concubines, everyone is like this.

Grandma Qigu wanted to invite Liu Bucai to do some work, so she naturally did some dredging first; sure enough, she wanted to, and Sister Aqiao did not object to officially "entering the house", so Grandma Qigu's approach was necessary.But Hu Xueyan was also reminded because of this; Sister Aqiao is also a very powerful character, far from being comparable to Fu Rong.Even if everything goes well, Sister Aqiao changes her original intention, and her wife can keep her promise, but the good times will never last long. The two "female" meet and can't stand each other. "It's hard to be a husband between two wives".

Thinking about it this way, sorrow and troubles co-occur at the same time; thus the appetite becomes worse.However, he was always unwilling to spoil people's interest; seeing that Liu Bucai was in a good mood, he tried his best to accompany him, and talked about leaving at midnight. Back at the "Little House", Sister Aqiao prepared tea and snacks as usual.In the bedroom, the heavy curtains hang down deeply to isolate the chilly spring; she only wears a soft satin jacket, which is cut very close to the body, making her waist look more slender. Holding hands together, I realized that she was wearing too little clothes; "If you want to be pretty, you will jump in the cold!" He said, "Be careful of getting sick from the cold."

Sister Aqiao didn't smile, she poured a cup of hot tea and placed it in front of him. She held a small Qianlong colorful teapot filled with hot tea and used it as a hand stove to keep warm; she watched with burning eyes, waiting for him to speak. Every day when he came back, Hu Xueyan always talked about his situation outside, where he ate, what interesting people he met, and what news he heard, but this day he was uncharacteristically sitting down without making a sound. "Are you tired?" Sister Aqiao said, "Go to bed early!" "Well, I'm tired." He was agreeing to her words, but his eyes were still looking at the kerosene chandelier called "safety lamp" hanging under the ceiling.There was only one time in Sister Aqiao's memory of this incongruity, ignoring the attitude in front of her eyes; it was the night when she learned of Wang Youling's martyrdom. "Then hum!" She unknowingly leaned on Su Bai with a very soft and charming look, "What's on your mind?"

"The old lady is coming!" Hu Xueyan seldom talked to her about marriage.Sister Aqiao only knew that his whole family was trapped in Jiaxing and couldn't reunite for a while, so she didn't think about it; when she heard this sentence suddenly, her heart immediately became confused. "It's a happy event!" she said with a forced smile. "A happy event is a happy event, and a worry is also a worry. Aqiao, what do you say?" "What do you say?" She asked knowingly. Hu Xueyan thought for a while, then said ambiguously: "Our situation is not a long game."

Sister Aqiao's color changed, she lowered her head, and saw her eyelashes flickering, but she didn't know what was in her eyes?As a result, Hu Xueyan's heart was also disturbed, he stood up and fell on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze. Sister Aqiao didn't speak, but it wasn't tears under the lamp; she put down the teapot in her hand, took down an earthen pot sitting on the kerosene stove, poured out the extremely thick chicken soup, and took out seven teapots from the tin box. Eight "salt crackers" on a china dish, grouped together on a dresser.Then he took off Hu Xueyan's boots and put on a pair of embroidered overshoes.

She followed the order to the end, and then she said, "Get up and eat!" Sitting by the dressing table eating a late-night snack before going to bed was originally the happiest moment for Hu Xueyan every day, watching Aqiao remove her makeup; listening to her talk in Wu Nong's soft language, saying something Interesting and non-brain-wrenching gossip, it is not easy to think that you are the king of the south. However, the mood today is a little different.But in a flash, he still refused to give up the fun, and jumped off the bed like a tiger, scaring Miss Aqiao. "You man!" She rolled his eyes at him, "I'm really a bit evil today." "Have fun." Hu Xueyan suddenly felt very hungry, "What else is there to eat?"

"This time of day, I can only eat dry dim sum. The seller of wonton dumplings and tea eggs from Huzhou have all been here." Sister Aqiao asked, "Could it be that you haven't eaten enough in the Gu family?" "You didn't eat at all!" "Why? The food doesn't match your appetite?" "Grandma Qigu's Lusong chicken wings are raw fish, but it's just too bad to eat." "What's the point?" "Oh!" Hu Xueyan shook his head, "Stop talking about it. Bring some more salt crackers!" He didn't say anything, and she didn't ask, and she did as she was told; then she sat down to remove her make-up, holding a handful of hair in her hand , Take a boxwood comb and comb it constantly.The room was very quiet, only the sound of Hu Xueyan biting a biscuit was heard. "When will the old lady arrive?" Sister Aqiao asked out of the blue. "Soon!" Hu Xueyan said, "It will only take ten days and half a month." "Where do you live?" "I don't know yet." "People are coming soon, and I don't know where they live; isn't it a joke?" "There are too many things these two days, and I don't have time to do this. Let's talk about it when Mr. Liu leaves tomorrow. If you have money, you are afraid to find it." Not to the house? But—? "What?" Sister Aqiao turned to look at him and asked, "Why don't you continue?" "The house should be big or small, but I don't know." "This is strange again! How many people live in what size house, can't you figure it out yourself?" "It's just that I can't count how many people there are." Hu Xueyan glanced at her, and deliberately turned his face away; in fact, he was looking at her expression in the mirror. Sister Aqiao was silent and composed, looking unpredictable and profound.Then, he stood up and made the bed and folded the quilt, without making a sound. "Go to sleep!" Hu Xueyan patted his waist, his stomach was full, and his heart was empty, as if he couldn't get up or down. "What's on your mind? Say it bluntly. It makes people's stomachs itch." What's on her mind, with her cleverness, vigilance, and familiarity with people, how can she not know why?It's not a good sign to deliberately pretend to be puzzled like this; Hu Xueyan doesn't like to use deep hearts in front of women, but at this time, this man has become an exception, so he replied with a deep smile to Shen Shen: "What matters in your heart is important." Guess slowly to have taste. Why bother to expose it all at once?" Sister Aqiao had no choice but to be angry and silent; she folded the quilt and waited for him to undress and go to bed.Then she moved a foreign lamp to the table inside the big mahogany bed, and twisted the wick to make a hazy yellow light hide the hesitation on her face. After this calm down, Hu Xueyan's mind was concentrated; he realized that there were only two ways to go between himself and Sister Aqiao, one was to follow the current situation, and the other was to go their separate ways. "You don't have to think about it." He said unconsciously, "Wait until I figure out a way." "What the hell are you talking about?" "It's not for you!" Hu Xueyan said, "My wife doesn't agree to live outside; you don't want to live together. Then I have to use my brain." Sister Aqiao remained silent.She is a sensible person and knows Hu Xueyan's difficulties; but if she says she understands his difficulties and is willing to live together, if they don't get along well, she will go to the court and ask to leave, not only will they ruin each other's faces, but they will also get a very bad reputation : "Follow one, break up with one." It's better to be ruthless at this moment and let him worry about it; see the result and then make sense.However, the meaning of consolation is irreplaceable.She stretched out a hand from under the quilt and squeezed Hu Xueyan's left arm tightly, expressing her appreciation and leaning on him. Hu Xueyan has no one to ask for advice, so he can still discuss it with Grandma Qigu. "Seventh sister, you don't need to mention the idea of ​​living together. I think it's best to keep it as it is now. Since you won't hide it for me, can you please clear it up for me?" "You mean, you want me to talk to your aunt for you, so that you can still live outside?" "yes!" "Difficult!" Grandma Qigu shook her head. "The state owns the law, and the family has its own rules. My aunt is now in charge of the house, and the rules she makes are reasonable. Even the old lady can't break her rules, let alone us as juniors?" "Your junior is not a junior. She is more willing to buy your account; you go and beg for me once, just this once, and this is not an example!" "Uncle, do you still want to use it as an example? Don't say this, she will get angry if you say it; oh, there are already two, not enough, but I'm thinking about the third one!" What do you say, as long as the matter is successful." "I'm afraid it won't work!" Qi Gu's grandma pondered for a long time and said, "For my uncle, I have no choice but to hit the nail on the head! If it doesn't work, you can't blame me." "Seventh Sister, please explain this to me more." Hu Xueyan said, "Please don't read anything, don't read anything; my illness in Ningbo was really due to her." This is to remind Grandma Qigu that when she speaks, she should pay special attention to this point: Sister Aqiao should be lenient for her contribution and be extra graceful.In fact, he explained a lot in his words; of course, Grandma Qigu also thought about it, even though she was going to hit a wall, she still needed some support in the end, and there was hope that everything would happen.The reason for this is that Sister Aqiao ventured to Ningbo to serve the decoction in her clothes.Moreover, she also decided where to start, starting with persuading Liu Bucai. "Last winter my uncle transported rice to Hangzhou, but he was unable to enter the city. Instead, he fell ill with typhoid fever when he transferred to Ningbo. When the news reached Shanghai, I was so anxious. Think about it, Uncle Liu, Ningbo is growing again in that kind of time." Mao’s hands, and the place is unfamiliar, how can I get this typhoid fever? This kind of disease depends on having considerate people to take care of it, and you can’t be negligent. I discussed it with Lao Gu, and I said I’m the only one going; Lao Gu said I’d go Will it delay important matters? Why? First, I am impatient and it is not appropriate to serve the sick. Second, although our friendship is already the same as that of relatives, I don't care. I am afraid that my uncle will have scruples instead. There are some messy things about water, I’m sorry to ask me to do it. The sickness is not bad, if there is no one who cares about it and cares about it, the illness will not be cured.” "That's true." Liu Bucai asked, "Later, sister Aqiao volunteered?" "No! I begged her." Grandma Qigu said, "Although she and my uncle had a past, it has long been It's over. Everything is a new stove; it's just that I started the fire. Uncle Liu, think about it for me, am I also responsible now?" "I understand! Without you begging her back then, there would be no troubles today. And you begged her to save Xueyan's life; in fact, Xueyan's life was saved by sister Aqiao .Is that what you said?" "Yes!" Qigu's grandma said happily, "Liu Sanshu, you really are a 'bachelor and exquisite heart, you can see through it'!" "Seventh sister!" Liu Bucai said seriously: "Take these two reasons, Mrs. Xueyan is very sensible, she must have nothing to say. However, she will not feel comfortable in her heart. Seventh sister, you are like this" Take a hard bet', whether it is worth it or not, you should think about it!" "Thank you, Third Uncle Liu!" Grandma Qigu replied, "For the sake of Uncle, I have nothing to do." "That's not the way to say it. Now that our friendship has reached this level, we don't have to worry about the other party's displeasure. Doing this, Seventh Sister, you have to think about it, is it good for the Hu family? Can it teach Xueyan When a person is satisfied for a while, even if he has an explanation!" Liu Bucai's opinion was very deep; Grandma Qigu thought about it carefully, but she didn't realize it.However, she is different from Liu Bucai. One is the most important family of the Hu family, and they live together. This family has some "difficult scriptures". Of course, he knows it better than her.Therefore, Grandma Qigu felt that the matter should be discussed again. "Liu Sanshu, I want to listen to your words; I always want to be good for the Hu family. Besides, we will live in Shanghai in the future, and there will always be a lot of time for family members; if Aunt Hu's family has a feud with me, it will make things worse." What's the fun of being at odds with each other? There's only one level, and I still can't figure it out. If this matter is to be successful, will it cause disharmony in their family?" "It's hard to say! As far as I know, Mrs. Xue Diaoyan has another way of running the family; if she breaks her rules and makes an exception, what she says will be discounted in the future." "My uncle said: 'Only this Once it happens, it doesn't happen next time.' If there is another situation like this in the future, I don't need Aunt Hu's mouth to speak, I will fight for her first!" Hearing this, Liu Bucai laughed "puchi"; he sighed silently. This has the meaning of laughing at people's ignorance, and Grandma Qigu is a little annoyed; she immediately chases after her: "Uncle Liu, did I say something wrong?" "That's right, your heart is hot. But if you do that, you're just asking for trouble. As the saying goes: 'It's hard for an upright official to decide on housework'; Seventh Sister, even if you are Bao Gong, it's still a trouble if you decide clearly. !" "Why! I don't understand that." "Seventh Sister, you've been smart all your life, and you've been ignorant for a while. When you get a lawsuit, either the plaintiff wins or the defendant wins. Once the treatment is done, the treatment is damaged. Why bother!" Grandma Qigu suddenly realized that if she helped Mrs. Hu in the future, she would definitely offend Hu Xueyan; "Okay, okay, Uncle Liu, you too, there is a reason why you don't say it outright, and you have to go through such a big circle! Fortunately, I am not as patient as before, and I am not as patient as before. Otherwise, it didn't make me go the wrong way?" These complaints were really unreasonable, but it was funny to be unreasonable; Liu Bucai couldn't help laughing. "I don't want to be a 'female Baogong' either! It's better to be my 'female Zhang Fei'." Liu Bucai immediately heard that there was something wrong with the words, and had to reply: "Seventh Sister! What's your plan? It's all right to be a female Zhang Fei, and it's boring to be a reckless Zhang Fei." "Zhang Fei also has it." When there are details in the rough, I will naturally have a sense of proportion. Don't worry, there will be no disturbances." Liu Bucai thought for a while and asked, "Then, do you still want me to do kung fu in front of Mrs. Xueyan?" "Yes! But the words are not the original ones." This made Liu Bucai startled.If it is a matter of one thing or another, it should be written off and not discussed; if we want to talk about it, do we need another explanation? "The words in the first half can still be used. Why did Sister Aqiao have feelings for my uncle again? There is always a whole story. Let Aunt Hu's family know so that she won't be prejudiced against Sister Aqiao first." Grandma Qigu stopped. Say it all at once: "Change the second half of the sentence to look like this——." Her approach was to appease Mrs. Hu first, that is, to appease Hu Xueyan first.Because once the Hu family members arrived in Shanghai, it was impossible to hide the fact that Hu Xueyan had a concubine; and Hu Xueyan himself would ask Grandma Qigu about the results, so she needed Mrs. Hu to cooperate with her to stabilize the situation first. "I want a period of time, so that I can work hard in front of Sister Aqiao. I'm afraid that the matter has not yet come to fruition, and their husband and wife have already quarreled; once everything is messed up, it will often lead to a deadlock. Therefore, it is best for Aunt Hu's family to pretend Tsukuru doesn't know about this; if my uncle 'doesn't return to camp at night', there's no need to ask about it." "I understand what you mean, Mrs. Xueyan can definitely do it. However, Xueyan often surprises her when she does things. If one pretends to be confused, and the other gongs and drums face to face, what if you have an honest talk with her?" "I don't think this kind of situation is likely to happen. If so, Aunt Hu's family will not admit it or object, so just perfunctory him." "I think we have to deal with it like this." Liu Bucai nodded, "In one word: overcome rigidity with softness." "It's tactful to overcome rigidity with softness. Please tell Aunt Hu's family that she will leave it to me within three months to settle this matter. What is proper? It means not breaking her rules. If Sister Aqiao refuses If you enter the house with the surname Hu; then you must have someone else’s surname.” "It turns out that you wanted to use a trick to reap the benefits." Liu Bucai asked enthusiastically, "Seventh Sister, have you found someone for Sister Aqiao?" "No, no! Take your time to find someone." Grandma Qigu suddenly laughed and said, "Actually, Uncle Liu, you are quite a match!" "Just kidding! How can I be 'same subject' with Xueyan?" It was already after midnight when I got home, but Hu Xueyan was still in good spirits. He sat by the dressing table and watched Sister Aqiao take off her makeup, and at the same time asked about their night out. "Let's eat the big dishes first. It's really not delicious; the fried quail is not as good as the fried eight pieces in the Beijing restaurant. It's just the two of us; it's like—" Sister Aqiao shook her head, smiled wryly and refused to continue. Like what?Hu Xueyan closed his eyes, and realized it as the "two cubs" who were on the scene; such two guests, without the company of "official guests", dared to go there to eat big dishes "with knives and guns" in public, what is the way?According to their age and attire, they are like two excellent "family members" in Changsantangzi. Sister Aqiao must be thinking like this, so she doesn't want to continue.Knowing this point, she naturally understands her state of mind, even if she does not yearn for Zhu Di, she does despise the brothel, she really has the sincerity of a good conscience. Because of this view, the more I feel that Sister Aqiao is reluctant to let go; so I blurted out and asked: "How did Seventh Sister tell you?" "How can you tell me what?" Sister Aqiao stopped her hand that was untying her bun, "What will she say to me? You knew it beforehand, didn't you? Tell me, she won five dollars today. My master left me at home and suddenly wanted to invite me to a theater and dinner, what was the reason?" This series of questions made Hu Xueyan's marksmanship chaotic and unable to parry.But he has one thing, he is good at covering any embarrassment with a smile; and that embarrassment will never last too long, and he will calm down quickly. "I don't understand what you're talking about?" He said, "I'm asking you, did Seventh Sister tell you why she asked you out to play on a whim? It seems that you don't know either; then I don't know even more." "Even someone as smart as you doesn't know?" Sister Aqiao sneered slightly, "Then there is nothing to say." "What's wrong with the couple chatting?" Sister Aqiao raised her head suddenly, her eyes piercing and clear, and forced Hu Xueyan: "Couple? Am I so lucky?" An unintentional sentence seems to be a trick; but it is not difficult for Hu Xueyan, "We are a couple here." He replied calmly. "So," she nodded, as if talking to herself, "I can't even listen to Grandma Qigu." "What did she say?" "She advised me to go back." The word "go back" can have two interpretations, one is to go back to her mother's house, and the other is to enter the gate of Hu's house as a side room.Her natal family is in Mudu, Suzhou, and Suzhou is in Changmao's hands at the moment, so there is no reason to persuade her to return to her natal home. Once you have figured out what she said, you should ask her will; but if you don't ask, you don't need to do anything extra.After a long pause, a sentence burst out of his mouth: "I really have to look for a house tomorrow." His attitude was somewhat unpredictable.She remembered talking about looking for a house a few days ago, and hinted that she would live with the old woman;Must ask. So she tentatively said: "If you really can't find it for a while; why not live here first." "Can't stay." Does this mean that he couldn't live with him in the first place; or that he couldn't even live with her?Sister Aqiao still doesn't understand!I had to try again. "Squeeze for a while." She said, "Escape time doesn't matter so much." "So, what about you?" "Me?" Sister Aqiao said resolutely, "Move elsewhere." "Then why bother? It's better to be still than to move." Hu Xueyan thought for a while, and felt that it was better to explain the words, "I have the same thoughts as you, and it's best to act like this. I have already entrusted Grandma Qigu, wait for me When the wife comes, ask her to clear it up, say a few more kind words, and be especially accommodating once." "That's weird!" Sister Aqiao was a little annoyed, "Grandma Qigu persuaded me to go back instead; it's completely opposite to what you asked her to do. Why?" Hu Xueyan was deeply regretful, he was too negligent!She knew exactly what Grandma Qigu was trying to persuade her; she shouldn't tell the truth again, making it appear that Grandma Qigu was conspiring and disloyal.At the same time, I was reminded, really, what Qisan's grandma meant by doing this made people suspicious. However, no matter what, I have to defend Grandma Qigu, "Maybe she was testing your tone first." He asked, "What did she say?" "She said: 'Women and Taoists always have a home, so it's better to have the official surname Hu and kowtow when they enter the door. Otherwise, it's better to make a decision!'" "What do you mean by 'make a decision'?" "You go ask her." Sister Aqiao's lazy tone showed that the so-called "decision" was a method she could never agree to.Hu Xueyan combined the words before and after to make a deliberation, and understood Grandma Qigu's thoughts; but she didn't understand why she had such thoughts? "Grandma Qigu often has unexpected tricks when she does things. Don't be impatient, just calm down and take a look. "When do you want to see it?" Sister Aqiao suddenly roared, her voice was high-pitched and high-pitched: "Do you know what Grandma Qigu said about you? Said you were slippery; said you had no instincts, and loved the other when you saw one! This kind of person My conscience has been eaten by a dog, and I advise you to break up early; otherwise, I will suffer in the future. I see, what she said is right. Hmph! You don’t pay for your life if you cheat the dead.” Such a scolding with a gun and a stick made Hu Xueyan dizzy, and he could hardly believe his ears.Of course I was also very angry in my heart; it wasn't Sister Aqiao who was angry, but Grandma Qigu, who was not only conspiring and being unfaithful, she was simply betraying her friends.Such a friendship with each other, and yet such an insidious trick!This tone is really hard to swallow. Hu Xueyan had never been so angry before; her face was blue and her lips were white with anger, and she was about to attack when she suddenly became alert. Grandma Qigu is known as the "husband of a woman", and she is not a person without roughness in her chest, let alone a person who does not understand the loyalty of friends, she said so , of course there is her reasoning in it——this layer of reasoning must be extremely deep; so deep that even I can't figure it out.After thinking about it like this, his face immediately softened, and he asked first: "What else did Grandma Qigu say?" "Say something?" Sister Aqiao is not only angry, but the more she thinks about it, the more she hates it. "It's not that you have a word for her, and you plan to abandon me, she will say such a thing! You have no conscience..." Suzhou Women were scolded for "killing a thousand swords"; but sister Aqiao swallowed these three words back because she still had feelings for her. Hu Xueyan didn't make an excuse: because she didn't know what Grandma Qigu was up to, she was afraid that an argument would destroy her intention.But it's not okay not to argue; all I can do is say vaguely: "Why do you listen to her?" "Then, who do I listen to? Listen to you?" Sister Aqiao insisted: "You tell me, but I will listen to you." What is meant by "speaking in a down-to-earth manner"?Hu Xueyan was a little confused, "Say it!" he asked, "What do you want me to say?" "Look at you! I knew you had a change of heart." Sister Aqiao stepped on her foot and said angrily: "Don't you know how to say it? But you just don't want to say it! Well, well, I finally know you." Jing Ye's coquettish scolding startled the girl and aunt; outside the window, there were many figures who wanted to come in to persuade them but did not dare, Hu Xueyan felt bored, stood up and persuaded: "It's late at night, go to sleep!" After finishing speaking, he moved quietly and walked towards the suite; there was also a bed there, which was used for occasional naps, and it happened to be used to avoid the lion's roar at this time. He turned on the lamp by himself and sat in deep thought. The girl and auntie saw that nothing was wrong, and each retreated; Sister Aqiao ignored Hu Xueyan in a fit of anger, and they all went to bed and fell asleep.Seeing this scene, Hu Xueyan didn't dare to provoke her, so he slept all night.The next day when she got up and walked out of the suite, Ah Qiao was already sitting in front of the dressing table, not saying a word; her face was yellow and thin, and she looked thinner; when she looked carefully, there seemed to be traces of tears, and she was afraid that Ye Lai would cry on the pillow wet. "Why bother!" he said, "I ruin my body." "I've thought about it." Sister Aqiao said dumbly: "It's not an ending after all. What about you, I can't handle you either. Forget it, forget it!" While speaking, he waved his hands and turned his head to the side, as if to give up everything.Hu Xueyan couldn't help feeling sad, but he couldn't think of any appropriate words to comfort her. "I'm going to treat Boss Yu to dinner at noon today." He said, meaning to go out early. "You go." Sister Aqiao said; there was some indifference in her voice. Hu Xueyan was a little hesitant, and really wanted to say a word or two of comfort, but he really didn't have a proper meaning to express, so he had to forget it. It was only ten o'clock when we arrived at Gu's house, and Grandma Qigu had already got up; she was energetically directing the servants and maids to prepare for the guests.The rosewood witty chairs in the hall are all covered with red satin and flat gold embroidered chair covers; new flowers are replaced in the vases; eight tall silver plates that have been wiped high with snow are arranged with dry and wet fruits.The cloudy weather was very good that day, the courtyard was full of sunshine, and there was no wind, so all the screen doors and windows were opened, making it extraordinarily open and bright. "Grandpa came early! Have you eaten any snacks?" Grandma Qigu suddenly noticed, "Grandpa, you look very bad; are you feeling unwell? ""no! Hu Xueyan said, "I didn't sleep well last night." ""Why? Grandma Qigu added: "If you don't sleep all night, you won't make it like this. It makes sense, right?" " "Yes. There is a reason for it." Hu Xueyan asked, "Where is Lao Gu?" "I went to the cell. Come back at half past eleven." "It's still early for the guests. Is Seventh Sister okay? I'm fine. I have a few words to tell you." Grandma Qigu blinked her eyes a few times, and replied calmly, "It's nothing. Let's talk in Yingchun's study." When he arrived at the study, Hu Xueyan was unhappy; holding a bowl of tea, he was just lost in thought.Grandma Qigu had already guessed what was on his mind; if that was the case, the attack would have been too quick, and she needed to think carefully about what to say.So he didn't speak, and she was happy to keep silent. Finally he spoke: "Seventh Sister, Ah Qiao had a big fight with me last night?" He asked, "What exactly did you tell her?" Qigu's grandma didn't answer immediately, but instead asked, "Why is she arguing with you?" "She said: I have a word for you, and I plan to let her go. Seventh sister, isn't this something that goes without a trace?" Grandma Qigu smiled, "What else?" She asked again. "Also," Hu Xueyan said with great difficulty, "You said you called me slippery, and my conscience was eaten by dogs. You also said that I met one and fell in love with the other." Grandma Qigu laughed again, this smile seemed a little embarrassed, "Uncle," she said teasingly, "Are you angry?" "I was a little angry at first. Then I thought about it, and I was not angry: I think you are not a person without hills and valleys. It makes sense to say this?" Hearing this, Grandma Qigu immediately had a look of relief and gratitude on her face, "Uncle, it's because you know my true heart that I dare to act recklessly like that—actually, I wasn't reckless, I discussed it with others beforehand. But, I’ve thought about it, and I think this is the best way to do it. However, I can’t tell you first, because if I say it, I can’t do it.” She put aside this paragraph, and asked Sister Aqiao again: “What does she say? Why? Arguing with you? Is it because she believed what I said?" "She believed that I told you that she was going to leave her; that's why you said these things to her." Hu Xueyan said, "It would be the same if it were me. The child thought, otherwise, with our friendship, how could you scold me worthless in front of her?" "Not bad; not bad at all." Grandma Qigu asked very concerned: "Uncle, what about you, did you justify yourself?" "No." Hu Xueyan said, "Looking at the situation, it's useless to argue." Because of Hu Xueyan's unconsciously encouraging attitude, his determination with Grandma Qigu cannot be changed.She accepted Liu Bucai's advice and considered the embarrassing situation between Sister Aqiao and Hu Xueyan from the perspective of the harmony of the Hu family, thinking that the best policy was to cut the mess quickly.But having said that, you can't manipulate the situation alone; at the same time, you can't tell Hu Xueyan first, then you can only play by ear and say what you want. The first step is really a test.If Sister Aqiao didn't believe her and only believed in Hu Xueyan: take her criticism of Hu Xueyan's indiscretion and all kinds of "behind the scenes" that are close to luck, laugh it off, and throw it away after hearing it; this drama will be difficult to sing.Or, Hu Xueyan was deeply infatuated with Sister Aqiao, and tried to defend herself, but nothing happened, and obtained Sister Aqiao's forgiveness; it was even more difficult to sing this drama.Unexpectedly, sister Aqiao doubted her words because of Hu Xueyan's instruction; and Hu Xueyan was actually the default, if this opportunity was lightly let go, wouldn't it be a disappointment to her heart? So, she straightened her face and tried to persuade her very solemnly: "Uncle! Sister Aqiao, you can't take it anymore. Bystanders know, I thought about it for you. If you refuse to let go, you will suffer endlessly." According to Qigu's grandma, Hu Xueyan has "four things not to do" to Sister Aqiao: First, if Sister Aqiao insists on "establishing a family" outside, it will damage Mrs. Hu's family law, and the couple will turn against each other.Second, even if Sister Aqiao is willing to "go back", it is very reluctant. If there is a grudge in her heart, there will be disharmony between wives and concubines.Thirdly, since Sister Aqiao came from the He family, and was matched by Hu Xueyan at the beginning, she should avoid suspicion now; otherwise, some people may say that he was just "presenting beauty for glory", which is an extremely ugly reputation.Fourth, Sister Aqiao was born in a brothel, and has seen the world in the governor's office; it is doubtful whether such a person can follow Hu Xueyan to the end. "Uncle!" Finally, Qigu's grandma persuaded earnestly, "Once Hangzhou fell, Wang Xuegong was martyred; your old roots were broken, and your backing fell. In the future, you will have to start anew. You really have to work hard.才能恢复从前那种场面。如果说，你是象张胖子那样肯守的，只要一家吃饱穿暖就心满意足，那我没有话说；想要创一番事业，小爷叔，你这个时候千万闹不得家务。不但闹不得家务，还要婶娘切切实实助你一臂之力才行。这当中的利害关系，你倒仔细想一想！”前面的“四不可要”，胡雪岩觉得也不过“想当然耳”的危言耸听；最后一句“这个时候千万闹不得家务”，却真的让他悚然心惊了。 “七姐，你晓得的，我不是张胖子那种人，我不但要重起炉灶创一番事业；而且要大大创它一番事业。你提醒了我，这个时候心无二用，哪里有功夫来闹家务——。”“是啊！”七姑奶奶抢着说：“你不想闹家务；家务会闹到你头上来！推不开，摔不掉，那才叫苦恼。” “我就是怕这个！看样子，非听你的不可了。”“这才是！谢天谢地，小爷叔，你总算想通了。”七姑奶奶高兴地说，“阿巧姐自然是好的；不过也不是天下独一无二就是她！将来有的是。” “将来！”胡雪岩顿一顿足：“就看在将来上面。七姐，我们好好来谈一谈。” 要谈的是如何处置阿巧姐。提到这一层，七姑奶奶不免踌躇：“说实话，”她说，“我还要动脑筋！”“七姐，”胡雪岩似乎很不放心，“我现在有句话，你一定要答应我。你动出啥脑筋来，要先跟我说明白。”这话使得七姑奶奶微觉不安，也微有反感：“哟！哟！你这样子说法，倒象我会瞒着你，拿她推到火炕里去似的。”她很费劲地分辩，“我跟阿巧姐一向处得很好，现在为了你小爷叔，抹熬良心做事；你好象反倒埋怨我独断独行——。”“七姐，七姐！”胡雪岩不容她再往下说，兜头长揖，“我不能'狗咬吕洞宾，不识好人心'，无非我自己觉得对不起她，要想好好补报她一番而已。” “我还不是这样？你放心好了，我决不会动她的坏脑筋。”说到这里，七姑奶奶的眼睛突然发亮；同时绽开笑靥，望空出神。 这是动到了极好的脑筋。胡雪岩不敢打搅她；但心里却急得很！渴望她揭开谜底。 七姑奶奶却似有意报复：“我想得差不多了。不过，小爷对不起，我现在不没有动手，到开始做的时候，一定跟你说明白；你也一定会赞成。” “七姐！”胡雪岩陪笑说道：“你何妨先跟我说说？”“不行，起码要等我想妥当，才能告诉你。”七姑奶奶又说，“不是我故意卖关子，实在是还没有把握，不如暂且不说的好。” 听她言词闪烁，竟不知她葫芦里卖的什么药？以她的性情，再问亦无用，胡雪岩只好叹口气算了。 到了第二天，胡雪岩又去看七姑奶奶，恰好古应春也在，谈起家眷将到，另外要找房子，置家具，备办日用物品，本来可以关照阿巧姐动手的，此刻似乎不便麻烦她了。“不要紧！”七姑奶奶在这些事上最热心，也最有兴趣，慨然应承：“都交给我好了。” 在一旁静听的古应春，不免困惑，“为啥不能请阿巧姐帮忙？”他问。 “其中自然有道理。”七姑奶奶抢着说：“回头告诉你。”“又是什么花样？”古应春跟他妻子提忠告：“你可不要替小爷叔乱出主意。现在这个辰光，顶要紧的就是安静二字。”“正是为了安静两个字。”七姑奶奶不愿丈夫打搅，催着他说：“不是说，有人请你吃花酒；可以走了。”“吃花酒要等人来催请，哪有这么早，自己赶了去的？”古应春看出妻子的意思，觉得还是顺从为妙；所以又自己搭讪着说：“也好！我先去看个朋友。” “慢点！”七姑奶奶说，“我想起来了，有次秦先生说起，他的亲戚有幢房子在三马路，或卖或典都可以，你不妨替小爷叔去问一问。” 秦先生是她家号子里的帐房。古应春恪遵阃令，答应立刻去看秦先生细问；请胡雪岩第二天来听消息。“这样吧，”七姑奶奶说，“你索性请秦先生明天一早来一趟。” “大概又是请他写信。”古应春说，“如果今天晚上有空，我就叫他来。” 于是七姑奶奶等丈夫一走，便又跟胡雪岩谈阿巧姐，“小爷叔，”他问：“你的主意打定了？将来不会懊悔，背后埋怨我棒打鸳鸯两分离？” “哪有这样的事？七姐在现在还不明白我的脾气？”“我晓得，小爷叔是说到做到、做了不悔的脾气。不过，我还是问一声的好，既然小爷叔主意打定，明天我就要动手了。你只装不知道，看出什么异样，放在肚子里就是。”“我懂！”胡雪岩问：“她如果要逼着我问，我怎么样？”“不会逼着你问的，一切照旧，毫无变动，她问什么？”“好的！那就是我们杭州人说的那句话：'城隍山上看火烧！'我只等着看热闹了。”