Bend Over [ 折腰 ] - Chapter 54

[Chapter 54]

When Mrs. Xu came back, Xiao Qiao handed over the matter to Chunniang, and went through all the servants and maids in the Westinghouse that day. Except for a few maids that I brought with me and Mrs. Xu who didn’t move, the rest were left to work honestly on weekdays. All those who were not pleasing to the eye were sent out, and finally the number was reduced to half. One person guards the door, and four people take care of the courtyard. One of them is designated to sweep Wei Shao’s study, and the rest are not allowed to enter or leave. The two keep the small kitchen and serve Wei Shao daily as before. There are two candidates who can be transferred everywhere. After clearly assigning things, Xiao Qiao paid monthly money to all the servants from his own pocket. This not only made the courtyard a lot quieter, but also lost the eyes watching from behind, and the people who stayed were all rejoicing, and there was a sense of honor to be appreciated by the queen.

When Xiao Qiao first came here, it was unknown in other rooms of the Wei family, and among the servants of the Westinghouse, it was inevitable that there were people who didn’t like her. Now more than half a year has passed, and seeing that she is not only valued by Mrs. Xu, but even Junhou has gradually become closer to the female Jun. Although this kind of thing is mostly in the room, the servants are used to observing words and expressions. After a long time, even if they can’t see it through the door, they can smell it. The servants and the Qiao family share a feud with each other, even Madam Xu and the male gentleman are like this, who would dare to despise her. What’s more, the lady has now added monthly money to herself, and she is all happy and eager to show her loyalty in front of Chunniang.

…

Although Yang Feng, the envoy of Yanzhou, met Wei Shao at the reception last night, the “official business” of the trip, according to the prevailing rules, will be reserved for today, and there is a meeting with a formal meaning.

Gongsun Yang came to the office early this morning to prepare for the meeting between Junhou and Yang Feng, but unexpectedly found that Junhou was earlier than himself. When he entered, he saw that he was already sitting in the hall, reading the case. It looks like it’s still some time. Surprised, he asked, “Why is it so early, Junhou?”

Wei Shao said, “I went to Zhuo County a few days ago, and I have accumulated a lot of business, which must be dealt with as soon as possible.”

When Gongsun Yang heard this, he couldn’t help being awe-inspiring, thinking that he did not protect the wrong person after all his hard work. Junhou abandoned his beautiful wife at home and came to the office early in the morning. If he is not close to the woman, he is so diligent. . He didn’t dare to disturb him again, and briefed him on the arrangement of the meeting with Yang Feng in the morning.

Wei Shao said impatiently: “I have the full authority to entrust Mr. Yang to come forward to meet with that Yang Feng on my behalf, and send him back earlier. What can I say to him?”

Gongsun Yang said: “My lord is missing, I am afraid that the Qiao family will meet another. I have something to think about. Besides, Young Master Qiao also came with Yang Feng. If the lord has nothing important, it would be better to meet him. If the lord is unwilling to talk more with the envoy of Yanzhou, I will do it on behalf of the lord.”

Wei Shao was silent.

Gongsun Yang has been assisting Wei Shao for many years, and he has also touched his temper somewhat. Although he is sometimes irritable and stubborn, he does not listen to others, but if he is right, even if he does not accept it at the time, he will always respond soon after. Not to mention that in the past few years, as the years have grown, the former “little bully” has gradually subsided. After observing his words, seeing that he was silent, he knew that he had agreed, so he told him, and then he stepped back and arranged not to mention it.

When Chen Shi arrived, Wei Shao met Yang Feng, Qiao Ci and other Yanzhou group in the hall.

Qiao Yue sent Yang Feng over this time, nothing else, but just to take the opportunity to win over the relationship between the two families. The meeting was tedious and uninteresting. Almost all Gongsun Yang was talking to Yang Feng, and they were all polite. Wei Shao basically didn’t speak, and Qiao Ci had nothing to say. As if sitting on needles, the brother-in-law who peeped at his own, saw him sitting in the center, his eyes were scattered, and he didn’t know what he was thinking, as if he had wandered beyond Taixu. Knowing that he must not despise his uncle’s face, he couldn’t help feeling even more ashamed. After the meeting was over, Qiao Ci just breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Wei Shao immediately got up from the couch, he strode out.

Qiao Ci was a little bored. If it wasn’t for the retention of Mrs. Xu and my sister, I just wanted to go back today. Following Yang Feng listlessly out of the gate of the ya office, suddenly a person who looked like a personal soldier ran towards him, reached in front of him, clasped his fists, and gave a military salute, saying, “Your Majesty ordered me to ask your son, is there any Interested in walking around? Junhou can accompany Young Master.”

Qiao Ci was stunned for a moment, then raised his eyes to look forward, and unexpectedly saw Wei Shao sitting on the back of a horse on the side of the road a few dozen steps away, turning his head and seemed to be looking in his direction.

He was really surprised. He and Wei Shao looked at each other from a distance, seeing that his expression was still so cold, guessing that he should be out of etiquette, so he casually asked someone to ask him. My sister’s advice that day was always in my heart, how could he really be so unprofessional, and dare to ask him to take time to hang out with him?

Besides, even if you really hang out, facing such a brother-in-law, no matter how good the scenery is, I am afraid it will become a chore.

Qiao Ci immediately said, “Please tell my brother-in-law, I would like to thank my brother-in-law for his kindness. I know that my brother-in-law is busy and I don’t dare to disturb him. Besides, Cousin Wei has taken me around a few days ago.

” He got off, turned around and ran to Wei Shao, and made a report to Wei Shao when he got to the front of the horse.

Wei Shao glanced at Qiao Ci, turned his face, pulled up the reins and galloped away.

…

After dealing with the Westinghouse servants, a day is almost over.

In the evening, when Xiao Qiao was waiting for Wei Shao to come back for dinner, he learned the news. After seeing Yang Feng and his party in the morning, he went to Fan Yang again, and he didn’t say when he would come back.

Fanyang is another large city in Youzhou, and it is also Wei Shao’s army station. It is not very far from Yuyang, and it is only a day and night journey back and forth.

He just came back from Zhuo County yesterday and went to Fanyang again today, and he didn’t hear anything from him beforehand. Something must have happened again.

Xiao Qiao didn’t care much, but thought that Adi Qiao Ci didn’t come back during the day and didn’t know where she went, so she went to take a look at Qiao Ci’s place.

Qiao Ci still didn’t reply.

Xiao Qiao instructed his servants, and asked Qiao Ci to come back to him to report and go back.

It was getting dark, Xiao Qiao stood at the door, looked up and watched the servant girl light up the lanterns on the aisle one by one. Joe Ci is here.

Qiao Ci just came back from outside, sweating all over, and some dry yellow mud dust on her clothes. Hungry loudly. Xiao Qiao took him to wash his face and hands, Qiao Ci wiped his sweat, washed his hands, and followed Xiao Qiao to dinner. When he was half full, Xiao Qiao asked where he was going today.

Qiao Ci said that when Yang Feng came out of the office with Yang Feng in the morning, when he was going back to Wei’s house, cousin Wei sent someone to look for him to go to the school grounds. It was only after he went there that he found out that there was a Luli Terrace outside Yuyang City, which was specially built to hold military exercises. Once a year, it was called the Luli Conference. No matter the military rank, anyone with ability could participate. The content is divided into two categories: riding, shooting and fighting. The winner of riding and shooting will get deer, and the winner of fighting will get li. The two who finally won Luli not only enjoyed great glory and were admired by everyone, but also jumped into important positions in the Wei family’s pro-huben army. It is said that Li Dian, the general under Wei Shao’s account, became famous in battle twenty years ago as a horse archer, and was reused by Wei Shao’s father, Wei Liang, and gradually became the general of the current Megatron.

“Sister, the Luli Conference will be here in a few days. Cousin Wei told me to stay for a few more days, so that I can see the scene of the big competition. He praised my riding and shooting. Let me play at that time. Go show your hand. Sister, I want to go!”

Qiao Ci’s expression was full of eagerness to try.

Although the Qiao family is declining now, it was once the master of one party. Qiao Ci was born in an aristocratic family, and naturally he also carried the arrogance of the children of the aristocratic family. That’s why he can’t stand others laughing at him for being like a woman in front of the battle and rush out to fight fiercely. It’s a pity that Qiao Yue, the uncle of the Qiao family’s patriarch, did not want to make progress, and was blindly servile to Wei Shao. At the reception banquet last night, Qiao Ci felt a great humiliation, and at the meeting at the Ya’s office this morning, the humiliation went even further. I used to be unhappy. He suddenly learned that there is such an opportunity to show his ability, with his juvenile ambition, how could he be willing to miss it? When I came back, I told Xiao Qiao immediately.

Joe hesitated.

“Sister! Please, don’t stop me! I only participate in riding and shooting! Nothing will happen! You also know that I used to be outstanding at riding and shooting at home, and even my father praised me!”

Qiao’s family has a horse farm. Qiao Ping specially hired famous teachers to teach Qiao Ci and Liu Yan, who was still living in Qiao’s family at the time. Xiao Qiao knew that Adi was really good at riding and shooting. Seeing him looking at him with pleading eyes, he finally couldn’t bear to refuse, and nodded: “Then be careful with yourself. You can’t stand out just to be assertive. Just take part in it, winning or not is the next thing.”

“Thank you, sister . !”

Qiao Ci grinned.

…

Wei Shao didn’t come back the next day.

Qiao Ci didn’t see anyone during the day, and only returned at night when it was dark. He was sweating all over. After eating, I lay down and went to bed early. The next day, I got up early in the morning and hurried to the school grounds.

Xiao Qiao knew that his brother had been preparing for the Luli Conference in a few days, so he didn’t bother much.

On the third night after Wei Shao left, it was dark. Usually, Qiao Ci should have returned at this time, but at this moment, no one else was seen.

Xiao Qiao was a little worried and waited outside the Westinghouse. When he looked up, he saw Qiao Ci’s attendant, named Yu Lu, came back alone, carrying Qiao Ci’s bow and arrow, but he did not see Qiao Ci walking with him.

When Yu Lu saw Xiao Qiao, he hurried over and bowed. Xiao Qiao asked him where Qiao Ci went.

Yu Lu said: “Wei Shijun saw that the young master has been training hard for the past few days in riding and archery, so he took him to loosen his muscles and bones. The son said that he would be back soon. I was afraid that the lady would be worried, so I sent the slave to come back and let him know first.” Xiaotong was raised in Qiao’s family, and was named after his ugly appearance and eyes like fish. Seeing his loyalty, Qiao Ping assigned him to his son as a follower. This time when Qiao Ci went out, he also followed to Yuyang.

When Xiao Qiao saw Yu Lu talking, his head hung down and he didn’t dare to look into his eyes. He was suspicious and asked, “Where did Wei Shijun take the young master to loosen his muscles and bones?”

Yu Lu still hung his head and hesitated. I can’t tell.

“Come on!” Xiao Qiao shouted.

Yu Lu finally stammered: “I went to the “Luo Zhongfang” in the city to loosen my muscles.” After he finished speaking, he blinked and looked at Xiao Qiao with an unhappy face.

Xiao Qiao has been in Yuyang for so long, and naturally she has heard of Luo Zhongfang, which is actually a high-end club for rich men to have fun. Hearing that Wei Yan had taken his younger brother to such a place, he was immediately annoyed. He went back to his room, changed his clothes, brought Chunniang, Lin Li and another servant girl from Kong Wu, and immediately went out and got on the carriage, and went directly to find him. Luo Zhongfang.

Luo Zhongfang is located in a prosperous area in the west of the city, and there are restaurants and brothels nearby. Compared with ordinary brothels, this one can be described as a gold-selling cave. The guests who come in and go out are either rich or expensive. The so-called thousand-dollar buys a drunk, lying on the crisps and never returning. Naturally, the women here are more versatile and colorful than other houses. more prosperous.

Xiao Qiao arrived at Luo Zhongfang. It was the busiest time of the day here. The lights in the lobby downstairs were brilliant, and there were prostitutes sitting on both sides. The sound of silk and bamboo could be heard. With heavy makeup and bright makeup, Meiji was wrapped in the beautiful Lingluo from Jiangnan, with a charming smile, welcoming the guests who were constantly coming and going.

Xiao Qiao’s carriage stopped beside the gate of Fangqian, but he didn’t get off, so Chunniang and Lin Li went in and called someone out.

The doorman saw a carriage stopped outside the door, and two servants who seemed to be from a big family came down. When they were about to ask, they were pushed away by Lin Ni with a palm. The doorman saw that the two servants were aggressive, as if they were not good, and did not dare to stop them, and hurriedly asked who they were looking for. Hearing Chunniang reporting to Wei Yan, she didn’t dare to neglect, and hurriedly pointed the way.

Xiao Qiao sat in the carriage and watched Chunniang enter through the window. After waiting for a while, he saw Qiao Ci hurried out from the inside, ran to the front of his carriage, bowed his head and said nothing.

Xiao Qiao stared at Qiao Ci and saw that his cheeks were flushed, as if he had drank a lot of wine, and there seemed to be a suspicious trace of mouth fat left on his neck. He was angry and was about to speak, when suddenly another person quickly chased out from the door. , looked up and saw that Wei Yan was chasing after him.

Wei Yan ran to Xiao Qiao’s carriage, looked at Qiao Ci, who was downcast and didn’t say a word, patted his shoulder comfortingly, then turned around and said to Xiao Qiao, who was half-faced in the window, “Brother and sister. Don’t blame Mr. Qiao. It’s really not my fault. Seeing him practicing hard in the school these days, I forced him to drink here. It ‘s clean. Brother and sister, don’t worry about it.”

Xiao Qiao was really angry in her heart, although she tried her best to endure it, her expression still showed some annoyance, and said coldly: “I know that after Adi came, the uncle took great care and took care of it in many ways. Originally, I should have thanked my uncle. Tonight, I also know that my uncle has good intentions, and I shouldn’t come here to spoil the mood. It’s just that my brother is still a minor. When I was in Dongjun, my father also strictly disciplined my brother. , before he is a minor, he is not allowed to enter or leave the Fengyue site. Just now, if I have offended you, I will also ask Uncle Haihan. Uncle, please do it yourself. I will take my brother back first.”

After she finished speaking, she nodded slightly to Wei Yan, Looking at Qiao Ci, who was still hanging his head, he frowned and said, “Why don’t you go and bring the horse, come back with me?

”

Xiao Qiao lowered the curtain and looked at the curtain, and the carriage followed.

Wei Yan watched Xiao Qiao’s carriage go away, with a dazed expression, standing alone for a long time.

…

Xiao Qiao watched Qiao Ci riding in front of him, and went back to the Wei Mansion without a word. As soon as he entered the door, he immediately brought him into his room and told Chunniang, Lin Li and others to go out.

Qiao Ci’s face was blown all the way down by the night wind. The color of the wine had faded a lot, but it was still red. He secretly glanced at the frowning elder sister, panicked in his heart, and looked at Chunniang as if asking for help.

Chunniang persuaded: “Miss, this is also the first offense, sir. Besides…”

“Chunniang, go out.”

Chunniang shook her head and had no choice but to go out.

“Is that kind of place you can go to?”

As soon as the door closed, Xiao Qiao scolded, “How did I teach you when I was at home? How old are you? You are not even sixteen, yet you dare to go to that kind of place!”

Qiao Ci’s face changed again because of shame Turning red, he murmured: “Sister, I was wrong… I didn’t go, but when cousin Wei called, all the brothers who had been on the school grounds for a few days were all looking at me. I…”

He stopped and looked at Xiao Qiao with pleading eyes.

…

Actually, the youngsters in the current aristocratic family, like Qiao Ci, who have not yet reached the age of sixteen, have a year or two to get married, but there are not a few who have long been fornicating with the maids of the family in private. Someone like Qiao Ci is an anomaly. Just because Qiao Ci has a simple nature and people are ignorant, he has never paid much attention to this aspect in the past. After Xiao Qiao came, he chased away all the dishonest maids next to Qiao Ci, and on weekdays, he also consciously instilled in his younger brother the idea of being one person for the rest of his life and not being close to other women before marriage.

She didn’t have to train Qiao Ci to be a good man who could be measured by the standards of the 21st century. After all, the big picture is here. But now, as much as I can teach, I still have to teach. As for the future, when her younger brother is an adult, after marrying a wife and starting a career, she can’t control what he wants to do.

But now, she would never allow him to enter or leave a place like Luo Zhongfang.

…

Xiao Qiao suddenly seemed to understand something after hearing Qiao Ci’s explanation.

A brother himself should not want to go. It’s just that Wei Yan shouted, and there were so many people around him that he was probably afraid that he would be laughed at if he refused.

Xiao Qiao met her younger brother’s beautiful eyes, and the sullenness that she had just produced gradually subsided.

“Sister! Don’t be mad at me. I promise, I won’t dare to go again next time—”

Qiao Ci begged pitifully.

“Actually, my sister is also thinking about your body. You haven’t reached the age of sixteen yet—”

“I thought something happened! It’s just a trivial matter, why is there such a big movement?”

Before Xiao Qiao could finish speaking, a voice suddenly came from behind, interrupting her. Then, the door was slammed open.

Xiao Qiao turned her head and saw that Wei Shao, who had gone to Fanyang the day before yesterday, raised her foot and stepped in, strode in, and said in a disapproving tone.

When Qiao Ci saw her brother-in-law came back suddenly, listening to his tone, he seemed to be speaking for himself. Surprised, he opened his mouth slightly.

Xiao Qiao was stunned for a moment, then frowned slightly, and said coldly, “I’m disciplining my younger brother, and Junhou is going to intervene?”

Wei Shao didn’t seem to hear it, and went straight to Qiao Ci and said, “Go back. It’s just a trivial matter. If you come back late next time, remember to come back with a message earlier.”

Qiao Ci glanced at her brother-in-law, and then secretly glanced at the sullen sister beside her, and suddenly felt a pain in the back of her neck. A gust of cool wind blew through, shrinking his neck, and hurriedly lowered his head and slipped out.

[End of This Chapter]