Chapter 160
160 Do Him In
Granny Ren followed Qiu Ju into the courtyard. Old Madam Zhou leaned against the Nanmu armchair and looked at Granny Ren. She said indifferently, “You said you have something to tell me?”
Granny Ren looked at Madam Zhou. Although her hair was grayer than before, her face was still rosy and lustrous. She was looking at her indifferently.
Granny Ren bowed and said, “Old Madam, you instructed me to help look after the residence opposite and report to you if anyone comes. Four carriages came today. A handsome couple brought a few family members and entered the residence to stay.”
Old Madam Zhou sat up straight and looked at Old Granny Ren. “Did you see it clearly?”
Old Granny Ren glanced at Old Madam Zhou. “Old Madam Zhou, I saw everything. They arrived at the end of the day and haven’t come out since they entered.”
When Old Madam Zhou heard this, she turned to look at the old woman standing behind her. “Old Madam Ma, give her two taels of silver and go to the north city with her to take a look.”
Old Ma curtsied. “Yes, old lady.”
Old Madam Ma handed a pouch to Granny Ren and smiled at her. “Old Madam Ren, let’s go!”
Granny Ren pinched the silver in her purse and happily followed Old Madam Ma out.
The two of them got into the carriage. Old Granny Ren glanced at Old Granny Ma and smiled obsequiously. “Old Sister, is that young master a relative of the Zhou family?”
Old Granny Ma glanced at Old Granny Ren and scolded coldly, “Don’t pry into matters that have nothing to do with you.”
Granny Ren glanced at Granny Ma and pursed her lips secretly. She thought to herself that Granny Ma was just a servant. What was there to be proud of?
Old Granny Ma sat in the cart and was secretly worried. The old lady was becoming more and more confused. The old master had been gone for so many years, and the children of the two wives were all descendants of the Zhou family. How could they be close or distant? If they chased out the capable ones and left the two useless wastrels behind, the Zhou family would not be able to last long.
When the two of them arrived at Old Madam Ren’s house in the north city, they stood at the door and saw that the courtyard opposite had indeed been cleaned. There was even laughter coming from the house from time to time. Old Madam Ma thought to herself, “Looks like Eldest Young Master is indeed back.”
After Old Granny Ma found out, she got into the cart and returned to South City. She went back and reported to Madam Zhou, “Old Madam, Old Granny Ren didn’t lie. Eldest Young Master has already returned.”
A teacup shattered in front of Old Granny Ma’s feet. “I think you’re getting senile. Your eldest young master is studying hard in the academy!”
Old Madam Ma slapped herself and hurriedly knelt down to beg for mercy. “I was really stupid. Please forgive me.”
Grandma Zhou looked at her and said coldly, “I’ll let you off this time. There won’t be a next time.”
At this moment, a woman walked in. She was wearing a dark purple brocade jacket embroidered with butterflies, a green pleated skirt, and an ingot hairpin on her head. She had a round face and a pleasing appearance. She had a pair of dimples on her cheeks that resembled Old Madam Zhou.
The woman glanced at the kneeling Old Granny Ma and walked to Old Madam Zhou’s side. She leaned against Old Madam Zhou affectionately. “Aunt, what’s wrong? Why are you angry with the servants?”
Old Madam Zhou glanced at the woman who held her hand lovingly. “Aunt, don’t be angry. Let her go!”
The woman turned to look at the Old Madam Ma. ” Didn’t you hear me? I told you to go!”
“Yes, thank you, old lady. Thank you, madam.”
After Old Madam Ma left, Old Madam Zhou pulled the woman to sit down beside her and said, “Yujiao, that brat is back.”
Yu Jiao was stunned. “Who did you say came back? Didn’t you say that Qingzhou was dry and burned by bandits?”
Old Madam Zhou patted the armrest of the chair. “That brat is back. I asked Old Granny Ma to take a look. He’s already staying in the house in the north of the city. I think he even got a wife and brought her here.”
Yu Jiao looked at Old Madam Zhou and stirred the handkerchief in her hand with a vicious expression. “Aunt, we shouldn’t have let him off back then. Let’s find someone to kill him.”
Old Madam Zhou looked at her niece and said weakly, “We don’t have any money to hire people anymore. The business in the workshop is getting worse and worse. Many old customers have run away. I wonder how your father manages it.”
Yu Jiao looked at Old Madam Zhou and said coquettishly, “Aunt, my father is your younger brother. Besides, I don’t dare to control him. How can I manage the workshop? Ask him!”
Grandma Zhou muttered to herself, “That’s right? I have to ask him tomorrow.”
Yu Jiao stomped her feet relentlessly. “Then tell me, how should we deal with that brat? He will definitely come back to participate in the autumn examination. Hurry up and find a way to stop him!”
Grandma Zhou said indifferently, “It’s useless to find any connections. Even if he passes his inheritance to his third brother, I’m still his grandmother. When the time comes, I’ll get someone to say that I’m sick and let him tend to me.”
Yu Jiao looked at Old Madam Zhou and didn’t say anything. She thought to herself, It seems like you can’t bear to part with him! Do you think I can’t do anything if you’re unwilling?
Yu Jiao’s eyes darted around as she looked at Old Madam Zhou. “Aunt, Xin’er should be back. I’ll go take a look before accompanying you.”
Grandma Zhou waved her hand tiredly. “Go! Get the kitchen to make a few dishes that he likes.”
Yu Jiao looked at Old Madam Zhou. “I understand, Aunt. Xin’er is my son after all.”
Old Madam Zhou watched Yu Jiao leave and rubbed her brows. This wolf cub had still returned after so many years. She shouldn’t have been so soft-hearted back then and let him off to be adopted, causing this situation.
Yu Jiao quickly returned to her courtyard and said to Qiu Xiang, who was following behind her, “Qiu Xiang, go back and ask your brother to meet me tomorrow morning. I have something to instruct him to do.”
Qiu Xiang looked at Yu Jiao. “Madam, ever since you released my parents and my brother, my brother has been mixing with those shady people. My parents were almost angered to death.”
“Do you think I don’t know what your brother is like?” Yu Jiao looked at Qiu Xiang and said coldly, “If I tell you to go, you go. Do I still need you to teach me how to do things?”
Qiu Xiang hurriedly knelt down and kept kowtowing to beg for mercy. “Madam, I don’t dare. I’ll go now.”
Zhou Jia and Li Yu were busy after returning.
Zhao Cai and He Tiezhu went to buy a cart of firewood to boil hot water. After washing up, they waited for Ruyi to buy rice, vegetables, and meat.
Li Yu saw a jar of sorghum wine, a jar of glutinous rice wine, pork, chicken, fish, and mutton. With He Xiaoyu s help, she made spicy chicken, sweet and sour fish, mutton stewed with radish, stir-fried meat, salt-fried meat, and stir-fried bean sprouts.
Li Yu asked Xiaoyu to place the food on a table and said to Zhou Jia, “Let’s not eat separately tonight. Let’s sit together and have fun.”
Zhou Jia waved his hand. “Alright, we’ll listen to Madam. Let’s all sit together and eat.”
Ah Gou looked at the table full of meat dishes and was so happy that he didn’t know which one to eat. He held his chopsticks and smiled at Li Yu. “Young Madam, these dishes look delicious. You and Madam He can open a restaurant.”
Li Yu smiled. “Alright, let’s open a restaurant in the future. Let’s eat! If you like it, eat more. Everyone has been tired after so long.”