Volume 1 Chapter 158: Humiliated by You, I Cannot Bear It

  Chapter 158: Beside You on the Wall Ladder

  Three days later, Wang Qiulou opened for business.

  Half a month ago, he posted to invite old customers who had been to the Autumn Building in Luozhou, as well as officials of all sizes and even aristocratic royal relatives. Mozi's advertising strategy is to directly copy the modern set, anyway, on the first day of opening, the post is a discount card, giving away famous wine, sending auspicious gift packages, and also promoting membership system.

  The menu of Shangdu Wangqiu Building is the flowery words spoken by Mozi, which has been developed for more than half a year and personally tasted by Mozi. It's absolutely impossible to find another restaurant with such delicious food.

  The courtyard of Wang Qiulou is breathtakingly beautiful, with gardens and pavilions competing in splendor. The small bridges and flowing water, the kiosks amidst flying flowers and willows, all showcase exceptional craftsmanship, leaving a lasting impression. Ge Qiuniang's singing and dancing skills are a highlight of the tower, with both the subtlety of the south and the boldness of the north. Qin Gu is certainly not to be overlooked, but her protégée, Dust Maiden, is said to have stunned all the guests that night with her song, even inspiring a famous poet to compose a poem about her voice.

  Cen Er said that although the first day was a big loss due to discounts, from the second day on, the entrance was crowded with people and high-end customers were pouring in. Whether it's delicious food and wine or Ge Qiu, many customers were attracted. At this rate, it will take no more than three months to break even.

  Only this time, Mozi didn't go and Qiang Sanniang also didn't go.

  Mozhi is on the windy side, afraid of the wine building's coming and going, encountering familiar people like Xu Jiu.

  Qiu San Niang had been less concerned with her comings and goings since giving Mo Zi the position of managing the household. She only required him to bring back the account book every half month, and that was enough. Recently, she had been following Wang Fei to learn about managing the internal affairs of the household, going out early in the morning and returning late at night with a lantern, which was also very tiring. However, whenever she made up her mind to do something, she would always succeed. She was impatient with the struggles within the household, but managing the household was similar to doing business, which she did not reject, and could even be said to be one of the few places in the large household that she liked.

  According to Green Chrysanthemum, Qiu San Niang's competence has won over the favor of the princess. The maids and servant girls below had some reservations at first, bullying Qiu San Niang for being young, secretly setting obstacles for her. After Qiu San Niang quietly taught them a lesson two or three times, now who dares to disobey?

  Not to mention ordinary maids, even Hongmei's attitude towards Qiu San Niang has changed a lot. In the past, no matter how close they seemed, there was always a hint of arrogance from serving the old lady. Now, that arrogance is gone, replaced by genuine sincerity. The most obvious sign is that she told Qiu San Niang about the previous two Madame Xiaos.

  The first wife, San Nainai, had a very soft heart and loved to cry. She often annoyed Xiao San, who didn't like her much and would often spend the night at Jin Si's place. For over a year, San Nainai was left alone in an empty house. On Old Master Wang's birthday, the masters sat together to watch plays all night, but San Nainai felt uncomfortable because of Xiao San and Jin Si's affair. After drinking too much, she was helped by a young maid to rest. Unexpectedly, Old Master Wang ordered Xiao San to accompany her. When Xiao San returned to San Nainai's residence, he found an unfamiliar man in the bedroom, while San Nainai was lying on the bed wearing only a bellyband. This shocking discovery enraged Xiao San, and the man jumped out of the window and ran away. As a scholar, Xiao San couldn't catch up with him. San Nainai was half-drunk at first but became half-awake after this incident. Although she claimed not to know the man, her reputation was ruined, and in shame and anger, she asked to leave the household. Due to the face-saving issue, it wasn't possible to report the incident, fearing it would lead to bloodshed, so they had to agree to San Nainai's request. However, somehow the news still spread to the streets, becoming more and more distorted. After returning to her natal home, the first wife was said to have lived a miserable life and soon entered a Buddhist temple for spiritual cultivation.

  The second wife was Li Wang Wu Cheng Wanbao, a woman similar to Qiu Si Niangniang, who was illiterate but very capable and managed the household well. However, because of her capability, she had a harsh attitude towards Jin Si, asking for her sale contract several times, wanting to sell her to a brothel owner, and raising her two children in her own courtyard, not allowing them to see each other. This third wife's methods were actually learned from her mother-in-law, which was not wrong in a large household. The mistake was underestimating Xiao San's favoritism towards Jin Si, and the more she suppressed Jin Si, the more Xiao San favored her. Coincidentally, the young master had food poisoning, and it was discovered that the third wife had instructed the cook to intentionally give him leftover food. With the cook as evidence, she refused to back down. The third wife's denial was useless, and Xiao San, tired of the chaos, simply divorced her with a letter. By the time the elders found out, it was too late. As a result, Emperor Shang was shocked and demoted Xiao San from his official position.

  Qiu Sanniang sneered coldly as she chatted with Mozi, saying that it was unclear whether Xiao San or Jin Si were more formidable, or if the two "three madames" weren't clever enough. However, there was one common point: both of the "three madames" had fallen in love with Xiao San, otherwise how could so many things have happened?

  Mozhi heard that, Qiu San Niang seemed to have made up her mind to be a nominal couple with Xiao San, and then they would stabilize for a while before talking about it. However, she didn't know whether she should advise Qiu San Niang to open up or not. It had been almost two months since they entered the Jing Wang Fu, if they didn't consummate their marriage soon, it would be hard to explain to the elders. But she really couldn't bring herself to advise her, because from a different perspective, she would do the same as Qiu San Niang - without feelings, she wouldn't truly become husband and wife.

  That day went to Qiu San Niang's study to exchange a few books to read, just ran into Xiao San coming in.

  Xiao San saw Mo Zi and smiled after a brief pause, "I heard you made San Niang unhappy, so she punished you to watch the bamboo forest?"

  Purple clothes Fu Fu body, "Aunt's husband. I couldn't control myself with one mouth, relying on grandma to spoil me and say the wrong words. The punishment is still considered light."

  Xiao San had always been kind to Qiu San Niang's dowry maid, exempting her from the usual rituals. "It was only because of my second brother's affair that you told the truth. My old grandmother dotes on her grandson and can't vent her anger on him, so she found fault with you instead. Don't worry, just wait for a while, your grandmother is probably thinking of you more often than I am, and will surely summon you back soon."

  "Brother-in-law, your words have really troubled me. Mozi is just a maid, why should the masters worry about her?" Don't worry, it's better that way.

  "You've become so worldly, what's with the polite pretenses? Everyone in the manor knows about my relationship with Third Madam. Friends who share a love for chess, music, painting, or books can all be spoken of, but husband and wife is the one thing that cannot be mentioned." Xiao San's smile turned into helplessness.

  He has always thought that he is very attractive to women in terms of appearance and talent, but his wife is an exception. She can accompany him in playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she refuses to go to bed with him. No matter how hard he tries to persuade her, she chases him away; when he gives up and leaves, she is delighted; when he threatens not to come back, she doesn't care. In recent days, he hasn't visited her, and she has been busy at her mother's place, seemingly having forgotten that she still has a husband.

  "Brother-in-law, the way of husband and wife is just a matter of heart." Mozi didn't want to say too much.

  She couldn't grasp Qiu San Niang's thoughts on this matter. Given Qiu San Niang's temperament, if she was truly provoked, it was entirely possible that she would leave of her own accord, and her life outside would definitely be better than now. However, when she saw Xiao San being difficult and making excuses to Qiu San Niang, tolerating her with many grievances, it seemed as though he had genuinely fallen in love. She felt a pang in her heart and couldn't bear to see this. In fact, if Xiao San could truly treat Qiu San Niang with kindness, it wouldn't be a bad thing at all. But men of ancient times had countless hearts, and among the three thousand beauties, taking only one sip was rare indeed. Jin Si, who had been driven away for no reason, wasn't good either. She appeared earlier than Qiu San Niang, and currently, she seemed to be obedient to Qiu San Niang, but in reality, she was cruel and not kind-hearted. How could she not cause trouble every day?

  "Is the way of husband and wife just a matter of the heart?". Xiao San had never heard anyone say this before, "I thought that the way of friendship was the same as the way of husband and wife, where the husband is heaven to the wife and the wife is earth to the husband, with the wife respecting the husband."

  Xiao family's sons are all too self-righteous, aren't they? Shao Zi Mo couldn't bear to hear such remarks and retorted, "Brother-in-law, your words are wrong. Husband and wife are originally one body, their hearts each half, together they are complete. If the heart is not whole, how can you accompany each other in old age? Heaven doesn't show gratitude to earth, so how can earth support heaven? Wife takes husband as honorable, husband should take wife as respectful. Don't move your heart, don't discuss husband and wife. If discussing husband and wife, it's not necessarily a long-lasting matter." Originally wanted to say, you've been warned twice, can't you understand this principle?

  Xiao San is a man of letters, and although the literary world of Zhou Dynasty is not as crazy as that of Tang Dynasty, he can be considered an exception, doing his own thing. For someone like Mo Zi, who doesn't care about social status, he talks freely. Mo Zi's words have profound implications that shock the world, and after being embellished with classical language, they make Xiao San think deeply.

  "Brother-in-law, you think that women are not allowed to enter your study because they lack talent and are not worthy of entering a place of learning. But my niece... is no ordinary woman. If you miss this opportunity, it will be hard for you to find someone to engage in pleasant conversation with for the rest of your life. Don't forget, friends won't come knocking on your door all the time, only your wife will accompany you till the end of your days. A wife who can be a bosom friend is even more precious than being the current emperor, isn't that a blessing?"

  Mozi suddenly realized she had said too much and didn't even take her book before excusing herself.

  Later, she went out and came back. Green Chrysanthemum came to gossip, saying that Xiao San had sent a book boy to send a formal invitation to Qiu San Niang, inviting his wife to enter the Qingquan Pavilion to listen to books and appreciate the night. Qiu San Niang hesitated for half a day, wanting to consult with Mo Zi, but Mo Zi ran out of the mansion again. In the end, she was persuaded by several big girls to go, and as a result, she didn't come back overnight.

  This kind of thing spreads among servants faster than the speed of light, who dares to say that Xiao San's marriage is not consummated? From then on, the queen and the old lady also got rid of the thorn in their hearts, and their love for Qiu San Niang became even deeper.

  Ke Qiu said the truth in front of Mo Zi, seeing so many good books, forgetting the time, blinking to dawn, and being clean and white with Xiao San.

  Mozi Xin was just looking at her, although she was annoyed, but her tender feelings were even more so. It seemed that Xiao San's opening of the study to her had indeed touched her heart. For a woman to be moved by a man, being touched is the first step.

  However, this couple also had many good things come out of their hardships.

  Mozi spent three days of hard work and finally made a smooth bamboo ladder. Xiao Yi has been following Qiu San Niang recently, afraid that the big tree would attract attention and cause trouble, so she had to rely on herself again.

  She climbed up the ladder and sat on the wall, looking over to find that there was also a tall wooden ladder on the other side of the wall. The wooden ladder had a piece of red cloth tied to it, and fortunately the weather had been good for several days, so it hadn't been rained on, and the writing on it was very clear.

  A crow presents a gift of sincerity, crossing walls and ladders with you.

  Alright, she and Junming Pearl, he and Junmu Ti. No, I said don't recognize or repay kindness. Is this ladder a tool for her revenge after cheating him? Will it do something to its feet, step on it and scatter, break bones?

  She touched the purple hand, cloud cedar wood, scraped very fine, the seam is hard to see the mark, feeling exquisite workmanship. She took three steps and climbed down, landing safely.

  It was her own little secret. She thought so at the time, with good intentions and a true heart.

  Chapter 158: Beside You on the Wall Ladder

  Chapter 158: With You on the Wall Ladder, Arriving at the Website