marry a weak waist

Chapter 28

For the next few days, Dong Mo didn't go to Little Cicada Alley, but stayed in the yamen to check taxes with Mr. Jia, another political participant.The money and accounts of the state capitals and even the counties are all in line, but the salt tax of the Salt Transportation Department is tens of thousands less than that of the previous year.

Tens of thousands are lost every year, and after a few years, it is already a shortfall of hundreds of thousands.Dong Mozuan closed the account book, but before he could speak, he asked Mr. Jia to preempt him and said, "I know what Mr. Dong wants to ask. I don't know either. The Salt Transportation Department is under the Ministry of Households, and their taxes have always been paid directly to the Ministry of Households." , Our Chief Secretary is just checking and checking, and the details inside are the affairs of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and we can't find out."

The thin snow had melted, Jinan was clear like spring, and there was a morning light in the case. Dong Mo retreated into the sun, relaxed his brows, and leaned on the back of his chair with a relaxed expression, "Master Jia misunderstood, I am not asking about taxes. .I want to ask for advice. The end of the year is approaching, is there any excitement in Jinan?"

"Oh." Mrs. Jia was stunned for a moment, then smiled immediately, "It's no different, watching lanterns, worshiping Buddha and offering sacrifices, hey, the customs of different places are similar, but it's just a quick look at the flowers. If you want to talk about the excitement, it's still the excitement in Beijing, at the feet of the emperor. Well. Jinan is nothing more than a little bit of light in the south of the Yangtze River, and there are many literati. Mr. Dong is bored, but he can go to Daming Lake for a tour. There are many flower boats and countless beauties during the festival. Sit down, and I will show you the proposed memorial first. Master Qin has a look."

Mr. Jia went out to greet him and turned into Qin Xun's inner hall.Qin Xun was dozing off on the grand master's chair, with a silver whisker buried in his chest.Master Jia walked to the side lightly, and arched his head, "Master Qin, Master Qin?"

Qin Xun woke up with a slump, looked out of the hall for a while, then turned to his side, "Have you checked the tax and bank?"

"It's all checked."

"Then hurry up and hand it over to the Ministry of Accounts. It's the New Year's Eve. If there is a heavy snowstorm, the journey will be delayed." Master Jia handed over the memorial to the court, and he didn't bother to look at it, and threw it on the case, " Master Dong didn't ask anything?"

Mr. Jia twitched his beard and smiled, "I wanted to ask about the account of the Salt Transport Department, but I let the humble official prevaricate it."

Qin Xun got up with an old bone, and staggered towards the case, "Don't offend him, just mess around. When I retire and return to my hometown, he wants to find out what is the matter of their Dong family, but don't bother me right now. One is Dong Shilang from the Ministry of War, the other is Chu Shilang from the Ministry of Household Affairs, and both of them are cabinet members. I can't afford to offend either one, so it's better to hide."

Master Jia pondered for a moment, then laughed behind him, "Master Dong came to Jinan, did he not know about Meng Yu's relationship with Minister Chu?"

"I probably don't know. Even Taifu Dong may not know, it's just a guess. The person who recommended Meng Yu in the court has always been a member of the official department. Besides, Meng Yu does have some talents, and he has done a lot of practical things as an official in Suzhou. Yes. If it wasn't for the shortfall of Jinan's salt tax in the past few years, I'm afraid Dong Shilang would not have thought of Chu Shilang."

After talking about this basket, he waved his hand recklessly, "It has nothing to do with me anyway, as long as the fire primer doesn't burn me."

"My lord, just don't worry, after this year, you will be relieved once you take off the burden."

There are four smoked cages in the inner hall, and the two of them hid from the cold wind of Beijing and hid in the warm winter of Jinan, laughing and talking.

Being suppressed by these two people secretly, and the old man in Beijing hadn't replied yet, it was inconvenient for Dong Mo to investigate many things clearly. After thinking about it for two days, he invited a deputy salt supervisor from the Salt Transportation Department to come home.

This man's surname was Shao, who was originally a student of Uncle Dong Mo's, but he offended the old man because of the elder's birthday that year.

Master Shao heard that it was Dong Mo who had invited him, so he hurried home to change his clothes, and greeted the door with three arches, "I heard that Master Dong arrived at the Chief Secretary of Jinan, and he handed over invitations in summer, but it is a pity that Master Dong is busy with his affairs, No chance to see."

Dong Mo nodded lightly, invited him into the room, and treated him to tea, "I just arrived in Jinan, and many things are not going my way. I only thought of inviting Mr. Shao today. I am rude."

Although Mr. Shao had never met Dong Mo, he knew a little bit about Dong Mo because he was under the tutelage of the Dong family.Knowing that Dong Mo is a withdrawn person, if he suddenly invites him today, there must be something wrong.

I also knew that he didn't like socializing, so I asked bluntly: "What's not going well? You might as well tell the humble official, the humble official has been in Jinan for these years, and he dare not say anything else. "

"Brother Zheng wants to ask Brother Shao for help." Dong Mo put down the teacup and walked up to the living room, "Jinan's salt tax is decreasing year by year, and there is nothing wrong with it on the books. I think it must be the salt." The production is low, or the loss is high, I want to ask the adults to help me find out the reason." He cut his arms and smiled slightly, "This is what my old man meant."

Mr. Meng Yuzhang's one-party deficit of salt tax has also been observed by Mr. Shao. It's just that the officials below don't dare to intervene in matters above, so they always pretend to be deaf and dumb.

Hearing Dong Mo's last sentence now, he knew it was a reversal of his fortune.It doesn't matter if you lose the favor of the old man of the Dong family, it's even better if you can please the old man!

Immediately put down the teacup, got up and bowed his head, "Since it's Taifu Dong's intention, I should do it with dignity. Don't worry, Mr. Dong, within half a year, the humble official will definitely find out."

Dong Mo approached, and laughed dryly twice in a deep voice, "My uncle is good at everything, but he doesn't know how to judge people. How many talents like Mr. Shao are in his hands for nothing, which delays the progress of these people. The future is not beneficial to the court affairs. In my opinion, the most important thing in the country is the talents. What does Master Shao say?"

"Don't dare to do it, don't dare to do it. A humble and incompetent person can serve for the court's great affairs, which is the favor of a humble position."

Mr. Shao took orders to go, but unfortunately the court soldiers had already crossed the river, and Meng Yu's batch of salt had been safely delivered to Tai'an Prefecture, and he looked refreshed these two days.

Another happy thing is that Meng Yuan doesn't go to Xiao Chan Blossom Lane these days, and stays at home for several days, helping to arrange Mei Qing's marriage.Ordinarily, she shouldn't be happy, she doesn't go often, she must be far away from Dong Mo, which is of no benefit to the big things.

But people's heart and reason are often at odds. Meng Yu looks up in the book to see the dream, and there always seems to be a trickle flowing through the chest cavity, full of a kind of nourishment.He couldn't even read the book, so he simply got up and went to the hood to listen to Meng Yuan talking to the tailor:

"Cut six sets of clothes for each of the four seasons. Look at the patterns and colors. You just need some fashionable styles. I remember that the second girl from Mr. Li's family came out of the cabinet last year. I asked you to cut the clothes. My place is no worse than his house. Alright. I'm just this girl, you old man can have some snacks."

The tailor agreed, and Meng Yu poured a cup of tea to moisten her throat. When she raised her eyes and saw Meng Yu leaning against the screen, she pouted and complained, "After talking for a long time, my voice is hoarse! I don't know what Mei Qing remembers." It’s good not to remember me, but don’t turn around and blame me.”

Meng Yu couldn't help but fell on the couch, put her arms around her waist and coaxed her, "What else is wrong with you? Even my own sister is nothing more than that. What have you prepared for her?"

"Clothes for the four seasons were cut into six sets, silk and satin, both big and small. I also made a pair of emerald heads. Mother asked a carpenter to make a set of furniture, and gave her 200 taels of silver." Meng Tiao felt a little distressed after counting down , "In this current market, I have done my best."

Meng Yu grabbed her hand on the skirt, winked and teased, "Mother, she probably cried when she counted these things under the lamp. Come on, I will pay for the expenses of you two. I will be your brother-in-law." Yes, I will accompany her with another 300 taels of silver."

"Really?" Meng Yu squinted his eyes.

"I coaxed you with money?"

As soon as Meng Tiao was happy, he put aside the previous rift between the two of them and asked him, "Aren't you going outside today?"

Meng Yu also felt that the moment was very good, the husband and wife were having a good time together, sending the girl off to marry, it was a harmonious and beautiful family!Also reluctant to go out, rubbing her fingers one by one, rubbing them hot, "Master Yu is setting up a table in Luoying Lane to treat guests, there is no rush to go, after lunch at home, it is not too late, save it and just eat wine , the rice can’t be eaten raw.”

Talking is a bit of a snack, Meng Yu is a little hungry, and wants to go to her mother's house to discuss Mei Qing's marriage, but Meng Yu throws the tea cup and stops her, "You can go after I go out, what's the rush? , it’s not going to be done tomorrow.”

Meng Tiao had no choice but to sit back, "On the other side of Liu Chaoru, when will the matchmaker come?"

"I bumped into him at a government meeting the day before yesterday, and he said that it was years ago that he would accompany the matchmaker to come to the door to say hello to my mother."

"He's very polite."

When Liu Chaoru was mentioned, both of them couldn't help but think of Dong Mo, but they agreed not to mention it.The clear and green outside the window, the trivial things are covered by the spring smoke, and the room only belongs to their moments.

Meng Yu remained silent, just staring at her with a hard smile on her face.After a while, he quickly got off the bed, picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.Mengyu shook his head in horror, "What are you doing?"

"Satisfied with warmth and longing for sex."

Meng Yu thumped him with a startled smile, "I just got up!"

"Then go back to sleep and feel good."

Meng Yu put her on the soft bunk, and she got up again, with her waist bent, her legs folded in her skirt, her chin raised, and she settled old scores complacently, "Didn't you talk to me a few days ago?" With a gun and a stick? What will this mean to pester me again?"

He looked at her with a smile, and untied the veil on the moon hook, "Do I have it? I don't remember."

"Oh, you won't admit it again?" Meng Yu turned his eyes away, "Don't make me look down on you, if you have the ability, you should never talk to me for the rest of your life, anyway, you don't lack women outside."

The gauze curtain was lowered, and the dazzling light instantly softened. Meng Yu lowered her whole body and sniffed at her neck, "Why do you keep saying such unsightly things? I never hide it from you."

Meng Tiao was amused by his hot breath and giggled, pretending to struggle.Meng Yu pressed her wrists on both sides, her lips fell down tightly, covering her whole body, and she kept calling the word "Meng'er", very softly, as if she was exhaling slightly at Xi, the curling white smoke , jumping in the bright yellow sun.

But the action was a little reckless, like when they first met, he was eager to occupy her, and put his name on her from the inside out.He could feel that his name had faded a little in her heart, and there was another name that was going to cover it.

So he went on a rampage with all his strength, re-portraiting his name, to be thick and colorful!To never be annihilated!

Meng Tiao was hit by him so much that she bit her mouth, wrapped her arms around him, and her mind was thrown into confusion.But in the chaos, he couldn't help but sigh happily, and finally didn't have to deal with Dong Mo, while sinking involuntarily, while crawling out in fear.It was tiring enough just to swirl in his vortex.

No one could tell her these chaotic thoughts, they were entangled in her heart all day long, wrapped too tightly, and wanted to catch her breath, so she went to her mother's room the next day.

Chang Xiucai was reading a book on the outer couch, Mengtiao met with him, opened the curtain and entered the bedroom, Mei Qing was also there, happily discussing with Mengli how to dress.

The old lady sucked on the cigarette bag, puffed out the cigarette, and knocked on the kang table twice, "If I want to tell you, it's like the dragon and the phoenix on the long-sleeved gown that Meng'er got married. It’s good-looking and decent. The ready-made shape is still stored in the tailor’s master, so I don’t need to describe it.”

Mei Qing was still a little undecided, so she gave way to the base of the wall and gave Meng Tiao a seat, "Sister, what do you say?"

"Aren't you the one with the most ideas, you still come to ask me?" Mengyu rolled his eyelids, seeing that the two sisters were about to quarrel again.

Mengyu blinked and thought again, after all, it was her good deed, so she shouldn't be too mean, so she softened her temper and said impatiently, "Auspiciousness between a dragon and a phoenix is ​​not unlucky, I think it's better to look like a pair of wings."

Mei Qing also held back the sarcasm she was about to say, because she asked: "What's so unlucky about the prosperity of the dragon and the phoenix? It's the best trick!"

"Your brother-in-law and I look like dragons and phoenixes, do you think we are a good husband and wife?"

Mei Qing rolled her eyes and laughed, "That's true. It's better to fly together."

The whole family knew that Liu Chaoru Nianguan invited a matchmaker to make an engagement, but it was just for show, and the date was set for next summer.Mei Qing was already a little intoxicated, and drew up the style of the wedding dress, thinking about Liu Chaoru's dowry gift, she glanced at Meng Yuan, pulled her and asked, "Did brother-in-law hear how Shuwang raised the 300 taels of silver? "

"Hey, is it called 'Shu Wang'?" Meng Yu smiled at her sideways, picked a plum from the kang table and put it in his mouth, and teased indistinctly, "I think you can't wait to fly to his house with the right wings Go, be more careful, it hurts."

"Don't be so mean to me that I'm going to die?" Mei Qing gritted her lips and killed her coldly, "I ask you anything and you just say what you want, and you want to recruit me to be "good" for nothing, why bother? "

Meng Yu swallowed his throat, feeling that something was wrong, restrained his sarcasm, and softened his voice, "How much is his salary for a year? Even if he doesn't eat or drink, he will have to save for three years. How else can he raise money? You have to go around to borrow money. Let me tell you, you will be a family anyway. Instead of carrying foreign debts, you might as well give them to him. We will give you a dowry here, and it will all flow back into your pocket in the end. You will not suffer. .”

Mei Qing had a careful calculation long ago, not only helped Liu Chaoru achieve her good marriage, but did not lose much in money, so she was naturally happy to be a favor.But the words should be sweet, "What money is not money, if I value these things, I will not marry him. Sister, you ask brother-in-law to invite him to come home, and I will give him the money in private."

"got it."

Mei Qing left after she got the word, Meng Yu stayed and sat down on the kang table with a sullen face watching the old lady suck on her cigarette.The old lady leaned on the raised soft satin four-corner pillow, and when she raised her eyes, she saw Mengyuan's curious eyes shining in the smoke.She smiled and handed the pipe over, "Come on, take a sip."

"I don't want it, I'm so choked up!" Meng Yu smiled and turned his face away.

The sun is thin, the emerald mountains reflect gold, the fire that burns the sky falls into the pot of smoke, and it is bright and dark for a while.After everything was burned to ashes, the old lady got up, tied the pendant underneath to the cigarette rod, and put it on the window sill.

Meng Yuan watched all her actions, her gestures were lazy, as if she didn't care about anything.She thought of the wives and grandmas she used to come and go with, they were totally different from her mother.They care about everything, which girl the master is messing around with, how much money the servant-in-law is secretly ignoring, which young lady and son-in-law are a good match for their children...everything makes them plump.

Meng Yu looked at the old lady, a little confused, "Mother, why didn't you want to get married when you were young?"

"Marry?" The old lady giggled as if she had heard some fairy tales, "No one would marry a woman who is not innocent, but there is one, who is also a man with a kick, I like it? Besides, marry What's the point?"

"There is something to rely on."

"It may not be reliable." The old lady rested her chin and looked through the shadowy screen window. Her gaze touched the long alley of her old home in Wuxi, wandering in desolation, "Father and relatives may not be reliable, let alone a man who has no relatives and no reason."

Meng Tiao pursed her red lips, her eyes rolled around her black temples, "Where are my grandparents? How come I never heard from Mother that I want to go back and visit them?"

The old lady turned her cold gaze, and said with a half smile on her lips, "Dead."

If I continue to ask, I'm afraid I will make her angry again.Meng Tiao turned away from the conversation, turned his head and glanced at the door curtain, and said in a low voice, "What about Chang Xiucai? Men are unreliable, why do you keep messing around with them?"

An ambiguous color suddenly appeared in the old lady's eyes, "Men are unreliable, but they are available."

Meng Tiao's face was reddened immediately, and his eyes were full of anger, "Mother, really, don't tell me what should be said to me, and talk nonsense about what should not be said to me! Are you talking about your daughter?"

The old lady shook her shoulders and smiled shamelessly, "How would you understand if I didn't tell you? I'm afraid I'm still like those stupid women who plunged into love. When I think about it, it hurts, I'll fall to pieces. .”

Meng Yuan stared at her for a moment, resting her cheeks in a state of melancholy, "Didn't Mother ever love anyone in her life?"

"What is love?" The old lady's eyes became cold, with a mocking smile on her lips, "Is it not love that I love silver? There is no pure love like mine in the world anymore. For silver, I would do anything." Let go."

That's right, Mengyu smiled, lowered his eyes to the Kang table, and was a little unwilling to give up, "I mean lover."

The old lady looked at her for a moment, put her elbows on the kang table and shouted outside the curtain: "Young Master!"

That Chang Xiucai lifted the curtain, with the book still rolled up in his hand, his deep voice came in softly, "What's the matter?"

The old lady slumped her back and tilted her face charmingly, "Suddenly I want to eat an orange."

"I'll peel it for you."

He dropped the curtain again and went out.Meng Yu came back in a blink of an eye, and smiled at the old lady. She twirled the snacks in the box with her fingertips and crushed them into powder, "When you reach my age, save some money in your hands, Men are just kittens and puppies by your side. Be it Brother Yu or anyone else, they tease and tease you when they are happy, but when they are unhappy, they still think of ways to make you happy. What do you want to marry? Marry someone Husband, he is going to die before you, and you have to mourn for him, what a bother."

It's not troublesome, Meng Yuan has not reached that step anyway, so I can't say for sure.But just hearing this description, she thought of a magnificent empty city with hundreds of palaces, and every jade wall was the old lady's own beautiful shadow.

Meng Yu resigned and went to the house, walked through those Jiangnan-style pavilions, changing scenery step by step.As far as the eye can see, there is nothing but beautiful forests and waves. The golden light of the setting sun shoots through the leaky windows of the white wall, falls on the corridor, and falls on her emerald blue and plain brocade skirt, like a golden fence.

She has money, a husband, a good life that ordinary people don't have, a status that lowly women don't have, and freedom that noble wives don't have.There are wars in the north from time to time, and thieves and bandits are often encountered at sea. She is alone in a prosperous dynasty, and she should be content.

But it still feels like being trapped in a cage.

So in a few days, Caiyi spread the word that Dong Mo was going to Xiaochanhua Lane, and she was determined to treat Dong Mo better.

Dong Mo originally wanted to stay away from her so that she could change her hot and cold temperament.Although he is not respected at home and does not fit in well among the children of the aristocratic family, but in front of women, relying on his status and appearance, he has never suffered a disadvantage.

I never thought that when I came to Jinan, I would fall on a little-known commoner girl for no reason.He slept on the pillow at night, put aside his messy official duties, and there were some ideas in his mind——

Where is she from?Why do you often bring the secluded dew of the mountains and forests, and also contain the hustle and bustle of the world.what is sheIt is not only the plum blossom clears the bone, but also the peony enchants the soul.These questions finally faded away, turning into her shadow, reminding him of some more practical questions.

For example, is she rich for Chinese New Year?

So on this day, it was specially to send money to Meng Tiao.The cash ordered by the boy was specially ordered, some were whole and broken, and there were several coins. They put together 100 taels and put them in the indigo fur skin, which was heavy, and enshrined his heavy thoughts together.

The carriage creaked and creaked slowly in the narrow long alley, and the wind blew the curtain of the car, and the light fell into Dong Mo's chest, jumping together with his unknown throbbing.

In the winter, the courtyard door was open, as if to welcome him.He was a little happy, but deliberately changed his face at the door, twisting the money indifferently as always.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Mengyu came out of the kitchen, thinking that he had offended him last time, so he had to soften his temper.Unexpectedly, he took two steps towards him, and saw him standing indifferently under the locust tree, posing in a rather tall posture.

She immediately stopped walking, just slumped on the pillar, wiped her hands with a cloth, and didn't even look at him, she just looked at the bare grape trellis, "This jade lotus doesn't close the courtyard door, if you break in What a thief."

Dong Mo was choked up by this sentence, and remembered the last time they broke up unhappy, and sneered slightly, "Am I a thief?"

"Did I mention you?" Meng Tiao flicked the apron, turned and went into the kitchen, "Please sit down as you please."

As soon as the back was inserted into the door, Dong Mo said in a deep voice: "Stop sitting, I'll leave after you come to pick up the things."

Meng Tiao gritted her teeth behind her back, and turned to the front, with a reluctant expression on her face, her skirt spilled slowly under the locust tree.Reaching out to pick up his burden skin, he almost lost his waist!She stared fiercely, "What is it so heavy!"

"Silver." Seeing her suffering, Dong Mo cocked his lips as if happy, "I'm leaving."

Seeing that he really turned his boots, Meng Yu got wise and shouted at his back: "I don't want your money, you take it back!"

He turned his back, cut his hands, and still had the same indifferent attitude, "I still have to pay back what I borrowed from you."

Meng Tiao wished he could hit him with a stick and drag him into the house!He squinted, but put the dead bag of silver on the ground, turned his back and went into the main room, "Who wants you to borrow it? Right now, I still have five taels of silver at home, which is enough for expenses."

Five taels of silver is not enough for the New Year's expenses.Dong Mo knew that she couldn't save face, so she purposely made pitiful words and led him back.

He smiled behind his back, took advantage of the situation, picked up the silver bag, and followed into the house, "Five taels of silver, why is it enough for the New Year's expenses? Even if you don't care, is it possible that Yulian will also eat bran and swallow vegetables with the New Year's Eve dinner?"

As soon as she twirled the skirt, the two met each other in the dim room.The yellow tung oil paper reflected the inside of the room like a sunset, and the charcoal sent by Dong Mo was burned in the charcoal basin. There were still a few poor stools in the empty room, and there were two memorial tablets under the wall of the main room. , The incense ash is cold in the furnace.

But it warmed up in Dong Mo's heart. He dropped the silver bag on the limping Eight Immortals table, and walked towards her around the case, as if he had been away for many years and finally returned home, "Aren't you angry?"

Meng Tiao's heart trembled, his bones trembled, and he wanted to cry for no reason.Finally suppressing the sourness in his nasal cavity, he turned his face away, "I'm not that angry. I don't know who it is. Once the anger is gone, I won't come again."

"Isn't this here again?" Dong Mo stood in front of her, wanting to hug her, but failed.His white teeth scraped his thin lower lip, one by one, until it turned blue. He lowered his head and smiled, and glanced at her, "Don't be angry, it's always my fault."

What was the reason for it, in fact, they didn't remember it long ago, they only remembered anger.Qimengyuan is good at it, but at this moment, her heart is sore and swollen, as if someone blows into her shriveled heart, and it jumps to the sky, very happy, very happy.

At the same time, it is very unsafe and unreliable.

The author says:

Dong Mo: My daughter-in-law is a little willful and a little arrogant.

Meng Yu: Why do I feel that you are not talking about my daughter-in-law.

Dong Mo: You are quite sensible.

Meng Yu: Fuck you!