Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 173: Lodging (2)

This wife was always nodding her head like a puppet but once something happened, her true nature surfaced again! She only had eyes for good things and everything else was tossed behind her!

“Fang Zhou is… haha, you are too far-sighted! If you need help with something, just say it! I am a good man, why bother spending so much! Your family also has to live! Zhang Li Zheng laughed gently, his meaning easy to understand.

“There is something embarrassing I must ask Uncle Li Zheng and Aunt Niu to help with! These things are nothing more than borrowing flowers to offer Buddha!”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled at the couple and said: “We have a good family friend, the cousin of my cousin’s husband from the Su family in Shangliu County and the son of the Dexing Cui family.
He said he was here to observe the cotton farms.
How are the preparations for this matter? Because I was attending to our guest tonight, I haven’t been able to go take a look! I can only have him stay the night and go in the morning.
But Uncle Li Zheng, you know what condition our house is in! Where can we keep guests? Uncle Li Zheng, if there is a free room in your home, could you let Young Master Cui stay for one night? I have no choice but to ask Uncle Li Zheng…”

“What!?” Madam Niu heard that she wanted them to have a stranger in her house and was displeased.
When Lian Fang Zhou said a ‘free room’, she obviously meant a separate room.
It was a bit rude!

“You mean the Cui family from Dexing? Good, good, what’s wrong with asking this?” Zhang Li Zheng was stunned but hurriedly smiled.
“We have an empty room in our house and new bedding, don’t worry! I will take my son and come pick him up!”

“Please don’t bother yourself, Uncle Li Zheng! I will have Ah Jian and Ah Ze bring the master and his servants over.
Thank you so much, Uncle Li Zheng! I will go back and let him know!” Lian Fang Zhou had expected that Zhang Li Zheng would agree.

“Good, good! You go over first! Haha, we will have to clean up a little!” Zhang Li Zheng rubbed his hands together, his eyes glowing with excitement.

“Uncle Li Zheng is busy, I’ll go now!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled and left.

As soon as she was gone, Zhang Li Zheng glared at Madam Niu and quickly said, “What are you doing, standing in a daze? Hurry and clean up the east wing! Ask your daughter-in-law to help you tidy up! Be sire to clean and dust.
Wait! No, have our daughter-in-law take out the new quilts and mattress they made when they got married.
Put them on the mat and start a fire in the brazier, no two braziers! Hurry, move quickly! Go!”

Zhang Li Zheng finished his instructions and saw that Madam Niu was still standing there, staring at him with wide eyes, stunned.
He frowned and shouted, “Didn’t you hurry me? GO!”

“Husband, this… you are too wicked! Even my father and mother have never had such a set up! This is just the friend of someone else’s family!” Madam Niu muttered, dissatisfied.
“Just to please her? This gift is a loss!”

“What do you know?!” Zhang Li Zheng said angrily: “Really short-sighted and ignorant.
Ignorant! Didn’t you hear Lian Fang Zhou? This is the son of the Dexing Cui family! Do you know the Dexing Cui family? They are a first-rate wealthy family in the southwest! And their son is coming to our house for a night, it is a great honor! Do you understand now?”

“Oh…” Madam Niu was moved by the phrase ‘first-rate wealthy family’ and couldn’t help but say again, “If the Cui family is so powerful, how could they be relatives like Lian Li? Don’t tell me Lian Fang Zhou is lying?”

“Hmph!” Zhang Li Zheng said, face full of contempt.
“What a ridiculous woman! How many poor relatives does the emperor have, let alone common people? Haven’t you heard Fang Zhou say it before? The Cui family is related to the Su family in Shuangliu County, this is how they are related!”

He was very impatient while explaining this to Madam Niu and despite his explanation, she did not understand.
Thinking about it, he said: “See this dim sum and tea? The silver tea pot alone is evidence! How much is it worth? The son of this big family is most generous! He won’t stay in our house for nothing, he will definitely reward some silver.
But save me some face, don’t go asking around, just wait and see!”

Madam Niu’s eyes brightened and she was surprised.
“Silver rewards? Are you sure?”

“Sure, just wait and see!” Zhang Li Zheng said.
“Alright, get moving!”

Madam Niu turned around and started calling for her daughter-in-law.

Zhang Li Zheng couldn’t help but add: “Follow the instructions I gave you, don’t make up your own ideas!”

Thinking about it, he shook his head with a sigh and muttered: “I should just do it myself!” And he went after her.

At the Lian house, Lian Fang Zhou explained to Cui Shao Xi that there was a room for him at Li Zheng’s house for the night.
Cui Shao Xi was not happy and insisted on staying in the crowded house.

In the end, Cui Shao Xi reluctantly gave in when Lian Fang Zhou started to become annoyed.

Lian Ze and Ah Jian walked him over.

Cui Yi hurried behind with the carriage and baggage, asking Ah Jian and Lian Ze to help him.
Then he rolled out the think felt blanket embroidered with cashmere that Cui Shao Xi used when he was napping, walking into Zhang Li Zheng’s home.

Two large lanterns hung at the entrance of Zhang Li Zheng’s house and under the courtyard porch, looking very bright in the dark night.

They were obviously to welcome Cui Shao Xi.

Seeing people coming, Zhang Li Zheng took his son out to greet them with a smile.
If Lian Fang Zhou had been there, she would have noticed that he had even changed his clothes!

Cui Shao Xi didn’t have much of an opinion at first, just noticing that Zhang Li Zheng and his son were polite.
He smiled and gave them a gift.

Madam Niu and her daughter-in-law, holding her child, also poked their heads out of the house curiously.
Through the light, they saw Cui Shao Xi’s exquisite appearance and stared at him for a long time.

Madam Niu exclaimed in a low voice: “What did husband say about a ‘first-rate’ family in the southwest? Look at this family’s son, tsk tsk! Ah, our family is really too simple, can’t blame us…

Madam Niu, who had been reluctant before, feeling that they were taking advantage of her family, had completely changed her tone.

“Young Master Cui, please sit down and have a cup of tea!” Zhang Li Zheng offered with a smile.

It would not be respectful to stay at another person’s house without entering the hall, so Cui Shao Xi smiled and agreed, following Zhang Li Zheng inside.

Zhang Li Zheng called Madam Niu with the tea.

Cui Shao Xi took two sips and set the cup down again.

Zhang Li Zheng was extremely excited but unsure how to flatter him.
Cui Shao Xi was used to this reaction in others, and his interest was light.

After a while, Ah Jian and Lian Ze got up, saying their goodbyes.
Cui Shao Xi immediately got up as well and smiled at his hosts, saying that was time to rest.

Zhang Li Zheng quickly led Cui Shao Xi and his servants to the wing with his son, naturally speaking many good things as they walked.

 After Cui Shao Xi was settled, the two left happily.
As they removed themselves, they smiled politely and said: “This house is simple and shabby, please let us know if there is anything wrong, Young Master Cui! If you need anything, just speak up!”

Cui Shao Xi thanked them.
He watched them leave and then ordered Cui Yi to close the door.