The strange story of Huai'an Inn

It took Chong Liufei a lot of effort to persuade the little lady to wake up, and saw her crying pitifully with snot and tears.Chong Liu hurriedly handed over the handkerchief on her shoulder, she accepted it embarrassedly, and blew her nose heavily.

Chong Liu looked at his white handkerchief with distress...

The shopkeeper sat in his original position without any haste, put the cat on the ground, then stood up and raised his hands, "Speak slowly, what happened?"

Xizhu barely suppressed the overflowing emotions, and began to speak intermittently in a crying voice.

It turned out that Yan Lvzhi, the official wife of the head of the Shen family, was the shopkeeper's guest two years ago.Back then, she married the current head of the Shen family, Shen Yuxuan, without any heirs for six years, and the side house already had a son and a daughter, and her status in the Shen family was already higher than that of her regular wife.Facing the desperate situation of becoming an abandoned woman, she had nowhere to go, but she found out that shopkeeper Zhu could help some strange people to rescue her, so she brought all her dowry to ask shopkeeper Zhu to help her.

After the shopkeeper Zhu found out the reason, he signed a contract with her and helped her order a comb from a comber.The contract stipulates that Yan Luzhi must get up every night when he is ugly, light a lamp, and use the grate to comb his hair 32 times in a row in front of the mirror, no more and no less.This grate must never be used by another person, nor should it be touched by another person's hand.After giving birth to a child, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl, the grate must be burned and cannot be reused.Violation of any of the above is likely to have serious consequences.

According to the contract, as long as she can persist for a year, she must be able to conceive.

At that time, Yan Lvzhi took the grate and left with gratitude. A year later, the shopkeeper did hear the rumor that the grandma of the Shen family was pregnant.Ten months later, she gave birth to a healthy and fair daughter.

Originally, the shopkeeper thought the business was over, but he didn't expect Xizhu to come to him suddenly today.

"At first, I thought that having a prostitute would make our wife's life easier. But Mrs. Qi took her son to show off every day, and the old lady didn't give much favor when she saw that Mrs. was born as a girl...so..."

"So your wife not only didn't burn the grate after getting the daughter according to the contract, but also started using it again?" There was no anger in the shopkeeper's voice, just a little cold.

Xizhu cried and said, "I beg you to save our grandma, she... the stuff in her stomach... grows too fast! She is in so much pain that she can't even get out of bed!"

The shopkeeper heaved a long sigh, and squeezed the center of his brows as if he had a headache, "Why did you make a contract but not fulfill your promise? If that's the case, what's the point of making a contract?"

"Madam... Madam didn't want to use it at first... But after the birthday of the young master in Qi's room, Madam couldn't let go of this idea... It's like a demon."

"Birthday?" the shopkeeper asked, "Did anything special happen on your birthday?"

Xizhu thought for a while, and said, "It's nothing. Madam was upset, but she didn't show it on her face. But at night, for some reason, she seemed restless. I started using the grate that night."

The shopkeeper pondered for a moment, and said, "Okay, you go back first. I will find an opportunity to visit your mansion in a few days."

Thank you so much Xizhu, and finally persuaded her to leave.Chong Liu didn't want the handkerchief either, and returned to the atrium after watching the people walk away.

"Boss, are we still in charge of aftercare?" Chong Liu asked curiously, tilting his head.

The shopkeeper said, "Yes. Although most of the time it is the other party's dishonesty and violation of the contract, and most of the troubles occur after a long time, but in order to protect our craftsmen and prevent the matter from becoming a big deal, I will try my best to solve it. Besides, Yan Luzhi is a loving woman, she will not break the contract easily. Even if the grate is not burned immediately, it should not be used a second time."

"But the Shen family... the deep house compound, we are the ones who run the inn, and we are not doctors, how can we get in?"

The shopkeeper Shi Shiran said, "If you want to inquire about information, you don't need to ask the person in person in many cases. Shouldn't you be clear about this point?"

After speaking, he smiled meaningfully at Chong Liu, and went back to the backyard with his hands behind his back.

Chongliu's heart skipped a beat again...

Could it be that the shopkeeper noticed that he went around asking for news?

How much did the shopkeeper notice?

When Chong Liu came to Tianliang City, the first anecdotes he inquired about included various secrets of the adult Shen family.The ancestor of the Shen family originally made his fortune by transporting and selling goods such as silk and spices between the Western Regions and the Central Plains, and gradually became one of the wealthiest merchants on Zhaoning Road.Later, even the imperial palace often used them to buy exotic treasures from far away countries. Their previous patriarch was awarded the title of nominated official to purchase goods instead of the royal family, so the whole family became more and more prosperous and became a heavenly family. One of the famous families in Liangcheng.

The current head of the Shen family, Shen Yuxuan, is not yet 40 years old, but at a young age, he already has inextricable relationships with many officials of the imperial court, and almost takes care of the transportation of exotic tributes from the royal family and even the entire Gyeonggi region.

When Shen Yuxuan was 20 years old, under the arrangement of his father, he married Yan Luzhi, the second daughter of a clerk in the Qinxiang Mansion.At that time, Yan Lvzhi Fang was ten years old, delicate and cute, with a stubborn temper.Shen Yuxuan had never seen the bride before getting married. On the wedding night, he lifted up the red hijab to see a face like a red apple, and a pair of eyes that are astounding. He was overjoyed.

Yan Luzhi, who was well-bred by everyone, not only has a pretty appearance, but also is proficient in all kinds of piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. He fascinated Mr. Shen so much that he hasn't entered the shop for half a month, which means that the king will not go to court early.And Lvzhi was also fascinated by Shen Yuxuan's imposing demeanor, the tenderness of his children's love in private, and the anecdotes he told her often surprised her when he followed his father to run business on the road since he was a child.

After marriage, the two lived a happy life that only envied mandarin ducks but not immortals, but year after year, Luzhi's stomach has not moved.Gradually, Shen Yuxuan's mother Yang began to have problems with her daughter-in-law.

When Lvzhi greeted her, she ignored her and refused to drink Jing's tea.All day long, he is full of yin and yang, and he doesn't give his daughter-in-law any face.When Lvzhi was not present, Yang complained to her son even more without any scruples, saying that she had a bad temper, could not weave, was not good at needlework, and did not even eat dogs when she cooked. What kind of system can dance and write.Of course, the most "heinous crime" is her "disappointment".

In fact, Shen Yuxuan was not in a hurry. He had been married for so long and had no heirs. If it was spread out, he might lose face a lot.

Lvzhi feels aggrieved every day, but there is nothing she can do.I have seen many doctors and taken many medicines, but I still can't conceive a child.

Three years later, Master Shen got tired of listening to Yang's complaints, and lightly explained to his son: "If it's really not possible, just take a concubine."

Taking concubines is normal.But Luzhi is different from ordinary women, she can't accept it.

Yuxuan loved her so much, treated her sincerely, promised her to be a couple for the rest of his life, and even wrote a vow.How could it be contradictory?

She cried, made trouble, and even went back to her natal family, but in the end the neighbors whispered to each other, but they all said that she was "jealous" "She is a real wife, why is she so small-minded, and she is still a lady, I don't think she knows the truth yet." I have many village women."

"That's right, it's not her fault that she can't give birth to a child. Could it be that she is the last generation of a wealthy family?"

"Men, whoever has a little bit of money is not three wives and four concubines, this is going to die. I think, sooner or later he will be divorced."

All the "smart" neighborhood ladies chatted while eating melon seeds and peeling beans.

These words were not only spoken by outsiders, but even Lvzhi's mother persuaded her so.Her father blamed himself every day for reading too many books to her, making everyone crazy.

But Lvzhi didn't understand, it was obviously Yuxuan who didn't keep his word, why did everyone say she was wrong?

She was waiting day and night for her husband to pick her up at her natal home, but instead of waiting for Shen Yuxuan, she waited for the news that the eccentric Qi family had entered the door.

In the end, there was a stalemate, and Lvzhi could only make concessions.However, this concession was out of control.

Less than a year after Qi's entry, she became pregnant and gave birth to a big fat boy.The old woman was so happy that she couldn't stop talking from ear to ear, and sent various tonics to the house every day, and sent many maids and nurses to take care of her.And Luzhi was increasingly excluded, and even the servants showed less respect for her.

She hated the Qi family, and even more hated Yuxuan for breaking his promise, but she didn't have Wen Jun's courage to write Baitouyin, so she had to swallow the pain in her stomach.

However, even if she forbears, Qi Shi has the ambition to be righted and make her son a legitimate son.Several times of instigation, coupled with the old woman's fuel, the relationship between Lvzhi and Yuxuan has become more and more stalemate. The tenderness and sweetness of the bridal chamber in the past, and the newlywed you and me have all turned into a dream.

Just when everyone thought that Lvzhi would be expelled from the Shen family with three of the seven rules of "disobedience to parents", "childless" and "envious", suddenly news of her pregnancy came out.The rumors gradually died down.

When Chongliu heard these rumors, he only complained about Lvzhi.A light and delicate pearl that was supposed to be in the palm of the hand fell into the hands of a lot of vulgar people. No one has the ability to appreciate her, and only uses the most superficial standards to measure her.

Now it seems that Midori herself has gradually forgotten her own value, trying to regain "happiness" through some almost desperate means.

Sighing, Chong Liu continued with his trivial life.

In the afternoon, he suddenly ordered Chongliu to go to the south of the city to find out what kind of ostentation the Shen residence had laid out for the young master's birthday, and to help Master Liao bring back some condiments.Chong Liu wandered around the south of the city for two hours with a copper plate in his pocket, and he got a good idea of ​​the day's arrangements.

When he returned to the inn, he felt a little restless.

After finishing the work and closing for dinner, the shopkeeper asked Chong Liu to talk with him in the private room upstairs.

"How is it? What did you find out?" The shopkeeper sat at the table, resting his cheek with his hand, playing with a string of agate beads in his hand.

Chong Liu pursed his lips, "On the day of Young Master Shen's birthday, he invited an opera troupe to sing."

The shopkeeper's fingers fiddled with the agate beads suddenly stopped, raised his eyes, and stared sharply at Chong Liu, "And then?"

"I asked the helper of Baiweilou who was in charge of organizing the birthday banquet at that time. He said that he sang several scenes, but the last scene was a bit strange. He only sang the first half, and before the second half had time to sing, he said that Tsing Yi suddenly fell ill. I felt unwell and couldn't go on stage. Later, the birthday party ended hastily, because the last scene made everyone present feel uncomfortable."

After Chong Liu finished speaking, he paused, and continued, "The last play is said to be written by Luzhou Layman at that time... Huang Yi Ji."

For a while, no one spoke in the private room.The shopkeeper's fingers circled on the agate beads, as if imitating his wandering thoughts.

"Liu'er, you are really good at inquiring about news." Shopkeeper Zhu looked at him with unfathomable eyes, "The list of opera gardens that you gave me earlier that sang Huang Yi Ji is also very detailed."

"I must do well what you told me." Chong Liuhan said with a smile.

"Very good, it's really getting better and better." The shopkeeper smiled slightly, showing his white teeth, "It seems that we have time to visit this Luzhou layman."

The author has something to say: the shopkeeper who is always ready for after-sales service is very tired_(:з」∠)_