Chapter 100:
He really did have some impression of them. Shopkeeper Zhu nodded slightly: “Zeng Manor, ah, Second Brother has a bit of an impression, but didn’t he just settle down in town not long ago? How would Luo Niangzi have contact with them…”
“Heh heh, it’s just that there’s an unmarried young aunt at home, and Zeng Manor came to propose marriage!”
“Propose marriage?”
Shopkeeper Zhu’s expression was complicated, thinking to himself: “That Master Zeng is advanced in age, and he’s a eunuch too. It couldn’t be for himself, could it?”
It probably wasn’t. He remembered that Master Zeng had only one close nephew. It was probably to propose marriage for that nephew!
Luo Zhi’er said: “May I ask Shopkeeper Zhu, do you know something?”
“Oh, this Master Zeng has high requirements for food, very particular! Picky! Plus he’s been in poor health lately, so he specially instructed our servers to deliver meals there a few times recently, that’s why I have some impression!”
“Oh, so that’s how it is. I hope Shopkeeper Zhu can tell us what you know.”
“Of course. He has been bedridden and inconvenient in movement for years, uses a wheeled chair! He’s about eighty years old, previously served as a steward eunuch in the palace, he’s a eunuch!”
“Over eighty? And a eunuch?”
Luo Zhi’er was startled, her eyes flickered. She knew it, how could there be such a good thing? There must be something shady!
“Mm, because Master Zeng is originally from Taoyuan Town, his parents and elder brother and sister-in-law have all passed away, he has only one nephew, now over forty, still unmarried.”
“Mm, precisely because of his advanced age, when such palace servants leave the palace, the master would grant them a sum of money for retirement. Plus he had risen through the ranks over many years in the palace to become head steward, and was quite trusted by the master behind, so he was allowed to leave the palace and settle back in Taoyuan Town!”
“Is he really wealthy?”
Shopkeeper Zhu looked at her suspiciously. Luo Niangzi didn’t seem like the type who only cared about wealth and property?
Still, he said:
“The manor is just a two-courtyard house, his nephew currently lives with him and takes care of him. For wealthy families in town, it’s not considered big, but he’s saved some belongings, so his family assets shouldn’t be thin!”
“But… I heard his family ancestors did ceramics business?”
“This one, ah, who knows who spread it, true or false. Previously Second Brother heard the same, but later when Chang Qing delivered meals, he found out the person behind was a eunuch!”
“Chang Qing mentioned that their home has quite a lot of porcelain ornaments. This Master Zeng likes to collect ceramics, moved many into the manor when relocating, so it got rumored that they were doing ceramics business…”
“So that’s how it is…”
“Does he have any concubines?”
“This is unknown. As a eunuch he probably doesn’t, though not necessarily. Anyway, Chang Qing never saw any when he went!”
After all, eunuchs can feel lonely too, and in the palace they also have catamites.
Luo Zhi’er got a general idea, bid farewell to Shopkeeper Zhu, and took Miaomiao away from Yumian Tower!
On the road, Luo Zhi’er thought for a long time. This account didn’t match what Old Li Tou said yesterday upon returning.
He said Li Lei said Master Zeng was around forty years old, handsome and talented, doing porcelain business…
None of this matched up.
As for concubines, Shopkeeper Zhu and the others hadn’t seen any. How did Li Lei know?
He’s been in town for so long. If he really inquired sincerely, at least age, appearance, and specific business should be ascertainable!
If this matter succeeds, what benefit does he get? She grew suspicious of Li Lei.
Passing by the shoe shop, Luo Zhi’er took Miaomiao inside. As soon as they entered, a woman in her fifties greeted her.
Behind her was a young wife-like woman who glanced at the mother and daughter, especially noting the tattered shoes on Miaomiao’s feet, looking at Luo Zhi’er with a hint of contempt.
Luo Zhi’er looked around, asked the old woman if she could take a pair of shoes for Miaomiao to try on. That young wife showed displeasure upon hearing it.
“Try what? If you dirty the shoes and don’t buy, who will buy them then?”
Luo Zhi’er said:
“What you’re saying, if it fits we’ll of course buy, if not we definitely won’t!”
“Tch, speaking so nobly. I’ve seen plenty of your type, just come to look, look and then don’t buy!”
That young wife thought although Luo Zhi’er was dressed cleanly, the quality of her clothes wasn’t great.
Especially that young maid, her clothes were small and patched, shoes broken with many patches.
And this pair of her shoes was the most expensive in the shoe shop. How could she let such a person try them on?
“This pair of shoes is twenty-five wen. What do you think? Can you afford to try?”
“Hey, you, really. Open for business, isn’t it just twenty-five wen? Isn’t this looking down on people with dog eyes?”
That old woman tried to persuade her: “Oh dear, this lady, don’t be angry. She’s just like that, young and immature. I’ll get them for you…”
Luo Zhi’er had seen Miaomiao’s eyes light up at that pair of small shoes just now, so she didn’t bother arguing with her, squatted down to put them on Miaomiao.
Miaomiao really liked them, but seeing her mother get angry earlier, she shook her head and said no, she didn’t like them, kept pulling her to leave…
Luo Zhi’er looked at her amusedly. How could she not understand this little gesture?
She touched her head, waved a big hand and bought this pair for her!
Miaomiao had good taste. They were a pair of handmade cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles, the toe embroidered with a carp head pattern, pink and very cute.
The young maid couldn’t bear to wear them, reluctant to part with them. Luo Zhi’er said fine and changed them onto her, threw away the old shoes. Thinking about it, she took two more identical pairs, to alternate wearing!
Mother and daughter happily went out hand in hand, ignoring the woman’s expression behind them, which was now alternately pale and green.
With new shoes on, Miaomiao walked the street with much more confidence, her face beaming with bright smiles.
Seeing Luo Zhi’er and her daughter walk far away, the woman said:
“Sigh, feeling embarrassed? You’re not usually like this. Didn’t mother tell you? In business we treat all equally. Why couldn’t you hold back today?”
That young wife said aggrievedly: “Mom, wasn’t it because I saw the shoes she put on the little girl were so tattered? Clothes ragged, pretending to be something, yet taking the best shoes. Knew she doesn’t care for her daughter usually.”
“You know, I get angry seeing that type. She herself eats fatty oily food, just vain, the kind who comes to town to wander aimlessly!”
“Learned your lesson? Don’t judge by appearances. You didn’t see much. That young maid even had a pink little hair clip on her head, eating small snacks in her mouth, very intimate with her mother, especially her little eyes sparkling bright…”
“Mother-in-law, I was wrong! You’re still the capable one!”
That young wife ran over and shook her mother-in-law’s arm!
“Heh heh! Of course, mother has lived decades more than you!”
Luo Zhi’er took Miaomiao strolling around the most prosperous street in town, Tengda Street.
Bought Miaomiao lots of food, their bags bulging with clothes.
Right hand holding twist, left hand holding candied hawthorn. After a taste, Miaomiao said: “Mother, this candied hawthorn isn’t as good as mother makes!”
“Oh?”
“Heh, the candied hawthorn mother makes is the best in the world. Mother, Miaomiao loves you for ten million years oh!”
“Heh heh, this girl!”
Luo Zhi’er looked embarrassed at the gazes from people around…
When they picked mushrooms on the mountain, she would joke with Miaomiao: Miaomiao, mother loves you, loves you for ten million years!
Miaomiao would say too: Mother, Miaomiao loves you too, loves you for tens of thousands of years, loves you for billions of years!
Then Luo Zhi’er wouldn’t back down: “Mother loves you for billions of billions of years!”
Then mother and daughter would throw their heads back laughing heartily…
This was their little secret. Shouting loudly like this on an ancient street was really a bit embarrassing!
She quickly pulled Miaomiao tight and left there!
