Chapter 11 Whiplash and Sanctions on New Year’s Eve (1)

On New Year's Eve, Zhou Tangyao, who led the spiritual practice at Xingshan Temple, returned home early in the morning.

The old lady followed Zhou Tangyao and became a vegetarian during the reunion dinner around the fire on the grounds that she was old and did not like meat.

When other people saw it, they naturally said that in order to bring good fortune to the old lady and the Marquis, they would follow the vegetarian diet, which eventually evolved into sixteen dishes, eight vegetarian and eight meat. No one dared to touch the meat dishes.

It was a happy reunion dinner. After the family banquet, the servants came up to clean up, removed the round table, and the masters sat in the hall, with tea in front of them.

The old lady took a sip of tea, showed a loving smile, and said to Zhou Tangyao: "This is the hair tip that Boyan specially found. It tastes very good. I'm just waiting for you to come back today to try it."

Zhou Tangyao took a sip after hearing this and nodded.

He is not the daughter of the old lady. The old lady is her stepwife. Although she has assumed the position of the head wife, after all, she is just a continuation of the relationship, and the relationship between the two is weak.

Over the years, Zhou Tangyao built bridges, paved roads, and provided clothing to help the poor. In the end, he felt that it was not enough, and he even thought about selling off the farmland and shops that had been accumulated for generations. He sold them one after another over the years just to build temples.

The old lady wanted to stop him, but an imperial edict was sent to the Kunyang Hou Mansion. The Holy Lord praised the Marquis for his kindness, and the plaque that he bestowed upon him for his good deeds is now hanging high in the hall, complementing the plaque of the late emperor's gift for the loyalty, bravery, and righteousness of the ancestors of the Hou Mansion.

The Holy Lord approved, but no matter how dissatisfied the old lady was, she could only swallow it, and she even had to grit her teeth to support it.

Thinking of the money spent, her heart ached.

Zhou Yitian, dressed in plain white, arrived late under the surprised eyes of everyone.

The old lady frowned slightly. As she got older, she had more things to worry about. She usually didn't like to see her juniors dressed so plainly, as if there were some white things in the family, let alone the New Year and the holidays.

Zhou Yitian's eyes swept over him lightly, and finally he stood in front of his second uncle.

Zhou Junxiang's body stiffened slightly, then he smiled good-naturedly and gave up his seat.

Zhou Yitian unceremoniously sat down near the first place.

The old lady pursed her lower lip and watched everyone change their seats because of his arrival. She wanted to ask if she had eaten, but the words stuck in her mouth. This evil person was the one who made people dislike her.

"Why are you here so late?" The old lady was unhappy and her tone was not good.

In the Hou Mansion, Zhou Yitian has always been an outsider. When he was a child in the Imperial Academy, he beat the current prince Shengshang and Prince Gong, who was still the prince at the time. He became famous in one battle.

Although the royal family refused to pursue the case after the incident because the children were playing, the old lady was so angry that she took advantage of the family's methods. However, Zhou Yitian didn't even touch her, and instead she was kicked to the ground by him.

Zhou Tangyao was immediately invited back to his home from the temple, and was sent to Zhuangzi outside the city with a sentence of shutting up and thinking about his past mistakes. This sending was like being expelled from the Hou Mansion.

Everyone knew that Zhuangzi was the dowry left by Zhou Yitian's short-lived mother. After that, Zhou Tangyao became obsessed with Buddhism and regarded the temple as a family. The only flesh and blood was gone. Without the "outsider", the old lady and the second wife naturally lived comfortably. However, they did not expect that Zhou Yitian, who rarely set foot in the Hou's mansion, would actually enter the Hou's mansion again on New Year's Eve. However, because he was the Hou's legitimate son, everyone still had to respect him.

Zhou Yitian looked at the servants serving tea with a calm expression, as if he had not heard the old lady's question.

The old lady frowned and looked at Zhou Tangyao who was sitting beside her. She saw that he seemed to be blind, still squinting his eyes slightly and turning his beads without saying a word.

The old lady cursed in her heart. In her eyes, the father and son were incompetent, yet they still shamelessly occupied the position of the master of the Hou Mansion.

"Second daughter-in-law." The old lady asked stiffly: "How did you become the head of the family? How did you make the uncle dress elegantly during the New Year and the holidays?"

Hearing the old lady's question, Mrs. Liu, the second daughter-in-law of the Hou Mansion, knew that the old lady wanted to take the opportunity to have an attack, so she quickly stood up and replied: "Although the money in the house is tight..." She glanced at Zhou Tangyao secretly, but to her surprise, the old monk fell into meditation and didn't even look at him. She secretly cursed in her heart. If Zhou Tangyao's conscience was to find out, she might have to wait until it rains red.

"But my daughter-in-law asked the embroiderer to make a few sets of new clothes a long time ago. She doesn't know why the uncle today..." The words faded away, and there was a trace of grievance and helplessness.

Mrs. Liu holds the feeder in Kunyang Hou's residence, and nearly two hundred mouths inside and outside the residence have to pass through her hands. Although she can't bear to see Zhou Yitian, a boy whose mother died early and whose father means no father, she can't bear it. Although he is not the eldest son, he still takes the title of the Marquis' son picker. For the good reputation of the second wife, she will not be stupid enough to lack him in public.

The old lady's face darkened decisively when she heard this, "What? Yitian doesn't like the new clothes your aunt prepared for you?"

Only then did Zhou Yitian look at the old lady and replied coldly: "I really don't like it. If my aunt is willing to make a few more clothes every season, it would be better to save the money and do good deeds for the Marquis. After all, the Holy Father governs the country through frugality and does not like to show off even if it is a festive occasion. The second wife should do more good deeds to accumulate some virtue for herself."

Mrs. Liu stiffened slightly and cursed in her heart, this evil obstacle!I don’t even think about how the entire Hou family would be in ruins if she hadn’t been in charge of it. They even used the current saint to oppress her and let her second wife accumulate evil deeds... It’s really too much!

She almost had an attack, but her eldest son, whom she valued most, spoke first, "Eldest brother is right. Mother, please pay attention in the future."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Liu immediately squeezed out a smile and said to Zhou Yitian, "Auntie will pay attention to it in the future."

Zhou Yitian's reaction was just a slight snort.

Mrs. Liu could no longer put on a smile, pursed her lips, and looked at the old lady.

The old lady frowned. She originally wanted to find a reason to scold Zhou Yitian, but she didn't expect to be silenced by Zhou Yitian. When she mentioned the current emperor...she waved her hand, "Forget it, second daughter-in-law, sit down."

Liu said sit down.

"Brother, it's rare to see you back home. Is there any food available? I'll ask my servants to pass on the food." Zhou Boyan had a gentle smile on his face.

Zhou Boyan, the eldest son of the second eldest son of the Hou family, was talented in literature and martial arts. He had many talents in the capital. He was well-controlled in advance and retreat. He was engaged to be the eldest daughter of the Minister of Etiquette.

This second marriage is indeed a high-profile affair, but everyone knows that this may not be the case.

The position of the crown prince of the Kunyang Hou Mansion had been vacant for many years. It was clear that Zhou Yi was the legitimate son of Zhou Tangyao, but Zhou Tangyao had not yet requested the imperial edict.

There are vague rumors in the capital that Zhou Tangyao is worried that Zhou Yitian will act impulsively and arrogantly, ruining the reputation of the Marquis House, and wants to pass down the virtuous people instead of to his descendants.

Seeing that Zhou Boyan and Zhou Tangyao were close over the years, everyone seemed to think that they were the future Marquis of Kunyang. The future Marquis of Kunyang and the official daughter of the Minister were naturally a match made in heaven.

The marriage was decided long ago, and they will get married in the next autumn. Everyone, intentionally or deliberately, ignored the fact that Zhou Yitian, who was the same year as Zhou Boyan, was not yet married.

"No need!" Zhou Yitian untied the white fox fur on his body, turned his arm easily, and held the nine-section whip that was originally wrapped around his arm firmly in his palm.

This nine-section whip weighs twelve kilograms, but in Zhou Yitian's hand it is as light as thin paper.

Seeing the nine-section whip emitting cold light under the light, everyone's expressions changed suddenly, and even Zhou Tangyao's hand that turned the beads stopped.

"Bold!" scolded the old lady who came to her senses first.

This nine-section whip was given by the late emperor to the ancestors of the Hou Mansion for their contribution to the founding of the country. It is usually hung in the ancestral hall of the Hou Mansion. The last time it was used was when Zhou Yitian was ten years old when he had a group fight with the prince, but in the end it did not touch Zhou Yitian at all.

"You are indeed bold." Zhou Yitian raised the corners of his lips coldly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes, "The third master of the Kunyang Hou Mansion went in and out of the gambling house. Gossips have been circulating in the capital for a long time, and the face of the Hou Mansion has been completely wiped out."

Gambling house?Although the old lady lived deep in the inner house, she was not blind to what was going on outside the window. She naturally knew that the second son of the second wife, Zhou Zhongying, was hanging out in the gambling house. She asked several times, but Ms. Liu dismissed her on the grounds that she was a child. Now that Zhou Yitian has revealed this, it can be seen that the truth is not as simple as Mr. Liu said.

She glanced sharply at Mrs. Liu and Zhou Zhongling, who was obviously guilty.

Mrs. Liu felt a little uneasy in her heart and looked at the nine-section whip in Zhou Yitian's hand with fear, "Look what the uncle said, it's just children who like to play."

When it comes to things that matter to her, the one she cares most about is her eldest son Zhou Boyan, who has been sensible and intelligent since he was a child and doesn't need to worry about anything, but Mo'er is a carefree master.

"A lot of them are still young. I think when the old lady asked for the nine-section whip, I was only ten years old. I was old enough at that time."