Chapter 87

Neither Mrs. Mu nor her daughter were fond of luxury, and the furnishings in their house were not as opulent as those of the Xu family. In fact, when it came to antiques, treasures, and famous paintings, even the most prestigious families in the capital could not compare to the Xu family.

The reason was simple: Xu Da respected his widowed sister-in-law and was generous with all valuable items, presenting them without hesitation. The old matriarch was well aware of the value of the treasures her younger brother sent, most of which were priceless and rare. She kept most of them sealed in her room, ready for the family's use in times of need. To prevent theft by servants or secret sales by her children and grandchildren, she had every item registered and inspected annually. Losing even one item would result in a furious outburst.

Therefore, no one dared to have any ideas about those treasures. As for the items Xu Hao had pawned, they were of a lower grade. In his early years, he was not favored by the old matriarch, and his room had few rare items, mostly small gifts from elders during the New Year. Even so, he often thought about redeeming them as soon as possible.

When pawning the items, despite knowing that accidents were unlikely, Xu Hao cautiously chose a pawnshop run by the Mu family's servants. He did not know that as soon as he left, the shopkeeper sent everything, including the box, to the Mu family.

All financial matters of the Mu family were managed by Mu Ningsnow, who took over household affairs from her mother at the age of ten. Generally, daughters were not supposed to manage the household, but the first patriarch, Mu Ying, was cautious and held significant power, so he arranged for his two sons to marry daughters of low-ranking generals to avoid drawing attention.

The wife of the eldest son, Mu Chun, was a simple and honest Liu, who lived far away in Yunnan with her husband, serving his father. She now helped her husband manage the household in Yunnan. The wife of the second son, Mu Sheng, had been married for less than two years and, being the daughter of a general, did not dare to compete with Mu Ningsnow, the pride of the Mu family. Moreover, with a mother-in-law and an elder sister-in-law, it was not her turn to manage the household.

Mu Ningsnow, out of good intentions, did not have any ulterior motives. After receiving the box, she casually looked at its contents and placed it in her room. When Xu Hao had specifically informed the Mu family's steward to get more silver, Mu Ningsnow learned about it and gave her instructions.

One cannot appreciate the value of things until one manages a household. Xu Hao's actions, which Mu Ningsnow observed, were highly approved of, but in Mrs. Mu's eyes, they seemed somewhat aimless and lacking in ambition. If he had greater aspirations, why would he toil over trivial matters?

Afterward, Mu Ningsnow did not return the box to Xu Hao directly or mention it, waiting for him to earn money and redeem the items.

When Mu Qingfrost went to find her sister, Mrs. Mu quickly invited Xu Hao to sit and drink tea, hurriedly washed off her makeup, and ordered the maids to remove the simple meal and replace it with a lavish banquet. She also arranged for the second daughter's embroidery room to be tidied up and brought out all the good things from her storeroom, causing a commotion in the Mu household.

Seeing this, Xu Hao took Mu Ang, who was playing with a jade horse, and went to sit in the adjacent room to wait.

After a long wait, a maid came to invite him. This time, when he entered the flower hall, the decorations and furnishings had completely changed.

Xu Hao admired Mrs. Mu's taste, thinking that despite her humble origins, years of wealth and nobility had refined her into a true aristocrat. The hall was not gaudy, and those who understood could appreciate its depth, while those who did not were like Liu Laolao in the Grand View Garden, unable to grasp its subtleties.

On one side of the wall were two rows of fragrant nanmu tables and chairs, which were later known as golden-threaded nanmu, and a natural ironwood table over ten feet long. On it stood a large bronze vase from the Han dynasty, holding a vibrant peony. Beside it was an ancient tripod with intricate patterns, over six feet tall, emitting a continuous stream of incense.

In the center were six lacquered marble chairs from Yunnan, and a four-panel marble screen depicting natural landscapes. Hanging in the middle was a unique scroll of the imperial calligraphy of Zhu Yuanzhang, depicting a white eagle, with the imperial seal. Xu Hao resisted the urge to take it, as the eagle, though slightly abstract, exuded a regal and dominant aura.

On the left wall were large characters and ink bamboo by Dongpo, and on the right, a landscape by Mi Fu, imitating the style of Zhao Dazhong. Xu Hao's eyes turned green with envy.

In the center, a black sandalwood table was set with pastries and fruits. Xu Hao, uninterested in the food, reluctantly turned his gaze to the other side, where he saw an elegant small hall, seemingly Mu Ningsnow's private study.

The partitions on both sides were carved with dragons and phoenixes, adorned with silk curtains. On the central red lacquer table were neatly arranged jade scrolls and writing implements, a gift from the emperor. A three-foot-tall potted pine tree stood on the ground, with a parrot in a hanging cage, chirping "guests have arrived, guests have arrived!"

On the back flower stand were a thousand-year-old zither and a purple bamboo flute. Xu Hao glanced at the ancient flute, then cleared his throat to hide his curiosity. Other antiques, such as a white jade screen and a gilded bronze tripod, were placed in the best positions, subtly showcasing the owner's status.

Xu Hao felt an urge to explore the lady's chamber but decided to wait, sitting quietly with Mu Ang.

Soon, a laugh was heard, and two maids lifted the emerald green bead curtain. Mrs. Mu slowly entered, holding Mu Qingfrost's hand, who in turn held Hongye's hand.

Shortly after, Xu Qinglian entered with a smile, and Xu Hao's heart skipped a beat. He saw the rosy-cheeked, delicately eyebrowed Mu Ningsnow approaching, adorned with no jewelry, looking elegant and refined.

Upon seeing Xu Hao, Mu Ningsnow instantly regained her composure and smiled, "Thank you for waiting. Please have some tea."

Zhiyan, standing beside her, giggled and handed him a cup of osmanthus tea. Xu Hao smiled faintly, stood up, and took the cup, drinking it in one gulp without looking.

Hongye immediately lifted her head proudly and said to Mu Qingfrost, "I told you my brother wouldn't lose his composure. What do you think? You lost."

Mu Qingfrost replied indifferently, "Even with such a beautiful person, your brother remains unmoved. Hmph! Is he a eunuch from the palace?"

Mrs. Mu quickly scolded, "Children speak without thinking. If your brother Xu Hao were the type to lose his composure at the sight of a beautiful woman, how could I have let him into the inner chambers?"

Xu Hao, inwardly amused, pretended not to hear. When the beauty was so close, he did not feel the need to speak elaborately. He extended his hand politely, inviting Mrs. Mu to sit, and habitually helped Xu Qinglian to her chair, then served the proud Hongye.

This was a habit he had developed, and Mrs. Mu, though surprised, said nothing. Mu Ningsnow observed Xu Qinglian and Hongye's reactions, noting their familiarity with his actions, and thought that the rumors of his considerate nature were indeed true.

Several maids entered, carrying basins and spittoons. Xu Hao, finding the process tedious, patiently washed his hands in the clear water, dried them with a white silk handkerchief, and declined the scented tea for rinsing his mouth. The maid nodded and left with the tray.

Mu Qingfrost, sensing something, stared at Xu Hao, slowly spat out the scented tea into the spittoon, and asked Hongye, "Does your brother dislike these rules at home?"

"No," Hongye replied, turning around and taking a new white silk handkerchief from a maid, wiping her mouth, "My brother hates these formalities. At home, he usually washes his hands and rinses his mouth himself before meals. Later, we all followed his example, except for the elders. Who enjoys being served all day? Unfortunately, Mother says we should still wait for the maids to serve us, so we don't get used to it when we marry."

Mrs. Mu, fond of the straightforward Hongye, smiled, "To be honest, our family meals are also simple. We only go through these formalities for distinguished guests. My ancestors didn't leave us many rules. Except for family meals, which are somewhat formal, my daughter and I often make congee and side dishes ourselves and invite the maids to join us. It's more enjoyable with more people."

Hongye looked at Mrs. Mu and said, "I like you, Lady."

Mrs. Mu was delighted and, feeling lonely, said, "I like you too. Why don't you call me Aunt? Or would you like me to adopt you as a goddaughter? Call me Godmother."

"No," Mu Qingfrost said, annoyed, her eyes twinkling, "I want to go to his house and have his mother beg me to be her goddaughter."

Xu Hao laughed, surprised by the innocence of the second daughter, and said, "You're always welcome. Why don't you and Ningsnow come to my house as guests? My grandmother hasn't seen visitors in a long time and would be very pleased."

Mrs. Mu thought for a moment and looked at her daughter, who had a calm expression, and smiled, "We will definitely visit. I have long admired the old matriarch of the Wei Guogong family. I met her once years ago, and it's a pity I haven't had the chance to visit her again. Who doesn't know that the old Wei Guogong was filial to his sister-in-law?"

Xu Hao nodded, smiling. After his uncle was dismissed, the three brothers came to the old lady to apologize and explain the situation. It turned out that Xu Yaotzu had secretly joined Lan Yu without the family's knowledge. Xu Da was very angry, as he had foreseen Lan Yu's downfall but could not warn the family. When the court decided to reclaim the fief, he used the opportunity to cut off financial support to his eldest son, both as a warning and a precaution.

At the time, no one said anything. After years of ups and downs, everyone knew that the family must have hidden imperial spies, and no one dared to speak openly. The family did not dare to act rashly, as any unusual move could arouse the emperor's suspicion. Instead, they acted naturally, and the entire process was reasonable, so the emperor would not suspect anything.

This was the nature of serving the emperor, like walking with a tiger. While the family's reconciliation was good, the risk of unforeseen events remained as long as Xu Da was alive.

Xu Hao had a premonition that Zhu Yuanzhang would not harm the most respected meritorious subject but would keep him alive to create a legendary story of loyalty. As a man of foresight, Xu Da had long given up his power and posed no threat to the Zhu family. However, given Zhu Yuanzhang's character, he would likely have Xu Da poisoned just before his own death.

If Xu Da lacked this foresight, he would not be Xu Da. Indeed, if Xu Da truly did not want to die, Zhu Yuanzhang would not spare the entire Xu family before his death.