随着秋意的加深,寒风从窗棂的缝隙中渗入,悄无声息地侵入了沈若欣的小绣屋.今天是她的 15 岁生日.本该是相当热闹的一天,但在沈家现在的状态下,一切似乎都显得特别安静.
桌上没有长寿面条或礼物.只有几盏昏暗的油灯照亮了她摊在桌子上的几本账簿和地契.这些是她昨天从刘会计那里"请"回来的,是她妈妈的嫁妆的一部分.
指尖滑过账本上略显粗糙的纸张,沈若欣的目光平静如水.她彻夜未眠,仔细核对每一笔进出交易,以及每一块农田的位置和收入.她母亲当时的嫁妆比她记忆中的还要慷慨.城南有几家丝绸和绸缎店,郊区有肥沃的田野,还有一家小当铺.虽然这些年一直由沈家统一管理,但账簿还是比较清楚的,契簿都还在.
然而,这只是表面的.真正让她保持清醒和担忧的是,沈家大账户中从未有过的秘密账户,以及她母亲私下送给她的那个梨木制成的小盒子,里面装着秘密账户和几张关键的银币和令牌.
继母刘太太和大哥沈仲康的目标远不止这些公开的生意.他们更渴望的,恐怕是那个可能牵扯到沈家内部乃至江南商界一些隐藏关系的小盒子.她的父亲病得很重,命令已经下达了.他们清除障碍的行动只会比她预期的更快,更坚决.
"叮叮叮,叮叮——"门外传来一阵谨慎的敲门声.
沈若欣抬眼,赶紧合上账簿,装进一个不起眼的布袋里,才提高嗓门说:"进来.
门被推开了.那是她身边唯一一个比较体贴的大丫鬟,小翠.小翠端着一碗热气腾腾的红枣莲子汤,脸上带着一丝担忧."小姐,你一大早就开始看这些东西了.先用点东西暖和自己.今天是你的生日...
"明白了.让它走吧.沈若欣的声音没有出卖任何情绪.
小崔将甜汤放在桌上,犹豫了片刻,然后低声说道:"小姐,刚才..."在你身边的张姥娘来传达信息,说今天是你的生日,请你稍后在正屋吃饭.夫人...我自己为你做了好几道菜.
自己做饭?沈若欣的嘴角弯成一抹几乎难以察觉的冷笑.刘某何时有过这样的"母爱"情怀?大概是鸿门的一场盛宴,等着她落入自己的圈套.
"嗯,我明白了."沈若心淡然回应,拿起那碗还温热的甜汤,却没喝.相反,她用勺子轻轻搅拌,仿佛陷入了沉思.
看着小姐姐平静的身影,小翠更是心烦意乱.自从师父生病后,府内的气氛就一天比一天诡异.大少爷夫妇几乎一直守在老爷的床边,却没有理会二小姐.甚至会计室也开始有人看守.虽然她不太明白关键点,但她本能地感觉到了危险.
"小姐..."小崔还想多说些什么.
"先下去,"沈若欣打断了她."我想一个人呆一会儿."
小翠张了张嘴,但最终却变成了一声轻柔的叹息,她鞠躬退去.
房间里又陷入了寂静.沈若欣放下手中的甜汤,起身走到窗前,推开了一半.一阵寒风瞬间吹来,吹乱了她的头发,稍微理清了她杂乱的思绪.
一个人不能只是坐等死亡.
她必须主动出击,至少弄清楚刘的下一步计划.
沈若心怀恩恨,关上窗户坐回桌边,却没有再看那些账簿.她从嫁妆的隐蔽隔间里掏出一个小银哨子,放在嘴边,吹出一声极其微弱,几乎听不见的声音.
片刻之后,窗外传来了一只猫非常轻柔的喵喵叫声.
沈若欣走到窗户前,再次推开了窗户.一个瘦弱的身影,像一只貉子,悄无声息地滚了进来,稳稳地落在了地面上.这是一个大约十二三岁的男孩,穿着一件不起眼的灰色短布.他的脸上有些灰尘,但他的眼睛却格外明亮和活泼.
"阿兴姐姐."年轻人鞠了一躬,声音很低.他是沈若心早年救的个小乞丐.他的名字叫 Shitou.她一直偷偷地把他关在城外.每天,她都会为她跑腿以收集一些信息.
"斯通,你太辛苦了."沈若欣递给他一个热乎乎的糕点,道:"我让你调查的事情怎么样了?
石头接过糕点,几口吞下去,擦了擦嘴说:"阿兴姐,你什么都查出来了.这几天,老婆确实经常派人出去,和几个商家取得了联系,但他们只是笼统地聊了一些生意上的事,并没有表现出什么特别的意思.然而...
石头顿了顿片刻,然后靠近,声音更低了:"不过,昨天下午,城西'锦绣布店'的老板王先生偷偷溜进了府邸,直接被请进了那位女士的内院.他在那儿呆了整整一个小时才离开.我让专人跟踪了那个 Shopkeeper Wang.他回来后,他的妻子立即去珠宝店挑选了一个漂亮的金簪子.
Jinxiu Cloth Shop? Shopkeeper Wang?
Shen Ruoxin frowned slightly. This cloth store is not large in scale and can only be considered medium in the city. It is said that the shopkeeper Wang is a bit slick, but he has no bad records. Why did Lady Liu meet him privately and let him stay for so long? Moreover, the immediate purchase of gold ornaments by the Wang family's wife indicates that the shopkeeper Wang received benefits from the Liu family, or perhaps... Some kind of deal has been reached?
An ominous premonition welled up in my heart.
"Madam, what's going on in the inner courtyard recently?" Shen Ruoxin pressed further.
The stone thought for a moment and said, "Nothing else." It was early this morning that Aunt Zhang went to the warehouse to collect a lot of fine silk and some jewelry from her daughter's family, saying... It was said that I was going to make a birthday gift for you, Sister Ah Xing.
Birthday gift? Could Mrs. Liu be so kind? It's probably the weasel paying New Year's greetings to the chicken and having no good intentions. Silk satin, jewelry... Then I got in touch with the owner of that brocade cloth store, Mr. Wang...
A terrifying thought flashed through Shen Ruoxin's mind like lightning.
Could it be... Liu Shi wants to make her... Get married? !
Marry that Shopkeeper Wang? A cloth merchant who is nearly twenty years older than her and has a wife at home? (Note: Here it is set that in ancient times, taking concubines or filling the house was allowed.)
No, that's not right. Shopkeeper Wang already had a legal wife. No matter how ruthless Lady Liu was, she wouldn't dare to openly give one of her legitimate daughters (with an external identity) to someone else as a concubine right under her father's nose. So... Is it for the son of Shopkeeper Wang? Or some other relatives?
No matter which possibility it is, Liu's purpose is obvious - to get rid of this "thorn in her side" as soon as possible, and preferably marry her into a family they can control and make it convenient for them to embezzling her mother's dowry!
Once she gets married, according to the rules, the dowry is managed by her husband's family. With the methods of Liu Shi and Shen Zhongkang, they would surely try every possible way to keep the actual control of the dowry in their hands. Once she left the Shen family, all alone and helpless, she would be at the mercy of others.
What a cruel plan!
Shen Ruoxin felt a chill rush straight from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, her whole body icy cold. She was only fifteen years old. In this era, although she had reached the age when a marriage proposal could be made, her father was seriously ill and she was still within the mourning period (or close to it). How could Lady Liu be so eager!
"Stone," Shen Ruoxin forced herself to calm down, her voice carrying a slight, imperceptible tremor. "You go to the area near the Jinxiu Cloth Shop right now and find an opportunity to approach the servants of the Wang shopkeeper's family or the assistants of the cloth shop, and try to figure out exactly what the Wang shopkeeper talked about with the lady when he came to the mansion yesterday." Especially... Was I mentioned?
"Yes!" Sister Ah Xing! The stone responded without hesitation and turned to leave through the window.
"Wait a moment," Shen Ruoxin called out to him, taking out a small silver ingot from her sleeve. "Be careful and don't expose yourself." If there is danger, evacuate immediately. Keeping yourself is the most important.
The stone took the silver, nodded vigorously, and then deftly climbed out of the window again. Soon, it vanished into the shadow of the corner.
Only Shen Ruoxin was left in the room. She walked to the table and looked at the bowl of cold red date and lotus seed soup, her stomach churning.
Dinner... Mrs. Liu asked her to have dinner at the main room...
This is by no means a simple meal. I'm afraid that Lady Liu is trying to take advantage of her birthday to invite that Shopkeeper Wang or someone of his to her residence and have a good look at him? Even perhaps... Are things going to be settled on the spot?
No! She mustn't just sit and wait for her death!
But what could she do? The father was seriously ill. The imperial edict had been issued. The eldest brother and the stepmother joined forces. Most of the servants in the mansion had also been bribed by them. It seems that the only thing she can rely on now is that hidden small box and the secrets that might exist inside and hold some people back.
But that box must never be used easily unless it is absolutely necessary. Once exposed, it may bring about even greater disasters.
A way must be thought of to delay the time, or... The plot to sabotage the Liu family.
Shen Ruoxin paced around the room, her mind racing. She needs more information. What were the specific transaction details between Mr. Liu and Mr. Wang? When are they going to act? Is there any weakness that can be exploited by Shopkeeper Wang?
Oh, by the way, the inner courtyard of the Liu family...
She remembered that Mrs. Liu had a habit of handling some private affairs or having some intimate conversations with her trusted nanny in the small warm room on the west side of her inner courtyard before taking a short nap in the afternoon. It is relatively secluded there and ordinary people dare not approach.
Perhaps... Where can one try one's luck?
Although the risks are extremely high, once discovered, the consequences will be unimaginable. But at this moment, she didn't have many choices left.
Having made up her mind, Shen Ruoxin straightened her dress and, looking into the bronze mirror, carefully examined her own expression. Pale, but the eyes must be calm. She took a deep breath, suppressing all her fear and anger deep in her heart and putting on a calm and even slightly submissive expression.
She pushed the door open and went out.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone pavement. The Shen Mansion was vast. To reach the main courtyard where Lady Liu lived, one had to pass through several courtyards and corridors.
All along the way, when the servants she met saw her, they would only bow hurriedly, their eyes avoiding her and not daring to make eye contact with her. Shen Ruoxin sneered inwardly. It seemed that the actions of the Liu mother and son had completely changed the direction of the mansion.
The closer one gets to the main courtyard, the quieter the atmosphere becomes. Shen Ruoxin slowed down her pace and listened attentively.
Sure enough, faintly, voices came from the direction of the small warm room in the west. The voice was very low and inaudible, but one of them was clearly Liu's voice.
Shen Ruoxin's heart tightened and her steps subconsciously became lighter. She didn't take the right path. Instead, she went around to the small garden behind the warm pavilion, where there was a cluster of thick green bamboo that could just cover her figure.
She held her breath, like a vigilant cat, quietly approaching the green bamboo grove. Then she crouched down and carefully peered through the gaps in the bamboo leaves towards the window of the warm room.
The window was half open, and two figures could be faintly seen inside. One is the Liu family, and the other... It seems to be a well-dressed middle-aged man. Judging from his figure and profile, he is very likely to be the owner of the Brocade Cloth Shop, Mr. Wang!
Why is he here again? !
Shen Ruoxin's heart instantly rose to her throat. She pressed her ear close to the bamboo grove, trying hard to catch the intermittent conversation floating out through the crack of the window.
"... Madam, rest assured. Although the child is not a capable person, he is good at being honest and obedient... The second young lady will never be treated unfairly... It was the voice of Shopkeeper Wang, with a fawning smile.
"Just be honest." Liu's voice carried a hint of satisfaction, "That girl, Ah Xing, may seem quiet, but her mind is very deep." After I get married, Shopkeeper Wang will have to do it for me... Give it a good discipline. Especially the dowry left by her mother, you must take it over as soon as possible to avoid much trouble.
Shopkeeper Wang responded repeatedly, "Yes, yes!" What the lady said is right! Those several shops are all in good locations. Once they fall into the hands of the villains, they will surely be able to... "Hey, I'll do my best for you, madam!"
Liu snorted softly, "Those shops and farmlands are no big deal." The key point is... A pear blossom wood box that her mother gave as a dowry to her back then is said to contain some... Something important. Find a way. You must get it!
"Pear blossom wood box?" Shopkeeper Wang seemed somewhat puzzled.
"Right," Liu's voice was lowered even more, with a hint of greed and ferocity, "That's the truly good thing!" If you can get it, the benefits... You are indispensable!
Madam, rest assured! Little one will do his best! Do your best!
Shen Ruoxin squatted behind the bamboo grove, her blood almost coagulating.
Sure enough! Sure enough, it's for my mother's dowry! Even... They even knew about that secret account box!
Moreover, Liu Shi is not going to marry herself, but to marry the "obedient" son of Shopkeeper Wang! It's called marrying off a daughter, but in reality it's selling her! She and her mother's dowry were used to exchange for the support and assistance of Shopkeeper Wang, helping them to embezzle the family property together!
It seemed as if she could see what a pitch-dark situation she would be in if she fell into the hands of that so-called "honest" son of the Wang family. If the dowry is taken away and the person is accused, the slightest resistance will be labeled as "unfilial" or "disobedient". At that time, if one cries to the sky, there will be no response; if one cries to the earth, there will be no answer!
A strong wave of nausea and anger welled up in her heart, and Shen Ruoxin almost couldn't hold back and rushed out. But reason held her tightly.
No. It's not the right time yet. She must be patient and must find an opportunity to fight back.
The conversation inside was still going on, seemingly discussing details such as the betrothal gifts and the date for collecting taxes. Liu's meaning was that while Shen Wanshan still had a breath left, they should quickly settle the marital status, and it would be best if they could obtain the marriage certificate to establish the established fact.
Shen Ruoxin's heart gradually sank. She felt like a fish waiting to be slaughtered in a net, unable to struggle.
Just then, Liu's voice came from the warm room: "Alright, Shopkeeper Wang, that's all for today." Later on, I'll ask A Xing to come over. You... We can meet first and get familiar with each other.
Shopkeeper Wang's voice was filled with uncontainable joy: "All right, all right!" Thank you very much, madam! Thank you, madam, for making this possible!
Footsteps sounded, as if Shopkeeper Wang was about to leave.
Shen Ruoxin immediately lowered her body and didn't dare to breathe.
A moment later, Shopkeeper Wang did come out of the warm room, with a smug smile on his face. Accompanied by Aunt Zhang, he hurried out of the courtyard.
It was not until their footsteps completely vanished that Shen Ruoxin slowly straightened up. Her face was paler than before, but her eyes were unusually cold, shining with a kind of determination that was almost desperate.
Liu Shi, Shen Zhongkang, Shopkeeper Wang...
Do you want my dowry and my life?