Chapter 68: The Days Spent in the Locked Buddha Hall

  The old woman said, "Well, I don't know what to do either. My relatives from the countryside came to visit me and brought so many apples. But my husband and I have no teeth, we can't bite into them. It's a pity to just leave them like this."

  "Old lady, since it's like this, why don't you sell it?"

  The old woman sighed and said: "After all, it's a bit of thought from relatives. The two of us have been guarding this small restaurant, not lacking in food or clothing. So I don't want to sell it."

  Xu Mingjin's mind turned, and he said to the old woman: "Old lady, I'll teach you a trick. Wipe the apples into thin strips, mix them with a small amount of flour, knead them into round pancakes, brush some sesame seeds on them, put them in a pot with oil and fry until they're done, and that's sour and sweet apple pancakes. Or you can also make apple vinegar."

  The old woman heard this and said in surprise: "Apples can also be made into cakes? And they can also be made into vinegar?"

  Xu Mingjin nodded and said, "Apple cider vinegar is very beneficial for the elderly to drink. Old lady, I'll write down the recipe for you, you can make apple cider vinegar to drink or apple pie to eat. As many apples as there are will be eaten up."

  The old woman hesitantly handed Xu Mingjin a pen and paper, Xu Mingjin thought for a moment, then wrote down the recipes for apple pie and apple cider that she remembered. In her previous life, in order to lose weight, she had eaten these two things less, so naturally she knew how to make them. After finishing writing, Xu Mingjin handed the recipe to the old woman and bid farewell with Yu Zhu.

  Xu Mingjin saw that it was already late and, coupled with the unpleasant encounter with Xu Mingxia, thought of hurrying back earlier.

  The two of them hastily returned to that secret alley in Shangshu Fu and carefully made their way back to Feicui Garden.

  It wasn't until evening that Xu Mingxia still hadn't come to bother Xu Mingjin. Xu Mingjin let out a sigh of relief, but didn't expect even bigger trouble was waiting for him.

  On the second day, early in the morning, Xu Mingjin was 'invited' by Old Lady Xu to Chunhui Yard.

  Xu Mingjin had a bad premonition again, and indeed, as soon as she entered, she saw Xu Mingxia kneeling properly on the floor in front of Old Lady Xu. This time was different from before, there was no cushion, Xu Mingxia was directly kneeling on the cold floor. Xu Mingjin took a glance around and found that all the people who should be present at the Xu's residence had arrived. As soon as she saw this interrogation setup, she knew that Old Lady Xu already knew about yesterday's incident at the wine house.

  Xu Mingjin didn't wait for Old Lady Xu to speak and directly knelt down beside Xu Mingxia.

  Mrs. Xue sneered, "You're indeed clever, but can you use this cleverness in the right place? You only know how to fawn on your father, but it turns out you're a cheap person who even wants to steal from your own sister's husband!"

  Xu Mingjin fainted, fighting for her own brother-in-law's cheap woman? What kind of broken thing is this? Dare to scold herself as a cheap woman, Mrs. Xu, you are very capable!

  Xu Mingjin adjusted his expression and faced Xu Ruoyi coldly, saying: "I don't know if Father has arranged a marriage for that sister? Has the engagement letter been exchanged? Are the eight characters compatible? Is the betrothal settled?"

  Xu Ruoyi said: "That's not it."

  Xu Mingjin looked coldly at Old Lady Xu: "Since there isn't, how can you say I snatched my sister's husband? I have five sisters, which one of them has been promised to someone else? How am I a lowly person?"

  Mrs. Xü coldly smiled: "No need to say so much, dare you say you didn't seduce the young master of the Píng Xī Wang Fu?"

  Xu Mingjin's face didn't change color: "First, let's not talk about how I never seduced him. Let's talk about whether Young Master Wang has promised to marry a daughter from the Xu family or not? If not, where did this talk of 'seductress sister-in-law' come from?"

  Mrs. Xü was at a loss for words, but still argued: "Your elder sister likes the young master of the Píng Xī Wang Fu, and your father is just waiting for an opportunity to discuss this matter with Master Píng Xī. Everyone in our household knows about this, so why do you still want to entice him? Do you think you're prettier than Xiā ér? You're just like that sly and seductive mother of yours!"

  Xu Mingjin was furious. Xu Lao TaiTai scolded Fan TaiTai, her eyes were like cold ice blades, sharp and piercing: "Who told me about this matter? Grandmother, father, mother, which one of you told me? Eldest sister, did you tell me that you liked Young Master Wang? If you hung a sign on Young Master Wang's body with the words 'This is my Xu Mingxia's man', I would definitely stay far away!"

  "Mrs. Xu angrily said: 'How dare you, is there anyone who speaks like this?'"

  Xu Mingjin also angrily said: "Is there a grandmother who scolds her own granddaughter as a cheap person?"

  Mrs. Xu was taken aback, but still said: "What's wrong with me scolding you? Your mother is a slut, and so are you!"

  Xu Mingjin stared coldly at Old Lady Xu without saying a word. After a while, she sneered and smiled: "What is the grandmother of a cheap person?"

  "How dare you!" Madam Xulost her temper, Xu Mingjin's words were tantamount to calling her a cheap woman!

  Xu Mingjin stared at Mrs. Xu without fear.

  Mrs. Xu was startled at heart, being stared at by Xu Mingjin's eyes, as if she had been stared at by a poisonous snake spitting out scarlet snake letters, making her hair stand on end. But this was only for an instant. The next moment, Mrs. Xu became enraged, having been the highest leader of the Xu family for decades, and now being intimidated by a young whippersnapper! After recovering from her fright, Mrs. Xu was extremely indignant. She realized that she could no longer use words to trap Xu Mingjin, but had to think of another way to deal with him. However, today she would absolutely not let Xu Mingjin get away!

  Mrs. Xu thought for a moment and said: "Xia'er, tell me again what happened yesterday."

  Xu Mingxia's face was still swollen and bulging on one side, with five finger marks clearly visible. She no longer looked as beautiful and charming as she used to. Covering her face, she sobbed and said: "Yesterday, I told Father that I wanted to go out of the mansion to buy some cosmetics, and he agreed. I took my maid and went to the shop where I usually bought cosmetics, and after buying them, I felt a bit hungry, so I went to the nearby Wenxiang Lai wine house to eat. Who would have thought that as soon as I entered, I saw Sixth Sister pulling at Young Master Wang, who wanted to leave, but Sixth Sister wouldn't let him go. In a fit of anger, I rushed up and slapped Sixth Sister, and then was hit by Young Master Wang's palm, ending up in this state. I had intended to reason with Sixth Sister, but was stopped by Young Master Wang. Unexpectedly, Sixth Sister took advantage of the opportunity to escape! Young Master Wang saw that Sixth Sister had escaped and left me behind as well! Grandmother, you must take my side! It's clear that Young Master Wang has been bewitched by Sixth Sister using some sort of trick!"

  Xu Mingjin was furious and turned his anger into laughter, while Xu Mingxia was indeed good at turning black and white upside down.

  Madam Xü listened to Xü Míngxiá's words, and it was as if she had grasped the handle of Xü Míngjǐn. She looked down at him from a superior position, letting out a cold hum from her nose: "What else do you have to say now?"

  Xu Mingjin said: "Just listening to Dajie's one-sided words, Grandmother, you want to condemn me? Dare I ask what crime I have committed?"

  Mrs. Xue, who had been listening quietly on the side, interrupted and said: "The eldest young lady's departure from the mansion was agreed upon by Master, I dare ask, who agreed to Sixth Young Lady's departure? I didn't know you left the mansion."

  Madam Xü also said: "You haven't come to report this matter to me either!"

  Xu Mingjin smiled slightly and said: "Of course father agreed, otherwise how dare I leave the house?"

  Xu Ruoyi looked at him in surprise and said: "I don't remember you telling me that you were going out of the house."

  Xu Mingjin said: "Father, you won't be so biased, will you? You agreed to let my elder sister leave the house, it's unreasonable that you don't agree with me going out. Is Father being partial?"

  Xu Ruoyi hastily said: "Father is not biased, he treats you all equally. Father agreed to let your elder sister go out, naturally he also agrees with you going out of the house."

  Xu Mingjin heard this and looked at Mrs. Xu and the others with a pleased expression. Mrs. Xu continued, "Get the registration book from the gatehouse. The eldest young lady and the sixth young lady left the mansion, the gatehouse should have records, take a look and you'll know." She instructed a servant to go to the gatehouse to fetch the record book of people entering and leaving the Xu mansion.

  Xu Mingjin was a bit panicked now. She had climbed over the wall with Yu Zhu, how could there be any record at the gate? This is bad.

  Xu Mingjin pretended to be nonchalant, and upon seeing this, Madam Xu also began to doubt her own judgment. This Xu Mingjin must have definitely snuck out of the mansion, how could there possibly be a record at the gate? But why did she still look so confident? Could it be that she really had left through the main gate? Madam Xu's mind was filled with suspicion.

  Soon, the servant brought over the account book, and Old Lady Xu took it herself to examine. She read very slowly, but everyone knew she was an elderly person, so they all showed consideration for her. Xu Ruoyi said, "Mother, you're old now, let your son take a look instead!"

  "What's wrong? Do you think I'm too old to be useful? Want to take back the right to manage the household?" As she spoke, her eyes seemed to glance at Mrs. Xu beside her with a hint of malice.

  Xu Ruoyi hastily apologized: "Mother, it was son's mistake! You are still strong and healthy! This family is still being managed by you for son's sake, others won't do, son doesn't feel at ease!"

  Mrs. Xue was delighted again, and it was clear that Xu Ruoyi's words had struck a chord with her. Mrs. Xue glanced at Mrs. Xu with a hint of kindness, seeing that her expression remained calm, and only then did she have some good feelings towards this daughter-in-law.

  Mrs. Xü looked at the page in the book that recorded Xu Mingjin and Xu Mingxia's departure from the house, saw that there was no alteration or tearing, and the handwriting was exactly the same, and finally put down the book with a reluctant heart, saying: "She really did leave the house from there." As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Mingjin's hanging heart finally fell, but he couldn't help but wonder who had helped her.

  Madam Xü looked at Xu Mingjin and Xu Mingxia, seemingly having made a decision. She said: "Although you both left the house with Master's consent, yet as sisters of the same family, you don't know how to help each other in times of need. Instead, you ended up fighting in the wine tavern, and even got into a scuffle with men. As punishment, I'm sending you both to kneel for a day at the small Buddhist temple, without food."

  Xu Mingxia heard this and looked at Mrs. Xu with a wronged expression, just about to speak, but was pinched by Mrs. Xu's hand, and the words got stuck in her throat.

  Xu Mingjin had long expected this outcome, so he didn't say anything. The small Buddhist temple in the Xu family's house was always used to lock people up. However, Old Lady Xu had never gone there to pray before. She didn't believe in Buddhism, yet she still wanted to build a Buddhist temple at home. This is truly ironic, Xu Mingjin thought. At this moment, two maidservants came over and politely asked Xu Mingjin and Xu Mingxia to leave. Xu Mingjin did not resist and obediently followed the maid out, but Xu Mingxia was unwilling and glared fiercely at Lady Xu. It's all because of her that she wasn't allowed to speak earlier, otherwise, the only one being locked up would be Xu Mingjin!

  Mrs. Xue helplessly lowered her head, it seemed that her efforts were in vain. This Xu Mingxia was really stupid or heartless! Old Mrs. Xue had no reason to punish only Xu Mingjin, so she had to bring her along with him in order to punish him. As soon as she opened her mouth to plead, Old Mrs. Xue would definitely not be able to get out of this, who else could she blame?

  After this incident, Mrs. Xu realized that Xu Mingxia was an ungrateful wolf in sheep's clothing and never had the heart to help her again.

  Those two old women took Xu Mingxia and Xu Mingjin to the small Buddhist hall, after they went in, they locked the door of the Buddhist hall tightly, then left.

  The incense burner on the Buddhist altar was lit with incense, and some candles were lit around it, so it didn't look very dark. Xu Mingjin chose a meditation cushion and knelt down. But Xu Mingxia wouldn't kneel, she stood tiredly, then sat down on the meditation cushion to rest.

  Xu Mingjin took out a package wrapped in oil paper from her bosom, which contained quite a few pastries. She took one out and ate it slowly.