Chapter 137 You don't live off women, it's because you don't like it...

“Scarf, oh scarf, your dad is really destined to have a wife.”

Lu Xilou held the little fox, who was "moved to the point of not daring to move," and stroked it hard several times with gritted teeth, snorting, "I've worked diligently in the Embroidered Uniform Guard for so many years, braving wind and rain, and I've only managed to become a Commander. He, on the other hand, can sit on equal footing with me just by living off his wife at home."

Pei Jinghuai wasn't about to indulge him, his smile widening even more. "I'm happy to. I love being a kept man; it's so delicious! Envious of me? Why don't you try it? Don't you like it?"

Lu Xilou: ...Look at your worthless laugh! Where is your sense of husbandly authority?!

As brothers who grew up together, Lu Xilou easily saw through his pretense. "From now on, you'll be guarding His Majesty's gate every day, standing from morning till night. You'll be exhausted!"

Pei Jinghuai: Smile disappears.jpg

“Don’t try to scare me.” He retorted stubbornly, “Standing guard is what ordinary guards do. My father said I only need to schedule their shifts.”

“Tsk, the Marquis is definitely lying to you.” Lu Xilou shook his head. “Is it so easy to be the Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard? You have hundreds of men under your command. How can you guarantee their unwavering loyalty and obedience? Also, the Twelve Imperial Guards hold a grand martial arts competition every year. If your Left Guard is lax in its military preparedness and comes in last place, do you think they will laugh at you for the whole year? The Marquis of Changning’s family rose to prominence through military achievements. You can’t bring shame to your ancestors.”

Pei Jinghuai's face fell. "So many things to take care of?"

He regretted it; could he ask His Majesty to retract his order?

Why can't we just let him happily be a spoiled brat?

Pei Jinghuai, feeling wronged, tugged at Shen Lingyue's sleeve and played the victim, "Madam, could you please not be so ambitious next time?"

This act of saving the emperor (the unsuccessful version) earned his father-in-law a second-rank ministerial position and him a commanding officer position.

If a similar situation were to happen again...

Pei Jinghuai's imagination ran wild: "His Majesty won't grant me a marquisate, will he? Then the Pei family's genealogy will have to be opened on a separate page again, hahaha..."

Enraged, Shen Lingyue pinched his ear, "You're being picky about the promotion I gave you? If you don't want it, there are plenty of other men out there who would want it!"

Hmph, if she hadn't missed the chance to become an official, would such a good thing have fallen into the hands of her father and husband?

Although she herself didn't want to go to work ( )

"What wild man?" Pei Jinghuai protested, covering his ears. "As long as I live, no one will ever step through this door. No, even if I die and become a ghost, I will stop those little vixens outside!"

"Chirp chirp!" Scarf chimed excitedly.

Lu Xilou pressed down on the fox's head and watched coldly.

...Do you two always act like this at home?

He decided to ruin the atmosphere and said in a low voice, "Second, do you know how your ex ended up?"

Pei Jinghuai turned his head: "Wasn't he dismissed from his post for being involved in the Hengwang Palace Coup?"

Lu Xilou shook his finger with schadenfreude, "No, wait, he's the unlucky guy whose head was cracked open by my dad's musket..."

"Pah, pah, pah! My husband just got promoted, can't you say something auspicious?"

Shen Lingyue glared at him irritably. She should have asked her aunt for a bowl of the leftover grains from that day and cooked them all into Laba porridge to stuff into his mouth!

Lu Xilou made a face, "Otherwise, how do you think this job fell to you? It's because His Majesty values ​​the Pei family's unwavering loyalty and believes you can definitely guard the gate for him, hahaha..."

Shen Lingyue sighed, rubbing her forehead. What could she do about her husband's childhood friend's sharp tongue? Should she put him in a sack?

She put down her teacup to coax Pei Jinghuai, "Alright, this is His Majesty's trust in you, unlike someone who has worked hard for so many years, and you've just taken over their entire life."

Pei Jinghuai leaned against her shoulder and secretly took her hand, saying, "I just don't want to be separated from you."

Lu Xilou: ...Are you guys ever going to stop?!

...

"Minister Shen has served as an official for many years and is cautious in his actions. With the help of his father-in-law, Lord Zhao, it is only natural that he was promoted to Minister of Rites this time."

"As for Huaizhou, he did benefit from the Shen family's influence, but ultimately it was because our Marquis's Mansion has always been impartial and prudent in protecting itself that he was able to gain His Majesty's trust."

Pei Xian made a special trip to Jiu Si Yuan to advise Pei Jingyi not to overthink things and damage the relationship between the brothers.

“You are already the heir apparent. Your position in the Ministry of War is just a transition. I will hand over my duties in the Left Army Commandery to you sooner or later. That’s how I did it when your grandfather was still alive.”

"Father is overthinking it. I don't want a promotion right now."

Pei Jingyi was engrossed in reading a medical book, only half-listening to Pei Xian's words. After he finished speaking, he looked up and asked, "Could you please inform the Minister of War to temporarily delegate my duties in the Military Selection Department to someone else? I would like to request a few months' leave."

Pei Xian's gaze fell on the four large characters "Essentials of Gynecology" on the cover, and he felt his temples throb uncontrollably several times.

Then he saw that there were many medical books piled up next to Pei Jingyi, such as "Fu Qingzhu's Gynecology" and "Effective Childbirth Treasure"... and his vision went black.

He gritted his teeth and forced out, "So, you, Physician Pei, are you really going to change careers and become a physician?"

Pei Jingyi replied earnestly, "Yan Yi has been diagnosed with pregnancy. This is our first child, your first grandchild, and the next heir of the Marquis's mansion. We can't be too careful."

He had memorized the pregnancy handbook that Wenxian had given him, but he still felt it wasn't enough, so he also collected many books and prescriptions specifically about women's medicine so that he could take care of Yan Yi throughout her entire pregnancy.

Pei Xian was speechless for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a sentence: "You're overreacting. Your wife has your mother looking after her at home, and your second son's wife keeps her company. What are you worried about?"

Now even the second son, a lazy bum who just loafs around all day, has to go out and take a job, while his eldest son, the dignified heir of a marquis's mansion, is actually asking for a long leave to stay home with his pregnant wife?!

Pei Xian felt that it must be because he was too old and couldn't keep up with the thinking of young people nowadays.

"Of course I trust my mother, but no matter how well she takes care of me, she can't compare to my husband."

As for Shen Lingyue, whom Pei Xian mentioned, Pei Jingyi completely ignored her.

He stayed home to keep an eye on her.

To avoid Shen Lingyue dragging Yan Yi around all day, what if they encounter another accident?

He was already very familiar with his younger sister-in-law's tendency to cause trouble. Sometimes it wasn't that she deliberately caused trouble; it was just that as soon as she appeared, all sorts of strange things would seem to happen to her...

Pei Jingyi secretly resolved to create a peaceful and tranquil environment for Yan Yi to nurture her pregnancy.

Pei Xian tried to persuade him for a long time, but seeing that he was unmoved, he said something in an annoyed tone.

“I’m not familiar with the Minister of War, and I don’t have the influence to ask for a long leave for you. Why don’t you go see His Majesty?”

He said that out of spite, but Pei Jingyi actually thought about it for a moment.

“That makes sense. I’ll go to the palace tomorrow to visit my uncle and share the good news with him.”

Pei Xian: ...

So you call him "Uncle" when there's trouble, and "Your Majesty" when there's nothing to do?

Your relationship as uncle and nephew is quite flexible.

...

The news of Yan Yi's pregnancy was known even within the Marquis's household.

However, it is said that it is not advisable to announce a pregnancy during the first three months, as it may disturb the fetal spirit. Therefore, everyone tacitly agreed not to spread the news. Even Pei Jinghuai's promotion banquet was not held in a big way; it was just a small celebration behind closed doors by his family.

Emperor Qingxi was still sending out a series of "gift packages" of dismissing officials, confiscating their property, and exiling them; it was best to keep a low profile at this time.

Moreover, hosting a banquet is already mentally and physically exhausting, so this way Meng Wanyin and Yan Yi can also take a break.

A few days later, Shen Lingyue received an invitation from her family to celebrate her father's promotion.

She took the invitation to Pei Xian and Meng Wanyin, asking if she could come home for the banquet.

"It's alright. Lord Shen entered officialdom through the proper imperial examination. His promotion from Vice Minister to Minister is not considered an exceptional promotion."

Pei Xian was very tolerant of her and even asked Meng Wanyin to prepare a generous gift from the public funds to congratulate his in-laws on his behalf.

With her elders' permission, Shen Lingyue was ready to happily return to her parents' home.

The next day, she went to Jiusi Academy to find Yan Yi to go out together as usual, but Pei Jingyi stopped her at the door and said kindly, "Madam is still resting, sister-in-law can go back by herself."

Shen Lingyue blinked: "Is my sister-in-law still not awake? I haven't seen her for days. Should I go in and say a few words to her before I leave?"

Before she could finish speaking, she nimbly slipped past Pei Jingyi and squeezed in.

"Yan Yan, I've come to see you!"

Pei Jingyi: ...

It's simply impossible to defend against.

Shen Lingyue entered the room familiarly and saw Yan Yi sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book, pouting unhappily.

"My brother lied to me. He said you hadn't gotten up yet."

She sat down beside the bed and carefully examined Yan Yi's belly. "How are you feeling today? Are you still very tired?"

"It's alright, but I sometimes feel dizzy." Yan Yi put down her storybook, gently pressing her fingertips to her temples, and said helplessly, "Pei Jingyi won't let me get out of bed. When I say I want to read, he carries me to the bookshelf and slowly picks out books..."

They treated her like a patient who couldn't take care of herself, practically feeding and watering her by hand.

Shen Lingyue chuckled, "Your older brother is just worried about you. You don't need to be polite with him. You should take advantage of this opportunity to order him around!"

She's not pregnant now, but once she has a child, she'll definitely make Pei Jinghuai ride her like a horse.

A cough came from behind me.

Pei Jingyi leaned against the door, shaking his head helplessly. "Sister-in-law, have you forgotten that I'm not on duty today?"

It's a bit too unrestrained to say bad things about him.

"So what?" Shen Lingyue retorted defiantly. "Yan Yan's pregnancy was so tough. If you dare to be uncaring or inconsiderate towards her, after the baby is born, I'll keep telling the baby every day, 'Your dad is a big bad guy. I won't take care of him in his old age, and he'll have to eat from a tiny wooden bowl!'"

Pei Jingyi gave a slight smile: "Don't worry, I won't give you that chance."

Shen Lingyue held up two fingers and pointed to her eyes: "I will keep my eyes on you..."

Turning to Yan Yi with a smile, she said, "Then I'll go back to my parents' house by myself. If I hear any interesting gossip, I'll tell you when I get back!"

Yan Yi smiled and nodded: "Please give my regards to your aunt."

...

The Shen family home is bustling with guests today.

Shen Hang is not even fifty years old this year, yet he has already become a chief official, which is considered "promising at a young age" in the court.

Look at Lord Zhao, he's almost eighty, yet he still speaks with such vigor. This shows how serious the aging problem is in the court of Da Ye.

It's no wonder that Shen Hang insisted on hosting a banquet to celebrate at this time; he simply couldn't hold back any longer, how could he not share this joy with someone?

No one can hide their wealth and glory in the dark.

—Oh, except for Pei Jinghuai, who doesn't want to go to work.

When Shen Lingyue arrived at Zhao Lan's courtyard, Shen Yuanjia was already there, with Sang Wenyuan, who was three months pregnant, sitting next to him.

As soon as Shen Yuanjia saw her, he smiled and waved, "Oh, the wife of the Commander-in-Chief is here! Tell us quickly, what exactly happened on the day of the palace coup?"

Speaking of which, Shen Yuanjia was originally on the list of noblewomen who went to the palace to mourn, but she only went for three days. On the third night, Hengjie was sent back from the girls' school because someone in her class had chickenpox. For safety reasons, the whole class was suspended for ten days and kept at home for observation.

Worried that his daughter might also catch the virus, Shen Yuanjia quickly asked for leave from the palace and stayed home to take care of Hengjie, thus avoiding a disaster.

"Big sister, you've come to the right person."

Shen Lingyue sat down next to her and began to share her firsthand information with great enthusiasm.

Sang Wenyuan was also extremely curious. She leaned forward slightly, listened intently with wide eyes, and occasionally let out a soft gasp.

Zhao Lan coughed twice and said unhappily, "Stop talking nonsense, or you'll scare your sister-in-law."

Shen Lingyue stuck out her tongue, then, remembering that Sang Wenyuan was pregnant, quickly asked, "Sister-in-law, are you alright?"

You can't let your baby listen to these violent and bloody things as prenatal education.

Sang Wenyuan smiled and shook her head gently, "I'm fine, Mother is just too nervous."

She's even been kidnapped before, so hearing stories about it doesn't scare her anymore.

Shen Lingyue snorted at Zhao Lan, "Look, even my sister-in-law says it's nothing, so don't try to sow discord between us."

Zhao Lan glanced at her and said irritably, "I was just worried about you. What exactly did you do in the palace that allowed your father to get promoted?"

There are no secrets in the palace; Emperor Qingxi's joke about "fathers inheriting their daughters' ambitions" had already quietly spread.

Some colleagues were jealous that Shen Hang had been promoted to a high-ranking position at a young age, so they used this phrase to tease him, saying that he relied on his wife for the first half of his life and on his daughter for the second half, and so on.

Shen Hang was quite capable of maintaining his composure outside, and immediately retorted, "That's His Majesty praising my peaceful home, virtuous wife, and filial daughter. Hmph, this is a blessing you can only dream of!"

However, when he got home, he still complained to Zhao Lan, "...After working diligently in the Ministry of Rites for so many years, is the only thing His Majesty remembers about me? I have a good daughter?"

Upon hearing Zhao Lan's words, Shen Yuanjia sneered, "Father probably wishes this good reputation would fall on my second sister, so that her marriage wouldn't have been delayed until now."

During the years when Shen Hang favored Concubine Liu, Shen Yuanjia had grown up and understood things. She was the only child who accompanied Zhao Lan through those difficult days, so she couldn't possibly show a kind face to Concubine Liu and her two children.

She still remembered when the palace arranged a marriage between her younger sister and the Second Young Master Pei, Aunt Liu had the audacity to suggest that Consort Shen marry in her place. This angered her younger sister so much that she fell seriously ill. Several doctors were consulted, but none of them said that the marriage was not going to happen, and they hinted that the family should start making preparations as soon as possible.

My younger sister was born at the cost of my mother's life. If anything were to happen to her, Shen Yuanjia had no doubt that Zhao Lan would kill Aunt Liu to make her daughter pay for her death.

Fortunately, my younger sister pulled through and married smoothly into the Marquis's household, and her life got better and better...

Since everyone in the room was family, Shen Yuanjia didn't hide his disgust for Aunt Liu and snorted, "Second Sister's marriage has been delayed again and again, but she has finally become the daughter of a second-rank minister. Congratulations!"