Chapter 112 Male Heir

After this meal, Li San Niang felt that even the delicious mutton soup had lost its flavor.

After finally finishing the meal, Xu Jingzhen didn't mention wanting to speak with Li Sanniang alone or anything. He and his servant happily left with the return gifts prepared by Li's mother.

By the time Li Da Xiong and Li Er Xiong watched Xu Jingzhen get into the carriage and leave, it was almost past noon.

Li's mother took one of the two gifts she had reserved, originally intended for the families of Li's eldest sister-in-law and Li's second sister-in-law, and gave it to Xu Jingzhen, who had come uninvited.

“Eldest brother, your in-laws live in the city, which is relatively close to us. Since Xu Sanlang’s arrival was so abrupt, your mother will give your gift to him first. We don’t need Erlang’s gift because Erlang’s in-laws live far away, and it would be too late to buy it later. Eldest brother’s wife, don’t feel bad about it. Your mother will add another gift for both of you.”

As she spoke, Li's mother took out a purse and gave it to Li Dalang, instructing him to hurry on the way to make up another customary gift to take to the Jiang family.

Then Li's mother took out two small brocade boxes, one for Li's eldest sister-in-law and the other for Li's second sister-in-law.

"These are the jewelry that the Gao family brought when they gave Third Sister a thank-you gift last time. You all have sisters in your family, so you can keep them or give them away."

Also, Dewdrop, Father, regarding the Wang family, just follow the slightly better four-item ceremony.

"Thank you for your help, elder brother and sister-in-law. Here is the money."

Li San Niang took out a ten-tael silver ingot and gave it to Li Da Sao. Li Da Sao took it, patted Li San Niang's hand and said to her, "When the time comes, I'll have your eldest brother accompany you and Lu Zhu'er to the Wang family."

Just as Li San Niang was about to say something, Li's mother urged, "Hurry up, while it's still daylight. The carriage has already been called outside. Go early and come back early."

That afternoon, Li Sanniang was also busy. In addition to practicing sewing and knotting, she was also preparing the content of her lecture to the people in the Medical Alliance at Junyoulai Restaurant the next day.

As dusk approached, Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li returned with return gifts from the Jiang and Wang families.

When Li San Niang went to pick up the things, she saw Li Da Xiong with a dark face, looking like he didn't want anyone to mess with him.

Li San Niang took the wooden box handed to her by Li Da Sao with her left hand and a bundle with her right. She looked at Li Da Sao with her eyes and asked, "Brother Li, what's wrong? It looks like someone has upset you."

Sister-in-law Li shook her head, "Let's talk about it when we get home."

After Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li washed their hands and faces, each holding a cup of jujube tea, it was almost dark. Father Li and his young apprentice put up the door panels in the front yard, leaving only two panels that could fit one person through, thinking that it would be almost nightfall before Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li could return home before curfew.

Just as Li's father was about to ask his elder brother why he looked so troubled—had something happened while delivering holiday gifts?—he returned home with such a dark expression.

As if on cue, the sound of Li Erxiong settling the bill for his donkey cart came from outside the front hall. Li Sanniang hurried to the door to help.

Every year when Li Ersao and Li Erxiong return to their parents' home to deliver festival gifts, they have to take a car back. This is because the countryside doesn't have the various shops in the city where they can buy gift boxes to exchange as festival gifts. In addition, the countryside is not as wealthy as the city, and most people make a living by farming.

Therefore, the gifts the Wu family gave to the Li family were mostly things produced in the countryside, like the two live chickens in the cage that Li Ersao was carrying, and the dried wild vegetables, radishes, and cabbage in the basket that Li Sanniang was carrying. Li Sanniang could only carry it a few steps before she couldn't hold it anymore, and it was taken away by Li Daxiong, who was coming from the opposite direction and still had a dark face, with one hand.

By the time everyone had finished tidying up, it was already completely dark, so the Li family's dinner had to be held in the main hall.

At the dinner table, Li San Niang was really curious as to why her eldest brother Li looked so unapproachable, so she asked while eating, "Elder brother, what's wrong? Why do you look like that?"

On the other side, Li Erlang, one of the four little ones sitting at a table, watched Li Sanniang bravely questioning Li Daxiong and winked at Li Dalang to show his admiration for Li Sanniang.

In the Li family, the only people who probably aren't afraid of Li Da Xiong's stern face are Li's father, Li's mother, Li's sister-in-law, and Li San Niang.

Since it was his beloved youngest sister asking the question, Brother Li softened his expression and said, "Let's talk after we finish eating, otherwise we really can't eat anymore."

Li San Niang felt uneasy. This sounded like something was wrong. Her brother Li had only visited Li Da Sao's family and Wang Ziheng's family that afternoon. The Jiang family was a family of military merit, so they wouldn't do anything underhanded. Besides, the Jiang family had always valued her brother Li and the Li family. So it could only be the Wang family's business.

Li San Niang could think of it, and everyone present except for the carefree Xiao Si Lang, Lu Zhu Er, and Xiao Wu Lang who was still breastfeeding, could think of it too.

Brother Li must have encountered some trouble at the Wang family's house!

After dinner, Xiao Silang took Luzhu'er to the yard to play a game of throwing cuju balls with Xiaohuang, who had grown out of the puppy's appearance and was starting to resemble its mother.

In the main hall, everyone had a bowl of herbal tea and waited for Brother Li to tell them what had happened at the Wang family's house that afternoon that made him return home with a dark face.

Through Brother Li's narration and Sister-in-law Li's supplementary explanation, it took nearly half an hour of careful and detailed explanation to make the matter clear.

It turned out that after leaving the Jiang family, Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li hurriedly bought four gifts and rushed to the Wang family, fearing that they would be impolite if they arrived late.

At the entrance of the Wang family's residence, they were greeted politely by the servants, but upon arriving at the main hall, they were surprised to find an unfamiliar young woman waiting there.

The woman started with insincere small talk, which made Sister-in-law Li suspicious. But after hearing her introduction, Sister-in-law Li guessed right. This woman was actually Lu Zhu'er's father, Prince Heng's (Wang Erlang's) cousin from his maternal family, who had returned home after her husband's death and had slept with Wang Erlang.

In other words, he was the culprit who caused Li San Niang, the original owner of the body, to miscarry after witnessing Wang Ziheng's affair with her.

Upon hearing her introduction, Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li's expressions changed immediately. Without saying a word, Brother Li lifted his leg to pull Sister-in-law Li out.

Before he could even step out the door, he was stopped by Wang Dalang, who rushed over in a hurry and was covered in sweat.

Seeing this, Wang Dalang, who was busy welcoming and seeing off merchants, understood everything. He immediately turned cold and said to his cousin, "Fifth Sister, you should go down first and see if Erlang has sobered up."

Brother Li, thinking that Lu Zhu'er was ultimately surnamed Wang, suppressed his anger and was pulled back to the main hall by Wang Dalang.

The woman known as Fifth Sister was genuinely afraid of Wang Dalang's cold expression, so she responded softly. However, as she passed by Sister-in-law Li, she muttered to herself, "Sigh, being pregnant is exhausting. I wonder if this brat will ever show me any compassion."

Counting the days, the baby in Wu Niang's belly was indeed big enough that an experienced doctor could determine the sex and gestational age.

Sister-in-law Li gave a loud "humph," ignoring Fifth Sister's foolish boasting.

Turning around, Wang Dalang knew how to behave. He apologized to Li Dalang while explaining that Wang Erlang had gone to deliver festival gifts to his maternal uncle's family and had drunk wine at the midday banquet, so he couldn't get up and couldn't come to the main hall to greet Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li.

"Hehe, Wang Dalang has quite the eloquence; he can make the dead sound alive and the bad sound good."

No one, not even ghosts, believed the reasons Wang Dalang gave Wang Erlang.

Brother Li was too lazy to deal with Wang Dalang's boasting, so he darkened his face and said directly, "Young Master Wang, I have delivered this year's Mid-Autumn Festival gift to Luzhu'er on behalf of my Third Mother. Please accept it. It is getting late, so I will not disturb you any longer."

As he spoke, Brother Li got up, and Sister-in-law Li followed suit and left.

"Oh, Brother Li, don't be offended, but don't forget to take this return gift."

Therefore, although the Wang family gave a generous return gift, Brother Li returned to the Li family with a dark expression.