Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Power is a good thing.

After returning home, Fang Ying often thought about her conversation with Zhou Congshan.

She found that Zhou Congshan was much more perceptive than herself in his views on emperors and generals such as the Emperor, Uncle Zhou, and her father-in-law Ji Guangting.

Perhaps because Zhou Congshan was born into wealth and was closer to these powerful people - when she was a child, the emperor and Zhou Guojiu were not as powerful as they are now - so she could see more clearly that they were no different from ordinary men under their crowns.

Power is awe-inspiring, achievements are admired, and when you look at someone with awe, you are definitely looking up to them.

Fang Ying saw her father-in-law Ji Guangting as being in this state. It's not that she didn't notice something was wrong, but she always ignored it by saying, "This is not something a daughter-in-law should be concerned about." She didn't think about it carefully or delve into it, and sometimes she even made excuses for him unconsciously.

For example, when Sanlang and Silang brought Liu and Liu Da back home that day, Yue Qing'e said that these two people were probably given to Ji Guangting by someone else, but he didn't want them and gave them to his two sons.

So what about the ones he wanted? Ji Guangting had been commanding troops abroad for the past few years, making numerous military achievements and rising to higher ranks. There must have been more than just these two beauties that others had rushed to bring into his mansion. He wasn't a man of restraint, otherwise he wouldn't have so many illegitimate children in his mansion.

Before coming to Beijing, Liu Da and Liu Xiao had been with Sanlang and Silang for more than a year respectively. In other words, they entered the Jiedu Mansion during the period when Ji Yanlang's whereabouts were unknown.

On the other hand, during the three years when Ji Yanlang had no news, Li Shi not only had to endure the heart-wrenching pain, but also had to deal with the restlessness of her illegitimate son and his wife. She never had a single day of peace and security, and even had to observe a long fast until the defeat of Youzhou last year.

Fang Ying didn't know what Li was thinking, but she knew that if it were her, she wouldn't be so broad-minded and wouldn't feel resentment.

This is just one of them.

During the three years when Ji Yanlang was in trouble, the quarrels between the third and fourth rooms were almost exposed. Apart from supporting his wife to marry Fang Ying for Ji Yanlang, did Ji Guangting really discipline these two illegitimate sons?

No, even if he had tried to criticize Sanlang and Silang with his words, given their courage, they would have stopped long ago. They would never have dared to instigate An and Cheng to fight after Fang Ying entered the house. It was ridiculous that when Ji Yanlang first returned, she thought that Ji Guangting and Li's cooperation was a statement to protect his wife. Now think about it, as the head of the family with the final say, if he really wanted to protect his wife, would he be so subtle?

"What are you thinking about? So engrossed?" Ji Yanlang walked over to sit beside her and asked.

"Nothing, just remembering what we talked about last night."

Yesterday, word spread that Prince Wei's mansion had a little grandson. Ji Yanlang mentioned it when he came back. Originally, there wasn't much to discuss, but Fang Ying hadn't figured out why Ji Guangting didn't rein in Sanlang and Silang, allowing them to compete with the legitimate son. So, she used the imperial family's affairs as an excuse to ask him, "Since the Emperor has already chosen Prince Qin as the heir, why is he still letting Prince Wei go and not reining him in?"

Ji Yanlang was taken aback by her question: "It's not really letting it go..."

"They're treating this like a happy occasion, but aren't they just letting it go? When Prince Wei's first wife passed away, she was supposed to wear mourning clothes for a year. When this grandson was conceived, it was probably less than six months. His body is truly still warm."

"This matter is indeed not glorious, but the child has been born, and he is the eldest grandson of the emperor..."

Fang Ying shook her head. "I'm not talking about this child, but Prince Wei's various actions. They are against etiquette and law, unfilial and unbrotherly. Not only does the emperor not discipline him, but he is also happy for this so-called eldest grandson of the emperor. I really can't understand it."

Ji Yanlang sighed, "After all, he is his biological son. Even if Prince Wei is completely useless, as long as he doesn't actually force the emperor to abdicate, he is good in the eyes of the emperor. Moreover, he is very good at flattering the emperor, so the emperor prefers him more."

After all, he is his biological son. Yes, Fang Ying understood it instantly - Ji Sanlang and Ji Silang are also Ji Guangting's biological sons. To him, there is actually not much difference between legitimate sons and illegitimate sons.

Especially after Ji Yanlang's accident, the only legitimate son left was Ji Yanshou, who was a scholar. Fang Ying had lived in the Ji Mansion when she was a child, and knew that her late uncle was the son that Ji Guangting valued the most and kept with him the most.

The eldest uncle Ji Yanzong died young, and the ones who were left by his side became the third son Yanchang and the fourth son Yanqing. Although these two were not very capable, they spent a lot of time together. Who knows if Ji Guangting also favored these two illegitimate sons in his heart?

Not to mention the distant past, when the two were transferred from Ji Guangting's command and went to take up their respective posts, Ji Guangting must have given them extra money in private.

"Still thinking about it?" Ji Yanlang smiled. "No matter how much Prince Wei struggles now, even if he gives birth to ten grandchildren, he can't take away the throne. Don't worry."

Fang Ying regained her composure and replied, "He may not be able to seize the throne, but he and Concubine Zhang use this as an excuse to constantly cause trouble for Concubine Hui and His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin. Over time, how can Sister Zhou not be troubled?"

At this point, she paused for a moment, then continued, "Isn't this how Second Sister-in-law suffered?"

Ji Yanlang hadn't expected this and was stunned for a moment. Just as he was about to find some more words to persuade her, Fang Ying took over the conversation: "I'm not worried about Sister Zhou. She's not the kind of person who suffers on her own, and she won't let others bully her. I just feel... forget it."

Ji Yanlang would definitely not like what she said next, so he decided not to say anything.

Ji Yanlang held her hand and said, "I understand. You think that if the emperor can strictly control them and make Prince Wei and his mother give up this idea, everyone can live a good life, and Princess Zhou will not be urged to give birth to an imperial grandson."

Although he only understood the surface level, Fang Ying still nodded.

"But that's the throne." Ji Yanlang lowered his voice, "How can I give up so easily?"

Indeed, in this respect, the Ji family cannot compare with the royal family.

"Besides, although the Prince of Wei has been immoral, he hasn't committed any major offenses. The Emperor just demoted him and dismissed him from office because of the battle in Youzhou. If we continue to treat him harshly, I'm afraid it would be an overreaction, and some people would think that the Prince of Wei has lost his power."

"I understand. It's the so-called balancing act, commonly known as smoothing things over."

Ji Yanlang couldn't help laughing a few times before he talked about something else and moved on.

When Fang Ying had some free time, she thought about this matter again and still felt unfair for Li and Yue Qing'e. They were the ones who suffered the most in those three years of farce.

But when the head of the family who had left everything behind returned home, hugged Huaizhi and named her himself, Yue Qing'e was flattered. When she held Li's hand again, even Fang Ying sighed that there was love between them as a couple.

The same was true for Ji Yanlang and Ji Yanshou. Even though they had some grudges against Sanlang and Silang, as long as their father showed a little bit of protectiveness, they would be satisfied, drink and chat happily, and their family would be harmonious and prosperous.

No one thought that Ji Guangting was at fault.

Even now that Fang Ying has come to her senses and seen the mistakes of the head of the family, she is unable to explain them to anyone in the family.

"Don't tell anyone, just keep it in your mind."

In April, Princess Shengguo hosted a banquet, and Fang Ying met with Zhou Congshan again. After she said what she had hidden in her heart, she replied like this.

"I know, I just want to sigh with you that power is a good thing."

Zhou Congshan smiled and said, "Of course. But I think, with your wife's intelligence, she shouldn't be completely unaware, right?"

At this moment, the two of them were standing hand in hand by the pond, each holding fish food in their hands, feeding the fish while talking.

Fang Ying glanced at her second and fifth sisters-in-law standing on the bridge not far away, and lowered her voice, "Madam originally planned to go to Zhenzhou after Si Niang got married. I've been thinking about it over and over again these days, and I also think she might have some other plans."

"It would be strange if there weren't any. There's been a mansion outside the mansion for several years. Whether it's money or people outside, how can you know the details if you don't go and see for yourself?"

Fang Ying also thought so, but she felt that it seemed a bit disrespectful to speculate about Li, so she hesitated.

"It's a pity that I'm still stuck because of my pregnancy."

Fang Ying was already showing her pregnancy. Zhou Congshan looked at his friend's bulging belly, which even her loose clothes couldn't hide, and asked curiously, "Is it moving now?"

Fang Ying nodded and smiled, "It scared me the first time it moved."

Zhou Congshan's eyes widened: "Did it really move?"

"Well, it's been twenty days since the first time, right?" Fang Ying calculated and answered.

"Then... can you touch it?"

Fang Ying said, "If you touch it while it's moving, you can feel it. But the first few times, as soon as you reach out to touch it, it stops moving."

Ji Yanlang tried it a few times at first and it was the same every time, and he felt a little annoyed.

"It seems that this child is afraid of his father." Zhou Congshan joked.

"He was just anxious, and then he moved more frequently, so he naturally found it."

Fang Ying finished speaking, looking at her friend's eyes filled with curiosity, and added, "I heard that when the baby is about to be born, they can even support their little hands and feet on the belly so that they can see the shape."

Zhou Congshan was shocked: "Is this true?"

Fang Ying nodded: "My second sister-in-law's newly born nephew once propped up his legs. She said that she felt it was a boy at the time."

"Because you're active?"

"Well, but that's not accurate."

"I think so too. Who says that active kids are always boys? Aren't they always the ones who get disciplined later?"

"yes."

Yue Qing'e probably thought that she also wanted to have a boy in one go. These days, when they talked about it, they always talked about having a boy. But Fang Ying herself said that it would be great to have a daughter like Huaiyun and Huaizhi.

However, Yue Qing'e had good intentions after all, so Fang Ying didn't tell Zhou Congshan about this. She only told her one other thing: "I'm sleeping alone now."

Zhou Congshan was surprised: "Why?"

Fang Ying said, "He has a bad sleeping posture. Sometimes he dances in his dreams. I'm always getting up at night and my calves cramp from time to time. Someone has to keep watch over him."

"Didn't you have night watchmen before?"

"Not if he's at home," Fang Ying continued. "I tell you, sleeping alone is so comfortable. I've almost forgotten how free it feels."

Zhou Congshan felt sympathetic: "Yes, but in that sense, there are some advantages to being pregnant."

Fang Ying asked casually, "You and His Highness..."

She stopped talking halfway when she felt something was wrong.

Zhou Congshan, however, didn't take it too seriously and replied directly, "During the menstrual period, we sleep in separate rooms." He then asked, "How do you separate them? Even though Ji Liulang himself said he doesn't allow concubines, we still have to keep an eye on them."

"It's okay. I sleep in the inner room and he sleeps in the outer room. I originally wanted to put an extra bed in his study, but he didn't want to."

Ji Yanlang felt that the study was too far away, and he was not very happy with the separation now. He insisted on staying with Fang Ying the night before his holiday.

At this month, Fang Ying's fetus was stable, but her belly was also big. It was actually difficult for the two of them to do anything while sleeping together, but Ji Yanlang just wanted to sleep next to her.

"That's better this way. No one will dare to act rashly under your watch."

Fang Ying was not worried about this, because at least until now, Ji Yanlang was still very close to her and wanted to stay by her side whenever he had free time.

He should be a good father, a much better father than Ji Guangting and Fang Chengxun.