Chapter 737: My Wife Who Shared Hardships [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Xie Qi: "..."

What the lady said makes a lot of sense.

But something felt off to him.

Seeing Xie Qi's still hesitant expression, the lady angrily took out her handkerchief, turned her back to him, and dabbed the corner of her eye with it. She sobbed softly, "In all these years, I've only had three daughters. My last childbirth ruined my health, and countless renowned doctors have said I'll have a hard time conceiving again. How many members of my clan know this? How much humiliation, how much bullying, how much ridicule have I endured? Every word they uttered was a thorn in my side!"

Hearing his wife say this, Xie Qi felt a chill run down his spine. He leaned forward to comfort her, saying, "Tell me, why are you crying again? It's not that I don't want to plan for the three children. It's just that the time isn't right yet."

The lady wouldn't listen to his excuses.

She slightly turned her gaze, just enough for Xie Qi to see the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes and her slightly reddened eyes. Then she turned around crying again and said, "My lord is still in his prime, and I am still alive and well. Yet there are voices in the clan saying that we should adopt a male heir to continue the family line, so that the marriages of the three female rulers can be discussed in the future... Isn't this just killing my heart? Furthermore, my aunt in the clan advised me to be magnanimous and let my lord take a maidservant as a dowry and have a son born out of wedlock, so that the family property would not fall into the hands of some bastard."

Xie Qi's head grew even bigger.

The lady continued her accusation: "They bully me, a woman confined to the inner quarters, just because I gave birth to three female rulers who are unable to cultivate or support the household? Didn't the master previously lament that these female rulers were so intelligent, yet pitied that they were born as women?"

Xie Qi tried to interject: "It's not Madam..."

The lady raised her voice, slammed her hand on the table, and the sound drowned out Xie Qi's voice. Her eyes were resolute and firm: "Now that you have the opportunity, why won't you take it? Even if you are using this as an excuse to repay a debt of gratitude and end up with a bad reputation, as parents, can a mere reputation be more important than the future of the Queen? If you, Xie Shizang, are too thin-skinned to go, then let me go instead."

After saying this, the lady made a move to get up and leave.

She added, "You, a man, care about your reputation and honor, but I am just a woman confined to the inner quarters, shameless and shameless. I won't even ask Tu Nan to repay my kindness; if she's willing to accept my few poor female lords, I'll kneel down and kowtow to her three times and nine times!"

"If she still refuses to accept it, then it's the fate of the mother and her four children... In order not to become the culprit for the extinction of your Xie family line, the master should pick a day and choose one of my unmarried maids from among my dowry maids to carry on the journey."

The lady walked slowly, and before she could take two steps, Xie Qi, who had just realized what was happening, grabbed her sleeve. He said helplessly, "What are you saying, Madam? How could I not plan for our Queen? Don't rush, at least wait until dawn."

Upon hearing this, the lady snorted coldly and sat back down.

Xie Qi sighed again, observing his wife's expression as he gently reasoned with her: "Finding a teacher for our daughter is a small matter, but the fact that this teacher is Ning Tunan makes a big difference. Madam, you might want to think about it... For over two hundred years, not a single woman capable of cultivation has appeared, and now two have suddenly appeared, and I reckon there are more than two... Can there not be some secret behind this? If we know this secret, do you think we can easily escape unscathed?"

The lady's eyes darted around, and she glanced sideways at Xie Qi: "Escape what? Didn't the master say he was going to Longwu County?"

Xie Qi: "..."

The lady's face was full of displeasure. She said, "Either I go to Tu Nan's door and ask him to take the lady as my disciple, or I will spend my days with the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp, chanting sutras for the master and his new concubine to pray for a son."

The subtext has escalated to the point of wanting to divorce Xie Qi.

Xie Qi made the decision: "Visiting under the stars shows even greater sincerity!"

Ning Yan's temporary residence was being banged on, and if she listened carefully, she could hear the wailing of a baby. However, stray cats were in heat at this time of year, so she could have misheard. She lit a lamp, got dressed, and opened the door. Outside was Xie Qi…

Um, Xie Qi's family.

On the left was Xie Qi, and on the right was Xie Qi's wife, who raised her hand as if to continue knocking on the door. Two exquisitely beautiful little girls, one tall and one short, stood on either side, while Xie Qi was also holding another one in his arms, who was crying loudly.

Ning Yan was startled by the scene and mistakenly thought that the child in Xie Qi's arms had suddenly fallen seriously ill. She hurriedly said, "Come in quickly, I'll go and fetch a doctor to examine the child..."

Xie Qi said awkwardly, "There's no need to call a doctor."

After a cup of tea.

Ning Yan calmed the fussy child who wanted to sleep, and looked at Xie Qi and his wife with a mixture of helplessness and amusement: "You came to me for this? It's one thing to have two older children, but why did you bring this little one along, intending to leave him for me to raise?"

The two older children have already begun to learn to read and write, speak clearly and politely, and have bright, clear eyes; they are much more intelligent than Xie Qi.

But the small ones...

He couldn't even pronounce "father" and "mother" clearly.

Ning Yan had been holding her for a short while when glistening drool appeared at the corner of her mouth, and her eyelids were half-closed and drooping.

He looked sleepy but forced himself to stay awake.

Xie Qi wanted to cover his face when he heard Ning Yan's teasing, and his voice was pleading: "If you don't come soon, this family will fall apart."

For the sake of family harmony, we can't put it off until tomorrow.

Ning Yan looked at Madam Xie Qi's resolute face and let out a soft sigh. As a mother herself, how could she not understand the other woman's urgent thoughts? She said, "Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them; I can empathize with that feeling."

Otherwise, she wouldn't have resorted to such a drastic method to unite the literary community back then. This sentiment can only be truly understood by other women. If given another chance, she would still choose the same path.

"Tu Nan, what do you mean by that..." Madam Xie Qi suddenly opened her eyes wide, her eyes filled with uncontrollable ecstasy.

Ning Yan nodded: "Taking on apprentices is not difficult."

She's the dean of the college; with so many students, adding two more wouldn't be a problem. The only issue is—

Ning Yan turned her gaze to Xie Qi himself.

"Shizang, have you thought this through?"

Xie Qi smiled wryly and said, "Of course I've thought it through, but as you know, I'm not exactly a great talent."

His talent remained mediocre from childhood to adulthood, utterly ordinary, incomparable to talents like Yan Anning and Yan. Among Master Yan's students, Xie Qi could only rank in the middle to lower positions. However, Master Yan said that his down-to-earth personality and willingness to serve the people were enough for him.

His initial plan was to be sent to a remote place to hone his skills and gradually accumulate experience. Who knew that the Xin Kingdom would be destroyed so easily, and the new ruler Zheng Qiao had a twisted desire for control, so Xie Qi had been acting as a hostage for the past few years.

If only Ning Yan could rely on him...

Xie Qi can only say that he will disappoint the other party.

Ning Yan disagreed, saying, "Why belittle yourself?"

Even with mediocre talent, he was still a scholar with a complete and orthodox education, just the kind of normal subordinate that the lord dreamed of. Don't be fooled by his smooth actions now; back then, when he was punished for a group fight by copying books, Xie Qi obediently copied them stroke by stroke.

Even Xingning had to resort to underhanded tactics.

Xie Qi, unaware of what Ning Yan had complained about, cupped his hands in thanks and said, "In that case, I would appreciate it if Tu Nan could help me make some introductions."

Ning Yan tested the aptitude of Xie Qi's two daughters: "Shizang, your two daughters have much better aptitude than you."

There was a hint of surprise in his words.

Xie Qi nodded: "Yes, it's much better."

That's why he always felt regret that his two daughters weren't boys. It wasn't that he disliked their gender, but rather that he felt it was a pity that they had such talent that it could only be wasted. Now, things have taken a turn for the better, finally fulfilling a lifelong regret for the couple.

Ning Yan looked at the two new students with affection. Their parents had rushed to give her two talented students and were very grateful to her. She thought, "Why not take advantage of this opportunity?" She said, "If it's about becoming disciples, we should be more formal. I will invite my lord to witness the ceremony tomorrow."

Xie Qi understood Ning Yan's unspoken meaning: "Okay."

Although all the students in the academy were Ning Yan's students, the master-disciple relationship in this era was even closer. Ning Yan formally accepted two students as her successors, nominally equivalent to her daughters, more like blood relatives than blood relatives.

Inviting the lord to attend the ceremony is also to show that it is a solemn occasion.

Shen Tang actually came to give them face.

She looked at Ning Yan, then at the two students.

He asked, "Should I change my household registration?"

Only when the household registration is transferred to her jurisdiction will it count.

Ning Yan replied, "Of course."

When Shen Tang heard that Xie Qi had brought his whole family to Ning Yan's request to take him as a disciple in the middle of the night, Shen Tang's expression turned strange for a moment. She whispered to Ning Yan, "Xie Shizang... he should be normal, right?"

Ning Yan also said in a low voice, "He lacks the manners of a scholar."

It's normal that Xie Qi, with his ordinary talent and comprehension, and lacking in luck, didn't follow the path of a scholar.

Shen Tang was surprised for a moment when she heard this.

"No?"

Ning Yan said, "The way of the scholar is not commonly seen."

Shen Tang scratched his nose: "Yuan Liang and the others misled me."

Because Qi Shan and several others possessed the ways of the literati, and each one was more treacherous than the last, Shen Tang developed the misconception that the ways of the literati were widespread. In reality, the proportion of truly learned and cultured individuals with the ways of the literati was low. Ning Yan, unaware of her thoughts, worried that Shen Tang would underestimate Xie Qi because of this—although Xie Qi's talent was mediocre, his mind was extremely sharp, and she feared he might misunderstand.

Ning Yan then added, "My lord, although Xie Shizang is not skilled in military formations and tactics, he is quite knowledgeable in political affairs."

In short, Xie Qi doesn't like to waste time on the battlefield.

A traditional scholar with a literary mind.

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang's eyes lit up several degrees.

He clapped his hands and exclaimed, "This is exactly the kind of talent we desperately need!"

Few under Shen Tang's command enjoy handling official documents. Luan Xin is barely one, but he's slow to react, so it's hard to say whether he genuinely loves official duties or is just too slow to refuse. Now that Xie Qi has arrived, he's not causing any trouble for his lord.

Her affection for Xie Qi skyrocketed.

At this moment, Xie Qi was anxiously pondering how to make a contribution. He quickly stood firm and caught Shen Tang's loving gaze.

Xie Qi: "...???"

Although they had two daughters, Xie Qi and his wife did not neglect their education. During their apprenticeship ceremony, their demeanor was dignified, drawing envy from the onlookers: "While the two daughters' talents may not match yours, they are still quite remarkable. Tu Nan is very lucky..."

Ning Yan smiled and said, "Want me to share one with you?"

Xun Zhen waved his hand: "A gentleman does not take what others cherish."

Lady Xie, who was observing the ceremony, was fiercely competitive. Upon hearing that her daughter was inferior to the others, she couldn't help but prick up her ears and secretly inquire about who Ling De was. When she was told that Ling De was also a female ruler, possessing a second-grade upper-middle level literary talent, she secretly imagined what grade her own daughter's literary talent would be—surely not much worse than Ling De's…

When Ning Yan drank the tea to formally become an apprentice, she straightened her back.

Once her two daughters have made something of themselves, she will definitely take them back to the Xie family and show off to those gossipy, arrogant people.

Who says her daughter isn't good?

Ning Yan: "Shizang also has a younger daughter. She is too young to see her potential, but I think that the three sisters, who are born of the same mother, will not be too different when they grow up. Hanzhang can wait."

Xun Zhen was very accommodating and reserved a student for him.

Xie Qi secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. He clenched his sleeves, mentally reviewing the preparations he had made the night before, only relaxing when he was absolutely certain. Little did he know, a pair of eyes had been lingering on him for several moments during the ceremony.

After the apprenticeship ceremony concluded, Ning Yan hosted a banquet for the guests who had witnessed the event.

Shen Tang also stayed for a meal.

Before she had taken two steps, she saw Gu Chi approaching.

The other person was in a great mood, a smile playing on their lips.

Shen Tang asked, "Did you find money when you went out today?"

Gu Chi: "It wasn't me who found the money, it was my lord."

Shen Tang followed his meaningful gaze and looked over: "You mean Shizang? Yes, he did find money."

Her lousy company has been open for four or five years, and this is the first time the HR has hired a normal office worker. Unless the occasion is inappropriate, they would laugh out loud three times.

See, her luck wasn't that bad after all.

Could it be because Kang Jishou, that plague god, is not here?

Gu Chi smiled mysteriously: "More than that."

According to the traditional scholar's thinking, one must demonstrate genuine ability or offer something compelling enough to impress a new lord and gain their favor. Otherwise, one risks being sidelined or ignored. Xie Qi, being a traditional scholar, was naturally no exception to this rule.

Shen Tang asked curiously, "More than that?"

He said, "Which bride doesn't have some dowry?"

Shen Tang: "..."

Good heavens, she's already having "three wives and four concubines"???

Shen Tang looked at Gu Chi with a strange expression. Gu Chi shamelessly replied, "I followed my lord from humble beginnings."

He has worked diligently and conscientiously for so many years, handling government affairs. He and his ministers have gone through hard times together. What is there to talk about "marriage"?

Shen Tang said, "Oh, a wife who has shared hardship with you."

Gu Chi's skin was even thicker than Shen Tang had imagined: "A wife who has shared hardship is still a wife, one of three wives, as long as she is not a concubine."

Shen Tang: "..."

She really wanted to know who the three wives were?

The apprenticeship ceremony was just a small appetizer; the real feast was yet to come. Through Ning Yan's matchmaking, Shen Tang and Xie Qi met privately. Since both were interested, the atmosphere was very harmonious. However, Gu Chi's joking remarks made Shen Tang feel out of place.

She inexplicably felt like she was on a blind date.

What is this?

Shen Tang silently put away her chaotic thoughts and looked at the item Xie Qi presented, which should be a map.

Xie Qi said, "It is the location of the Ganzhou granary."

Shen Tang: "..."

Wow, that's quite a generous "dowry".

(つД｀)

I don't want to do coding problems. The last time I did was during my university final exams...

(End of this chapter)