Chapter 141 Sisters
The sky was a clear, clean blue, and the low-hanging, glazed sky was like a porcelain dome.
Zhou Jin's figure had already disappeared from sight.
Li Qu remained motionless for a long time.
Power is the oxygen of survival.
Now she stands in a place where she will no longer suffocate.
No matter how much I say, it's all because of him.
"Madam, someone from the Second Miss's side has come and requests your presence."
Li Qu smiled and blew him another kiss.
He turned around and went to find Li Rong.
*
The wind tore the wispy clouds into thin strands, letting in sparse sunlight.
Li Rong sat curled up on the couch, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
Li Fu sat on the other side of the couch doing needlework.
She made small talk with Li Rong to distract her.
"Dad just loves kids."
"After the baby is born, it will be registered under the father's household registration."
"Next year he will be able to hear the younger generation call him Grandpa."
"I guarantee you'll be grinning from ear to ear."
Li Rong's eyes betrayed her sadness: "She won't be born until June or July next year, how will she be able to speak?"
Li Fu: "Look at my brain, I was just too busy having fun."
"The year after next, he will not only be able to speak, but also run like Bao Ge'er."
On the veranda, Li Fu's youngest son, Bao Ge'er, was chasing a football made of colorful ropes and bells.
Three servants surrounded them, and the sounds of children's laughter and the clear ringing of bells drifted into the room.
Li Rong imagined the future and smiled.
Li Fu's needle and thread never stopped: "A person's life is essentially the life of their children."
"Having children means watching them grow from crawling to walking."
"We chase after it year after year, but it's different every year."
"With money in hand and children under my knees, I have no worries about my mother-in-law and sister-in-law."
"Give me a chance, I also want to live the life you have."
Li Rong spat and said, "Big sister is talking nonsense."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Li Qu entered with a smile.
Li Fu continued, "I said I also wish I didn't have to worry about my mother-in-law and sister-in-law."
"My mother-in-law asked me to find a good marriage for my husband's younger sister in the south."
"The groom's mother is required to be gentle, preferably a direct descendant of a prominent family, and also to have good character and appearance."
When Li Rong saw Li Qu arrive, she got off the bed to fetch her things.
Li Qu squeezed next to Li Fu: "Auntie, don't ask my brother-in-law for his opinion this time?"
“My sister-in-law is fifteen years old this year. Her husband used to be a top scholar in Wanxian every year. Considering that we would be leaving, she did not arrange a marriage for him locally.”
"Later, when we arrived in the capital, my husband was never home. My mother-in-law asked me to keep an eye out for potential husbands for my sister-in-law, but I didn't know anyone."
"She was not satisfied with either of the two matchmakers who came to her door."
She also thought that if her husband succeeded in this trip, he might be promoted, which would make it easier to arrange her sister-in-law's marriage.
"Hesitation leads to delays."
"That's why I came to see Third Sister last night. After hearing some things, I realized that you can take charge of the Zhou family, so I changed my mind."
"What do you mean, 'I need your help'? Isn't it obvious that you're unwilling to ask for help yourself and want me to ask you, Third Sister, for help?"
Li Qu: "What did my elder sister say?"
Li Fu teased, "I said I'm not familiar with the South."
"I suggest she come to you for help, Third Sister."
Li Qu laughed.
When the Zhao and Li families were arranged to marry, Zhao's mother objected and ridiculed Li Qu, and looked down on the merchant Li family.
If Zhao's mother were willing to speak directly to Li Qu, why would she tell Li Fu these things?
"She was so angry that she clutched her chest and said, 'We're sisters, so it's better if I speak up.'"
“I said yes, I will come and tell you when the time is right.”
She said I knew exactly what she meant, but I was deliberately trying to annoy her.
Li Fu smiled as a tiger's head began to take shape in the embroidery shed.
"When we return to Hezhou, if there are any suitable ones, please take a look, Third Sister."
"Marrying someone of equal social standing is the most suitable."
Li Qu used to think that a mother-in-law who could be controlled was no big deal.
After all, this era granted mothers-in-law many rights that were superior to those of daughters-in-law.
As long as the husband isn't blindly obedient to his parents, a marriage with a mix of warmth and minor annoyances can still be a good one.
Now, I think of that old lady in Hezhou who loved everything about her.
Li Qu, however, felt that her eldest sister had been wronged.
"Big sister, back then, the best person I could find for you was someone like your husband."
Born into a poor family, he was good-looking, came from a small family, was exceptionally talented, upright as a pine tree, and kept himself pure and virtuous.
Even so, for her family, who were doing business in Yicheng at the time, it was still considered that Li Fu had married above her station with Zhao Lianqing.
To achieve success, some seduction tactics are often necessary.
Li Fu gave Li Qu a knowing look: "Your brother-in-law is very nice."
Zhao Lianqing demonstrated respect, protected his wife, and trusted her.
Even taking a concubine was a common occurrence for men in this era, as common as eating and drinking.
But can true love tolerate other people?
The one who is moved first always loses.
Li Qu couldn't help but remind her, "Eldest sister and brother-in-law are deeply in love."
Why did my brother-in-law take a concubine after he went to Wanxian?
Li Fu's expression remained unchanged, and she continued to smile faintly.
The embroidery needle moved across the embroidery frame.
“I was pregnant, and my mother-in-law, feeling sorry for her son, forced him to take a concubine.”
Li Rong took a hairpin box and sat back on the couch.
Before Li Qu could speak, Li Rong said, "It's just an excuse."
"If you truly love someone, you will remain chaste."
This term is generally used to describe women.
Nowadays, Li Rong's use of this term to describe men doesn't seem out of place at all.
Li Fu's tone suddenly softened: "Your brother-in-law, although he's not good at sweet talk,... is truly sincere towards me."
Li Rong: "A heart cut in half is indeed a 'heart'."
Li Fu: "Juan Niang has not conceived yet, and my mother-in-law suspects that I have done something improper to Juan Niang."
Zhao Lianqing's only concubine was named Juanniang.
"After arriving in the capital, I will take Juanniang to see a famous old doctor, hoping to find a handle on my jealousy."
Unexpectedly, Juan Niang absolutely refused to go.
“My mother-in-law even thought that I was secretly tormenting Juan Niang and wanted Juan Niang to tell me everything I had done.”
"Unexpectedly, Juan Niang did not say a single bad word about me, but instead confessed that she was still innocent."
Li Qu and Li Rong were both surprised.
Unexpected.
Li Fu also did not expect that Zhao Lianqing's two-day stay in Juan Niang's room each month was just for show for his mother-in-law.
"So, this time when her husband went on a long trip, she acted like a mother-in-law even more than usual."
It is said that she was a demon in disguise, who bewitched her son and made him, such an upright person, learn to be deceitful.
Li Fu thought about the man's intentions and felt her ears getting hot.
The stench of love emanated from Li Fu.
It disturbed people who were heartbroken.
Li Qu nudged Li Fu with her buttocks to change the subject.
"Is this a tiger-head bellyband that you embroidered for Xi Bao'er, eldest sister?"
"No, it's for my second sister's son."
"I've prepared everything for my second sister's baby, so please give this one to my eldest sister's baby."
"I already sent this to Brother Xi through someone before, but I won't give this one."
Li Fu's meticulous embroidery.
Li Qu spoke earnestly.
Because Li Rong wants the child in her womb, her sisters will like her unconditionally.
Because of the crow, the house too.
"Big sister~" Li Qu cried out.
Li Fu: "Go away, get your butt off me. I'm not your Zhou Sanye. It's no use messing with me."
Li Fu realized her words were inappropriate as soon as they left her mouth, and her face flushed pink.
Li Qu is even more shameless.
"Was it only effective when my brother-in-law applied it?"
Li Fu's face turned bright red. She inserted the needle into the needle holder and raised her hand to scratch her: "You have no sense of propriety!"
The sisters burst into laughter, creating a joyful atmosphere.
The faint sadness in Li Rong's eyes was washed away by her sisters' laughter.
After the sisters had rested, she pushed the hairpin box that had been placed on the low table in front of Li Qu.
"That day, the Crown Prince asked me to do two favors."
"One requirement is that I have to cross the river ten miles downstream."
"One is to entrust this thing to you."
"It wasn't easy to refuse at the time."
Li Qu glanced at it and caught the words "two busy".
Without asking any further questions, she shifted the topic to Li Rong.
"Did the doctor come to take my pulse this morning?"
Li Rong: "I've seen it. It says to keep a good mood."
"If you take the medication to prevent miscarriage on time, there shouldn't be any major problems."
She thought that Xi Bao'er was still young, and Li Qu would surely be heartbroken to be separated from the child, so she took the initiative to say:
"Let's set off south to Hezhou as soon as possible."
"I want to see Xi Bao'er."
"Did Second Sister prepare a gift for Xi Bao'er?" Li Qu asked with a smile.
"Of course, we have made preparations."
"But these are all things that you, Third Sister, already have plenty of."
Li Qu: "I'm short of money! All my money comes from legitimate channels, but what I lack most is my own savings."
Li Rong replied without hesitation, "I have some! I'll give it to you."
The sisters chatted casually, and at noon Li Qu had lunch with Li Rong.
Li Rong was affected by her mood, and she vomited after taking medicine yesterday.
Today I was able to eat about half a bowl of rice.
The self-healing speed is very fast.
When Li Qu left, she took with her the hairpin box that Xiao Cong had entrusted to Li Rong for her.
She opened the door after leaving Li Rong's courtyard.
Xiao Cong made no attempt to conceal his intentions.
The paper strip was bright white.
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