Chapter 58
Xie Yunchu watched her husband leave dejectedly and breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't think that Wang Shuhuai was really in love with her. He just couldn't adapt to her changes. He couldn't bear that the woman who admired him day and night suddenly didn't love him anymore. He couldn't accept this gap.
He had a big mind and too many things to pretend. This matter was not important to him and it passed soon.
The night was bitterly cold, and plum blossoms bloomed silently on the branches. Wang Shuhuai gently brushed away a branch, and dewdrops fell quietly like frost, staining his clothes. He walked away lonely along the stone path.
Returning to the study, a cool breeze rushed in through the window lattice. He gently shook open his wide sleeves, took out the ghost ball from his arms, and carefully placed it on the rosewood base. His slender figure leaned against the back of the armchair, and the loneliness on his face was replaced by fatigue.
It's no big deal, everything is just the same as before.
She was pregnant with his child and was busy in the backyard every day. Everyone praised her for being virtuous and dignified, and she was able to handle everything with ease. With such a wife, he had no worries.
In public, they are still a loving couple and they will raise two children together.
She would still hand her darling daughter to him and ask him to call her daddy, and even when she gave birth to her second child, she would gently hold him in her arms and let him name her.
As for the plate of crystal sashimi, the bowl of ginseng soup, and the well-tailored hand-sewn clothes...does he really need them?
No shortage.
She no longer watches over him day and night, and no longer puts effort into him. There is nothing wrong with that. No one should pin their hopes on others. She is not wrong, and she is even worthy of admiration.
What difference does it make whether you have him in your heart or not?
They can still make each other better.
On February 16, the sun was shining brightly, the breeze was blowing gently, and the yard was filled with the scent of growing grass and trees.
Xie Yunchu packed up early, put on his new red brocade robe with cloud patterns and came to the Glazed Hall.
The intricate patterns on her clothes well concealed her bulging belly. She had smiling eyes, rosy lips and white teeth, and her figure was still slender. She was surrounded by the Wang family and sat in the main hall. She had her hair in a lily bun and a gold filigree, kingfisher-embellished, gemstone-studded hairpin, which complemented her colorful phoenix robe.
Wang Shuqin looked at her outfit and her eyes lit up. "Second sister-in-law, is this a custom Linglong embroidery?"
"That's right."
"I haven't ordered this set of Caifeng series yet."
The spoiled girl has no worries all day long, and all she cares about is food, clothing and dressing up. Wang Shuqin is now a loyal customer of Linglong Embroidery, and she orders several pieces of clothing to be customized every month. She has become the most fashionable young lady in Beijing.
Xie Yunchu smiled and said to her, "I will give you one on your birthday."
Wang Shuqin happily cuddled in her arms, "Exquisite embroidery can't be bought with money, does my second sister-in-law have any connections?"
Xie Yunchu whispered a few words in her ear. Wang Shuqin's eyes widened like bells. After she realized what was happening, she screamed a few times in excitement. The Third Madam heard it and came out to pull her ears in anger. Wang Shuqin hid in Xie Yunchu's arms, but the Third Madam twisted her out for fear that she would hurt the baby in Xie Yunchu's belly.
Wang Shuyi stood quietly not far away. Seeing the intimacy between the two, she was very envious. She slowly walked over and handed Xie Yunchu a gift that she had prepared earlier. "Second sister-in-law, this is my birthday gift for you. I wish you longevity."
Wang Shuyi put in a lot of effort and spent one hundred taels of silver to buy a clay inkstone, which was the limit of what she could afford.
Xie Yunchu looked at the rather large brocade box and was reluctant to accept it. "You are still young, it's enough if the gift is a token of your affection. You are not married yet, so how can I accept your expensive gift?"
Wang Shuyi suddenly became anxious and replied eagerly, "Second sister-in-law, you gave me a lot of good things on my birthday last year. I am just returning the gift today. Don't take it to heart, second sister-in-law."
Wang Shuqin came over to take the brocade box, opened it and took a look. Seeing that it was a clay inkstone, she exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, Third Sister has spent a lot of money this time."
Wang Shuyi blushed and glanced at Xie Yunchu secretly.
Xie Yunchu felt somewhat helpless and signaled the maid to accept the gift.
Wang Shuqin took out her gift from her sleeve and flashed it in front of Xie Yunchu's eyes. "I'm not as generous as Shuyi, so I personally embroidered a six-sided multi-treasure sachet for you, my second sister-in-law. I made this sachet in the style of the empresses in the palace. Do you like it?"
There were six kinds of flowers embroidered on it, including peony, pink lotus, winter plum, crabapple, etc. Although this embroidery skill was learned by the Third Madam, her skills were quite good. Xie Yunchu took it and smelled it, "What's the fragrance inside?"
"You are pregnant now, so I dare not burn incense. I only put some lilies in it to calm the nerves."
Although Xie Yunchu didn't like Wang Shuyi, he still had to give her a token of appreciation. "Thank you two sisters for your trouble. I really like your birthday gifts."
She thought to herself that she would pick out an inkstone of equal value and return it to him. She didn't want to accept Wang Shuyi's generous gift.
The fourth girl, Wang Shuya, was not to be outdone. She took out her birthday gift and said, "I also imitated my second sister and embroidered a handkerchief for my second sister-in-law." It was a handkerchief with a magpie on a plum blossom. The magpie and plum blossom were embroidered on both sides. Although the embroidery was not top-notch, it was indeed very painstaking.
Xie Yunchu was very grateful. In order to win the favor of her elders, she had learned the most difficult double-sided embroidery. The hardship involved was beyond the imagination of outsiders. "Shuya, thank you for your hard work."
Wang Shuya smiled shyly.
Wang Shuyi felt very sad when she saw that the birthday gifts for her two sisters were all made by hand, as it seemed that her gifts were not thoughtful enough.
The eldest grandmother Miao saw this and quietly pulled Wang Shuyi aside.
"You are so stupid. You have feelings for your sister-in-law, and she knows it. But you are a family, so why should you consider money? Gifts should be thoughtful. You are the only one who spends money to buy such an expensive gift. Your sister-in-law will feel burdened. It is better for her to learn from other sisters and give a nice gift. This will show the affection between the sister-in-law and both sides will feel free and at ease."
Wang Shuyi accepted the lesson and nodded with red eyes.
Because the palace had sent word that Xie Yunchu would be given a grand birthday banquet, today the palace was filled with luxurious carriages and many guests.
Those who had invitations naturally came to visit with great honor, and those who did not have invitations came over shamelessly. The Wang family had no reason to drive them away, so they were all treated politely. Wang Shuhuai was promoted to the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue not long ago. Everyone in the capital could see that he would definitely become a minister in the future, so it was right to make himself familiar to the future wife of the minister.
Mrs. Ming naturally brought the Xie family brothers and sisters here early in the morning.
"Your father went to the Imperial College and refused to come. He said it was a birthday party for a junior and he was embarrassed to make such a scene." Madam Ming imitated his tone and said with a curled lip, "He is just an old scholar, full of pedantry."
Xie Yunchu laughed, "I'd be happy if he didn't come, so I don't have to listen to his nagging."
"He dares. Today is your birthday. He won't dare to say a word." Madam Ming vowed.
When Xie Yun first saw his stepmother's domineering attitude, he guessed that his father must be under her control, and he felt inexplicably happy.
Madam Ming pointed to the front yard and said, "Hey, when I came here, I saw the Duke entertaining guests in the front hall. I have to say, your grandfather is not arrogant at all."
Logically speaking, at her junior's birthday party, no one would say anything to him if the Duke didn't show up, but the old man actually gave her such face. Xie Yunchu was very moved. She thought that it was worth her efforts to save his life. As long as this pillar of support was there, the Wang family would prosper.
It’s great to be alive.
The older she got, the more she couldn't understand why she was so stupid in her previous life and how she could have wasted her best years on other people. Happiness is something you earn yourself, not something given by others.
"Where are Yunyou and Yunshuang?" Xie Yunchu craned his neck to look for them.
The third wife placed her in the main hall and ordered two capable old maids to stay by her side and not allow her to wander around under any circumstances.
Madam Ming held her back and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? They are all having fun outside. Let them have their fun. You are pregnant, everyone will understand and no one will bother with you. Just sit still."
At this time, the third and second wives came over together. They greeted each other. The third wife pointed at Xie Yunchu and Madam Ming and said,
"Although Madam is a distinguished guest, I don't treat you as an outsider. Yun Chu is pregnant, please take care of her."
Madam Ming smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam San. I will take care of Yunchu."
Second wife Jiang stood aside and had no time to interrupt. With the Duke in front of her and the Third wife taking care of things behind her, she really had no room to speak.
Soon, an old sister-in-law came from the Nan Mansion. Seeing that Jiang was unhappy, she pulled her to the inner hall to talk.
The woman was wearing a rosin jacket and had a black mole on the corner of her mouth. She pointed at Xie Yunchu and Jiang with a frivolous look and said,
"Sister-in-law, your daughter-in-law is more glorious than your mother-in-law."
Jiang was really holding back her anger, but she felt uncomfortable when her pain was brought up by others. She glared at the woman and said, "She is my daughter-in-law. She relies on my son's fame, and it is also my dignity, isn't it?"
Jiang is a bully who only cares about the weak and fears the strong. She cannot stand up to the Third Madam and the Eldest Princess, but she can stand up straight in front of the sisters-in-law in the Nan Mansion who are trying to curry favor with the powerful.
The woman hit a soft nail and immediately changed her tone, "Sister-in-law is naturally the most glorious. Which of the brothers in the mansion can compare to Brother Huai?"
Jiang felt very comfortable with Liu's flattery.
At three quarters past nine, the main hall was packed with distinguished guests.
Jiang was entertaining Wang's family members in the inner hall, while the fourth wife was chatting and laughing with the wives of officials.
Instead, the third wife disappeared.
The third wife was sitting in the meeting room behind the glass hall.
"Are the people here?"
The nanny answered her, "The eldest aunt of the Jiang family, the Princess of Nan'an County, came with the second young lady, but Madam Jiang did not come."
"Mrs. Jiang didn't come?" The third wife frowned slightly, "Could it be that this lady is just like me and doesn't like this marriage?"
The nanny said, "How is it possible? It is a great blessing for our fifth young master to marry into the Jiang family. I just found out that Madam Jiang is ill, so she didn't come. It's strange that Madam Jiang has been in Beijing for so long and hasn't come out to show her face."
The Third Wife was not interested in Madam Jiang's affairs. "Whether she comes or not will not affect my decision to get married."
The nanny wondered, "This Second Miss Jiang is both talented and beautiful, and has a good family background. She is a good match for our Fifth Master. Why don't you allow it?"
The Third Madam smiled bitterly, "I sent Cai Qing out to inquire about it. That girl has been spoiled since she was a child and is well-known for her domineering behavior in Jiangnan. If a girl like this gets married, there will definitely be chaos in the future. I'm afraid Xu'er won't be able to concentrate on his studies."
"It's important for a man to make achievements and establish his career. He must not be held back by the backyard. Look at Huai's daughter-in-law. If it weren't for her ability, would Huai be able to focus on showing his talents outside?"
The nanny said, "Then our Second Madam has a very good character."
The Third Madam waved to the nanny and said, "Please keep an eye on these girls for me. We will act according to the situation..."
Wang Shuhuai left early this morning. Before he left, Minggui stopped him in a hurry.
"My Lord, today is the Second Grandmother's birthday party, you should at least show up."
He stood under the lush trees outside the corridor, the morning sun shone through the dense branches onto his cheek, the light and shadow were mottled, his handsome face was calm, "Grandfather will host a banquet for me today, I have something important to do."
Minggui knew that he was a man of his word and could not be persuaded. "What about the birthday gift? You should prepare one. Don't make Second Madam sad."
A hint of sarcasm flashed across Wang Shuhuai's lips.
She wouldn't mind at all, let alone care.
Minggui suggested to him, "Why don't I buy you a box of jewelry? The young mistress is very talented, so maybe I can buy her some fine writing brushes, inkstones, or..."
Wang Shuhuai shook her head. She was not interested in the hairpin that was carved by herself, and she was even less interested in the jewelry and clothes that were given to her.
Give her what she wants.
She wants wealth and glory.
"I have already asked His Majesty for the imperial edict yesterday, and the decree will be sent to the palace by noon at the latest."
This was the best birthday gift he could give.
I guess it’s what she wants.
Wang Shuhuai left quickly.
Carriages drove towards the palace one after another, but Wang Shuhuai, dressed in a blue shirt, was the only one going in the opposite direction.
He rode his horse to an inconspicuous teahouse in Lantern Festival, threw the whip to the guard, and went into the teahouse alone.
He has an appointment here today.
Pushing the door open, a middle-aged man in a black Taoist robe was sitting leisurely behind the tea table drinking tea. He had a goat beard on his chin and was twisting a feather fan in his hand. He looked relaxed and at ease. When he saw Wang Shuhuai coming, he smiled politely.
"Lord Wang is very busy, how come you have time to see me?"
Wang Shuhuai closed the door, stepped forward and bowed to him, a faint smile appeared on his handsome face, "Thank you, Mr. Yuan, it's my fault."
Yuan Yuandao returned the greeting with a smile, and the two sat opposite each other.
Wang Shuhuai took the initiative to pour him a cup of tea, and Yuan Yuandao took it and placed it in front of him.
"I heard that your wife is celebrating her birthday today. Lord Wang left all the guests in the mansion to come to visit me. I feel deeply honored."
All the court officials had heard of Wang Shuhuai's glorious deeds in the south of the Yangtze River. Although he looked handsome and kind, his methods were extremely cruel. He killed countless people during his trip to the south of the Yangtze River.
Yuan Yuandao kept his distance from him.
Wang Shuhuai raised his glass to signal, then said, "I heard that Lord Yuan has been worried about the young master's official position recently?"
Yuan Yuandao's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. He slowly figured out Wang Shuhuai's intention, stroked his beard, and smiled calmly, "How could such a trivial matter alarm Lord Wang?"
Wang Shuhuai did not exchange pleasantries, but said in a gentle tone with a hint of wit, "I can help Master Yuan get a position as the seventh-rank steward of the Taichang Temple. But can you please do me a favor, Mr. Yuan?"
Yuan Yuandao's eyes sparkled. He was at a loss as to how to deal with his son's official appointment. Now this popular new noble in the court came to him on his own initiative. Yuan Yuandao couldn't help but be delighted. "I wonder what Lord Wang wants to do?"
Wang Shuhuai was not vague and said directly to him, "Your Majesty intends to marry the second daughter of the Jiangnan Governor's Mansion to my fifth brother. My fifth brother has a lover and does not want to marry her. However, it is difficult to disobey the emperor's order, so I have to ask Mr. Yuan for a favor and ruin this marriage."
Yuan Yuandao understood immediately.
He was a fourth-rank fortune teller at the Imperial Observatory. Divination was necessary before granting a marriage, which was the rule of the royal family and the Ministry of Rites. All he had to do was to fiddle with the couple's birth dates and horoscopes when they were submitted to the Imperial Observatory, and lie that the two people's horoscopes were incompatible, and the emperor would definitely consider it.
Yuan Yuandao was open-minded, but he didn't give in easily.
"Sir Wang, this is deceiving the emperor."
Wang Shuhuai naturally knew what Yuan Yuandao was thinking. He simply wanted to take advantage of Yuan Yuandao since he came to him on his own initiative so as to earn some benefits for himself.
Wang Shuhuai drank his tea slowly and did not respond immediately.
Yuan Yuandao knew that the young man had seen through his thoughts, and his face immediately turned red. He immediately changed his tone, "Well, I will go all out and help Lord Wang solve this problem. But Lord Wang, how do you know how to handle this?"
Wang Shuhuai had figured this out long ago, and he pointed out, "It's just that Miss Jiang's fate is in conflict with my fifth brother's. At the very least, the couple will quarrel, and at worst, they will suffer physical injuries."
The eldest princess might not care whether Wang Shuxu and his wife were in harmony, but she could not bear to see her grandson get hurt.
After Wang Shuxu and Jiang Cairu meet today, the palace will definitely seek help from the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to match their horoscopes, and once they match, the marriage will be officially granted.
This is the simplest and most effective method Wang Shuhuai could think of.
Wang Shuhuai served the emperor personally and knew the eldest princess's character very well. Even if the two of them knew about Xie Yunchu's past with Madam Jiang, it would not affect their decision at all. The feelings of his granddaughter-in-law were not worth mentioning with the safety of the court.
Besides, he had met Jiang Cairu before and knew whether she would behave well after marrying him. He could avoid her, but he was afraid that she would target Xie Yunchu. Even if Xie Yunchu didn't have him in her heart, he couldn't let anyone create trouble for this precarious marriage.
As for Mrs. Jiang, did she support the marriage because she was attracted by the Wang family's background, or did she try to stop it out of consideration for her eldest daughter's feelings? Wang Shuhuai didn't know and didn't intend to find out. He never pinned his hopes on others.
The two discussed the details again and the matter was settled.
When Wang Shuhuai left the teahouse, he stood on the steps and looked in the direction of the palace, then returned to the government office area. She probably didn't care whether he went back or not.
When he arrived at the yamen, he sat behind the desk and, as usual, opened the documents that he had not had time to finish reading last night. From time to time, officials knocked on the door looking for him to sign documents, and clerks who were preparing accounting materials came to ask for advice. Wang Shuhuai handled them patiently. At noon, his colleagues left one after another. Some went to the court to eat, some returned home, and some went in groups of three or four to the Dengshi Restaurant outside Donghuamen. The clerk who served him saw that he was hesitant to move, so he came in and persuaded him several times, but Wang Shuhuai remained calm and motioned for him to leave first.
It seemed as if he was the only one left in the huge yamen. He looked up at the open skylight in front of the main hall. The hot sunlight poured in, casting a thick beam of light. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there. The beam of light slowly moved to the side, but it never stained even a corner of his clothes.
Guests came in one after another. Madam Ming and the eldest wife sat at the top, and other distinguished guests were seated according to their seniority. Everyone was whispering to each other, and the atmosphere was orderly yet lively.
Although Xie Yunchu was pregnant, she insisted on standing at the door of the main hall to welcome the guests. She had been the wife of the Prime Minister in her previous life, and was familiar with the noble ladies in the capital. She knew their temperaments very well. She flattered the elderly without making a sound, and praised the young without leaving any trace. Her few words touched the hearts of the people, and everyone felt like spring breeze, holding her hand intimately.
"Young Madam is pregnant, please take a rest. We are not the kind of people who would take advantage of Qiao. We don't need to follow these etiquettes. Second Young Madam, please sit down."
He secretly thought that Xie Yunchu was a man of great bearing and broad-minded, no wonder Wang Shuhuai had such a successful career. He thought that he should look for a wife who meets this standard.
Xie Yunchu had never seen Jiang Cairu until he heard that she was the second daughter of the Governor-General's Mansion in Jiangnan and was sitting next to the Princess of Nan'an. He then guessed that she was Qiao Zhiyun's stepdaughter.
Jiang Cairu was born into a good family and was beautiful, with a pink oval face that glowed white. She had just arrived in the capital, and people didn't know her so they started asking about her, inevitably asking about her mother, Madam Jiang.
Jiang Cairu kept calling Xie Yunchu "my mother", and only then did Xie Yunchu realize that she could also be an excellent mother.
During the meal, Jiang Cairu looked at Xie Yunchu from time to time. She felt that Xie Yunchu's face looked familiar.
"Sister, don't you think this second wife of the Wang family looks like mother?"
The Princess of Nan'an County was seven years older than her sister. When Qiao Zhiyun married, she was already quite old. She accidentally heard that her stepmother had given birth to a pair of children. Just by looking at Xie Yunchu's face, she guessed her identity. However, her sister was naive and could not keep secrets. The Princess of Nan'an County was worried about complications, so she said,
"There are so many people who look alike in the world, but I think the second wife of the Wang family has a very good temperament,"
Jiang Cairu couldn't bear to see her sister praising others in front of her, especially when that person was Wang Shuhuai's wife.
"She is just lucky."
The Princess of the County heard the sourness in her sister's tone and corrected her, "She is not just lucky. If she hadn't been incompetent, do you think she would have been chosen by the Princess? If she hadn't been incompetent, how could Wang Shuhuai be controlled by her so tightly that she wouldn't even dare to take a concubine in Jiangnan?"
Wang Shuhuai's reputation as a henpecked man spread from Nanjing to the capital.
Most of the noble ladies in the capital have seen Xie Yunchu. They do not think that Xie Yunchu is jealous. Instead, they believe that the couple has a good relationship. Wang Shuhuai only has Xie Yunchu in his heart and eyes, and will not tolerate anyone else.
Especially today, Xie Yunchu was calm and generous, and her every word and action showed the demeanor of a grand lady, which made them admire her even more.
Jiang Cairu didn't like what the Princess said even more.
The young girl was full of energy and didn't want to be inferior to others. After lunch, the Princess of the County was asked by Jiang Cheng to take her sister to see Wang Shuxu. If Jiang Cairu refused, the usually arrogant young lady said proudly,
"I will just stand in the hall and let him come find me."
While the Princess sent her nanny to talk to the Third Madam, Jiang Cairu made some noise.
"It is said that northern women are good at pitching pots. I am new here and I want to broaden my horizons."
Although she had just arrived in the capital, she had many supporters around her. Many noble families in Jinling came to the capital to serve as officials. These people were usually suppressed by the noble ladies in the capital, and they couldn't help but gather around Jiang Cairu.
As soon as Jiang Cairu said this, one of the girls took over.
"The weather is nice today, why don't we have a pot-tossing competition?"
Tossing pots, archery and drinking games are common gambling games to liven up the atmosphere.
As the host, Wang Shuqin could not disappoint the guests, so she immediately asked someone to bring a copper kettle.
The copper kettle was placed in the middle of the courtyard in front of the steps. In front of the courtyard was the flower hall, and behind the courtyard was the main hall. People surrounded it from all sides.
The girls were divided into two teams and competed in pairs.
Wang Shuqin is the host and gives the opportunity to be in the spotlight to the guests.
Many girls in Beijing are competitive and no one wants to be outdone by girls from the south of the Yangtze River.
After just a few games, everyone discovered that Jiang Cairu was an expert at pitching pots.
It turns out that he is pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger.
Jiang Cairu has been beaten by several girls one after another, so logically she should have stopped. After all, it was someone else's birthday party, and she shouldn't spoil the fun too much.
But her round black eyes spun around and finally landed on Wang Shuqin.
"Miss Wang Er, how about you come and compete?"
Wang Shuqin was not a good person. She was already very displeased with Jiang Cairu, but considering that she was a guest, she kept suppressing her anger and replied indifferently,
"Today is my sister-in-law's birthday party, we just need to help cheer her up. If Miss Jiang really wants to compete, we can find a place to compete some other day."
Jiang Cairu's target was not Wang Shuqin, but Xie Yunchu. She looked back and landed on Xie Yunchu, who was surrounded by many people at the main entrance.
"I heard that the Second Young Madam won first prize at the flower-viewing banquet and caught the attention of Her Royal Highness the Princess. For the Second Young Madam, pitching pots is probably a piece of cake."
Wang Shuqin immediately got angry when she heard that. "How dare you! My second sister-in-law is pregnant, how can I allow you to provoke me? If you really want to compete, I will do it."
Wang Shuqin just wanted to get rid of this ancestor.
When Jiang Cairu heard that Xie Yunchu was pregnant with Wang Shuhuai's child, she felt a surge of anger. The Xie family was not prominent, so why should she marry Wang Shuhuai? Although Jiang Cairu knew that she had no chance to be with Wang Shuhuai in this life, the more she couldn't get him, the more upset she felt. So she said aggressively,
"Never mind, I don't have to compare myself with Second Madam Wang, but when Second Young Master Wang was in Jiangnan, my father and mother treated him very well. I thought that given the friendship between Second Young Master Wang and my father, Second Madam should give me some face when I came to their house. But I have been sitting for such a long time, and Second Madam didn't say a word to me. I am very confused, and I don't know how to explain to my father later."
This was to blame Xie Yunchu for not being close to the guests and for taking advantage of Qiao.
Fortunately, everyone has good eyesight and can distinguish right from wrong. The second young lady of the Jiang family relied on her father's high position and power and came to the capital with arrogance, which made everyone dislike her.
Wang Shuqin rolled up her sleeves, ready to teach Jiang Cairu a lesson.
At this moment, someone shot a stone and hit Jiang Cairu's arm. She cried out in pain and immediately covered the painful area and turned her head and shouted, "Who is that?"
Xie Yunyou walked out of the crowd and came to her lazily, looking down at her and said,
"Today is my sister's birthday party. You can't act wild and show off here. Can you go back to where you came from?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunchu hurriedly stepped out of the main room. This was the kind of person his brother was. He could not tolerate any grain of sand in his eyes, and would not allow anyone to bully his sister. Wasn't it because of this temper that he injured his leg in his previous life?
She just stood aside and watched without stopping it. She also heard rumors that the palace was trying to match Wang Shuxu and Jiang Cairu. Selfishly speaking, she didn't want Jiang Cairu to marry in, so she simply let Jiang Cairu make a fuss and watch her embarrass herself.
Jiang Cairu had never been wronged like this before. Her eyes immediately turned red and she said angrily, "Who are you to be so rude to me?"
Xie Yunyou said unhappily, "Who do you care who I am?" He raised his arm and pointed toward the door, "Someone, show him out."
Jiang Cairu's pretty face turned red with shame. She put her hands on her waist and cursed loudly, "Do you know who I am?"
Xie Yunyou rolled his eyes at her and said, "I don't care who you are."
Jiang Cairu's aura was suppressed so much that Wang Shuqin suddenly felt that Xie Yunyou was very pleasing to the eye today.
Jiang Cairu was furious. "Why are you, a man, making things difficult for a girl? You can't say that to me."
"If he can't, what about me?" Princess Fuyuan was busy at the polo field today and came in a hurry. She came to make up for the gift just now. When she heard someone was making trouble, she stepped out from behind the crowd with dignity and took over the conversation.
"I also think that Miss Jiang Er is unreasonable. How about I send you out?"
Jiang Cairu became the target of public criticism and couldn't help crying. She had met Princess Fuyuan in the palace a few days ago and knew that she was a powerful woman and not easy to mess with. She ignored Fuyuan and directed the conflict towards Xie Yunyou.
"From your tone, you sound like the young master of the Xie family, but you are the son of the famous Xie Jijiu family. Is your family so uneducated? Who taught you..."
"I taught him!" Madam Ming stood up expressionlessly. Although she was pretty and had a soft voice, her words were sonorous.
"I have always taught my son to behave properly and to help others when he sees injustice. This girl caused trouble at someone's birthday party. It is understandable that my son complained a little. But I have to ask you, has anyone taught you how to be a guest?"
Jiang Cairu was speechless and immediately covered her face and cried.
The Princess of Nan'an County rushed over upon hearing the news. As soon as she saw the situation, she knew something was wrong. She stopped Jiang Cairu in time, "Cairu, don't be rude."
Jiang Cairu pointed at Xie Yunyou and said, "Sister, they are the ones who bullied me. They are chasing the guests away."
The Princess of Nan'an County's face darkened when she heard this. Her sister had come to see him today, so how could she be kicked out? How would she gain a foothold in the capital in the future? She was so anxious that she looked everywhere for the Third Madam, but she had already slipped away to drink tea somewhere and no one knew where.
The Wang family could not openly refuse the marriage between the Jiang and Wang families, and with Xie Yunyou's involvement, the third wife was happy to see it happen.
Jiang Cairu threw herself into her sister's arms and cried.
At this time, someone outside reported that an imperial edict had arrived. The Wang family members ignored Jiang Cairu and went to the front hall to receive the edict. It turned out that the edict had arrived to confer the title of the third rank imperial edict on Xie Yunchu. Everyone present couldn't help but congratulate her, "She is a third rank imperial edict at such a young age. The second young lady is unique in our capital."
The guests all flocked to the front yard. Jiang Cairu felt ashamed and regretted not being in the spotlight today. As soon as they left, the eldest wife tried to smooth things over and asked the Jiang sisters to sit in the side hall. The princess had no face to stay since her younger sister had made a fool of herself, so she pulled Jiang Cairu out.
When she was leaving, the third wife came and said that she had not entertained the guests well enough because she had just gone to the kitchen. The Princess was not a fool. The attitude of the third wife was very different from that of the eldest princess in the palace. It seemed that the eldest princess wanted to marry, but the third wife was not happy. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were fighting each other, and her sister felt sorry for her.
The Princess was of noble birth, and the Jiang family was not someone to be trifled with, so she responded indifferently, then immediately got into the car and left with her sister.
After seeing off the guests one after another, Xie Yunchu took the imperial edict and returned to Chunjing Hall.
Madam Ming supported Xie Yunyou outside, but blamed him behind closed doors.
"You are too impulsive. She is a girl after all. Leave women's affairs to women. Don't interfere."
Xie Yunyou remained unmoved and replied calmly, "In my eyes, no matter whether you are a man or a woman, old or young, no one is allowed to bully my sister."
Madam Ming and Xie Yunchu looked at each other and smiled helplessly.
After a tiring day, Xie Yunchu changed into his casual jacket without saying a word and lay down on the kang bed under the window to rest.
At night, Dong Ning placed the newly made firework barrel on a high rock platform outside the open hall. Suddenly, there was a bang, and a bunch of fireworks rose into the sky. Xie Yunchu was awakened and could not help but look out the window. He saw a grand crabapple flower blooming in the air.
Several pretty faces peeked in from the window.
"Girl, come out and have a look! This is a firework tube that Dong Ning made himself. It's really pretty."
Xie Yunchu came out with his robe on, and was led by his maid to the open hall in front of the bamboo forest outside the moon-shaped gate. There were popping sounds one after another, and all kinds of bouquets of flowers were dazzling and gorgeous.
Sparks were scattering, like a sky full of meteors pouring down, and the scene was extremely shocking.
Xie Yunchu hugged Dong Ning, "You are really a genius."
Dong Ning rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, looked at the colorful night sky, and chuckled.
Xia An was naughty. She found a thin veil from somewhere and put it on Xie Yunchu. Dong Ning blamed her for being reckless and chased after Xia An to fight. Ke Jieer was looking at the gorgeous fireworks and jumping around in the yard. Chunqi didn't care about Ke Jieer and hurried to help Xie Yunchu get the veil. Xia An saw this and hurried over to stop Chunqi. Dong Ning also took the opportunity to swing Xia An's arm, causing Xia An to scream in pain.
"Good sister, spare me."
Nanny Lin heard the noise and rushed out. She saw the chaos outside the yard and was so anxious that her eyes sparked.
"You little girls are just making trouble. The girl is pregnant, and you are torturing her as much as you can."
Dong Ning immediately complained, "Mammy, it was Xia An who was teasing the girl."
Xia An was hugged by Dong Ning around the waist. He laughed so hard that his stomach hurt. He asked Xie Yunchu for help, "Girl, save me."
Xie Yunchu was held up by the long veil, which hung on the golden hairpins in her hair. She stood there helplessly, unable to break free, like a tied-up mermaid.
Fireworks and silver flowers were scattered all over the sky, some fell on the treetops, some stuck to the roof beams, and some fell on Wang Shuhuai's shoulders.
He had just returned from the Ministry of Revenue, holding a pile of books in his hands, and walked slowly to the end of the sloping corridor.
Going down is a stone path, and after three or two steps you will reach the open hall.
And that person stood in the dim light.
Wrapped in a veil and surrounded by firelight.
She was wearing a close-fitting long coat, with a tall figure and a slim waist. Her bulging belly did not reduce her charming and graceful charm at all, but instead added a bit of gracefulness and moving. The light veil covered her body and also trapped his gaze.
Sister Ke circled around Xie Yunchu, her veil fluttering and flapping against her little face, and both mother and daughter were smiling sweetly.
Fireworks bloomed in an instant, illuminating Xie Yunchu's elegant smile, like a fleeting shadow passing through his heart.
The peaceful and tranquil life around her is so close at hand, yet so out of reach.
At that moment he suddenly thought,
So what if he is not in my heart?
He admitted it.
Wang Shuhuai threw the book to Minggui and walked towards the bright light.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
