Where is Honglei's face?
What does it mean when the mother-in-law questions the second daughter-in-law in front of the eldest daughter-in-law?
He almost scolded his second daughter-in-law for being "unfaithful"!
It's a matter of reputation, and when she was wronged in the past and had no way to defend herself, her mother-in-law often scolded and resented her second daughter-in-law... In an instant, all the unhappiness came to her mind.
Jiang Yushu, for all her reserved demeanor, couldn't swallow this insult. Her face paled, her tone expressionless and flat as she repeatedly asked, "I wonder what the old lady means by that? I've already explained clearly that this trip to Yongzhou is an official assignment from higher authorities, and I can't refuse. As for traveling with my cousin, it was a joint decision between the county magistrate and my colleagues. We wanted to have more people to give us more confidence and to prevent any robberies or other accidents along the way."
"I'm on a mission, away on business, with at least a dozen people, all busy with their own business, and openly and honestly. Do you think I'm going to Yongzhou to enjoy the mountains and rivers alone with my cousin?"
"If relatives, serving in the same court, are too secretive about each other, wouldn't it just make it look like they're trying to cover up something? It's just asking for suspicion!"
"you--"
Wang's face was filled with rage. She raised her head and shouted, "How dare you! Who are you talking to? As a mother-in-law, I'm concerned about my daughter-in-law and gave her a few words of advice, and you've become so sullen and said so much nonsense. How can this be proper?"
"Oh my." Wang Qiaozhen had long been dissatisfied with her brother's wife, secretly gloating over her misfortune. She took her mother-in-law's arm and shook it, trying to smooth things over: "We're family, so why get angry? Calm down, please calm down. If the servants heard the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law bickering, it would be so embarrassing. It would make it seem like our family has no rules."
The eldest daughter-in-law's words of persuasion were like adding fuel to the fire. Wang's rage intensified, but because things were different now, she barely managed to control her temper. She angrily said, "Who got angry first? I wanted to talk it over, but look at Yushu's expression!"
Wang Qiaozhen frowned and said in a gentle and virtuous voice, "Yushu, your mother-in-law is old. If she accidentally said something you don't like, how can you, as a daughter-in-law, take it to heart? A harmonious family is the foundation of everything. Calm down, calm down, and sit down to discuss this."
"Hmph!" Wang's face darkened, and she seemed to want to say something but stopped herself. After all, she was concerned about the identity of her second daughter-in-law as a female official, and did not dare to scold her harshly and without restraint as she did before.
Jiang Yushu sat upright, her back straight, gazing at the intimate aunt and niece huddled close together above her. She felt powerless, her anger gradually fading, and she quickly regained her composure. She spoke slowly, "It's not that I intentionally disrespected my elders, but what Grandma said just now really struck a chord. Even a clay figure has its own temperament, let alone flesh and blood. If I remain silent forever, I'm afraid I'll suffer an unjust injustice and humiliation for the rest of my life. Therefore, let's just get this so-called 'what happened back then' out tonight."
"Make it clear? How do you want to make it clear? Aren't you afraid of hurting yourself?" Wang was very annoyed.
Wang Qiaozhen agreed with her mother-in-law, "Forget it, it's in the past. Talking about that will only make you even more unhappy."
Jiang Yushu smiled faintly and replied with emotion: "I originally thought it was over, but when I mentioned 'cousin' just now, you two acted like you were facing a formidable enemy, as if I were about to smear the Guo family. You even said something like 'what will happen to Honglei's dignity?' This is a matter of reputation, how can you not be angry?" After she finished speaking, she stood up, her posture tall, looking down at you, and said solemnly:
"According to etiquette, children shouldn't accuse their elders of their mistakes, but I was forced into a corner and couldn't bear it any longer! After all, the innocent will be cleared, and wise people have already discovered the truth. So today, I'm not afraid to expose our dirty laundry: In fact, if it weren't for my stepmother's covert manipulation and framing, I wouldn't have been able to marry into the Guo family!"
Time had passed, and Wang had long since come to terms with her past, but she still held a disdain for the infamous Miss Jiang. She frowned, trying to stop him. "It's all old news, what's the point of bringing it up? Besides, even if your stepmother made a mistake, she's still your elder, and you should respect her."
Wang Qiaozhen was skeptical, still suspecting that her sister-in-law was not completely innocent. She said, "Don't mention spoiling the fun. Sit down and talk."
Jiang Yushu spoke righteously, once again explaining Miss Jiang's situation, stating with deep sorrow, "Back then, there was such a commotion that I couldn't make my own decision. Through a series of twists and turns, I was hastily married into the Guo family, subject to widespread ridicule and mockery. But outsiders, besides spreading rumors and causing trouble, didn't they consider that if I were truly 'greedy for wealth and fame' as the rumors say, why would I have attempted suicide so many times, even hanging myself on our wedding day, even if Honglei hadn't suddenly returned to his room... I would have died long ago!"
"As a result, even today, I'm still suspected because of my past. Oh, it's really chilling." After saying this, she realized that she couldn't rely on reasoning alone. She decisively pulled out a handkerchief, covered her eyes, and said with a sob:
"Since mother-in-law is so worried, I dare not go to Yongzhou, nor will I be a 'special envoy'. I will resign tomorrow morning! Ever since I came into your house, I have been so busy that I haven't had a few days of rest. Even when I was pregnant, I was running around everywhere. I am almost exhausted. Now Ye'er is only one month old. I miss him so much when I don't see him for a day. I would rather stay at home and concentrate on raising him."
Wang was stunned and immediately became anxious, "Resign? This is inappropriate, right?"
"Who are you resigning to?" Wang Qiaozhen frowned.
Jiang Yushu rubbed her eyes, her eyes red, but her heart was extremely calm. She answered tiredly: "The appointment is the will of the emperor. I don't know how to resign. I will go to the county government tomorrow to ask for information."
"If you resign right after taking office, you will be punished, right?" Wang was afraid that her second daughter-in-law would bring trouble to the whole family, so she temporarily put Pei Wenfeng aside.
Wang Qiaozhen, tired of the hardship, hurriedly advised, "Yushu, calm down and don't act rashly. The emperor has bestowed upon you an official position, and you haven't even completed a single task yet, yet you're suddenly resigning. That's not right."
Jiang Yushu clutched her handkerchief, wiping away nonexistent tears and feigning sadness. "Never mind. I know I'm not cut out for being an official, so I'll just quit early rather than force myself. Back then, I was schemed against by my stepmother because my own mother died young. I've learned my lesson, and I have to take care of Ye'er myself. I haven't seen him all day. Even though I know he's doing well at home, I can't help but worry about him. I miss him terribly."
"No, no. You can't just quit your job!"
Wang shook her head repeatedly. Her anger gradually subsided after being interrupted. Gritting her teeth, she compromised and said seriously, "Yer is the legitimate grandson of the Guo family, my own grandson. Grandma loves him just as much as you do. You can go out and do your work without worry. With me at home, no one can touch Yeer!"
Wang Qiaozhen stood up, leaned closer, and affectionately took her sister-in-law's arm, saying, "Why are you crying? Come on, calm down. We know you've been working hard, and we believe you're innocent. We can't stop the gossip, so we're just reminding you to be careful out of kindness, and we don't mean any other harm. Don't take it personally."
With a child, Jiang Yushu had to consider her own flesh and blood and had no intention of arguing with her mother-in-law. She wiped her eyes, walked down the stairs, and apologized weakly: "It's my fault for being anxious and misunderstanding. I said something without thinking. I beg the old lady to forgive my disrespect just now."
Wang took a deep breath, forcing herself to conceal her displeasure, and replied tolerantly, "These are trivial matters in daily life, not worth taking seriously. Yushu, you have a quick temper, you should change that."
"Yes. Thank you, old lady, for your understanding." Jiang Yushu calmed down after her outburst.
Since we didn't get along, she left after just a short chat.
After watching the strangers leave, Wang Qiaozhen immediately approached her mother-in-law and whispered, "Look, look, am I right? Yushu has a bad temper, gets angry easily, and loves to throw tantrums. She even threatened to commit suicide on the day of her wedding. Now that she's an official, she's even more outrageous. Just now, she actually lost her temper and dared to contradict her mother-in-law. How arrogant!"
Wang was embarrassed and rubbed her brows with a headache. "What can we do? Honglei was bewildered back then. He ignored the advice of the elders, made a fuss every day, and insisted on marrying her. Alas, for Ye'er's sake, I can only tolerate her."
"Tsk." Wang Qiaozhen, a young widow, couldn't help but feel bad seeing her sister-in-law and her husband so loving. She muttered, "It's Honglei's fault, really. He's such an indulgent husband, never disciplined, letting his wife do whatever she wants. He was visiting relatives a while ago, and he acted like a servant, serving tea and water, almost giving Yushu a leg massage."
Wang glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, her expression unchanged as she sighed, "Oh, the noise is giving me a headache! Well, as long as she doesn't bring shame to the Guo family, I won't bother to care, lest I become annoying."
"Hmph, if she wants to resign from her official position and live a leisurely life, then just let her resign and stay at home to avoid showing up in public and attracting criticism." Wang Qiaozhen curled her lips.
Wang shook her head and sighed, "How can that be? First of all, the imperial edict is no joke. How can she just resign if she wants to? Secondly, if Honglei were to support the whole family, he would be exhausted. It would be good for Yushu to become an official. It would give the family an extra salary and make things more comfortable."
Wang Qiaozhen opened her mouth, unable to refute, and chose to preserve her leisurely life, nodding in frustration.
In the following days, before Jiang Yushu went out, she always said goodbye to her mother-in-law before rushing to the county government office to work. The three of them acted as if nothing had happened and never mentioned any unpleasant things.
In mid-March, spring is everywhere on the border.
Pei Wenfeng finally finished all his cases in Xicang and was about to depart for Yongzhou to take up his new post. Officials in Xiping Warehouse also agreed on a plan and split up their responsibilities: Liang Zuopu would oversee the construction of the granary, while Jiang Yushu and Wei Xu would supervise the farming.
On the eve of departure, the luggage had already been packed.
At night, Jiang Yushu held the child in her arms, feeling extremely reluctant to leave. She whispered, "I'll take the other two with me tomorrow morning, and when we pass Yuehu Lake, I'll take Cuimei and Zougui with me."
"That makes sense!" Nanny Pan nodded in agreement. "The maids and servants in the mansion are useless if they haven't been around to serve outside."
Nanny Qiu asked with concern: "Madam is leaving tomorrow, when will she be back?"
Jiang Yushu sighed, "It's hard to say, but it will take at least a month. When I'm not at home, Ye'er will be handed over to you two. You must take good care of the child."
"Don't worry, ma'am, I will do my best!" Qiu answered solemnly.
Nanny Pan touched the swaddling clothes and said, "Don't worry, I swear I will take good care of the little boy."
The baby is fast asleep, his skin is no longer red, but becomes white and tender, with a high nose bridge, long eyelashes, and a faint milky fragrance, making him adorable.
Jiang Yushu stared at the child intently, unable to help but feeling distressed. She murmured, "Poor child, your father is in the military camp, and tomorrow your mother will go on a long trip. You must be obedient at home and wait for your mother to come back. I will give you..." She paused, and suddenly her eyes were inexplicably hot, her nose was sour, and she felt extremely uncomfortable. She sighed helplessly:
"I really want to go to Yongzhou with my children."
"No, it's only been a month, it can't withstand the bumps." Mrs. Qiu was shocked.
Nanny Pan understood her reluctance and said, "Be patient. Wait until the young master is older before taking him out."
Jiang Yushu calmed down, pulled herself together, and advised, "The weather is getting warmer. When it's sunny, take him out for a walk in the yard. Put on a hat and let him bask in the sun."
"Oh, I see."
Jiang Yushu added, "If a child gets sick, don't use any folk remedies. See a doctor immediately."
"yes."
Jiang Yushu continued to instruct: "Babies need enough milk. Don't feed them soup or tonics casually, otherwise they will become like Baozhu, and the more they are fed, the weaker their body will become."
"Okay, I'll remember that."
As a new mother, Jiang Yushu was extremely worried. She racked her brains, gave countless instructions and warnings, and wished she could take the child to Yongzhou.
The next day. Early morning
Jiang Yushu said goodbye to her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and surrounded by her brother-in-law, nephew, and cousin, she walked out of the house and got on the carriage.
"Aunt, please come back early. Yu'er will soon learn how to fly a kite. Let's play together then!" Guo Yu was reluctant to leave.
Gong Baozhu liked her gentle and kind second aunt and whispered, "Come back soon."
Guo Hongzhe said with concern: "The road to Yongzhou is long, sister-in-law, please be careful."
"I wish my sister-in-law a successful battle and a speedy return!" Guo Hongxuan said in a loud voice.
Jiang Yushu smiled and answered them one by one. At the end, she couldn't help laughing, "Thank you. I wish my third and fourth brothers to make progress in their studies and win the top prize in the imperial examination as soon as possible. Well, I'm in a hurry to meet up with my companions at the yamen. You guys go back to the study and study hard. Don't be lazy. Wasting time will only hurt yourself!" She waved her hand and lowered the curtain.
The driver cracked his whip and shouted, "Go!"
The wheels rumbled as the car left Guangchang Lane and headed straight for the county government office. After hurriedly saying goodbye to a few friends, she got on the car again.
There were three carriages in total, and four officers with swords escorted them.
Among them, the Pei family carriage led the way, the Guo family carriage followed, and Wei Xu and his servant brought up the rear.
Pei Wenfeng ordered: "Let's set off."
"Yes!" The driver took the order and drove the carriage forward.
Yongzhou has been recovered, Xicang is no longer in chaos, and the people live and work in peace.
As the sun rises, the streets are bustling with traffic and noisy, a complete change from the deserted appearance of the past.
Jiang Yushu half-opened the curtain and looked at the increasingly prosperous streets. Recalling the nervousness and confusion when she first came to Heqin, she was filled with emotion and smiled with an open mind.
The carriage wobbled as it left Xicang Heqin and headed north towards Cangjiang and the devastated Yongzhou.
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Jiang Yushu: I have to express this anger!
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