Chapter 532 Returning Home in Glory
Oh dear, Song Chunxue had completely forgotten about that.
If a son-in-law passes the imperial examination, he should visit the family with generous gifts.
I just don't know that Mulan's father has passed away, nor do I know how her mother is doing now.
“What’s so difficult about that? I thought it was something serious. Of course, Sanwa should accompany you to visit your parents’ home and pay your respects to your mother-in-law when you get back. If it weren’t so far away, we should invite your mother to Li Family Village to join us for a lively celebration.”
Song Chunxue smiled and said, "Judging from your expression, I thought it was something important."
Mulan lowered her head, as if relieved. "Thank you, Mother. I misunderstood."
"Not only do you have to visit your mother, but you also have to prepare gifts for your uncles and aunts and pay them a visit. You can't miss any of them; it's all proper etiquette. But it's good that you reminded me. You don't need to worry about anything else. Just take good care of yourself. It's quite tiring as you get further along in your pregnancy."
"Hmm," Mulan looked down at her stomach, "I feel heavier these past few days."
“You’re seven months pregnant, so you’re quite heavy. It’s impossible for an average person to squeeze into a carriage and travel back and forth from Jincheng. Why don’t you not come along? The road is bound to be bumpy, and you’ll definitely feel uncomfortable.”
Mulan shook her head slightly, "The child likes to go. Her father only has a few glorious days in his life, so it's good for the child to see them. Besides, I'm in good health, so I'm not afraid. When I gave birth to my eldest daughter, I was still traveling around when I was nine months pregnant."
She is not afraid of hard work, but she is afraid of her child being wronged.
With everyone making such a fuss, leaving her daughter alone at home will surely make her anxious and cry.
"That's good. Just be careful. If you feel unwell, just let me know. I have some medicine to help with the pregnancy. We don't mind the trouble."
Mulan was right; hardship and adversity are the norm for ordinary people, while glory and joy are fleeting.
Song Chunxue understood Mulan's personality. In her previous life, she was just like her, working hard for most of her life. She was busy with housework and farm work from the moment she opened her eyes until dark. She often washed dishes in the dark at night and didn't even dare to light an oil lamp.
There are too many pigs at home that keep feeding them. Sometimes, after I've finished my work, I suddenly remember that I haven't fed the pigs, so I get up and feed them again.
Mulan was born with a weak stomach and intestines, so she had to go to the outhouse outside the courtyard at night. Sometimes, after arguing with Sanwa, she would grit her teeth, take the oil lamp, and go out alone. When she came back, she would run very fast, and the people inside the house would think there was going to be an earthquake.
Of course, she didn't mean that Mulan was heavy; Mulan's footsteps were always very heavy.
Before having her fifth child, Mulan was always quite slim.
Perhaps after finally giving birth to a son, she felt more at ease, and naturally, her body also felt more relaxed.
However, as farmers, what kind of work can someone who is too thin do? The work would easily crush them.
"Okay, thank you, Mother." Mulan couldn't help but smile. "Mother is so thoughtful."
"Be more honest. You'll be an official's wife in the future, so don't be careless. In Jincheng, especially in front of outsiders, you need to act more respectable. It's not that I'm afraid you'll embarrass yourself, but some people love to gossip, so try not to give them any leverage."
Mulan nodded solemnly, "Yes, Mother, I've remembered."
...
While the flowers of April have faded in the human world, the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are just beginning to bloom.
The peach blossoms at the foot of the mountain have long since faded, but the apricot blossoms are in full bloom.
Zhuanglang County is located at the foot of the mountain, and to get back to Lijiazhuangzi, one must cross Dongshan Mountain to the east and walk eastward along the long mountain range.
Because they were carrying a lot of things, the Jiang family had four carriages instead of three, but the road up the mountain was steep and difficult to climb, and one horse could not pull so many people.
A large group of people walked along the winding mountain road to the top of the mountain, with apricot trees planted on both sides of the road.
In arid and rainless areas, on steep mountain slopes, apricot trees grow in strange shapes, each one with a crooked neck. But if there is no frost during the apricot blossom season, even if the trunk does not grow thicker for ten years, it will still be full of apricots, bearing abundant fruit.
"Mother, the apricot blossoms here are so beautiful."
"Did it rain the other day? There are mushrooms under this tree."
"Run faster, run faster! The carriage has already climbed to the bend above."
"Mother, Grandma, the view down the mountain from here is so beautiful!"
“Hmm… the apricot blossoms smell so good. No wonder Grandma loves to drink apricot blossom wine. Apricot blossoms are bitter, but the aftertaste is sweet. There are bees collecting nectar here,” Xiujuan turned around and called to Song Chunxue, “Grandma, come quickly. Stand on this ridge and look how beautiful it is down the mountain.”
Several children gathered together and ran wild in the apricot grove. Even after the carriage had climbed to the top of the mountain, the children were still shouting happily in the woods below.
The adults, caught up in the children's excitement and merriment, stood at the highest point and looked down over the entire city, discovering that it was not small at all, not much smaller than Jincheng.
This city has existed since the Qin Dynasty.
The city's name has changed several times, and the city walls have been destroyed and repaired. They were rebuilt decades ago and are now as solid as a rock.
A group of young people gathered together to tell the history of the city, and a unique emotion arose spontaneously.
Two lifetimes later, she felt proud of herself again; all her children were educated.
She was very poor, but she desperately wanted her child to leave that impoverished place, Lijiazhuangzi.
In fact, she had done it in her previous life as well.
At that time, she was just a woman who relied on her son for support in her old age. Her expectations were too high, and that's why she harbored resentment after they were dashed.
Because no one taught her, she was barely literate and didn't interact with anyone; she figured everything out on her own.
Now, listening to Sanwa's calm voice, clear pronunciation, and gentle manner, he speaks eloquently about everything, making one truly feel that he is a scholar.
She made up for the biggest regret of her previous life; the third child gave her a pleasant surprise.
"This city has a rich history. The people who pass through here are crucial during wartime. It connects the Hexi Corridor to the north and Sichuan to the south. Lord Xie mentioned it, waiting for us..."
"I thought Sanwa was just a bookworm all day long. I didn't expect you to know these things. Hmm, I hope you can come back and be the county magistrate of Zhuanglang County in the future. Maybe..."
Listening to the brothers' unhurried conversation, Song Chunxue stopped rushing and stood on the mountain enjoying the breeze.
The view is even better from a higher vantage point.
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month that year, she and her senior brother burned incense on the mountaintop and sat there enjoying the scenery.
Now, more than five years have passed, and apart from the marks of time on them, the mountains, the city, and the trees covering the mountains are all in this state.
Once she finds her senior brother, she must ask him why he has been out of contact for so long, even if it's just to write him a blank letter.
She couldn't wait to show her senior brother how good her swordsmanship was now, and that this meteorite iron short sword, which could cut through iron like mud, had not been disgraced by her.
"Let's go home, or we'll starve if we don't go back soon."
A group of people reluctantly got up and left.
“If we have the chance in the future, we must make time to go up the mountain to see the scenery.” The fourth brother sighed. “We have never been able to look down on the mountains and rivers so leisurely since we were young. That is a hobby of the rich.”
“Great! Dragon Boat Festival is perfect. We can go up the mountain together to build a tall mountain, light a fire and pray for blessings. This is my first time in Zhuanglang County. I spent Dragon Boat Festival with my mother and the Taoist priest. It’s an unforgettable experience.”
Sanwa looked at Song Chunxue with a sorrowful expression, "I wonder where the Daoist is now."
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