Chapter 35 Gathering and Scattering Uncle's back injury won't stop him from accompanying me on my trip...
The sudden, unexpected words elicited deliberate coughs from the father and elder brother, astonishment from the sister, and malicious snickers from the two younger brothers, all reminding the newlyweds that their words and actions in front of relatives should not be inappropriate.
A helpless yet secretly pleased smile appeared on Madam Dou's lips. She glanced at the silent crowd, especially Changsun Qingjing, who was teasing Luo Fufeng with Changsun Renpei, and clearly misunderstood.
However, Madam Dou was, after all, a prudent matriarch, and she couldn't help but reprimand her son for his inappropriate remarks: "There's no need to broadcast matters of the bedroom to the whole family; it only makes you appear frivolous and dissolute... I'll consider your earlier remarks a moment of confusion and won't pursue the matter further..."
He nervously tapped Changsun Qingjing's hand, gritted his teeth, and pleaded in a low voice, "Don't play dumb, help me explain."
Changsun Qingjing had already lowered her eyes in shame under the strange and mocking gazes cast upon her by the crowd, feeling a sense of naked shame in public.
She glared at the outspoken Li Shimin, her eyes flashing with a sharp edge, then immediately became still and pretended to be oblivious, hoping someone would start a new topic.
At first, Third Sister Li Qiongxi's mouth was agape, unable to close for a long time. Now, she could no longer hold back and began to whisper with Fourth Sister Li Longyue. Li Longyue listened to Li Qiongxi's whispers with restraint, smiled calmly, and when she felt that things had gone too far, she lightly tapped Third Sister's disheveled hair bun with her fan.
"Is everything prepared for tomorrow's temple audience?" asked Li Yuan, the head of the family.
Dugu Cui bowed and replied, "Father, my two sisters and I have inspected, arranged, and cleaned the ancestral temple, awaiting only the bride's audience. Tomorrow, I will personally guide Lady Changsun to meet the ancestors. Everything is in order and there will be no mistakes. After the temple audience, the formal wedding will take place, and Lady Changsun will cook for her parents-in-law..."
“In that case, your mother and I have no worries. Today’s visit to the maternal grandparents is just a simple family gathering. Your mother and I will take our leave now, so you can all be more lively and chat about topics for young people.” As soon as she finished speaking, the maid helped Dou Shi up. The children and grandchildren watched Li Yuan and his wife leave the table.
Li Shimin and Changsun Qingjing finally breathed a sigh of relief, as no one would hold a grudge against their slip of the tongue anymore.
Unexpectedly, Li Chengzong suddenly asked tactlessly, "Uncle, is your back injury feeling any better today?"
Chai Lingwu followed closely behind and asked, "Uncle, will your back injury prevent you from leading us in horseback riding?"
Li Shimin rested his elbow on the food table, propped his chin on his hand, and looked up at the sky, not daring to answer directly, much less scold the two naughty children.
“Chengzong, Lingwu, you two are so picky. Who do you think you are?” Li Yuanji, who had been silent all along, suddenly said provocatively. “It’s as if your second uncle and maternal uncle had a back injury and there’s no one in the family who can ride a horse.”
He shook his head and gestured to the two boys to plead with him. Although this so-called elder was not much older than his nephew and niece and often caused astonishing trouble, he still considered himself an elder and was unwilling to be subordinate to others.
"My second brother has no other problems, he's just been eating too many mulberries lately." Li Qiongxi's hint made the children even more puzzled, but they dared not ask any more questions.
A burst of infectious laughter broke the stagnant winter air when the Duke and Duchess of Tang were not present.
"Two turtledoves, you'll have to drink the penalty yourself," Li Qiongxi joked amidst the chaos.
Changsun Qingjing deeply understood the meaning of "two fangs being watched by others," and lowered his head even further, hoping that this awkward situation would pass soon.
Li Shimin was unsure whether to first mock his fourth brother's proud riding and archery skills or to retort to his third sister's silly joke.
Not to be outdone, he slightly shifted his knees, preparing to retaliate, but in the end, it was Changsun Qingjing who grabbed his belt and calmed him down.
Well, being seen as a pair of silly turtledoves who ate too many mulberries is much better than being considered frivolous and unruly.
After the meal, Dugu Cui took the three energetic children to the central courtyard to digest their food. The three of them cheered and threw down their half-eaten millet soup and several bites of glutinous rice cakes, making a ruckus as they left the main hall.
Changsun Qingjing took the opportunity to follow them out. The two sisters, Third Sister and Fourth Sister, hadn't had time to have a private chat since the wedding preparations began. Fortunately, their eldest sister-in-law was taking care of their children, so they took the opportunity of returning home to have a drink and a heart-to-heart talk.
Li Jiancheng invited Li Shimin to the front hall to meet his father and pay respects to old friends from Daxing.
The older siblings then instructed the wet nurse, Chen Shanyi, to strictly discipline Si Lang and Wu Lang.
After a brief exchange, the crowd dispersed.
The three children spent the whole morning chasing the lynx until it was exhausted. No matter how much they provoked and angered it, the beast remained lazy and unmoved, simply curling up among the grass and trees to bask in the warm winter sun.
The three mischievous children simply used the lynx as a cushion, leaning against it, and for the time being, they lived in peace.
Fearing that the lynx might suddenly become aggressive and prey on the phoenix, the maid took the exquisite bird, unlike any other human, from Changsun Renpei's hair and placed it back in the golden birdcage, serving the young lady closely behind her.
Dugu Cui chose a high, commanding rockery and invited Changsun Qingjing to sit down with her. They began to talk about family history and the complex blood and marriage ties between their two families.
Changsun Qingjing listened with great interest. The thought of Changsun Renpei, who used to call her "elder sister" but now calls her "aunt," and Li Dazhi and Dahui, who used to fly hawks and hunt dogs with Li Shimin, now having to call their former friends "uncle," made her chuckle.
Dugu Cui took Changsun Qingjing's hand, showing a clear intention to be close to him.
"There's something I'm hesitant to say: fortune and misfortune are intertwined. I've heard about your experiences, and they've deeply affected me. But your demeanor and actions don't seem like those of someone who's been through such ordeals. This resilient and carefree personality is exactly what your mother admires. You and Erlang are destined for each other; the whole family feels you're a match made in heaven, and I'm happy for you both."
Changsun Qingjing understood the gist of it. Thinking that the Li family had never made things difficult for her and had often taken care of her small sense of self-esteem, and with her elder sister-in-law Dugu Cui comforting her that this marriage was not a compromise made by the elders due to the young man's willfulness, but rather had the elders' approval and blessing, she felt more at ease.
Of course, Dugu Cui's words were partly at Madam Dou's behest and not entirely her own. If she were to comment, she would undoubtedly praise the girl's composure and the boy's unwavering loyalty. The two children possessed a maturity beyond their years, a perfectly balanced blend of impulsiveness and emotion; at first glance, they seemed spirited and unrestrained, but upon closer inspection, they were composed and steady. This was simply the most beautiful story she had ever read in legends during her youth.
The marriage between Dugu Cui and Li Jiancheng was a perfectly ordinary arranged marriage. The two families had agreed to the marriage early on, which was a double blessing. Their parents were satisfied, their grandmother, Dugu, and Empress Wenxian were satisfied, and even their cousins were very pleased. The two became husband and wife without any surprises or troubles.
Therefore, when she heard about Changsun Qingjing's many misfortunes and unconventional behavior, she was shocked and felt that this violent and eccentric girl was not easy to get along with. However, when she heard that she had remained calm in the face of danger as a child, helped her mother escape danger, and that when her uncle was in trouble, she would rather go to Lingnan with her down-and-out uncle than rely on her uncle, she couldn't help but admire her!
This girl with two faces aroused an unusual envy in Dugu Cui, who had lived a life of ease and routine.
Changsun Qingjing had only heard bits and pieces of information about Madam Dou's chronic illness, which caused her great pain when it flared up. Seeing her today, he confirmed it was true. He had heard that people suffering from this illness should not move around too much in winter to avoid fatigue, but the hasty yet meticulous preparations for this wedding clearly went against the doctors' advice.
Changsun Qingjing felt inexplicably apologetic.
"I also have some things on my mind that I'm not sure if I should say. If I've offended you, please feel free to scold me," Changsun Qingjing asked tentatively. She always felt that her mother-in-law's illness was not a relapse of an old ailment, but rather something that would naturally subside after some rest.
"We're family, there's no need to hold back." Dugu Cui seemed to have a plan, and did not avoid Changsun Qingjing's question.
"If I may be so bold as to ask, about Mother's illness..." Changsun Qingjing carefully chose her words before slowly beginning, "As a newlywed, I feel truly ashamed that my mother, who should be resting in the winter, has fallen ill from overwork while managing the wedding. I wonder if I could be permitted to help my sister-in-law prepare her medicine, so as to fulfill my filial duty..."
Changsun Qingjing suddenly recalled her encounter with Li Shimin in Liren City before her marriage, where the latter had jokingly said that he had been driven out of the house by his mother to wander around.
Changsun Wuji once said that Li Shimin was the most beloved son among his parents' many children, and his mother would never forbid him from being with her just because she disliked him.
She needed to work hard to piece together the complex scroll that the Li family had deliberately torn apart and hidden, perhaps out of goodwill, or she would feel uneasy.
Dugu Cui was clearly not very good at lying or concealing her true feelings. She hurriedly smoothed her hair, lowered her head and pondered for a moment before finally piecing together a self-consistent answer: "Mother said that the union of two families is both predestined and a matter of chance. You and Erlang are both beautiful, a match made in heaven. The auspicious date is decided by Heaven and entrusted by our ancestors, and cannot be changed at will. Mother's illness is not serious. She will recover after the twelfth lunar month, just like in previous years. Brothers and sisters, don't worry unnecessarily! Today, just be at home as usual, don't be reserved. After the temple visit tomorrow, I will have another helper, and I am very happy."
At this point, Changsun Qingjing and Dugu Cui exchanged a knowing smile.
“Mother is counting on you and me to manage the household together and ensure its prosperity. As for me, the only person I can rely on all year round is you, my sister-in-law,” Dugu Cui said with a sigh, patting her new sister-in-law on the shoulder.
As the two were chatting and laughing, half-jokingly, Li Daozong and Chai Lingwu, the two children, ran towards the artificial hill to discuss with Changsun Qingjing about borrowing the lynx for their trip.
Just as Changsun Qingjing was smiling and agreeing, Dugu Cui suddenly refused on behalf of her sister-in-law, saying, "No, the lynx is part of your aunt and uncle's dowry. It was a pet that her brother specially gave to her to keep her company. How can you just lend it to your friends to show off? This matter ends here, and there should be no further discussion!"
The two boys looked at Dugu Cui with dismay, feeling that although what she said made sense, the lynx was too imposing and understanding, so they huddled together to discuss a countermeasure.
Perhaps this lynx can help me get some truth about Dou's condition out of the child?
Let's give it a try.
Author's Note: I just arrived and already my mother-in-law is seriously ill.
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