Chapter 12 Chapter 12 “It is my fault that Madam is dissatisfied.
"Why is Puzhu here?"
As soon as Sheng Puzhu entered the flower hall of Yishou Hall, the old lady gently took her hand and patted it affectionately: "Good child, it's cold, you don't have to come here specially to pay your respects."
"What do you want to drink? Ask Nanny Jiang to change it for you."
"Grandma, the tea here is very good."
"You had someone bring me soup, so I should come and pay my respects to you." Sheng Puzhu lowered his eyes and smiled faintly, then sat down beside the old lady. He reached out and picked up a cup of freshly brewed Qujiang thin slices on the rosewood table, and slowly took a sip.
The tea smoke curled up lightly, the tea soup was dark and oily, and her slender fingertips holding the celadon cup made her hands look white and delicate. No matter what she did, every move was so pleasing to the eye.
The old lady's smile deepened at the corners of her eyes. She pulled her closer, lowering her voice and saying lovingly, "Good girl, I told him this morning when he came to pay his respects. He needs to consider your feelings when it comes to your relationship."
Sheng Puzhu's eyelashes trembled: "Grandma just said that?"
She was obviously a little unconvinced.
The old lady took a sip of tea to moisten her throat. Seeing that the nanny and the maid had retreated far away, she sighed and said, "How could that be possible!"
"Zhiyan's personality is exactly like his grandfather's. If the old man hadn't passed away early, I don't know how proud he would be that the family finally has a grandson who looks like him."
"It's a pity your grandfather..."
She shook her head: "Let's not talk about him, let's talk about Zhiyan."
"Since birth, this child has lived with the Princess at Tianchang Temple for half of his life. After he turned ten, his uncle brought him to the palace to accompany the Crown Prince. During the years he was studying with His Royal Highness, it was sometimes difficult for me to even see him."
"Fortunately, the Queen Mother is kind-hearted. During the New Year holidays, she would issue an order for Zhiyan to stay at the Duke of Jingguo's mansion for a few days."
Sheng Puzhu listened quietly.
"So Zhiyan's personality..." The old lady shook her head. "If you don't speak directly to him, he'll just resort to the Xie family's rules. He's as stubborn as an uncut jade from a mountain stream. Though he possesses the beauty of a jade pendant, he keeps people at a distance."
"So, grandma, what did you say?" Sheng Puzhu tilted her head, her snow-white neck was slender and elegant, and the curiosity in her eyes could hardly be hidden.
The old lady slowly put down her teacup and said meaningfully, "Oh, it's not something out of the ordinary."
"I just told Zhiyan that he should consider your physical endurance. It doesn't mean that he can do it just because he thinks it's okay."
"As for the frequency, I've also specifically warned you to consider the situation carefully."
"This, this, this..." Sheng Puzhu was really about to cry. He opened his mouth, his mouth full of the fragrance of tea, but was speechless.
The old lady squinted her eyes and smiled, saying confidently, "Good boy, I hope your grandmother will cherish you."
"Before Zhiyan left, I specifically asked Nanny Jiang to bring him some nourishing soup and force him to drink it. I was afraid that he would be young and impulsive and would tire you out."
"Fortunately, this child, although he is a little cold towards others, he is still willing to listen as long as the rules are followed and reasonable."
"What did the young master say?" Sheng Puzhu asked in a trembling voice.
The old lady said calmly, "Zhi Yan said he would reflect on his mistakes."
"You can rest assured."
Sheng Puzhu has developed a psychological trauma from the five words "rest assured".
She still remembered that a few days ago, Princess Duanyang had made such a righteous promise to her, but within two hours, Xie Zhiyan rushed to Princess Duanyang's mansion to arrest her.
I hope she won’t be killed again tonight.
Sheng Puzhu was very nervous, and her fingertips were fiddling with the camellia embroidery on the handkerchief, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
Just as she was struggling, a laugh came from outside the hall: "Mother, your daughter-in-law has brought Emperor Mingzong's wife to pay her respects to you."
Before the Qin family arrived, a smiling voice came in.
Sheng Puzhu looked over and saw Qin holding her daughter-in-law Xue Qinghui's hand in a rare and intimate manner. She looked so cautious, as if she was a precious treasure.
"Oh, Puzhu is here too." Qin asked Xue Qinghui to sit down, and told the maid to bring a pillow. Then she looked over with a proud look.
"Aunt." Sheng Puzhu stood up and saluted.
Xue Qinghui also quickly stood up and called to Sheng Puzhu in a low voice, "Sister-in-law."
"Child, please sit down quickly. Your sister-in-law has always been kind to others. You are a couple now, so there is no need to go through so much trouble." Qin said hurriedly.
Sheng Puzhu's eyes softly swept across Xue Qinghui's round belly, and she smiled gently: "No need to be so polite, sister-in-law."
Xue Qinghui nervously clutched her handkerchief. Seeing Qin looking at her, she hurriedly held the maid's hand and sat back down.
The old lady raised an eyebrow, her gaze also falling on Xue Qinghui's belly: "It's so cold, the snow is heavy and the roads are slippery. I have told all the young ladies in the family not to come and pay their respects. Qinghui is about to give birth, why bother her to come here?"
Qin Shi just smiled and tried to appear calm. She said proudly, "I just called the imperial physician to take Qinghui's pulse. It's 80% certain that Qinghui is pregnant with a boy."
"Mother, this is your first legitimate great-grandson. For such a big event, your daughter-in-law naturally has to ask Qinghui to come and congratulate you personally."
"Besides, we have maids following us wherever we go. If the snow is heavy, it's just a matter of adding a hand warmer and a cloak. How can it be considered a hassle?"
Sheng Puju looked at Xue Qinghui's belly and took a deep breath. This belly was only eight months old, but it was much bigger than the pregnant women she knew. Moreover, Xue Qinghui had gained a lot of weight and it was difficult for her to even stand up. How could it not be considered a hassle?
"Madam Jiang, please get Qinghui a new hand warmer and take out the fox fur mat from the warming room for Qinghui to use."
The old lady knew Qin's competitive nature, so she said these kind words before asking, "Is Qinghui's belly a little too big? What did the imperial physician say? Is there anything she should pay attention to in her diet?"
"It's cold outside in the winter and it's hard to move around. She should walk around more in her room, which will make the delivery easier."
Qin was stunned for a moment, then became a little angry when she heard it: "A big belly is a blessing, it means the child will grow well."
"The imperial physician said that we should eat as light a diet as possible, but we are not from a poor family, so how can we shortchange our wife when it comes to food?"
"Puzhu, you and Zhiyan should hurry up and have children for your family soon. Mingzong is the same age as Zhiyan, and his second child is about to be born."
Sheng Puzhu didn't care about Qin's harshness at all. After all, giving birth to a child and a legitimate grandson had always been Qin's obsession.
At the beginning, Qin and Princess Shoukang married into the Jingguo Mansion together. They were both found to be pregnant at the same time. Unfortunately, the baby in the princess's womb died. Although Qin gave birth successfully, it was a daughter.
She had injured her body when giving birth to her eldest daughter, and it took her two years to recuperate before she became pregnant again. Perhaps it was fate's deliberate trick, but a few days later, the eldest princess was also found to be pregnant.
When the time came for delivery, it turned out that Xie Zhiyan was born three hours earlier than Xie Mingzong!
In just these three hours, Xie Zhiyan became the most noble and elegant eldest grandson of the Xie family, while Xie Mingzong was just the second son of the Xie family who was very well-educated in the eyes of others.
How could Qin swallow this?
Therefore, Qin wanted to stare at the child in Xue Qinghui's belly as if it were the apple of her eye. She was afraid that it was more important to her than her own life.
Sheng Puzhu pretended that she couldn't see the pride hidden in Qin's smile, so she didn't bother with the obsessed madman, but she was not a soft persimmon that could be easily manipulated.
She drank her tea slowly and said generously, "Don't worry, auntie. My husband and I will work hard."
Her face didn't blush, her heart didn't beat fast, and she emphasized the word "effort".
Qin was practically choking on her breath, feeling a bit unsatisfied, and said, "You kid, the child is in your belly, so what's the point of blaming Zhiyan for not working hard?"
Sheng Puzhu raised her head and pursed her lips, a meaningful smile appearing on her pretty face. She sighed softly, pretending to be resentful: "Even though the child is in my belly, if I can't get pregnant, then it can only be because my husband is not trying hard enough!"
Then she said confidently, "But it's not my husband's fault for not caring. He's busy with the emperor's worries and has the whole world at heart. How could he waste his precious time on such a trivial matter at night?"
"Aunt, please don't say that next time. If my husband knew you were gossiping about him behind his back, even though you're the elder and should be respectful, he wouldn't hold it against you."
"But my husband is a gentle gentleman, praised even by His Majesty."
As soon as the words fell——
A cool breeze blew across people's faces through the lifted curtains, and the flower hall suddenly became quiet. Even the curling green smoke from the Boshan stove suddenly dissipated.
"Madam." Xie Zhiyan's clear figure stood at the intersection of light and shadow. His crimson official uniform made him look as tall and straight as a pine tree. His eyebrows were cold and his eyes were deep.
He looked at her quietly.
It's completely over!
Sheng Puzhu felt like the sky was falling. The tea in her mouth tasted bitter. Her fingertips trembled as she tried to give him a decent smile: "My dear... why are you so early today?"
"It just so happens that there is nothing to do in the court, so it's just right for me to go back early." He walked towards her slowly.
The sound was clearly very light, but when it fell into her ears, it was as if every step was stepping on her heart, causing a slight vibration, and the air seemed to freeze.
Sheng Puzhu felt her ears burning, and even her neck and jaw were stained with a thin layer of smoky color. She forced a smile at him and said, "What a coincidence, my husband."
In the suffocating silence, the old lady pretended to be dumb and kept drinking tea with her head down.
Qin's hand holding the teacup trembled for some reason, and she said awkwardly, "Zhi Yan is back."
Xie Zhiyan walked up to Qin, observing every bit of decorum and etiquette, but his tone was cold: "Auntie, if you want to blame me, blame me for my usual negligence. You are the elder, and if you think I am wrong, you can point it out according to the family rules. There is no need to embarrass my wife and punish me."
When Qin heard this, she was so scared that she broke out in a sweat.
Who is Xie Zhiyan? He is the only child of Princess Shoukang and the most beloved nephew of the current saint.
Does she dare to punish him?
Did she think her life was too long, or did she think the nine members of the Qin family were not enough to die?
"Zhiyan, I was just joking with Puzhu. You and your wife must not take it to heart." Qin was so frightened that she was almost trembling, and she said this stumblingly.
"You'd better not." Xie Zhiyan said indifferently.
Sheng Puzhu was so ashamed and angry that she wanted to get up and leave, but the man actually sat down next to her slowly.
Since Qin became the housekeeper, she had never suffered such humiliation. No matter how well she pretended, the stiff corners of her mouth could not hide her annoyance.
"Mother, Qinghui is heavy, and the ground will be even more slippery when it gets dark. I will take Qinghui home first."
The old lady waved her hand and said, "Go ahead. You don't need to come and pay your respects again before the birth. Have someone take good care of her."
"Good boy, come here."
The old lady waved gently towards Xue Qinghui. She took off a string of small-leaf red sandalwood Buddhist beads from her wrist and put them on Xue Qinghui's wrist. "These Buddhist beads have been with me for twenty years when I burn incense and chant sutras. They are considered to have some spiritual power. Keep them well."
"Just think of it as a way to feel at ease. There's no need to suppress yourself too much."
Xue Qinghui was stunned for a moment and lowered her head: "Yes, my granddaughter-in-law knows."
After Qin and his group left, Sheng Puzhu stood up quickly, as if she had discovered that the chairs were scalding. She squeezed in and sat down next to the old lady. "Grandma, it's been cold these past few days. Why don't you be kind and let your granddaughter-in-law stay with you for a few days to eat hot pot?"
"I'm envious of Mama Jiang's hot pot cooking skills."
The old lady pretended not to understand what Sheng Puzhu meant, and hummed, "Madam Jiang, go and clean up..."
Sheng Puzhu's eyes lit up and he felt there was hope.
Then she saw the old lady with white hair winking at her ambiguously: "Pack up and follow Puzhu to her Yunyu Hall later.
Stay a few more days, and come back when you get tired of the Bodhi Pearl Hot Pot."
What!
No!
What hot pot? She didn't want to eat hot pot at all. This was just an excuse. She wanted to stay in Yishoudang for a few more days.
"Grandma... don't you feel sorry for me anymore?" Sheng Puzhu asked pitifully.
The old lady looked at her, then at her grandson who was drinking tea with his eyes lowered. Suddenly, she cried out "Ouch!" and stood up, holding her forehead. "I'm tired. You all should go back. It's not good to have too much noise. It makes me dizzy."
"I need to go lie down in the back room."
"Grandma." Sheng Puzhu gently pulled her sleeve, still struggling desperately.
The old lady touched her eyebrows affectionately and whispered, "Silly child, aren't you going back to the Marquis of Mingde's mansion with Zhiyan to see your mother tomorrow?"
"I'll just take this opportunity to stay at home for a few days and let Zhiyan go back first."
"Spend more time with your mother. Why are you pestering an old woman like me?"
Sheng Puzhu's eyes lit up. Why didn't she think of it that she could take the opportunity to go back to her parents' home to hide in the Marquis Mingde's Mansion.
As soon as the old lady left, the hall became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Sheng Puzhu slowly raised his head and looked towards him.
The man was wearing crimson court robes, and his eyes were indifferent at this moment. He seemed to have noticed her gaze and calmly raised his eyes.
"Not working hard enough at night, huh?" With a firm tone, he stood up and walked towards her step by step.
Sheng Puzhu felt a sense of dryness spreading throughout his body. The touch of his slightly rough fingertips when he applied the medicine in the morning was still faintly lingering there. Whenever he thought of it, a subtle tremor arose throughout his body.
"No, my dear, you misunderstood." Sheng Puzhu racked her brains to deny it.
"Madam." Xie Zhiyan's voice was low, and his dark eyes stared at her without blinking.
Sheng Puzhu's body trembled and he took two steps back inexplicably.
Xie Zhiyan looked at her with a terrifyingly deep look in his eyes.
"I have indeed neglected self-reflection since my marriage. My wife's dissatisfaction is my fault."
He approached her step by step, his voice calm and every word clear, just as solemn as a meeting in the court.
"A noble man looks up and thinks."
“The bond between husband and wife lasts day and night.”
"In the past, I only reviewed it once with my wife at night. Now it seems that I have been slacking off."
Sheng Puzhu's pupils constricted, and he had nowhere to retreat.
Xie Zhiyan lowered his eyes to look at her, a dark fire burning deep in his pupils: "Since I know I'm wrong, I will definitely make amends."
Make amends?
How to make up for it?
Could it be that he wants to make up for the previous ones as well?
He has been away from home for two whole years.
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