Chapter 155 Rainy Night
After Xu Junying came out of the bath, Cuisi and Cuilian led him to sit in front of the dressing table, dried his hair, combed it, and tied it with a ribbon of the same color as his clothes. At this time, Mei Niang, Cuixi and Xia Lian were playing literacy games with Heng'er, who had just finished bathing and changed clothes, on the couch. They used modern early childhood intelligence development methods. In the previous life, I saw colleagues teaching children in this way. They wrote a few word cards, first taught him to recognize the corresponding objects, and then mixed them together. Pointing to the table, he could find the paper with the word "table" written on it. Handing him a piece of paper with the word "mother" written on it, he reached out and pulled Mei Niang. Although the action was a little slow, it was finally done accurately. Mei Niang was very happy and felt that Heng'er was simply a child prodigy. Every time she praised him, she kissed him. As a reward, Heng'er was very excited, clapping his hands and giggling, which made Cuixi and Xia Lian very happy.
Mei Niang smiled and said to Xia Lian, "I usually write some words and draw some pictures at home. You can also teach him in the same way. Children don't necessarily understand the meaning of words. It's enough for them to recognize the shapes of words. But don't force him. This is just a game. It's up to him to recognize the words or not. If he doesn't want to, he can stop playing for the time being. You and the nanny have worked hard these two days. I'll take Heng'er to sleep tonight. You can have a good rest!"
Xia Lian said hurriedly: "Reply to grandma: We are not tired! Heng is very well behaved. The nurse and I are not tired at all taking care of him. Let us take care of him. He has to get up every night recently..."
"It's okay, let him follow me. Cui Si will be here soon. Ask her to stay overnight and sleep on this couch. She can get up in the middle of the night to help me!"
Mei Niang held Heng Er in her arms, letting him sit in her arms and tear up pieces of paper for fun. She asked Cui Xi, "Is Second Madam the director of Ziyun Hall today? Is she also going to look after Qiuhua Courtyard?"
Cui Xi was about to answer when she saw Xu Junying coming over. She hurriedly pushed Xia Lian and the two of them stepped aside and bowed. Xu Junying sat down on the edge of the couch and stretched out a hand with a smile. Heng'er immediately grabbed one of his fingers and stood up steadily. With the power of that finger, he leaned sideways and threw himself into Xu Junying's arms. Xia Lian said in surprise, "Heng'er, you can walk now!"
Xu Junying smiled and said, "Heng'er has wanted to walk for a long time. Don't hold him in your arms all the time. Put him on the ground and help him walk!"
Xia Lian lowered her head and said, "Replying to Lord Hou: Madam said to count Heng'er's life and not to put him on the ground before he is two years old!"
Xu Junying said: "That was in Qiuhua Courtyard. Each courtyard has its own rules and taboos. Heng Ge'er is back in Qinghua Courtyard now. He can walk!"
Xia Lian looked at Mei Niang, who nodded, "Mr. Hou is right. The spring sun is warm, so take Heng out to bask in the sun more often. He doesn't need to wear too much. A thin cotton coat and a wool sweater will do in the morning and evening. Hold him in a clean place under the corridor and teach him to walk for a while every day."
When Cuixi saw Xu Junying taking Heng'er out to play, she replied to Meiniang, "Last night, Baoju sent someone back to say that the old lady, the marquis, and the eldest lady were staying in the palace and could not return to the mansion. My mother and I went to Qiuhua Courtyard to report to the eldest lady, but she was asleep and could not be disturbed. So I followed what the eldest lady said and went to find the second lady. The second lady agreed to take over the affairs of the mansion without saying a word. From last night to today, everything has been taken care of by the second lady. As for the eldest lady, except for the second lady who occasionally visits, the fourth lady and the second girl stay by her bedside all the time. The two concubines only greet her outside and do not enter the inner room."
Mei Niang looked at Xu Junying: "I almost forgot about the two concubines. They are very comfortable. They just stay in their own courtyards every day. They don't have to go to Jinhua Courtyard to serve, nor do they have to go to Qiuhua Courtyard to greet. The two concubines in the small pond in our Qinghua Courtyard are the same. And the second house...ah! I found one thing: the masters of the Xu Mansion all dote on the concubines! From the old master to the second master, and even... the second master, they are all blood relatives after all, so similar!"
Cui Xi pretended to cough and covered her lips with her sleeve. Xia Lian lowered her head to her chest. Xu Junying's face changed slightly: "This is also in your own room. Don't talk like this outside. As the eldest daughter-in-law, you should be punished for disrespect if you say something wrong about the deceased father-in-law!"
"What is the crime of disrespect?"
"Kneel in the ancestral hall with a tea bowl on your head, kneel for a whole day and night!"
"It's really uncomfortable. I won't go out and talk!" Mei Niang smiled and said to Cui Xi, "The eldest lady is not feeling well. I should have gone to see her, but I just came back from the palace and I am really too tired. The fourth lady and the second lady are here. I will go tomorrow morning. I am not in good health recently. The affairs of the mansion will gradually be handed over to the second lady. Just let Wang Madam go over from time to time to listen and take a look. The maids and servants around the second lady are also very capable. You don't need to run too often in the future. Focus your main energy on... us!"
Cui Xi lowered her head and replied, "Yes!"
Xu Junying ordered Xia Lian: "Brother Heng should go to sleep, take him back!"
Mei Niang said hurriedly: "Let Heng'er sleep in the upper room tonight, I'll take care of him!"
Xu Junying looked at her and said, "You didn't sleep in the palace last night. You need to rest well tonight. How can you take care of him? Take him away!"
Xia Lian came up to hold Heng'er. Heng'er pulled Xu Junying's sleeve and pursed his lips. Seeing Xu Junying's stern face and silent, he turned back to look at Mei Niang, tears welling up in his eyes. Mei Niang came over and held him up, saying, "It's okay! If I sleep, he will sleep too. At most, we can ask Cui Si to be alert in the middle of the night! I feel sleepy now. Cui Xi and Xia Lian, you go down. Cui Lian will prepare tea for Lord Hou's study... Lord Hou often reads and reads official documents until midnight. You don't have to accompany him. Bao Ju and Bai Zhan are here. You can rest when you need to! Okay, go your separate ways. I'm really sleepy! Heng'er, come here, let's go to ** to play... Cui Si, you come too, play with us for a while, sleep outside at night, and listen carefully to Heng'er's movements!"
After listening to the conversation between Mei Niang and Cui Xi, Xu Junying knew that Mei Niang was disposing of the affairs of the Hou Mansion and preparing to leave. He felt depressed and wanted to send the maids and Heng'er away so that he could have a good talk with Mei Niang. However, she made such an arrangement without discussing it with him and let Cui Si stay in the room to keep watch at night.
Xu Junying also remained silent and went back to his study to read official documents. Cui Lian brought him some tea and when she left, she lowered two layers of curtains to cover the door leading to the upper room. However, the laughter of Heng'er, Mei Niang and Cui Si could still be heard faintly. He was upset and could not concentrate on reading the official documents. He picked up a book from the bookshelf and read it. When it became quiet over there, he stood up, pulled open the curtain and walked over.
Cui Si was making the bed. She was startled when she saw Lord Hou coming in. Xu Junying asked softly:
“Are you all asleep? Don’t skip words.
Cui Si lowered her head and said, "Replying to Lord Hou: Grandma and Heng Ge'er are both asleep."
Xu Junying nodded: "I can't sleep yet, so I'll just read the documents here and listen to Heng'er's movements. You can go down and rest!"
Cui Si hesitated for a moment. Xu Junying looked at her coldly. Cui Si turned around and looked at the carved partition: "There is a lamp on the table inside. I have to check it from time to time..."
"knew!"
Cui Si bowed, stepped back and closed the door.
Xu Junying walked into the partition and opened the pink gauze curtain. Under the faint light, Mei Niang was lying in the innermost part, sleeping with her face facing outwards, with a slight smile on her soft and peaceful face. Heng'er was sleeping sideways on the outside with his head facing inwards. It was obvious that the mother and son fell asleep while playing. Cuisi had no choice but to cover them each with a quilt and leave the light on so that she could come over to check on them from time to time.
Xu Junying sat down gently on the edge of the bed, staring at Mei Niang's sleeping face, his heart aching: Are you tired? Then take a good rest. He wanted to touch her, but he was too far away, and there was Heng'er between them. He sighed, looked at this, then looked at that, raised the corners of his lips, smiled slightly, got up and left, and soon came back with a pile of documents, and read them one by one attentively under the dim light specially adjusted by Cuisi on the small round table.
In the middle of the night, a flash of lightning flashed outside the window, followed by a loud bang and the sound of rain. The first thunderstorm of spring came unexpectedly, and a cool breeze seeped in. Xu Junying went out to close the window, and when he came back, he found that the gauze curtain moved a few times. He walked closer and saw that it was Heng'er who woke up. He turned over and propped up his upper body, looking at him with a pair of black eyes. Xu Junying pulled the quilt to wrap the little person and looked inside. There was thunder and rain outside. With such a loud noise, even Heng'er woke up, but Mei Niang just turned over and continued to sleep soundly. Xu Junying couldn't help laughing: You want to be a mother like this? It's a pity that she took the responsibility to take Heng'er to sleep with her. If Heng'er fell into the bed, she wouldn't even know!
Heng'er tossed and turned and refused to sleep, humming in his mouth, and no one knew what he was trying to say. Xu Junying asked him in a low voice: "Would you like some tea?"
Heng'er shook his head and asked again: "Are you hungry?"
He shook his head again and put the corner of the quilt into his mouth to bite it. Ji Lingling shuddered, tilted his head and stared at Xu Junying. Xu Junying was confused and couldn't figure out what he was going to do for a moment. He reached out and touched the ear that was scratched by Heng'er during the day, and suddenly remembered what Xia Lian said: Heng'er always gets up in the middle of the night recently!
Finally he understood what was happening, and quickly picked up Heng'er, running to the inner room in three or two steps. Just as he was hurriedly taking off Heng'er's shorts, a clear stream of water immediately spurted out. If he had not dodged to the side quickly, his clothes would have been wet.
Coming out of the inner room, Heng'er pointed at the teacup on the table and hummed twice. Xu Junying poured him half a cup of tea and then put it on the bed. He actually crawled in quickly and stretched out his hand to grab Mei Niang's hair. Xu Junying rushed over to hold him back. One of them grabbed the end of her hair and the other grabbed the hair bundle. Xu Junying held Heng'er's little hand tightly with his other hand, trying not to let him pull her hair. Both of them were silent. After a long struggle, the older one finally won and pried open Heng'er's five little fingers and let go of a strand of Mei Niang's hair. Fearing that he would wake Mei Niang up, Xu Junying carried Heng'er off the bed, walked to the soft couch outside and put him down. He touched his forehead and whispered:
"Who allowed you to do this? If you stay up late at night, won't you be exhausted to death?"
He didn't know that Heng'er had been behaving abnormally recently. Perhaps it was because he took too long a nap during the day. After waking up in the middle of the night to pee, he would play for an hour or two before going back to sleep. If he wasn't playing with him, he would climb up and down, open all the cabinet doors on the couch, take out all the small items in them, and scatter them everywhere. Xu Junying was overwhelmed. He had accompanied the emperor last night, and tonight he wanted to lie down and take a nap after reading a few volumes of official documents. As a result, Heng'er made a fuss, and not only could he not lie down, he didn't even finish reading the official documents.
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