Chen Zhaoci waved his hand and said, "Where would I find the energy for that? Besides, many military doctors have a lineage of doctors, and doing this would invite criticism."
Xu Di curled his lip and said, "Clinging to one's own limited knowledge and being closed off from the future, what kind of inheritance is this? If you don't exchange ideas and don't think about developing properly, won't you still decline in the end?"
Chen Zhaoci didn't reply. Thinking about what happened during the day, she asked Xu Di, "What happened at Xing-ge'er's wedding?"
Xu Di looked disdainful and said, "The things used at Xing Ge'er's wedding banquet were purchased by the second madam of their household. In order to save money, she bought some stale vegetables. At this time of year, vegetables can dehydrate and become unusable overnight if not stored properly. The people in their kitchen did not store them properly either. And it was too cold at night, so the vegetables were wilted and unusable in the morning."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhaoci thought of the gossip Ning had mentioned and said, "Their second wife must have made quite a bit of money this time, right? Did your grandfather ask you for help? Did you ask your grandfather for any benefits?"
Xu Di smiled and said, "Nothing can be hidden from you, Mother. Grandfather had the Marquis of Yongping write a note that after Xing'er gets married, he should take my aunt to the estate in the suburbs to study behind closed doors."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhaoci exclaimed in surprise, "Your aunt's change of heart is truly remarkable! Why does she need her father-in-law to write such a note?"
Xu Di shook his head and said, "It was all arranged by my grandfather. I just followed his orders and helped buy vegetables. I also took a cut. The second mistress of their household was tricked this time. The vegetables weren't fresh to begin with, and the price she asked for wasn't low. They were only a little cheaper than the fresh ones, so we bought them. Who knew that the household would need to buy a second batch? Because they were in a hurry, I didn't hesitate and asked for a high price, and I even gained a favor."
Chen Zhaoci gently shook his head and said, "It's a classic case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead. Even if you take out all the money that the second wife embezzled, it probably wouldn't be enough."
Xu Di sneered twice and said, "I guess what goes in comes out in the same way. My eldest aunt, once she became so Buddhist, the mother-in-law and sisters-in-law in the mansion were a bit at a loss. You didn't see the second madam's face back then, it was like a palette of colors."
Xu Di chatted for a few more minutes and then left. Chen Zhaoci sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), thinking about what he needed to take to Dengzhou this time: medicinal herbs and manpower. Meanwhile, Xu Zhi looked at the octagonal glass lamp on the kang table. The flame inside flickered gently, making Xu Zhi's vision blur, and she felt a little sad.
Xu Zhi didn't let out a soft sigh of relief until she fell asleep. The third watch drum sounded outside, and she turned over, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
Chen Zhaoci got up early in the morning to take stock of the things, the most important of which were the herbs for treating external and internal injuries. She asked Bai Wei and Bai Mi to sort out the existing herbs, and then arranged for someone to go and buy them. After that, she thought of the pregnancy pillow she had seen before, and found a skillful maid in the courtyard to sew one out with fine cotton cloth and cotton. She made it while adjusting it, and by evening she had sewed one out.
This pregnancy pillow, which supports the waist and belly, was very comfortable when Chen Zhaoci lay down and tried it. She thought about making one for herself sometime. When she brought the pillow to Xu Di's courtyard, Li Yuexi saw it, tried it, and found it quite comfortable.
Li Yuexi was pregnant with twins, and her belly was much bigger than that of other pregnant women of the same age. Knowing that she would soon be traveling with Xu Di, Chen Zhaoci was worried that she might not be able to handle the journey. He thought it would be necessary to prepare some medicine to help with the pregnancy. After giving the medicine to Li Yuexi, he hurriedly returned to his own courtyard, found a few prescriptions, prepared the medicine according to the prescriptions, and put it aside separately.
Another day passed, and it was Zhou Junhong's third-day homecoming. The Zhou family didn't have many elders in the capital, so Marquis Yongning asked Zhao Sixing to bring people to his maternal grandfather's house for a meal so that they could properly get to know the relatives on his maternal side. Early in the morning, the Xu family sent people to the Zhou family's courtyard to pick up Zhou Junyan. So, after breakfast, the kitchen began preparing lunch, and the entire Marquis's mansion was filled with the tempting aroma of food.
The married aunts, all of whom were in the capital, returned with their husbands and children. After breakfast, the old lady's courtyard was bustling with noise.
Chen Zhaoci saw that Zhou Junhong and Zhao Sixing both had smiles on their faces, and he was still wondering when they would go to the manor in the suburbs of the capital. However, Zhao Sixing told the Marquis of Yongning that after staying at home for a month, he would pack his things and go to the manor in the suburbs of the capital.
Marquis Yongning understood perfectly well that this was Xu Shao's idea, but since it was her wish, he had no objections.
The Marquis of Yongning has rather complicated feelings for Xu Shao, his nominal legitimate daughter. He admits he can't treat her the way he used to. However, Xu Shao is different now. The Marquis feels that now that Zhao Sixing is married, Xu Shao should raise her children and live her own life. After all, as a father, he has given her everything he could, both money and affection.
Sometimes, the Marquis of Yongning felt a tightness in his chest. Xu Shao's identity was like a bomb; no one knew when it would explode, how far it would go, or how many people it would kill. Although the Emperor had tacitly acknowledged Xu Shao's existence, she was, after all, the bloodline of the deposed crown prince, and born to a convicted official. If someone with ulterior motives were to exploit her, she could truly wipe out the entire Marquis of Yongning.
However, the Emperor did not say a word about Xu Shao's arrangements. Marquis Yongning could only continue with the original plan, helping when needed and fulfilling his duty as an elder to Xu Shao and her three children. That was all.
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