Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Double happiness, triple happiness. …
"I know what he wants to hear, but I can't say it, nor can I act like that." Fang Ying said as she held Lichun's hand and walked in the yard.
It was a day off today, and Ji Yanlang had wanted to accompany her, but it happened that the Ji clan members who came from their hometown to congratulate had arrived, so he had to go with his two brothers to greet and settle them. Even Fang Ying had to meet the female guest at Li's place.
After meeting the guests, Fang Ying went back to her room to rest for a while. Feeling stuffy, she asked Lichun to accompany her out for some fresh air. By the way, she told Lichun what Ji Yanlang had said to her last night.
"My lady, don't you believe that you can do it?" Lichun asked in a low voice.
"Maybe it can be done within three to five years."
Ji Yanlang had only been home for a year, having spent the other six months away fighting. They were newlyweds, and Fang Ying believed he was sincere when he said this now. However, "Who knows what will happen in the future?"
Lichun thought for a moment, then leaned closer and said, "I heard from them that Wulang doesn't have a concubine."
Fang Ying was surprised: "Who told you that?"
"Sister Bai said that from Sister Qiaoyu on down, everyone around Wu Niang is getting married, but Wu Lang hasn't taken any wives yet."
"Bai Sang? Where did she hear that?"
"Wu Niang is looking for a husband for Sister Qiaoyu, and word has spread in the back streets that Sister Bai has a younger uncle of similar age. Her mother-in-law told her to find a way to get a word in with Wu Niang."
Qiaoyu was the maidservant that came with the Fifth Sister-in-law's dowry, and one of her most capable maids. Fang Ying often saw Qiaoyu and knew that the Fifth Sister-in-law wanted to choose a son-in-law for her since she was old enough. However, "It doesn't sound like the Fifth Sister-in-law would say that everyone from Qiaoyu on down will get married. Is this just their own speculation?"
"Not entirely. The nanny who used to serve Wulang also said that before he got married, Wulang was only focused on studying and never played around with the maids. Later, when Wuniang came into the family, she seemed to have asked the nanny about it, and she also wanted to arrange a dowry to serve Wulang, but until now, no one has been taken in as his wife."
Fang Ying wasn't as close to her fifth sister-in-law as Yue Qing'e, so she didn't know much about what went on in her room, and she really didn't know it before...
However, she turned her head and glanced at Lichun lightly: "Why are you talking about other people's affairs?"
Lichun smiled apologetically: "This servant thinks that since Madam has spoken, and there is Wu Lang ahead, perhaps..."
"Look, you already know it's 'maybe'. So why are you still saying it?"
Lichun glanced at his wife's face and saw that she had a dull expression, and it was hard to tell whether she was happy or angry. Thinking back to what his wife said at the beginning, he finally understood - what his wife cared about at the moment was not whether Liu Lang could keep his word and not take a concubine in the future, but that no matter what his wife thought in her heart, she had to coax Liu Lang in person.
I have to thank him sincerely and sigh that I am lucky. How can I feel at ease when my wife has such a strong character?
"My lady is right." Lichun thought it through and changed the subject. "My dear, you have the heart to do this and are willing to promise me in person. Your intentions are good. But you just made the promise and you don't know if you can keep it yet. You are too impatient to try to please my lady."
"No, he would have gotten mad at me if I had shown even the slightest bit of disbelief."
Finally hearing what she wanted to hear, Fang Ying vented a few more words of dissatisfaction, letting out all the anger in her chest before saying, "But with what he said, at least I can rest assured for the past two years."
Lichun echoed twice, and seeing that his wife looked calm and had calmed down, he was afraid that she might catch a cold if she stayed up too long, so he persuaded her to go back to her room.
Ji Yanlang had been entertaining guests in the front yard. He came back after dinner when it was completely dark. He told Fang Ying that he would return home early the next day to greet the elders of the clan with his fifth brother.
"My second brother is busy at the ministry right now, so I really can't get away."
The two chatted for a while about family matters and went to bed early. The next day, everyone in the family was busy with their own things and refused to let Fang Ying get involved. She had nothing to do, so she could only go and talk to her second sister-in-law Yue Qing'e.
"Now, we are the only two idle people in the whole mansion." Yue Qing'e said with a smile when she saw Fang Ying.
"Yes." Fang Ying agreed, and seeing the maid in her second sister-in-law's room making small clothes, she came over to take a look.
"Actually, I've made quite a lot. I don't think I'll be able to wear them all. If there are any left, I'll give them to you." Yue Qing'e gently stroked her bulging belly as she spoke. "These two are less than a year apart in age. From now on, whether you're studying or playing, you'll have company."
Fang Ying had just found out she was pregnant and didn't think of going so far, so she just smiled and agreed.
Yue Qing'e said a few more words, then suddenly felt the urge to go to the bathroom. She went into her inner room for a moment before coming out and saying, "It's getting late, and the periods are getting more frequent." She sighed again, "Now I just want to give birth quickly so I can be at ease."
"Didn't you say it was this month?"
"It's this month," Yue Qing'e laughed, "but today is only the first day."
Fang Ying also smiled and comforted her with a few words. Neither of them expected that just two days later, Yue Qing'e would have abdominal contractions and successfully gave birth to a son in the evening of the third day.
"It's really a triple blessing." Ji Yanlang said as he stood up, "I'll go congratulate my second brother."
"Hey," Fang Ying called him, "Let's go to mother first."
Ji Yanlang thought about it and realized that it made sense. "Second brother might be at mother's place right now."
Fang Ying watched him leave happily, and told Lichun to go to Yue Qing'e's courtyard: "Congratulate my second sister-in-law for me, and tell her that I will visit her and my nephew on the day of the third day of the baby's birth." She also instructed, "Talk to whoever you see is free, and don't disturb my second sister-in-law's rest."
Lichun went to meet him, and soon returned to report that she had passed a message to Hongxiao, Yue Qing'e's maid, "When I arrived, Second Madam had just finished her meal. Sister Hongxiao said that Second Madam was in good spirits, and that the birth went smoothly. Everyone in the yard was smiling."
"I'm glad everything went well." Fang Ying was relieved to hear that Yue Qing'e was in good spirits and had even eaten.
Soon Ji Yanlang also returned to the room and followed Fang Ying's example: "My nephew was born weighing 6.2 jins. My second brother said he was white and plump, but I can't tell who he looks like."
"I'll see him on the third day of my baby's birth." Fang Ying said with a smile.
When she first became pregnant, Mrs. Li didn't ask her to go to the delivery room, and specifically asked her to visit her on the third day of her baby's bath.
Ji Yanlang nodded and said, "Just now I was telling Mom that Dad is coming home tomorrow. I heard that we have a grandson and you are pregnant. I don't know how happy I am."
This afternoon, an attendant rushed into the city to report that the Duke and his entourage would be home before noon tomorrow.
Tomorrow was also the first day of the Ji Mansion's banquet, and all the guests were the royal family and other distinguished guests. Fang Ying agreed with him and said, "Go to bed early, you'll be busy for the next three days."
Ji Yanlang soaked his feet and lay down early as instructed, but because he was too happy, he talked with Fang Ying for a long time before falling asleep.
The next day was just as Fang Ying had expected. She was extremely busy. She even had to accompany the young guest Yue Qing'e for half a day while she was in confinement after giving birth. Gao was so busy inside and outside the house that she was the only one who could take up the responsibility.
If there was a married sister who came back at this time, she could share a lot of the burden, but the Ji family put aside their past grudges and sent an invitation to the Cui family. However, the Cui family replied that the host was ill and could not come to congratulate.
As the elder sister, Ji Lijun didn't even send back a dowry gift for Si Niang, so naturally she couldn't be counted on.
Fortunately, there were not many guests that day. Zhou Congshan sent someone to deliver a gift and greet Fang Ying. She also took a break for a while when she returned to her room to talk. Even so, Fang Ying still had sore back and legs in the evening.
Ji Yanlang came back from the front yard. As soon as he entered the door, he saw the maids surrounding Fang Ying, some kneading her shoulders, some rubbing her legs. He hurriedly asked, "Are you tired?"
"Yeah." Fang Ying agreed lazily.
Ji Yanlang was a little worried. He walked over and looked her up and down, then asked her if she was feeling unwell anywhere else.
"Everything else is fine, but my body aches from sitting for so long." Seeing that he was really worried, Fang Ying explained.
Ji Yanlang felt a little relieved, so he asked someone to bring some warm water, soaked his hands in it to warm them up, then dried them, and personally massaged Fang Ying's shoulders and waist.
"Why did you come back so early? Why didn't you spend more time talking to your father?" Fang Ying asked after she recovered from her fatigue.
"Father is tired from traveling all the way and needs to rest early."
"Yeah..." Fang Ying stroked her forehead gently, "How could I have forgotten all about this?"
Ji Yanlang laughed and said, "It's not just you. We didn't remember either. It was only when Mother saw that Father hadn't returned that she sent someone to ask about it. Then my second brother and I remembered that we should ask Father to rest early."
Fang Ying couldn't help but laugh.
Ji Yanlang asked her what she had eaten. Fang Ying had become increasingly intolerant of fishy smells in the past two days, but fish, shrimp, and seafood were indispensable at banquets. So after the guests sat down, she went back to her room.
"I ate two bowls of sweet potato porridge with some side dishes." Fang Ying finished speaking and then asked, "How about you? Were you too busy drinking and not eating properly?"
"It's okay today. I didn't drink much." Ji Yanlang said as he leaned close to Fang Ying's nose and asked her, "Is there not much smell of alcohol?"
Fang Ying nodded and asked the reason.
"Because most of the guests here today are from the royal family, and they are about our age, most of them have only met two or three times, and some are meeting for the first time. We are not familiar with each other, and since no one is competing with us in drinking, we all drink less."
Ji Yanlang paused for a moment, then continued, "No such good things will happen in the next two days."
At this time, Fang Ying felt much better, so she asked him to stop and asked him if he wanted some food to fill his stomach.
"No need." Ji Yanlang felt that his stomach was fine, but his mouth was dry, so he asked the maid to make him some chrysanthemum tea.
"I heard that Princess Zhou also gave Si Niang a dowry gift?" he asked.
Fang Ying nodded: "I gave you six flower hairpins."
"Didn't I tell you anything?"
"I've told her to let me go to her place when I'm free." Fang Ying pressed her belly unconsciously. "I'm afraid it's not convenient to do this all the time."
Ji Yanlang asked with a smile: "Did you say that?"
"Originally, I wanted to wait until the tenth day for the imperial physician to come and see me before I could say anything, but I've already said it in front of all the guests today..."
All the guests who came today were distinguished guests, such as the Princess Shengguo, the Princess Qi and others. Normally, they should all bow to greet them. Li felt sorry for Fang Ying, so when the Princess arrived, she told her that her second daughter-in-law had given birth and her youngest daughter-in-law was pregnant. She apologized if there was any inadequacy in the hospitality today.
The two families were relatives, and the eldest princess knew the situation in the Ji family very well. She congratulated them repeatedly and helped Li greet the princesses who arrived later. Naturally, the news of Fang Ying's pregnancy spread.
After hearing this, Ji Yanlang remembered something else: "Ah, the letter hasn't been sent to my father-in-law and mother-in-law yet."
Fang Ying said, "It's not too late to talk about it the day after tomorrow."
Ji Yanlang thought for a moment and said, "I'd better send someone to tell them tomorrow, otherwise I'll seem so rude."
"Our family is so busy, Mom and Dad will understand."
But since he said so, Fang Ying sent a nanny to her parents' home the next day to inform her stepmother that she was pregnant.
On that day, the second wife's newborn baby was having her third bath, and there were even more guests. Fang Ying was kept busy until she returned to her room after the banquet. Only then did she hear Xi Liu relay the nanny's report, saying that her stepmother was extremely happy and couldn't wait to see her. She also said that Fang Ying's aunt happened to be there too, "and she couldn't stop praising the lady for being so blessed."
Fang Ying didn't take it to heart, but unexpectedly, on the sixth day of the New Year, when they were entertaining relatives and friends from near and far, her uncle had the audacity to come along with the Fang family.
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The author has something to say: Happy National Day holiday~
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