62 Chapter 62
◎Two chapters in one◎
After getting Jiang Bibo's approval, Li Cheng wrote to Guo Zhao, who also agreed.
In Guo Zhao's opinion, although Jiang Bibo was just a merchant's daughter, she was not an ordinary merchant. She was the head of a large salt merchant. She was young and beautiful, and she had the prince as a matchmaker. She was also the princess's sister. He readily agreed.
Although Huiyin had never arranged a wedding for someone else, she had been married before, and she was even planning to set a high standard for this wedding, so she advised Jiang Bibo: "This is your first wedding, and the day you become a bride is the most eye-catching moment in a person's life. And you are my stepsister, so it doesn't matter if the wedding is a little more glamorous."
Jiang Bibo smiled and said, "Everything depends on the princess."
Huiyin had someone send her a few boxes of cosmetics. Jiang Bibo saw that the boxes were all painted with dragons and phoenixes with gold powder, and she knew that the things inside must be very expensive. She knelt down to thank him again, feeling extremely grateful.
After leaving the Huaiyin Palace, Nanny Lin said to Jiang Bibo, "The princess is really quick and decisive in her work. She has found such a good marriage for you. When you marry in Yuzhou, you will be the wife of the governor. The elders in the family are very active these days."
"I moved my family business to Xuzhou. Originally, I wanted to rely on Prince Huaiyin, but I always felt that relying on others was unreliable. You see, after Prince Wei left, Sister Cao was rejected. Now, the princess also told me that Guo Zhao is a capable man. I can have someone to rely on for the rest of my life. No one will dare to make things difficult for me when I manage the business in the future." Jiang Bibo was very satisfied.
Nanny Lin smiled and said, "Now you are in a good situation. Since the princess said that she wants a grand ceremony, let's ask the butler to invite everyone."
Jiang Bibo ordered, "Forget about the others, but Sister Cao must invite her. She was cheated by the Xie family, so it would be nice if we could invite her to come and relax."
"Well... I'm afraid she won't want to come?" Nanny Lin thought that Cao might not come after suffering such a great humiliation.
She thought that the young lady was not the kind of person who wanted to slap others in the face, so why was she like this today?
Jiang Bibo didn't explain, but just smiled and said, "If she doesn't want to come, then send the invitation to his house. His family and my family have business dealings. If I don't send an invitation, others will think I look down on her."
Nanny Lin thought about it and realized that this was the case.
Originally, they were both old maids. Jiang Bibo wanted to be Li Cheng's concubine but failed. Later, she was adopted as a sister by the princess. She was about to become the wife of the governor. This could also vent her anger. It is said that when Cao entered General Xie's house, she specially sent a letter to Jiang Bibo. Now Cao was rejected and had to suffer criticism from others. Her young lady might not be without the intention of being proud. Thinking of this, Nanny Lin understood.
When the Jiang family's wedding invitations were delivered to the Cao family, Mrs. Cao was taking her daughter Cao to relax in the garden. Although Cao was born into a merchant family, she was also trained by her family and was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Now that she saw the fallen flowers, she felt a sense of sympathy.
Mrs. Cao saw the wedding invitation again, opened it and immediately said to the maid: "Take it down."
"Mother, what is this?" Cao asked.
Mrs. Cao didn't want her daughter to know, so she lied, "No, nothing, just an ordinary post."
Cao was very smart and guessed it immediately: "I don't know how many wedding invitations mother has hidden these days. I don't know who it is today. The more you ask, the more worried I seem to be."
In fact, Cao already knew that Xie Jiuyi had used benefits to shut up her father and brother, so what was the point of sacrificing her? Yin was not as good-looking or talented as her, but General Xie loved her, and she could not change that no matter what she did.
Seeing her daughter like this, Mrs. Cao had no choice but to tell the truth: "This is Miss Jiang's wedding invitation."
"She? Is she going to get married too? Didn't she say last time that she had an adopted son?" Cao's reaction was huge.
She and Jiang Bibo were both businesswomen with great ambitions. She was relieved to learn that Jiang Bibo was no longer wanted by Li Cheng. She didn't expect that she is now married.
"Who is it? You won't ask for bribes, will you?"
Madam Cao shook her head and said, "It's the newly appointed Yuzhou Governor, Jianwei Zhonglang Jiang Guo Zhao." After she finished speaking, she saw her daughter's expression was gloomy and confused, so she hurriedly said, "It's a concubine, a mother to someone else."
It seems that this can effectively prove that Jiang Bibo married badly.
However, Cao's hand holding the handkerchief turned pale.
**
"Do you want fruit puree?" Huiyin cut the fresh fruit into small pieces and handed them to Zhan'er, but he shook his head unexpectedly.
Zhan'er's nurse said, "Second Master came here after eating some fruit."
So that's the case. Huiyin smiled and said, "Then I'll play with him for a while. I've been worrying about other things these days and neglected my little baby."
This is what it's like to be married. You always have to consider your family, your husband, and your children, but you have less time for yourself. In fact, she already had it much easier than the average person. Li Cheng only had her as his wife, and he didn't have any concubines. She also gave birth to two sons successfully. Her parents-in-law passed away, and she also had to avoid her grandmother-in-law's attention. But after all, she never had a leisurely time at home.
But I also thought that when I was at home, I couldn't make decisions on many things. Now I can make decisions on everything and don't have to worry as much as in my previous life.
Playing with a child means nothing more than playing with toys, telling stories, or taking him out to play. As long as you accompany the child, the child will feel safe.
"Mom, I want to play with a big cricket." Zhan'er handed a big straw cricket to Huiyin.
Huiyin held up the grass, and when he came to grab it, she lifted it up, and Zhan'er jumped up to grab it. He especially loved playing this game, and Huiyin played with him until Li Cheng came back.
Because after Li Cheng comes back, he will lift his son up, which is what the children like most.
Zhan'er was now cheering and calling him "Father" all the time.
He couldn't hear Huiyin talking to him.
Fortunately, after playing like this for a while, the child was tired and wanted to go out again. Huiyin asked the wet nurse to take him out to play, and she got up, rolled out the handkerchief and handed it to Li Cheng.
Li Cheng took the handkerchief, wiped the sweat off his head, sat down and said, "The weather is getting hotter. This day is a little unusual this year. I was scolding you that day. Even I was sweating when I went out by myself."
"Who said it wasn't? The weather is always stuffy and my body is always sticky. Now the plum rain season is coming again. I'm ready to rest for a month." Huiyin thinks it's best to sleep on rainy days.
When Li Cheng heard about the plum rains, he was moved: "Don't you think it's easy to have dreams during the plum rains? I feel like everything is unreal, just like a dream."
In fact, both of them were somewhat childish and naive, and they would not discuss government affairs together every day. Sometimes Li Cheng said something very childish, and only Huiyin would discuss it with him.
However, what he said made Huiyin feel emotional: "I wonder if it was Zhuang Zhou Mengdie or something else? Husband, do you think people can have another kind of life? What if the person you married was not me?"
"If I don't marry you, who should I marry? Even I can't imagine that we are not husband and wife." Li Cheng always felt that this was a strange thing to say, and he shouldn't have said such things.
Seeing her husband like this, Huiyin thought that she was not his wife in her whole life, but she could not say this. She touched his cheek with her hand and said, "If there is a war in the future, don't act rashly or take it lightly. Your survival is our hope."
Li Cheng rarely saw Huiyin like this. His wife was a very open-minded person. She could always be optimistic even in the most difficult and hard times. But somehow, at this moment, these lively eyes were filled with sadness, and his heart ached. He held his wife's face and asked, "What's wrong?"
In an instant, he understood love. Love entangled the couple, and they thought about each other more than themselves.
Huiyin leaned in his arms. Li Cheng's shoulders were very broad and she felt very safe leaning on them.
But when she came to her senses, she felt it was too tedious. Just then, someone outside said that Madam Miao was coming. Huiyin straightened her clothes before going outside. Madam Miao must have something to do when she came at this time, otherwise she would have sent a visiting card in advance.
"Princess, I have come to ask you for a favor." Mrs. Miao said while crying.
Huiyin looked at her and said, "Tell me slowly. You have always been respectful to me over the years. If you have any difficulties, just tell me."
Mrs. Miao stopped crying and said, "It's not my fault, it's Miss Dongshun beside you."
Dongshun? Ever since she came back from the temple, Dongshun has been restless. Huiyin saw that she was not young anymore. Madam Miao happened to be there at that time. She heard that the maid next to her was going to get married, so she helped introduce a marriage. The man was a cousin of her daughter's husband's family. He was a scholar. His family was poor, but he was talented. He wanted to marry a lady who could manage the family. People often said that it was better to marry a maid from a rich family than a girl from a poor family. Dongshun was beautiful and in her prime. Huiyin prepared a good dowry for her.
But later on, she was busy with the affairs of the Jiang and Guo families and had no time to care about it.
After hearing what Mrs. Miao said, Huiyin's heart tightened: "How is she? Is she dead?"
"No, no, I was pregnant, and then I was bitten by a dog, so I had a miscarriage." Madam Miao had heard that Huiyin was especially kind to the maids around her. Dongshun was just a maid and of course it was nothing, but it would be bad if the princess had a grudge against her.
Huiyin also breathed a sigh of relief. In this world, everything except life and death is trivial. She asked again what the reason was. Although Mrs. Miao was hesitant, she also said that it was between the sisters-in-law. The dog raised by the sister-in-law accidentally bit Dongshun.
"If the home is not peaceful, chaos is likely to occur. Fugui, ask Doctor Huang to take a look and prescribe the right medicine. Also, see if Dongshun has any problems and help her." This was all Huiyin could do.
…
Fugui was gone for a while, then came back to see Huiyin. It was already late at night, and Huiyin looked at her and said, "I'm sorry for the trouble. You can take a rest tomorrow and don't have to come to work."
“您不必擔心奴婢，今日冬順得知主子記挂，淚流滿面，很是感激。”福桂坐在腳榻上，幫冬順說着話。
“你也太誇張了，這有什麽好感激的。”徽音不覺得有什麽。
福桂卻笑道：“她都嫁出去了，您還讓人替她看病，這般大張旗鼓的替她撐腰，說一句不該說的話，娘家人也不過如此了。”說到最後，福桂似乎不願意說冬順家的事情，只道：“冬順後悔了，一直說還想回來伺候主子。”
“讓她堅強些吧，我這裏不是避風港，既然嫁過去了，就好好經營自己的日子。對了，不是被瘋犬咬傷的吧？”人總會美化未曾走過的路，冬順之前還抱怨覺得在王府當差事情多累心，即便她留在王府也不一定會開心，還不如好好把現在正在走的路走好。
福桂搖頭：“不是，就是普通的狗。冬順愛吃火腿您知曉的，她又有了身子，用火腿熬的大醬骨，太香了，可不就把狗引來了嗎？但我想這肯定不是偶然的事情。”
“吃一塹長一智，她身體好生将養着，日後好好過日子，自己也學聰明點。”徽音這次幫她敲打她婆家人，幫她撐腰，但不可能次次撐腰，即便将來她自己的女兒出嫁了，她都不可能這般事無巨細，更何況是冬順？
福桂道：“是啊，奴婢也是這麽勸她的。”
冬順的事情李澄也知曉，他對徽音道：“當時我就說讓你配家裏的人算了，你還順着她的心意，如今還要回來伺候，那怎麽成？”
“她在府裏伺候也是要配人，也未必就開心，人生在世，哪裏有什麽桃花源。”徽音道。
這一瞬間，倒是讓李澄想起妻子也是遠嫁過來的，恐怕當年也是這麽辛苦。
福桂平日要當差去探望不了冬順，倒是樂雲去了一回，她專門帶了補品過來，見到冬順躺在床上就道：“我聽我家那口子說了，那狗不是瘋狗，你這次小産了，但沒有傷到根本，好好将養比什麽都強。”
即便有樂雲安慰，冬順卻并不開心，丈夫是讀書人，但卻愛面子，故作清高，人不壞，可那種明明攀附王府，又嫌棄她是奴婢的微妙感，即便言語上不說她也能夠感受到。
她對樂雲說她想回去，之前她被鬼吓了之後，總覺得王府事兒多，她做奴做婢的即便被吓到了，都不能随意哭泣，就從那天開始她就想自由了。王妃也很快同意，甚至沒有任何一點兒為難，還賜下一幅嫁妝，嫁的是讀書人，可真正嫁了，她覺得比王府差遠了。
這家是大戶人家的旁支，每日只吃兩頓飯，一旬才能吃一顆雞蛋，一個月才能吃一回肉，更別提她那嫂子，還是秀才的女兒。一身衣裳有三四個補丁，說話辦事摳摳搜搜的，她這才知曉為何福桂、秋豐都不肯出來。
這些心酸她和樂雲說，樂雲也只能勸她好好過日子了，王妃送了她十二擡嫁妝，一百兩壓箱底，還有昔年這麽昔年她自己攢的私房，她們姐妹之間的添妝也好幾擡，就樂雲給冬順的陪嫁都有兩匹緞子，兩根金釵，兩把金梳，一匣子補藥，更別提福桂秋豐她們，這些銀錢讓冬順肯定會過的好的，她現在卻一心想回去伺候。
然而比起冬順嫁出王府的後悔，雲枝卻一心想攀附上太子，她在李珩過來德音這裏的時候，特地在鬓邊簪了一朵花。
但嘴裏還捧着盤兒：“良娣，奴婢方才讓盤兒過來伺候，偏她送個茶都不會，打翻了茶盞，還好奴婢提前看到。”
德音見太子已經進了內室了，不免示意她噤聲：“你把茶端過去吧。”
在德音的想法中，她從來沒想過把雲枝送給李珩做妾，一來雲枝是她的心腹，平日極為得力，其二是雲枝相貌一般，根本不适合做妾。
但她沒想到李珩和她行事之後，出來還與雲枝糾纏，雲枝見李珩對自己感興趣，心中越發高興。她平日常常聽房，多是為了看何時送水，但也因為如此，大抵知曉李珩的一些房事的癖好，她不過是個奴婢，到底放的開。
這李珩原本是逢場作戲，想讓德音身邊的人為他所用，也同時挑撥穩住鄭家，但幾次之後發現這丫頭有可取之處，那種偷情的隐秘之感也頗刺激。
雲枝當然巴不得此事被德音撞破，至少她也能名正言順，但很難的是德音根本沒發現，反而是她有了身孕，她才懇求李珩。
“太子，奴婢能侍奉您三生有幸，如今有了身孕，奴婢自知身份卑微，不敢懷有龍裔，請太子送奴婢出宮去吧。若是被良娣知曉，婢子沒有臉面再見良娣了。”
這一招以退為進，讓李珩當場就道：“你既然懷了孤的孩子，還想出去不成？既如此，我和你主子說一聲就是了。”
對李珩而言，現在要一統天下難度太大，但是收用一個下人都怕，那他也太慫了，更何況，這些身份低微的婢子們生的孩子，反而沒有太大的威脅。
雲枝如願以償成了太子的女人，雖然只是封了個承徽，和另一個寶林在一起住，但她也不嫌棄。
這件事情對德音而言，打擊特別大，雖然雲枝以養胎為由并不想見德音，但見舊主上門，她有些不忍，但還是說了實話：“良娣，奴婢這也不算背叛您，難道奴婢和盤兒懷孕不都是一樣的嗎？”
“你若真想，為何不早和我說？還合起來騙我。”德音真的覺得自己大受打擊。
“可是良娣，您是貴女，您不管做錯什麽事情，太子不會把您怎麽樣，但對奴婢們卻是說打就打說罵就罵。連枝死的時候，連您都無能為力，奴婢也只是為了自己的性命罷了，奴婢們也不是天生就是奴婢，雖然是一條賤命，但也想好好活着。”
這些聽在德音的耳朵裏卻覺得刺耳，她們不過是向往榮華富貴才不惜背叛主子當妾，等待哪一日生下一兒半女，成了主子。她不懂，連枝的事情她也難過的很，為什麽因為這件事情雲枝就和自己生分了。
雲枝見德音怔愣着，她不忍道：“良娣，您放心，等奴婢生下孩子，日後也一并會帶去您那兒的。”
“我不需要。”德音背脊挺的直直的走了出去，她不需要一個侍婢可憐她。
……
又說下人們的事情徽音并沒有太放心上，往年家中在中秋過年兩節的節禮極其重，今年鄭家送的禮并不多，甚至也不如往年的新鮮。
大抵是因為冀州去年的大旱吧，徽音如此想。
然而現下最緊要的還是江碧波的親事，看能不能刺激到曹家，郭钊要快些續弦，江碧波年紀也不小了，兩邊是把大婚的步驟簡化了，但是聘禮嫁妝都是一樣樣給的很充足。
江碧波父母雙亡，徽音特地在大婚前一日接她進王府，準備讓她從王府出嫁，還特地辟了一個精巧的院子出來。
“明早起來就準備開臉梳妝，我已經和王爺說了，到時候派一隊兵馬護送你們往豫州去，現下這裏都是我們的地盤，土匪強盜幾乎都被小王爺剿滅幹淨了，你只管放心。”徽音握着她的手道。
江碧波看到挂在架子上的新嫁衣，裙擺全部用金線織就得鳳凰，就好像她的人生一樣，每次都能浴火重生，她又收回目光，向眼前的人道謝：“王妃收了我做義妹，對我又如此關懷備至，将來也不知道如何報答就好。”
徽音擺手：“我只怕你将來日子過不好了埋怨我替你做親，你是個聰明人，知曉怎麽把日子過好的。從前種種都當成過往雲煙，好好過自己的日子。”
她不愛說太多虛話，尤其是對身處困境之中的人，能夠幫忙就幫忙，你不願意幫忙就袖手旁觀，總要人家報答，那還不如不幫。
江碧波卻從袖口掏出兩張契約樣似的東西遞給徽音：“我家一共有十一座鹽莊，八個大糧莊，分了幾個鋪面和宅子給我那個過繼來的兄弟，其餘都攥在我的手裏，我也不說多的，這兩座鹽莊和一座糧莊都給您做私房。”
“這我不能要。”徽音趕忙拒絕。
江碧波笑道：“您若不要，那就是真的沒把我當妹妹看待，若不是您幫忙，我不僅被霍家強納為妾，怕是家中的錢財也保不住。咱們同為女人，我知曉您不缺這個錢，但是我旁的也沒有，這些您就收下，日後便是給兩位小王子也好。我們行商的人常說，錢是啞巴老婆，人有錢，心裏不慌。”
看她說的這樣真切，徽音也就收下了，江碧波顯然很高興。徽音又和她細說了郭钊的情況，還交代她去豫州之後，多發展豫州農桑商業雲雲，到最後才交給她一本精美的避火圖，逃也似的從新房出來了。
Unexpectedly, Li Cheng was standing outside waiting for her. Huiyin ran over quickly and asked, "Didn't you say you had guests?"
Li Cheng smiled and said, "I do have guests, they are from the Cao family. This time they are much more sincere and even told me where Xie Jiuyi hid his food."
"Really? That's great." Huiyin didn't expect the Cao family to turn against them so quickly.