Chapter 72 Prelude to the Third Round

On the second day, the morning light broke, and the light of the morning like a veil quietly slipped into the carved wooden window, covering the newlyweds' bridal residence of the Yuan family with a layer of gentle golden glory. Inside the room, the bride Hua Lan was already sitting in front of the dressing table, with long black hair and smooth skin. She was about to pick up the black ink in the dressing box. At this time, Yuan Wenshao came forward with a gentle smile and took the black ink stone from Hua Lan's hand. He leaned over and approached, his eyes full of tenderness and affection, causing Hua Lan's face to be flushed. Yuan Wenshao carefully drew between Hua Lan's thin eyebrows, and Hua Lan's eyes were full of affection.

When Jingshu and Huixin entered the bridal chamber, they saw such a warm scene of affection between the man and his wife. Huixin was happy for Hualan, as the girl finally found her ideal husband. Jingshu was a little disturbed, thinking: the girl seems to like this Miss Yuan very much, but what if Miss Yuan is not trustworthy?

Jingshu looked at the newlyweds and felt that if they continued to be so inseparable, they might even miss the time to meet the elders in the mansion.

"Madam, Master, I have something to report." Jingshu interrupted the two people's lovey-dovey conversation. Huixin, who was standing by, winked at Jingshu until her eyes were cramped, but she still couldn't stop this reckless man.

Hualan and Yuan Wenshao turned around together. Hualan asked in confusion, "What do you want to report?"

Jingshu bowed and replied, "This matter should have been reported to the madam yesterday, but because yesterday was a good day for the madam and the master, I concealed it for the time being. This is the signature of Mrs. Wang." Huixin took the confession from Jingshu and showed it to Hualan.

Hualan took it, unfolded it and quickly browsed it with Yuan Wenshao. The more Hualan read, the angrier she became. On the first day she entered the house, the sister-in-law dared to act like this! Hualan

said in a relaxed tone, "Jingshu, Huixin, tell me in detail!" The two of them cooperated to orally recount what happened yesterday.

Hualan was just angry, while Yuan Wenshao was furious and ashamed. On the first day of marriage, the bride was bullied by her own family, and by her own sister-in-law and cousin. This made Yuan Wenshao extremely angry. He rushed out without saying a word.

"Sir? Sir, where are you going?" Hualan was afraid that he would get into trouble because of his impulse, so she stood up and stopped him.

"I want to ask my sister-in-law what this means? Why is she testing whether you are easy to talk to? What does she want to do?" Yuan Wenshao questioned.

"Sir, my two girls didn't expose the truth yesterday but told us today because they hope we are fine. We have to go to meet the elders soon. You rushed over to question us in such an angry manner. Even if I was right, it became unreasonable. What's more, it's only the second day since I got married into the mansion, and I haven't even entered the ancestral hall. How should I live if you make a fuss? If others hear it, they will just blame me for being nosy. I know you feel sorry for me. This matter is not a big deal after all. You and I know it. We just need to be on guard against her in the future. There's no need to make a big fuss." Hua Lan reasoned with him while supporting Yuan Wenshao's back. She also signaled Jingshu and Huixin to block the door, fearing that Yuan Wenshao would rush out if they were not careful.

Under Hualan's comfort, Yuan Wenshao calmed down. Thinking carefully, this matter was just one-sided words of Wang Po. He believed his wife, but other people might not think so. For Hualan's reputation, it is better to have less trouble than more.

Yuan Wenshao hugged Hualan, "Madam, you have been wronged!"

"As long as I can live a good life with you, these are nothing." Hualan responded gently.

Hualan and Yuan Wenshao knew the situation in their hearts and let it go. Jingshu was not very satisfied with this result, but thinking that the girl had just married, her foundation was not stable, and she was in the dark and didn't know anything about the situation in the mansion, she just endured it for the time being.

Later, Hualan and Yuan Wenshao went to meet the elders and relatives of the Yuan family, and no one made things difficult for them. However, the Countess asked Hualan to visit her every morning and evening. Hualan was prepared when she got married, because not everyone is so lucky to meet their own grandmother, so they exempted the daughter-in-law from visiting her every morning and evening, and Hualan agreed one by one.

The incident happened two months later. One morning, Hualan got up early to pay her respects to the Countess. Maybe it was because she got up too much, a sudden feeling of nausea surged like a tide, making Hualan frown involuntarily. She covered her chest, trying to calm the surging discomfort, but dry belching followed, and Hualan felt extremely uncomfortable.

Yuan Wenshao saw that Hualan looked a little weak, so he advised her to lie down and rest for a while. He told his mother that he would not go to pay respects today. Hualan thought that the Countess was difficult to please, so she waved her hand to refuse Yuan Wenshao. If she dared to claim illness today, she didn't know what her mother-in-law would come up with to torment her

. Hualan had been married for two months, and she could really see that her mother-in-law was a troublemaker. She just didn't like her and found fault with her everywhere. In the past, Hualan would bring Jingshu with her to pay respects, but Jingshu had humiliated the Countess several times and she held a grudge against her. Hualan was afraid that the Countess would harm Jingshu, so she didn't bring her. Every time she went to pay respects, she brought Huixin with her. Jingshu didn't go. The Countess tortured Hualan even more. Every day when she paid respects, she made Hualan stand outside for half an hour before letting her in. On weekdays, when she served her meals, the soup could not be cold or hot. When she served her dishes every day, she would be scolded if she put vegetables she didn't like. Even the fish bones had to be picked out one by one by Hualan. Hualan was tortured by her and couldn't bear it, but she refused to tell Yuan Wenshao, fearing that he would be caught between his mother and his wife.

Jingshu came in and saw Hualan gasping and weak. Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind: Is the girl pregnant? Jingshu asked Huixin to wait on Hualan, and she went to call Madam Xu. When Hualan saw Madam Xu coming, she suddenly felt hopeful. Madam Xu was the dowry madam that Sheng Hong had found for her. Madam Xu had worked as a maid in a family of medicine, and she had learned medical knowledge over time, especially in treating women's diseases, and she also knew how to take a pulse. Hualan had been recuperating in the herbal medicine house given by Minglan since she got married, and with Madam Xu's guidance, it was reasonable for her to have good news.

Madam Xu came over and felt her pulse. "Madam, I feel it's a slippery pulse, like beads rolling on a jade plate, flowing smoothly and roundly, at a fast speed, one after another. It's a sign of abundant blood and energy. But I remember that Madam had her period last month!"

"Madam, your period was very little last month, and it was gone in two days. We thought... we thought it was... normal for Madam as a first-time wife." Huixin answered for Hualan. She felt a little uncomfortable talking about this because Yuan Wenshao was present.

"That's it. Madam is pregnant, but it's still early and her pulse is still a little weak, but it shouldn't be wrong. But Madam is bleeding and the fetus is unstable. You can't work hard these days and you need to stay in bed and rest well."

Yuan Wenshao heard this, what else did he not understand? He was going to be a father. Yuan Wenshao was overjoyed and wanted to pick up Hualan and spin around a few more times to express his excitement. Before he was excited, he was poured with a basin of cold water.

"Madam is pregnant, how can we go to visit her every morning and evening? I'm afraid the old lady will blame us." Huixin said worriedly.