Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Isn’t my sister-in-law also considered a family member? ...
When Wu Jingxun got up the next day, his head was still a little groggy.
Cuiping and Ziping had been excited for most of the night, but they hadn't drunk any alcohol. Seeing Wu Jingxun's pale face, they quickly brought her some hangover soup warmed on the small clay stove. "My lady, you've never drunk alcohol before, but you drank too much this time, so you're bound to have a headache. Don't do this again in the future."
Last night, my wife and Master Pei were watching fireworks, but she became dizzy and passed out, and happened to fall on Master Pei's younger brother. If Master Pei hadn't reacted quickly and picked him up, Pei Erlang, who seemed to have a bad temper, would definitely have pushed my wife away!
In order not to affect the lady's mood, Cuiping and the others would not tell Wu Jingxun even without Master Pei's instructions.
My wife has always been shy. If she knew that I had accidentally hugged Pei Erlang, she would probably be angry.
After drinking the sobering soup and washing up, the dull pain in her forehead finally eased. Wu Jingxun sat on the Arhat bed and began to open the birthday presents everyone had given her yesterday.
The girls were very clever. In addition to all kinds of exquisite pearl hairpins and jewelry, there were also small and light tasseled rattan balls and daggers with jeweled scabbards. Each one was very exquisite. It was the first time that Wu Jingxun received so many gifts in one go. While she was happy, she asked Ziping to help her record them. In the future, she would also seriously consider what to give in return.
Finally, there were two wooden boxes left.
Wu Jingxun hesitated for a moment, and placed her slender fingers on the rosewood box.
Inside was a tasseled hairpin made of mutton-fat jade rabbit.
Cui Ping saw it, her eyes darting around, and she smiled, "Prince Pei must have known that your zodiac sign is the rabbit, so he specially asked the craftsman to make you this rabbit hairpin! Look, how fat and adorable that rabbit is! You'll definitely look even more beautiful wearing it."
Wu Jingxun gently touched the adorable jade rabbit. The jade rabbit carved from warm mutton-fat jade felt warm to the touch, as if it would come alive in the next moment.
Cui Ping saw Wu Jingxun looking at the Jade Rabbit Hairpin with great fondness, and said, "Madam, there is also a box."
Wu Jingxun was a little hesitant. She put the jade rabbit hairpin back into the wooden box, but did not take the next step.
Cuiping wanted to say something, but Ziping gently stopped her, and the two of them retreated quietly.
It took a long time for Wu Jingxun to pick up the box, which was obviously made of rough wood and had a much rougher workmanship. However, the corners of the box had been carefully polished, so there would not be any sudden wooden splinters to prick people.
The thing inside was not heavy. When Wu Jingxun opened it, he found that it was a silver hairpin that looked nothing special. The only unique thing was the three flower buds hanging from the hairpin. The three exquisite and lovely flower buds were hung on a thin silver chain.
There was also a small note in the box.
The handwriting above is not beautiful, but it has a sharp style.
After reading it, Wu Jingxun moved the three flower buds with some curiosity and confusion. There was actually poison hidden inside?
The birthday gift Pei Huaiguang gave her was the most surprising one among all the gifts in the pile. It was a hairpin that could shoot three deadly poison needles.
On second thought, he was her benefactor who had saved her three times, and he knew best how prone she was to getting into trouble recently. Giving her a hairpin that could protect herself probably meant that it wouldn't be such a coincidence next time, and he wouldn't come forward to be her benefactor again.
The wedding is less than two months away, and the only possible relationship between them is that of future uncle and sister-in-law.
Wu Jingxun packed up the gifts and was about to get up to take a look at the medical books her uncle had collected for her a few days ago when a shadow suddenly fell in front of her eyes.
She looked up and saw Wu Xucong standing at the door, with the light behind him. Wu Jingxun could not see his expression clearly.
"Brother is here." Wu Jingxun said calmly, pointing to the other side of the Arhat bed, "Sit down."
Wu Xucong walked in, a look of discomfort on his handsome face. "Look at me, I was so dizzy from studying that I forgot it was your birthday yesterday. This is a gift." He placed a brocade box on the small table and asked her tentatively, "You won't be angry with me, will you?"
There is no expectation anymore, so why should I be angry?
Wu Jingxun shook his head: "It's just a small matter, brother, don't take it to heart."
Logically speaking, seeing Wu Jingxun being so tolerant and generous, Wu Xucong should have breathed a sigh of relief, changed the subject and chatted for a while and then walked away. But when he saw Wu Jingxun with drooping eyelashes and an expression that could be said to be calm, or indifferent, he suddenly felt uncomfortable.
"Jingxun." Wuxu Cong straightened his expression and said seriously, "My mother and I forgot your birthday. If you are angry, you can tell me directly. We are close siblings. What can't we say directly?"
The spring breeze was warm, and the late spring breeze brought a bit of dryness and heat. These strands of heat brushed across Wu Jingxun's frosty face, but could not melt the ice in her heart. It only made her feel a little sad and boring.
Wu Jingxun no longer drooped her eyelashes. The fox eyes that Madam Tong often scolded for being 'coquettish' and 'restless' looked at Wu Xucong with a half-smile. In the young man's stunned expression, she spoke: "I complained and said it directly. What's next? Will my brother, mother, and father remember my birthday next time? When I turn seventeen next year and stay at the Pei family, you still won't remember my birthday. After a few days, when you remember it, you can comfort yourself that a daughter who is married is like spilled water. It doesn't matter if you don't remember it. After all, you have chosen a very good husband for me, who can bless me with a happy and carefree life for the rest of my life. I should be satisfied. Isn't it?"
Wu Xucong, stumped by her rare long-winded questioning, looked a little grim: "Jingxun, I, I..." He wanted to say that it wasn't true. But he knew in his heart that such words were too pale and powerless, and couldn't even convince himself, let alone Jingxun.
Wu Jingxun smiled and said, "This year is Shunhua's birthday. My brother was studying in Yongzhou, but he rushed back to celebrate her birthday without telling my mother. The birthday gift was a pair of spinning darts, which is not something that girls would like nowadays, but you chose it with your heart according to Shunhua's preferences. And what about me?" As she spoke, she was about to open the brocade box.
After hearing what she said before, Wuxucong wanted to stop her actions in a somewhat embarrassed manner.
This morning, when he went to pay his respects to Madam Tong in her courtyard, he heard Madam Wang mention that it seemed to be the eldest lady's birthday yesterday. Mother and son were stunned for a moment before they realized what was going on. What could be so special about a gift prepared in such a hurry?
As expected, Wu Jingxun looked at the coral butterfly and jade plum blossom hairpin in the brocade box and threw it out with an expressionless face. It landed on the floor with a very clear and crisp sound. Wu Xucong closed his eyes. The harsh sound of the hairpin scraping across the ground seemed to have also drawn a line in front of his eyes, revealing a little blood mark.
"Plum blossoms are what Shunhua likes." Wu Jingxun didn't say what flowers he liked, and it would be useless to say it.
"I'm tired, brother, please go back. If there's nothing else, there's no need to come over and talk about brotherly love with me. Talking about things that don't exist will only bore people." Perhaps the few glasses of wine last night awakened something that was suppressed in her body. Wu Jingxun was still sitting, her body slender and straight, leaving only a calm profile to Wu Xucong. "Let's go."
Wuxucong stood up silently, walked to the door, picked up the hairpin that was broken into pieces with the coral butterfly wings and jade beads scattered, and walked out of Yuzhaoyuan without saying anything else.
·
The days of waiting to get married were long, and Wu Jingxun did not go out again. With the secret guards given by Pei Jinguang, no guests came to Yuzhaoyuan late at night.
But Wu Jingxun didn't feel bored.
Having been strictly controlled by Madam Tong for more than ten years, she also took the time to embroider a blue bamboo-patterned water cloud belt for Pei Jinguang while embroidering the wedding veil, bed curtains and other dowries that a new bride needs to bring on the day of her marriage.
Cuiping helped her carefully put away the belt and asked her, "Why do you like to make things with bamboo patterns for me?"
The peace pendant I wore last time also had a bamboo pattern, and this time the belt also has a bamboo pattern.
Wu Jingxun smiled. The bamboo reports peace, which is a good omen. Prince Pei has gone through life and death many times for the Jin Dynasty. She hopes he is safe.
Looking out over there, the green bamboos are like coffins. There is a gentleman who is like gold, like tin, like a jade, like a jade.
In her heart, Master Pei is a man of extraordinary talent and elegance, just like a green bamboo.
Seeing the faint smile on Wu Jingxun's face, Cui Ping chuckled twice: "I will take the belt to Prince Pei right away!"
According to the custom in Jinling, before a new bride enters the house, she will embroider a belt for her future husband to show off her beauty and needlework skills.
The belt was presented to the old lady. She held the belt with elegant colors and exquisite embroidery and praised it again and again. She looked at her eldest grandson who was smiling and unwilling to hide his joy, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened a lot.
"Come, mother-in-law, take a look at the needlework of Jin's daughter-in-law."
Mrs. Joan took it, glanced at it, and put it aside: "It's okay."
Pei Jinguang took it back. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the belt swayed more slowly as it passed in front of Pei Huaiguang.
Pei Huaiguang lowered his head to hide the jealousy in his eyes.
Pei Jinguang was still talking to Madam Qiong. His voice was gentle, but a hint of impoliteness could be heard. "Jingxun's needlework is fine for husband and wife, but when it comes to honoring your mother-in-law, it's probably just passable. From now on, I'll ask Jingxun to find more skilled embroiderers to work in the mansion. If you want something embroidered, just tell them."
Madam Qiong never cared to talk to her eldest son, and she remained silent upon hearing this. The old lady, however, laughed cheerfully, "Great! Before you even marry, you're already thinking about how to make your wife's work easier. It shows our Jin-ge is a caring man. Jingxun, when she marries you, will enjoy a peaceful life."
Everyone laughed in unison.
Madam Qiong glanced at her elegant eldest son, her tone becoming more elusive and vague, "I married a soldier. He will have endless worries in his life. How can I have a peaceful life?"
The old lady knew that Madam Qiong's worries had come back, so she waved her hand and said, "Alright, next month will be the auspicious day for Jin'er's wedding. It's not too late to talk about it when the bride comes to the house to offer tea. Let's all go, let's go."
Pei Huaiguang walked out in silence.
But Pei Jinguang did not let him go.
"Erlang." Pei Jinguang quickened his pace slightly, stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "Do you want to go to the training ground?"
Pei Huaiguang's silent and gloomy gaze fell on the belt in his hand.
"nature."
The two brothers fought heartily, releasing all their excess energy, but Pei Huaiguang felt as if his heart was being pricked by needles, which did not get any better. It hurt him again and again, but he could not find a way to suppress it.
He knew why Pei Jinguang did all this today. He was just testing him to see if he had lost the desire or if he was just holding back and waiting for the right opportunity.
Pei Huaiguang didn't want to play tricks on him, so he just turned over, squinted his eyes, and looked at the setting sun.
"I caught a puppy in the mountains yesterday. You can give it to her."
Give a dog?
Pei Jinguang raised his eyebrows: "Why did you suddenly think of this?"
He had been going out early and coming back late these days, training soldiers and conducting negotiations. Pei Huaiguang must have been stupid not to see that a storm was about to come.
"She's too bored. It would be nice to get a dog to entertain her." The puppy's mother is the most ferocious beast on Mt. Ritsu in the suburbs of Beijing. It would be nice to keep a dog to give her an extra layer of protection.
The boy's tone was too calm, and there was no special expression in his eyes when he mentioned Jingxun. Pei Jinguang was silent for a while, and also let himself lie flat on the ground. The two different pairs of eyes reflected the same magnificent and boundless sunset.
"Erlang, we are still brothers. With her, we are a family."
“I hope this will never change.”
The young man's sharp eyes softened, and he seemed to be expecting an answer.
Pei Jinguang closed his eyes and said nothing.
Isn’t my brother’s wife also a family member?
He thought that he would fulfill his brother's wish.
It’s not that easy to make him give up.
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The author has something to say: I'll definitely finish writing the first marriage plot tomorrow! The Wu family plot has come to an end, and the next step is to have a lot of interactions between the male and female protagonists.
Thanks to the nutrient solution irrigated by the little angel Yue Ye, Xiaowan will continue to work hard (づ￣ 3￣)づ
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