Chapter 188 General Du was so angry that he died, and he was happy.

General Du said, "I have lived to such an old age, and I went to the palace to beg the emperor and Xie Jing for you to marry him. You knew that Xie Jing didn't have you in his heart, but you insisted on marrying him. You were restless after marrying into the general's mansion. Jiang's status was not as good as yours before, but she was Xie Jing's wife. You are a concubine who has no respect for the elders. How dare you let me support you?"

Du Huilan choked and cried. Her grandfather had never said this to her since she was a child, but now he was so cruel to her.

Madam Du was still confused, "Dad, it was obviously Jiang who bullied Lan'er. Why are you still helping outsiders to say bad things about Lan'er? How much has Lan'er suffered since she married into the general's mansion? Dad, Lan'er is your most beloved granddaughter..."

Madam Du was interrupted by General Du before she could finish her words, "Shut up."

Madam Du was so scared that she shut her mouth immediately.

General Du continued, "She is like this now because you didn't teach her well. As Madam Du, who in the mansion dares to disobey you? Which concubine dares to contradict you? Look at Lan'er, she is someone else's concubine but she acts like a mistress."

General Du's chest was heaving with anger. He covered his chest and continued, "It's so embarrassing. If I had known this would happen, I would have advised you not to get married. Did you listen? With your status, whoever you marry would be the legal wife? I'm so angry."

Madam Du listened to her husband and guessed what was going on.

Her daughter didn't tell the truth, and Jiang Youning caught her again, so she was speechless in front of the emperor.

No wonder the husband was so angry.

General Du took a deep breath and continued, "You, kneel for an hour before standing up again."

General Du left the main hall after saying this.

Seeing her daughter still crying, Mrs. Du felt angry and distressed. She thought her daughter was too naive and could not play with Jiang Youning.

The emperor's rewards were delivered to the general's mansion one by one after an hour. It was still delivered by Eunuch Li himself with the eunuchs.

Jiang Youning had met Eunuch Li several times and they were considered acquaintances.

"Madam, these are all the emperor's rewards. The cloth is a tribute from the Western Regions. The material is thin and breathable. It is very suitable for making clothes in the spring..."

Eunuch Li introduced a long list of them. They were either tributes or treasures, which were priceless.

At this time, Chuntao came in with new tea.

Jiang Youning smiled and said, "Eunuch Li, have a cup of hot tea first."

Eunuch Li was too busy today and didn't have a sip of water. He was thirsty this time and didn't feel restrained, "Thank you, Madam."

Eunuch Li drank the tea, Chuntao handed over the silver, and then left the general's mansion with a smile.

Chuntao looked at the emperor's rewards and looked at Jiang Youning with a smile on her face, "Miss, the emperor's rewards are all good things."

Jiang Youning looked at the pile of rewards and was not interested. She wanted to thank Jing for coming back as soon as possible.

Du Huilan was carried back to the general's mansion and was seen by Nan Mianmian. When the emperor came, she was also there and knew that Du Huilan asked her family to support her.

Even the emperor was surprised.

The point is, she picked up a stone and hit her own foot, and she was punished for trying to prop up her back.

It was so funny.

But during the confrontation, the emperor did not allow them to be present.

I just asked around in the mansion and found out that Du Huilan exaggerated and told me first, and ended up getting herself into trouble.

The mood that had been depressed for a day suddenly became smooth.

"Hey, sister Du, what's wrong with you?"

Du Huilan knelt for an hour, and her legs were not only numb, but she couldn't even walk.

She was already feeling depressed, and then she met Nan Mianmian, she was simply dying.

"What does it have to do with you?" Du Huilan was in a bad mood this time, and she was too lazy to even respond perfunctorily.

Nan Mianmian covered her mouth and laughed, "Of course it's none of my business. I'm different from you. I can't play the piano, chess, calligraphy or painting. I can't make up stories or complain to my parents. I'm not like Sister Du who can do everything. Fortunately, my grandfather doesn't have a granddaughter like you, otherwise he would be so angry that he wouldn't even know he died."

Du Huilan was so angry

that she was shaking. Looking at Nan Mianmian's smug look, "Don't laugh too soon, or you'll cry again in the future." Nan Mianmian continued to laugh, "Then don't bother yourself. Life should be about crying and laughing. Unlike Sister Du, who only cries. I won't say anymore. It's almost time for dinner. I have to go to have dinner with my wife."

After Nan Mianmian finished speaking, she threw away her handkerchief and walked towards Lingxi Courtyard with a cheerful step.

Du Huilan looked at Nan Mianmian's back as she left, gritting her teeth and saying, "Wait, I'll make you cry for me to see."

The housekeeper came over at this time, "Second Madam, by the order of the Emperor, take Second Madam to be punished."

Du Huilan was still thinking about going back to rest, but when she heard the housekeeper's words, she remembered the Emperor's punishment, which was ten strokes of the cane and copying the Rules for Women.

The momentum she had just had was gone in an instant.

After receiving the ten-stroke punishment, Du Huilan couldn't even speak.

The housekeeper said again, "Second Madam, you must copy the Rules for Women as soon as possible. If you can't finish copying it within the specified time, you will be punished with twenty strokes of the cane."

Du Huilan couldn't even sit up in pain, so how could she copy the Rules for Women? Should she copy it while lying down?

Du Huilan had no choice but to ignore it, because it was the Emperor's order.

In the end, Du Huilan did copy while lying on her back, cursing at people, "Jiang Youning, wait for me, I will make you pay."

After copying, Du Huilan limped to Lingxi Courtyard, and the scary people on the road saw her and laughed.

Du Huilan heard it and said angrily, "What are you laughing at? Work hard for me, or I will sell you all off one by one."

After what happened yesterday, the servants in the mansion were not afraid of Du Huilan.

Besides, there was a lady in the mansion, so how could it be the second lady's turn to be in charge?

Even if the work was to be sold off, it was the lady who made the decision.

She, as the second lady, did not have such power.

"Do you really think you are a scallion? You don't even consider your status."

"That's right, she's just the Second Lady. It's wishful thinking to think that you can take over other people's business."

"Madam is very magnanimous, but there are always some people who think that you are easy to bully. Now they are shooting themselves in the foot."

Even though Du Huilan knew in her heart that Jiang Youning was the general's wife and it was not her turn to take care of the affairs of the mansion, she turned pale with anger when the servants said that. She secretly swore in her heart that she would make those who laughed at her pay the price.

Jiang Youning sat under the tree and drank tea. This was a gift from the emperor. The taste was indeed different from the tea she drank on a daily basis. It had a refreshing and slightly bitter taste. Tea lovers could not taste the bitterness, and the aftertaste was sweet.

When Du Huilan came, she saw Jiang Youning sitting there leisurely drinking tea, looking very absent-minded.

She took a few steps forward and came to Jiang Youning, bowed, "Madam, I have already copied the female rules."

Jiang Youning glanced at Chuntao, who understood and took the copied female rules from Du Huilan's hand and handed it to her.

Jiang Youning took the teacup in her hand and looked at it for a few seconds. Du Huilan's handwriting was indeed very good, and she was not called a talented woman for nothing.

She looked carefully for a while, and when she was sure that she had finished copying, she looked up at Du Huilan, "I hope that the second lady will not make the same mistake for the third time after this. If it happens again, I will let the general divorce you."

Du Huilan couldn't help but hold the handkerchief tightly when she heard the last sentence. She was angry in her heart, but she was very obedient on the surface.

"I know."

Jiang Youning said, "Go down."

Du Huilan bowed, and when she turned around and left, her face immediately became fierce.

Another two months passed in a flash. During these two months, Xiao Yu and Yuan Bao went to two places, one was nearby Suzhou and the other was Yangzhou.

The two stores were bought together, and the stores have been renovated.

Yuanbao took three hairpin ladies with him and recruited five more to learn the craft.

Yuanbao said that he specially tested the five hairpin ladies and stayed because he felt they were reliable.

Jiang Youning knew that Yuanbao was serious and reliable, so he felt relieved to let him do it.

Counting the days, on the 15th, if nothing unexpected happened, Xie Jing would be on his way back, right?

How come there is no movement at all?

Jiang Youning comforted himself that maybe the letter was on the way back.

It was far from the battlefield and he couldn't come back in a short time.

Thinking of this, Jiang Youning felt more at ease.

Xiao Yu was busy opening a branch store recently, and he would come back after things stabilized.

He hadn't seen his wife for some time, and he missed her very much.

After returning to the mansion, he first went to see his father, the king, and his mother.

Princess Jing has been pregnant for more than four months, and her belly is already showing.

When Xiao Yu came to pay her respects, she stared at Princess Jing's belly curiously for a long time, "Mother, how do you feel? Is it very hard?"

Princess Jing smiled and said, "I'm fine. I don't have much reaction during pregnancy. You were like this when you were four months old in my belly."

Xiao Yu thought it was a little magical. Is this how a child is born?

Is Chu Jing's pregnancy the same as her mother's?

Speaking of Chu Qing, I miss her a lot after being apart for so long.

After Xiao Yu saw Princess Jing, he couldn't wait to rush to his yard, but Chu Qing was not at home.

He looked at the maid guarding the door, "Where is the Crown Prince's Concubine?"

The maid replied, "My young master, the Crown Prince's Concubine went out early in the morning."

"Out?" Xiao Yu sighed. He rushed back day and night, but he couldn't even see his wife. It was so tragic. He

finally made it to the evening and saw Chu Qing coming back slowly.

"Where have you been?"

The room was pitch black, and suddenly a gloomy male voice was heard. Chu Qing was startled.

At this moment, the lights in the room suddenly lit up.

Chu Qing saw Xiao Yu sitting on the couch, looking at her with resentment.

"You're back."

Xiao Yu said, "Why? Don't you want me to come back?"

When Xiao Yu decided to go to Gusu, he wanted to take Chu Qing with him, but unfortunately Chu Qing was unwilling to go with him, and he couldn't force her.

Chu Qing said, "No, this is your home, how could I not miss you to come back?"

Xiao Yu stared at her for a while, and was relieved to see that she had not changed at all, neither fat nor thin.

He stood up and walked in front of her, looking down at her, "I haven't seen you for almost two months, I missed you a lot."

Chu Qing was stunned for a while after hearing this, and then Xiao Yu hugged her tightly in his arms, "Sure enough, hugging your wife is the most comfortable thing."

Chu Qing: "..."

"It's already very late, it's time to take a bath and rest."

It is said that a short separation is better than a new marriage. Xiao Yu was very excited to hear such obvious hints, "Then I'll take a bath."

Xiao Yu said and walked out with big strides.

Chu Qing looked at Xiao Yu's back as she left, sighed, and went to take a bath.

When Xiao Yu came out of the bath, Chu Qing hadn't come out yet. He was so excited that he paced back and forth.

When Chu Qing came out, she saw Xiao Yu pacing in the room, "What are you doing?"

Xiao Yu stopped and looked at Chu Qing, smiling and said, "You have finished your bath."

"Well, go to sleep." Chu Qing said and walked to the bed and got on it.

Xiao Yu couldn't wait to come over, and after she got on the bed, he also got on the bed.

Chu Qing looked at Xiao Yu who was climbing on the bed and asked, "Did you forget that you sleep on the couch."

Xiao Yu had one foot kneeling on the bed. Hearing this, he paused in his movement of climbing on the bed and looked at Chu Qing in confusion, "Didn't you just urge me to take a bath and go

to sleep?" Chu Qing said, "Yes, taking a bath and going to sleep are different."

Xiao Yu's head drooped instantly when he heard this. He thought that after not seeing each other for so long, Chu Qing would not sleep in separate beds. As a result, it was just like this?

"Wife, don't you know that a short absence is better than a new marriage?"

Chu Qing replied indifferently, "I don't know."

Xiao Yu asked again: "Don't you miss me?"

Chu Qing was stunned for a while and shook her head, "No."

"Okay." Xiao Yu got out of bed with her head down, opened the closet, and went to sleep with the quilt.

Chu Qing raised her head and glanced at Xiao Yu, sighed, and lay down again.

As soon as she lay down, she heard Xiao Yu's long sigh, "We have been separated for so long, and my wife doesn't miss me, it's really pitiful."

Chu Qing: "..."

The next day, Xiao Yu took Chu Qing to the General's Mansion for a meal.

Jiang Youning hadn't seen Xiao Yu for a long time. Seeing the young couple coming, she thought,

"What do you want to eat today?"

Xiao Yu didn't hesitate. "Steamed pork with rice flour, I haven't eaten it for a long time. Glutinous rice lotus root, braised pork, pickled fish." Jiang Youning

heard that it was all meat, but it didn't matter, she was also a carnivore.

She looked at Chu Qing, "Is there anything you want to eat in particular?"

Chu Qing thought for a while and said, "Spicy beef slices."

Jiang Youning's eyes lit up when she heard that, "I want to eat that too."

Chuntao was beside them. After listening to them ordering the dishes, she went to prepare.

Xiao Yu went out with Yuanbao this time, so Jiang Youning knew the situation.

"When do you plan to open?"

Xiao Yu took a sip of tea and said, "I checked the almanac and the eighth of next month is the most suitable."

Jiang Youning knew that in ancient times, people paid the most attention to checking the almanac, and in fact, people still pay attention to it now.

If Xie Jing could come back on time, he could go with her.

"Then we'll open on the eighth of the month, so we won't be so anxious."

Xiao Yu suddenly asked, "Do you know when Brother Xie will come back?" Jiang

Youning shook her head, "I don't know either. There's no letter yet, and there's no news from the emperor."

At lunch, Chuntao brought the steaming hot meals to the table.

Xiao Yu came here on an empty stomach just to get a free meal. The smell of the food made him even hungrier. He picked up the chopsticks, picked up two pieces of steamed pork with rice flour and put them in the bowl in front of Chu Qing. "The meat is evenly fat and lean, and you won't get tired of eating it. Try it."

It was the first time Chu Qing had heard of steamed pork with rice flour. However, many of the dishes in Lingxi Courtyard were things she had never heard of before.

There was really a layer of rice flour on the steamed pork with rice flour, and it smelled particularly fragrant.

She picked up the steamed pork with rice flour and put it into her mouth to eat.

Xiao Yu kept staring at her, wanting to ask her if it tasted good.

As a result, Chu Qing vomited out the moment she put the food into her mouth, before she could swallow it.

(End of this chapter)

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