Chapter 110 Arrangement
Unfortunately, the two, who had just tasted the sweetness of love, were about to be separated for two years.
Meng Guanqi was very reluctant to part, but for the sake of their future and for the two of them to be together in the future, this separation was necessary.
He wouldn't even let Li Xiaoxiao take him to Luzhou, because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist wanting to come back with her.
He gently instructed her, "While I'm away for the next two years, you'll stay by Father's side and help him. Now that the hairpins in the county are famous, a steady stream of wealth will flow into the county town. We used to have nothing and lacked everything, but now that we have money, Father will make up for it one by one. The few people around him aren't enough. Please keep an eye on him for me and don't let him overwork himself. Although his health is much better than before, if he keeps working non-stop, I'm afraid it will harm his health again."
Li Xiaoxiao nodded: "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on the adults."
The next morning, Meng Guanqi's carriage followed Liao's cloth shop's convoy and left Biyang County.
Li Xiaoxiao quietly followed behind the carriage, accompanying him out of the city. She saw him off for a while, then for a while, until they were more than ten miles outside the city gate. The carriage gradually sped up, and her legs couldn't keep up, so she stopped and stared blankly as the convoy grew smaller and smaller until she could no longer see it.
She didn't know why she couldn't help but follow him, but only after his carriage disappeared did she belatedly realize that a deep sense of reluctance welled up in her heart.
Before yesterday, she had never experienced such a painful tearing apart because of a small separation.
Is this what the pain of separation between lovers feels like?
If she was so reluctant to let her go, Meng Guanqi must have been even more reluctant. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lacked the courage to even send her to Wanshan Academy. He was probably afraid that he wouldn't be able to resist and would stop her from leaving.
She forced herself to turn around and slowly walk back, telling herself over and over that it had only been two years, that it would pass in the blink of an eye, and that he would be back soon.
After he returns, he will begin his study tour, and he will definitely take her with him to other prefectures and counties to experience the local customs and traditions, so that they can travel together for a long time.
She walked to the city gate and unexpectedly saw three people who were obviously waiting for her.
Li Xiaoxiao instantly forgot the melancholy of Meng Guanqi's departure and stepped forward to ask, "Old monk, are you looking for me?"
The old monk smiled slightly: "It's Afu who wants to see you; he can't wait a moment longer."
Li Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up as she looked at Afu and asked, "Afu, have you managed to scrape together five taels of silver?"
Ah Fu grinned from ear to ear, raising the bag in his hand: "Miss Li, after selling today's turmeric, I've raised enough money. Could you take my brother to Lin'an for medical treatment?"
He even carried a medicine basket on his back, clearly indicating that he had gone to the yamen to find her after selling turmeric at Jinxiuge, and then waited for her at the city gate when she wasn't there.
Li Xiaoxiao, who was just looking for something to do, waved her hand and said, "Alright, a promise is a promise. You guys go back to the temple to get your luggage first, and wait for me here first thing tomorrow morning. I'll take you to Lin'an Prefecture to treat A-Yun's hand!"
Afu jumped up excitedly and immediately pulled the old monk and Ayun to go back to the Guanyin Temple.
It was understandable that the two children were too young to understand, but the old monk was, after all, several decades old. He naturally knew that five taels of silver was probably not enough for the travel expenses to Lin'an Prefecture, and Li Xiaoxiao was about to lend a hand.
But they couldn't come up with more money. The old monk had been serving as a monk in Guanjian Temple since he was a teenager, but until today, he felt that he had encountered the real Guanyin incarnate.
He bowed respectfully to Li Xiaoxiao: "Thank you for your help, Miss Li. You are a benefactor to A-Yun and will surely be blessed in this life."
When Li Xiaoxiao returned, she reported to Liu that she was going to take Ayun to Lin'an Prefecture to treat his hand.
Liu recited a Buddhist prayer and immediately told Granny Qi to give her twenty taels of silver: "If that little monk's hand is healed, that would be a great deed. I will cover his food, lodging and travel expenses. Take him to the best doctor in Lin'an Prefecture and let him stay for a few more days until his hand is fully recovered before he comes back."
Li Xiaoxiao wanted to decline Liu's reward money; it was an idea that had just come to her, and she couldn't let Liu spend money on it: "Madam, I have money..."
Liu said angrily, "This is my heartfelt gift. If you really want to give it up, then donate these twenty taels to the Guanyin Temple as incense money."
The money donated as incense money will just be taken by the old monk anyway; it would be better to use it to treat Ah Yun's hand.
Li Xiaoxiao had no choice but to accept the money. The next morning, she drove the carriage from the manor to pick up the old monk and the other two at the city gate, and together they headed towards Lin'an Prefecture.
Meng Guanqi left yesterday, and Li Xiaoxiao left today. The courtyard was unusually quiet without her joking around with others. It was so quiet that Liu felt like crying. Qi Mama went into the room several times and found her with tears streaming down her face. She looked like Meng Jiangnu. When asked what was wrong, she said nothing, just that she missed her son.
As a result, he fell ill within two days, feeling weak and lethargic and unable to get out of bed.
When they summoned Doctor Xie, he was astonished and exclaimed, "Congratulations, Madam!"
Liu's eyes were still swollen, and her heart felt as if it had left with her son. Hearing the congratulations, she said weakly, "What's the good news? Is it that Qi-ge'er has returned?"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but shed tears again.
Dr. Xie was both amused and exasperated: "Madam's health is fine; her sensitivity and overthinking are due to her pregnancy."
Granny Qi was stunned: "Doctor Xie, what are you saying?"
Doctor Xie offered his congratulations again: "Congratulations, Madam! Your pulse is strong and clear, indicating you are two months pregnant."
Liu Zhi cried out in surprise and immediately covered her mouth.
Granny Qi gasped for breath and said repeatedly, "Liu Zhi, Liu Zhi, quick, quick, bring me my purse. I want to give Doctor Xie a generous gift as a token of my gratitude."
Doctor Xie's eyes almost disappeared from smiling: "Then this old man will not stand on ceremony."
Granny Qi took the purse from Liu Zhi and took out two one-tael silver ingots, stuffing them into Doctor Xie's hand. She held the hand, which was as hard as old tree bark, tightly and said, "Doctor Xie, please take a good look at our lady and see if the pregnancy is stable. Our lady is not young anymore. Is it alright for her to be pregnant at this time?"
Liu then realized what was happening and immediately tried to sit up: "You, what did you say? I'm pregnant?"
She's already thirty-three years old, and Meng Guanqi is sixteen. They're both old enough to be grandmothers, yet she's pregnant?
After giving birth to Meng Guanqi, she never conceived again. No matter how much bitter medicine or talisman she drank, it was ineffective. She just couldn't have a second child. Concubine Luo also only gave birth to Meng Liniang. She tried all sorts of methods, but to no avail. The wife and concubine lived a miserable life, raising their son and daughter. Both of them were afraid that the children would suffer from any illness or disease and not survive. They watched their children like the apples of their eyes. Fortunately, both Meng Guanqi and Meng Liniang grew up safely.
Unexpectedly, after being demoted to the remote and impoverished Biyang County, Magistrate Meng fell seriously ill twice. She thought that she would be fine once she survived, but unexpectedly, she became pregnant with a child.
Granny Qi rushed over and urged her to lie down carefully: "Lie down, don't move, let the doctor take your pulse properly."
After listening carefully to Madam Liu's pulse for a long time, Doctor Xie stood up and said, "Madam's pulse is warm and strong, and the pregnancy is stable. There is no need for excessive supplementation. Normal diet is sufficient, but the amount should not be too much."
Although the pregnancy was stable, it was still early in the pregnancy, and Liu was not young. They were afraid that she would overdo it and take too many tonics, which would harm her health.
Granny Qi hurriedly asked, "Should we prescribe some medicine to help the madam prevent miscarriage?"
Doctor Xie said, "All medicines have some toxicity. Since Madam is in good health, there is no need for her to drink those things."
Granny Qi beamed with joy: "Thank you for coming all this way, Doctor. From now on, please come to the manor every half month to check on our lady's pulse until the little master is born safely."
Doctor Xie readily agreed. Now that Lady Liu highly valued him, and having treated the Crown Prince's injuries, he had become the most skilled doctor in Biyang County. Thanks to Magistrate Meng, his consultation fees and office fees had also increased significantly. Now that he could personally care for Lady Liu from conception to delivery, it would be even more beneficial to his reputation.
When Magistrate Meng received the news, he was inspecting the construction progress in front of the post station, where laborers were carrying timber back and forth and installing beams.
The main structure of the post station was made of wood. Its advantage was that it could be built quickly, but its disadvantage was that it needed to be protected from fire and moisture. The laborers who participated in the construction of the post station were conscripts issued by the government. There were many people involved, so after a few days, the second floor was already under construction.
When he heard Butler Zhao find him as if riding on wheels of fire, and whisper something in his ear, he had to confirm it three times before he could hear it clearly, his mind completely blank.
Once he realized what was happening, he turned around and walked back, not even responding when Officer Shi called him.
When Liu saw her husband rushing back to see her, she blushed and said, "Master..."
Magistrate Meng sat down beside the bed and gently took her hand: "Is there anything wrong?"
Mrs. Liu shook her head, feeling embarrassed: "There's nothing wrong with me, it's just that I'm already this old, and Qi-ge'er has already passed the imperial examination, and I'm only now getting pregnant with my second child..."
Magistrate Meng didn't take it seriously: "What's the big deal? We come from a large family, and you can see great-uncles who are two years old and nephews who are twenty years old everywhere."
He softened his tone and carefully tucked the blanket around her: "But you're not young anymore, and this pregnancy was unexpected, so it's best to be careful. If you need anything, don't suffer any hardship, just tell me."
Liu gently covered her slightly chubby belly. In the past two years in Biyang County, she had gained some weight because she didn't have to serve her mother-in-law or deal with her sisters-in-law. However, her last pregnancy was sixteen years ago, and now that she was pregnant again, she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be pregnant when she was young.
Magistrate Meng said gently, "Granny Qi is getting old, and Liu Zhi is too young. If you feel they can't handle it, we might as well find two more experienced wives to stay by our side. Just tell them what to do."
Madam Liu shook her head: "Granny Qi is my wet nurse, and I trust her the most. Although Liu Zhi is young, she can be trained and used this year. There aren't that many troublesome things in our courtyard. The two of them are enough. If not, I will instruct Xing Ge or Mei Xiang to take care of it. It's always better to use people you know well."
After Zhang Li's incident, Liu immediately re-investigated the newly purchased servants. She didn't find anything wrong, but once bitten, twice shy. Even though she knew these people were of good character and wouldn't dare to have any disloyalty to their master, she still instinctively wanted to avoid harm and chose familiar people to serve her.
Xingge and Meixiang have been here for quite some time, and their character is acceptable. Liu Shi trusts them more than the newly purchased servants. Moreover, Granny Qi is in good health and taking care of a pregnant woman like her is not a problem. They can carefully search for a suitable wet nurse when she is about to give birth.
Magistrate Meng then brought up another person: "Isn't Xiaoxiao doing nothing these days? Let Qi-ge stay by my side and help me, or should I have her come over and serve you personally?"
Madam Liu chuckled and waved her hands repeatedly: "She's not good at delicate tasks like serving others. She can't even help Qi-ge change his clothes, and she's too rough. How can we let her waste her talents? It's safer for her to stay by your side and protect you. Besides, everyone in the household knows she can't be kept at home; she's always thinking about running away."
Magistrate Meng couldn't help but laugh when he recalled how Li Xiaoxiao was always so radiant when she was outside, but became dejected when she heard she would be confined at home.
Liu sighed, "I thought that since Qi-ge'er had gone to study and wouldn't be back for two years, I felt so empty and didn't know how I would get through the days ahead. But God blessed me and gave me another child. Now I can't even relax and be lazy anymore."
She chuckled, revealing a rare hint of mischief: "I wonder how Qi-ge will react when he finds out he's going to have a younger brother or sister. When he was little, he always said why we had so few brothers and sisters. Now that he's grown up, he'll have a younger brother or sister who's more than ten years younger than him."
Magistrate Meng smiled and said, "He will definitely be happier than you. He is away from home studying and cannot always serve us. Having a younger brother or sister to keep us company will prevent us from feeling lonely."
The two joked and teased their son, who was halfway there. Magistrate Meng was worried that Liu's pregnancy at her age would be too tiring, so he thought for a moment before saying, "Although there are no major events in our inner courtyard, the daily affairs will still take up your energy. If you find it troublesome, you might as well let Li Niang help you manage them. It will also be good for her to familiarize herself with the affairs of the household before she gets married."
Madam Liu asked in surprise, "Master, could it be that Liniang's marriage has been arranged?"
After Meng Guanqi passed the imperial examination, Magistrate Meng sent several letters to the capital, asking his colleagues, with whom he maintained contact, to help find a suitable marriage for his daughter. Born into the prominent Meng family, with a father who was appointed as a county magistrate and an older brother who passed the imperial examination at the age of fifteen, Meng Liniang, though an illegitimate daughter, was the only daughter in the family. Therefore, it was not difficult for her to find a wealthy family with minor official connections.
Magistrate Meng stroked his beard and laughed, "We've received a reply, and from an excellent family at that. We've really been fortunate to be part of their family."
Liu asked with delight, "Which family is it?"
Magistrate Meng said, "He is the youngest son of my former superior, Minister Min, the third son of the Ministry of Personnel. He is fifteen years old this year and is studying at the Yude Academy in the capital."
The position of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is a powerful official of the fifth rank. Minister Min is shrewd and capable, and is in his prime. When the time comes, he can be transferred to a post outside the capital for one or two terms. When he returns to the capital, he will likely be promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. If he plans properly, he may even have the opportunity to become Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
"Lord Min?!" Liu was both surprised and delighted. Lord Min was the only court official who stood up for Magistrate Meng after he was impeached for illegally sheltering refugees. Even Meng had not said a word in his defense. But Lord Min, as his former superior, still stood up to defend his former subordinate. Liu would remember this kindness for the rest of her life.
It's always easier to add flowers to brocade than to provide charcoal in the snow. Lord Min was able to stand up and speak up for them when they were in their most difficult time, even though he hadn't received any benefits and might have offended Prefect Song's faction. But he still spoke up.
To be able to marry Lord Min, especially to his youngest son, who is also a scholar, is an incredible stroke of luck for Meng Liniang.
Of course, if Magistrate Meng had remained stagnant in Biyang County, Lord Min probably wouldn't have looked up to him either. As Magistrate Meng's former superior, Lord Min knew Magistrate Meng's character all too well. However, his family had first saved the Crown Prince, and Meng Guanqi had passed the imperial examination at a young age. That's why Lord Min had the idea of ​​arranging a marriage between his children. It was because he had foresight and was optimistic about Meng Guanqi's unlimited future potential.
They were all seasoned veterans of the officialdom. If you were truly hopeless, no one would help you out of nothing. It was precisely because they were optimistic about Meng Guanqi's future that Lord Min resolutely extended an olive branch, helping his son marry into a promising family so that they could support each other in the officialdom in the future.
Magistrate Meng was overjoyed when he received the letter from Lord Min a couple of days ago. He had planned to tell Liu Shi when he left the office, but it happened to be the busiest time for county affairs. He had to go out every day to inspect the progress of the project, and then deal with documents by lamplight when he returned to the backyard. By the time he got back, Liu Shi was already asleep. He would get up the next day, eat breakfast in a hurry, and leave again immediately. So he never had a chance to mention it to Liu Shi.
Now that Liu is pregnant, he has put aside his official duties and rushed back to tell her the good news.
Mrs. Liu was truly delighted.
There were only two children in the family. Although she didn't care for Meng Liniang as much as she did for Meng Guanqi, she never scolded her. Even when the family was in dire straits, she still spent a lot of money to buy Meng Liniang dowry, dressing her up beautifully to go out and socialize, hoping to find a good husband. Later, when Baoqin robbed her of all the dowry she had painstakingly bought for Meng Liniang, she only said a few words and then gritted her teeth and bought her new ones. In addition, since she was born a concubine's daughter, she would never intentionally make things difficult for Meng Liniang, who was also a concubine's daughter. Therefore, although Meng Liniang was a little timid, she was not as cowardly and timid as other concubine's daughters.
She initially thought the family's current situation was as obvious as a monk's lice. Magistrate Meng's official rank wasn't high, and he had separated his household from the old Minister Meng's. Although Meng Guanqi seemed promising, he hadn't actually passed the imperial examinations; he was just good-looking. Considering all the factors, Meng Liniang decided to find a scholar from a poor family, or perhaps the son of an official's concubine, and prepare a large dowry for her. This would help support her husband's studies, giving him a chance to improve his future. With years of hard work, he might pass the imperial examinations or become a provincial graduate, which would be a decent outcome. At least she wouldn't have to marry into a wealthy family like before, and she could still join the ranks of the "scholars."
I never expected that Lord Min would be willing to give her his youngest son in marriage. This is such a pleasant surprise.
But she couldn't help feeling uneasy: "Have you seen that child? Didn't you go to Lord Min's house for the wedding banquet? Did you notice anything?" With such good conditions, why would he be willing to marry a concubine's daughter? Could there be something wrong with the child?
Magistrate Meng said, "I do have some impression of him. He looks a lot like Lord Min. Although he was young at the time, he looked very dignified and composed. When I gave him a gift, he would accept it with a generous bow. When Lord Min was speaking, he would stand quietly to the side, without moving or interrupting."
That's enough.
Madam Liu was very satisfied: "Have you replied to Lord Min yet? If our Liniang can marry into Lord Min's family, what else could we possibly complain about?"
Magistrate Meng said, "Once the post station is built and I'm not so busy, I'll personally reply to Lord Min."
Magistrate Meng was at his busiest time. After talking with Liu for a while, he went out to continue his work. Liu was not feeling unwell and did not plan to announce her pregnancy since it was not yet three months along. So she asked Aunt Luo to come over and told her about the marriage alliance that Lord Min's family was planning to form a marriage alliance with their family.
Aunt Luo was so happy she didn't know what to do. She immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times to Liu, which startled Liu.
Because the marriage was not yet settled, but only showing signs, it could not be told to Meng Liniang. However, Aunt Luo was filled with joy but had no one to share it with, so she paced around the room anxiously. Finally, she slapped her thigh and went out through the back door to find Xiumei.
Xiumei is at home taking care of her child. She gave birth to a baby girl in August. Zhao Jian was over twenty years old when he finally had a daughter, and he adored her. Even the housekeeper Zhao would hold her when he came back from his hard work every day.
Xiumei wanted to ask someone to help take care of the child, but she felt she could manage on her own and declined. The child was still young, slept a lot and was awake a little, so she could take care of the child by herself.
She's just a little bored and hopes someone will come and talk to her every day.
Aunt Luo had nothing to do, so she often came over to help her look after the children.
Because Xiumei's family lived in the alley behind the county government office, Liu never stopped Aunt Luo from going out whenever she went to Xiumei's house, so she went straight to Xiumei's house after leaving the back door.
Xiumei, who had come from the Meng family in the capital, was worldly-wise. When she heard from Aunt Luo about the young lady's proposed marriage, she was overjoyed: "The youngest son of the physician, this is a marriage that you can't find even with a lantern!"
Aunt Luo was pleased, but she had to be reserved when she said it: "I heard that he is studying at Yude Academy in the capital. He is fifteen years old this year, but he has not yet passed the county-level examination. Our eldest son passed the provincial-level examination at the age of fifteen!"
He seemed rather disappointed.
Xiumei and Aunt Luo were very close. Although Aunt Luo was practically her mistress, she dared to scold Xiumei when she made a foolish mistake.
So when she heard Aunt Luo say this, she immediately advised, "It's fine if you say such things to me, but you must not spread them around. People who don't know the situation might think that you are dissatisfied with the marriage that the master found for the young lady."
Aunt Luo was startled and shook her head repeatedly: "No, no, I don't mind."
Xiumei said, "Our young master is a genius. He passed the county-level imperial examination at thirteen, the provincial-level imperial examination at fifteen, and might even pass the metropolitan-level imperial examination at eighteen. How many people like him are there in the entire Dawu? Young Master Min is fifteen years old this year, two years younger than our young lady. If our young lady is truly fortunate enough to marry him, she will definitely marry after she has reached the age of marriage, which will be at least two or three years later. Although Young Master Min has not yet passed the imperial examination, he might pass it next year or the year after. Even if he passes the county-level imperial examination before he is twenty, he will still be the best choice."
Realizing she had misspoke, Aunt Luo quickly said, "I know, I know. I just said it casually. I would never dare to say such a thing in front of Master and Madam."
Xiumei knew she was a little vain, but she didn't mean any harm. Her real purpose was to show off that the young lady had found a good husband, but her words were inappropriate and made people feel uncomfortable.
Xiumei comforted her, saying, "Young Master Min's father is in his prime and will surely rise higher. And Young Master Min is the legitimate son. Even if he never passes the imperial examinations, he can still live off the family and need not worry about not being able to make a living."
"Miss is gentle and kind, so she would be perfect as a daughter-in-law. She only needs to serve her parents-in-law, respect her husband, and raise her children. She doesn't need to manage the household or deal with any messy relationships. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live her own peaceful life behind closed doors?"
Xiumei sighed and said, "After the eldest son passed the imperial examination, I heard from the madam that the young lady's marriage should no longer be sought in Biyang County. However, it's hard to find a good in-law family. They would either be poor scholars who, although born of the eldest son, might be destitute and would have to rely on the young lady's dowry to support their studies, or they would be illegitimate sons of officials, like our master, who have no say in their own families and would have to live their whole lives watching the faces of their mother-in-law and their legitimate brothers. Now that the young lady can be married to the legitimate son of an official, she is truly blessed."
After being advised by Xiumei, Aunt Luo couldn't help but regret her rash decision: "If you were someone's concubine's wife, and you didn't meet a husband like our master, life wouldn't be easy."
Magistrate Meng was mild-mannered and disliked women. For many years, he had lived with his wife. However, other men's sons were not as virtuous as him. Despite being incompetent, he kept bringing concubines into his house one after another. Even so, he still found it boring and began to have designs on the maids in his house.
If Meng Liniang were to marry into such a family, how would she manage to live her life?
Fortunately, the eldest son passed the imperial examination, which improved Meng Liniang's chances of finding a good match.
Aunt Luo did more and spoke less. She immediately started embroidering Meng Liniang's dowry, and kept quiet about everything else, listening to the master and mistress's arrangements.
After the post station was completed, Magistrate Meng indeed had some free time and replied to Lord Min. A month later, the official matchmaker hired by Lord Min appeared in Biyang County, bringing the birth chart of Min Yu, the third son of Lord Min, and a portrait.
The marriage negotiations went exceptionally smoothly. Two days later, the official matchmaker returned home satisfied with Meng Liniang's birth details and portrait. Two months later, Lord Min sent his family to formally arrange the engagement. After the engagement was completed, the marriage between Meng Liniang and Min Yu was officially settled. The two families agreed on a wedding date three years later, in the autumn or winter. Meng Guanqi would personally escort his sister back to the capital for the wedding and also participate in the imperial examinations the following year.
The news of Meng Liniang's engagement and Liu's pregnancy spread throughout Biyang County at the same time, causing an uproar in the wealthy circles. Madam Zheng and Madam Li were so annoyed that they beat their chests and stamped their feet, but they had no choice but to put on a brave face and go to congratulate the Meng family on their double happiness. However, their forced smiles were really creepy, and the maids whispered among themselves for a long time after they left.
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