Chapter 259 Not a Dream
Fortunately, Xiao An already understood some things, and he didn't mention it again after his mouth was covered. He just looked at Zhao Tingduo with a wary look.
The eldest brother went to his future sister-in-law's house to give gifts and never came back. As the man of the family, he must protect his second sister!
So wherever Song Liyun went, he would follow her with his small wooden stick, and even Abu's attempts to coax her were useless.
Zhao Tingduo felt a little embarrassed when being stared at by Xiao An's clear gaze.
This brother-in-law is not easy to deal with!
He no longer had the mood to stay in Baolinju for another night.
Anyway, it's an urgent order. If I leave at night, I can reach the Zhenbei Army camp earlier. I wonder what my brother wants to talk to me about.
Just thinking of what Jiang Feng said, my heart sank.
Song Liyun did not rest either. She first asked Yunniang to make some more dry food to take with her, and then she prepared some other things.
I put pears wrapped in cotton paper, a few bags of dried meat, and the dry biscuits made by Yunniang into the cowhide backpack, which would quench my thirst and keep me full.
Zhao Tingduo and Abu left overnight.
Song Liyun didn't have time to be as sentimental as her younger daughter. She needed to start preparing the goods for the trade fair in just a few days.
Because in Qili County, Tianxianglou once again caused an uproar because it held a "trade fair" with the support of the county government.
Every shop was asking each other what this "trade fair" meant and why only those related to food could participate.
Cloth shops, silk shops, and rouge shops also wanted to join in the fun.
The few companies that were named early on were even more nervous and didn't know what to do.
One day, the owner and cook of a small restaurant came out of Tianxianglou in a daze. He said to Guan Laoliu, who was walking beside him, "Laoliu, pinch me quickly. Am I dreaming? Did Tianxianglou really teach us how to grill skewers?"
Guan Laoliu was so excited that his face was red and veins were bulging. When he heard Fan Shao wanted to pinch him, he waved his hand and slapped him: "I think I'll wake you up!"
There was a loud "slap" and Fan Shao was spun around in a circle, his nose bleeding and his head buzzing. But he laughed and said, "Lao Liu, that slap really hurt. It seems it wasn't a dream!"
Guan Laoliu pinched his wrist and jumped on the spot: "Ouch, it hurts so much! Fan Shao, your head is really an iron spoon."
"Damn it, Guan Laoliu, you bastard, I told you to hit me and you really did it!" Fan Shao finally woke up, only to feel half of his face numb and painful. He was so angry that he started cursing at Guan Laoliu.
Guan Laoliu didn't care about being scolded by Fan Shao, the middle-aged man ran happily on the street with a grin!
Following the two chefs were other people who came out. They had no joy on their faces. Their brows were furrowed, as if they had encountered a huge problem.
Jinxilou's business is still good, but the quality of the customers is obviously downgraded.
Many of them were drunkards wearing coarse jackets and linen clothes. A few of them pooled their money to eat some cheap dishes and drink a cup of half-price wine. They occupied a table for a long time and did not move, which made the waiters at Jinxilou so anxious that they wanted to kick them out.
But these people are just idlers who usually stroll around the streets. They have long legs, weak waists, and foul mouths. Jin Xilou doesn't want to mess with them.
The same was true for Zuichunlou and Heji Rice Shop. There was even a group of little beggars waiting at the door for leftovers.
Can't chase or beat!
Hecheng Garrison!
Zhao Tingduo had just finished her meal and was sitting in the spacious and bright flower hall drinking tea.
Several maids quietly brought tea, soup and cakes, and then stood by.
But his eyes were glancing at the third young master who was sitting in the hall.
They were all new and had not met Zhao Tingduo yet. Seeing that he was handsome and close to the mistress, they thought he must be a relative from the mansion who came to visit, and maybe they could serve him closely.
Zhao Tingduo frowned slightly. He was used to this kind of look and felt a little annoyed.
Fortunately, not long after, an old woman in an indigo gown came over with a smile: "Third Young Master, our master is back. Please go to the study in the front yard."
Zhao Tingduo knew that his elder brother had returned home, so he stood up and followed the nanny to the front yard.
In the study, Zhao Tinglei had changed into casual clothes and was sitting at the desk, holding a stack of papers in his hand, lost in thought.
"Brother!" Zhao Tingduo walked into the room and spoke.
Zhao Tinglei finally came back to his senses. He saw his third brother and his eyes suddenly lit up: "Third brother, you've grown stronger again. Come, no need to bow, come and talk to big brother!"
Zhao Tingduo sat down on the cushion in front of him: "Brother asked someone to bring me a letter, but what's the urgent matter?"
"Hey! You still have this impatient temper. It's been almost a year since we last met, and you're talking about this as soon as we meet.
"When did you arrive in Hecheng today? Have you seen your sister-in-law? Have you eaten yet? Is your mother in good health?"
At this time, Zhao Tinglei was no longer the cold general in the military camp, but a brother who cared deeply for his younger brother, asking about his well-being and talking about family matters.
Zhao Tingduo smiled innocently, no longer asking why he was called, and joined in chatting.
"I arrived this afternoon and have already met my sister-in-law and my nephews and nieces. My sister-in-law told me that my brother is planning to send Ling Huan and Ling Yue back to Beijing and only leave Hong Jie behind?"
My eldest brother Zhao Tinglei is a captain of the Zhenbei Army and is now also the garrison commander of Hecheng. He has been in Yunzhou for more than ten years, married and had children. He now has legitimate sons and daughters, as well as illegitimate sons and daughters.
Ling Huan and Ling Yue are legitimate daughters and sons, and Hongjie, the one left behind, is a concubine's son. He is now thirteen years old and is being taken by his eldest brother to learn archery and horse riding.
When Zhao Tinglei mentioned his children, the smile on his face gradually faded: "The prince has asked my father to dispatch troops to garrison Weicheng. I will stay in Hecheng. My mother is old, so I want your sister-in-law to take the children back to the capital to fulfill her filial duty."
Zhao Tingduo didn't seem to understand what Zhao Tinglei meant.
He recalled seeing his sister-in-law He, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying, and his brows furrowed. "Don't my second brother and sister-in-law stay with me at the Marquis' Mansion in Beijing? Why do you want my sister-in-law to go back again, and bring the children with her?"
It's such a huge mansion, what can my sister-in-law do? If you need people to serve tea and water, just buy a few more slaves and servants."
The legal mother that Zhao Tinglei mentioned was not the mother of the two brothers, but the mother of his second brother, the prince of Zhenbei. It didn't make sense to ask the eldest daughter-in-law who had not been around for a long time to return to Beijing to fulfill her filial duties.
Zhao Tinglei waved his hand, obviously not wanting to continue discussing this issue.
Serving the mother-in-law is a daughter-in-law's filial duty. I haven't been able to serve her closely over the years, which is against the natural order.
Besides, after his wife left, there were still three concubines in the backyard of the garrison.
But Zhao Tingduo still insisted on this question, gnashing her teeth: "Now that my sister-in-law is gone, our family is no longer a family, and we are separated from each other."
The Di people did not have concubines, and there was no reason to forcibly separate couples.
Although he knew that wives and concubines had different statuses in the Wu Dynasty, Zhao Tingduo still did not understand or accept it.
Zhao Tinglei looked at his innocent third brother, who seemed to be naive about worldly affairs, and sighed, "You really don't understand? It wasn't Mother who wanted your sister-in-law to return to the capital. It was the Crown Prince and Father who wanted it."
"Why does the prince want to separate you and your spouse?"
(End of this chapter)
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