Most importantly, Zhang Lanxiang did not hide the fact that she had been harassed by Bal before. The other party did not mind, and even thought that it was a good thing that a good woman would be sought after by many families. It also showed that they had good taste, and that it was a testament to her family's goodwill that they were able to marry her.
The two met several times under the enthusiastic arrangement of the Yu family, and developed feelings for each other. Both sets of parents were very satisfied, so the wedding was set for the end of the year, and the good thing was just around the corner.
Two weeks later, news broke that Lianhua was pregnant.
This made her family extremely happy. Jiang Jiuniang immediately told her to put her business aside for now and focus on her pregnancy.
Lianhua said, "Third Aunt, it's alright. Right now, I just check on the shop every day and train some new people. I can get things done sitting down. I can rest when I'm a little more pregnant."
Lotus is a workaholic; she even went to check on the shop the day after her wedding. She certainly won't give up easily.
Her health had always been good. After Jiang Jiuniang took her pulse to make sure the fetus was stable, she belatedly murmured, "So, I'm going to be a grandmother?"
Mrs. Yu beamed from ear to ear: "That's right! Oh my, I've been looking forward to this day for so long!"
She took Lianhua's hand and immediately took off the bracelet she was wearing and put it on Lianhua. Her daughter-in-law's pregnancy was a big deal, and as the mother-in-law, she had to give her a big gift!
This bracelet is just an appetizer.
Jiang Jiuniang also sent a lot of good things over, thinking that even if she went out to fight, she would still have time to help Lianhua give birth. She liked this girl so much, and she must be by her side when she gave birth.
When the news reached the village, Old Man Lu and Madam Sun were overjoyed. Since there was nothing much to do on the village at the moment, they invited Lu Lao Er to come home together for a get-together and share in the joy.
At the family dinner, Madam Yu said somewhat embarrassedly, "Third sister-in-law, now that Lianhua is pregnant, we are also planning to move out. We can't let the whole family stay in the General's Mansion forever."
Qin and Lu Guilan nodded in agreement. They had discussed this matter privately. After all, they had separated their households long ago, but had come to live together again in the capital for the past few years due to some issues. Their third sister-in-law had not charged them for food and lodging, so it was really inappropriate for them to continue living together like this.
Although the third sister-in-law never cared about these things and felt that it was lively for the whole family to live together, they should all know in their hearts that things cannot continue like this.
Jiang Jiuniang was happily munching on a pig's trotter when she heard these words, and the pig's trotter in her hand instantly lost its appeal.
Seeing Jiang Jiuniang's state, Madam Yu hurriedly said, "We've saved up quite a bit of money over the years, enough to buy a house. We'll buy one near the General's Mansion, so it'll be convenient for visiting each other in the future."
Qin and Lu Guilan nodded again, indicating that they both thought so.
Seeing this, Madam Sun said, "That's fine. Anyway, we've already separated the family, so it's only right that we live separately. But no matter what, we're still a family connected by blood. We should help each other, work hard, be strict with ourselves, and not hold everyone back."
Old Lu nodded in agreement with what Sun had said.
Everyone thought so, and Jiang Jiuniang naturally had no objection. Anyway, everyone was in the capital, and even if they lived together, they didn't see each other every day. They usually ate in their own courtyards and only came out to eat together occasionally. It wasn't much different from living separately.
All good things must come to an end, and this applies even to close brothers.
"Alright, then let's raise a glass to everyone, wishing you all a bright future!"
Jiang Jiuniang raised her glass, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had been worried that their third sister-in-law would be unhappy, but she was as understanding as ever.
Old Man Lu and Madam Sun still live in the General's Mansion. They're used to it and too lazy to move. If they miss them, they can come to the General's Mansion for a get-together. The two old men can stay here and help look after the left-behind children, Gou'er and Xiangxiang, when Jiang Jiuniang goes to the battlefield.
After that, everyone was busy buying houses. They had to choose their own houses carefully and couldn't be careless.
When they returned to the village, only Lu Lao Er was there. Everyone thought that Lu Lao Tou and Sun Shi were too old to go back to the village and should be enjoying their grandchildren at home.
I want to live a few more years so I can see all my grandchildren's children take the imperial examinations.
It took a long time of persuasion before the two elders finally agreed. They even said they wanted to open a vegetable garden at home so that they could study the new seeds.
Once everyone has moved out and the house is empty, wouldn't it be easy to grow a vegetable garden?
Jiang Jiuniang readily agreed, and gave them two pieces, one for each person, and told no one to argue.
After they all found houses and moved out, Jiang Jiuniang had Ruozheng and Zhuzhu separated. Originally, the two of them lived in the same courtyard, but now they each had their own, which made things much more spacious.
The reason for separating was that Ruozheng had too many things to work on: medical, mechanical, and firearms-related...
Each type needs its own room, and there are occasional explosions, so it's better to separate them to prevent Zhuzhu from being harmed.
In late autumn, good news came from Lu Baichuan's side: they had successfully fought their way to the capital of Dongting.
The Eastern Emperor, fearing for his life, fled in the night and was killed. The other princes, whether they wanted to rebel or surrender, were all captured and prepared to be sent back to the capital of the Northern Yan Kingdom for punishment.
There is basically no way out.
The concubines and princesses were also sent back to Beiyan. Although their crimes did not warrant death, they were not to be expected to live a good life and would most likely be demoted to slaves.
There's no way around it; the victors are kings and the losers are villains. This is the fate of those who are restless.
What's remarkable is that Lu Baichuan's soldiers all upheld the bottom line, refraining from taking any action against the concubines and princesses in private or making things too difficult for them, thus preserving their final dignity as royal women.
When news of the fall of the Eastern Court reached Bei Yan, Princess Sheng'an, who had been sent by the Eastern Court for a marriage alliance, wept bitterly at her residence and ended her young life with a white silk ribbon.
Jiang Jiuniang rushed over as soon as she received the news, thinking that she could save the person as long as they had a breath left. However, when she arrived, the person was already stiff and had been dead for a long time before her servants spread the news.
She never thought she would have any room for maneuver, so she specifically instructed her servants to wait until her body had cooled down before reporting to the authorities.
Looking at the young woman's corpse in front of her, Jiang Jiuniang felt a mix of emotions.
She had received a bribe from the Third Prince of Dongting, and she was determined to give Princess Sheng'an a way out no matter what. Even if she couldn't live a life of luxury, she could at least live a normal life. Unexpectedly, she chose to commit suicide.
Jiang Jiuniang closed her eyes and said, "Bury him."
Princess Sheng'an loved Prince Jing, but her love was unrequited. Now that her country has been destroyed and her family has perished, she probably felt that life was meaningless, which is why she made this choice.
Princess Sheng'an's funeral was handled by servants brought from the Eastern Court. On the day the princess was sent up the mountain, several maids also drank poison and committed suicide in front of her grave.
Jiang Jiuniang was deeply moved. She had told those people before she left that she could send them to the estate to do some rough work to make a living, but not one of them survived.
War is inherently cruel.
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