The General's Wife
After helping Shen Jin change her last piece of clothing, Nanny Zhao said, "Madam, I have something to say but I don't know if I should say it or not."
"Madam, please speak." Shen Jin looked at Madam Zhao and said.
Madam Zhao thought for a moment before saying, "I did hear some of Madam's words outside just now. I know that Madam is only thinking about the general, so she wanted to write a letter to the capital to ask for some things to alleviate the situation in the border town."
Shen Jin bit his lower lip and asked in a low voice, "Did I do something wrong?"
"Madam has good intentions." Nanny Zhao had served Shen Jin for some time and understood that she had a simple mind and really had no other intentions. "But if others hear it, they might think that Madam cannot endure hardship or that she dislikes the General's Mansion..." She didn't finish her words, but her meaning was very clear.
Shen Jin's face turned pale, and his eyes turned red with anxiety, "That's not what I meant."
"I know," Nanny Zhao comforted, "Madam, just be more careful in the future." She was reminding Shen Jin of these things out of genuine concern for him.
Shen Jin also understood and nodded, "I understand."
"Madam, you'd better explain it to the general." Madam Zhao said in a low voice, "No matter what others think, as long as the general understands Madam's intentions, that's the most important thing."
"Okay." Shen Jin was not an ungrateful person. She understood Zhao Ma's good intentions. She didn't say anything, but she remembered Zhao Ma's care for her and would wait for the opportunity to repay her in the future.
Nanny Zhao got some water and helped Shen Jin clean up. When she saw that there was nothing abnormal, she helped Shen Jin out.
Because Chu Xiuming was sitting in the yard without moving, the food was placed directly on the stone table, but because Shen Jin did not come out, the food was not opened.
Seeing Shen Jin and Nanny Zhao come out at this time, the maid lifted the lid and put everything in order. Chu Xiuming did not ask anyone to stay and serve, but asked them to leave after everything was put in place.
Shen Jin also got to eat the steamed cake he had been craving for. It was just as Aunt Zhao said, with red dates, walnut kernels and raisins in it, and it had a milky flavor and tasted very good. The millet and red date porridge was also cooked soft and glutinous, and the side dishes were particularly delicious. Although Shen Jin was worried, when he ate what he liked, his brows relaxed and he never put down his chopsticks.
Although Chu Xiuming didn't like sweets, he even ate an extra bowl of porridge than usual because he saw Shen Jin eating so happily or because the food she cooked today was so good. After they finished eating, the maids outside came to clean up. Shen Jin then remembered what Zhao Mama had reminded her. She bit her lip and secretly glanced at Chu Xiuming. Seeing that he looked fine and in a good mood, she said, "My husband, I asked mother and the others to send the things because I was greedy. I didn't mean anything else. Don't think too much about it... If, if you don't like it, I don't want those things. But the tonics... We can't get them all here in the border town for the time being, and I don't know when His Majesty will give them to us..."
Shen Jin explained incoherently, with an uneasy look on her face. Chu Xiuming was stunned for a moment, then he felt helpless and amused. When Shen Jin didn't know what to say anymore, he flicked her forehead with his finger and said, "Don't worry, your husband is not that petty. Just ask for whatever you want. I'm so happy to have a wife who is so kind to me. How could I be angry?"
"Really?" Shen Jin's eyes lit up and he looked at Chu Xiuming expectantly.
Chu Xiuming flicked her forehead again and said, "Don't question your husband's words."
Shen Jin then realized it belatedly and covered his forehead, wrinkled his nose and said, "It will hurt... Don't play it."
"Who told you to think so much?" Although Chu Xiuming said this, he knew that he didn't use enough force just now, so he reached out and took Shen Jin's hand and rubbed her, "Okay, go write the letter, remember the ham you mentioned, don't forget the dried shrimp and the like."
"Okay." Shen Jin smiled with eyes curved and looked particularly adorable. She stood up and said, "Mammy, let's go back."
"I want to talk to Madam Zhao about something." Chu Xiuming said.
Shen Jin frowned and looked at Aunt Zhao, who smiled and said, "Madam, please go back first. I will go and serve you in a moment."
In fact, Shen Jin was not afraid that no one would serve her, she was just a little worried. So she nodded when she heard this and left.
Seeing Shen Jin's look, Chu Xiuming didn't say anything. After Shen Jin left, he looked at Madam Zhao and said, "Madam, I asked you to stay with Madam to take good care of her."
Nanny Zhao immediately understood what Chu Xiuming meant. She guessed that she had mentioned writing a letter to his wife when he returned just now.
"I think it's fine for Madam the way she is now. Madam, just take good care of her and don't let her get bullied." Chu Xiuming suggested.
"I understand." At this point, what else did Aunt Zhao not understand? The general liked the way Madam was now, so there was no need to instruct Madam too much. She just needed to make sure that no one bullied her. Madam bullied others? It didn't matter. The general was backing her up. She could be bullied as long as she was happy.
Nanny Zhao didn't know what to say. Is the general raising a wife or a daughter?
"Madam is so sensible that it makes people feel distressed." Nanny Zhao said, trying to guess the general's thoughts.
Chu Xiuming nodded in agreement, "Just be sensible. Do you think Madam has anything she likes?"
Zhao Ma Ma lowered her head. Sure enough, this was what the general was thinking. Well, just think of it as raising a daughter. Anyway, the general liked this tone. "I see that Madam likes animals very much. I heard from Anping that Madam raised a few rabbits. Later, because of the war...she gave the rabbits to the wounded to replenish their bodies."
Chu Xiuming responded, stood up and said, "I understand." He paused, as if he was talking to Zhao Mama or talking to himself, "After all, this is what the Chu family owes her. We don't know what the future will be like. If she wins, it will be great. If she loses... let her live a more comfortable life."
Looking at Chu Xiuming's back, Zhao Ma sighed and said nothing, but she understood what the general meant. After thinking for a while, she went to the kitchen to get a bowl of washed red dates, and then entered the house. Unexpectedly, Shen Jin was not in the study writing letters, but sitting in the house. When he saw her, he said in a tender voice, "Ma, please help me find the paper with plum blossoms sprinkled with gold, I can't find it."
This silly lady, Madam Zhao knew that Shen Jin had been waiting here because he was worried about her, but the excuse he made was so crude that she didn't have the heart to expose it. She just said, "Then I will help you find it. Madam, eat some red dates first."
"Okay." Shen Jin agreed and walked towards the study. "Mother is an elegant person, so I need to use plum blossom sprinkled gold paper to write. Where is the bookmark I made with dried flowers some time ago? Find it and put it in a brocade box and give it to mother as a gift."
Madam Zhao thought the gift was too meagre and said, "Why not add some jewelry? Although it's not as exquisite as the ones in the capital, it's also interesting."
Shen Jin thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll go pick a few things as gifts for mother and the others later. Mother likes simple and elegant things the most, but my eldest sister likes coral, so I'll add a few coral things to the gift for mother, and I won't give them to the sisters."
"In fact, the general has been fighting for many years, and he has many rare treasures." Nanny Zhao listened to Shen Jin's words and advised tactfully. She understood what Shen Jin meant, and the gift for the eldest sister was kept with the mother.
Shen Jin smiled and said, "Madam, I know what's going on."
Nanny Zhao thought of Chu Xiuming's words and stopped trying to persuade him. "What about Prince Rui?"
"I remember that my husband killed several barbarian leaders. Didn't they all have swords? Just pick one with more gems and give it to him." Shen Jin said with a smile, "Father will definitely like it."
Nanny Zhao agreed with that. All men admire martial arts. This was a trophy from the enemy, so it was appropriate to give it to Prince Rui. However, she was a little skeptical. Could it be that the lady chose this thing because the knife was a trophy and not something that needed to be bought with money?
"Pick another one and give it to His Majesty." Shen Jin said.
Madam Zhao spread out the plum blossom gold-sprinkled paper on the upper right corner of the desk and said, "Madam is really thoughtful."
Shen Jin smiled with a little pride, and said, "Anyway, those things not only take up space in the warehouse, but also require time and effort to maintain. It's not cost-effective to keep them. It's better to send them to the capital and exchange them for some practical ones."
Although Nanny Zhao guessed Shen Jin's thoughts, she was not proud at all. Shen Jin continued, "My brother complained a few days ago that my husband took these things back again. It's a pity to throw them away. No one wants them anymore. But I don't think it's anyone else's fault. It's also because my husband is too good at fighting and doesn't know how to live. If it were up to me, I would just give him a handful during festivals and birthday celebrations."
Madam, do you think His Majesty would want something that no one wants?
"In addition to swords, I heard that there are also things like axes and halberds. Giving a few every year and adding some other things will be enough." Shen Jin is very good at calculating such things. There are many interpersonal relationships in Prince Rui's Mansion. However, Concubine Chen and Shen Jin are not like Concubine Xu, who would receive rewards from the prince at any time. Moreover, Concubine Chen's family background can only be said to be average.
No matter whether she was going out to meet guests or entertaining guests at home, she had to pack her clothes and not wear them twice, otherwise she would be laughed at if it got out. At that time, Shen Jin had not yet been taken care of by Princess Rui, and her things were just the allowance of the palace. These allowances were already considered luxuries for ordinary families, but in an environment like the Rui Palace, how could they be enough.
When Shen Jin was older, Concubine Chen saved her share for Shen Jin, which was just enough for Shen Jin to use. She couldn't spend it as frequently as Shen Zi and the others. Concubine Chen often refashioned or modified her old jewelry, and the same went for clothes.
Shen Jin saw all of this and felt especially sorry for Concubine Chen, but neither of them could do anything about it. When giving gifts or returning gifts to others, one had to be very careful with the money. Some things were just passed around before being given away, but there was a skill to this. The person to whom the gift was given could not be related to the original giver, otherwise it would be bad if it was displayed and seen by others.
Madam Zhao listened to Shen Jin chattering about the past while she was writing a letter. Shen Jin's tone did not contain a trace of complaint or discomfort, but rather a little pride. "That time I removed the gemstones from the bracelet, then melted the gold again and had someone make a hairpin. They didn't notice it and even praised my hairpin for being beautiful. So, some of the things that are not used in the mansion can be given away in a different way..."
Shen Jin's voice was soft and sticky, and she didn't need to be deliberate, just like she was acting like a spoiled child. As she spoke, Aunt Zhao felt as if she saw a little squirrel constantly moving things home and hiding them. Behind the little squirrel, a lion sitting on a treasure mountain would occasionally shake its tail, throw out a gem, and then wait for the little squirrel to bring it back, then throw it out again, and bring it back again...
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