Chapter 105: Things in the Capital
Xu's face was full of smiles.
"The Fourth Prince is truly thoughtful. Even though he's far away in Dongling Prefecture and busy with war, he still remembered to look for small gifts to celebrate your thirteenth birthday. It's clear he truly has you in his heart."
"You know now that he said it himself?"
"That's not the case."
Pointing at the letter sent by her husband, the old mother's eyes curved with joy.
"As your father mentioned in the letter just now, the fox fur that was sent back this time was obtained by the Fourth Prince himself after spending many days in the woods during his free time.
I heard that they have been wanting to make you a pair of sleeves since the cold weather started, but they haven't been able to catch a fox, and you know how cunning and hard to catch that thing is."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wan opened the bundle. Sure enough, a snow-white fox fur stood out among the pile of knickknacks. Reaching out and gently touching the soft fur, he seemed to see that idiot Li Laosi crouching in the snowy forest.
The smile in his eyes unconsciously rose to the corners of his mouth.
"It's almost warm, how can I use it? I'll definitely have to put it away until next winter."
"Then you should keep it well. It's a kind gesture from someone after all. When you get back later, remember to express your gratitude and praise in your reply. Don't be so silly as to ignore their kindness, okay?"
Hearts warm gradually, but they also cool gradually. If you're planning to live a good life with him, you need to invest more time and energy in him. Don't neglect this friendship just because he cares about you now. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, it won't be possible to make amends later!
The most important thing in getting along with others is sincerity. It is just that you care about me more and I care about you more. With the coming and going over a long period of time, even if it is unintentional, you can still develop some face and affection.
But the only thing to be afraid of is this: if you don't pay attention to your own affairs, others will inevitably pay attention to them for you. So you must not be careless! Do you understand?
Xu taught her daughter in person how to get along with her husband and wife.
"knew."
Jiang Wan was fiddling with some small things like hairpins and wood carvings in his hands, looking at his mother with a mischievous smile on his face.
"Isn't that how you greeted my father? I watched it carefully and learned it carefully. I promise not to lose the skills of controlling a husband that you taught me."
"You naughty girl, you're asking for a beating."
"Oh, Mom, please go slower. Watch your stomach! Don't let it touch the table!"
The mother and daughter chatted for a while, and then Xu stood up with her hands on the table.
She was already five or six months pregnant, and she looked much plumper than before. Her belly wasn't that heavy, but Xu followed her eldest daughter's advice and always liked to stroll around the house.
"Prepare any return gifts quickly. I'll have someone send them over in three days."
"knew."
After stuffing the letter into the package, Jiang Wan looked outside before quietly discussing serious matters with his mother.
"Mom, my mother's death anniversary is coming soon. You're not feeling well right now, so just stay home and take care of your baby. In a couple of days, I'll take the second and third children to Kaifu Temple to perform the ritual."
"How can that be possible?"
Xu waved her hand.
"Don't worry about me. The weather is warm now. While I'm still healthy, I'll hurry up and finish the ritual for your grandparents."
Thanks to the current emperor's successful rebellion, the Xu family's stigma, which had lingered for over a decade, was finally redressed. Although the dead can never be resurrected, the living should always do their best for them.
A trace of sadness flashed across Xu's face, and her voice became much deeper.
"Your grandparents, your eldest uncle, second uncle, second aunt, your three cousins, and of course your mother. We must all pray for their salvation and light everlasting incense as an offering. We cannot let them suffer injustice in their lives and then suffer injustice after they die."
"mother."
Jiang Wan stood up and went to help her.
"You are still pregnant, so don't be sad or worried.
Not to mention whether the fourth child will be affected, even my grandparents and my uncles must be worried in the underworld, don’t you think?
Those who are gone are gone, so those of us who are still here should naturally live well and make the most of the beauty that was lost by those who are gone.
Anyway, we'll all get together down there someday, so we'll have more topics to talk about then, right?"
She had no memory of the Xu family in her mind. Ever since she could remember, it was her stepmother, her aunt, who raised her with great difficulty.
Jiang Wan admitted that she was biased. Xu was particularly important to her. Moreover, she was an elderly pregnant woman, so she had to be more reassured.
"Don't worry about me. I'm already this old, so what can't I figure out? It's just that I tend to overthink and worry a lot during pregnancy. I feel better now that I've said it."
He raised his hand to wipe his eyes and then gave instructions to his daughter.
"Please pay attention to see if there's anything missing, and ask the housekeeper to buy it right away. Don't wait until the time comes and you're in a rush, and then something goes wrong."
"Okay, I understand."
After worrying about the deceased, Xu was now concerned about the present. Thinking that her daughter's birthday was in two days, she gently patted the child's hand.
"Wanjie'er, the day you were born is the anniversary of my sister's death. That's why I haven't given you a proper birthday celebration in all these years. This year, our family will have a better time, so mother will make good arrangements."
"No need, mother."
Jiang Wan refused outright and explained the reasons to his mother very rationally.
"Twelve years old isn't a special day. Which girl hasn't reached her prime? It's not appropriate for our family to host a big banquet right now. One reason is that my father is not home, and you're pregnant. Another reason is..."
Her voice lowered even further.
"A few days ago, I went to the palace to pay my respects to the Empress, and I seemed to sense that something was not right."
"What's wrong?"
When Mrs. Xu heard her eldest daughter's words, she immediately became alert. Jiang Wan quickly comforted her.
"Don't worry, mother. It has nothing to do with our family. It's just that when I went to Fengqi Palace to pay my respects, I ran into Zhu Zhaoyi there. I heard that she was pregnant. If nothing goes wrong and she gives birth to a prince, she should be made a concubine."
"You mean Zhu Mingfu?"
"Um."
Xu frowned.
"The Zhu family has always been very ambitious, otherwise they wouldn't have given up both of their legitimate daughters. If this Zhu girl succeeds in becoming a concubine, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the Empress Dowager, right?"
"That's what I was thinking."
Jiang Wan couldn't help but sigh.
"Back when the Emperor wasn't yet the Emperor, wasn't Princess Huai always following him around and supporting his concubines and illegitimate children?
Honestly, the Emperor is a good Emperor. He treats the people well, knows how to use people wisely, and manages the officials. The stability of the world is due to the Emperor's contribution.
But…”
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