There was silence in Yayuan and the main house, with the gauze curtains hanging low.
Lying on the bed was a young woman in her thirties, with dark eyebrows and skin as white as snow. Perhaps because of childbirth, her skin was white and somewhat transparent, and her lips were only slightly redder than her face.
In that era, thirty was considered an advanced maternal age. Now that both mother and child were safe, and they were twins, a boy and a girl, the entire Yayuan was a celebration. The eldest wife's maids and servants were even more elated. The mistress was truly blessed to have been married to her son-in-law for fifteen years, enjoying a harmonious marriage. From the moment she entered the house, she took charge of the household chores. Her mother-in-law was gentle and accommodating, and while the sisters-in-law occasionally had disagreements, they were dedicated and supportive when matters arose. The Xiao family had a clean and upright family tradition, and the harem was peaceful and tranquil.
It was for this reason that Minister Tong agreed to let his youngest daughter marry him.
In the corridor, the maids were either busy or standing still. Nanny Zhang could hear footsteps approaching from afar at the door.
"Greetings, Second Young Master and Third Young Master." Everyone saluted in unison.
"How is my mother?"
"Where's your sister?"
They both asked at the same time.
"Oh, let me answer which one first!" Nanny Zhang is Tong's wet nurse. She sees the two young masters every day and is much closer to them than others.
The head maid Qiao Yue lifted the curtain and chuckled, "It's true that mother and son are connected by heart. Please come in, two young masters. I'll go and pick up the fifth young master and the eldest young lady. Madam wants to see them!"
Go and see your sister, Qiaoyue, you are a considerate and good maid. Go quickly, go quickly.
When the little baby was swaddled and placed on the bed, the whole family was there: an excited pair of parents and a pair of excited brothers, heads touching.
The baby in the blue auspicious cloud brocade quilt has dark hair, red skin, slightly swollen eyes, and his little mouth moves from time to time. His little hands and feet move around in the quilt. The child in the red twined branches brocade quilt is smaller, with a slight frown on his face, lying there quietly.
After greeting their mother and visiting the twins, the two brothers left reluctantly.
"Yu'er, thank you for your hard work." Thank you for giving birth to my children; thank you for your hard work in running the household for me.
Tong Mingyu looked back with affection and said, "Husband, I also want to thank you for treating me the same way for more than ten years; thank you for giving me a comfortable and warm home."
"Yu'er, father is going to name our daughter himself!" Xiao Jingkang helped his wife lie down and tucked in the corner of the quilt. It was the first time he saw his father's expression at that time.
Tong Mingyu was not surprised, but the difference in treatment between grandson and granddaughter was a bit too big. Those who knew you liked your granddaughter, but those who didn't know would think that your grandson was adopted.
"Actually, I have an aunt..." Xiao Jingkang sat by the bed and said slowly, "Back then, my father and my aunt depended on each other for survival. But it was not easy for a child with nothing to survive. Later, my aunt sold herself to a wealthy family as a maid, just to let my father survive. But who knew that my aunt was bullied there? By the time my father got the news, my aunt was already dying.
My father desperately tried to rescue the man, but he was outnumbered and was caught. My aunt threatened to commit suicide, so one of them was beaten and thrown out; the other died soon after.
"Later, my father joined the army?" Tong Mingyu sighed.
"Yes, that's why father is like this today..." After all, my father can hardly read, and he was afraid that his wife might have some thoughts, so he explained the whole story.
Tong Mingyu didn't reply to him. Instead, she stroked her daughter's face with her fingertips and said softly, "Daughter, you are blessed. Grandfather will give you a name himself."
Can I refuse? Can I? The little person on the bed was speechless. She had never expected to come to another world, let alone become a tiny baby.
The last scene in my mind was on the company rooftop, with my parents urging me to get married and the company strife... I was upset. I wished I could leave here, so...
I’m so sleepy. Never mind. I’ll just make the best of it and deal with tomorrow’s affairs tomorrow.
Different from the joyful atmosphere of Yayuan is Qingyuan at this moment.
The Xiao family originally had a three-courtyard house. After it was named the General's Mansion, the Emperor allocated the adjacent courtyard to General Xiao. The old lady felt that it was not enough and expanded it again. If it were not for her sons' constant dissuasion, she might have built a house with more than ten courtyards.
If Yayuan is elegant and grand, with lush trees, then Qingyuan is exquisite and unique, with carved railings and jade bricks.
The sunlight casts light and shadows through the gaps between the pond, pavilions, rockery and strange rocks, making the scenery even more magnificent.
Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful the scenery is, it cannot arouse the slightest interest of the people in front of it.
In the corridor, a beautiful young woman in a rose-red long dress was standing with one hand on the maid's arm and the other holding her belly, which looked to be seven or eight months pregnant. Behind her was a dozen maids and old women.
"My lady, please stop and rest for a while. Even if you are not tired, the young master is tired too!" Seeing that no one spoke, Madam Liu had to speak up. The master was too willful and she couldn't afford to hurt him!
"I, I can't sit still. My chest feels stuffy." The young woman paused and walked on again.
How could I not feel chest tightness? Two pregnant women, one has already given birth to a girl, so wouldn't the other have to marry a merchant girl? What about the grandson of the general's mansion? Which family would be willing to do that? If other families dared to argue a little, the Xiao family couldn't, because the old lady was from an imperial merchant family. Do you dare to object? The Fang family and the old lady have a deep connection, and they saved the Xiao family. They only made this request, so they had to agree no matter what.
The second wife's maiden name was Li Jiaoying, and she was the eldest daughter of Li Yuan, the Minister of Personnel.
The Xiao family's daughters-in-law are interesting in their choices. The eldest son married the youngest daughter, but she is smart and capable, good at managing subordinates, and everyone praises her for managing the Xiao Mansion. The second son married the eldest daughter, but she was spoiled and ignorant of family matters. Apart from her clothes, husband, and son, she would just send her off with a simple "go ask the eldest sister-in-law" for other matters. The third daughter-in-law is from a military family and her name is Yuan Yutong. Her husband was won after several competitions. She does not care about any matters in the backyard. She has been in office with her husband for many years, and the number of times he came home can be counted on one hand. The youngest, Lao Laizi, is nineteen years old and has not yet married.
"I guess you'll be here. How long have you been gone?" Xiao Jingtai looked at his wife and shook his head helplessly.
The man who came was Xiao Jingtai, the second master of the Xiao family. He had broad shoulders and a big body, and was as tall as a pine tree. He had a dignified appearance and the demeanor of a typical military general. He now served as the deputy commander-in-chief.
"I can't sit still in the house. What will happen to Alang if I give birth to a son?" Li Jiaoying was so anxious that she was about to cry.
"I'm responsible for everything. If someone didn't know, they would think you were unhappy because your sister-in-law gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl."
"Ah, no, no, I'm happy. I've even seen it! The child is a little small, but mother said that he just needs to be taken care of. I asked Aunt Liu to find a lot of medicinal herbs and send them over, including ginseng, deer antlers..." Li Jiaoying counted on her fingers.
Seeing that he had successfully changed the subject, Xiao Jingtai glanced at the servant, came over to support his wife, and walked towards the room.
It was time to talk to his father. The Xiao family wasn't ungrateful, but the situation was too strange. An unarmed businessman saving an official's family with guards—perhaps only his mother would believe such a thing. He'd investigated Fang Yufu, and he knew he was an opportunist, a sycophant. Once he got caught up in it, it wouldn't be easy to escape.
They say that if the older generation can achieve harmonious harmony, the younger generation must surely surpass their predecessors. But how could it be compared? When General Xiao returned from the battlefield, he was already 27 years old and had just established himself. It was not easy for him to marry a woman of equal status. The truly prominent families disdained him, the civil officials disliked him, and the military commanders rejected him. He was forced to marry the daughter of the Qin family, a family of imperial merchants for generations.
In the current Xiao family, General Xiao holds the rank of Second Rank, and his children and grandchildren are in their prime. How could they marry into a merchant family with such poor moral character?
Xiao Jingtai decided to have a good talk with his father and elder brother.
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