Hearing about red dates and peanuts, and considering Xiao Yao's current age, Xiao Jingtai and his brothers finally understood what was going on. No wonder their mother and the others were hesitant; these things were difficult to talk about with men. Xiao Lang and Xiao Yi, hinted by their wives, also understood. The two young men couldn't stay any longer, so they grabbed Xiao Jun's arm and dragged him out.
The courtyard was filled with Xiao Jun's pleading, threats, and even roars. It took a while for the silence to return. Qin Shi also wanted to leave, but after a quick survey, she realized there was no one more qualified to enter her granddaughter's bedroom and take her husband away. Thinking of that troublesome, stubborn old man, Qin Shi felt like her feet were filled with lead. She had no strength, and most importantly, no courage, to even enter her granddaughter's bedroom.
Qin took slow, heavy steps to her granddaughter's bedside. Before she could say anything, she was harshly criticized by the old marquis: "With so many adults watching over you, you still let Ping'an become like this? When you pray to the Buddha every day, you only think about asking the Buddha to bless the fourth child, right? And the eldest daughter-in-law, are you really that busy at home? You were more active than anyone else when punishing Ping'an, but now that the child is so sick, why are you not anxious anymore?"
Qin was choked and couldn't say a word. Xiao Jingkang patted his wife's hand to show his comfort. Listen! This matter will not be over until he lets the old man vent.
"Grandfather, please come here." Xiao Yao smiled apologetically at Qin. She planned to tell her grandfather the truth so that the whole family would not be named later.
"Let me tell you!" Qin originally wanted to call her husband back to Ninghe Hall to tell him the truth, but he didn't even give anyone else a chance to speak! He was so mean-spirited that he even had the nerve to lecture her?
The old marquis listened to his wife's whispers. His face was filled with impatience at first, then turned to surprise. Then, his eyes flicked back and forth over Xiao Yao. Xiao Fu and Xiao Hui, standing nearby, lowered their heads shyly. Xiao Yao, however, calmly met her grandfather's scrutiny, finally nodding with a smile at the old couple.
"Well, um... Grandfather will go back first. Let your mother stay with you tonight. If she is too busy, let your second aunt stay tomorrow, and your third aunt will take over the day after tomorrow. Anyway, there must be people in this house, remember?" The old marquis raised his voice and spoke deliberately for the people outside to hear.
"I'll remember that." Who dared to say no? All the women responded in unison, fearing they would be scolded again if they were a little late.
"It's okay as long as my master is here. I'm not a child anymore, so you can rest assured!" Xiao Yao shook her grandfather's arm and acted coquettishly.
"How can you not be a child anymore? Even if you are twenty or thirty, you are still a child in your grandfather's eyes. How can time pass so quickly? In the blink of an eye... Oh! I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore." The old marquis became more and more depressed as he thought about it, so he simply ended the topic himself.
"That's right, that's right. If I still act like a spoiled child in front of you when I'm thirty, please don't laugh at me then." Xiao Yao almost cried. If you ask her what she fears most right now, the first thing that comes to mind is the old man. She's afraid that the old man will get sick, that he'll have wild thoughts, and even more afraid...
After much difficulty, the old marquis was persuaded to leave. Xiao Yao originally wanted to persuade her mother to return to Yayuan, but Tong Mingyu had asked the maid to tidy up the side room early. It seemed that she had to stay today.
"Bring the menstrual belt you made here so I can see it." Xiao Yao frowned as she held up a menstrual belt that was the latest product of the maids. Silk was not as comfortable and absorbent as fine cotton. It was even embroidered with flowers. How could she wear it in front of others?
"Do as I tell you. Choose some plain, fine cotton cloth, without any embroidery. Wash and dry some cotton, set aside..." Xiao Yao combined modern sanitary napkins with traditional ancient patterns to design a brand-new menstrual belt. Amidst the astonishment of Tong Mingyu and the others, she calmly instructed the maids to begin making it, repeatedly instructing them to rinse the cotton cloth and cotton several times and to wash their hands thoroughly.
"You...how do you know...all this?" Tong Mingyu had no idea how her daughter came up with these ideas.
"Let me show you something." Xiao Yao drove all the maids out, lowered the bed curtains, unbuttoned her shirt and let Tong Mingyu see the breast bra she made herself.
"There's a pair of shorts underneath, do you still want to look?" Xiao Yao fastened her clothes, raised her hand to hang the curtain, and looked at her mother who was staring at her, not knowing what she was thinking.
"What's wrong with you?" Xiao Yao stretched out her hand and waved it in front of Tong Mingyu's eyes. Was she really that surprised? If she wore a bikini, would she be shocked to death?
It wasn't just Xiao Yao's homemade new undergarment that shocked Tong Mingyu. After all, it was just something she wore underneath, so her mischief didn't matter. It was her daughter's snow-white, delicate skin that truly astonished her. She had never seen anyone with skin as fine as her daughter's. It was like the finest silk, like the finest porcelain.
How could I bear to marry her off to a guard? The treasure I had carefully cared for for over a decade should be matched with someone of the highest character and caliber. No, I couldn't agree to marry my daughter off casually.
"Lie down, and let Xiaohui change the hot water bottle. Don't catch a cold at this time." Tong Mingyu asked gently, as if afraid to scare her daughter.
"You want me to cuddle with a hot water bottle in the middle of summer? If you don't know, you'd think my daughter has some strange disease." Xiao Yao pouted, wanting to refuse. Tong Mingyu steeled her heart and shook her head. She couldn't let her temper get the better of her at this moment.
After lying down all night and being ordered to stay in the room for a whole day, Xiao Yao felt that all her muscles were stiff.
"I should be able to go out for a walk tomorrow!" Xiao Yao helped her sister choose clothes and jewelry to wear for the party the next day. She also exchanged opinions with Qianyu about the style of the bun. She did not show any regret or discomfort.
"Come to think of it, this is the first time that the palace has held such a grand banquet. It's a pity that Ping An can't go." Yuan Yutong also liked to take Xiao Yao out to attend banquets, and the rate of people turning around to look at her was really enviable and jealous.
It's not a pity at all. What you see is just those young ladies pretending to be obedient in front of others. In places where you can't see, some people's eyes are like poison. Except for Yun Ruonan, Yuan Jing and Yuan Ying, no one is willing to pay attention to themselves, and no one else is willing to approach themselves.
Xiao Yao would rather be sick and stay at home than go to that kind of place.
"Prince Jing is not young anymore. Perhaps the princess wants to use this banquet to choose a princess who is well-matched for him. Otherwise, why would she invite all the young ladies?" Li Jiaoying guessed. The prince must be almost twenty years old! Now all the officials and their families in Kyoto are eyeing the position of princess!
"My cousin was originally looking forward to Achen getting married. Strangely, I haven't heard her mention it since Achen returned to Beijing. Whenever we ask about this topic, she always says that it's not the right time yet. I don't know what she means."
Yuan Yutong couldn't fathom what her cousin was thinking, and she didn't think she had much say in her nephew's marriage. The marriages of royal children had to be consulted with the Emperor and the Queen Mother. Even Prince Jing reluctantly married a concubine named Han. Ordinary people had to obey their parents' orders, too! And this was especially true for the Yunshi royal family, who ruled the country with filial piety.
Yes! How could he have forgotten Queen Mother Han? With her in the spotlight, anyone who tried to stop a Han girl from entering the palace would have a bad ending. Prince Jing was so protective of his wife, yet the princess endured injustice for over a decade! She's still barred from the palace, and even the title of Princess is ignored. The Queen Mother could issue an imperial decree to confer the title of Princess on Concubine Han's two daughters, yet she hasn't seen her granddaughter, Yun Ruonan, for years.
The problem that Tong Mingyu had been struggling with all night was easily solved by Yuan Yutong. Given her daughter's personality, marrying into a royal family wasn't really appropriate. Should she listen to her husband's advice and marry her off to an ordinary person? She felt so reluctant. What should she do? What should she do? She was racked by a headache because of her daughter.
"Don't forget to bring the gift for the princess for me. I'll make some sweet soup for you at home." Xiao Yao said with a smile.
"Ping'an's craftsmanship is really good, and the style of the screen is also unique. I want to find someone to embroider one according to that pattern. I hope the princess won't be unhappy!" Li Jiaoying didn't dare to ask her niece to help embroider the screen. If the old man knew that someone in the family was finding a job for his beloved granddaughter, he would definitely tear down the gate of Qingyuan!
"I know Second Aunt and Third Aunt will like it. The screen cannot be embroidered in a short time, so I embroidered two table screens for you. Although they are a little smaller, they look no worse than the one given to the princess." She would have to devote the next year or so to Yun Yichen's Crown Princess, and she really had no time to serve her aunts.
However, Xiao Yao still plans to embroider a portrait for each of her mother, father, and grandfather in the next few years to express her feelings and thank them for their dedication to her over the years.
If she married at eighteen, she could still live at home for five years. Excluding the year spent embroidering a dress for Yun Yichen, that was plenty of time. After pondering this, Xiao Yao thought of the mysterious Crown Prince's Consort. The only thing she regretted about not being able to go to the palace was that she couldn't ask Yun Ruonan about her future sister-in-law. There was still a long way to go, and she would always have the chance to ask.
After all the female elders in the family had gone to the banquet, Xiao Yao officially began to prepare to embroider the dress. The style had been chosen long ago. When she was about to start embroidering, Xiao Yao couldn't help but secretly scold Yun Yichen.
Why can't I take a look at your wife? Can I show her to you and she ran away, or can I show her with makeup on? How can I cut her without seeing her in person? Never mind, didn't he say she was taller and fatter than me? Then I'll do as he says. I've never been so entangled when making clothes for myself. Yun Yichen is simply a troublemaker.
"A-choo! A-choo!" Yun Yichen, who was in the palace, kept sneezing, which made Prince Jing and his wife, as well as Yun Ruonan, laugh. How many peach blossoms have come to the house today! It seems that being missed by others is also a tough job. It can't be hurt!
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