Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

"Ma'am, these are the glutinous rice balls from over there. I'll ask the kitchen to put them away first, and wait for the eldest girl to eat." Mint arranged the things outside, and came in to serve Zili to rest.Zili suddenly remembered something and asked, "What snacks did sister-in-law Jing bring?"

"They were all eaten at the banquet, such as sweet-scented osmanthus cakes, dumplings stuffed with sour plums, all kinds of noodles, and glutinous rice balls. I asked someone to put them away. Since my wife said that their food is delicious, I will save it for tomorrow. Eat slowly." Mint Ban pointed at the things Lan's sent.

"It's not easy to digest, and the taste is heavy. It's not suitable for children to eat. You ask the kitchen to cook some delicate dishes and send them over. We don't want to eat other people's food for free. By the way, put the glutinous rice balls first, and others will eat them." If you ask, just say I want to see what kind of stuffing is inside. It tastes good." Zili remembered something and stopped Mint.

"You went over there for a drink today. How was the show?" Jia Zheng could no longer stay at home as a retired veteran cadre, so he came back at this time.Zili looked at Jia Zheng's face as usual: "You are going to see the examiner. Mr. Zheng is a square person. My words are not bad." He refused to accept the few items of the Four Treasures of the Study. It seems that it is really the same as in the legend, and he refuses to accept the slightest gift for filial piety. Instead, I made a fool of myself in front of him."

"Don't feel boring about this. Mr. Zheng is the number one scholar in Lianzhong Sanyuan. He was well-known in Jiangzuo back then, and he came from a scholarly family. How can we compare with him? He is really pure and noble if he doesn't accept gifts. I am trying to gain fame. I was just about to ask you, what is the contribution of brother Jing to become the imperial censor of Qiandu? Although he was born as a Jinshi, he has always served in the Ministry of War." Zili thinks about it today. The Ning Mansion has said everything they have seen and heard.

"Although it's not a big deal for a family like us to raise a troupe of small opera troupes, but his troupe sings all of Fengyue operas. I'm not a hypocrite, such things are really blatant. Fortunately, I didn't bring Yuan Chun over to watch them. The old lady didn't like it very much, she only sang one song and then changed to something else. By the way, what happened to Zhen'er's daughter-in-law? He got married at the beginning, and when Rong'er was born, we were all outside, and we didn't know what was going on inside. Seeing Ronger today is a poor child. He looks good and smart, but he doesn’t have his mother’s love.” Zili and Jia Zheng were lying on the bed, looking at the top of the tent and gossiping.

"I don't know anything about Zhen'er. I just heard from people in the clan that Zhen'er's daughter-in-law is an excellent person, with a gentle temper and a good-looking talent. She is the apple of the eye in her natal family. Her parents had three sons before they got a daughter. The dowry is very generous when they get married, and they also married a few maids. After they got married, they were also harmonious and beautiful. Later, they became pregnant, but the result was——I heard that Zhen’s daughter-in-law was gone. When she went to her mother's house, her parents couldn't take it anymore and fell ill, and they lost all their energy in three consecutive months. It's really sad! I heard that the funeral was very grand, and the girls who were married were martyred. You're crazy." Jia Zheng and Zili were gossiping about Ningguo Mansion.

Dead dead, crazy crazy!Zili sat up violently: "I met a girl over there today, she is crazy, what she said makes people dare not think about it."

It must be that crazy girl, it's all other people's business so why worry about it.Jia Zheng pulled Zili to lie down, and pulled the cup over to cover the two of them.

When she woke up the next morning, Zili had already forgotten what happened in Ning Mansion yesterday, and when she came back from Jiamu's visit, Mint said, "Prince Wang is here to check your wife's pulse." Zili hurriedly called, doctor Wang She came in to check Zili's pulse through the curtain, and after a while, Imperial Physician Wang said: "Madam is in good health, is there any discomfort recently?" Don’t move. It’s the big girl in my family who refuses to eat well, so I want to ask the enshrined one to have a look.”

Physician Wang prescribed a pill to Zili, saying that it was caused by recent fatigue and that he would be fine after a few days of rest. Then Physician Wang showed it to Yuan Chun, and said it was an imbalance of spleen and stomach, so he prescribed a prescription to recuperate slowly.Zili suddenly remembered something, and asked someone to bring out the glutinous rice balls from Lan's family: "This is a snack from others. It is said to be a medicinal diet for recuperating the body. I am taking medicine and dare not take it casually. I am worried that the medicine will conflict. Please take a look, sir. There is no hindrance." Taiji Wang tasted one of the glutinous rice balls, tasted it carefully and said: "There is no conflict, but the skin of this glutinous rice ball is made by boiling water with glutinous rice flour and Danshen and other medicines that promote blood and break blood. If you eat too much I'm afraid it's not good for blood. Women take liver as their foundation, so it's better not to eat more." Zili nodded, thinking that it's no wonder Lan's complexion is so good. With smooth blood, naturally there will be no spots, let alone dullness.

Zili's single-mindedness was dispelled by the words of Imperial Physician Wang. Day by day, Jia Zheng returned to work, was promoted, and focused on his career.Zili's life is very stable.It's just flattering in front of Jia's mother every day, taking the children, controlling the family, and visiting her mother's house when she is free, and living a very comfortable life.

This day Zili was talking in front of Jiamu, but she didn't see Madam Xing, Zili asked, "Why didn't I see sister-in-law?" Jiamu said, "Aunt Li is going to give birth, I told her not to come here. Your elder brother also has few heirs, although there are many people in the room, but there are no children. It is very easy for Aunt Li to become pregnant, no matter if it is a man or a woman, as long as it is raised."

"The old lady likes her grandchildren, but children are predestined by God. The last time I saw Aunt Li greet the old lady, her complexion was good, her belly was round, and her waist looked thicker from the back. She is probably a daughter. If this is the case, the elder is also a person with both sons and daughters." Zili teased Jia's mother, and Jia's mother nodded: "It doesn't matter if it's a grandson or a granddaughter, but I prefer girls, who are caring. You and Zheng'er are also good friends. How come you are young, Zhu Er and Yuan Chun are so old, but you still haven't had another child?" Jia Mu asked and suddenly asked why Zili and Jia Zheng didn't have any more children.Zili's heart moved, and he thought about it: "When I gave birth to Yuanchun, it was a reverse birth. Doctor Wang said that it is not suitable to conceive because of the injury. I am satisfied. The master also said that I will raise my two children well in the future, instead of having several children, I will not have the energy. Discipline is not as good as having fewer children and making every child a talent."

A family like ours can afford to raise a few more children. Now that Zhu'er and Yuanchun are still young, you just think that children are a burden, but seeing Zhu'er grow up, and Yuanchun has another family, you will be big-eyed. Small-eyed.I have a lot of herbs here, you take them back and nourish your body well.Jia's mother said that there are not too many children, and it is best to have as many children as possible.

The words were not speculative, but Zili just smiled and didn't answer.In the evening, news came from Jia Amnesty that Aunt Li had given birth to a girl, and the mother and daughter were safe.Zili knew that this girl was probably Yingchun whom her father did not love and her mother did not love.Zili asked someone to bring gifts to congratulate her, but Mrs. Xing came forward to hold a lively Xisan and full moon for Yingchun.Rongguo Mansion was bustling again for a while.

After the full moon banquet to welcome the Spring Festival, Zili only felt that his body was getting lazy day by day, and he was listless. Jia Zheng noticed Zili's abnormality and hurriedly asked someone to invite the imperial physician to see him.This time, because of the rush, the imperial physician Wang was not here, so another imperial physician was invited.The imperial doctor checked the pulse for a long time with his eyes half-closed through the curtain, then he opened his eyes and bowed his hands to Jia Zheng: "Congratulations, Madam, you are very happy."

Zili almost cried out from behind the curtain, it's impossible.Doesn't that mean she can't have any more kids?Now Jia's mother, Jia's family, is urging Jia Zheng to have another child, and has already started looking for a candidate for an aunt among the girls.

Jia Zheng was also surprised, and asked incredulously, "Is it true? Didn't you say you can't get pregnant again?"

"The last time Mrs. Zun gave birth was dystocia, her body was damaged, her blood vessels were blocked by congestion, so naturally it was not easy to conceive. It may be that Mrs. Zun ate something to promote blood circulation. Now that the blood stasis is gone, she is pregnant." The imperial doctor prescribed the medicine to nourish the fetus and left.

Zili and Jia Zheng looked at each other, Jia Zheng was stunned for a while, then Gao Xiang began to dance, but Zili had mixed feelings, she knew that this child was probably the Jia Baoyu who was born with jade.I hope this child will not repeat the mistakes of Jia Baoyu's red car letting go.Although he was a little worried, Zili was still relieved, so Jia's mother would have no reason to give Jia Zheng a concubine.

Jia's mother was very happy when she heard the news of Zili's pregnancy: "It's still the blessing of the Bodhisattva. I know she was hurt and sad for several days. She made a wish in front of the Buddha, hoping that your offspring will be prosperous. Now she is happy, it's all from heaven. Great gift, hurry up and ask people to go to the temple to pay back their vows." Jia Zheng was in high spirits, and immediately asked people to go to the temple to pay back his vows, offer incense, and give porridge to monks, nuns and Taoists.When the Wang family got the news, they also sent gifts. Wang Ziteng's daughter-in-law came to visit Zili in person, and brought a half-person-high white jade Guanyin to Zili to give birth.

The days of raising a baby passed by like water, and soon after the end of October, Zili gave birth to a boy smoothly.When Zili opened his eyes, he met Jia Zheng's worried eyes. "Where's the child? Tell me to take a look." Zili struggled to watch the child.She only remembered an exclamation when the child was born, and then she fell asleep and didn't know what happened next.

"The child is fine, but—" Jia Zheng hesitated, worriedly pressing Zili to keep her from getting up.

"What's the matter!" Zili suddenly felt bad.

"Don't worry, the baby is fine. It's just that he was born with a piece in his mouth. The woman who gave birth was frightened and immediately yelled out. Now the city is full of wind and rain, saying that you gave birth to a monster." Jia Zheng didn't know either. How to face the newborn son.How could a newborn baby have that in its mouth?Is this a good omen or a monster?

... Zili has black lines all over his head, but Jia Baoyu still comes.God knows whether Jia Baoyu is a mascot or an unlucky boy!But this time, she wants to educate this child well, don't tell him to know that she is acting negatively and avoiding the world under the banner of caring for her sisters.

Waiting for the news of the son's birth in the Rongguo Mansion to come to an end in the capital, a dark cloud shrouded the Jia Mansion again.

Mother Jia was dumbfounded when she received the letter from the Lin family.Lin Ruhai is going to divorce Jia Min!