Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

Good Life 149

Yuanchun episode

Coming out of Jiamu's side, Zili was thinking about what gift would be more appropriate to bring to see Lan Shi tomorrow. Lan Shi is also a hard-working woman. She was plotted by her adopted son for many years and almost couldn't have children. There is no such thing in this age. A child is an absolute disaster for a woman.

Zili was lost in thought, but his hand was suddenly held by someone, and he turned his face to meet Jia Zheng's puppy-like wet eyes. Today, he drank a few more glasses of wine at Wang Ziteng's banquet, and Jia Zheng used the wine to cover him up. face, trying to get closer to Zili.Such days became more and more boring. At the beginning, Jia Zheng felt that without Zili's restraint and concubine's company, he could enjoy flowers, drink wine, read at night and have red sleeves in his spare time.What a fairy-like day, but as time went by, Jia Zheng found that life was far more than romance, more of daily necessities, and stumbling in his official career.

Jia Zheng wanted to discuss the family affairs with the two aunts. Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhou both pursed their lips and smiled: "What knowledge can we have? Both old ladies and wives are in charge of the house. The master asked about our sisters. We are all wives. My servant is sent by my wife to serve the master. I don’t know anything about the family affairs, so how can I interrupt casually. Besides, we sisters don’t have the rule of pointing fingers at the housework in front of the master. Let alone the capital, it’s the whole world. How can the old lady and wife not ask how the master handles housework as an aunt." Jia Zheng only felt that his throat was stuffy as if someone had stuffed it with a steamed bun.

"Well, I don't have to ask you to do something. I just asked casually, but you have a lot of things waiting for me, that's all, I don't know the truth." Jia Zheng could only swallow his words back.While waiting for Jia Zheng to discuss with Zili, Zili put on a businesslike face, never showing him any good looks.

Even with the housework, Jia Zheng had nowhere to resolve the troubles he encountered in government affairs.Both Mr. Zhou and Mr. Shan wrote letters to express their desire to take care of their mother at home. They have not taken care of the family outside for many years. This time when they returned home to see their children and grandchildren, they felt very unfamiliar. Mr. Zhou and Mr. Shan realized the importance of family sex.They decided to go home and enjoy family happiness, so they could no longer serve as advisors by Jia Zheng's side.Now that he had decided to go, Jia Zheng couldn't keep him, so he had to find some other aides.

There is a saying that people die when compared with others, and goods are thrown away when compared with goods. The new gentlemen exchanged one after another, but none of them could satisfy Jia Zheng.Jia Zheng used to be able to confide his troubles to Mr. Zhou and Mr. Shan, and Zili was there to help the staff. Now that the master is gone, Jia Zheng thinks that Zili is just angry and awkward. attitude.She must be waiting for me to go over and carry her the ladder down the steps.So Jia Zheng excitedly went over to use the excuse of discussing things to restore the relationship with Zili, but he didn't expect Zili to say indifferently: "I'm a woman, what do you know, what the old lady dislikes the most is not keeping her duty. Didn't the master invite you?" I have seen so many gentlemen, there must be a few good ones here. You should go and discuss with them on official affairs.” A mother of Jia didn’t like the shield of a daughter-in-law who stretched her hand too long to interfere with her husband. .

It was uncomfortable to be left alone, Jia Zheng watched Zili and him drift away, and the powerlessness and panic in his heart gradually spread.But he had no solution, he could only watch helplessly as the desolate quicksand engulfed his hope little by little.

In Wang Ziteng's new garden today, Jia Zheng suddenly found that he had been stagnating in officialdom since returning to Beijing.The gap that left the Jinshi on the same list at the beginning is being caught up and surpassed little by little.Wang Ziteng is his brother-in-law, an airborne force who has not been trained in the imperial examinations but has experienced in the army. When Jia Zheng was in charge of the wind and rain in Qingzhou and held the military and political power in several provinces, Wang Ziteng was just a bodyguard who was like an ass by the emperor's side. , wandering around the yamen in the capital all day long and waiters, the petty officials laughed, but in a blink of an eye he became the admiral of the nine gates, in charge of the garrison of the capital, those officials all smiled when they saw Wang Ziteng, fawning over him Very, but myself.It's like a fish pushed to the beach by the waves loses its vitality little by little under the scorching sun.

Jia Zheng began to feel a little irritable. He held the wine glass without being persuaded, and drank one after another non-stop.After the banquet was over, Jia Zheng watched Zili come out.Under the light, Zili still didn't change at all, his heart moved, thinking that he might as well take advantage of today to make up with Zili.

Jia Zheng wants to rebuild the old relationship with Zili, but Zili has already seen through the world.She lightly shook off Jia Zheng's hand: "Ask Aunt Zhou to help the master go home. I drank a lot today and asked someone to make sober soup."

"I'm not drunk! After all, I'm still the head of the family. You don't need to arrange where to go." Finally, Jia Zheng couldn't bear Zili's indifference, and he angrily shook off Zili and supported him with the strength of alcohol. The girl's hand.Because the news of the quarrel between the second master and his wife immediately spread to Jiamu's side in front of Jiamu's door, and Biyu was busy leading a group of girls and women out.

"Second master is drunk, the old lady asked to help the master in to sober up." Zili Le's mother Jia intervened, she was busy complying with Biyu's words: "Don't worry about the old lady, you can help the master in. "With that, she left Jia Zheng behind.She knew that Jia's mother wished that she and Jia Zheng would continue to respect each other like ice. The relationship between her son and his wife was so good that it would make the old lady feel like her son was being snatched away by his daughter-in-law for disobedience.With Jia Daishan gone, Mother Jia's desire to control her sons became stronger.Zili wouldn't do things that would make Jia's mother uncomfortable, she wished Jia Zheng wouldn't come to her to harass her.

The next morning, when Zili got up to do her dressing, Fu Ling came in with a freshly folded flower: "The second master rested at the old lady's place for a while yesterday, and then went back after drinking sober soup. I saw that in the morning. The girl next to her came out and asked. She said that the old lady wanted to ask Biyu to serve the master, but the master withdrew. Sister Biyu cried all night, and I heard that she came out to serve the wife in the morning."

Zili listened to Fu Ling's words and didn't care at all. Anyone with eyes knew what Jia's mother was planning to ask her personal maid to serve the drunken Jia Zheng.It's just that Jia Zheng is really a fool, and Biyu is much better than Fang'er. Although she is a bit older, as Jia Mu's close-knit girl, accepting her means getting half of Jia Mu's bosom, and the relationship with Jia Mu is just as good. Take it a step further.Zili suddenly had an evil thought in his heart, should she be virtuous for a while.

"Master really doesn't know gold and jade. It's the old lady's intention to make it perfect, but he doesn't understand the style. Since this is the case, I can't watch Miss Biyu be wronged. Ask Li Qiu to prepare two pieces of satin and some jewelry. Biyu sent it, and said that I rewarded her. Thank you for her hard work in taking care of the master, and tell her not to be like a drunk person." Zili waved his hand, and chose a flower hairpin to put on his hair.

Fu Ling immediately went down to do things according to Zili's orders. As soon as she left, she saw Aunt Zhou, Aunt Wang, and Fang'er coming to greet Zili.Fang'er stared anxiously at Tanchun who was being held in the arms of the nanny behind Aunt Wang, but she could only stand and take a look from a distance, not even daring to get closer.Seeing Fu Ling coming out, Aunt Zhou greeted with a smile: "What's the important thing in the morning, and you left so quickly?"

"It was my wife who ordered me to reward Miss Biyu with something. Yesterday the master got drunk and spent the whole night at the old lady's place, and Miss Biyu served her." After saying that, Poria left.

Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang looked at each other and smiled and said, "It's all right now, we have new sisters again." Fang'er's face turned green when she heard this from behind.

They came in and greeted Zili, and Zili was in a good mood and said with a smile: "The eldest lady over there is happy, today the old lady asked me to go over and congratulate the elder sister-in-law. You can go there with Sanya. Just call the nanny Be optimistic about the third girl, don't make noise, respect sister-in-law to rest."

Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhou agreed together, they served Zili for dinner, and they went to Dongfu together.Fang'er watched Zili leave, and then inquired that Biyu hadn't followed Jia Mu there, so she went to Jia Mu's side to look for Biyu, taking advantage of other people's mistakes.

Leaving aside the entanglement between Fang'er and Biyu, Mrs. Xing and Zili followed Jiamu to see Lan's family.Jia Jing came out to greet him in person.Zili stood behind Jia's mother, and when Jia Jing was refreshed, his whole body swept away the haze of the past, and suddenly he seemed to be ten years younger.Jia's mother smiled and said: "When people have happy events, they are refreshed. When your daughter-in-law is happy, you will also be refreshed. After all, you will be a father."

Jia Jing personally came up to support Jia's mother: "My wife and I have never experienced it. I'm afraid there is something wrong. I want to ask the old lady to come and have a look. If there is anything wrong, she can point it out. I beg the old lady not to look at the monk's face to see the Buddha. In front of him, I begged the old lady to love him too much in front of my unborn nephew and grandson." Listening to Jia Jing's words, it meant to write off Jia Zhen, but in fact, thinking about it carefully, Jia Zhen's real identity is not even a concubine. In fact, if one day his life experience is revealed and the Ningguo Mansion inherits the title of the ancestor to an incestuous illegitimate child, all the people in the Ning Mansion will be held accountable.Jia Jing still attaches great importance to the eldest son.

"I'm getting old, so I'll ask your two younger siblings to help me with the details. My second wife has three children, and she gets along with your daughter-in-law." After talking, Jia Mu turned to Zili and said, "How are you and Brother Jing's daughter-in-law?" One. Now that she is pregnant, please give me some pointers. You should be more careful when you are older and have your first child."

Zili hurriedly agreed: "Don't need to remind the old lady, I got the news last night and asked someone to prepare a lot of things. I have a three-foot-tall white jade Guanyin, which I have been enshrining since the time when there were Zhu'er and Yuan girl. Please come here to keep my sister-in-law safe."

Jia Jing beamed with joy when he heard Zili's words: "If your sister-in-law can give birth to a child who is half as good as Zhu'er, it will be a blessing for my family." After talking, everyone went in to see Lan's family.Seeing that Jia Jing praised Jia Zhu, Zili quickly smiled and said, "I dare not, Zhu'er is also a naughty child, but she just pretended to be good in front of others." After talking, everyone went to the upper room together.

Mrs. Lan was looking at Jia Mu and others coming to get up. Jia Mu hurriedly asked the girl to help her: "You are delicate now, so don't move. Let's take a look at you. How do you feel? What do you want to eat?" Just ask someone to tell me that I asked the small kitchen to make it and bring it to you." As she spoke, the girl moved a chair and asked Jia Mu to sit down, Zili and Mrs. Xing both sat down and the little girl brought tea.Zili looked around Lan's room, and found that the furnishings inside had been replaced with new ones, and those jade objects and sharp-edged objects were gone.Mrs. Xing also saw it and said with a smile: "Brother Jing really regards you as a treasure. I just heard the good news of your happiness yesterday and changed the furnishings today. We don't have anything good. If you see something lively, you can see it. Let's relieve the boredom." Said the girl brought gifts from Jia's mother, Mrs. Xing Zili and others.

With a slight smile on Lan's face, she saw that the white jade Guanyin gifted by Zili was very precious and hurriedly said: "Thank you, auntie and two younger siblings, for thinking of me. I don't feel anything physically now, but I feel dizzy when I wake up in the morning. I don’t want to eat. Yesterday the imperial doctor saw that everything is fine, but the energy and blood is insufficient so that I can’t walk around casually. If I can walk around, I will naturally go to pay my respects. I have always wanted to invite a Bodhisattva to worship, thank you two Brother and sister are willing to take out the body that your old man gave you back then. I will ask the girls to clean up a Buddhist hall and worship it devoutly every day, and wait for the child in my belly to come out, and send it back to you in person."

Zili smiled and said: "This is what the old lady means. The old lady loves you as a niece and daughter-in-law the same way she loves her own daughter-in-law. You can take care of it at ease, but it's not like usual when you are pregnant. You have to listen to everything." Arranged by the imperial physician, if you feel uncomfortable, please tell me not to hide it. Who is serving you? Girls are no good, you need a few experienced wives."

Mrs. Xing hurriedly answered, "That's right. Although I haven't given birth, I know a thing or two. The girls around you don't know about giving birth. You should also find some reliable women by your side."

"I've already found several women, all of whom were specially recommended by my natal brother and sister-in-law." Lan immediately answered, she pointed, and two unfamiliar women came over to greet Mother Jia and the others.Zili thought that the Lan family would choose a few mature wives in the Ning Mansion to serve them, but who knows that she sent two airborne troops from her natal family.Zili's heart moved, and he changed the topic randomly: "You are in a special situation now, so it's okay to add a few more servants. You are the head of the house, so who dares to say anything."

Everyone talked for a while about how to take care of it and how to prepare things for the unborn child. Jia Jing came over to leave Jiamu and the others for dinner. Jiamu stood up and said, "You still have pregnant women here, so we can't stand disturbing you there. Let's go back first." , there will be more days for parties in the future. I will definitely come when your son is born and the full moon wine is coming. At that time, don't feel bad about your play wine." Everyone laughed as they said.

Lan looked at Zili eagerly: "I can't go there often, remember to come and see me often." When Jia Mu heard what Lan said, she hurriedly said to Zili, "She was scared when she was pregnant for the first time. Come here and enlighten her." Zili hurriedly agreed, and everyone went back to Jiamu's side.When they arrived at Jiamu's room, Jiamu said to Zili and Mrs. Xing: "It seems that the past is over. I only ask the Buddha to bless the son and daughter-in-law of Jing Ge and his daughter-in-law to give birth to a boy and a half girl safely. This is also the blessing of the ancestors." Mrs. Xing was puzzled: "The old lady is worrying too much. I think Mrs. Jing's face is good. Brother Jing is so caring about something. How many women from Asia and the Pacific are waiting for you. What mistakes can there be?"

Jia's mother was speechless for a while, but Zili was clear in her heart. She tentatively asked, "Did we see Zhen'er today, and asked where Rong'er was, and said that she was worried about the children's noise and moved to the back. I think If sister-in-law gave birth to a son, I'm afraid there will be disputes. It's just that all relatives and friends know that brother Zhen was born by sister-in-law Lan, so there is no reason for the younger son to steal the title of elder son."

"What the second wife said is, I think Brother Jing and your sister-in-law's attitude is to change the position of Brother Zhen's eldest son. I'm afraid this matter will cause big trouble if it goes wrong. Brother Zhen was also spoiled since childhood. , everyone said that he was going to become a nobleman in the future. Suddenly there was a younger brother who was much younger than me who wanted to take away my title, and I don’t know what stupid things he would do.” Mother Jia sighed, and the affairs of the Ning Mansion were endless. After logging out, the entire Ningrong and Rongfu were ashamed. Mother Jia is the highest-ranking parent on both sides, and she needs to consider the reputation of the Jia family.

Mrs. Xing finally understood, and she could only comfort her with empty words: "Brother Zhen is a sensible child. Besides, he should understand his identity. Besides, it's too early to worry. If sister-in-law gives birth to a daughter If not, it will be fine."

Mother Jia was speechless at the stupidity of the eldest daughter-in-law. She said to Mrs. Xing: "The boss should come back too. You can go back." Mrs. Xing was eager to go back, and she immediately agreed with a happy voice when she heard what Mother Jia said. Looking at the eldest daughter-in-law's back after leaving, Jia's mother looked at Zili worriedly: "Look, you still complain about my partiality all day like this. This eldest wife is not as good as Lian'er's mother back then. It's fine if you don't have children. I don't care about Lian'er and Yingchun. Thanks to Lian'er's uncle and aunt, I didn't learn bad things. I really did something cruel to give birth to such a child." Why did Jia's mother suddenly complain?Zili was thinking about what Jia Mu would say next, and he tried to persuade him: "The eldest lady has no discernment in her heart, and she will believe what others say. Lian'er is a smart child that his second uncle said was good, but she was taught at home. I learned from that screwdriver and bad boy. So I keep it by my side and remind it frequently. It’s because Zhu’er can’t be at home all the time.” Zili sighed and looked very regretful.When Jia Mu heard this, she also sighed: "It stands to reason that I shouldn't stop the child from going forward, but your master is also partial. He only loves Zhu'er, and he is far behind Baoyu."

Zili didn't answer, Jia's mother loved Baoyu almost to the point of doting, compared with Jia Zhu who she raised herself, her affection for Baoyu and Jia Zheng was not so deep.And Jia Zheng has always been a strict father, even though Jia Zheng didn't look like a strict father in front of Jia Zhu and Yuan Chun, but for some reason.Jia Zheng has always held Baoyu to a high standard, and he either thinks this is not done well or that is wrong.This made Jia's mother very dissatisfied with Jia Zheng.

This is a lawsuit between their mother and son, Zili will not intervene.Mother Jia turned the topic to Jia Zheng: "I know that because of Fang'er, he blamed me a lot in his heart. I also came from a daughter-in-law, so I know you are depressed. I thought about Fang'er for a few days. In this matter, I am the most responsible. That girl used to have a sharp mouth and a straightforward temper. There is nothing wrong with her. She is better than others in her needlework. Unexpectedly, she changed! She should have been kicked out, but she gave birth after all. Three girls, our family can't do something like that. I think—"

Before Jiamu finished speaking, Zili understood in her heart. She smiled and said, "It's not that I dare not send the old lady, but I thought I might as well choose another good girl for the master. I searched all over the house and found It is good to have a girl. I am afraid that the old lady will not give up, so I have the cheek to ask for it."

Mother Jia laughed and said, "Tell me, if that girl is really rare, I'll make the decision. It's hard for you to be so virtuous."

"It's Biyu by the old lady's side. I want to put Biyu by the master's side." Zili couldn't stop talking.Seeing Biyu come in with tears on her face, she knelt down before Jiamu.