The Yun Residence was exceptionally quiet that night. The moonlight sprinkled into the courtyard through the thin layer of clouds. Even without any lights on, it was already extraordinarily bright.
Yun Qing returned home late at night, and as soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the lights inside were still on. Before he stepped into the room, he saw Mama Qu reading a book softly while Yuxi was leaning on the bed, listening quietly.
When Mama Qu heard the sound of footsteps, she immediately put down the book in her hand and gave a courtesy greeting to Yun Qing, then she withdrew consciously.
Yun Qing looked at the thick «Geological Map of the Great Zhou» and asked with a frown, "Why aren't you sleeping yet at this late hour?"
Yuxi shook her head and smilingly replied, "I couldn't sleep until it was time for me to do so." The habit cultivated for more than ten years couldn't be broken in one day.
While Yun Qing was taking a bath, Yuxi got dressed and out of bed. Then went to look in the small kitchen.
Beef Bone With Fragrant Mushroom and Carrot
Image Credit| 缘9826 via XiaChuFang (胡萝卜香菇牛骨汤)
Image Credit| 缘9826 via XiaChuFang (胡萝卜香菇牛骨汤)
Looking at so many delicious foods, Yun Qing smiled. "Before our wedding, Er Jiu Ge told me that I would definitely get fat after marrying you. It's hard not to get fat if I keep eating like this!" He still gained three jin even after increasing the intensity of his training.
Yuxi looked at Yun Qing and said, "Where did you get fat? I think you've lost weight!" Yun Qing had an excellent physique, and his body was full of tendon meat.
Yun Qing did not argue with Yuxi about this trivial matter. He just smiled, took a bun and said, "If you say I'm not fat, then I'm not fat!" He only needed to control his weight to ensure he wouldn't continue to get fat.
Yuxi also ate a bowl of beef bone with mushroom soup.
After Yuxi finished eating, she rinsed her mouth again before going to bed. As soon as she got into bed, she was embraced by Yun Qing. Yuxi was a little uncomfortable at first, but now, she was used to it. Before going to bed, the couple would talk, which was strongly requested by Yuxi. "Husband, it will be Zisu's wedding in a few days. You should also give Guo Xun a few days off!" If Yuxi had any say in this matter, she wouldn't have set the wedding to be done at the beginning of the tenth lunar month but the twelfth lunar month instead. Then, they wouldn't have to be to rush. Please read this chapter at xinshou blogspot com.
Yun Qing naturally agreed to this suggestion. "I'll give him three days off. Speaking of which, this only left Xu Wu, who is still single." Xu Wu and Guo Xun had been with Uncle Huo and him for so many years, and he treated them all as his brothers.
Yuxi, knowing Yun Qing's implicit meaning, inquired with a smile, "Have you asked Xu Wu what type of woman he's looking for? So that I can look out for the same type of woman."
Yun Qing answered, "I've asked Xu Wu. He said he didn't have any particular requirements, as long as he could get along with that person, and she loves him dearly."
When Yuxi heard this, she found it strange. What did he mean by loving him dearly? If that person didn't love her own husband dearly, who else could she love? But looking at Yun Qing's tired face, she did not continue to ask. She could inquire about this kind of thing on her own without needing to ask Yun Qing.
Yun Qing kissed Yuxi's forehead and said, "Let's go to sleep!" He came back very late every day and had to leave before dawn. However, considering Yuxi was in her early pregnancy, he still insisted on coming back every night during this period.
Early the following day, Yuxi called Zisu over and asked, "Are the wedding clothes and quilt ready?" For Zisu to finish embroidering the wedding dress before the wedding date, Yuxi had also allocated two young maids to help her.
Zisu nodded. "They are all ready." She was actually a little depressed that her wedding was too rushed. But the date was already set, and it was not right to change it.
Yuxi gave some gold ornaments to Zisu as dowry and said, "This is not like the capital. The wedding may be a little bit simple, but you don't have to worry about that. As long as the husband and wife are of one mind, it's better than anything." How could she not know what kind of temperament Zisu had? These words could be considered her way of comforting Zisu.
Zisu nodded and said, "Madam, don't worry. I will live a good life with him." If one married a chicken, one should follow the chicken. If one married a dog, one should follow the dog. Even if she was going to be depressed, she still had to live her life!
As they were talking, they heard an old woman servant in, informing them the Er Nainai Zhao was here. Yuxi smiled as she stood up and said, "Quickly invite her in."
Once Er Nainai Zhao entered the room, she looked at Yuxi up and down and said, "I heard you are pregnant. How come I didn't notice it at all?"
Yuxi was not surprised that people outside knew she was pregnant. Yun Qing returned home happy that day and went out as cheerfully. His subordinates must have noticed. Moreover, Yu City wasn't that big; thus, it couldn't stay hidden. Yuxi smiled and responded, '"It's only a little over a month. How would you even notice it?" In addition, she wore a loose dress at home, which made the change in her waist unnoticeable.
Er Nainai Zhao sat down and said, "Speaking of which, Meimei is really blessed! You've only been married for three months and already pregnant." She remembered that she had to wait three years after her marriage before getting pregnant. During the waiting period, no one knew how anxious she was. Fortunately, she gave birth to a daughter at the end of last year. The Zhao family had only a few daughters. Since they were relatively rare, Madam Zhao didn't show any unsatisfactory expression toward her.
Yuxi said with a smile on her face, "It's also my luck."
Er Nainai Zhao countered, "What luck? This is called a blessing. You don't know how many people envied you after hearing the news of your pregnancy!" How could people not be jealous of Yuxi for getting pregnant a few months after getting married and having a big fat baby soon?
When Yuxi heard Er Nainai Zhao's words, she smiled and said, "No matter if my child will be a male or a female, the child is my flesh and bones. I love them all." It was her child, whom she would love dearly. But considering Yun Qing's situation, she thought it would be best if her first child would be a son. Of course, it didn't matter if it ended up as a daughter. She could still get pregnant in the future anyway.
Er Nainai Zhao agreed with this statement. "That's true."
This time, Er Nainai Zhao came to see Yuxi for something. "Sister, do you still want to buy farmland? If so, there happens to be a perfect one."
Yuxi shook her head and said, "No, the farmland we have right now is enough for our daily use." The farmland output would be given to Yuxi first and the rest to her subordinates.
Er Nainai Zhao was not discouraged as she continued, "Dimei [younger sibling/younger brother's wife), I do not know if you are interested in doing other business? This business is actually guaranteed to make money."
Yuxi smiled and asked, "Tell me, Jiejie, what kind of business is it?"
The only businesses that could guarantee to make money were probably medicinal herbs and grains. Er Nainai Zhao said, "I have a tangxiong who is in the medicinal herbs business. I wonder if Meimei is interested?"
Yuxi could guess what kind of business Er Nainai Zhou wanted her to do when she said it was guaranteed to make money. In the northwest, businesses that could guarantee to make money were grains and medicinal herbs. She now had a clear picture of the pattern of the northwest. Even though the Imperial Court had sent grains, they were far from enough. The people here would still need to purchase the shortages. The errands of procuring grains fell on the head of the Xu family. While the purchase of the main part of medicinal herbs was handed to the Zhao family. Originally, everyone was living peacefully together. However, once the Xu family married their daughter to Qin Zhao, they also wanted to get involved in the business of medicinal herbs. The two families had been feuding for a long time. Now that their interests became their concern, they constantly fought in private.
Yuxi answered with a smile. "This medicinal material business is not a small business. Can you allow me to consider it for a few days?" The so-called consideration was actually to ask for Yun Qing's opinion. [+]
Er Nainai Zhao was a little disappointed that Yuxi did not immediately agree. She initially thought Yuxi was keen on doing business to make money when she saw Yuxi ready to open a store and buy a farm so soon after getting married. She believed Yuxi would definitely agree this time if she told her to start a herbal medicine business. But she never thought Yuxi would be so cautious. She was crestfallen but did not show it on her face as she said, "Then, I'll wait for good news from Meimei."
After talking about serious matters, the two started gossiping. Of course, whether it was gossip or not depends on how the person concerned interprets it. For example, Er Nainai Zhao talked about Qin Yue this time. "I heard my mother-in-law say that General Qin is going to marry Qin Yue to His Highness, the Crown Prince, and the date is set for the sixth day of the tenth lunar month. I heard that she would also be given the position of Liang Di, which was a great blessing." Counting down the days, a day after she was given the title of Ce Fei, her husband would be crowned Crown Prince, and people would immediately change how they addressed her.
When the Zhao family got this news, they were agitated. Qin Yue was Qin Zhao's sister and Xu Shi's niece. If Qin Yue won the Crown Prince's favour, the Xu family would have a strong backer in the future.
Yuxi wasn't surprised as she just smiled and said, "Indeed, she is greatly blessed. Not only is His Highness, the Crown Prince a man of great talent, but even Crown Princess is also very amiable." Even the most amiable person could not tolerate others challenging their position. If Qin Yue could be content with her lot, nothing would happen to her. If she did anything out of the ordinary, it was unknown whether she could still stay peacefully in the Eastern Palace. As for whether Qin Yue could beat Yu Xiyu, it was unnecessary to comment on people who were not on the same level in the first place.
Er Nainai Zhao's eyes flashed brightly before she smilingly asked, "Has Meimei met His Highness, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess?" One shouldn't be fooled by the fact that the Zhao family was reckoned to be first or second-best in Gansu Province, but in the capital, their current rank meant nothing. The Zhao family member's highest rank in the capital was only a fifth-rank official. This level of rank gave the womenfolk of their family no opportunity to have any contact with the Crown Princess. All they knew about her was what they heard from the outside.
Yuxi smiled and nodded. "I'd met with the Crown Prince once, but his aura was too strong that I was scared to look up. I'd met Crown Princess several times. Speaking of which, I even played chess with her before!"
Er Nainai Zhao asked with great interest, "So who won and who lost?" Rumour had it that the Crown Princess had extraordinary chess skills, yet not many people could remember that.
Yuxi smiled and said, "The Crown Princess deliberately gave way to me, so in the end, it was a draw. To say the least, it was just the Crown Princess deliberately saving my face."
Er Nainai Zhao did not believe the Crown Princess would deliberately give Yuxi any face by making their match a draw. The Crown Princess was several years older than Yuxi. Even if Yuxi lost, there would be no shame for her. "I did not expect Meimei's chess skill to be so extraordinary."
Yuxi said modestly, "No, it's because the teacher taught me well." [T/C]
After talking for half a day, Er Nainai Zhao went back. Before she left, she lowered her voice and said to Yuxi, "Meimei, let me say one more thing. You are pregnant now. You have to be careful of those foxes outside." This was almost like saying directly that women are seducing your husband, and you must be careful not to let them have their way.
Yuxi's eyes flashed when she responded with a smile, "Thank you for the reminder, Jiejie. I will be careful."
Mama Qu frowned and grumbled, "This Er Nainai Zhao is really something! She not only spoke in oblique half-sentences but also didn't make it clear." It was better to make it clear than to let her Madam think about it.
Yuxi didn't think much about it. She believed that Yun Qing didn't do anything behind her back. Of course, even if he was entangled with outside women behind her back, she could only blame herself for not knowing people well. However, whether she believed it or not, this matter still had to be clarified. The first thing she needed to do was to let Zijin and Yu Zhi go outside and find out what was going on. When she remembered Zijin's temper, she reminded, "Don't make any noise. Just come back and tell me when you find out what's happening." Yu Zhi's learning ability was outstanding. He could already speak fluent Yu City people's dialect in only five months. She couldn't help but say that he was indeed a very talented man!
Zijin complied with her instruction and called on Yu Zhi to hurry out.
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi