Chapter 49

 

Entering the hall, the three brothers of the Chen family went to salute their parents first.

Chen Jingzong basically just stood on the side, while his two brothers expressed their filial piety.

Sun shi smiled and said: “Okay, wash your hands quickly and sit down. The children are already hungry.”

Chen Bozong took the lead in bowing and retreating.

Hua Yang looked at Chen Jingzong walking towards her, his eyes seemed a bit fierce, but when she took a closer look, it was the same as usual, as if she had just seen it wrong.

Chao Yun brought a warm wet towel to the Prince Consort.

Chen Jingzong wiped his face and then his hands.

It had been sunny recently, and the roads were dry, so when the horses galloped by, it naturally raised a lot of dust.

However, Chen Jingzong rode fast and had less dust on his body. The dust raised by his horse fell on Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong behind.

The maids brought the food, and the three generations of the Chen family, who had been separated for more than a month, had a warm reunion dinner.

Chen Tingshi from the East Courtyard did not show up, saying he had caught a cold.

After the meal, Chen Tingjian looked at his three sons: “You all come with me.”

Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong followed immediately. Chen Jingzong didn’t want to move, but Hua Yang secretly pinched him under the table, only then he stood up.

Chen Tingjian took his sons to the study room and asked them in turn about how they handled the government affairs in the past month.

He asked carefully, and there was no problem with his sons’ response. Chen Tingjian listened silently, and if there was a problem, he would give some pointers.

Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong were still young, while Chen Tingjian had worked in the Six Ministry for a period of time. His rich experience was more than enough to serve as an official mentor for any son.

This father-son conversation was destined to take a while. Chen Jingzong found himself a chair and sat down to listen.

Chen Tingjian’s eyes twitched, and Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong just pretended not to see it.

Unknowingly, half an hour passed. At this time, it was finally Chen Jingzong’s turn to answer.

Chen Tingjian took a sip of tea and was about to speak when Chen Jingzong yawned.

Chen Tingjian glared at him and asked the Old Three to go back first.

Chen Xiaozong knew that something must have happened in Lingzhou City, and it was related to his fourth brother, and his eldest brother also knew about it.

Although he was curious, since his father believed that there was no need for him to participate, Chen Xiaozong withdrew sensibly.

Chen Bozong sent his younger brother out of the study. He stood at the door, looked around, and made sure that only his father’s loyal servants were guarding the door. He looked at the other person and closed the door again.

“Sit down too.” Chen Tingjian pointed to another empty chair and said to his eldest son. There was no reason for the older brother to stand and watch his younger brother reply.

Chen Bozong was indeed a little tired after riding and standing for half an hour. After thanking his father, he sat down as if nothing had happened.

Chen Tingjian looked at the Old Four: “About Prince Xiang, has the Princess written a letter to the emperor?”

Chen Jingzong was not surprised at all that the old man knew about this, and said casually: “Well, it was sent on the ninth day, and the emperor should have read it.”

From Lingzhou to the capital, ordinary people’s letters would be delayed for about a month on the road, and officials’ ordinary documents would take half a month. If there was an urgent report, it could be delivered in three to four days at the fastest.

Hua Yang sent her family letters to the palace via the ordinary official post.

Chen Tingjian thought for a moment and asked, “Have you read the Princess’s letter?”

Chen Jingzong’s eyes were strange: “Didn’t you always warned me to abide by dignity and humility in front of the Princess? Then how can I, a little Prince Consort, read the letters she wrote to the emperor?”

Chen Bozong frowned and said, “If you have seen it, just say you have seen it. If you haven’t, just say you haven’t. Don’t be sarcastic.”

It’s alright to be rude to them, but to be so unruly even talking to their father, how unbecoming it is!

Chen Jingzong put his hands on the back of his head, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and rested for a while, and then simply repeated Hua Yang’s letter.

Chen Bozong was still worried that the emperor would blame the princess for making a fuss. The vassal princes in various places had done so many illegal things. Slaving soldiers to build mansion was really not a big crime. At least no emperor in this dynasty would punish the vassal prince for such a reason.

It was fine if Fourth Brother that get scolded, if there were any problems, the whole family would bear it together. But they didn’t want their own affairs to affect the father-daughter relationship between the princess and the emperor.

Chen Tingjian waved his hand and said: “The emperor is a protective person. If the Princess files this complaint, the emperor will only hate Prince Xiang.”

Although the emperor was lustful, he was generally a wise monarch who could tell who was right and who was wrong.

But Chen Tingjian still warned the Old Four: “No matter how you behave in the military station, no matter what trouble you encounter, don’t involve the Princess.”

Chen Jingzong responded with a slight sneer. This was a gift sent by Prince Xiang to Hua Yang. Otherwise, no matter how short of money the military station was, he would not ask for it from her.

Chen Tingjian continued to ask his son about the situation inside the military station.

Chen Jingzong: “Spring ploughing is about to begin. I plan to take back all the fields occupied by others and distribute them to military households according to the original division of military fields.”

Military fields were used to raise soldiers, which was enough to ensure that military families have enough food and clothing. Now the fields in military families’ homes have been occupied by Prince Xiang and local officials. The soldiers neither have the fields to feed themselves, nor military pay, so even basic food and clothing were not satisfied. Then how could they have the strength to train?

Chen Tingjian: “How can people easily spit out the fat they swallow in their stomachs?”

Chen Jingzong: “Of course it won’t work if others force it. But who am I? my father is a Cabinet Elder and my wife is a princess. Who dares not to give me face?”

Chen Tingjian:……

He thought his son had some clever tricks up his sleeve, but in the end he still relied on his status as the prince consort.

“Everything should be done according to the rules. Don’t give anyone your handle.”

Obviously, the matter on his youngest son’s side should be the most difficult to solve, but his youngest son was lucky enough to be the prince consort, and he got twice the result with half the effort, so he didn’t need Chen Tingjian’s help in making suggestions.

Chen Jingzong left first.

Chen Bozong refilled his father’s tea cup and said in a low voice: “Father, although Fourth Brother is a little reckless, his heart is right. Not to mention other things, at least the more than a thousand soldiers enslaved by Prince Xiang have returned to the military station to practice. Xiang Baoshan and those people also tried to win over Fourth Brother with beautiful women, but Fourth Brother is firm and has never been led astray.”

Chen Tingjian snorted: “If he didn’t even have this redeeming quality, I would rather resist the decree than let him marry the Princess.”

Chen Bozong: “The Princess is willing to cooperate with Fourth Brother in this play. Maybe she doesn’t have a bad impression of Fourth Brother.”

Chen Tingjian: “The Princess is kind-hearted and just wants to help the soldiers at the military station. It has nothing to do with personal feeling between man and woman.”

Chen Bozong was silent for a moment and said: “Fourth Brother may seem cynical, but in fact he treats the Princess with great respect. That day I just reminded him that the emperor might misunderstand the Princess for being spoiled and willful, but Fourth Brother actually got angry and refuted me one by one.”

“Really? How did he refute?”

Chen Bozong told the whole story.

Chen Tingjian sighed: “The Princess is neither arrogant nor indulgent. She is sensible and considers the overall situation. It is indeed too unfair to marry into our Chen family.”

Chen Bozong:……

As a son and eldest brother, he really tried his best to ease the relationship between his father and his fourth brother!

.

Siyi Hall.

Chen Jingzong came back so late that Hua Yang almost fell asleep.

Feeling sleepy, Hua Yang watched Chen Jingzong standing next to the hanger and taking off his robe, then reminded him: “Don’t forget to wash yourself.”

Chen Jingzong looked over in surprise: “Have you soaked it?”

Hua Yang:…

They just went back to the ancestral home for one night and would leave at noon tomorrow. How greedy was she to bring something like that here!

Chen Jingzong understood and casually put his robe on the hanger.

Chao Yun and Chao Yue brought a bucket of warm water in together.

After they left, Chen Jingzong wet a towel and wiped himself silently. After wiping, he put on his middle coat, came to the babu bed and chatted with her: “I saw a vase of peach blossoms on the table. Where did it come from?”

Hua Yang smiled and said, “Wan Yi picked it.”

Chen Jingzong: “I thought you only liked peonies.”

Hua Yang: “I like all beautiful flowers, but peonies are my favorite. By the way, what did Father tell you?”

Chen Jingzong: “As soon as you mention this, I feel sleepy.”

Hua Yang pushed him angrily. Since there was nothing to talk about, she turned her back and went to sleep.

Chen Jingzong suddenly came over and placed his palm on her abdomen.

Hua Yang thought he had some dirty thoughts and took his hand away. She only shook it away once and he then stretched it out again, but other than that, he didn’t do anything else.

“What do you want?” she asked in confusion.

Chen Jingzong: “To see if you have gained weight.”

Hua Yang:……

The next morning, Hua Yang went to Chunhe Hall to talk to her mother-in-law, mainly praising Chen Jingzong’s achievements in the military station.

In the previous life, the relationship between husband and wife was cold. Chen Jingzong would not take the initiative to mention these things to her, and Hua Yang never thought of asking, so apart from seeing and hearing Chen Jingzong’s shortcomings, she didn’t know his advantages at all.

Now that she knew that he was a hero on the battlefield and a good officer in the military station, Hua Yang wanted her mother-in-law and father-in-law to know that their fourth son was no worse than his brothers.

Sun shi said happily: “Finally, he also did some practical things. It’s not in vain that His Majesty choose him as his son-in-law.”

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were chatting happily, and suddenly the children could be heard cheering in the small garden.

Sun shi asked her maid to go and see what happened.

The little maid ran for a while, then came back and said with a smile: “Old Madam, Princess, the Prince Consort is playing cujuancient Chinese football with the eldest miss and the others.”

Sun shi looked embarrassed: “I just complimented him a bit, then he went and cause trouble. No longer a child, but he’s acting like the king of children.”

Hua Yang: “It’s rare to come back, so let him be.”

After a while, Hua Yang took Chao Yun back to Siyi Hall.

From time to time, children’s laughter and shouts came from the garden.

About an hour later, Chao Yun came in and said with a strange expression: “Princess, Prince Consort just called Zhen’er to deliver a message, saying that he was thirsty and wanted to drink tea.”

Hua Yang: “Then ask Zhen’er to send it to him, get a few more tea cups, and prepare two kinds of cakes for the eldest miss and the others to eat.”

Chao Yun glanced at her master carefully and said stiffly: “Prince Consort said that he wants to drink the tea you personally delivered.”

Hua Yang slowly put down the book in her hand.

Chao Yun blushed for her prince consort. If he want to drink tea, just drink it, why asking so much.

Hua Yang didn’t want to indulge Chen Jingzong’s new habit, but she was a little curious as to why this man suddenly made such a request. Although he was shameless, he had never done this before.

Anyway, she had nothing to do. After Chao Yun prepared the tea and cakes, Hua Yang took Chao Yun over.

In the small garden, Chen Jingzong and the children had just finished playing cuju and were sitting at the stone table to rest.

“Fourth Aunt is here!”

Sanlang discovered the princess first.

Chen Jingzong looked over. It was only the end of Second Month, the sun was a little brighter, but she actually wanted to hold an umbrella.

The green silk umbrella, the beauty with snow-like skin.

The children were stunned.

Chen Jingzong coughed, and after attracting the attention of his nephews and nieces, he laughed softly and said, “Look how much your Fourth Aunt likes me, she personally brought me tea.”

Four children:…

Bringing the tea was real, but they really didn’t see how much she liked him.

Hua Yang walked closer and asked Chao Yun to open the food box, put the teapot and cups in the middle, and put the cakes next to the children.

Erlang rolled his eyes: “Fourth Aunt is so kind, she even specially brought us food.”

Hua Yang sat on the stone bench that Wan Yi gave up and said with a smile, “You are tired from playing. Let’s have a sip of tea first.”

Erlang chuckled.

Wan Yi and Dalang both understood what he meant, so Fourth Uncle was really putting gold on his face just now.

Only Sanlang threw himself to the cakes.

After looking at the children, Hua Yang turned her attention to Chen Jingzong and happened to see a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead.

She said disgustedly: “You’re already sweating, why don’t you wipe it off?”

Chen Jingzong: “I didn’t bring a handkerchief.”

Erlang immediately took out his and handed it over.

Chen Jingzong glared at his nephew and said to Hua Yang, “I only use yours.”

At this time, Wan Yi leaned into Hua Yang’s ear and whispered something.

Only then did Hua Yang know that when Chen Jingzong came back last night, Sanlang actually took pity on him because no one came to pick him up, so now he wanted he save his face.

Staring at this hopeless man, Hua Yang silently took out a snow-white handkerchief and motioned for Chen Jingzong to bring his face over.

Then, Hua Yang personally helped him wipe away the drop of sweat.

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