Chapter 21

 

Qi shi had basically been convicted. It was the Chen family’s business whether to implicate Chen Tingshi and his son. After saying goodbye to her parents-in-law, Hua Yang returned to Siyi Hall.

As soon as she stepped out of the door, Chen Jingzong came over, looked at the water in the yard, and asked her, “Shall I carry you back?”

With her slow walking pace just now, it would take at least a quarter of an hour to walk back to Siyi Hall, and the main house and the Siyi Hall were actually only separated by a corridor.

Hua Yang glared at him.

Mountain roads and dirt roads were difficult to navigate, so she had to be carried by Chen Jingzong before. But now she was back, the yard was paved with stone slabs. Since she was wearing rain boots, how could she climb onto Chen Jingzong’s back under the watchful eyes of the whole family, sticking her butt out for people to see?

In broad daylight, whether carried or held, it was a faux pas.

She handed her hand to Chao Yun as usual.

Chao Yun and Chao Yue smiled and came to help their master.

Most of the foot-high rain boots were submerged in the water, but the princess still paid attention to her deportment. The white pearl pendant hanging by her ear was not even swaying, and the sound of paddling under her feet was actually quite pleasant.

Chen Jingzong smiled, and when Hua Yang walked further away, he turned around and looked at the family members in the ancestral hall.

But at this time, his smile had disappeared, and his dark eyes fell on Chen Tingshi’s face.

Chen Tingshi’s half swollen face began to hurt again, and he did not dare to look at his nephew.

Chen Tingjian glanced at the distant back of the daughter-in-law princess, then with a serious face he whispered to the Old Four: “Qi shi is responsible for all this. Your second uncle has always been kept in the dark. Why haven’t you come over and apologize?”

A nephew beat his uncle, what would it look like if word spread outside? His son was too stubborn to kneel down, so verbal apology could no longer be excuse.

Chen Jingzong: “Apologize for what? At that time, I wanted to confront Qi shi, but he insisted on stopping me. He was so eager to protect his wife that he bumped into me. What does it have to do with me?”

Now that the whole family knew that Qi shi was closely related to the old lady’s death, then using “eager to protect his wife” on Chen Tingshi was really full of ridicule.

Chen Tingshi’s face suddenly turned red and white, and he knelt down to his brother again in shame.

Chen Tingjian’s eyes were redden and he picked him up!

Before he could speak, Sun shi said first, “You help Second Brother to calm down, we will go first.”

Chen Tingjian looked at his fourth son angrily.

Chen Jingzong sneered and walked away.

Sun shi shook her head and motioned for the others to follow her.

Chen Bozong had already gone to interrogate the servants in the east house. Yu Xiu was alone and wanted to help support the pregnant Luo Yuyan, but was a little worried about Luo Yuyan’s attitude.

Chen Xiaozong looked over and said in a gentle voice: “Sister-in-law, I will send mother back to her room. Could you please take care of Yuyan?”

Yu Xiu quickly agreed.

.

Chen Jingzong caught up with Hua Yang in the garden in front of the ancestral hall. At this time, Hua Yang was still two feet away from the Moon Gate leading to the west house.

“You really don’t need my help?” Chen Jingzong asked as he passed by her.

Hua Yang glanced at the servants everywhere who were busy draining water and shook her head.

Chen Jingzong walked away immediately, his one step equal three to four steps for Hua Yang, and disappeared behind the Moon Gate in the blink of an eye.

Hua Yang:……

What kind of prince consort was this that he couldn’t even accompany her? What would the servants who saw this scene think? In her previous life, she disliked Chen Jingzong so much, but she would still put on an act outside and never give people a chance to speculate or discuss their life as a couple.

“Princess, don’t be angry. Prince Consort may be in a hurry to go back and tidy up the courtyard.” Chao Yun saw her master’s face change and tried to find a reason for the prince consort.

Trials and tribulation could show one’s true feelings. Whether going up or down the mountain in the past two days, the prince consort was very considerate to the princess. Chao Yun and Chao Yue saw this, and their attitude towards the prince consort improved significantly.

Hua Yang had returned to normal. What’s there to be angry about? Her anger-management skill was fully developed in her previous life thanks to Chen Jingzong!

The three masters and servants continued to move forward slowly. When they finally crossed the moon gate, Hua Yang looked up and saw a person standing lazily against the wall. Who could it be if it wasn’t Chen Jingzong?

Chao Yun and Chao Yue looked at each other and smiled.

It turned out that the prince-in-law had not left, but was just playing around with the princess.

At this time, Chen Jingzong came towards Hua Yang.

Hua Yang thought he was coming to help her, and Chao Yun also thought so, and wisely stepped back.

However, Chen Jingzong suddenly grabbed Hua Yang’s waist and directly hugged her horizontally!

The plain white skirt was flying in the air, and the two rain boots fell off its owner’s feet one after another, and fell into the water with a splash.

Hua Yang grabbed his clothes angrily.

Chen Jingzong lowered his eyes and looked at her: “You have stayed up for two nights in the mountain, are you still not tired?”

With that said, he left the two maids behind and strode forward.

At this point, Hua Yang no longer struggled, and she did not hide in Chen Jingzong’s arms. She hooked her arms around his neck openly, as if she was the one who ordered her prince consort to serve her like this.

How could the servants dare to look around? Wherever the couple passed, the servants would lower their heads or turn sideways.

Zhen’er and Zhu’er had already tidied up the central house in Siyi Hall, remade the bed, and wiped the tables and chairs spotlessly.

Chen Jingzong directly carried Hua Yang into the Babu bed.

When her whole body lay down on the bed, and her cheeks and palms once again touched the smooth and soft Shu brocade surface, Hua Yang let out a low moan of comfort.

For two whole days and nights, she either stood or sat on a hard wooden bench, which was very difficult even for someone with iron body, not to mention her pampered and delicate body.

She was so tired that she didn’t care that Chen Jingzong was watching from the side. She lay there in the most relaxed posture, wishing she could sleep forever.

The bed sank and Chen Jingzong sat down.

Hua Yang lazily turned her head and saw the dark linen clothes on his body.

After all, he was also the son of Cabinet Elder, and he was also a prince consort, so of course he had a lot of silks and satins clothes. But since returning to his ancestral home, he was either hunting in the mountains or building garden, all were rough works, so he himself only wore rough work clothes, so as not to waste the good things.

This morning, Chen Jingzong carried her down the mountain, outsmarted the account book, and confronted Qi shi. He walked on the dirt road so many times that his trouser legs and clothes were stained with mud.

Hua Yang didn’t have the energy to lecture him anymore. Her body was already tired. Plus, she already solved the Chen family’s corruption problem, Hua Yang just wanted to sleep.

“I’ll help you massage your shoulders.”

Chen Jingzong also sat in the shed for two nights, experienced it for himself, and knew how uncomfortable the delicate princess would be.

Hua Yang closed her eyes and hummed indifferently.

Chen Jingzong moved inside.

When the noise reached her ears, Hua Yang endured it and pushed him weakly: “Take off all your clothes outside, don’t make my bed dirty.”

Chen Jingzong knew that she liked to be clean, so he stood by the side, glanced at her while taking off his clothes, and asked, “Have you washed yourself?”

Hua Yang shook her head.

Chen Jingzong sneered: “Before, you won’t let me sleep on the bed unless I take a shower first. How come you break the rule yourself?”

Was Hua Yang have any choice? In order to wait for her father-in-law to come back to deal with Qi shi, and to be able to go there in time to observe, how could she have time? Moreover, the courtyard was in a mess. The maids were busy cleaning up the central house, but the water room and kitchen have not been finished yet.

“When I wake up, I’ll change everything.”

Chen Jingzong threw his robe out of the bed and asked casually: “Since you’re going to change it, why do you need me to take off my clothes?”

Hua Yang: “Too dirty.”

She couldn’t bear to let this bed of shu brocade get muddy. In special times, she could tolerate a little sweat.

Chen Jingzong sat down on the bed again. Hua Yang opened a slit of her eye and saw that all he had on his body was a pair of white trousers that were no longer than his knees.

This made her raise her head warily.

Chen Jingzong pushed her head down: “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in women who haven’t showered.”

Hua Yang:…

Even so, when he picked up Hua Yang and helped her untie her outer skirt, Chen Jingzong still ate some tofu intentionally or unintentionally.

Hua Yang glared at him with red face.

Chen Jingzong threw away her dress, pushed her down again, picked up her left arm and started massaging it.

Hua Yang screamed in pain.

Chen Jingzong adjusted his strength in time and said disgustedly: “Don’t scream randomly, it will cause misunderstanding if it spreads.”

Hua Yang closed her mouth bitterly.

Arms, shoulders, after massaging the left side and the right side, Hua Yang almost fell asleep. After Chen Jingzong massaged her back, he touched her waist again.

Hua Yang suddenly shrank into a shrimp: “The waist, no need!”

Chen Jingzong massaged her leg instead.

Hua Yang was on guard for a while, making sure he wouldn’t mess around, and then fell asleep.

The weather was slightly cool after the rain. Chen Jingzong helped her cover her with a thin quilt. He lay down next to her and looked at her sleeping face, his eyes gradually darkening.

Main House.

Sun shi was old and had suffered a lot in the past two nights, but she was the mistress of the house and had a lot of things to take care of, so she could not just lie down when she wanted to.

After finally finishing all the errands, Sun shi just lay down on her bed and asked the little maid to help her pound her shoulders when Chen Tingjian walked in with a solemn face.

Such a big thing happened at home, and the couple had to talk. Sun shi reluctantly sent the little maid to leave first.

Chen Tingjian sat on the edge of the bed. Seeing that she was about to get up, his expression eased slightly and said, “Lie down, your health is not good to begin with.”

Sun shi was not seriously ill, but she was almost fifty years old and had given birth to four children. After a whole day being busy, all kinds of minor problems arose.

Sun shi changed to lie on her side and looked at her husband with bloodshot eyes. She felt sad and picked up a handkerchief to wipe his eyes: “If you blame yourself for what happened to Mother, then I, the eldest daughter-in-law, can’t escape the blame. Back then when Mother couldn’t adapt to the climate in the capital, I should come back with her and fulfill the filial piety for you by her side.”

Chen Tingjian frowned, held her hand and said, “What are you talking about? The children and I are in the capital. Even if you want to come back, Mother will not agree.”

After silence, Chen Tingjian lowered his eyes and said, “I just regret that I completely left the affairs of the ancestral home to Second Brother.”

Sun shi sat up and hugged half of his shoulders: “You have your difficulties. Since you want to rely on Second Brother’s family to take care of Mother, as the older brother, if you send a servant to handle things, big or small, it all remains in your control. Isn’t this clearly showing that you don’t trust Second Brother’s family. You were just afraid that Second Brother would feel uncomfortable, that’s why you didn’t do that. In officialdom, you need to understand people’s minds, but with family, you need to consider their emotions. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Chen Tingjian sat stiffly.

He did take care of his second brother’s emotions, but it was his mother who suffered the loss.

He thought that Qi shi chose his second brother just to live a good life with the Chen family, and it was okay for Qi shi to accept some small tribute in private. However, he did not expect that Qi shi was as ambitious as some local corrupt officials, and he did not expect that Qi shi would dare to even scheme against his mother.

Something dripped on the back of Sun shi’s hand. She looked at it and handed her handkerchief to her husband.

Chen Tingjian raised his head and covered his face with the handkerchief.

Sun shi gently soothed his back.

Chen Tingjian did not lose his composure for too long. He took off the half-wet handkerchief and unconsciously folded it.

Sun shi then changed the subject: “How is Second Brother?”

Chen Tingjian looked irritated: “Beside crying, he still crying.”

He felt pity for his younger brother for being weak, but also hated him for not arguing. He talked a lot of reasons, and the old man just cried and cried, but it was unknown whether he listened to him or not.

Sometimes, Chen Tingjian would rather his younger brother hit him like the Old Four instead of kept crying.

Sun shi didn’t have such deep feelings for her brother-in-law, so she couldn’t hide her resentment and said: “He listens to Qi shi on everything else, that’s fine, but when it comes to Mother being ill and taking medicine, if he had just paid a little attention, Qi shi wouldn’t have been able to successfully deceive her with Phytolacca roots…”

Chen Tingjian interrupted her: “Forget it, don’t say it.”

He didn’t like to hear it, and Sun shi also lost her temper. She pushed his arm away and glared at him: “You just care about your brother. What’s your attitude with the Old Four? If it weren’t for the Old Four, this matter might have been kept secret for a long time!”

Chen Tingjian rubbed his forehead and tried to reason: “No matter what, he is still a junior…”

Sun shi just spat, “Don’t talk to me about this. You just want to be a good big brother in front of your brother. You want the outside world to know that you, the Cabinet elder, have never looked down on your younger brother from your hometown. You only care about your good name. What does it matter to you if your son is suffering!”

Chen Tingjian: “This is making trouble without reason. He beats his own uncle, no matter where you put it, he’s in the wrong!”

Sun shi: “Fine, my son is in the wrong. But your brother protects his wife who harmed Mother as if she’s a precious treasure. That’s a real man, right?”

Chen Tingjian:……

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