Chapter 34

 

Hua Yang lowered her head to read the letter.

Her aunt first praised her for her wise decision, saying that she and Chen Jingzong had just gotten married, so they should enjoy the loving time as a young couple for a few years, and wait until their relationship was no longer so sticky before having children.

Hua Yang secretly slandered that she and Chen Jingzong had nothing to stick about. She was just afraid that she could not change Chen Jingzong’s fate and that if a child was born in the future, it would be pitiful to grow up without a father.

After talking about other thing for a while, her aunt explained the use of that thing in detail, which made Hua Yang frown.

The bed sank, and Chen Jingzong sat down next to her and read with her.

Discovering that this thing needed to be soaked in warm water for a whole day, boiled in boiling water before use, and washed repeatedly after use, Chen Jingzong immediately said: “Let the maid come over to soak it, and I will wash it myself. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

He sounded like he was afraid that Hua Yang would find it troublesome and would put this good thing away.

Hua Yang tried not to think about the image and continued to read.

It turned out that there were fifty pieces in such a small box. Her aunt said that under normal circumstances, one could be used about ten times. If her nephew-in-law was exceptionally gifted, it would be hard to say.

Hua Yang:…

She seemed to see her aunt’s face full of ambiguous smiles, and heard her aunt’s most teasing voice.

Regardless of whether Chen Jingzong saw this sentence or not, Hua Yang quickly reached the second piece of letter paper and placed it on top.

However, there were not many serious words on this page. Hua Yang hurriedly browsed through it then put the letter into the envelope again. She would wait until Chen Jingzong left before reading it again. Then after reading it, she would burn it!

When she lowered her eyes to put away the letter, Hua Yang caught a glimpse of something that was still held in Chen Jingzong’s hand. It was thin and transparent, like yarn but without any holes in the yarn.

“What kind of material is this?”

Hua Yang didn’t want to touch, so she asked Chen Jingzong in a low voice, always avoiding eye contact with him.

Chen Jingzong twisted it with his fingertips and said, “I don’t know either. Grand Princess didn’t say anything in her letter?”

Hua Yang: “She just said that she found it with a lot of trouble and took a lot of effort to make it. It’s more precious than the best silk.”

Chen Jingzong was silent.

In fact, he had a vague guess, but he couldn’t say it out loud. If he did, she probably really wouldn’t use it. Grand princess must also know her temper, so she was also vague.

Heroes don’t ask about origins, it didn’t matter where it came from. It was already clean and it was a treasure, like a lotus flower in a pond, emerging from the mud but not stained.

“Let Chao Yun fetch the warm water. Grand Princess really praised it to the sky, we have to see if this thing is really that good.”

Chen Jingzong said in a serious tone like a scholar discussing profound knowledge.

Hua Yang:…

Chen Jingzong decided to retreat first: “I will go to the study to read.”

When he left, he put the thing on Hua Yang’s knee.

Hua Yang smelled a faint fragrance and remembered that although her aunt was a deviant, she was also a delicate person like herself. Hua Yang took advantage of Chen Jingzong’s absence and picked up the object and studied it carefully for a while. Unfortunately, she still had no clue what it made of.

Hua Yang called Chao Yun in and taught her the soaking method of this thing with a nonchalant expression.

Chao Yun asked strangely: “What is this?”

Hua Yang’s expression remained unchanged: “I don’t know either. My aunt gave it to me and said I won’t know until at night.”

Chao Yun understood that something the grand princess had sent thousands of miles away must be a treasure, and she would take care of it wholeheartedly.

Seeing that Chao Yun had no doubts at all, Hua Yang breathed a sigh of relief.

After sitting alone for a while, Hua Yang went to the study to find Chen Jingzong and asked him about proper business: “According to Ministry of Personnel’s document, when will you to take up your post?”

Chen Jingzong knew that she had thin skin, so he followed her along and said, “In three days.”

Hua Yang calculated: “Then when will we move to the city?”

Chen Jingzong: “I can do it anytime. It depends on what you want.”

Hua Yang lowered her eyes and said, “Let’s go to the two elder’s place and have a look. Eldest Brother and Third Brother are probably also discussing this matter.”

The couple thus went to Chunhe Hall.

Except for Chen Tingshi from the east house and the children, everyone in the family was indeed there.

After a brief greeting, Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong took their seats.

Sun shi smiled and said: “You are also here for the move, right? In my opinion, taking posts are important. You three young couples will pack up today and move in early tomorrow morning. The children will stay at home and your father will help teach them. Old One, Old Three and Old Four just have to concentrate on your errands. While Yu Xiu, Yuyan, and the Princess can take care of your daily life and food. Then we elders don’t have to worry about anything. If you are free on your rest day, you can come back for a meal. If you’re busy then forget it, no need to bother tossing for dozens of miles to come.”

Chen Bozong: “Mother, let Yu Xiu stay. She is the eldest daughter-in-law. While Son is not here, let her fulfil the filial piety in front of you two elders for me.”

Yu Xiu nodded and looked at her mother-in-law sincerely.

Chen Xiaozong followed: “Son is already so old, and there are a lot of people in the county yamen that can take care of me. There’s no need for Yuyan to go. She can stay at home to help you take care of the children, especially since Wan Qing is still young and can’t be separated from her.”

Luo Yuyan wanted to follow her husband to live in the county yamen. This year, she was pregnant and in confinement, the couple didn’t sleep together much. Her husband was so young and charming, if he went to the county yamen by himslef, what should she do if there’s any maid trying to climb into his bed over there?

But she still had to act like a filial daughter-in-law and expressed her willingness to stay in the ancestral home.

Chen Jingzong drank tea silently.

Hua Yang glanced at him.

Today in her previous life, he was also silent like this, looking very unfilial compare to his two brothers.

At that time, Hua Yang found him very unpleasant and almost opposed him in everything. Chen Jingzong didn’t want to stay in the ancestral home, so she insisted on staying. She even wanted to leave the mansion given by her father emperor to Chen Jingzong alone. The couple then would be separated in two places, and she would have less to deal with him. Out of sight, out of mind!

Therefore, Hua Yang threatened to stay and was so determined that she could not be swayed even by her parents-in-law’s persuasion.

But Hua Yang never expected that while she stayed here, Chen Jingzong also did not move to the mansion in Lingzhou City. Instead, he would rather get up half an hour early every day and rush to the guard station, and came back late every night, rain or shine. It was all for the sake of her being in a better mood one day, and he could climb to the bed and do the deed with her. Hua Yang regretted it so much. If she had known this, why would she give up the mansion gifted by her father emperor?

However, since the big word filial daughter-in-law had already been said, retracting her words was not an option. She couldn’t afford to lose face.

This time, whether it was for her own comfort or to deal with Prince Xiang, Hua Yang didn’t say any more polite words and waited patiently for the two pairs of brothers and sisters-in-law and her parents-in-law to come to a conclusion.

Sun shi and her filial sons and daughters-in-law persuaded each other again, but then Chen Tingjian suddenly said: “Only when you have no worries about the back house can you work with peace of mind. The children will stay and the adults will move out. That’s it.”

No matter how filial Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong were, they did not dare to contradict their father.

The three couples said goodbye at the same time.

The sun was shining brightly, and Luo Yuyan couldn’t hide the smile in her eyes. She looked at her Tanhua husband several times as she walked beside him.

Chen Xiaozong smiled but said nothing. Naturally, he wanted to take his beautiful wife with him to his post.

Only Yu Xiu walked beside Chen Bozong with her head slightly lowered, seeming to feel uncomfortable that she couldn’t stay in the ancestral home to be filial to her parents-in-law.

Luo Yuyan thought that maybe Chen Bozong didn’t like Yu Xiu and the couple’s relationship was weak, so Yu Xiu was more willing to stay.

She persuaded softly: “Sister-in-law, don’t be like this. Father has said that if you take good care of Eldest Brother, he can work as Lingzhou prefect with peace of mind. If you stay here, then in case the maids failed to serve properly, Eldest Brother does not eat well or sleep well and delay his work, isn’t it a case of losing something big for the sake of something small?”

Yu Xiu looked back at her and forced a smile.

Luo Yuyan glanced at Hua Yang, who was walking at the front, and said: “And you and the Princess are both in Lingzhou City. You can walk around each other in your free time. It’s much more lively. Not like me, alone with Third Master to Jiangping County. I don’t know anyone there.”

When Yu Xiu heard this, she looked at her fourth sister-in-law anxiously. The fourth sister-in-law was such a noble person, but she was always polite and indifferent to her at home. How could she be so happy to be bothered by her when they arrived in Lingzhou City?

Hua Yang was originally concentrating on walking, but when she heard Luo Yuyan mentioning herself, she glanced back. Before seeing Luo Yuyan, she met Yu Xiu’s restless and cowardly eyes first.

Hua Yang:…

Her fairy disease had returned, and she couldn’t bear to see an honest person showing such a pitiful look. Moreover, she liked Wan Yi, so she also had two points of love for this sister-in-law.

“I heard that Lingzhou City has its own prosperity. When we settle down, I will ask Sister-in-law to go out and go shopping together.”

Hua Yang said warmly.

When a peony-like person smiled brightly, Yu Xiu felt that a large field of peonies bloomed in front of her eyes, which suddenly made the dull scenery of First Month brighter.

And this was a princess. The princess actually asked her out to go shopping together!

“Why, Sister-in-law, you’re not willing?” Hua Yang couldn’t help teasing her when she saw her looking stunned.

Yu Xiu came to her senses and nodded in panic: “Yes, yes!”

Hua Yang looked at Luo Yuyan again, and her smile faded: “It’s a pity that Third Sister-in-law is far away and cannot go out together.”

Luo Yuyan:…..

When they came to the west house, they reached Guanhe Hall first, which was closest to the Moon Gate. Chen Bozong and Yu Xiu then went back first.

Until this moment, Yu Xiu was still a little overwhelmed with flattery, her cheeks were slightly red, and she actually looked a bit more delicate and charming than usual.

Although she was a mother, she was only twenty-six years old this year.

Suddenly realizing that her husband was looking at her, Yu Xiu panicked and lowered her head in shame: “How about I pretend to be sick tomorrow morning? Father won’t let me go to your post if I’m sick, that way I can stay.”

Before going to the main house, her husband said that he wanted her to stay here and honor the two elders, and did not want to take her to his post. But now, she actually fantasized about going shopping with the princess. He probably was not happy.

Chen Bozong pursed his lips slightly and said after a while: “No, Father has already decided, there is no need to oppose anymore.”

Yu Xiu clenched her sleeves.

Chen Bozong looked at the small courtyard where he had lived for a year and said, “You go pack the clothes and daily necessities, and I’ll pack the books.”

When his tall figure disappeared at the door of the study, thinking that the couple could be alone for a year, another blush crept up on Yu Xiu’s fair face.

Fucui Hall.

Luo Yuyan opened the wardrobe and happily took off the brocade dress she had just hung inside.

Chen Xiaozong was sitting on the bed and saw her beaming like a peacock about to escape from its cage. He joked: “If Father agrees to you staying, will you cry?”

Luo Yuyan glared at him: “Why should I cry? If you dare to mess around outside, I will complain to Father.”

Chen Xiaozong was helpless: “I have no criminal record, so why are you always suspicious?”

Luo Yuyan hummed: “Who gave you the face of a male fox?”

Chen Xiaozong touched his face and shook his head. Remembering something, he lowered his voice and said in confusion: “There is no rift between you and the Princess, right? Why do I feel that the Princess is not as close to you as with Eldest Sister-in-law?”

Luo Yuyan paused, then pouted her lips: “How dare I offend the Princess? It’s just a matter of social ranking. If the Princess insists on looking at me unpleasantly, what can I do?”

Chen Xiaozong didn’t think the princess was the kind of person who would find faults for no reason. Perhaps it was because the princess liked Wan Yi and had more contact with eldest sister-in-law. Before, they only had two naughty sons, and boys were always not as likeable as little girls.

As soon as he thought of little girl, the wet nurse came with the baby in her arms.

Wan Qing was already more than five months old. She was fair and fat, with big black eyes, and was very beautiful.

Chen Xiaozong took his daughter, teased her for a while, then said to his wife: “The Princess is still newly-wed. Everyone is in mourning this year, so she has little contact with you. When the princess gives birth to a child in the future, you will move around more and it will naturally be easier to get closer.”

Luo Yuyan narrowed her eyes: “You really want me to get close to her? What good will it do to us if we get close?”

Chen Xiaozong was amused: “It’s not a matter of what good or not good. We are all family, of course I hope you all can live in harmony. Otherwise, if the Princess is only close to Eldest Sister-in-law, leaving you alone, how would you feel?”

Luo Yuyan bit her lip. She also wanted to have a sister-in-law whom she could talk to. But of the two in the family, one had too high status and the other had too low status. She couldn’t flatter them, but she also didn’t want to compromise. She was in a dilemma.

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