The next morning, when she woke up and saw the warm and bright sunlight shining on the carved lattice window, Mei Niang's mood rose from the bottom to the top of the mountain.
What is there to worry about? Days pass by, and neither crying nor laughing can stop the passage of time. Those who have the opportunity to be reborn should know how to cherish time and should not be discouraged by a little problem. If you want to gain a foothold in the other world and live a comfortable life, in addition to relying on Xu Junying, a big tree that provides shade, you can also rely on your own efforts!
Bring out the tenacity and drive you had as a working woman in your previous life. Everything depends on human effort. There may be few opportunities in this world, but as long as you stay healthy and passionate, and keep going strong, I believe you will find a smooth path and a good destination of your own!
Mother Wang took care of all the affairs of Qinghua Courtyard, urging the maids in the courtyard to clean up the remaining snow in the courtyard and pile it under the flower trees, boiled hot water for grandma to get up and wash her face, taught the wet nurse and Cuisi to take good care of Heng'er, checked whether his clothes were thick enough, and sent Cheng'er and Ping'er to the kitchen to get breakfast... Cuixi walked out of the upper room to report that the eldest grandmother had gotten up, and Mother Wang hurried over to tell Cuixi and Cuilian to serve her carefully and help the eldest grandmother dress up. Although the seventh master in the mansion had just married, he was a young man who had not married or had children. The mourning hall was still set up in the courtyard where he lived before his death. Because the old lady was still alive, after the solemn funeral for the seventh master in accordance with the imperial decree, only one month later, the second master ordered the mansion to remove the mourning clothes, and men, women, old and young should dress as they should, play and laugh as before, and make sure that the mansion was not too deserted, so as not to let the old man indulge in pain and affect his health. So Mother Wang felt free to let Cui Xi dress Grandma in the best and most gorgeous jewelry and clothes - today was Lord Hou's day off, and the couple would meet each other eventually, and Lord Hou had to see that Grandma, who had recovered from her illness, was not only more beautiful but also more beautiful, as bright and beautiful as a blooming rich peony.
Mei Niang came back to life, and Mother Wang thought it was a gift from God. She had nothing in this life, and all her hopes were on Mei Niang. The young lady who she had breastfed since childhood was like her own daughter in her heart and eyes. As long as Mei Niang got better, she would be willing to do anything!
She knew very well what Mei Niang's situation was like before she got seriously ill. She once cried and begged Mei Niang to let her go. After all, no one except the first wife would know about that incident. She should just pretend that nothing happened and live a good life with Lord Hou and raise Heng'er to adulthood. But Mei Niang was already heartbroken. Her soul dissipated with the death of that man. Only a body remained. She refused to eat or drink every day, and was silent. She only wanted to die quickly...
After Mei Niang died, the Marquis summoned her, Cui Xi, Cui Si, and Cui Lian, and threatened them with words, promising to treat them well. They just shed tears and kept thanking the Marquis for his grace, without saying a word what he wanted to hear. The Marquis looked at them coldly and finally said:
"I won't force you. Since ancient times, slaves have been buried alive with their masters. This is a way to show loyalty and win a good reputation. If you don't want to die, that's fine. After the funeral of Grandma, you will all be sent to the countryside. Don't come back in this life!"
She was once afraid that the Marquis would secretly kill the maids who came with her as dowry. It would have been fine if she was old, but poor Cui Xi, Cui Si and Cui Lian were in their youth. The Marquis would not tolerate them because of Mei Niang's secret. However, the only one who knew the truth was her, the wet nurse. The three girls were unaware of the truth, and it would have been unfair if they died for it.
Mei Niang has completely forgotten what happened in the past. Mother Wang is secretly happy and feels very happy. In the past, she was advised to hide the past and treat Lord Hou with sincerity, but Mei Niang cried and said she couldn't do it. Now she has woken up and finally got it. She is willing to spend time on Lord Hou. Mother Wang is determined to do her best to help Mei Niang win Lord Hou's favor again. Only in this way can Heng Ge'er have the opportunity to become the prince and Mei Niang can keep her wealth and glory!
After getting dressed, Mei Niang walked out of the room clean and beautiful. She was wearing a light yellow satin embroidered quilted silk brocade robe, and a pink eight-panel silk skirt. Her hair was combed into a dragon girl's double flying bun, and she wore a golden hairpin around her neck. The trembling beads fell directly on her shoulders. She had a fair face that was so delicate that she didn't need any rouge or powder at all. She held Heng Ge'er in her arms and basked in the sun under the corridor for a while, teasing the thrush in the golden mesh cage. Two peach-colored clouds naturally floated on her cheeks, and her lips, as soft and delicate as flowers, looked as if they were painted with lip balm, bright red and moist.
She deliberately got up late today and waited for Heng'er to wake up. She planned to carry him to pay her respects to the old lady and let the old lady see her great-grandson.
The ancestors of the Xu family were awarded the title for military merit, but because they were often away from home fighting, they married late. By the time of Xu Junying's generation, most of the men had given up military service and pursued literature. The tradition of late marriage had not changed, and they all married after the age of 21. Among the seven men, except for the sixth and seventh uncles, who were the same age and unmarried, the four elder brothers had married. The third uncle Xu Junya and the third grandmother Ning Rulan had not given birth for more than two years after their marriage, but the other three houses had children. The Xu family now has four generations living together. The legitimate great-granddaughters include the eldest sister Xu Meilian, born to the second legitimate son, the second uncle Xu Junlang, and the second grandmother Bai Jingyu, who is three years old; the second sister Xu Meihui, born to the eldest concubine son, the fourth uncle Xu Junting, and the fourth grandmother Gan, who is two years old; the second concubine son, the fifth uncle Xu Junqiao, and the fifth grandmother Fang gave birth to the great-grandson Shen Ge'er, who is two and a half years old; Mei Niang, as the eldest grandson's wife, gave birth to the eldest great-grandson Heng Ge'er, who is nearly seven months old.
It was the first sunny day after the snow. Not only Mei Niang had this idea, but other families also had it. They all brought their brothers and sisters and came to Jinhua Hall to kowtow and pay their respects to Old Madam Xu.
It was a rare day when the two ladies looked so good that they came here together without any prior arrangement. The second master Xu Xiping was also taking a day off, so he got up early and read some history books. He came to pay his respects to the old lady as soon as it was light. It had been a long time since they had met up with their nephews, nieces and grandchildren, so there was bound to be some small talk. For a moment, the warm room was full of people of all ages. The old lady was enjoying playing with her great-grandson, and although she was happy, she was afraid that Madam Zheng had not yet recovered from the grief of losing Xiao Qi, so she did not show too much happiness. The grandchildren and their wives were also sensible, and they only spoke softly to each other without making too much noise.
I heard a voice from the corridor: "Grandma is here!"
The warm curtains were drawn, and Mei Niang, dressed like a fairy concubine, walked in with a smile and said in a crisp voice:
"Oh! Heng'er and I are late! We need to apologize to our ancestors!"
The wet nurse followed her in, holding Heng'er in her arms. Heng'er was wearing a small cotton-padded jacket with bright red flowers embroidered with a kirin, and a warm hat inlaid with jade pieces and edged with rabbit fur. He was pink and furry, as adorable as a little Fuwa. Influenced by his mother, he also shouted happily to everyone in the room. No one knew what it meant, but it was a greeting anyway.
The mother and son's relaxed and lively attitude was like a spring breeze, bringing all kinds of laughter to the room. Xu Xiaorong and her sisters rushed to stand up to greet Mei Niang, and teased Heng Ge'er. The old lady laughed and shouted at the top of her voice, asking them to bring Heng Ge'er to her.
Others couldn't help but raise their voices. Even the children who had been silent before started to make a noise. Some wanted to drink water, some wanted to pee, and the whole place was in chaos.
Mei Niang bowed to the old lady first, and then she saw the second master Xu Xiping sitting next to her. She hesitated for a moment and looked at Xu Junying who was standing next to her. Xu Junying had no choice but to bow to Xu Xiping and said:
"After this illness, Mei Niang has forgotten many people and things. Please don't blame me, uncle!"
Xu Xiping looked at Mei Niang, smiled, stroked his beard and nodded: "Well, I met Doctor Su, and heard him say that my niece-in-law is blessed. Let's forget about the past. The most important thing is to get well first!"
Mei Niang then bowed deeply and said, "My niece-in-law is rude, please forgive me, uncle! May your uncle be blessed with good health!"
Then she paid her respects to Madam Zheng and Madam Gui in turn. The two concubines stood behind the two ladies respectively, and Mei Niang only smiled and nodded at them. Mother Wang had taught her that there were good concubines and bad concubines in the two concubines. Although Mei Niang was a junior, she had the status of a concubine, so no one would say anything if she didn't pay her respects.
Mei Niang took Heng'er from the nurse's arms and brought him to the old lady. Rui Xue stepped forward to take him and placed him on the old lady's lap. The old lady held Heng'er with both hands and let him jump on her lap. She looked at him carefully for a while and said with a smile:
"This good boy is so chubby, white and strong, so lovable! He doesn't look like his father, but the older he gets, the more he looks like the old Hou - his grandfather! He is so blessed... Ruixue, give the box of candied dates you just bought yesterday to Heng'er's wet nurse, and tell your eldest wife to remember that from this month on, her monthly salary will be doubled, and she should pay more attention to her eldest great-grandson in the future!"
The wet nurse was both surprised and happy, and stood there in a daze. It was only when Mei Niang looked at her that she came to her senses. She quickly knelt down, kowtowed, and retreated with her head lowered.
Madam Zheng smiled and said considerately, "Grandmother, are you tired? Chunyue took Heng'er to play!"
Unexpectedly, Hengger didn't want Chunyue. He slapped Chunyue's hand away and turned around to lie on the old lady's shoulder. The old lady was very happy:
"Oh my dear grandson, you know that you are closest to your great-grandmother!"
She pointed at Zhuang Yulan who was sitting on her left and said to Heng Ge'er with a smile, "You don't want Chunyue to hold you, do you want her to hold you?"
Heng Ge'er glanced at Zhuang Yulan. Zhuang Yulan was a little uneasy, but she still stretched out her hand carefully. Unexpectedly, Heng Ge'er leaned towards her very readily. Zhuang Yulan hugged him tightly, and was immediately happy and surprised. Her eyes intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Xu Junying, and her face flushed with excitement. The old lady was even more smiling from ear to ear. She patted Heng Ge'er on the back and praised him repeatedly:
"Good boy, really good boy!"
Mei Niang teased Shen Ge'er who was staggering to her side. She recorded the actions of the old lady and Zhuang Yulan out of the corner of her eye, and quickly glanced at Xu Junying, who had a calm expression and did not smile, while talking to Xu Xiping in a disjointed manner.
She took Shen Ge'er's little hand and said with a smile, "Shen'er, do you want to play with Heng'er?"
Shen Geer nodded: "Shen Er wants to play with Heng Er!"
Mei Niang turned to Fifth Grandma Fang and said, "I see Shen'er's hair is a little sparse. Is he sleeping poorly at night?"
Fang hurriedly responded respectfully, "That's right! He always makes a scene at night. I think Heng is well taken care of. Does Grandma have any good ideas?"
Mei Niang said, "Drink more bone soup, eat more fish, and get more sun, and you will grow better naturally. It's rare that the sun is warm today, why don't you take the children to the yard and play in the sun?"
Fang did not refuse: "Okay, let's report to the old lady and take the children out?"
Mei Niang looked around and said, "The one sitting with the Third Master is the Second Master, right? The Second Madam didn't come today?"
Fang covered her mouth with a handkerchief and whispered, "Second Madam was in mourning for the old master of the Bai family. She had to kneel on a cold mat in the snow to do the ritual. But she had her period. It was no joke for a woman to let the cold invade her body at that time. She was also very spoiled. She just sent someone to apologize to the old lady and couldn't get up!"
Mei Niang also whispered: "Do you want to go see her?"
Fang was about to answer when she suddenly saw the old lady stand up and be helped to the inner room by Ruixue, Ji Mama and others. She had eaten fragrant rice porridge in the morning and drank an extra cup of tea. She would go in after sitting for a while.
But then there was a scream from the couch, and Zhuang Yulan jumped up while holding Hengger. She was only concerned with pulling up her skirt, and seeing that Hengger was about to fall to the ground, Mrs. Zheng screamed, and Mei Niang and Xu Junxuan, who was sitting not far away, arrived at the same time. Seeing that Xu Junxuan caught Hengger, Mei Niang pushed Zhuang Yulan back and made her fall on the edge of the couch.
Zhuang Yulan's face was pale. She sat sideways, holding the hem of her skirt with both hands, staring blankly at Mei Niang, who looked slightly angry. Xu Junying hurried over and asked with concern:
"What happened, Lan'er? Are you okay?"
The frightened Heng'er burst into tears at this time. Mrs. Zheng took him from Xu Junxuan's arms with heartache and patted him gently.
Feeling Xu Junying's cold gaze shooting towards her, Mei Niang calmed herself down, tried to adjust her facial expression, and said softly:
"Cousin Lan, are you okay? I saw you were about to fall, so I had to give you a push. Otherwise, you might have missed a step and fallen down. You are different from Brother Heng. He is small and light, so it shouldn't hurt if he falls. But if you fall like that, you probably won't be able to get up!"
Zhuang Yulan then started to cry in grievance: "I didn't mean to do that, Brother Heng, he, he soiled my skirt..."
Mei Niang then discovered that Zhuang Yulan's brand new lilac-colored skirt was wet in a large area, and she couldn't help but feel very happy: I told you to pretend! The grown-up girl held a baby to please her cousin, but she had no experience holding a baby, so she lost, right
But he looked at Xu Junying nervously and said, "Oh! What should we do? Our Heng'er is really outrageous!"
Xu Junying frowned and said, "You are a mother, how can you not control your own child? You made Lan'er suffer like this..."
Madam Gui smiled and said, "Don't panic, this is a good thing! Don't underestimate boy's urine. When Lan'er gets married, the first child she gives birth to will most likely be the same as Heng'er!"
Ruixue helped the old lady in. After hearing this, she smiled and comforted Zhuang Yulan: "Is this worth crying about? Heng Ge'er gave you this as a gift. You should thank him! Ruihong and Ruiyun helped Miss Lan to change her clothes." (To be continued)