Xu Junying said: "It's enough to detain the indenture, why detain the person?"
Meimei looked at him with a sly smile: "Master Hou is really smart!"
Xu Junying blushed: "Why am I so smart? It's all because you're always talking nonsense in front of me... I don't understand!"
"You don't understand? You understand best!"
Xu Junying wanted to pinch Meimei's face, but Meimei dodged. Considering Heng'er next to them, the two stopped playing around. Meimei said:
"I heard from Xiaojuan's wet nurse, Mama Zheng, that Li Zhao didn't have any concubines or maids in Jiangyuan. After living in the mansion in the capital for a few months, he has everything. If my brother-in-law recommends him an official position, that would be the icing on the cake!"
Xu Junying lowered his eyes: "How is it possible! You saw this result a long time ago, right? You arranged for them to live in the quiet courtyard in the beginning."
Meimei opened her eyes wide: "Do you really think I'm a prophetic monster? If I had seen it earlier, would I have allowed Li Zhao to take a concubine in Houfu? Don't you know that I hate this kind of thing the most? Although Xu Xiaojuan is a brainless and unreliable person, she is your sister after all. The old lady did such a shameful thing without any guilt. I really have nothing to say! There were three reasons why I arranged for them to live in Jingyuan: first, Xu Xiaojuan annoyed me and I didn't want to see her; second, there were girls living in Houfu, who often walked around in the garden, and I was afraid of meeting the son-in-law, which was not in line with etiquette and would damage the reputation of the boudoir; third, I decorated and tidied Jingyuan so well, but I couldn't live there. I felt it was a pity and wanted to make full use of it and let their family enjoy it. She didn't appreciate it and went to the old lady to ask for Yuehuayuan. What can I say? Later, the cousin of the Luo family came, and I simply ignored her. As a result, Xu Xiaojuan took her to live in Xianglanxie, and this happened. I can't blame anyone. If I have to say I'm sorry, it's the three girls living in Houfu!"
Xu Junying sighed: "I am sorry for you. I was away for such a long time, leaving you alone at home to deal with these things. I originally wanted to give you a clean, comfortable, peaceful and comfortable home, but in the end I couldn't do it... Meimei, you have to bear it. I am always by your side, but if you are wronged or angry, I will bear it!"
Meimei smiled and said, "I have already surrendered. There is no way out. If you don't stand by me, what should I do?"
Heng'er dropped a small piece of wood under the couch, and Xu Junying picked it up for him and said with a smile: "I surrendered a long time ago, but you didn't take me seriously at that time... I am loyal as you can see."
He wanted to kiss Meimei on the face, but Meimei dodged and motioned for Heng'er to be by her side. Xu Junying said:
"Now we only have Heng'er around, what will we do if one or two more come?"
Meimei taught Henger how to build a city wall with specially made colored wooden blocks. She smiled and said, "Three years later? By then, Henger will be able to run and jump, and he won't want to stay in the house with you. Besides... who knows what you and I will become by then? Maybe one of us won't want to see the other!"
"How dare you!" Xu Junying's eyes darkened and he said seriously, "Meimei, don't say such things!"
Meimei raised her eyes to look at him: "It's just talk, can it really change the future? Come here and play with us!"
Xu Junying reached out and picked up a triangular wooden block and placed it on the square wooden block, turning it into a cartoon house:
"That's not nice to hear. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Heng'er, come and see! This house is weird, small and ugly!"
Meimei looked at him helplessly: This is cute, okay? He said it so unbearably!
She spent half a day drawing the blueprint, asked Baoju to make it, and then painted it with dye to carefully make the building block toy. Fortunately, Heng'er knew the value of it and couldn't put it down, otherwise she would have been really disappointed.
Xu Junying smiled: "How is it? Does this make you uncomfortable? I know you made this toy for Heng'er with all your heart, and it's best if the child likes it. Meimei, you are so smart. No one else can think of such an exquisite toy except you!"
Meimei was both angry and amused. She really didn't know how to describe this guy.
After the parent-child game time was over, Xia Lian came and took Heng'er to take a nap. Xu Junying pulled Meimei and said, "Let's take a nap too?"
Meimei said, "Go to sleep. I have to go out for a while!"
"Where are you going?"
Meimei counted on her fingers, "Let's go to Qianxi Music House and give some songs to Li Qiuge. Let's go to Liu Jingyun's embroidery shop. I got some fabric for Rulan to embroider lace. It should be done. Let's go to Qiancaotang and get some medicinal pills. Zhang Jingyun prepared them for us. Doctor Duan of the medicine hall roasted them for a while. He said we can pick them up on August 16th and take them slowly. Finally, let's go to... Never mind. I won't go to Xiankelai. I'll let Cuixi go tomorrow."
Xu Junying listened with a smile on his face at first, but as soon as Meimei mentioned Zhang Jingyun, he stopped smiling and looked at Meimei unhappily.
Meimei turned her head to look at the open door. Cuixi and the others were already familiar with Xu Junying's habits. When he was in the room, he didn't want maids around. Therefore, the maids who were usually serving had to sit in the corridor or in the side room and wait.
Thinking that no one would come in, Meimei stretched out her hands and pinched Xu Junying's cheeks, saying provocatively:
"What's with your expression and attitude? How have I offended you?"
Xu Junying was very helpless. He could imagine how weird and ugly it would be to have his face pinched like this. But Meimei actually said that she would only do this when she loved him the most!
He had no choice but to hold her waist and said incoherently, "When I was not at home, you met with Prince Qi, Zhang Jingyun and the others, played together, and didn't even tell me when you came back!"
"Didn't I tell your beloved general Bai Zhan to tell you? He explained it in much more detail than I did!"
"you!"
Xu Junying didn't know whether to laugh or cry, he took her hand down and held it: "Bai Zhan and the others followed you to protect you, what can he say? You have to tell me!"
"Okay, what?"
"You guys went to Guiyun Villa to play one day, right? You and Jingyun talked for a long time halfway up the mountain. What was there to talk about?"
Meimei laughed angrily, "I have to think of a way to deal with Baizhan! I am a married woman, and Jingyun is a polite person. What can we say in front of everyone? He told me... He is leaving, and may not return to the capital for three to five years. I like the wild fruits and grass slopes in Guiyun Villa. Every year when the season comes, I can bring you and Heng'er to play with the King of Qi and the Queen of Qi. I also made some pills for us beforehand and put them in Qiancao Hall. Go and get them when the time comes!"
"That's all?"
"There is nothing to hide, Junying. Now that we are husband and wife, I will share the same heart and destiny with you!"
"That's right!" Xu Junying held her in his arms with satisfaction: "Such nice words, why not say a few more? Let's go, let's go wherever we need to go, your husband will accompany you!"
Meimei said hurriedly: "I can go by myself, why don't you get some sleep? Last night..."
Seeing her blushing face, Xu Junying smiled and whispered, "Are you worried about tiring your husband? Don't worry, I've been on the battlefield for days and nights without sleeping, so this is nothing? As long as I can be with you, I don't even need to sleep!"
Meimei tried to break away from him: "I just don't think it's a good idea to go out with you!"
"Why?"
Xu Junying was unhappy again: "You have to wear a mask when you go to the music hall? And you have to go with me. It will always make people recognize you no matter which one you are. Your husband is only this one!"
Meimei was sweating and said helplessly: "Then let's go, don't dawdle!"
Xu Junying called Cuixi and Cuilian in and helped Meimei tidy up her hair. Cuilian, despite her objection, put a few more hairpins and pearl flowers in her bun, and then let her go out with Xu Junying.
Xu Junying did not ride a horse, and sat in the carriage with Meimei. Cuixi and Cuisi had to sit in another carriage. Meimei smiled and said to Xu Junying:
"Your subordinates will laugh at you!"
"Why are you making fun of me? You can't bear to part with your lovely wife? They are already envious!"
Xu Junying suddenly seemed to be thinking about something: "Your Cuixi, you didn't match her with anyone, right?"
"What do you want to do?"
Xu Junying smiled: "Meimei, you know that the people around me are all my personal guards. There are also many loyal generals who have shared life and death with me at the border. Most of the people I promoted are still young and unmarried..."
Meimei glanced at him and said, "You don't want to help them with their lifelong affairs, do you? Let me make it clear first: don't expect me to help you, I don't have that ability!"
"No, no, how can that be? Even if we can do it, the other party may not like it, right? It's just... I once brought a few men to the Cen residence. A lieutenant saw Cui Xi and was surprised by her calmness and generosity. I said that she grew up with the young lady since she was a child and was not an ordinary maid. The lady would marry them off well. He immediately asked me to ask the young lady, if I could give her to him..."
Meimei shook her head: "No, Cuixi is already engaged to Lu Xiangfeng and will be married in a year!"
Xu Junying looked at her sullenly: "Another thing, you acted on your own without consulting me!"
Meimei opened her mouth, wanting to fight back like she did before, but after thinking about it, she held back and smiled gently:
"They fell in love over time and like each other. Cuixi doesn't recognize your lieutenant general, and... by the way, does he want Cuixi to be his wife?"
"… "
Meimei put away her gentle, graceful and sweet smile and glared at Xu Junying fiercely: "How dare you ask my girl to be your concubine? You better find a reason to demote him tomorrow, otherwise... Humph!"
Xu Junying hugged her and coaxed her: "It's not what you think... Oh, how can I explain it? The lieutenant general's family is not an ordinary civilian family. His ancestors have been military officers for generations. He married a wife according to his parents' orders, but they have not had children for many years. He wants to marry Cuixi. If he has a child, then naturally she will not be a concubine!"
"No matter! I hate him! And I hate you too! Why are you meddling in such a stupid matter!"
Xu Junying hugged the kicking and throbbing Meimei tightly in his arms: "Meimei! You have to understand. He and I have crawled out of the dead countless times. He is one year older than me and is also the eldest son. His parents are still alive. No one wants to leave an heir more than him! But he didn't find the right person, so he refused to take a concubine. He only took a fancy to Cuixi that time, and I didn't have the time to ask you..."
Meimei didn't move, and after a long sigh, she said, "Remember this from now on, my people, men are not allowed to take concubines, and women are not allowed to be concubines!"
"Yes, Madam." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)