Mei Niang got down from the couch, and Cui Si hurriedly squatted down to help her put on her shoes. Xu Junying had already walked to the round table over there. Mei Niang stepped forward and led the maids to salute him. Xu Junying glanced at Cui Xi and said:
"I want to talk to my grandmother, all of you go down!"
Mother Wang then took Cui Xi, Cui Si and Cui Lian out of the room. Cheng'er handed them tea and bowed and left.
Mei Niang looked at Xu Junying and asked with concern: "My husband, have you had dinner yet? Do you want me to bring the food up so I can eat with you?"
"No, I've eaten!"
Xu Junying sat down at the table, took the tea bowl, opened the lid and drank the tea. It was sweet flower tea. He frowned, put down the tea bowl, and looked around:
"Why is it so hot in your room?"
Mei Niang said, "Although it has been sunny these past two days, it is still chilly at night. I am afraid of the cold, so I asked them to bring in two more braziers. If you are not used to it, then ask them to carry it out!"
Xu Junying looked at her and said, "I'll just sit for a while and leave after I finish talking."
"What does my husband want to say?"
Xu Junying took out a jade bottle from his sleeve and placed it on the table: "This is Liuhe Pills, you can take it, one pill a day, it will strengthen your body."
Mei Niang came closer and picked up the small bottle to admire it, and said with a smile: "This bottle is really beautiful! Thank you, husband, I will enjoy it well!"
"It was given by Taoist Master Lingxuzi who took your pulse. You should thank him!" Xu Junying said calmly.
"Yes, I will thank you Taoist priest someday!" Mei Niang smiled and said, "Are they still living in Hou Mansion, or have they returned to Guiyun Villa?"
Xu Junying was startled: "You know Guiyun Villa?"
Mei Niang smiled: "My husband brought Mr. Zhang to check Rulan's pulse. I chatted with Taoist Lingxuzi for a while. He told me that they live in Guiyun Villa. I can go there to look for them in the future!"
Xu Junying said: "Why are you looking for them?"
"They are miracle doctors. I just want to see them for my illness. I asked Taoist Lingxuzi to diagnose my brother when he returns to Beijing. My brother studied too hard and hurt his body. He has a cough and asthma that has not been cured for a long time."
Xu Junying frowned, "They are not ordinary doctors. They have things to do. If you are so annoying when you first meet them, wouldn't it be annoying if you have to look for them again in the future?"
Mei Niang was not convinced: "Since they have medical skills, they must be happy to treat people. They are also old friends of my husband and family. As the saying goes, it is better to rely on yourself than to rely on others. We can't trust everything he says if we go out to find those unknown doctors. Now we have friends who know medical skills and won't deceive us. Why don't we use them? Look, Rulan has solved her doubts and put her worries aside. Isn't it good?"
Xu Junying said, "Nonsense! What kind of family are we? We have hired doctors from the Imperial Hospital to treat our illnesses. They are truly knowledgeable and talented. How can they be so mysterious? Forget about Rulan today. When your brother comes back, we can invite another doctor to come over there to diagnose him. We don't need to bother Lingxuzi anymore!"
Mei Niang looked at him and turned away: "Since I have made an appointment with Lingxuzi, I will definitely bring my brother to visit him tomorrow!"
Xu Junying's eyes were cold: "If you don't listen to me, you will have to stay in this courtyard honestly in the future. Don't go anywhere and don't do anything. I will go to report to my wife tomorrow. Let Jingyu and Rulan take care of the household affairs in the Hou Mansion!"
Mei Niang was stunned, and looked at Xu Junying: "What is your husband doing? I am your wife, the eldest grandmother of the eldest house, the wife of the Marquis! Shouldn't I be in charge of the household affairs of the Marquis' Mansion? Your husband is in charge of the outside affairs, and I am in charge of the inside affairs. The husband sings and the wife follows. I will work with my husband to manage the Marquis' Mansion, and our family will live in harmony and happiness. Isn't it good?"
Xu Junying turned her eyes away and said calmly, "Didn't you learn women's virtues in your mother's family? As a wife, the first thing you should do is to obey your husband's wishes, and then manage the household affairs. You always don't consult with me, don't respect my wishes, and do whatever you want, all based on your momentary mood. How can I trust you to be in charge of the household affairs of the Hou Mansion? Just be at ease and be your wife. Now you don't have to take care of Heng'er. Just stay in the yard and play the piano, read books, paint, and cultivate yourself. Isn't it leisurely and comfortable?"
Mei Niang bit her lips, her breath was stuck in her chest, and it took her a long time to regulate her breathing before it calmed down.
My mind raced: When did I offend Xu Junying? He blamed her for being disobedient and doing things on her own. What did I do
Going to meet his friends without permission? Didn't he come back drunk yesterday and drag her to meet those two people? Asking Lingxuzi and Zhang Jingyun to diagnose Rulan's pulse also asked him, did she make an appointment with Lingxuzi to treat her brother without discussing it with him? Or - Oh no! Did he know that the five old ginsengs were not all given to the old lady? But he didn't say that he would give them all!
Xu Junying looked at Mei Niang. Under the light, she lowered her head slightly, sat upright, with her hands tucked into her sleeves and placed on her knees. The skin on her face and neck was bright and tender, her hair was black and shiny, and her long, slightly curled eyelashes fluttered gently, like a pair of butterflies resting among flowers.
Xu Junying reluctantly recalled the wedding night. Mei Niang looked like this at that time, delicate and helpless, pitiful. He wanted to hold her in his arms, but before he could do it, there was a commotion outside the bridal chamber. A group of old friends wanted to come to the bridal chamber to make trouble and see the bride. He hurried out and stopped them, but was dragged out to drink. As a result, he got drunk and was helped back to the bridal chamber to lie down and didn't remember anything. The next day, he had a splitting headache and couldn't get up for a long time. The old lady passed on the message: Since the groom is not feeling well, there is no need to serve tea. The maids came to serve him, and Mei Niang just stood far behind and watched, twisting her hands, her face full of timidity, tears in her eyes. He regretted it very much. He had no tolerance for alcohol but insisted on drinking with them, ignoring the bride, and looked at how scared she was!
On the second night of their marriage, he was gentle and considerate to her, but she avoided him from all directions. Her little face turned red and purple, and she whispered to him: her period had come!
Nothing could be more frustrating than this! On the third day after his marriage, he packed his bags and set off to the northern battlefield to resist the enemy.
When he returned triumphantly, Mei Niang actually gave birth to a son. He was extremely shocked. He closed the door and questioned Mei Niang. The timid little bride became indifferent and alienated, tightly protecting the child, with fear in her eyes but determined not to let go! He was furious, hurt and hateful. He loved her so much, and insisted on marrying her regardless of her humble family. He even thought of her when he was fighting the enemy on the battlefield. Who knew that she would betray him so easily!
He soon discovered something suspicious. Zheng Meiyu, who came to Mei Niang's room every day to chat with her, could not resist his sweet words and a few teasing glances, so she secretly ran to his study and confirmed his guess with firm words. His heart was broken once again: Junjie, his seventh brother whom he loved since childhood, was Heng'er's father!
Heng'er's mother, Zheng, came to see him every day, taking care of their daily lives and discussing with him all kinds of matters that needed to be done for the full moon celebration. The old lady said that Heng'er was the eldest great-grandson and the full moon banquet must be held with great fanfare. Relatives and friends from near and far, celebrities and nobles in the city, and officials of all ranks in the court came to congratulate him. Even the palace was alarmed. The empress dowager, the emperor, and the empress each prepared gifts to send to the Hou Mansion.
He could not speak out, could not explode, and watched the people around him busying around with grief and hatred. He coldly watched the seventh brother Xu Junjie come to Tsinghua Court to talk to him every now and then, and from time to time he cast worried and eager eyes at the upper room where Mei Niang lived. He and the seventh brother were practicing martial arts in the martial arts field. It was no longer the teaching method as when they were young, but each move was dangerous and fierce. He beat the seventh brother with a bloody head and a swollen nose and face. He said to the seventh brother:
"If you don't bleed during training, you will lose your life on the battlefield!"
Unexpectedly, the seventh brother insisted on going to the battlefield with him. Zheng said: Let him go. Your father also hoped that he could go to the battlefield to gain some experience. With his brother taking care of him, he will be fine!
He was the commander-in-chief in this campaign, but the death of the seventh brother was not intentional on his part. After all, they were brothers and had been close since childhood. Even if he didn't want to see him, he couldn't take his life.
He specially selected two deputy generals and two hundred elite soldiers to follow Lao Qi, all of whom were veterans of many battles, to guard against and restrain Lao Qi and protect him at critical moments. Lao Qi was too young, careless and underestimated the enemy, and was arrogant and conceited, harming others and himself. More than a thousand soldiers chased four or five hundred people, but ended up losing more than half of them, and the enemy soldiers successfully broke through and killed the main general... (To be continued)