The Jiang family knew nothing about the emperor's thoughts.
After all, he had two major frontier armies at his disposal, and there were many cronies in the court, and the emperor had always been so docile and sensible, so it was only human nature to let down his guard against him.
Qiu Yilan, who had no idea that she had been regarded as a stepping stone by the emperor as a shortcut to seizing power, was discussing the life-long affairs of Swing with He Shuijin: "Did the Cheng family really ask again?"
"Can I amuse you with something like this?" He Shuijin slowly peeled an orange, threw the peel into the small incense burner not far away, and burned the room with fragrance, "That's my niece. After landing, when we were having a drink at home to celebrate, the Cheng family came to congratulate us. Seeing an opportunity, Mrs. Yin pulled me to a corner and talked about it - saying that Cheng Xide really liked Princess Yishu, but Qiunie didn't like her. He and Princess Yishu can talk well, so he wants to ask me to talk to you to see if there is really no hope? "
Mrs. Yin is Cheng Jin's eldest daughter-in-law and the sister-in-law of Cheng Guoxi, Xue Nongying's wife.
"Not only Qiu Nie is not optimistic, but I am also a little confused. According to what I asked about, Cheng Xide is an upright gentleman. He has been familiar with the books of sages since he was a child. He is most particular about a woman's virtue, beauty, merit, and conduct, right?" Qiu Yilan Shen Yin, the Cheng family has always had a good family tradition. It is said that there is a family rule that only those who are over fifty and have no children are allowed to have concubines. This kind of family with a good reputation naturally cherishes feathers. Women who are not from a good family or have a reputation that is not virtuous should be treated as such. To put it bluntly, no matter how noble one’s birth is, they will not be given priority.
Why would he propose marriage to Swing again and again
Apart from the fact that Swing has the word "Shu" in her title, compared with those orthodox virtuous women in terms of nature, it would not be too harsh to call her a little witch. Qiu Yilan couldn't tell that she would attract the Cheng family - if she only attracted Cheng Xide, everyone would love vegetables and radishes. But now that the Cheng family is also helping to propose marriage, this is worth pondering:
"The Cheng family relies on the big tree of Xue Xiang. Although it has nothing to do with our Jiang family, its status is very stable. Judging from their usual behavior, their moral integrity is not low. It's not like Xue Xiang is still thinking about how to do something better. Looking for a backer... If it's not for the Jiang family, is it 'Tianya'? It doesn't feel like it... If for this, just ask the Xue family to help match up and invest money, why bother getting married to a top pick? "
She was thinking about it, and He Shuijin said: "There are no outsiders here, so I'll tell you the truth: You've been here too, do you really think that a decent gentleman only likes dignified women?"
"It's possible," Qiu Yilan said, "After all, everyone has different preferences." In fact, the silly and stupid boy is basically paired with the eccentric young lady...
"Isn't this the end?" He Shuijin didn't think there was anything wrong with this, because the pair of Jiang Yashuang and Qiu Yilan refreshed her knowledge, "I'm two years older than Nineteen. It can be said that you watched him grow up - you always felt that he was so obedient, sensible and filial when he was a child, and he would definitely find a virtuous and kind wife like the eighth sister-in-law before you. When you first got married to him, to be honest! I’m also very surprised!”
Qiu Yilan was a little speechless: "This is really different. Let me say something to offend people. Although Nineteen was very honest in the past, sister-in-law, think about this family... Are the other people honest? He has long been used to seeing dishonest people. No! He didn't complain that his family had embarrassed him, which shows that although he doesn't bother, he doesn't dislike the people and things that bother him. However, the Cheng family is said to be quite old-fashioned. "
"It's a bit old-fashioned, but it's not like he doesn't know how to adapt!" He Shuijin said, "You think, although Cheng Xide is Cheng Jin's junior, Cheng Jin wouldn't force him to be the top pick. Go! Cheng Xide is not moved, why would the Cheng family keep mentioning it? And I don’t think you need to always mention the birth. She is your cousin by blood, and the wealth of the Xihe Palace can be traced back to the founding of the country. At that time, let alone the Cheng family, no one knew where the Xue family was, right? In terms of education, she was also a descendant of Mr. Shao; in terms of status, you are now a noble girl. She said that the Cheng family doesn’t even have the lowest title, so what right do you have to look down on her?”
Qiu Yilan muttered: "It's either that I look down on it, or that I feel that this matter is a bit inconsistent... But just like what you said, sister-in-law, since the Cheng family has brought this matter up for the second time, it shows that they are sincere. In this way, when I come out, After confinement, please invite Mei Xue to come over and discuss it. "
He Shuijin achieved his goal and left happily: "Then I'll wait for your news!"
That night, Qiu Yilan told her husband about the matter: "Last time I heard that Qiu Nie refused, I thought that was the end of the matter and didn't care about it anymore. Unexpectedly, the Cheng family took it seriously and actually entrusted me with it again. The fourteenth sister-in-law came to deliver the message - do you think the Cheng family is so enthusiastic about bringing Cheng Xide and Zhuqian together, are they sincere or have some ulterior motives? "
Jiang Yashuang is open-minded: "If you don't have any intentions, you have to see what they are. If it's not excessive and treats Yi Shu well, I think it's okay."
Qiu Yilan thought about it and said, "Then when I am out of confinement, please invite Mei Xue and Zhuoqian to come over and have a good talk! Zhuoqian is really not young. If she doesn't get married, it will be troublesome to find a husband in the future! "
So the incident was recorded.
At this time, there were less than ten days before her confinement - another two or three days had passed. When Kapok was waiting for her, Mulan came in and reported: "Aunt Gu is here and she wants to ask you for advice on something!"
"Please ask me for permission? Huishan is still young and she is not in the yard to look after her daughter. Why should she come to me to ask for permission?" Qiu Yilan was quite puzzled and said, "Let her come in!"
… At the beginning of the year, Gu Weina and Manjiang Qizheng announced that they were pregnant. They both gave birth to daughters in October this year, and both mother and daughter were safe.
Among them, Jiang Qizheng's daughter was named Qiu Yehe after her elder brother and sister, and Gu Wanna's twenty-second daughter Sun chose the character "shan". The two children are just one month old now, and the birth mother has only been pregnant for a few days. She should be concentrating on raising the children and recuperating her health. She came here in such a cold weather. I don't know what happened
After a while, Gu Weina was brought in. After saying goodbye, she said: "The expenses for our room this month..."
"Wait a minute, shouldn't this be told to the eighth sister-in-law? Why are you looking for me?" Qiu Yilan was surprised when she saw that she was taking out her account book to read while she was talking, and interrupted.
"Mrs. Eighth is suffering from severe morning sickness and can't get up at all!" Gu Wanna sighed, "I hope my mother will stay with me day and night, but I really don't have time to take care of things. I'll let you take care of me for a few days until you have a filial piety." , please take care of it! There are some accounts that I can’t decide today. I hope my mother will ask me to come over and ask you!”
Qiu Yilan hurriedly asked: "Is Eighth Sister-in-law important?"
"Mom Zhu said there are no other problems. She just vomited violently and tried several different medicines, but it still didn't work." Gu Wanna said, "I can only wait a few days to see if it gets better."
Under this situation, Qiu Yilan really had to help. After all, Sheng Shishui was not around, and she and Chu Yitong were the only two wives in the fourth bedroom. Gu Wegna couldn't be allowed to be the head of the house with just an aunt - fortunately, the fourth bedroom was not the duke of the country. In the house of the government, the so-called account book is just a few things in your own room, and it doesn't take much effort.
Qiu Yilan asked a few more questions about Chu Yitong's diet, expressing her concern as a sister-in-law enough, and then started to ask about the accounts.
She didn't hear anything wrong in it. After confirming with Gu Wanna about the accounts that she couldn't take charge of, she nodded and said: "Then you can take care of it for the next few days. I can't go out now, but It’s inconvenient. Give it to me after I’m out of confinement.”
Gu Weina agreed and then left. She took a step, but turned around hesitantly: "Mrs. Nineteenth Young Master..."
"What's wrong?"
"Shan'er has been crying a lot in the past few days. After the doctor looked at it, he said it was because the material for swaddling her was not very good." Gu Wanna was a little bit embarrassed and said cautiously, "But the current sample can only be used Like this... The Eight Young Madams are in chaos, so it’s not easy for me to bother with this matter.”
In order to prevent the men from Kui County from squandering too much of the Duke's property, He Shuijin had reduced the expenses since the first half of the year. Since the second and fifth bedrooms were still in Beijing, the expenses had not been increased. The principal wives all have dowries to subsidize, so the impact is not great, but the concubines do not have this kind of treatment.
Although Gu Wanna was born into a noble family, she was lucky enough to be able to escape from the desperate situation when she ran away from Prince Zhou's mansion. How much can she take care of? Once the fee is reduced, she will inevitably not take advantage of it. I can still tolerate it, but for a child who is only one month old, she won't understand if you ask her to tolerate it. She will just cry and make trouble when she feels uncomfortable. How can a mother have the heart to ignore it
Therefore, Gu Wanna could only bite the bullet and beg the person she had overlooked in the past.
Qiu Yilan took a deep look at her: "The child is frail, and she is a girl, so she is particularly delicate - you should have said this earlier."
Just call Mulan, "Go to the warehouse and pick the materials we have to make swaddling clothes..."
"No, no, no!" Gu Wanna said hurriedly, "What I want to say is, take the swaddling clothes that the fourteenth grandson and the seventeenth grandson can't use, and give them to a few Shan'er! How dare you ask for new ones?"
"An'er and Lang'er are both boys, and the color of the swaddling clothes they use may not be suitable for Shan'er. So it's better to get new ones. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, so it would be more festive to use new ones!" Qiu Yilan looked calm and felt I sigh: I think back when the Empress Dowager Gu and the Prince of Guangyang were still there, what kind of star Gu Grace was? Le Xin and other serious princesses treated her with courtesy and did not dare to be rude.
Now I am living an ignoble life. Not only am I a concubine, but my own daughter has to put down her arrogance and ask for better materials if she wants...
... Gu Weina gratefully went to the warehouse with Mulan to pick materials. Kapok was young. Although she was sold to the capital as a slave in her early years, she no longer remembered the former Princess Shouan. When she saw this, she chuckled and said: " Auntie Gu is so lucky to meet such a kind-hearted person like the young lady! The swaddling clothes used by Mr. Sun and Miss Sun in our yard are all very good! The swaddling clothes used by Mr. Sun, the direct descendants of Mr. Sun, in other rooms may not be able to use them. Well, Miss Twenty-Two Sun is very lucky!"
Jiang Yashuang is still in the process of building up his power, but he has invested all his gains, so it can be said that he has no money left. The things in the warehouse are all Qiu Yilan's private property, most likely dowry, and each item was carefully selected by Qiu Jinglan back then.
With Qiu Jinglan's background as the eldest son of the Prince's Palace, his experience as the owner of "Tianya" with a total assets of over 10 million, and his feelings of guilt and compensation for his sister, it is natural that he would only focus on the quality of things and not the price.
It only takes so little material and so little time to look at a child's swaddling clothes, but Kapok knows that from Jiang Jingkun, Jiang Jinglang, to the twenty-third Miss Sun who has not yet decided on a name, they just take out their swaddling clothes and sell them as cloth, even if The price is not cheap even if it is used - even a complete layman can tell its value just by looking at the texture.
As a maid, Kapok has good food and clothing costs, but she feels that this material is extremely expensive. Seeing Aunt Gu's request, Qiu Yilan asked Mulan to take her to the store to pick whatever she wanted. She felt a little envious in her heart. Her original intention was to praise Qiu Yilan's generosity, but when she said it she said it with a sour meaning, "Young Master" The madam also allowed her to go into the warehouse and choose by herself, but today it opened her eyes!"
But she didn't want Qiu Yilan to say lightly: "Open your eyes? You underestimate her too much. What kind of scenes has she not seen back then? It's just the things in my warehouse. She can't say that she has experienced them all back then. Most of them are owned by her." Yes!”
Kapok was stunned.