The cabinet minister Chen Tingjian called all the men in his family over and told them about his plan to open up the East Garden and the West Garden.
He is the head of the family and no one objects.
After discussing the important matters, when Chen Tingshi was about to leave with his son, he noticed that his eldest brother looked at him again.
Chen Tingshi understood what his elder brother meant.
Back in the East Courtyard, Chen Tingshi brought his son to the main hall in their courtyard and said sullenly, "Kneel down!"
Chen Jizong was stunned.
If Qi had been so strict, Chen Jizong might have really knelt down, but his father had always been cowardly and had no temper, and Chen Jizong had never taken his father seriously.
"Why are you asking me to kneel?" Chen Jizong touched his nose and said.
Qi heard the noise and came out, looking at the father and son in confusion: "What happened?"
Chen Jizong walked up to her and raised his chin towards his father: "I didn't do anything, but you suddenly made me kneel down."
Qi glared at her husband.
Seeing her protecting her child, Chen Tingshi became even more angry, and said in a low and angry voice: "You saw it this morning, didn't you? The princess is so noble, and she is also his cousin's wife, and he dared to stare at her like that, bringing shame to the nobleman. Shouldn't I teach him a lesson?"
When talking about Huayang, Chen Jizong lowered his head, but there was only covetousness in his eyes, and no sign of remorse.
What princess or not, she has married into the Chen family, so she is just his cousin's wife. Since they are relatives, what's wrong with him taking a few glances at her
Qi said calmly, "It's a bit embarrassing, but she's beautiful, and we're just ignorant country folk. The fourth child has been kicked before, so the princess should be able to understand."
Chen Tingshi: "It's the princess's business whether to forgive or not. He must kneel down in front of me today, otherwise he will never change his bad behavior and will dare to offend the princess again next time!"
Qi: "Oh, you call your own son a dog, then who are you, and what are the men in your Chen family?"
It was clear that he didn't want to punish his son.
Chen Jizong took the opportunity to find an excuse to slip away. Chen Tingshi wanted to catch his son, but Qi blocked him at the door of the main hall and looked at him coldly.
Chen Tingshi had to stop.
He looked at Qi who was two steps away.
More than 20 years have passed, and Qi still seems as beautiful as she was when she was young, but why has her temperament become like this
Chen Tingshi still remembers the first time he met Qi, a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old, with skin as white as snow and beautiful looks. She was always shy when looking at him and spoke in a soft voice.
The Qi family was not well off, at least not as well off as the families that the matchmakers usually introduced to him. But Chen Tingshi liked Qi and begged his mother to agree to the marriage.
Chen Tingshi still remembers their newlywed days. He woke up from a dream and saw the beauties around him. He felt lucky...
So were his mother's reminders correct? Qi didn't like him as a person, but liked his identity as the younger brother of a Beijing official
"What are you still standing there for? Doesn't your elder brother want to farm? Why don't you go and prepare farm tools for him?"
Under Qi's cold and disdainful gaze, Chen Tingshi walked away with his shoulders drooped and his head lowered.
.
With such a strong physique, Chen Jingzong would obviously be the most suitable male in the Chen family to do heavy work in the fields.
Unfortunately, he was never in a good mood with anyone and his words could be very harsh. Chen Tingjian didn't want to work with this son, so he sent him to the West Garden to help the women develop a garden.
Although it is called a garden, it is actually only slightly larger than Siyi Hall. Chen Jingzong could finish it all by himself. After all, it was just to kill time. It was impossible for the Chen family to hire craftsmen to carefully build a beautiful garden during the mourning period.
The weather was hot, and Luo Yuyan was feeling heavy. She had to take care of her baby while also worrying about Erlang and Sanlang. Her life was very fulfilling every day, so there was no need for her to go to the garden to smell the earth. Therefore, she only went to see the excitement on the first day of groundbreaking, and then stayed comfortably in Fucuitang.
Yu Xiu had less to do, and she wanted to stay with her mother-in-law, but Chen Jingzong was walking around in the garden, and it was not appropriate for her, a sister-in-law, to watch him for too long.
Sun also noticed that the fourth son wanted to roll up his sleeves and work several times, but he held back because of his eldest sister-in-law beside him.
Sun asked Yu Xiu to concentrate on the affairs of Guanhe Hall and not worry about the garden.
And when Huayang came, Sun would tactfully avoid him, giving the young couple a chance to be alone together.
Huayang sat on the chair left by her mother-in-law, and Chaoyun stood beside her holding an umbrella for her.
In fact, it was still morning and not the hottest time, but the summer sun was too glaring and Huayang couldn't stand the sun at all.
"You go down."
While Chen Jingzong was stirring the mud, he gave instructions to Chaoyun without even raising his head.
Chao Yun looked at his own princess.
Huayang nodded, took the green paper umbrella with the rainy scene of Jiangnan painted on it and held it himself.
As soon as the maid left, Chen Jingzong immediately took off his coat and threw it into Huayang's arms.
Although he had only started working for a short time, he was doing heavy work and his outer shirt was already stained with sweat. Without waiting for the shirt to fall, Huayang quickly stretched out his hand and swept the shirt to the ground with disgust.
After taking off the shirt, Huayang lowered the umbrella to cover Chen Jingzong's naked upper body, leaving only his trouser legs visible.
Chen Jingzong looked at her fair little hands holding the umbrella and continued to work, saying, "I've already held her before, so why should I be afraid to look?"
Huayang: "If you keep talking nonsense, I'm leaving."
Chen Jingzong really shut up. It was the same job, but it would be more fun to have a beautiful woman by his side.
Huayang's attention was focused on his errand.
The father-in-law and mother-in-law completely handed over this small garden to Chen Jingzong. Chen Jingzong just took care of the work and had no idea or interest in how to arrange the flowers and plants. Huayang was free anyway, so he drew a picture for him after scribbling some numbers.
According to the current conditions of the Chen family, Huayang's plan was very simple. Most of the ground in the West Garden was paved with pebbles, leaving a few bluestone paths. The remaining soil was used to transplant two maple trees, plant peonies, plant a row of bamboos along the wall, or place a set of stone tables and stone benches to ensure that the garden was small but complete. If it was impossible to dig a water feature, a larger water tank was built to plant lotus.
What Chen Jingzong is doing now is mixing the mud, spreading it on the ground, and then pressing the pebbles in one by one.
Pebbles of different colors can be arranged into various auspicious patterns, such as "Five Bats Holding Longevity", "Fish in the Lotus Year", etc.
When Chen Jingzong saw the blueprint, his brows furrowed into a "川" shape: "You are torturing me on purpose."
Huayang: "I will come to this garden often in the future, and of course I want to make it more exquisite."
Chen Jingzong imagined her strolling leisurely in the small garden he had built, stepping on the road he had paved with his own hands and seeing the flowers and plants he had planted with his own hands, and he endured it silently.
When she is in a good mood, he will have more opportunities. He will be the one who benefits in the end even if he works hard now.
When Chen Jingzong squatted down and started pressing the pebbles, Huayang's umbrella could not be lowered any lower, and the man's broad back appeared in her eyes.
He has strong shoulders and long arms, and he also has a handsome face with long eyebrows and eyes.
A bean-sized bead of sweat rolled down from his shoulder, moved down along his smooth skin, and turned a corner at his waist and abdomen.
Before Huayang could continue to chase the sweat bead, Chen Jingzong suddenly looked over.
Huayang immediately waved his fan and looked into the distance.
Chen Jingzong tossed the pebble in his hand and asked her, "Do you want to try it?"
Huayang said disdainfully: "It's too dirty."
Chen Jingzong: "I'll hold you, and you just push the pebbles in. I guarantee that no mud will get on them."
Someone might come to the garden at any time, so why would Huayang play with him
She stood up holding an umbrella, and the snow-white brocade skirt rippled like water as she walked, gradually fading away.
Chen Jingzong tilted his head until the slender and graceful figure completely disappeared. Then he smiled and lowered his head to press the stone.
.
As the weather got hotter, Huayang no longer wanted to go to the garden to watch Chen Jingzong work.
Before they knew it, it was the end of May. At dusk that day, Chen Jingzong came back sweating profusely. Huayang was sitting leisurely under the shade of a tree. On the table next to him was a plate of orange loquats and a plate of purple mulberries.
"You have a carefree life."
Chen Jingzong was thirsty, so he squeezed towards Huayang's recliner, grabbed the only tea bowl on the table, and drank from it.
In the kitchen, Chaoyue was about to come out, but when he saw this scene, he immediately retreated.
Chao Yun, who was originally serving the princess, hurriedly ran to the water room. In a blink of an eye, the couple were the only ones left in the yard.
Chen Jingzong took the pot of mulberries and placed them on his knees, stuffing them into his mouth while turning his head away.
Although he was busy building the garden, he would sneak into the mountains every now and then, and bring back some game every time, one for his third sister-in-law in the front yard to take care of her pregnancy, and the other for the couple to eat as a snack.
Chen Jingzong had not changed much, but Huayang, who had become thin due to traveling, had regained her health. Her snow-white cheeks became round again, just like a peony in full bloom. If she were standing, she would still have the dignity of a princess who could not be desecrated, but she lay there lazily, just inviting people to pick her.
"I've been busy all day, and my arms are so sore that I can't lift them. Go and help me wipe them."
Chen Jingzong said it casually.
Huayang sneered and said, "You are dreaming. If you can't lift it, let Zhen'er or Zhu'er help you."
As maids by her side, Huayang also distinguishes between them. Chaoyun and Chaoyue grew up with her, and she couldn't bear to ask them to rub Chen Jingzong's rough skin and thick flesh.
Chen Jingzong flexed his exposed arms, looked at her and said, "I know you despise me, but my body is not something that any woman can see or touch."
Huayang inexplicably thought of the two guards in his aunt's house.
It is true that she and the princess both admired the guards' muscularity, but if it were Chen Jingzong, he would certainly not bother to show off his body to please others.
"Then wash it yourself."
In short, Huayang would not do such a thing. She had never washed even a thin silk handkerchief in her life, so how could she possibly serve Chen Jingzong.
Chen Jingzong looked at her, smiled, and walked away with the fruit plate.
Huayang saw a hint of provocation.
Sure enough, during dinner, Chen Jingzong was still wearing those sweaty clothes.
After dinner, he turned around and walked inside. Huayang followed him in worriedly, and saw that Chen Jingzong was about to get into bed without taking off his clothes.
The bed was covered with Shu brocade brought from the capital by Huayang. Any strand of silk was more expensive than Chen Jingzong's clothes!
"Stop!"
Huayang scolded while running over, stretching out his hands to block the bed, not allowing Chen Jingzong to enter.
"You promised me that you would bathe before coming in!"
Huayang glared at him.
Chen Jingzong: "There are always special circumstances. I have been doing heavy work for a month. Now I feel sore all over. I just want to lie down and sleep."
Huayang understood his hard work and compromised, "Since you really don't want to move, sleep in the side room tonight."
He smelled so much of sweat that even Huayang found it smelly when he slept on the ground.
Chen Jingzong: "That's fine, but there are more insects in the summer due to the hot flashes. If a centipede, scorpion or slider crawls over here, you better be patient and don't scream at the top of your lungs, or else people will misunderstand what I did to you."
After saying that, Chen Jingzong turned and left.
Huayang: …
She looked at the bed behind her and felt as if something was moving under the exquisite Shu brocade mattress.
Chen Jingzong did it on purpose, because she couldn't stand the bugs here the most! Even if she called the four maids to her bedside to sleep with her, how could four equally weak women compare to Chen Jingzong in making people feel at ease
"you… "
As soon as she spoke, Chen Jingzong, who was walking to the door, stopped, not hiding his threat at all, and waited for her to make a choice.
Huayang gritted his teeth, his face turned red, and he demanded, "Since you can't lift your arms, I will only help you wipe your shoulders and back. You can do the rest by yourself, and you must wear pants when I am here."
Chen Jingzong smiled and pointed to his head: "You still have to wash my hair."
Huayang became more and more disgusted.
Chen Jingzong went out first and asked the maids to carry water to the bathroom, fill the bathtub for Huayang, and bring two more buckets of water for him.
Chaoyun and Zhuer went in and out several times and finally finished their work.
Chen Jingzong drove everyone out, closed the door of the main room, called Huayang, and went to the bathroom first.
Huayang agreed and there was no need to be shy, so he followed with a stern face. When he entered the room, he saw that Chen Jingzong had taken off his coat and was sitting on a stool with a bucket of water beside him.
Facing his fiery gaze, Huayang walked around behind him with an expressionless face.
In fact, Chen Jingzong's original skin color was quite fair, but after being exposed to the sun for so long, his neck, face, and even chest and back were tanned into a uniform light wheat color, making him look even more heroic and powerful.
It looked nice to watch, and it even made one's heart beat faster and one's mouth dry. However, Huayang felt nauseous when she thought that she might rub a small mud ball on Chen Jingzong's shoulder later.
She was really disgusting. Her face turned pale just imagining it, and she walked to the side, holding her chest.
Chen Jingzong frowned when he saw it and asked, "Are you really that unwilling?"
Huayang kept silent behind his back. He was probably the first person in the world who dared to order the princess to do such a thing.
Chen Jingzong paused, suddenly stood up, quickly put on his coat, draped a towel over his shoulders, and walked away carrying two buckets of water with a gloomy look on his face.
Huayang did not try to keep him.
There were things she just couldn't do.
But her mood also became depressed, and all kinds of ugly and scary reptile shadows crawled into her mind. She was so scared that she looked into the tub several times before taking a bath.
Chaoyun helped her bathe.
Huayang looked at her shoulder. She loved cleanliness, didn't do much work and didn't sweat much, so the water after every bath always looked clean.
Chao Yun thought her master was admiring himself, and praised softly: "The skin is as white as cream, that's the princess. I have never seen anyone whiter than the princess."
They say that whiteness can hide all ugliness. The princess is already beautiful, and now she has white skin...
It's a pity that she met her husband, a rude man who doesn't know how to be gentle with women.
Huayang was absent-minded.
After washing, she walked towards the inner room with some resistance. When she entered the room, she was about to arrange Chaoyun to accompany her tonight. When she looked up, she saw a slender and familiar figure lying on the bed.
It was Chen Jingzong, with his back to her, motionless, and looking a little angry.
Huayang smiled.
"Back off."
Chaoyun responded and considerately closed the door when he left.
Huayang turned off all the lights and climbed onto the bed from the foot of the bed.
Chen Jingzong lay down in another direction, looking quite indifferent in the darkness.
Huayang leaned forward softly, feeling his muscles suddenly tense, and bit his shoulder: "Don't order me around or scare me again."
Chen Jingzong remained stiff.
Huayang touched his wrist and ordered, "Turn around and hug me."
She wanted the tightest kind of hug, so tight that even if a bug really crawled up, it would first hit Chen Jingzong and then be slapped to death by him.
(End of this chapter)