Qin Fang didn't dare to bring this situation up on himself: "I definitely won't drink other people's wine outside." Qin Fang always valued his promises, so if he said he wouldn't touch it, he definitely wouldn't touch it, and Yang Haiyan believed it.
However, Yang Haiyan raised her eyebrows: "You mean it? It's not that others force you to drink it?"
Qin Fang said righteously: "I have to keep my body healthy to give birth to a child. Anyone who asks me to drink just doesn't want me to give birth to a child."
"..." These words made Yang Haiyan laugh and cry.
the next day
After Qin Fang got up, Yang Haiyan was still sleeping with her warm son in her arms. He called Tao Shan to investigate Qin Shouye's situation.
Baby Qin Linyang slept with his parents. In summer and autumn, he slept in a cradle. In winter, the weather was really cold, and Yang Haiyan was worried about him sleeping alone, so she brought him to sleep with them. But the baby slept in the innermost part, because Qin Fang didn't like to have someone between him and Yang Haiyan.
Yang Haiyan was still sleeping, but Qin Linyang, who went to bed early and got up early, had already woken up. He was seven or eight months old, and because he ate well and had good nutrition, he was very active. He turned his little head towards his mother, and seeing that she was still sleeping, he climbed up on the bed by himself. He did not crawl out of the quilt, but crawled into the quilt, crawled into the quilt, and then climbed onto his mother's body, trying to roll over her.
Yang Haiyan had woken up a long time ago. Even if she hadn't woken up before, how could she not wake up after her son's tossing and turning? So when the baby climbed on her, she hugged him and pulled him out of the quilt: "What are you doing?"
Seeing that his mother had woken up and that he had been caught again, he was not afraid and kept calling Yang Haiyan: "Mom..." The soft voice really touched Yang Haiyan to the core.
Like all mothers, she looked at her son through a filter, always thinking that her son was the cutest baby in the world. As soon as he called, she gave in. "Do you want to get out of bed and play outside?"
The baby naturally didn't understand what she said, but sometimes he could understand what she meant, which was magical. When he heard his mother say this, he called out in a baby voice: "Mom... Mom..." and wanted to hug his mother and pull her out.
"Then wait until mom wakes up." Yang Haiyan put the child aside, pulled up his quilt, and then put on her clothes. However, as soon as he was free, he became naughty and couldn't lie in the quilt, so he wanted to crawl out. It took Yang Haiyan a long time to get them both ready.
After the mother and son had finished tidying up, they went to have breakfast.
Yang Haiyan ate wontons and poached eggs, while the baby ate egg custard and rice soup. Many times when Yang Haiyan ate wontons, the baby would push his head towards her wontons, perhaps because he wanted to eat the meat aroma. When Yang Haiyan picked up the wontons, he would open his mouth to cooperate, and then... watch the wontons go into his mother's mouth.
He was not angry about this, but kept saying that this kid had a really good personality. He was not like Yang Haiyan, nor like Qin Fang, and he didn't know who he was like.
Tao Shan investigated much faster than Qin Shouye, because he was originally from the military camp, and unlike Qin Shouye, he investigated the Xu family thoroughly in just one day. After the investigation, he went to report to Qin Fang.
In the study, Tao Shan told Qin Fang all the identities that he had found out about the Xu family within three generations. The reason why the investigation was so fast was mainly because the identities of the Xu family were really simple. He didn't know about their family before that, but their ancestors within three generations were all from Yunxiang County. He had investigated the Xu family, even Xu's mother's family.
Qin Fang looked at Tao Shan's investigation and asked, "So the Xu family's identity is innocent?"
Tao Shan: "Yes, and the Xu family has a good reputation in the village. Father and Mother Xu are hardworking and honest people, and Xu Feng's sister is also a filial girl."
Qin Fang nodded. In fact, this was the result of the transfer. Qin Fang was not surprised. Because Xu Feng was able to enter the military camp, it proved that his family had good character. When Qin Fang recruited soldiers, all the selected soldiers had to go through an investigation. According to Yang Haiyan, it was a political investigation. Only when their family background was clear could they be used with confidence.
Seeing that Qin Fang did not answer, Tao Shan asked: "General, will the Second Master marry Xu Feng's sister next?"
Qin Fang said, "Go and call Shouye over."
Tao Shan: “Yes.”
Qin Shouye hadn't been to the military camp for the past two days. He was embarrassed to face Xu Feng before the matter was resolved, so ever since he told Yang Haiyan about it, he had been waiting for the result in the general's mansion. His heart was still pounding until Tao Shan came to call people.
Coming to the study, seeing his elder brother with a stern face, Qin Shouye's face turned slightly pale: "Brother."
"Sit down." Qin Fang said, and motioned Tao Shan to go out.
Tao Shan retreated to the door.
There were only two brothers, Qin Fang and Qin Shouye, in the study room. Qin Fang would not beat around the bush with his brothers, so he said directly: "How do you plan to deal with this matter? There are only two results. You and Xu Feng's sister Xu Lan get married, or you don't get married."
Qin Shouye himself didn't know, so he asked, "Brother, what do you think I should do?"
Qin Fang said: "Everyone has different ideas. This is your own feelings. You should not let others make decisions about your feelings, because others will not be responsible for your life." He and his brother have different personalities. If it were him in the past, he would most likely marry the other party if such a thing happened. But if such a thing happened to him now, he would naturally not marry the other party. So his answer cannot be used as a reference.
Qin Shouye said: "Can I... can I think about it?"
Qin Fang was about to answer when a voice came from outside: "General, Xu Feng wants to see the Second Master."
Qin Fang raised his eyebrows and looked at Qin Shouye: "Go meet him."
"yes."
Qin Shouye received Xu Feng in his own courtyard. To be honest, he was a little embarrassed to see Xu Feng, but he couldn't avoid it. When he saw Xu Feng, he was about to speak, but Xu Feng knelt down in front of him and said, "Shouye, Master Qin, please save my sister."
Qin Shouye was shocked and immediately asked Xu Feng to help him up: "Xu Feng, what happened? What happened to your sister?"
Xu Feng said, "Since that incident, people in the village have been spreading rumors about my sister's love affair. The people who originally had feelings for her have suddenly become silent. My sister cries all day long. I... I'm worried that something will happen to her if she continues like this. I... Shouye, I know that our family is not worthy of you or the Qin family. We don't ask you to do anything, but just temporarily get engaged to my sister. After two years, when this matter is over, you can cancel the engagement. By then, no one will mention this matter again."
"This..." Qin Shouye thought for a moment, "I'll discuss it with my eldest brother."
Xu Feng nodded: "Yeah."
Qin Shouye asked Xu Feng to wait for him here while he went to find Qin Fang.
After hearing what Qin Shouye said, Qin Fang was silent for a moment: "For the sake of the girl's reputation, let's do what she wants first. I will discuss it with grandma later, and then send an official matchmaker to propose marriage."
Qin Shouye: "Thank you, brother. I am sorry for causing you trouble."
Qin Fang: "We are brothers, no need to say these things."
After coming out of the study, Qin Fang went to find Yang Haiyan and told her what had just happened.
Qin Fang: "What do you think about your engagement?"
Yang Haiyan said: "Grandpa, grandma, father and mother are all here, it's not my turn to make the decision yet, you can go ask grandma."
Qin Fang was stunned, somewhat surprised that his wife did not express any opinion. Seeing him like this, Yang Haiyan said, "It's just an engagement, not a marriage."
Qin Fang: "Then you go with me."
Yang Haiyan said: "Okay."
As they talked, the two went to Liuxinyuan.
Grandma Qin was very happy to see her grandson and his wife coming over, but she didn't see them coming over with their great-grandson. She couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't the little one come? Is he sleeping?"
Yang Haiyan said: "No, grandma, my husband and I have something to discuss with you today."
Upon hearing this, Grandma Qin asked hurriedly, "What's going on that you and your wife came here to discuss it?" It seemed that the situation was not simple.
Qin Fang and Yang Haiyan looked at each other, and then Yang Haiyan explained Qin Shouye's feelings: "… So, what the Xu family means is that for the sake of Miss Xu's reputation, the marriage between the two will be temporarily settled. After a year or two, if the two feel it is suitable, then they can get married. If not, then the engagement can be cancelled at that time. In this way, everyone will forget about Miss Xu's feelings. However, if the engagement is cancelled in the future, it can only be said that it is Shouye's problem, otherwise it will be difficult for the girl to get married again." And Qin Shouye is a man, and this world is too kind to men.
After hearing this, Grandma Qin finally understood: "So that's how it is. What if Shouye doesn't like her in the future, but the girl insists on marrying him?"
Qin Fang said, "We'll talk about it later. Right now the girl is plagued by rumors in the village, so let's arrange a marriage for them first."
Grandma Qin said: "Since you have no objection, I naturally have no objection either."
Yang Haiyan said: "Grandpa, grandma and parents are here. As long as you have no objection, we naturally have no objection. After all, this is a matter of preserving the business. Although my husband is the elder brother, he will not care about his younger brother's private life." This is not a question of whether they have no objection. Yang Haiyan feels that some things must be made clear to avoid blaming them in the future.
Grandma Qin said: "That's right, then let's arrange the engagement. Since your mother is not here, do you want an old woman like me to go?"
Yang Haiyan said, "No need. Just send a matchmaker. You have an imperial decree. The Xu family is a commoner. How can we let you come to our house?" This is the difference between officials and ordinary people. "What are the specifics of the engagement? Please prepare them."
Grandma Qin thought for a moment, "Back then, Yanyan, you and Afang were arranged by the court, and there was no engagement. Later, when you got married, there was no betrothal gift. Logically, Shouye is your younger brother, and his marriage cannot bypass Afang's, but your situations were different at the time. So I thought about Shouye's marriage specifications and arranged for someone from Baili Village to come. What do you think?"