In the inner room of the Bo's house, there was a strong smell of herbs. The maids stood by with bated breath, and the doctor had just withdrawn his hand from taking the patient's pulse.
Wen Zhiyi leaned against the head of the bed, her face pale from not having any makeup on.
The door opened, her husband came back, the doctor and the maid left, and only the two of them were left in the room.
He said, "There are still a few businesses to be taken care of outside, and the staff needs to be redeployed."
Wen Zhiyi: "Business people are here, but your wife is not here?"
The man seemed to think that this was unreasonable and did not respond. He just sat down and drank some tea.
"All day long, it's all about business and manpower. I really think of myself as a Jiangnan businessman."
His expression turned ugly because of these words, "Be careful with your words."
Wen Zhiyi picked up the medicine bowl and sipped it slowly, her face pale. Her husband, sitting opposite her, continued to drink his tea as usual. Wen Zhiyi suddenly stood up and sat directly in his arms. "Husband, you are always busy outside. Can you stay in this little home for a while? As your wife, I miss you so much."
There seemed to be a low sigh above her head, and a hand touched her hair. Then, outside, the voice of a servant calling him came. Wen Zhiyi was helped up before she could snuggle in his arms for a moment.
"Take care of your body and don't let your mind wander."
The shouting outside stopped.
Wen Zhiyi's expression changed, and a flush suddenly appeared on her pale cheeks. "Who are you going to see in such a hurry? A woman? A woman who is healthier than me?"
The man seemed to be accustomed to her ups and downs. His expression remained elegant and he did not get angry because of his wife's hysterics.
He just patted her hand: "Modo think."
Just a brief consolation, then walk away.
The strong smell of medicine filled the air again.
The maid standing in the corner looked apprehensive. She stepped forward courageously and asked, "Madam?"
Wen Zhiyi panted rapidly and fell back onto the cold couch. She had been with him for four years, four years of obscurity.
Her emotions were somewhat broken, and she ignored the maid's concern and was lost in thought. "Wrong, wrong choice..."
"It's all going in the wrong direction…"
Then she suddenly looked up and stared into the air, as if there was something there.
The maid subconsciously looked up, but saw nothing. Instead, she was frightened by Wen Zhiyi's staring gaze. She hurried forward to support him and brought the warm medicine to Wen Zhiyi's mouth.
Fortunately, Wen Zhiyi did not refuse to continue taking the medicine.
The maid breathed a sigh of relief, and saw Wen Zhiyi raised his head again after drinking the medicine, and he looked more energetic than before.
"When is the banquet at the mansion scheduled?"
The maidservant said, "It's August 15th."
Wen Zhiyi looked at herself in the mirror and saw that the woman in the mirror was beautiful.
When she touched it, it felt like she was touching a layer of carefully painted skin.
She asked the maid next to her if the face was pretty.
The maid nodded and racked her brains.
--
On this side, Wen Tang just came out of the government office. Behind him, Qin Gong's trusted attendant Fu Jiu bowed and saw him off with an extremely respectful attitude.
Wen Tang had just visited Qin Gong, who was busy with official business. He gently offered him a refreshing soup to cool him down, and persuaded him to have a bowl of rock sugar, white fungus, and lotus seed soup. He then personally peeled a few icy, crystal-clear, chilled lychees and placed them in his mouth. Before leaving, he carefully instructed Fu Jiu and the others to take good care of Qin Gong and not let the heat damage his health.
Mrs. Zhou followed Wen Tang, a warm smile on her face, and added, "Brother Fu Jiu, it's so hot, and you're working hard. You must take care of yourselves. Master has a heavy workload, and it's all thanks to you capable people who work hard. The eldest lady is thinking of you, and she's been sending people to bring us some chilled fruits, refreshing drinks, and delicious snacks every day. She won't miss out on any of your contributions."
In fact, Wen Tang had made the same arrangement during the hot summers of previous years. He not only took Qin Gong's needs into consideration, but also never treated the capable people around him badly. Even those who worked on duty in the yamen could benefit from the summer heat.
Fu Jiu bowed sincerely and thanked him again. When he turned to enter the government office, he was blocked by several big fools. As soon as he entered, they turned their heads away, trying to cover up their mistake.
Fu Jiu scolded them while laughing as she knocked them one by one, "Do you think you can just look around?"
"That's Grandma."
The tall men weren't afraid of Fu Jiu; it was obvious they were familiar with her. They stealthily peeked out from behind the pillars and said, "Boss, I just went in to deliver some paperwork when I saw the old man looking sideways at the old lady, with the files in his hands held upside down."
Another laughed and scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? The adults are the most serious when it comes to work."
"Who's talking nonsense? Seriously! I'll bet you a drink!"
"I saw it too. Let's make a bet! Whoever loses gets to smash a stone on his chest at the city gate!"
Several people were laughing and pushing each other.
Outside,
Mrs. Zhou helped Wen Tang into the carriage.
Mrs. Zhou was extremely satisfied, especially when she recalled what she had just seen in the inner room of the yamen, she felt even more satisfied.
Grandma bent down to peel the lychees for the old man, then held the crystal clear white flesh with a small silver fork and brought it to the old man's lips.
She could see clearly from the side that although the old man was still holding the file in his hand, his eyes were clearly fixed on the grandmother.
However, this is not surprising. With her grandmother's character and appearance, which man would not soften his heart when seeing her?
However, Qin Gong did not return home that night. Not only that night, but for two or three days in a row, he slept outside.
"Grandma, this?"
In the evening, Mrs. Zhou helped Wen Tang, who had just finished bathing, come out of the steamy clean room.
Wen Tang was wearing only a thin, soft, plain gauze nightgown. Normally, she would have changed into formal clothing, but Qin Gong had just informed her that the master wouldn't be back until very late tonight, which made it easier for her to relax and enjoy the freshness and comfort.
In the bronze mirror,
Wen Tang's cheeks were flushed after bathing, and her slightly wet black hair was loosely tied up.
After giving birth to two children, her figure is different from that of a girl. When she wears formal clothes and middle-length clothes, she can still maintain her dignity. When she puts on light gauze clothes, her womanly charm is quietly revealed.
As a young girl, she had a slender and graceful figure, with an innocence that was uninformed about the world. Now, after bearing Qin Gong a pair of children, her face remained as delicate as before, but a softer charm had been added to her eyebrows and eyes. Her waist remained slender, but the most noticeable change was her chest, which was now plump and full, so full that it lifted the thin gauze into an arc.
Mrs. Zhou looked carefully in the mirror. No matter how she looked at it, her daughter was an impeccable beauty.
She couldn't help but start to worry again.
Wen Tang: "My master is out entertaining officials."
Ever since Qin Gong made an exception a few days ago and hosted a welcoming banquet for officials who were coming to Beijing to report on their work, he had been frequently attending social events. Qin Gong held a high position of power, and ordinary people were simply not his type. He couldn't afford to invite him to any ordinary banquet. The person who took the initiative to host a banquet and allowed him to accompany him for several days must have caught his eye and was quite compatible with him.
But the doubts in Mrs. Zhou's heart were not completely dispelled. Many men had social engagements outside and ended up being "rewarded" elsewhere.
Wen Tang knew what Mrs. Zhou was thinking at a glance.
She didn't say anything more to her, but instead said, "Help me change my clothes quickly. There's a wedding going on in the main hall, and we can't delay."
Mrs. Zhou calmed down. There was indeed news of pregnancy in the Second House. The Second Master's new concubine was pregnant just a few months after entering the house. Although the Second Master already had two sons and two daughters, he was a man who valued pomp and circumstance. No matter which child it was, he would celebrate it with great fanfare.
The main hall was already filled with laughter and joy.
The noises were mostly congratulations, even the old lady was grinning from ear to ear. For a wealthy family like the Gong Mansion, having a new child and a prosperous offspring was always a great joy.
When Wen Tang entered the room, the Second Master was holding his concubine, who had a slightly bulging belly.
Qin Gong's younger brother is completely different from him. Although the second master is also tall, he has a romantic temperament. He is a famous handsome scholar in the capital and always has a smile on his face.
Wen Tang first bowed to the old lady and the Duke's wife, then walked over to the Second Master and gestured for Mrs. Zhou to present the prepared gift. After completing the formalities, she finally had time to scan the room full of women.
I didn't see Su Yi, but I saw the third lady from the third room holding a handkerchief, leaning against the old lady and talking.
"Why hasn't Second Sister-in-law come yet?"
The Third Grandma was Qin Ruoyue's sister-in-law, so she naturally joined in the conversation, "Grandma, Second Sister-in-law is so lucky to have another child now."
Wen Tang listened quietly. Su Yi did have another child, a child who called her mother.
"Your second sister-in-law is in the storeroom personally selecting gifts for the child. Why are you in such a hurry?" the Duke's wife, who sat at the head of the table, spoke calmly. Her tone was gentle, but Third Mistress and Qin Ruoyue fell silent. Su Yi was the Duke's wife's niece, so naturally she had to protect her.
The old lady glanced at the Duke's wife. Wen Tang stepped forward at the right moment and poured new tea for the two elders.
While Wen Tang was pouring tea, Su Yi, in bright pomegranate red, came in hurriedly with a smile on her face. She greeted the elders and Wen Tang one by one, then walked straight to the concubine, presented her with a gift warmly, and said many auspicious words to her slightly bulging belly. This made the second master who was standing next to her want to go forward and take his wife's hand and pat it gently. Su Yi gave him a look, and the second master touched his nose embarrassedly and smiled apologetically at his wife.
Su Yi then turned to the Second Master, waving his round fan gently, "Congratulations, Second Master."
The Second Master smiled and immediately responded. His tall figure moved closer to her and whispered, "My lady, congratulations."
The banquet began with delicious food.
It was midsummer, and the table was filled with chilled fruits, refreshing cold dishes, delicate lotus cakes, and cooling white fungus soup, all served in sweet white porcelain bowls.
The maids held silver pots and walked around the table, pouring iced, newly brewed fruit wine for everyone, which was clear and sweet.
The banquet is about to end,
Wen Tang finally found an excuse to leave the table and go to the side hall to take some fresh air, giving Su Yi the opportunity to talk to Wen Tang.
"Did you see that?" Su Yi half-covered her lips with a round fan and nodded in the direction of Third Grandma, "During the banquet, every three words she talked about were about the two boys she gave birth to for Third Master." The old lady was so happy with her that she really ordered someone to bring the two boys over and gave each of them a heavy gold ingot.
"She's proud of herself, but I have five children now."
Oddly enough, the second wife and husband had a very close relationship, but none of the second master's five children were born to Su Yi, and Su Yi still had no children with the second master. Conversely, the third wife and husband had a strained relationship, with a small quarrel every three days and a major fight every five days, yet the third grandmother gave birth to two boys in succession.
Wen Tang looked at Su Yi's bright and bold face, and for a moment he wondered if she was really picking and choosing in the warehouse because she was late tonight. His words of comfort were suddenly blocked.
It was Su Yi who comforted her.
Su Yi leaned close to Wen Tang's ear and said, "Cousin, haven't you been home these past few days? I asked the Second Master, and he said he's hosting a banquet for important officials. At such an official banquet, it's essential to have some singers and pianists to liven up the atmosphere."
In the backyard of her house, that perverted guy, a beautiful woman came in to add to the fun.
"Sister-in-law, I'll give you something new."
Wen Tang immediately remembered the storybook she gave her that day. This thing must be extraordinary. He wanted to refuse but met the watery almond eyes and the sad expression of the beauty.
Wen Tang was dazzled by her beauty.
Hesitation gives others an opportunity to take advantage of you.
A maid brought over a mahogany box, and Su Yi whispered, "Wait until my cousin comes back at night and show it to him."