Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 359 Weakness
After much deliberation, Wang Bingchen decided to summon Wang Yan and ask him about it.

"Has Brother Yan returned?" Wang Bingchen asked. "I heard he left the office early this morning."

Madam Lin turned to Wang Bingchen and said, "You're back. You've been talking to me for quite a while now. What's wrong? You can't even leave the office on time more than a few times a year?"

Wang Bingchen certainly didn't mean that. He had no intention of arguing with his wife and was about to get up and go to his study.

“Don’t call Yan Ge’er,” Madam Lin said. “He’s been so busy with official duties these days that he’s lost weight. He should get some rest. I’ve already told Yan Ge’er that he can come with me around when he has time.”

Wang Bingchen frowned, but before he could speak, Madam Lin coughed, her frail body trembling. Thinking of his wife's poor health, Wang Bingchen sighed and helped her to the soft couch: "You need to rest more."

Madam Lin finally stopped coughing after a long while, looking extremely weak: "You and your son are always out there doing things that cause us worry. How am I supposed to recover? You even bring matters from the court back home. In your study in the front yard, when do you not argue with your colleagues? And after you've finished arguing, you call Yan Ge over and give him a good scolding."

“If I feel sorry for Yan Ge’er, you’ll say I’m disregarding the bigger picture. If I obstruct you, the Wang clan will come looking for me.”

After Mrs. Lin finished speaking, her breathing became unsteady, and Li's mother quickly stepped forward to pat her back.

Madam Lin's eyes were slightly red and filled with tears: "Who knows, one day you might have to divorce me..."

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Wang Bingchen immediately said, “There’s no such thing.” Looking at his wife’s expression, he couldn’t bear to say anything too harsh. He knew that his wife had suffered a lot with him over the years, and that her health was also a result of his influence. He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

“I was just asking him about things in Daming Prefecture,” Wang Bingchen said. “He’s been to Baode Temple and knows what the abbot is like. Knowing more about the situation will help me deal with any problems that may arise.”

Madam Lin frowned: "My son has been back in the capital for so long, how can the envoy's matter be blamed on him?"

Wang Bingchen said, "I just feel that this matter is strange. It is probably related to the border market. Your son recommended the coal kiln to the officials. I have to keep an eye on it."

Madam Lin looked at Wang Bingchen with surprise: "Master is willing to protect Yan-ge'er?"

This is what I said...

Wang Bingchen said, "That's my only son, how can I not care?"

“That’s really true,” Mrs. Lin said. “I can rest easy once I get there.”

"How can you say such things at such a young age?" Wang Bingchen said with displeasure, but his eyes were full of concern and heartache.

Madam Lin couldn't help but shed tears.

"Alright," Wang Bingchen coaxed in a low voice, "I'm doing this for his own good, in case he gets into big trouble in the future and no one can help him take the blame."

Madam Lin said, "To put it bluntly, it's because I only gave birth to one son. If I had three or four, I could help Yan Ge'er share some of the burden. If you still don't think it's good, then select a few members of the clan to raise at home. I will treat them as my own children. The Wang clan doesn't necessarily have to rely on Yan Ge'er."

Wang Bingchen patiently said, "The reason I have so few children is because I was busy traveling around when I was young. What does it have to do with you? I understand what you mean. I'll just be less harsh on Yan Ge'er in the future."

The couple talked for a long time before Wang Bingchen helped Madam Lin to the inner room to rest, and then went to the study in the front yard himself.

After Wang Bingchen left, Madam Lin sat up abruptly in bed. If she wanted to temper her husband's temper, she had to start with the little things in daily life. He had said that he wouldn't be too harsh on Yan Ge'er. If he couldn't remember something after saying it once, she would make him repeat it a few more times.

"I also want the master to know that it is not up to the Wang family to decide who Yan-ge marries."

As for how to do it, it's naturally the same as before, grinding it little by little.

When Wang Bingchen arrived at the study, his subordinates were already waiting there. They had learned some more information and came to report to Wang Bingchen: "I heard that the envoy kept mentioning something about a reliquary." "There used to be a reliquary in Baode Temple, but now it is gone."

"That reliquary is a Buddhist porcelain made in a coal kiln."

Wang Bingchen's face was grave. His guess was correct; it was indeed related to the coal kiln. He wanted to call Wang Yan over again to ask if he had anything to do with this matter.

Wang Bingchen waved his hand: "Let's keep an eye on the news and observe how things develop!"

……

Wang Yan heard about the news of the Western Xia envoy and had been waiting for his father to summon him there, but all he got was Li Mama bringing him stewed soup.

“Madam made them herself,” Madam Li said with a smile. “Madam saw the young master wearing a light-colored robe today and thought it looked particularly handsome. She is currently choosing materials and wants to make several more clothes for the young master.”

Wang Yan nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Mother."

As expected, the young master did not refuse; this meant they were a perfect match. Mother Li left with a smile, and Wang Yan watched the door slowly close, a smile playing on his lips. His mother still cared for him as always; at least now there was someone who was happy for him.

Wang Yan reached out and stroked the tassel at his waist, recalling the way her cheeks flushed when she fed him rice cakes. His heart trembled involuntarily, wondering what she was doing at that moment.

……

Xie Yuyan's courtyard was filled with joy.

Zhang and Yang Qin were naturally overjoyed to hear that Feng Erniang had been rescued and that Guo Xiong and Guo Chuan had been exonerated. After recounting the whole story together, they went to see the items Xie Yuyan had brought back.

"Why did you buy so much?" Zhang asked. "It's a time when I need money, why would I need all this cloth?"

“Mother should make some clothes,” Xie Yuyan said. “We need to send Qin’er to school in a few days. We can’t let people look down on us.”

Zhang only made two new outfits before the Lunar New Year last year, which were indeed not enough if she frequently went out to meet people.

At Xie Yuyan's urging, Zhang recombed her hair, put on hair ornaments, and applied rouge. Although she didn't change into new clothes, she looked different from before, resembling a lady from a wealthy family.

Xie Yuyan looked at it and said, "That's much better."

Looking at herself in the mirror, Zhang suddenly remembered that when her husband was still alive, she had also been just as radiant. Her eyes reddened, and it took her a long time to calm herself down.

"That's fine, don't buy any more."

Xie Yuyan laughed and said, "Next, I'll have to keep an eye on the construction of the courtyard, so I won't have time to go to the market. I also need to send someone to the shipyard to bring back the boats we bought."

After the Guo brothers were released, their fleet had to start transporting goods.

Xie Yuyan pondered that news should have come from Daming Prefecture that the time for the coal to enter the capital was approaching.

Zhang was still somewhat worried: "Aren't we... moving too fast?"

Xie Yuyan felt it was too slow; if she had more time, she could have expanded her operations significantly.

(End of this chapter)