The system asked me to chase his wife

The Liu family nodded, and all the subsequent matters were easy to discuss.

After talking for an hour, both sides were very happy.

Mrs. Liu: Finally, I found a good husband for this poor girl.

Madam Dowager: Finding a wife for An Ge'er can be considered as giving an explanation to his parents.

The lady accomplished two things today. Although she was a little tired, she was in high spirits.

After returning to the Duke's Mansion, she wanted to wait for Xiang Xiu'an to come and pay his respects so that she could personally tell him the good news about the Liu family.

Ji Tong was afraid that she would get sick again, so he forced her to lie down on the couch to rest. Perhaps she was really tired, and the lady fell asleep quickly.

In the evening, after Xiang Xiu'an came back from school, he did not go to pay his respects to the lady as usual, but went to Qiao Yuandong's yard instead.

Of course he didn't come to see Qiao Yuandong.

The medicine that the lady took can only last for seven days, and she needs to take the medicine again after seven days. Xia Mang had carefully reminded him of this when she gave him the medicine, and Xiang Xiu'an remembered it very carefully.

Counting the days, today is already the seventh day.

Xia Mang was having dinner when Man'er called her out of the yard. When Man'er told her that the prince was looking for her, she was still confused.

Xia Mang held her own large blue and white porcelain bowl and went to see Xiang Xiu'an while eating.

It's not that she doesn't care about her image, but because it's her turn on duty today and she has to serve the lady later.

"Are you looking for me?"

Xiang Xiu'an looked at Xia Mang, whose cheeks were bulging from eating so much, and quietly reminded her, "Grandma, it's time to take medicine."

Xia Mang then remembered, "Look at my memory!"

Xiang Xiuan: “???”

Can you forget something like this?
Xia Mang smiled at Xiang Xiu'an embarrassedly, freed one hand and pretended to touch his sleeve, but in fact he went into the system mall and quickly exchanged two pills.

As two thousand points were deducted, two small pills appeared in the palm of his hand.

Xiang Xiu'an carefully wrapped the pill in a clean handkerchief and put it in his arms.

Seeing that he took the medicine and had no intention of leaving, Xia Mang looked at him in confusion.

Xiang Xiu'an looked around and saw that no one was looking at him, so he looked at Xia Mang's face and asked, "Brother, is it you?"

Xia Mang looked at Xiang Xiu'an in silence as his face was full of expectation. Ever since she had "shown her divine power" twice in front of this guy, he had determined that Xia Mang was the reincarnation of his brother Xiang Xiukai.

Every morning when he came to pay his respects to Qiao Yuandong, he would also secretly meet Xia Mang and carefully report what he had done the day before.

So Xia Mang was forced to start raising Xiang Xiukai's younger brother, which indirectly fulfilled Xiang Xiukai's wish.

Facing Xiang Xiu'an's sparkling eyes, Xia Mang said unhappily: "Go and give the Madam some medicine!"

"Okay, brother!" Xiang Xiu'an turned around and left obediently.

Xia Mang: “.”

After sending Xiang Xiu'an away, Xia Mang turned around and went back to continue eating.

After dinner, looking at her shrunken points, she began to discuss with Xiang Xiukai how to earn points.

The lady needs to spend points to buy medicine, and Xia Mang also needs to spend points to return to the modern era. Points are really good things that cannot be resisted.

Fortunately, I have my wife, so points can come in continuously.

Now Xia Mang wishes she could work every day and stick to Qiao Yuandong 24 hours a day.

It’s nothing, the system gives too much!

Xiang Xiukai assigned a bunch of tasks. Xia Mang accepted the task and was about to go to earn points, oh no, to serve the madam, when suddenly a maid came to tell her that the madam wanted her to come over.

Xia Mang was stunned for a moment, then quickly thought of a possibility.

The secret of the medicine has been exposed!
Xia Mang was not surprised by this.

The appearance of that medicine does not conform to the perception of people of this era. Even if it dissolves in water, it cannot be colorless and tasteless.

The lady could still be fed when she was unconscious, and now that she has woken up, how could Xiang Xiu'an hide it from her?

"Are you ready? You have to go see your grandmother soon!" Xia Mang gave Xiang Xiukai a shot of prevention in her mind without any burden.

Anyway, this matter cannot be concealed, and the old lady is not someone who can be easily fooled. Xia Mang has no intention of lying to her.

Xiang Xiukai was silent for a while and finally said: "Let's go."

When someone came from the main courtyard, Qiao Yuandong already knew that the lady wanted to see Xia Mang. Before Xia Mang left, she called the person over.

"Did you make your grandmother mad?"

Qiao Yuandong looked at Xia Mang scrutinizingly, wondering if this bold girl had done something out of line again recently and upset the lady.

Xia Mang looked at Qiao Yuandong speechlessly and thought to himself: Madam, what kind of image am I in your eyes?
Complaining aside, Xia Mang answered honestly, "I didn't cause any trouble. Madam Tai called me over because she must have something to ask you."

"Oh." Qiao Yuandong looked at Xia Mang again, who was lowering her eyebrows and looking obedient, and still reminded her with concern: "Be polite when you meet the lady."

Xia Mang agreed and left.

After entering the main courtyard, she could see from afar that the courtyard was brightly lit.

At the door of the main hall stood a maid in a silk skirt, with a small plum blossom hairpin with beads on her head. She looked delicate and pretty, and it was the beautiful Xingzhu.

Xingzhu seemed to be waiting here for Xia Mang. As soon as she saw her, she said, "Go in quickly. The lady is waiting."

As she spoke, Xingzhu lifted the door and shouted inside, "Mangxia is here."

Xia Mang quickened his pace, stepped into the main room, passed the carved and embroidered screen, and saw the lady sitting on the Luohan bed at a glance.

It was only the end of September and the weather was gradually getting cooler. The lady had already changed into warmer silk clothes early, as if she was afraid of catching a cold. Ji Tong even gave her a coat.

The wide coat gathered the lady together, revealing only the mud-golden pumpkin and mouse pattern on the collar, which complemented the gold-woven round flower embroidery on the coat.

Xia Mang bowed politely to the lady-in-waiting, then secretly glanced at Xiang Xiu'an who was sitting next to her.

Xiang Xiu'an was obviously a little panicked because the secret was exposed. He winked at Xia Mang frantically, but Xia Mang really didn't understand what he meant.

The lady didn't pay any attention to the quarrel between the two. She raised her hand and asked the maids to go out.

Ji Tong followed instructions and led several maids out of the room, leaving Xia Mang and the grandparents alone.

The lady looked at Xia Mang who was standing there with her head bowed, and said solemnly, "Raise your head."

Xia Mang looked up honestly and happened to meet the lady's inquiring gaze.

Her old face was covered with wrinkles, but her eyes were exceptionally bright and lively, filled with emotions that Xia Mang could not understand.

It was as if she was not looking at herself, but trying to see another person through herself.

"You, come closer." The lady ordered, with a slight tremor in her voice.

Xia Mang walked up to the old lady as she was told, and she grabbed Xia Mang's hand.

Her hands were withered but strong, and Xia Mang was held tightly, unable to break free at all.

"Madam?"

The old lady's eyes were brighter than ever. She looked at Xia Mang and opened her mouth again and again, but said nothing.

Xia Mang saw her stretch out her other hand in front of her eyes, and her clenched fingers slowly opened. Two pills lay quietly in the palm of her hand.

"I wasn't completely unconscious when I was in a coma. An'er gave me this medicine once. Others don't know what it does, but I do. Even the imperial physician couldn't save me, but this medicine did. Where do you think An'er got this medicine from?"

The old lady held Xia Mang's hand tightly until it trembled. Xia Mang was afraid that the old lady's blood pressure would rise again if she got excited, so she quickly comforted her: "Don't get excited, old lady, you..."

"You still call me Madam?!" Madam looked at Xia Mang with red eyes, "An'er said, you are Kai'er, right? Are you my poor grandson?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Mang couldn't help but secretly glare at Xiang Xiu'an.

My goodness, what did this kid say to the lady?

Xiang Xiu'an shrank his neck guiltily and said nothing.

The lady asked repeatedly, tears falling uncontrollably, and the great grief made her back more hunched.

The painful memories of the past came flooding back to the frail old woman, and she was like a drowning person, clinging desperately to the hope of regaining what she had lost.

She, who had never believed in ghosts and gods, was willing to believe in them at this moment, and only hoped that the little girl in front of her could give her the answer she wanted.

Facing the crying lady, Xia Mang didn't know whether to tell the truth or lie.

But at this moment, Xiang Xiukai, who had been silent all the way, said to her: "Please trick her for me."

Even though it was mixed with mechanical sounds, Xia Mang could hear a hint of pleading in it, and she instantly understood what Xiang Xiukai wanted her to say.

This time Xiang Xiukai seemed to have forgotten to edit the task instructions, and Xia Mang did not make any requests.

It was just to fulfill his wish.

She reached out to hold the old lady's shoulders, squatted down to make her eyes level with hers, and after meeting the old lady's tearful eyes, she called out, "Grandma."

The lady stared at the maid in front of her in a daze. The little girl was no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. Her eyebrows and eyes had not yet fully grown. She had curved eyebrows and round eyes, and even her baby fat had not faded away.

So different from her Kaier!
But that one word of "grandmother" seemed like the sound of a bell in her heart, stirring the heartstrings of the old lady.

The old lady seemed to feel a strange blood connection, which made her firmly believe that this was her grandson.

"Hey! Hey!" The lady kept responding, fearing that if she agreed too late, her Kai'er would be gone. She stretched out her hands and held Xia Mang in her arms, crying until she was hoarse. The hoarse and old voice would move anyone who heard it.

"Do you know how many days and nights I begged you to come see me in my dreams? But you are so cruel that you never came even once!"

When Xiang Xiu'an saw that Xia Mang finally admitted his identity, he also started crying.

Even if Xia Mang was a heartless person, she couldn't help but be moved in such an atmosphere. She suddenly thought of her mother in the living world.

I don’t know whether the original body is dead or alive after my soul traveled through time and space. If it is dead, how sad will my mother be?
As she thought about it, Xia Mang also started crying.

Human joys and sorrows can occasionally be shared. At least at this moment, the three of them were sad for their families.

The three of them hugged each other and cried bitterly, and then stopped crying almost at the same time.

After crying, the old lady seemed to have cried out all the depression in her heart for many years, and she just felt much more relaxed.

She took up her handkerchief and wiped the tears from Xia Mang's face. Looking at Xia Mang with red eyes, the lady's eyes were filled with love and surprise at having lost her.

"It is truly God's mercy that he has returned you to me. From now on, I will definitely worship Buddha and eat vegetarian food more often, and pray for my grandchildren and granddaughters-in-law!"

Xia Mang enjoyed the kindness of the lady with a guilty conscience, and recited the lines given by Xiang Xiukai: "Grandma, you don't have to do this. Everything is God's will."

Upon hearing this, the lady sighed at the wonders of the world and couldn't help asking, "Tell me, what happened at the border? Why did you end up like that?"

Xia Mang gnashed his teeth and said, "It's all Wan Hongxuan's fault!"

Xia Mang followed Xiang Xiukai's words and slowly told him the whole story of what happened that year.

That year, the border barbarians were active frequently. In order to intimidate the barbarians, the emperor selected 100,000 elite soldiers to go there to show the country's prestige and to gild his favorite general Xiang Xiukai.

The young general Xiang Xiukai accepted the task without hesitation. When the army set out, Marquis Cheng Yi temporarily requested the emperor to allow his eldest son Wan Hongxuan to be included in the army.

It's all gold-plated anyway, so it doesn't matter how many times it's plated. The emperor agreed to Cheng Yihou's request.

Xiang Xiukai regarded Wan Hongxuan as a comrade-in-arms and a colleague, but he never expected that this guy actually wanted to kill him!
Wan Hongxuan volunteered to be the scout vanguard, but reported back false news. Xiang Xiukai misjudged the situation, divided his troops and attacked, and was eventually led into a dead end.

There was a chance to escape, but Wan Hongxuan led General Bian Man to wipe out all the scattered troops one by one.

The situation that was sure to win ended in a crushing defeat. No one in the remaining Jin army dared to take the responsibility. Under the deliberate guidance of Wan Hongxuan, everyone thought that it was the problem of the main general Xiang Xiukai.

Anyway, the person is already dead, how can he stand up and say no?

Finally, Wan Hongxuan fled back to the capital with the remaining soldiers, and accused Xiang Xiukai of being ambitious, neglecting his duties, and ultimately killing tens of thousands of elite soldiers!
The lady listened to the whole incident quietly, and finally closed her eyes and sighed: "So that's how it is, so that's how it is."

After the battle on the border, everyone criticized the Duke's Mansion, and even the Emperor could not support the Duke's Mansion on this matter.

Everyone said that Xiang Xiukai was a Zhao Kuo who was only good at talking about war on paper, and he had completely ruined all the wisdom of the Zhenguo Mansion over the generations.

The lady didn't believe it at all. Didn't she know about her own grandson?

It was clearly a frame-up, but no one believed it, and there was not even a trace of evidence. The lady at that time could only swallow her anger.

Now my guess has finally been confirmed. The rage that was so intense back then has long been worn away by time, leaving only a slight regret after the truth has been revealed.

The Duke Zhenguo Mansion is no longer the same as it used to be.

The lady sighed, not knowing whether she was comforting herself or her grandson, "It's all over. Living a good life in the future is better than anything else!"

Xiang Xiu'an said unwillingly, "Grandma, Marquis Cheng Yi has harmed my brother to this extent. Are we going to tolerate this?"

The lady touched Xiang Xiu'an's head lovingly and taught him, "You have seen too little of the world. We don't need to do anything. His Majesty will deal with Marquis Cheng Yi."

Seeing Xiang Xiu'an's confused look, the lady gave him a detailed analysis.

"The year Kai'er died, His Majesty directly transferred Marquis Cheng Yi's eldest son to the Ministry of Rites. Over the years, Marquis Cheng Yi rose from the position of Minister of Revenue to the position of Grand Tutor, and the real power in his hands has become less and less. I think His Majesty has long lost trust in Marquis Cheng Yi."

In the previous dynasty, the Grand Tutor was a minister who could assist the emperor, but in this dynasty it is just a nominal position to show favor.

The emperor placed Marquis Cheng Yi on a high pedestal, but at the same time drove him far away from the center of power. This must have been because of what happened that year, and he became suspicious of Marquis Cheng Yi.

After hearing this, Xiang Xiu'an finally understood something. He thought of a possibility that shocked him, "Grandmother, do you mean that Marquis Cheng Yi wants to rebel?"

The lady gave him a meaningful look and added, "Perhaps there is someone behind this."

Xia Mang didn't understand what was said next at all. Just when she was confused, she saw the lady looking at her again, holding her hand and mentioning Qiao Yuandong.

"You left so suddenly that year, leaving Dong Niang a widow for three years in vain. She has given a lot to the Duke's Mansion and sacrificed a lot for you. Now that you are back, have you told her your identity?"

Xia Mang shook his head blankly and answered honestly: "Madam, it's not so easy to believe such a thing, right?"

The lady sighed and said, "Yes, if I hadn't experienced it myself, how could I have easily believed such a strange thing?"

Xia Mang nodded in agreement.

She also wanted to say that even if she really told Qiao Yuandong that Xiang Xiukai was still alive, given Xiang Xiukai's current condition, there was no possibility for the two of them to be husband and wife.

Instead of this, it would be better to let Qiao Yuandong think that Xiang Xiukai had died long ago.

The old lady obviously thought of this, so she did not mention the matter of asking the two to recognize each other. Instead, she said, "Your current status is a bit unfair. Why don't I recognize you as my granddaughter and find a good family for you in the future. Hiss!"

At this point, the old lady herself could not continue. In her opinion, although Xia Mang was a girl, Xinzi was her hot-blooded grandson.

It seems a bit inappropriate to let the eldest grandson get married.

So before Xia Mang could refuse, the lady rejected her idea herself and said again: "Forget it, you should just live a good life with Dong Niang."

Xia Mang: “???”

She never expected that she would be tied into the trap by the lady just because she told a simple lie today.

She and the lady?

Live a good life?
Xia Mang looked at the Madam eagerly and thought to himself: Madam, listen to what you are saying, don’t you think it’s outrageous?

The lady obviously felt that this matter was difficult, but she still chose to ignore Xia Mang's eyes: "Go ahead, be good to Dong Niang, you owe her this."

Xia Mang struggled weakly: "Grandma, I am a girl."

The lady waved her hand and said, "What's wrong with being a girl? It's not like women can't live together. My grandmother saw this when she was young."

Xia Mang: Madam, you are really knowledgeable!
Seeing Xia Mang's tight lips, the lady continued to counsel, "Anyway, she is your wife. She has been a widow for so long because of you. Now that you are back and living a good life with her, how has she wronged you?"

Xia Mang: “No, grandma, you don’t know the details.”

The lady cast a sidelong glance at her and said, "Why, don't you like Dong Niang anymore?"

This is not a matter of like or not, it's that we are not on the same channel at all!
Xia Mang wanted to say that he had no such intentions towards the lady, but after hesitating for a long time, his face turned red, he couldn't utter a word of no.

The old lady thought that her grandson was just shy, and patted Xia Mang's head cheerfully: "It's okay, you have been apart for so many years, it's normal to feel a little unfamiliar, just take it slow."

After leaving the main courtyard, Xia Mang, who was full of bad debts, tapped the system: "Hey, your grandmother wants to marry me to your wife, what do you say?"

Xiang Xiukai obviously did not expect that things would turn out so strangely after his identity was exposed. He hesitated for a long time and said, "Let's take it one step at a time."

Xia Mang couldn't hold it in any longer: "No, brother, aren't you jealous?"

In the past, this guy would get furious whenever Qiao Yuandong saw a foreign man.

Xiang Xiukai's slightly disdainful voice sounded in his mind: "Tsk, you are a girl, how can you eat my wife?"

Xia Mang choked and felt that this made sense.

Xia Mang pondered the current situation and felt that he had no choice but to take it one step at a time.

She walked back with her head down. By then, it was already completely dark and the maids on night duty had already started locking the gate.

When Xia Mang returned to the yard, she found that Qiao Yuandong was not ready to go to bed yet. She was sitting under the window, reading a book by the light.

The window with long patterns was half-raised, just enough to see Qiao Yuandong sitting quietly under the lamp.

She was wearing a double-breasted jacket made of ivory Lu silk with a pattern of wild geese holding reeds in their mouths. Her neck was decorated with an exquisite white silk vertical collar, and the collar had a gilded button shaped like bees and grapes, which gleamed faintly in the candlelight.

At this time, Qiao Yuandong had taken off her hairpins and rings. Her long satin-like hair fell softly behind her head, making her back look straight and dignified.

The warm yellow candlelight in the room behind her made her look soft and elegant. The world was silent and peaceful, as if the stunning moment was quietly sealed in the memory of time.

Xia Mang stood in the courtyard, looking at the picturesque scenery, and for a moment she forgot where she was.

“What are you standing there for? Be careful not to get caught in the wind.” The beauty in the painting spoke suddenly, as if crystal clear pearls rolled across the water, causing ripples and falling straight into people’s hearts.

"Oh, oh." Xia Mang responded blankly and went into the room.

She felt that maybe she was really caught in the crossfire tonight, otherwise why would she feel a little hot-headed?
Seeing that Xia Mang was hesitant, Qiao Yuandong asked her to come over and talk. Xia Mang walked two steps away from Qiao Yuandong and stopped.

Qiao Yuandong had no makeup on her face, and her face was as beautiful as the moon, which reminded Xia Mang of the pure white jade porcelain vase on the treasure shelf.

In the past, she always felt that the porcelain vase was too plain, but today she suddenly appreciated its beauty.

Her beauty is clean and ethereal. Although she is dull without any color, she has an allure that cannot be ignored.

The lady's words seemed to still echo in her ears. Xia Mang lowered her head in panic and dared not look at Qiao Yuandong again.

In Qiao Yuandong's eyes, this reaction turned into a guilty conscience of having done something wrong.

She looked at Xia Mang carefully, and when she saw that the girl looked safe and sound and did not look like she had been punished, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"What did the lady ask you to do?" Qiao Yuandong put down the book and decided to take good care of his little maid.

It would have been fine if she hadn't asked. As soon as Xia Mang asked, her whole body trembled. She bit her lip and didn't know how to open it.

Madam, do you want me to live a good life with you?

Madam, dowager asked me not to let you down?
Madam. Oh, my madam!
(End of this chapter)