Full House Spring
Chapter 66 Hold back
Chapter 66 Hold back
Mai Dong wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked with a slightly raised mouth: "When can we drink this apricot blossom glutinous rice wine?"
Seeing that her hair was a little messy, Xia Li raised his hand to tidy up her hair, and then whispered: "It needs to ferment for three to seven days. Only during the fermentation process will the wine have a mellow taste. Good wine is never too late."
Mai Dong nodded slightly. She turned around, took out a piece of sugar cake from the cloth bag on the bench and handed it to Xia Li, smiling and saying, "This is a sugar cake made by my mother. It is soft, glutinous, sweet, and tastes different from other cakes."
Xia Li took it in her hand and took a look. It was actually just an ordinary steamed cake sold in the market, with sesame seeds on it. She took a bite and found it fluffy and soft, and tasted really good.
"You've come back this time, like a mouse that fell into a rice jar, and you don't want to leave, right?"
Maidong chewed the steamed cake with his cheeks puffed up, and said in a sweet voice:
"Of course, my parents are thinking about me, but my brother is not at home, otherwise he would definitely hunt game for me~"
Xia Li looked calm and composed, but she secretly felt a sense of envy in her heart. She had never enjoyed the love and care of her parents. Perhaps only people who are loved can always retain this innocence.
She opened her red lips slightly, tilted her head and asked, "When we return home, will you come with us or stay a few more days?"
Mai Dong paused while biting the cake, her cheeks flushed with shame, and she said hesitantly, "I'm not sure. My father and mother have found a marriage for me. If they like me... maybe I won't return home."
Xia Li's eyes and eyebrows were full of smiles, and he said sincerely:
"This is a great joy. You have a simple personality. You can marry someone from a simple family. You will have your parents and brothers to take care of you, and others will not be able to bully you. It is better than wasting time in the mansion."
Hearing her say this, Mai Dong also laughed. She whispered, "I'm not sure about this matter either. I want you to accompany me to look at it together."
Maidong's idea was simple, but Xia Li's was very thoughtful. She teased:
"It's not a good idea for me to go with you. What if that person takes a fancy to me?"
Mai Dong chuckled, his eyes sparkling as he said, "He has good taste if he likes you. I'll just find another one. Anyway, there are many men waiting to marry a wife."
Xia Li was amused by her, but also felt helpless for her open-mindedness. She said calmly, "If your mother agrees, I can go with you. Don't tell anyone about this for now. The family your mother chooses for you will definitely be good, so that no one will get suspicious."
There are quite a few maids who have come with them this time, and they are all of marriageable age. Some of them are cunning and might want to steal the girl away. Xia Li said this for her own good.
Mai Dong's smile grew wider. She leaned on Xia Li's shoulder and said in a friendly tone, "I only told you about this. I won't tell anyone else until the wedding date is set."
Xia Li couldn't help pinching her round cheeks and smiled with curved eyebrows. It was much easier and less troublesome to deal with such simple and lovely people.
Although she had been busy for a long time, Xia Li did not feel tired. When she returned to the room, it was time to light the lamps. When she entered the room, she saw Nanny Xie sitting on the bed with a piece of paper in her hand.
Xia Li raised a faint smile, closed the door, and said briskly, "Grandma, has the old lady gone to bed yet?"
Aunt Xie seemed to be awakened by her, and came back to her senses and said, "You are back. The old lady couldn't sleep, so she asked the female teacher to tell her stories. Shi Mi is waiting for her. I came back first because I was tired."
Xia Li walked to her side, raised his hand and gently massaged her shoulders, saying caringly:
"Grandma has been busy all day, so she must be feeling very tired because of the sore muscles. Whose letter is that in your hand?"
Aunt Xie did not show her the letter in her hand, but only asked in a deep voice:
"I remember when I bought you into the mansion, you said you had lost some of your memories. After so many years, do you remember anything?"
Xia Li paused in kneading, frowned slightly and said, "I can't remember it, and I don't know if there are any relatives alive. I don't even know if I remembered the name wrong."
Aunt Xie felt distressed when she heard her say this, and asked gently, "Do you want to find your family?"
Xia Li was surprised. She put down her arms and looked at Aunt Xie and said, "Grandma, why would you ask that? Can you help me find my family?"
Aunt Xie held her hand and said sternly, "I've thought about it over and over again. It's really unfair for you to live as a maid your whole life. You're so young but you know how to act and you can read. I'm sure your family has some background. If you were abducted..."
Xia Li's heart started pounding when she heard her say this. If she had just traveled through time, she would not have wanted to look for any family members. It would be difficult for her relatives who lived with her day and night to find out that her core had been changed.
But it is different now. No matter what her temperament was before, her personality will change after staying in the Duke's Mansion for a few years. Even when her relatives meet her, they will not have any doubts. Moreover, she has a more thorough understanding of her status and position in recent years. If she wants to have a secure life, she must have a good background.
If she was really abducted, her original parents would definitely be worried about her. She said in a low voice:
"Grandma, I was with Mai Dong just now, and I saw how well her parents took care of her. It was really enviable. I don't ask for a prominent family background, I just want to experience the feeling of being loved by her parents..."
Aunt Xie hugged her in her arms with a distressed look on her face, and said in a hoarse voice, "The letter I just read was a reply from someone who asked me to find out about your background..."
Xia Li immediately sat up straight and said nervously, "Grandma, what does the letter say? Was I abducted or…"
This was a very important answer for the original body, Xia Li had to ask for clarification. Aunt Xie patted her shoulder soothingly and said in a deep voice:
"The person I entrusted followed the clue of Grandma Jiang Ya and found out that you were indeed abducted from the south by kidnappers. It seems that you were abducted when you were watching the temple fair."
Xia Li couldn't explain her feelings at the moment. Her mind was full of those family-finding videos and movies on the Internet, and the pain of those parents who were eager to find their children.
Her eyes were sore and her voice was hoarse, "Grandma, please help me find my family. If they had been looking for me, how painful it would have been for them all these years. Don't worry, even if I reunited with my parents, I would never ignore you."
Aunt Xie scolded, "How could I be such a selfish person? Now that I have told you, I am not afraid that you will fly away. I hope for your well-being more than anyone else. You have been sincerely filial to me for so many years, which is enough. You still have a long life ahead of you..."
Aunt Xie's meaning was obvious. She only wanted Xia Li to live a good life. Xia Li felt warm in her heart. Although her life was full of twists and turns, she had people who treated her sincerely. It was enough to have such a blessing. Aunt Xie had asked someone to inquire in the south. There should be news coming soon. Xia Li was in a complicated mood and lay on the bed for a long time, unable to calm down...
Xia Li's life had new possibilities, but the eldest wife of the Duke's Mansion, Mrs. Song, was feeling a little uncomfortable. At this moment, the candlelight in the main room was bright. Mrs. Song was sitting on the couch in her middle clothes, watching Lu Jianxing putting on his clothes swiftly. She couldn't help but say, "You're lying down to rest now. Is there anything that can't be dealt with tomorrow?"
Lu Jianxing tied his belt and said in a deep voice: "You know the temper of Concubine Shu. She must have an urgent matter to send me a message. Things in the palace cannot be sloppy. You go to sleep first. I will make it up to you next time."
Song was a little annoyed and said, "You always say next time, next time. Calculate for yourself how long it has been since you last came to my room. How can I, the mistress of the house, still have any dignity..."
After saying this, Song couldn't help shedding tears. Seeing this, Lu Jianxing said impatiently, "How old are you? Are you still trying to win favor? This is really outrageous. Seeing that Qing He is expected to become the third imperial concubine, why don't you take a long-term view?"
Song was speechless after being blocked by him. Before she could say anything else, Lu Jianxing had already left in big strides, leaving her alone in the room, crying silently.
Others envied her for marrying a good husband. Not only was she the wife of a duke, but there were also not so many beautiful girls in the mansion. Little did they know that she had been alone in her empty room all year round and was just a tool of the housekeeper in this mansion.
Song's tears wet the pillowcase. When Nanny Gui helped her to get up the next day, she discovered that her eyes were red and swollen. Outsiders were unaware of the situation, but Nanny Gui, as a dowry nanny, knew very well how the couple got along.
She carefully helped Song wash and comb her hair before she consoled her:
"Madam, why do you have to compete with yourself? The Duke has been like this all these years. Maybe it's just his nature. You have both sons and daughters and no one can shake your position. You have the final say in the mansion. There is no need to make yourself unhappy."
Song looked at her haggard face in the bronze mirror and said weakly:
"All I want is to sleep with him in bed and chat with him, but he hasn't been close to me for a long time. When he was with me in the past, it seemed like he was missing someone else through me. I've had enough..."
Nanny Gui sighed inwardly. She didn't understand why the Duke was so emotionally cold. He was like this to his wife and his concubines. If he had a favorite concubine, it would be fine. But the more he acted as a chaste man, the more unhappy his wife would be.
Song looked up at Nanny Gui and said with a smile:
"Please put on more makeup to hide my tiredness. I will go to the study to find the Duke later. Don't let him see anything."
Nanny Gui wanted to persuade her to give up and just stay in her room to get some sleep to rest. However, the eldest lady was stubborn and Nanny Gui knew she couldn't persuade her, so she just let her be.
She carefully helped Song reduce her swelling and put on makeup, waited on her for breakfast, and then accompanied her to the front yard.
Apart from Lu Lingchuan who could enter and exit Lu Jianxing's study freely, Song was the only female member of the family who could enter. When the gatekeeper saw her, he hurried forward to greet her.
Song raised her hand slightly to signal him to stand up, and then said casually: "Who in the palace brought the news last night?"
The servant bowed his head and said respectfully, "Madam, the news was sent by Fuquan, the eunuch who works for the Concubine Shu."
Song said expressionlessly, "How long has Eunuch Fuquan been here?"
The servant said in a deep voice: "He stayed for about a cup of tea and then left..."
Song nodded slightly, motioning him to open the door, then stepped over the threshold and walked in. The servants who were accompanying her were waiting outside the door, so they were not allowed to enter.
Song entered the study and saw a ray of sunlight shining directly on the desk through the window lattice. She walked lightly to the desk and sat down. On the desk were calligraphy and paintings as well as official business to be handled. She knew that Lu Jianxing was very busy every day.
She lowered her eyes and looked at the locked cabinet. The cabinet was locked all year round. She had asked about it out of curiosity, but Lu Jianxing only said that there were valuables in it and would not let her look.
Song was not a strong person and had never thought of controlling him in every detail, so she did not force him. But today, for some reason, she wanted to know what was hidden inside.
She didn't know which key was to lock the cabinet door, but Lu Jianxing liked to put the keys on the antique display cabinet. She stood up and walked to the display cabinet and looked carefully. Sure enough, she saw several keys placed behind the porcelain vase. She took them down as if possessed, and then tried to unlock them one by one.
There were only five keys in total. When she tried the third key, the lock opened with a click. Song suddenly felt guilty. She pursed her lips and pricked up her ears to listen to the noise outside. When she heard no other sound, she opened the cabinet.
She bent down and looked carefully. Apart from the seal and some deeds, there was only a pile of letters. Song's heart beat faster and she picked up a letter hesitantly. When she saw the three words "Song Shiyi" signed on the letter, she felt a chill all over her body.
The handwriting was clearly the same as that of her good sister when she was still in the boudoir. The ink on the letter had faded so much that it was obviously quite old. She read the contents of the letter at a glance, her hands shaking uncontrollably.
It turned out that Lu Jianxing and she had secretly agreed to spend their lives together. When his proposal to marry her sister failed, he married her as a second choice. No wonder he rarely stayed overnight in her room after he had a pair of children. I guess he was keeping his chastity for her sister.
Song was heartbroken. Lu Jianxing did not join the Third Prince's camp because of her sisterly relationship with Concubine Shu, but was completely devoted to Concubine Shu. They were truly a pair of lovers with a deep affection for each other.
The eldest wife's face gradually turned blue, and she was obviously furious to the extreme. Her eyes flashed with anger, and she wished she could make everything public and ruin the reputation of the two men.
Her chest heaved violently, her palms resting on the desk, and it took a long time before she calmed down. Although Lu Jianxing and Song Shiyi deserved to die, her two children should not be implicated.
Originally, she still had some reservations about Qing He's marriage, but now it seemed that she could not be allowed to be with the Third Prince. There was no reason for her to be depressed all her life while her daughter also had to sacrifice her life.
She put the letter back to its place expressionlessly, locked the cabinet door again, and then put the key back on the antique display cabinet.
Song thought calmly, if the emperor passed away and the third prince succeeded to the throne, then Shufei would naturally become the empress dowager. No one would dare to say anything when Lu Jianxing was summoned to the palace. She would have to endure the disgust and continue to compromise for her children. How could this be possible?
Although Song is not as good as Concubine Shu in charming men, she is not stupid. She has been in charge of the household for many years and is already familiar with the methods of those in power. These two people can never fool her.
Song has invested most of her life in this, and she doesn't mind enduring for a while longer. After all, some pains can only be buried deep in the heart.
The power of patience is like a still stream with deep depths, accumulating and surging. Once the opportunity arises, it will be unstoppable.
(End of this chapter)
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