Full House Spring

Chapter 89 Dragonfly Hairpin
Sun Fuya's body was trembling slightly, like a leaf swaying in the wind, looking extremely fragile.

Her personal maid Ximei lifted the curtain and came in. When she saw her daughter's appearance, her eyes turned red with heartache.

He walked quickly to her side and comforted her, "Young lady, don't take the eldest lady's words to heart. She has always been like this. It would be a waste of time if you get angry."

Sun Fuya raised her head, trying hard not to let her tears fall. She said in a hoarse voice, "Other mothers do everything they can to support their daughters, fearing that their daughters will be mistreated by their in-laws. But my mother is afraid that I will live better than her. She would not be happy until she steps on me. Am I not her biological child?"

Ximei raised her hand and gently stroked her back, saying with great concern: "Think about our master and Shuo Ge'er. They are the people closest to you. The master and his wife treat you very well. You are in charge of the household affairs in the mansion. Even the elders and children in the family respect you very much. You don't have to care about what she says."

Sun Fuya was originally a gentle and stable person. Apart from her mother, few people could make her break down. After being comforted by Ximei, her emotions gradually stabilized. She said in a cold voice:
"My sister just returned home, and those people with ulterior motives are like cats that smell blood, wanting to snatch food without even considering their own weight."

Ximei had not known the content of the conversation between the two people in the room before. After hearing what her master said, she immediately understood. She turned around and gently poured a cup of hot tea, handed it to Sun Fuya and said, "The third lady's marriage will be decided by the master and the mistress. I'm afraid the eldest lady has the wrong idea when she asked you."

Xia Li followed her brothers in rank in the mansion, so the servants called her the Third Miss.

Sun Fuya picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said indifferently:
"She and my aunt are daydreaming. No matter how poor the Fang family's daughter is, she won't marry into the Wu family. What's more, my sister is engaged to the Kuang family."

Ximei shook her head and sighed, "The first wife is becoming more and more confused."

After all, she was the mistress of the Sun family. Ximei was just a servant, so even if she looked down on her, she didn't dare to say anything beyond the rules. Sun Fuya stopped talking, put down her teacup, and said softly, "Bring me the jasmine ointment I bought last time, and I'll give it to my sister."

Ximei frowned slightly and said hesitantly, "The ointment smells really good, but there is only one box left. If I give it to the third girl, what will you do with it?"

Sun Fuya said indifferently: "I am already a mother, it doesn't matter if I want those icing on the cake or not. My sister is young and fresh, and we haven't even arranged to get married yet."

Ximei said with a smile: "You are talking as if our Shuoge is very old, but the third girl is well-educated and sensible, it is better to give her than to others."

Sun Fuya said calmly, "I'm not stupid. How can I give all the good things to outsiders? Look at the gift my sister prepared for Shuo Ge'er, and the things she gave me. I put a lot of thought into each of them. She is the only legitimate sister in the family, so it's only right that I pamper her more."

Ximei nodded slightly and took out the jasmine ointment from the closet with ease. Sun Fuya applied some powder to improve her complexion, and then the master and servant walked towards Cuihua Court together.

Before they entered the yard, they heard Shuo Ge'er's clear laughter from afar. Sun Fuya smiled unconsciously and walked in with small steps.

As soon as I entered, I saw the aunt and nephew playing shuttlecock. Xia Li was jumping with nimble movements, and Shuo Ge'er followed behind her to learn. At first glance, the aunt and nephew looked surprisingly similar from the side.

Xia Li saw her sister-in-law stop what she was doing immediately. She put away the shuttlecock and said in a brisk voice, "Sister-in-law, I saw that Shuo Ge'er's cough has healed, so I wanted to take him to move around more. Is that okay?"

Shuo Ge'er couldn't jump at all, so he just followed along to join in the fun. When he saw his mother coming, he rushed to her side and hugged her legs to act like a spoiled child. Sun Fuya touched his back, which was not sweaty, and said softly, "It's okay. Children should move more."

Xia Li handed the shuttlecock to Qiao He and asked her to play with Shuo Ge'er while she talked to her sister-in-law. The sun was shining brightly at the moment, and the flowers in the Cuihua Courtyard were blooming in all their splendor. As soon as the aunt and sister-in-law sat down, Du Ruo came to serve tea.

Xia Li said softly, "I asked Du Ruo to check Shuo Ge'er's pulse just now, otherwise I wouldn't dare to take him out to play."

Sun Fuya said calmly, "Shuo Ge'er is not that careful in raising him. You don't have to worry too much. I came to talk to you and give you a little gift."

Ximei came forward at the right time and respectfully handed the brocade box in her hand to Xia Li. The porcelain vase, as smooth as jade, looked very delicate. Xia Li picked it up curiously.

Sun Fuya said in a gentle tone: "This is jasmine ointment. It is in great demand in Laizhou. Not many people can make it. I only got one box. The fragrance is elegant and fresh, which suits you very well. You might as well try it."

Xia Li had seen similar ointments in Kyoto. Not only was the quantity small and the price high, there were only a few scents. It was really unaffordable for ordinary people. She opened the lid, gently scooped out a little and applied it on her wrist, then leaned in to smell it and it was indeed quite good.

Xia Li smiled and said in a cheerful voice, "Thank you for giving me this. I like it very much. How long will the fragrance of this ointment last?"

Sun Fuya pondered and said, "It can only last for more than an hour, which is not bad. It is still different from incense."

Xia Li nodded slightly. She looked down at the flowers in the yard and chuckled, "If I could make a perfume that lasted longer, wouldn't I make a lot of money?"

Sun Fuya was not a woman who was detached from the mundane world. After careful consideration, she said, "If this perfume lasts longer than the ointment and is beautifully packaged, there will be no shortage of people buying it. What kinds of floral scents can you make?"

Xia Li said frankly: "It depends on what raw materials can be found. My perfume is a blend of various plants, not just a single flower scent. It should be very popular with the ladies."

Sun Fuya asked with interest: "Is the perfume making process complicated?"

Xia Li nodded slightly and said, "It is a bit troublesome. The main reason is that the tools for distillation are not common. We have to find a craftsman to make them specially."

Sun Fuya pondered for a moment and said, "If you can figure it out, you might as well give it a try. Although mother has saved a lot of dowry for you, a woman still needs to have the ability to make a living. Who would complain about having too much money? The more capital you have, the stronger your back will be, and the more choices you will have in the future."

Xia Li smiled and said calmly, "What my sister-in-law said makes sense. I have an easy life and am not afraid of hard work. Mother also gave me two shops, saying that these are the capital for a stable life. If I know how to manage them, they will be more useful than playing music, chess, calligraphy and painting."

Sun Fuya pursed her lips and smiled softly. If she had a daughter, she probably wouldn't let her just pretend to be cultured. After a long time, she wouldn't even know that she was being fooled and sold out. It's right to love your daughter, but it depends on how you love her. Women's money has always been the easiest to make. Xia Li had this idea a long time ago, but she had no choice before. No matter how much she earned, she couldn't keep it. Instead, she would get into trouble. But now the situation is different.

After Sun Fuya and Shuo Ge'er left, Xia Li sat at her desk and sketched. She was so busy that she didn't even have time to eat. Du Ruo wanted to remind her, but Shi Mi stopped her and said, "The girl has always been like this. She likes to do things in one go. If someone interrupts her train of thought, it will be bad."

Du Ruo didn't know much about Xia Li, but she could tell that Shi Mi didn't mean to stop her. She didn't force her, but instead asked her more about Xia Li in a humble manner.

Shi Mi was most wary of Du Ruo. After all, her medical skills were hard to ignore. Fortunately, after getting along with her, he found that she was not a person who relied on her talent to be arrogant, and she had no intention of monopolizing the top spot. Cuihua Court was still headed by Shi Mi, and everything was peaceful.

While Xia Li was thinking about new things, Kuang Chengrui returned to the garrison. Because he successfully completed the task, he was naturally promoted. He was promoted from a thousand households to a deputy commander. As soon as he came out of the commander's tent, he was stopped by someone.

Guo Ziyi clenched his fists, his chest heaving violently. He stared at Kuang Chengrui and said unconvincedly, "Based on military merit, the position of deputy commander should be mine this time. What kind of villainy have you done behind my back?"

Guo Ziyi was also a captain. He was older than Kuang Chengrui. Before Kuang Chengrui joined the garrison, he was the most promising person and was highly valued by the Commanding General. However, after Kuang Chengrui came, he always suppressed him. He tried his best to get the position of assistant commander, but unexpectedly, Kuang Chengrui got there first.

Kuang Chengrui glanced at him indifferently and said in a low voice: "How do you know that my military achievements are not as good as yours? If you are not convinced, you can go to the Command Headquarters to appeal, and there is no need to come and shout at me."

Qianzong is only a fifth-rank military officer, while Zhihuijianshi is a fourth-rank officer. Guo Ziyi has been waiting for this position to be vacant for four or five years. How could he just give up? He said with a gloomy look in his eyes: "Zhihuishisi has a close personal relationship with you. He always sides with you. What's the point of me looking for him? If you are a man, you can fight with me to decide the winner. If you lose, you can resign and give me this position."

After all, Guo Ziyi had a stronger foundation than Kuang Chengrui, and quite a few soldiers were on his side. When the two of them made such a noise, many people gathered around to watch the fun. Kuang Chengrui was extremely strong, and no one could defeat him with his long sword. However, Guo Ziyi had never competed with him head on, so he was always unwilling to accept the defeat.

Kuang Chengrui's eyes were as sharp as torches, and when he looked at Guo Ziyi, his eyes were sharp, as if he could see through people's hearts, making him dare not look at him.

Just when the atmosphere was tense, Commander Jiang came out with a gloomy face. He shouted, "Don't you have anything to do? If you are bored, go to the martial arts field and practice."

As soon as these words came out, all the soldiers scattered like birds and beasts. Guo Ziyi's eyes flickered, and he immediately lowered his eyebrows and clasped his fists to greet the commander. Kuang Chengrui followed closely behind. After the irrelevant people left, Commander Jiang looked at Guo Ziyi and said in a deep voice: "Kuang Chenshi accepted the mission assigned by the superiors two months ago. He has made great contributions. This promotion is also the intention of the superiors. Do you think you can snatch the official position by fighting fiercely in private? This is too childish."

Guo Ziyi's face turned very ugly. Before he could open his mouth to explain, Commander Jiang continued, "I have discussed with both of you in private. I advise Captain Guo not to humiliate yourself. If you lose face in front of your brothers, you may not be able to sit safely in the position of Captain."

The meaning of this statement was very clear. Guo Ziyi was no match for Kuang Chengrui. Guo Ziyi's face turned pale and he could not utter a word of rebuttal. He dared to shout at Kuang Chengrui, but he did not dare to argue with Jiang Zhihuishisi. After all, he was the highest officer of the garrison and he could not afford to offend him if he wanted to be promoted.

Guo Ziyi's eyes flashed with a forbearing light, and the veins on his forehead were faintly visible, but he tried hard to maintain his calm on the surface, and said in a hoarse voice: "Thank you for your reminder, Commander-in-Chief. I know I was wrong."

Commander Jiang glanced at him fiercely, then waved his hand and said coldly, "Don't cause trouble for me next time. Go and do your thing."

Guo Ziyi agreed quietly, and he left silently until his figure disappeared from the tent. Commander Jiang restrained his expression and looked at Kuang Chengrui and said, "I know all the things he did before. I am afraid that it will implicate many people, so I will not pursue it for the time being. Let him jump around for a while."

Understanding flashed in Kuang Chengrui's eyes, and he said in a steady voice: "Just tell me if you have anything to do. I'll be on standby at all times."

Commander Jiang smiled and patted his shoulder, lowering his voice and saying, "Master Kuang has told me that you should put more thought into this marriage with the Fang family. If you can get help from your wife's family, your journey will be smoother."

Kuang Chengrui frowned deeply. He had never thought of relying on the Yue family to rise to the top. No matter how powerful the Fang family was, if he himself could not gain a firm foothold, everything would be in vain. However, there was no need to tell outsiders about this matter. Kuang Chengrui said respectfully, "I know this matter well. Just let it go."

The two men discussed the deployment of the garrison and then separated. As soon as Kuang Chengrui entered his tent, he saw his third brother Kuang Chengdong, who was sleeping soundly on his couch with his clothes on.

Kuang Chengrui bent down, picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at Kuang Chengdong. Kuang Chengdong woke up in pain. He rubbed his thigh and muttered unhappily, "Brother, you hit me too hard. I was just lying on your couch to rest for a while. Do you have to be so cruel?"

Kuang Chengrui walked to the table and sat down. He picked up the silver dragonfly on it and carved it carefully while replying, "Your clothes are smelly, and you lie on the couch without washing yourself. Who can stand you?"

Kuang Chengdong stood up and said nonchalantly:

"What does it matter? I lay in ambush for three days and two nights, and finally killed those damn Dongyi people. I just want to fill my stomach and have a good sleep when I come back. There are too many people in my tent and it's noisy. What are you doing?"

After that, Kuang Chengdong walked forward and curiously picked up the carved silver dragonfly to take a closer look. Kuang Chengrui snatched it from him and said calmly: "This is a gift for someone, don't touch it."

Kuang Chengdong looked surprised and asked, "Which girl are you going to give this to? Could it be that the iron tree has blossomed, and you want to marry me a sister-in-law?"

Kuang Chengrui twisted the silver thread into a very elastic circle, then picked up the dragonfly and connected the two together, saying calmly, "Miss Fang is back, this is for her."

Kuang Chengdong had not been at home these days and knew nothing. Hearing him say that, he couldn't wait to ask about Xia Li's situation. Kuang Chengrui did not hide anything. He told her everything, whether it was the Fang family's attitude or Xia Li's situation.

After listening to this, Kuang Chengdong said solemnly: "You have already asked your sister-in-law to choose a new husband, why do you still want to give her a dragonfly hairpin? Don't you think it's unnecessary?"

Kuang Chengrui looked up at him and said seriously: "She has the right to make a new choice, and I am also qualified to show my kindness to her. She deserves my careful treatment."

(End of this chapter)