The Liu family nodded, and the following matters were naturally easy to discuss.
After talking for an hour, both parties were very happy.
Mrs. Liu: I finally found a good in-law for this terrible girl.
Mrs. Tai: Introducing a wife to Brother An is also an explanation to his parents.
Mrs. Tai completed two things in one day 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 over to greet him and tell him the good news about the Liu family in person.
Ji Tongsheng was afraid that she would be tired and sick again, so he forced her to lie down on the couch to rest. Xu was indeed very tired, and the wife quickly fell asleep.
In the evening, when Xiang Xiuan came back from school, he did not go to greet the wife immediately as usual, but instead went to Qiao Yuandong's yard.
Of course he didn't come to see Qiao Yuandong.
The medicine that Mrs. Tai took can only last for seven days. After seven days, she needs to take the medicine again. Xia Mang gave him the medicine carefully when she gave it to him, but Xiang Xiuan remembered it very carefully.
Counting the days, today is already the seventh day.
When Xia Mang was called out of the yard by Man'er, she was eating. 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 pay attention to her image, it's because she is on duty today and will have to serve Madam soon.
"What do you want from me?"
Xiang Xiu'an looked at Xia Mang, who had bulging cheeks from eating, and quietly reminded: "It's time for grandma to take medicine."
Xia Mang then remembered, "Look at my memory!"
Xiang Xiuan: "???"
Can you forget such a thing?
Xia Mang smiled sheepishly at Xiang Xiu'an, freed up a hand and pretended to touch it in his sleeve, but actually went into the system mall and quickly redeemed two pills.
As the two thousand points were deducted, two small pills appeared in the palm of my hand.
Xiang Xiuan carefully wrapped the pill in a clean handkerchief and put it in his arms.
Seeing that he had taken the medicine and showed no intention of leaving, Xia Mang couldn't help but look at him in confusion.
Xiang Xiuan looked around and saw that no one was looking at him, then looked at Xia Mang's face searchingly and asked: "Brother, is it you?"
Xia Mang silently looked at Xiang Xiu'an who was full of expectation. Ever since she "showed herself" 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 greet Qiao Yuandong, he would also secretly meet with Xia Mang and seriously report what he had done the previous day.
So Xia Mang was forced to start raising his younger brother for Xiang Xiukai, which could be regarded as indirectly fulfilling Xiang Xiukai's wish.
Facing Xiang Xiu'an's shining eyes, Xia Mang said angrily: "Go and deliver medicine to Mrs. Tai!"
"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 cooking.
After eating, looking at her shrinking points, she and Xiang Xiukai continued to think about the big business of earning points.
Mrs. Tai spends points on taking medicine, and Xia Mang also spends points when he returns to modern times. Points are really a good thing that can't be spent.
Fortunately, with my wife, the points can keep coming.
Now Xia Mang wished he could be on duty every day and stay with Qiao Yuandong 24 hours a day.
Without him, the system gives too much!
Xiang Xiukai assigned a bunch of tasks. Xia Mang took the task and was about to collect points. Oh no, wait on the madam. Suddenly a little maid came to tell her that the madam invited her over.
Xia Mang was stunned for a moment, and then quickly thought of a possibility.
The secret about the medicine was revealed!
Xia Mang was not surprised by this.
The appearance of the medicine does not conform to the cognition of people of this era. Even if it dissolves in water, it cannot be colorless and odorless.
Madam Tai was unconscious and could be fed. Madam Tai was awake. How could Xiang Xiuan hide this from her?
‘Are you ready? I have to go see your grandmother soon! ’ Xia Mang inoculated Xiang Xiukai in his mind without any burden.
Anyway, this matter cannot be hidden, and the Madam is not someone who is easy to fool. Xia Mang has no intention of making up lies to her.
Xiang Xiukai was silent for a while and finally said: 'Let's go. ’
When people came from the main courtyard, Qiao Yuandong already knew that Mrs. Tai wanted to see Xia Mang. Before Xia Mang left, she called them over.
"Have you made grandma angry?"
Qiao Yuandong glanced at Xia Mang critically, wondering if this bold girl had done something outrageous recently, which made the madam unhappy.
Xia Mang glanced at Qiao Yuandong wordlessly and said to himself: Madam, what image do I have in your eyes?
Complaints are complaints, Xia Mang replied honestly: "This slave did not cause any trouble. The madam called her over because she had something to ask."
"Oh." Qiao Yuandong looked at Xia Mang, who had a low eyebrow, and said uneasily: "Behave when you meet the Madam."
Xia Mang agreed and left.
Entering the main courtyard, she saw bright lights in the courtyard from a distance.
Standing at the door of the hall is a maid in a silk skirt, with a plum blossom hairpin on her head. She is delicate and pretty, and she is the lucky pearl of beauty.
Xingzhu seemed to be waiting for Xia Mang here specially. As soon as she saw her, she said: "Go in quickly, the madam is waiting."
Saying that, Xingzhu raised the door stop and shouted inside: "Mangxia is here."
Xia Mang quickened his pace, stepped into the main room, and across the carved and embroidered screen, he saw the lady sitting on the Arhat bed at a glance.
It was only the end of September at this time, and the weather was gradually getting cooler. Madam Tai had already put on warmer silk clothes, as if she was afraid of catching the cold. Ji Tong even gave her a coat.
The large coat tucked the lady into a ball, leaving only the gold-leafed rat pattern on the collar exposed, which complemented the gold-woven embroidery on the coat.
Xia Mang bowed politely to the Madam, and then secretly looked at Xiang Xiu'an who was sitting next to the Madam.
Xiang Xiu'an was obviously a little panicked because of the revelation. He winked wildly at Xia Mang, but Xia Mang really didn't understand what he meant.
The madam didn't care about the quarrel between the two of them. She raised her hand and asked the maids in charge to get out.
Ji Tong followed the words and led several maids out of the room, leaving only Xia Mang and his grandfather and grandson.
The madam looked at Xia Mang, who was standing there with his head bowed, and said calmly: "Raise your head."
Xia Mang raised his head honestly and met the Madam's searching eyes.
Her old face was covered with wrinkles, but her eyes were exceptionally bright and full of emotions that Xia Mang couldn't understand.
It was as if she was not looking at herself, but trying to see another person through herself.
"You, come over here." The madam ordered, with a slight tremor in her voice.
Xia Mang followed the words and walked to the madam. The madam took Xia Mang's hand.
Her hands were withered but strong. Xia Mang was held tightly and couldn't break free.
"Madam?"
The Madam's eyes were brighter than ever before. She looked at Xia Mang and opened her mouth again and again, but said nothing.
Xia Mang saw her stretching out her other hand in front of her eyes, her clenched fingers slowly opening, and two pills lying quietly in her hand.
"I was not completely ignorant when I was sleeping. An'er gave me this medicine once. Others didn't know its usefulness, but I knew it. Even the imperial doctor couldn't save me, but this medicine could. Where did An’er think this came from?”
Madam Tai's hand held Xia Mang's hand so tightly that it was shaking. Xia Mang was afraid that her blood pressure would rise again when the old man got excited, so she quickly comforted her: "Madam, please don't get excited, 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?"
Hearing this, Xia Mang couldn't help but secretly glare at Xiu'an.
Good guy, what on earth did this boy say to the madam?
Xiang Xiu'an shrank his neck in guilt and said nothing.
The madam asked in a voice, tears falling uncontrollably, and her back became more and more stooped with great grief.
Painful memories of the past hit the frail old man like a flood. She was like a drowning person, desperately clinging to the hope of recovery.
She had never believed in ghosts and gods but she was willing to believe it at this moment. She just hoped that the little girl in front of her could give her the answer she wanted.
Facing the madam who was crying bitterly, Xia Mang didn't know whether to tell the truth or lie for a moment.
But at this moment, Xiang Xiukai, who had been silent all the way, said to her: 'You can lie to her for me. ’
Even if it was mixed with the mechanical sound, Xia Mang could hear a hint of prayer in it, and she instantly understood what Xiang Xiukai wanted to say to her.
This time Xiang Xiukai seemed to have forgotten to edit the task instructions, and Xia Mang did not make a request.
It's just to fulfill his wish.
She reached out to hold the Tai Madam's shoulders, and squatted down to look level with her. After meeting the Tai Madam's tearful eyes, she called out: "Grandma."
The madam stared blankly at the maid in front of her. The little girl was only fifteen or sixteen years old. Her eyebrows were not long, her eyebrows were curved and her eyes were round, and even her baby fat had not faded away.
How different from her Kai'er!
But that sound of "grandmother" was like a bell that rang in the heart, plucking the heartstrings of the dowager.
The madam seemed to feel that strange blood connection, which convinced her that this was her grandson.
"Hey! Hey!" The madam responded repeatedly, fearing that if she agreed too late, her Kai'er would disappear. She stretched out her hand to pull Xia Mang into her arms and cried until she was hoarse. The hoarse and old voice made anyone who heard it inevitably moved.
"Do you know how many days and nights grandma has begged you to come and see grandma in her dream, but you are so cruel that you never came even once!"
Seeing that Xia Mang was finally willing to admit his identity, Xiang Xiuan also started crying.
No matter how hard-hearted Xia Mang is, being in such an atmosphere can't help but stir her heart. She suddenly thought of her mother in this world.
I don’t know if my body will be dead or alive after my soul passes through. If it dies, how sad will my mother be?
After thinking about it, Xia Mang also started crying.
Human joys and sorrows occasionally connect. At least at this moment, the three of them were feeling sad for their families.
The three of them hugged each other and cried bitterly, and then stopped breathing almost at the same time.
The madam, who had cried once, seemed to have cried out all the years of depression in her heart, and she felt much more relaxed.
She held up a handkerchief to wipe away the tears on Xia Mang's face, and looked at Xia Mang whose eyes were red. The wife's eyes were filled with love and the surprise of what was lost and found.
"God is so merciful that he returned you to me. From now on, I will pay homage to Buddha, eat fast, and pray for my grandchildren and grandsons-in-law!"
Xia Mang enjoyed the kindness of the dowager with some guilt, and read the lines given by Xiang Xiukai: "Grandma, you don't have to be like this, everything is God's will."
When the lady heard this, she lamented the wonders of the world and couldn't help but ask: "Tell me, what happened at the border back then? Why did you end up in that situation?"
Xia Mang gritted his teeth and said, "It's all Wan Hongxuan's fault!"
Xiang Xiukai said something to Xia Mang, and she slowly told the story of what happened back then.
That year, Bian Man made frequent moves. In order to frighten Bian Man, the emperor ordered 100,000 elite soldiers to show off his country's prestige, and also to gild his favorite general Xiang Xiukai.
The young general Xiang Xiukai accepted this task without hesitation. When the army was setting out, Marquis Cheng Yi temporarily requested the emperor to insert his eldest son Wan Hongxuan into the army.
Anyway, they are all gold-plated, and a few are not plated. The emperor agreed to Marquis Cheng Yi's request.
Xiang Xiukai thought Wan Hongxuan was a comrade-in-arms and colleague, but he never expected that this guy would actually want his life!
Wan Hongxuan volunteered to be the vanguard of the horse exploration team, but reported false news. Xiang Xiukai misjudged the situation and divided his forces to attack, eventually leading to a dead end.
There was a chance to escape, but Wan Hongxuan actually led the border barbarians to kill the scattered troops one by one.
The situation that was bound to win ended in a huge defeat. No one in the remaining Jin army dared to take responsibility. Under Wan Hongxuan's deliberate guidance, everyone felt that the problem was with the general Xiang Xiukai.
After all, people are already dead, so how can they stand up and say no?
In the end, Wan Hongxuan fled back to the capital with the remaining soldiers. The whole capital accused Xiang Xiukai of being overjoyed, neglecting his duties, and ultimately killing tens of thousands of elite soldiers!
After listening to the whole incident quietly, the lady finally closed her eyes and sighed: "I see, that's it."
During the battle on the border, everyone criticized the Duke's government verbally and in writing. Even the emperor was unable to support the Duke's government in this matter.
Everyone said that Xiang Xiukai was a Zhao Kuo who only knew how to talk about military affairs on paper, and he simply defeated all the wise men of the Zhenguo Palace.
The madam doesn’t believe this at all. Doesn’t she know about her own grandson?
It was clear that he had been framed, but no one believed it, and not even a shred of evidence could be found. At that time, the dowager could only swallow this sigh of relief.
Now the speculation has finally been confirmed. The overwhelming anger back then has long been worn away by time, leaving only the faint regret after the truth was revealed.
The Zhenguo Palace is no longer the Zhenguo Palace it used to be.
The madam lamented, not knowing whether she was comforting herself or her grandson, "It's all over. It's better for us to live well in the future than anything else!"
Xiang Xiu'an said with some reluctance: "Grandma, if Marquis Cheng Yi has framed his brother to this extent, can we just endure it?"
The madam touched Xiang Xiu'an's head with pity and taught: "You have seen too little of the world. We don't need to do anything. Your Majesty will deal with Marquis Cheng Yi."
Seeing Xiang Xiu'an's confused look, Mrs. Tai gave him a detailed analysis.
"In the year when Kai'er died, His Majesty directly transferred the eldest son of Marquis Cheng Yi to the Ministry of Rites as an errand. In these years, Marquis Cheng Yi rose from the position of Minister of Household Affairs to the position of Grand Master, and the real power in his hands became less and less. I think your Majesty will Cheng Yihou has long lost trust.”
In the previous dynasty, the Grand Master was a minister who could assist the emperor, but in this dynasty, it was just a false position to show favor.
The emperor raised Marquis Cheng Yi up high, but then drove him far away from the center of power. It must be because of what happened back then that he became suspicious of Marquis Cheng Yi.
After hearing this, Xiang Xiu'an finally understood something. He thought of a possibility that shocked him, "Grandma means that Marquis Cheng Yi wants to rebel?"
The madam gave him a meaningful look and added: "Maybe the oriole is behind."
Xia Mang, who was behind Ji Feng, couldn't understand it at all. In the mist, he saw Mrs. Tai looking at her again, holding her hand and mentioning Qiao Yuandong.
"You left suddenly that year, and the child called Dong Niang remained a widow for three years in vain. She paid a lot for the Duke's Palace and sacrificed a lot for you. Now that you are back, have you told her your identity? ”
Xia Mang shook his head blankly and replied honestly: "It's not that easy for Madam to believe this kind of thing, right?"
The lady sighed and said, "That's right. If I hadn't experienced it myself, how could I easily believe in 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, with Xiang Xiukai's current condition, there was no possibility for the two of them to be husband and wife.
Rather than doing this, it would be better to let Qiao Yuandong think that Xiang Xiukai was already dead.
The wife had 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 aggrieved. How about I recognize you as my goddaughter and find you a good family in the future?" .His!”
At this point, Mrs. Tai couldn't speak anymore. In her opinion, although Xia Mang was from a girl's family, Xinzi was her hot-blooded eldest grandson.
It seems a bit inappropriate to let the eldest grandson get married.
So before Xia Mang could refuse, the wife rejected her idea and said again: "Forget it, you should live a good life with Dong Niang."
Xia Mang: "???"
She never expected that today she just told a simple lie, and how could she be led by the madam.
Her and Madam?
Live a good life?
Xia Mang looked at the Madam eagerly and said in his heart: Madam, listen to what you said, don't you think it's outrageous?
The wife was obviously troubled by this matter, but she still chose to ignore Xia Mang's eyes: "Go, go, treat Dong Niang well, you owe her this."
Xia Mang struggled weakly: "My wife, my grandmother, I am a girl."
The madam waved her hand: "What's wrong with my daughter's health? It's not like women can't live with each other. My grandmother saw her when she was young."
Xia Mang: Madam, you are really well-informed!
Seeing Xia Mang's mouth tightening and not speaking, the wife continued to enlighten: "Anyway, she is also 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 can you be wronged?"
Xia Mang: "No, grandma, you don't know the specific situation."
The madam glanced at her sideways: "Why, don't you like Dong Niang?"
This is not a matter of taste or dissatisfaction, it is not on the same channel at all!
Xia Mang wanted to say that he had no such intentions for his wife, but he kept mumbling for a long time, holding it in until his face turned red and he didn't even say a single word.
The wife thought it was her eldest grandson who was shy, and patted Xia Mang on the head happily: "It's okay, you two have been apart for many years, and it's normal for you to be a little rusty. Just take your time."
After leaving the main courtyard, Xia Mang, who was full of bad debts, tapped the system: 'Hey, your grandmother wants to betroth me to your wife, what do you think we should do? ’
Xiang Xiukai obviously didn't expect that things would turn out to be so weird after his identity was revealed. He struggled for a long time and had to say: 'Let's take one step first and see what happens next. ’
Xia Mang couldn't hold himself any longer: 'No, brother, aren't you jealous? ’
In the past, Qiao Yuandong would always dance when he saw a foreigner.
Xiang Xiukai's slightly disdainful voice sounded in his mind: 'Hey, you are a girl, how can you still eat my wife? ’
Xia Mang choked and felt that this was reasonable.
Xia Mang thought about the current situation and felt that he could only take one step at a time.
She walked back in silence. By then it was completely dark, and the ladies who had gone to bed had already started to lock the courtyard door.
When Xia Mang returned to the yard, she found that Qiao Yuandong was not ready to go to bed yet. At that time, she was sitting under the window, reading a book by the light.
The long-grained window was partially raised, just enough to see Qiao Yuandong sitting quietly under the lamp.
She wore a tooth-colored Lu silk coat with a reed pattern and a delicate white silk vertical collar exposed around her neck. The lapel was decorated with a gilt grapevine button, which shone faintly under the candlelight.
At this time, Qiao Yuandong had taken off her hairpin, and her long satin-like hair hung softly behind her head, making her back straight and dignified.
The warm yellow candlelight in the room behind her illuminated her whole body softly and elegantly, and the world was silent and peaceful, as if the stunning moment had been quietly sealed into the memory of time.
Xia Mang stood in the courtyard and looked at this picturesque scenery, forgetting where he was for a moment.
"What are you doing standing there? The wind is blowing outside carefully." The beauty in the painting suddenly spoke, like a clear pearl rolling across the water, causing ripples and falling straight into people's hearts.
"Oh, oh." Xia Mang responded blankly and entered the room.
She felt that maybe she really had some wind tonight, otherwise why would she be a little hot-headed?
When Qiao Yuandong saw Xia Mang being coy, he asked her to come over and talk. Xia Mang walked two steps away from Qiao Yuandong and stood still.
Qiao Yuandong had no makeup on his face, and his face was as beautiful as the moon, which made Xia Mang inexplicably think of the pure white jade porcelain vase on the Duobao shelf.
In the past, she always felt that the porcelain vase was too plain, but today she could suddenly appreciate the beauty of the porcelain vase.
She is so beautiful that she is clean and ethereal. She is obviously bland without any color, but she clearly has an allure that cannot be ignored.
Mrs. Tai's words seemed to still echo in her ears. Xia Mang buried his head in panic, not daring to look at Qiao Yuandong again.
In Qiao Yuandong's eyes, this reaction turned into a guilty conscience of having done something wrong.
She glanced at Xia Mang carefully and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the girl's beard and tail didn't look like she had been punished.
"What did Mrs. Tai ask you to do?" Qiao Yuandong put down the book and planned to take good care of his little maid.
She didn't ask if she was okay, but when asked, Xia Mang's whole body trembled. She bit her mouth and didn't know how to open it.
Madam, do you want me to live a good life with you?
Madam, you asked me not to let you down?
Madam. Oh, my Madam!
(End of chapter)
The author said: The long-awaited update is here again, are you happy? Dear friends, I would like to thank those who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution during the period of 2024-06-2810:07:40~2024-06-3021:01:45. Angel~
Thanks to the little angel who threw the mines: 1 cat who can play with mobile phones;
Thank you to the little angel who irrigates the nutrient solution: 1 bottle of Chen Xing;
Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!