Zhang Yao returned home with Madam Zhang. As soon as they entered the house, the indifference on Madam Zhang's face that she had in the Qin family completely disappeared.
The fourth daughter of the Qin family did such an extraordinary thing. Although she was happy to see such a troublemaker marrying in to cause trouble for the mother and son, after all, she had to bear the Zhang family's surname, which would bring trouble to the reputation of the entire family. This deal... did not seem to be worthwhile.
Jiang was even more upset, as this concerned her son's life. The words she just heard at the Qin family's door were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head. This marriage was absolutely impossible!
In the main hall, Duke Zhang listened to his wife's story, his thick brows knitted into knots. His gaze rested heavily on Zhang Yao, a look of evident impatience and scrutiny. Zhang Yao's marriage was a constant source of worry for him. He didn't care who Zhang Yao married; he simply wanted to maintain the friendship between the Zhang and Qin families. But if this girl wasn't a good enough match, Duke Zhang twirled his beard. Even that wouldn't work.
It's all about continuing the family line. It doesn't matter what kind of woman she is, as long as she can give birth.
"First, pick out a few good girls from good families with good figures and good fertility, and carry them into the room." Duke Zhang waved his hand.
Prince Zhang has few descendants. At his age, his biggest worry is that his family business will not be prosperous and there will be no one to inherit his huge family fortune.
Madam Zhang's heart tightened upon hearing this. Her son was sensible, and he had several wives and concubines, yet he had yet to produce a legitimate grandson. If something happened in Zhang Yao's room right now, wouldn't Zhang Yao be the one who would have the final say in the future of the mansion?
Duke Zhang turned to her without question, "Madam, this matter requires your attention. It is better to do it sooner rather than later. Find a few more who look easy to bear and send them to his courtyard as soon as possible. The mansion cannot be short of people!"
Duke Zhang turned to Jiang again, his face stern, and scolded, "You don't have to indulge him blindly! How old is he? And his mind is still wandering outside? How can you be so unkind to hang out in restaurants all day? The right thing to do is to have children and families! Look at the eldest son of the Qin family, he has both a son and a daughter. The second son has even more children. My Zhang family must not be short of people!"
Jiang nodded in response, not daring to refute.
Ah Fu waited outside the door with a bitter face, looking at the three girls who looked like water chestnuts brought in by the old woman. They were all from clean families, of the right age, with slim figures and pretty faces.
His master was resting inside, and the purpose of sending someone here in this situation was self-evident.
He bravely went in to report, "Everyone is here and waiting outside."
Zhang Yao leaned back in the armchair, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the armrest, not knowing what he was thinking.
Ah Fu observed his expression and added cautiously, "Master's intention is to take in a few concubines first, give birth to children, and then discuss marriage later."
"Just work as a maid in the yard first." Zhang Yao showed little interest. He picked up a book on the desk and covered his face with it, hiding half of his expression.
The night deepens and the candlelight becomes dim.
A whiff of sweet scent of powder quietly entered his nose. Zhang Yao loosened his grip on the book, raised his eyelids slightly, and caught a glimpse of a bright corner of clothes at the door.
He bent his fingers and tapped the table twice, neither lightly nor heavily.
The person outside received the signal, gently pushed the door open, and walked in gracefully.
Zhang Yao did not stop the figure from approaching. He waited until the figure walked to the desk before he put down the book. He raised his eyes nonchalantly, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips. "Can you grind ink?"
The girl in the pink shirt nodded timidly, "Yes."
"Very good." Zhang Yao seemed very satisfied and pushed the inkstone forward an inch. "If you know how to do it, please help me grind the ink." After that, he picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and buried his head in the documents with a focused look.
The girl had no choice but to stand by, her delicate hands gripping the ink stick, swirling it around in circles within the inkstone.
This grinding lasted until late at night. The girl's wrists were sore and her eyelids were heavy. She stole a glance and saw that the second young master was still writing furiously at his desk. In the dim candlelight, next to the papers filled with official documents, there were even a few pages of neatly copied Buddhist scriptures.
She was in a trance, and when she looked down again, she saw Zhang Yao finally put down his pen and said, "Alright, get out now."
"Ah?" The girl was stunned for a moment. When she saw that Zhang Yao didn't even glance at her, she could only nod and retreat.
Zhang Yao lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the topmost sheet of rice paper on the table. The word "静" (quiet) was written across it, etched powerfully through the back of the paper. He stood up, stretched his stiff back, took off his outer robe, and lay down on the couch.
In the middle of the night, Zhang Yao suddenly woke up.
In the darkness, his narrow eyes opened and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He sat up, breathing slightly faster, and the thin blanket slid down to his waist and abdomen, revealing his tight and undulating lines.
He raised his hand and rubbed his swollen and stinging eyebrows vigorously, and his fingertips unconsciously touched the faint old scar on his forehead.
It was that dream again.
In the dream, in the dim alley, she raised her hand to hit him again. But this time, he easily restrained her wrist and pressed her against the cold wall. She struggled under him, saying she would stop arguing and crying, "Yao Ge'er..." Later, the dream changed, and her belly gradually swelled, and she was pregnant with his child.
"Brother Yao..." She raised her fair little face, her pretty eyes gleaming with tears. She took his hand and gently placed it on her slightly protruding belly.
Zhang Yao suddenly lifted the quilt,
The couch was sticky and cold.
He cursed under his breath, his hoarse voice particularly clear in the silence. It was really... ridiculous.
--
In the Duke Qin's mansion, Qin Ruoyue's mess was finally cleaned up by the Duke's wife.
Those who were circulating the letters in Linjiang Tower were indeed the dandies who frequented the area. The Duke's wife was able to suppress the disturbances at the Qin family's doorstep, preventing them from causing trouble even at the Qin residence, but she couldn't stop the gossip. Linjiang Tower was bustling with people every day, and the Fourth Miss Qin's romantic affairs inevitably became the subject of private gossip and laughter for some.
"Alright, stop crying!" The Duke's wife was so upset by the incessant sobbing that her head was splitting. Qin Ruoyue had never been close to her before, but now she stayed with her and cried for half a day.
"The marriage with the Zhang family is over now." The Duke's wife spoke in a firm tone, leaving no room for maneuver.
The Duke, sitting beside him, not only did not refute, but nodded repeatedly in agreement. He couldn't afford to lose face!
No matter how Qin Ruoyue cried and begged, nothing could change.
"What's the use of crying! Go back and reflect on your mistakes." Duke Qin's pent-up anger finally erupted with a voice like thunder, which frightened Qin Ruoyue so much that she fell silent instantly. She even forgot to sob. She just looked at her furious father with a pale face in horror.
"This is all due to your own absurd behavior. What does your sister-in-law have to do with it? Forget about the Zhang family."
The Duke's wife waved her hand, and several strong women came forward and half-supported and half-carried the distraught fourth girl away.
The good mood in the morning was completely ruined by the crying, and the Duke's wife also began to look at the Duke with particular displeasure.
The Duke had a stern face and felt a chill down his spine when he saw his wife's critical look.
"Madam, please don't worry about that evil girl anymore. Let her own mother take care of her. It's all because of the old lady's indulgence in her in the past that she spoiled him." He moved forward to support the lady's shoulder, but she turned away.
The Duke's wife had a cold expression and didn't buy his rhetoric. "Stop praising me! In the past, it was Gong's daughter-in-law who was always the one taking care of things. Now, she's being blamed for nothing. It really hurts me. It's best to let the old lady handle the matter of the Fourth Young Lady."
How could the Duke not dare to disobey? He echoed the words repeatedly and hurriedly asked someone to serve the meal, just wanting to get this matter over with as soon as possible.
--
Qin Gong and Wen Tang had breakfast together during the rare free time in the early morning.
Soft and glutinous rice porridge, a few plates of exquisite Jiangnan snacks, and Wen Tang's favorite crab roe dumplings.
The two children were also awake, with their big black eyes open, looking around curiously.
The farce in the front yard naturally spread over. Qin Gong put down his silver chopsticks, took the warm wet handkerchief handed to him by the maid, wiped the corner of his lips, and frowned slightly, "Has she been disrespectful to you before?"
The look Qin Ruoyue gave Wen Tang at the banquet yesterday was definitely not the respect a sister-in-law should have towards her elder sister-in-law.
Qin Gong had sent people to beat Qin Ruoyue and her biological mother Song last night. Qin Ruoyue, who was already crying and making a fuss because of her damaged reputation, was now even more miserable.
Qin Gong was not one to be soft-hearted. He directly ordered that the punishment be to copy a section on filial piety and respect for one's elder sister-in-law. Within three days, the section must be carefully copied and personally delivered to Wen Tang for his review.
Qin Gong said, "If she dares to act presumptuously again, you, as the eldest sister-in-law, can deal with her according to the family rules. Go ahead and punish her without any hesitation."
As he spoke, he reached out and took the two children from the wet nurse's arms, one in each hand, holding them steadily. His arms were extremely strong, but the two little ones were well fed and sated, and they cuddled lazily, not even bothering to give their father a glance.
Qin Gong deliberately weighed it slightly, only to receive a glance from two pairs of confused eyes.
But after a while, Huai Ge'er suddenly opened his eyes wide, put on a flattering smile on his little face, stretched out his chubby hands, and fluttered towards his father, babbling, wanting to be hugged and play.
The corners of Qin Gong's lips tightened imperceptibly, and he remained motionless. It was impossible to fall three times in the same situation.
Every time Huai Ge'er was so attentive, he wanted to take the opportunity to pee on his legs. After he was done, he would grin with his toothless little mouth, as if he was laughing with pride.
Qin Gong calmly passed by the expectant little hand and handed Huai'er, who had bad intentions, back to the wet nurse beside him.
Huai Ge'er returned to the arms of his wet nurse and looked at his father reluctantly. His little face soon turned red. The wet nurse was experienced and understood what he meant. She quickly carried the little ancestor downstairs to relieve herself.
After dinner, Qin Gong was in a good mood and took Wen Tang and the children for a walk in the garden.
For him, after busy work, he would check on what his wife and children were doing.
The sweet scent of osmanthus lingers in the garden, and the chrysanthemums are in full bloom.
Qin Gong did not let the wet nurse hold the child. He held his little daughter firmly in one hand, and with the other hand, he still avoided Huai Ge'er who was looking at him eagerly. Huai Ge'er had no choice but to stay in the wet nurse's arms with grievance.
Wen Tang walked beside him. Qin Gong, who always walked with a brisk pace, naturally slowed down his pace at this moment, gradually drawing closer to his wife's slender figure. The wind blew past, bringing with it a faint, familiar fragrance from her body.
The couple usually spent most of their time together at night. Qin Gong's official duties were heavy, and he often left early and returned late. Aside from Wen Tang's occasional visits to the government office to deliver soup and snacks, the only times they could sit down and talk were at dinner or before bed. Daytime strolls like these, leisurely strolls with their children, were rare.
Qin Gong was reserved and taciturn, and Wen Tang was also quiet and gentle. For a while, the two of them just walked side by side, listening to the crunch of falling leaves under their feet.
The two walked silently to the pavilion in the middle of the garden, but there was already someone inside. It was Qin Changkun who was painting for Su Yi.
He was sharp-eyed, and seeing his eldest brother and his wife arriving together, amusement practically overflowed from his eyes. Tsk tsk, you know, his eldest brother was always as prim and solemn as a moving ancestral tablet. Now, watching the couple walk in one after the other, Qin Changkun knew that his eldest brother would not be able to utter any sweet words. He was indeed a taciturn person.
Qin Changkun hurriedly pulled Su Yi, who hadn't noticed yet, to his feet and greeted him with a smile, "Brother, sister-in-law."
When Su Yi saw Wen Tang, she walked towards her with a smile and took her arm affectionately.
Qin Gong, who was originally standing beside Wen Tang, was forced to step aside. He glanced at the position that should have belonged to him and his hands holding the child tightened unconsciously.
Su Yi was completely unaware that she was bothering her cousin. She looked up and smiled, "Sister-in-law looks really good today." Then she reacted and greeted Qin Gong, "Cousin, please stand aside for a moment. I want to draw a small portrait of you."
Su Yi was good at painting, and he took the things from Qin Changkun's hand without saying a word.
Qin Changkun saw this and thought to himself that this silly girl had no sense. How could he let her, such a tactless person, disturb his elder brother's rare interest? He quickly put away the things and took Su Yi aside. "Oh, my dear cousin, please stop making trouble and let your elder brother do it!"
Qin Changkun said, "Brother, come here! You have a great brush and ink, so you can paint a picture for my sister-in-law. Her painting is terrible, please don't ruin her beauty."
Wen Tang, standing in front, watched Qin Gong standing there motionless, his expression unfathomable. She wanted to speak up for him. In her impression, Qin Gong never participated in what Qin Changkun considered to be marital affairs, let alone painting in public. Before she could say anything, she saw Qin Gong silently handing his daughter to the maid next to him, then reaching out and taking the paintbrush from Qin Changkun.
Qin Changkun was very sensible. He pulled Su Yi aside and did not forget to show his support.
Wen Tang had no choice but to slowly sit down at the place where Su Yi had just sat, next to a cluster of autumn chrysanthemums in full bloom.
The sunlight fell gently, coating her body with a light golden halo. The beauty sat among the flowers, her black hair like clouds, her skin whiter than snow. When her clear eyes looked over, there was a sense of helplessness as if she was forced into the painting. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, which actually added to her charm.
Qin Gong sat down across from her. The sky was bright and the light was beautiful. His gaze, with the concentration of a painter, but also mixed with something else, something deeper, fell on her face without hesitation.
From her smooth forehead, to her straight nose, to her slightly pursed, soft lips...his gaze even slowly moved downwards, lingering briefly on her fair neck and the slightly undulating lapels of her clothes.
Sunlight filtered through the pavilion pillars, falling into his deep eyes, clearly reflecting the color of his pupils. That gaze seemed to have substance, probing, and carrying a warmth that Wen Tang was incredibly familiar with, a warmth only felt at night.
Wen Tang felt uncomfortable when he looked at her. Anyone who was so nakedly looked at by a man in the daytime, especially a man who was whispering in their ears and touching their skin at night, would feel uncomfortable as if they were being exposed.
She subconsciously raised her hand, her fingertips gently brushing the non-existent hair on her temples, and her head tilted slightly to the side.
At the moment when Wen Tang shyly turned her head away, the pen in Qin Gong's hand paused, hanging in the air, and he was reluctant to move his pen. His eyes were fixed on the touching blush on her cheek, as if it were real.
It was not until Huai'er, who was held by his wet nurse, started babbling again for some reason that Qin Gong moved his wrist, and the ink on the tip of his pen dripped, "Pop," and a chaotic black color quickly spread on the white rice paper.
When Huai'er spoke, Wen Tang immediately stood up and walked over. "What's wrong?" She held the child and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, she didn't have to sit there and be stared at by him like that.
Qin Changkun was still watching the fun from the side, not caring about the trouble, and yelled at Qin Gong to change the paper and continue. Qin Gong only glanced at him lightly, and the majesty in his eyes immediately made Qin Erye shut up.
Qin Changkun touched his nose and moved closer to Su Yi. "Let's continue painting ours."
However, Su Yi had completely lost interest in accompanying him. Her eyes were glued to Wen Tang, but when she saw that her cousin had already stood firmly next to her sister-in-law, she couldn't squeeze into the gap between them no matter what.
Wen Tang held Huai'er in her arms as they stood by the flowers, gazing at the autumn scenery. Qin Gong's tall figure stood beside her. He suddenly asked, "Why did you turn your head away just now?"
If she hadn't tilted her head that way, the painting might have been successful.
Qin Gong always had a way of making questions about things that should be romantic and elegant turn into something so unpleasant, like a courtroom accusation. If I hadn't known that he was so unromantic and serious, I'd probably have been choked by him every day.
She feigned a hint of anger, raised her sparkling eyes and glanced at him, "If my husband doesn't look at my face, then I can't paint it?"
"Or... is it that my husband can't even remember what I look like?"
Qin Gong would not tell her that, in those dreams that were not meant to be shared with outsiders, she would always look at him shyly, wanting to say something but not being able to. His brows knitted together as usual, but the corners of his lips twitched upwards for a moment, then quickly pursed them, his face serious. "Be careful with your tone when you're out there."
Don't speak in a coquettish voice or look coquettish.
Behind the two of them, Qin Changkun and Su Yi, who had been completely ignored, both leaned forward.