......
Noon.
Meng Qingshe wielded his silver spear, twirling it in a dazzling display.
On the training ground, leaves fell like silver frost scattering on the ground.
He heard that his Lady was looking for him.
He pretended to be very busy.
Lately, his Lady's mood had been unstable, and he dared not risk irritating her.
He could only exert himself in the training ground under the scorching heat.
Sure enough, when Meng Qingshe finished his spear practice, washed up, and changed clothes to return, not only was his Lady there, but his mother was also present.
One woman was hard enough to handle, two women were even more terrifying.
Meng Qingshe almost wanted to kneel down, not knowing why these two women had gathered together.
It could only be to criticize their men, if not him then his father.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, having lived together for a long time, looked somewhat alike.
They both had deeper nasolabial folds on the right side of their faces than on the left.
His Lady was practically a younger version of his mother.
Terrifyingly fierce.
Ah, who had introduced them back then, saying that the young lady of the Zeng family was gentle and unparalleled in kindness?
He had only taken one look and thought she was beautiful and gentle.
It was only after marrying her that he discovered he had been deceived.
He was foolish too; his father-in-law's entire family worked in criminal justice, dealing with all sorts of criminals daily. How could she possibly be virtuous?
She was, however, quite skilled at beating him.
"With so many noble young ladies in the capital, why did you have to marry a girl from the Jiang family?"
"Since you married her, why stay with her family for three years? Ridiculous, is my son unable to afford his own house?"
"Exactly, has the old man been addled by the northwestern winds at the border? He even personally wrote a proposal letter."
"My son, my poor son, three years! He'll surely be uncomfortable."
Meng Qingshe wanted to retort, "You used to throw Shao Xia into the army for training, for more than three years, and you happily went shopping every day without pitying your son." But he couldn't say such things; if he did, his Lady would explode.
He could only agree: "Yes, Father decided, and I couldn't oppose it. Father has always been far-sighted; perhaps he sensed something amiss in the capital and wanted Shao Xia to avoid it. If you don't believe me, surely you believe Father?"
Successfully diverting the conflict, Meng Qingshe wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he watched his wife and mother jointly complain about his father. He decided it was better to go practice with the spear again.
As he left, he heard his mother still muttering behind him: "That old fool, my dear grandson, when will I ever get to hold my great-grandson?"
Meng Qingshe slipped away as swiftly as a snake.
At the same time, he felt somewhat envious of his son, who could leave home for three years. The tigress at home was too fierce; how fortunate to escape abroad.
......
At this moment, Meng Shaoxia was looking at Heir Apparent Han's face, silently evaluating whether he could make the Heir Apparent's face swell up like that if he were to strike.
After his assessment, he realized he probably couldn't achieve that.
To make it swell like that, the force used must have been extraordinary, yet controlled enough to only hit the face without causing the brain to spill out. That level of control was also remarkable.
Meng Shaoxia quietly recalled if he had done anything inappropriate in front of his mother-in-law.
Probably not.
He turned to look at Little Yu'er, who was eating some snacks.
Little Yu'er flashed him a sweet smile.
It instantly melted his heart.
Fortunately, Little Yu'er wasn't like her mother; she was gentle and obedient, and appeared not to have much strength.
But this Heir Apparent Han was really courting death.
He actually said he wanted to stay overnight because his swollen face made him dizzy.
Meng Shaoxia thought to himself, even he hadn't stayed overnight yet.
Who did this guy think he was?
Just as Heir Apparent Han finished speaking.
Outside, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Dark clouds gathered, and the sky turned black.
It began to rain.
Rain keeps guests from leaving.
So Eunuch Duan and Meng Shaoxia were also allowed to stay the night.
Meng Shaoxia felt a bit anxious. He hadn't brought a change of clothes and didn't know what Little Yu'er looked like after washing up at night or what she wore to sleep.
The thought made him blush.
Eunuch Duan, on the other hand, was shocked by the food at the Jiang family.
He had been eating and drinking his way through the journey, focusing on food and drink. It was rare for him to come out, and he was determined to taste all the delicacies along the way.
Eunuch Duan had an exceptionally sensitive palate. It was this skill that had secured him a position in the palace. He often tasted food for the nobles and could identify the ingredients with just one bite.
Once, he had even saved a noble lady's life with this skill.
He never expected that the best food on his journey would be at Commander Jiang's home in this Kan'er Village.
Many of the dishes he had never even seen before.
Let alone tasted them.
What looked like a lump of something would bloom into layers when hot water was poured over it. When tasted, the flavors were exceptionally rich and deliciously sweet.
One bite would linger in the memory for a day.
It was said that all of this was the handiwork of Commander Jiang's eldest daughter.
With such culinary skills, Eunuch Duan could somewhat understand Young General Meng's choice.
Marrying this girl meant never having to worry about food and drink.
Heir Apparent Han had too much on his mind to appreciate the delicious food.
His face had been slapped so hard that his head ached, yet it provided him with an excuse to stay.
Meng Shaoxia, looking at Heir Apparent Han's face, thought he was truly brave.
But he soon had no time to pay attention to Heir Apparent Han.
When he first came to the Jiang family, he hadn't noticed any place suitable for overnight stays.
There were only three thatched cottages in total.
Jiang Yu shared a room with her brother, separated by a curtain, with everything visible at a glance.
Now Jiang Yu had her own boudoir.
There were also guest rooms.
Heir Apparent Han, Eunuch Duan, and Meng Shaoxia each had their own guest room.
Though not large, the rooms were well-structured, with a sleeping area, a small hall, and a small toilet room. The furnishings were simple but cozy.
The bed was clean, with a woven grass mat that was neither too soft nor too hard, and cotton-covered quilts in off-white.
The sleeping area contained just a bed with a stone stool at the head, its surface flat and holding a water cup. Beside it was a small table and chair facing a wooden window. On the table was a hand-copied book about local customs and practices.
The small toilet room also had a high wooden window. Inside was a chamber pot, with towels hanging on the wall. There was also a pipe leading in with a valve; when opened, water flowed through.
One could wash up in the toilet room.
Outside was the small hall.
The hall had rush cushions, a table, and a couch. The couch could accommodate one person lying down or several people sitting. The small hall could seat several people for conversation or dining.
This guest room was like a self-contained household, very convenient.
Meng Shaoxia couldn't help but look at where the guards were staying.
The guards' quarters were larger, with many beds arranged in two levels. There was no hall, but they shared a toilet area, with separate washing facilities.
With many guards, they could use the toilet and wash up separately.
On the walls of the room hung many cotton and linen bags. Opening the bags revealed clean towels for use.
Eunuch Duan, being a man without roots, found it more inconvenient than others to use the toilet or take a bath when away from home.
He hadn't expected that Commander Jiang's house, which looked rough on the outside, would be so thoughtful on the inside.
He could use the toilet, take a bath, and wash up all within the room. The small hall table was even prepared with snacks and fruits, convenient for when he got hungry.
The room wasn't large overall, but it was arranged to be cozy and comfortable.
Lying down, the mattress was firm, but it felt very comfortable for his old back.
Meng Shaoxia also found it very satisfactory.
If he were to move in later, there would be no need to build a new house for him. This guest room was quite good. He didn't have high demands for these things to begin with, and this already exceeded his expectations.
Yet it didn't feel extravagant or wasteful to him; every detail was useful and good.
These nuances revealed another side of the Jiang Family to Meng Shaoxia.
Some vague ideas formed in his mind, but they weren't yet clear.
Heir Apparent Han had initially stayed over intending to cause trouble. His hobbies were a bit perversely dangerous, and he liked doing it in other people's homes, finding it thrilling and exciting.
However, when he was sent to the room for a midday rest, he actually fell asleep, his face smeared with medicine. It wasn't bear dung or cow dung; he suspected Jiang Yu had fooled him. He naturally carried good wound medicine when traveling, and he fell asleep with the medicine applied.
The guards on duty in the hall leaned on the soft couch. There were snacks and fruits on the table, which they wouldn't touch, but they could take a sip from the bamboo water cups.
The Jiang Family was so thoughtful, not only considering the comfort of the masters but also thinking of the servants.
After settling the guests for their midday rest, Lady Qin Luoxia and Jiang Changtian looked at their little girl who had fallen asleep after crying in their arms, and carried her back to the room.
Qin Luoxia also went to find Jiang Xiaoshu, retrieving it unharmed and putting it back in the child's pocket.
Jiang Mianmian, sensing the familiar environment, turned over and slept spread out.
Qin Luoxia and Jiang Changtian looked at Mianmian, her eyes closed, with long eyelashes and snow-white skin.
So small, yet when asleep, she had a natural air of aloof beauty.
Like someone born noble.
Qin Luoxia also found it strange that this was actually born from her.
Jiang Changtian looked at his little girl. He knew he was handsome, but certainly not as beautiful as his daughter.
For a woman to grow up looking like this, to live well and freely in these chaotic times, he would have to work hard enough.
Just like how Heir Apparent Han could act so recklessly, wasn't it because his uncle was the emperor?
Otherwise, given his behavior, dying a hundred times wouldn't be enough.
Noticing that Mianmian had one hand clenched in a fist, Jiang Changtian gently pried it open to find a piece of jade inside.
He couldn't help but chuckle again.
She was so good at holding onto money.
Qin Luoxia also laughed: "She does have some things in common with me after all."
...
