"You are my husband啊——"

His wife's voice echoed in the courtyard, and beside her, Xiaochan, clutching a bundle, burst into tears. Ning Yi stood there, looking at his weeping wife and concubine, speechless. He opened his mouth, but Su Tan'er's heartache was self-evident. In that sentence, she emphasized "my." He was her husband, not someone else's. During Yunzhu's absence, he thought he had temporarily relaxed, but in reality, he had been affected by it in front of Tan'er, and was somewhat absent-minded.

He could sort out these emotions, but for a moment he didn't know how to explain it, with the two crying women beside him. Xiaochan sobbed, "Master, Miss, please don't quarrel... Waa, husband, sister..."

From the direction of the courtyard, he guessed that Wen Ding and others were probably peeking and eavesdropping. Ning Yi reached out and pressed his forehead, trying to squeeze out some words, "I know... I've done wrong, but this matter... isn't what you think..." He didn't know how to explain it. Suddenly, he waved his fist to the side, "Damn it! Is this a Korean drama?!"

Tan'er and Xiaochan didn't understand this sentence. After Ning Yi uttered it through gritted teeth, his expression was also somewhat distorted. He hadn't wanted to touch it in his previous life, but in this life, he was being serious, yet it turned out like this. But of course, it wasn't their fault, but his own. He was thinking whether he should keep Tan'er no matter what, and solve it according to the default methods of this era. In fact, putting aside how many people in this family were on his side versus Tan'er's side, if he were to carry Tan'er back and beat her up, then strip her naked and lock her up for a month, everyone would probably support it. Just as he was thinking this in his head, Tan'er, who had just shouted and cried stubbornly for a while, walked over and hugged him.

Tan'er buried her face in Ning Yi's chest, pressing against him, but still crying. She sobbed for a long while, then whispered, "I won't leave..."

As if comforting Ning Yi, she cried like this, repeating, "I won't leave, you are my husband... and there's Xiao Xi'er, he's not even one year old yet..."

Ning Yi reached out and hugged her, but heard her say again, "But this time... I still have to go to Muyuan."

Ning Yi thought for a moment, and said with a tangled heart, "You... why?" He didn't understand this woman's thoughts at all.

"Because Miss Nie is gone, so I have to go too. I don't want to stay by your side and make you feel like I'm having a great time..."

"That won't happen," Ning Yi said through gritted teeth, "You are... you are my wife, properly married. I... I really haven't thought about who's important and who's not. Don't you know? I... I never mention Son-in-Law, breaking free of the contract, things like that, it's all to consider your feelings, even if you don't necessarily feel very lost... You are very important..."

Ning Yi wasn't good at these kinds of words either. After saying this, Tan'er sniffed in his arms, "I know, but there's another reason... Husband, because you're too tired..."

"Uh..." Ning Yi's body stiffened.

Tan'er said softly, "You're pushing yourself too hard, the pressure is too much, don't you think I can see it? You always want to please everyone, especially me, Xiaochan, and Miss Nie. You accommodate so much, and still think it's your own problem. How can you please everyone... I've thought about it, Miss Nie is gone, if I leave for a while too, maybe you'll figure out what to do..."

In Ning Yi's daze, she shook her head, her tone becoming gentle, "I also know that women shouldn't be like this, I... what I've learned is only to support my husband and raise our children. But it was husband who corrupted me, I don't understand what husband wants, why you're pushing yourself so hard. But since you've done this, I think that maybe if I leave for a while, husband will relax a little bit. When you've figured it out, whether you want to grab me back, or whatever, I'll come back, because I'm your wife, I'll listen to whatever you say..."

She sniffed and looked up at Ning Yi, "Okay?"

Ning Yi's mouth opened and closed, "I... I don't want it to be like this..."

After a moment, he said again, "You, you really think... it should be like this? What about Xiao Xi? Are you willing to leave him at home?"

"I'm not willing," Tan'er shook her head, "But there are still many things that aren't ready in Muyuan County. I can't take Xiao Xi there now. There's the wet nurse, and Juan'er to take care of him, he'll be fine."

"You..." Ning Yi waved his hand, wanting to say something, but Tan'er pushed him away and took a step back. She was still crying softly, but her eyes, looking at Ning Yi, seemed very resilient. Yunzhu also had this kind of gaze. Xiaochan came over and hugged him, and Ning Yi subconsciously hugged her too.

He remembered what Yunzhu said when she left, Jin'er had actually seen it long ago. Their departure was because of the pressure that appeared on him, but not because they felt pressured. Hey, they really saw it...

Frowning, he couldn't speak.

But that night, Tan'er and Xiaochan ultimately didn't leave. At night, the three of them were in the bedroom, silently hugging each other in the bedding. Tan'er and Xiaochan took off their clothes, hugging Ning Yi, their skin as smooth as satin. The next morning, when the morning breeze still carried some chill, the carriage drove out of Bianliang City, heading south after leaving the city gate. It was almost noon when Ning Yi parted with them.

"I'm going to handle the affairs of Muyuan. Husband should handle the affairs in the capital. Husband should teach Wen Ding more about what he doesn't understand... Take care of Xiao Xi, and husband should also pay more attention to his health. If... if you can't hold back..."

"I know, I'll just go to a brothel."

"...then just endure it."

"How can I endure it if I can't hold back, that's not logical..."

Amidst the soft whispers in the carriage, they reluctantly said goodbye.

************

Li Shishi's saw Ning Yi again at the end of this first month. On the 26th, Ning Yi formally sent a name card, looking for Mama Li Yun of Fan Lou. On the afternoon of the 27th, Shishi cleared her schedule, waiting for him to come.

The interactions between Ning Yi and her were basically private. The name card could be sent through private channels. Both Shishi and Li Yun were a bit strange about his behavior this time, but in any case, Li Yun finally met this most peculiar talent among Shishi's "fellow villagers." After a few words of conversation, they entered through the main entrance. Li Yun was also a woman who had seen the world and had excellent social skills. In a few words, she chatted happily with Ning Yi. When Shishi came out, she brought up the topic of the two's private relationship, and then prepared to leave, leaving them with private space.

Among Shishi's "old friends," such as Yu Hezhong and Chen Sifeng, Ning Yi was probably the only one who could receive such enthusiastic hospitality. But as she said goodbye, Ning Yi smiled, "Mama Li doesn't need to rush to leave. I have something to say, please sit."

At this time, his words had a certain momentum. Li Yun originally wanted to leave, but finally sat down, mainly for the sake of not offending people. She suspected that Ning Yi wanted to redeem Shishi, and frowned. Shishi also had the same doubt in her heart, but fortunately, after Ning Yi opened his mouth, it was another matter.

"Shishi and I are close, but I'm here today because I want to ask Fan Lou for help, so I hope Mama Li will stay. Here are two lyrics, my new works, please take a look."

He took out two copies of the lyrics from his arms. After the two looked at them, their eyes filled with surprise and doubt, he smiled, "I'll get straight to the point. I've recently been opening stores. There are already two Bamboo Note stores in the city, and I may continue to open more in the future, so I hope to cooperate. I'll give the lyrics to Shishi, and there will be more in the future, but my request is that the first performance after the promotion is arranged at Bamboo Note..."

Li Yun looked at the lyrics, then at Ning Yi. After a moment, she smiled, "Actually, Young Master Ning and Shishi are old friends, so talking about business is a bit vulgar..."

"Hey, business is business," Ning Yi smiled and waved his hand, "Regardless of whether the business succeeds or not, I and Shishi will still have a friendship."

"Young Master Ning is straightforward," Li Yun said with a smile, "Then I won't beat around the bush. In this way, Young Master Ning will gain fame and wealth, and also attract customers to that Bamboo Note. Originally, it wouldn't matter between friends, but Shishi's fame was hard-earned. I hope that besides that Bamboo Note, Young Master Ning can also give Shishi extra poems and lyrics to hold the stage at Fan Lou..."

"I hope to maintain the uniqueness of Bamboo Note... But Mama Li is right, we can all talk. Actually, I think that just saying Bamboo Note, Bamboo Note, Mama Li probably doesn't know what it's like inside. If you want to have a concept, I think it might be a good idea for me to accompany Mama Li there for two days, to take a look and chat. In fact, I have the influence of the Right Chancellor's mansion and the Wang family outside the city behind me. We can cooperate, and maybe there's more than just this. These can all be discussed with Mama Li..."

Shishi silently watched the two of them talk back and forth for a long time. It wasn't that she hadn't experienced this kind of scene, but it was indeed the first time she had seen Ning Yi talk about business with such a skilled tone. Li Yun was also a very capable person. At first, she was just curious, but later, the framework that Ning Yi built became bigger and bigger. She also knew that she couldn't easily agree. The two of them touched each other with soft knives for a long time, and in the end, they didn't agree to anything, but agreed to visit Bamboo Note in two days. Only after the serious business was over, and Mama Li left, seeing Ning Yi's satisfied smile, Shishi vaguely felt that something was wrong.

Ning Yi drank a few cups of tea in a row, praising Mama Li for being really amazing. Shishi brewed another pot of tea, frowning and asking him about Bamboo Note and business matters. After a moment, she curiously asked, "That girl Yunzhu, I heard she recently left the capital?"

"Uh, how do you know?"

"I'm familiar with the farmer sister, she also taught you how to make musical instruments, and she also knows that girl Yunzhu."

"Oh." Ning Yi thought for a moment, then nodded, "That aunt named... Nong Guyin."

"It's sister," Shishi corrected seriously.

Ning Yi shook his head with a smile, "She went to Xuanzhou, to go back to her hometown and take a look. Women, ah... I still haven't figured it out..."

"It sounds like it's not as simple as visiting relatives?"

"Well, they... think it's necessary for me to calm down alone, so they all ran away."

"They?"

"And the two in my family..." Ning Yi spread his hands, "But... let's not talk about this kind of thing, shall we?"

Li Shishi blinked her eyes, looking at him, her eyes were quite confused, but finally she nodded.

The next day, Li Yun went to visit Bamboo Note. After returning, she was sold a large amount of things. At least many places in Fan Lou that burned fire had to be replaced with coal stoves in batches... Afterwards, Li Yun always felt that she had been tricked by that eloquent kid.

At the same time, Zhu Biao, Hu Sanniang and others arrived in Bianliang...