"Lotus, bring a bowl of white fungus soup for the elder lady," Zhang Dani instructed the maid at the door before pulling Qin Junyao into the room to sit.
"Sister-in-law, I ate a lot this morning and can't eat anymore," Qin Junyao didn't want Zhang Dani to eat. Zhang Dani was pregnant again after five years and especially loved sweets; the soups made in the kitchen were overly sweet.
"Eat some more. You've lost quite a bit of weight recently. Eat more to nourish yourself. If you like it, I'll have someone prepare it and send it to you every day."
Qin Junyao secretly pinched a large circle of flesh on her stomach. Her family members always told her she was thin whenever they saw her, and she had no idea where they saw it from.
"Sister-in-law, there's no rush," Qin Junyao changed the subject. "Where are Gouzi, Si Niu, and Xiao Yu?" Su Dan Novel Network.
"Second Aunt took them to Yan County to play. Gouzi heard yesterday that a new acrobat troupe had arrived in the county, so Second Aunt took them today. Alas."
Zhang Dani sighed. Gouzi was Qin mother's biological grandson, yet Second Aunt, the second madam, spent more time with him. Qin mother spent most of her time at the charity hall, which was no wonder Qin father was making a fuss.
Every family has their own way of living, and she, as a daughter-in-law, couldn't say anything.
"Alas," Qin Junyao echoed Zhang Dani's sigh. "Father won't agree to a divorce, and Mother seems to have made up her mind."
"Then what can we do? After Grandma left home, Father drank more and more, and Mother became increasingly unwilling to be near him. Not only did they have separate rooms, but they don't even eat together now."
"Almost every month, Father finds something to make a scene about. This time, he directly wants to divorce her. Mother must be completely disheartened."
In the past few years, Zhang Dani and Qin Junyao had gotten along less like sisters-in-law and more like sisters. There were things she wouldn't normally say that she dared to say in front of Qin Junyao.
Qin Junyao tapped her fingers on the back of the chair, thinking that Qin mother must have been disheartened long ago.
What woman could tolerate her husband not only seeking out other women but also frequently boasting about it in front of his wife?
Qin Junyao could understand Qin father's predicament to some extent.
His biological father was unknown, and his mother treated her adopted son better than him. At the age when he had grandchildren, he learned that his mother had remarried and had become a widow.
Before he could accept reality, his old mother happily took several handsome young men and went traveling. She was gone for years without returning.
Let alone in this feudal era, even in the modern world Qin Junyao lived in her past life, Qin grandmother's actions were unconventional.
"Sister-in-law, I have an idea," thinking of Qin grandmother, Qin Junyao thought of a way to placate Qin father and even get him to quit drinking.
"What idea?" Zhang Dani asked urgently.
"In a few days, I'm going to the Imperial City. Yining and Xiao Yu will accompany me. Yining is to reunite with San Niu, and Xiao Yu is being taken along by Grandma, who said she wants to find a husband for her in the Imperial City."
"Whether we find a suitable one or not is another matter, but it's always good to take her out to see the world."
"Sister-in-law, what do you think if I take Father with me? Grandma is in the Imperial City."
"Ah?" Zhang Dani's eyes widened. "That won't work. Father won't agree."
Qin Junyao lightly patted the table. "He will. Before we leave, have my brother get Father drunk and carry him directly into the carriage. With Yining there, she can give Father a few needles, which will let him sleep soundly for three or four days."
Truly a filial daughter, Zhang Dani thought to herself.
"Oh!" Qin Junyao's mood improved upon thinking of a solution. "Our Grandma learned to write and calculate while she was away these past few years. Her last letter said she wanted to write her autobiography."
"She's so old, yet she not only has to manage the folk band but also find a husband for Xiao Yu and now write her autobiography. It's so tiring. Let Father go to Grandma's side and fulfill his filial duties."
"It's perfect."
Truly a filial granddaughter, Zhang Dani thought to herself again.
Qin mother wouldn't see anyone, and Qin Junyao couldn't wait at the Qin family's house indefinitely. She could only ask Zhang Dani to keep an eye out and notify her if anything happened.
Upon returning home, her children were still wondering why she came back so early. Qin Junyao didn't say much but instead told the people below to inform the stewards of all the estates to come to the Zhao family tomorrow. She wanted to hold a meeting before she left.
In the past few years, Qin Junyao had established eight estates. Five of them were open for business, and three were estates where Qin Junyao would occasionally take her family and children for leisure.
Her favorite was the one built in the mountains, next to the golden snub-nosed monkey territory, the Monkey Manor.
Ever since Zhao Liangcai took her to see the golden snub-nosed monkeys in the mountains once, she had been thinking about it.
After she had the ability to build an estate in the mountains, Qin Junyao used the fruits produced in her space to lure the monkeys in the mountains from time to time. She built wooden houses for the monkey troop at the Monkey Manor and provided them with food and water regularly.
The monkeys gradually got used to the free food and water. Some even gave birth to young monkeys at the Monkey Manor, avoiding danger in the mountains.
The Monkey Manor had now established a good relationship with the monkey troop. Humans did not harm monkeys, only observed them, and monkeys did not attack humans.
Qin Junyao intended to keep this estate for herself forever. The other estates would be given away as dowries or gifts in the future.
After Qin father sobered up, he didn't reconcile with Qin mother. It seemed like he was just talking nonsense while drunk, but the fireworks girl he brought back was also not sent away. She was really an eyesore.
Fortunately, Qin Junyao's arrangements were made quickly. They would depart for the Imperial City in five days.
"Sister, the newborn monkeys at the Monkey Manor are so amusing, I don't want to leave," Ling Manshuang said, looking reluctantly in the direction of the Monkey Manor.
"Then shall we leave in a few more days?" Qin Junyao asked Ling Manshuang, holding an iron basin.
The iron basin was too small, and the chance of it dying halfway was very high, so it was left at home and entrusted to the Zhao family to take care of.
Thinking about leaving her young son for a long time, Qin Junyao was reluctant.
Ling Manshuang quickly shook her head, "No, don't delay for a day. After this trip to the Imperial City, you won't be able to leave for years."
"By then, I'll live at the Monkey Manor for a year."
"Sister, after the enthronement ceremony, won't you return to your fief?"
Ling Manshuang touched her sleeve and lowered her voice, "Things aren't finalized yet, but there's a ninety percent chance that after the rewards are given, I'll return to the Northwest with Zhou Suozi. He'll be stationed at the Northwest border."
"Sister," Qin Junyao's face was full of joy. She hugged the iron basin tightly in her arms. "Sister, you agreed? Is it an arranged marriage?"
Ling Manshuang didn't feel embarrassed after saying it. She was a straightforward person by nature, so she nodded and replied to Qin Junyao, "Yes. At that time, you'll also need to help plant trees in the border areas and grow crops."
"No problem, I'll take care of it," Qin Junyao replied happily.
.
Despite a thousand reluctances, when the time came, they had to leave.
Handing the iron basin to Qin mother, Qin Junyao turned and boarded the carriage with Xiao Langtou and Tie Guo.
Two months later, Qin Junyao and her party arrived at the Imperial City and met up with Zhao Liangcai, Qin grandmother, Uncle Qin Sen, Qin Erniu, Qin San Niu, and Futou, who was training under Zhao Liangcai.
Six months later, on the eve of the enthronement ceremony, Zhao Liangcai was enfeoffed as the King of Liang in the Northwest, a title inherited by his descendants for three generations. Chengcheng, Shacheng, Nanfengcheng, and Huaiancheng were designated as his fiefs.
Following this, Zhao Liangcai requested that his eldest son, Zhao Qirui, be enfeoffed as the Crown Prince.
Qin Junyao was conferred the title of Princess of Liang. Due to her great contributions in managing ten thousand mu of desert in the Northwest and building bridges and roads, she was bestowed a golden dou, with the hope that she would care for the common people and continue to benefit the region.
Qin Erniu, Zhou Suozi, Deng Zui, and others who had followed Zhao Liangcai were also rewarded according to their merits.
After the enthronement ceremony, Bai Qing and Qin Sen returned to the Northwest with Qin Junyao. When Tie Pen grew a little bigger, they would take him out for travels.
Qin Erniu and Qin San Niu followed Zhou Suozi to the border. Qin Erniu would bring his wife, whom he had married a year ago, home for a visit in the meantime.
"Hurry up and go. Your father entrusted him to me with peace of mind. I'll come back when I've had enough fun," Qin grandmother waved her hand, urging Qin Junyao to get into the carriage.
"Grandma, don't you miss your great-grandson? You haven't even met Tie Pen yet. He looks exactly like me," Qin Junyao tugged at Qin grandmother's sleeve, wanting her to return with her.
Qin grandmother pouted, "What's so good about looking like you? It's better to look like Hammer."
Qin Junyao: ???
You are truly my biological grandmother.
"Alright, hurry up and get in the carriage. Liangcai needs to reach Chengcheng within the specified time."
"When you go back, don't forget to tell your mother that the top scholar this year is a good young man, handsome, and from a simple family."
"After the new year, Xiao Yu will be fifteen. After she gets married, she'll be sent to Liuzhou with her husband. She won't have to serve her in-laws or deal with her sisters-in-law. It'll be great."
"Tell your mother not to prepare any big dowry items, but rather to give her more money for her personal use. And don't come too early, just half a month before the wedding. I'll handle the rest."
Qin grandmother pushed Qin Junyao forward a couple of steps and then stopped. "Oh, right, do you remember Hua Niang? She opened a Wan Hua Tower in the Imperial City. I sent your father and his other consorts there to work. If your father likes this, let him do it."
"The cost of living in the Imperial City is high, and I don't have the money to support them. Everyone in the tower is from our own people, so nothing will be leaked."
"Tell your mother that the children are grown now. Let her live the life she wants. After Xiao Yu gets married, if she still wants a divorce, Grandma will help her."
"Hurry up and go."
Qin Junyao reluctantly got into the carriage. After Qin Sen, Qin Erniu, San Niu, and the others bid farewell to Qin grandmother, the carriage slowly moved forward.
Peeking out the carriage window, Qin Junyao only sat down properly in the carriage after Qin grandmother's figure could no longer be seen.
"Don't be sad. You'll have to come and see Xiao Yu off at her wedding, and you'll see Grandma then too," Zhao Liangcai said, hugging Qin Junyao and sitting her on his lap. He pressed his entire body against Qin Junyao's back, his chin resting on her shoulder.
Qin Junyao was already used to Zhao Liangcai's clinginess. They had been together for five months since they met, and he had been like this the whole time.
"Grandma lives such a carefree life. However, she's already sixty. I'm just a little worried," Qin Junyao leaned back, finding a comfortable position. A human cushion was much better than the carriage floor.
"Don't worry, Grandma is in good health and has a good mindset. She'll live to at least eighty. With so many handsome young men around her, she won't be willing to leave."
Qin Junyao reached out and pinched Zhao Liangcai's thigh forcefully, telling him to stop talking nonsense. However, she grabbed a handful of muscle, and Zhao Liangcai didn't even flinch.
"Touching my leg? Feeling it again? I'll satisfy you."
"Zhao Liangcai, are you crazy? We're in a carriage."
"The coachman is one of our own. He won't say anything."
"Mmm~~ You sent the children to the wet nurse's carriage on purpose, mmm~~, neither of us took medicine, and I don't want to have another one."
"Yao Yao, give me another little padded jacket. Just one. I'll take the contraceptive pill myself after she's born."
"Isn't Yu Qi a padded jacket?"
The movement in the carriage suddenly stopped, and a magnetic, low male voice emerged, "Xiao Langtou..."
"That's the Golden Bell Shield."
(The End)