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Danmei naturally understood what he meant. Upon hearing the news, she was overjoyed and, regardless of his words, couldn't help but hug his neck and kiss his cheek.

Pingjiang Prefecture was also under the jurisdiction of Huainan Circuit, so Xu Jinrong's departure was not considered a private departure from his territory. The next day, he packed his things, even taking the unsightly clay pot stove with him. After another night, taking advantage of the bright early summer scenery, he headed south.

Chapter Sixty-Five

They arrived in Pingjiang Prefecture half a month later.

The ancestral home of the Danmei family is a house with blue bricks, black tiles, and white walls. Its appearance is no different from that of an ordinary wealthy family in Suzhou. Although it looks a bit old, the courtyard has earthen platforms, piled stones to form mountains, water surrounding a pond, and lush flowers and trees. It is indeed a good place to live.

Madam Qin had received the message from Xu Jinrong a few days earlier, knowing that her daughter and son-in-law would arrive today. She had been waiting on tiptoe for a long time. When they met, she was naturally very excited. She held Danmei's hand and looked her up and down. She was both happy and a little sad, and for a moment she was speechless.

Since parting ways with Qin Shi in the capital, Danmei had never expected to see her again here. She noticed that Qin Shi's eyes were a little red. Knowing that she had grown accustomed to her previous life and was naturally feeling lost after such a change, Danmei quickly took her hand and said with a smile, "Mother, please take me to pay my respects to Father."

Madam Qin dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief before laughing, "Look how confused I was! Seeing you and my son-in-law made me so happy I forgot all about this. Your father was just as pleased to hear you were coming." With that, she led them inside.

Wen's father was much thinner than he remembered, and he looked much older. Fortunately, he seemed to be in good spirits. After Danmei and Xu Jinrong paid their respects, they chatted and he mentioned that he was living in seclusion here. Rain under the banana leaves startled his poetic dreams, and the wind carried the sound of reading among the lotus flowers. He no longer had the treacherous officialdom and ups and downs of the political sea. He seemed to be very content, unlike Qin Shi who was feeling lost.

Seeing that the father-in-law and son-in-law were getting along very well, Madam Qin got up, took Danmei's hand, and said with a smile, "You two have so much to say, so you can keep talking slowly. My daughter and I will go and have some private conversations, so as not to be outdone by you."

The two returned to their room. Qin dismissed the maids and her first question was about her pregnancy. Danmei had anticipated this question and didn't want Qin to know that she had difficulty conceiving, so as not to cause her any worry. She simply said vaguely that she hadn't seen any signs of pregnancy.

Qin was slightly disappointed. She then inquired about Xu Jinrong's concubines. Upon learning that he had not taken any other concubines since leaving the capital, she sighed, "I hastily married you off, knowing you were a gentle and timid person with no cunning. I didn't expect anything from my son-in-law, but he treats you so well. I'm happy for him. My daughter, I think you've stumbled upon a good marriage by accident. I used to think his kindness towards our family was due to our social standing, and I inevitably looked down on him. But now, things have changed. Your father and I are returning to our hometown, leaving only your useless brother in the capital." "Your brother is just a lowly sixth-rank official with no real ability. Knowing that he'll lose your father's support, and perhaps instigated by your sister-in-law, he secretly wrote to your son-in-law, asking him to look after some business income, without my and your father's knowledge. He readily agreed. And recently, I've been busy taking care of your father, so I haven't had time to maintain this old house. It was my son-in-law who had it renovated. Before, when your father was still a high-ranking official, I didn't think much of his words, but now I see the truth in people's hearts. He truly is a loyal and reliable man."

Danmei hadn't expected such a hidden story, and Xu Jinrong had kept it all from her so completely. Besides gratitude, she felt a heavy weight in her heart. It was one thing for him to take on the task of helping her parents return to their hometown, but her brother and sister-in-law's actions were truly shameless, even brazen. She hadn't known before, but now that she did, she felt she could no longer speak confidently in his presence.

Seeing Danmei lower her head and remain silent, Qin Shi vaguely guessed what she was thinking. She sighed and said, "I'm still keeping this from your father. How could I dare let him know? If I had known back then, I would definitely have stopped your brother. But now that it's all over, I can only let it go. And I won't hide it from you. Your brother and sister-in-law are useless. With your son-in-law taking such good care of them, I feel a little more at ease. It's a little selfish of mine as a mother, but I feel a little sorry for you, my daughter..."

Upon hearing Qin's words, Danmei looked up, took her hand, and shook her head with a smile.

Madam Qin chuckled and poked her forehead again, saying, "It's such a shame your belly is so uncooperative. He's been guarding you all this time, and there's still no sign of pregnancy after half a year. I even dreamt last night that you were pregnant, and it woke me up laughing. Go back and quickly call a doctor to take a look, so you can give birth to a son soon, and then your man's heart will be even closer to you..."

When Danmei heard her come back to this topic again, she gave a perfunctory reply and then changed the subject, mentioning the trouble that Liang Ge had caused when he came over half a month ago.

Upon hearing this, Madam Qin angrily retorted, "What kind of concubine is she? Back then, she was nothing more than a lowly maid. She raised such a child, and you didn't even teach her a lesson!"

Danmei brought this up in front of Madam Qin only a little over half a month ago. Xu Jinrong was extremely strict with Liang Ge, and the child probably thought that she had instigated it. Although he called her "Mother" on the surface, his eyes were like a cat's knife when he looked at her. Danmei felt a little annoyed, but she couldn't say it in front of Xu Jinrong, so she brought it up with Madam Qin. She didn't expect Madam Qin to react like this, which was quite unexpected.

Thinking that Danmei was frightened by her, Qin continued, "It's all my fault for giving you such a soft and gentle nature. Luckily, you've won over my son-in-law, otherwise I would have been worried to death. That child's behavior must have been secretly instigated by his despicable concubine. You and your son-in-law will be in office for several more years. Now that the child is here, remember not to let that concubine cause trouble again. But in front of your son-in-law, you must make him feel that you are doing this for the child's good, not because you can't tolerate others. And you must also establish your authority. Punish him when necessary, so that he knows that you are his legal mother and cannot tolerate his insolence!"

After Qin finished speaking, seeing that Danmei remained silent, she thought for a moment and then said in a low voice, "But in front of your son-in-law, you should naturally be more gentle with your words. Even if you punish the child, you should make him feel that you are doing it for the child's own good. That's the right way..."

Danmei laughed at Qin's words. Seeing her daughter amused, Qin shook her head and sighed, "You silly child, what are you laughing at? This is all knowledge. From today onwards, you must carefully consider it. If you continue to live like this in a muddle, don't wait until you suffer losses before remembering what I told you today. You are lucky to have met this son-in-law who cherishes you like a treasure. But you must know that men's hearts are fickle. No matter how good they are, they may change their minds one day. If a woman doesn't have some skills, how can she live her whole life relying solely on a man's pampering?"

Qin had said so much, but those last few sentences were exactly what Danmei wanted to hear, and she felt a little melancholy.

She knew perfectly well that marriage required careful management. But knowing it and actually doing it are two completely different things. In this kind of world, the relationship between husband and wife is utterly insecure, entirely dependent on the man's momentary whims and moods. The more one invests, the greater the potential disappointment in the end.

***

That evening, the couple naturally stayed in the finest room that Qin had prepared. Once they were both in bed, Danmei glanced at Xu Jinrong beside her, reached out and hugged his shoulder, leaning close, and said softly, "I heard from my mother today about how you've taken care of my family, and I truly feel a little guilty..."

Xu Jinrong seemed somewhat surprised, raising his eyebrows and saying, "It's just a small matter, why should you feel so bad? Besides, I'm doing this for you, so even if it's more, it doesn't feel like much."

Danmei rested her chin on his shoulder, looked up and saw him smiling at her. A warm feeling welled up in her heart, and she sighed softly, "I know I have a bad temper, but I have no skills at all. Why are you so good to me?"

Xu Jinrong reached out and hugged her, pulling her face down onto him. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "You have quite a temper. When it flares up, I can't eat or sleep properly, but I just love it. I don't know why. As for skills, what would I need so many of yours for? I don't want you to learn those worldly, shrewd tricks of women..." He paused, then whispered in her ear, "Of course, the more skills you learn to be good to me, the happier I'll be..."

Hearing him say this, Danmei was naturally moved that all the things that others found annoying about her seemed good in his eyes. But when he finished speaking, he became shameless and cheeky. Danmei, in a fit of temper, spat at him and punched him a few times. When she saw him laugh and grab her hands, his eyes sparkling with anticipation, her heart melted like a cotton candy. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

The last time she knew he was bringing her to visit his parents, she excitedly kissed him. It was just an expression of excitement, a subconscious action, a fleeting touch, devoid of any romance. This time, however, it was a long, deep, and real kiss, until they were both slightly out of breath before they finally parted.

"plum……"

He whispered her nickname, unable to contain himself any longer. He reached out to undress her, but she stopped him, sitting up and slowly removing her clothes in front of him, revealing her fair and delicate skin. Under his gaze, she then removed his clothes as well. Her eyes swept over his body, she hesitated for a moment, and then, with a hint of shyness, reached out her hand to him.

This was truly the first time in his life he had received such tender and affectionate service from his beloved wife. Xu Jinrong hadn't expected that his casual remark would come true so quickly. He had sometimes thought she could treat him this way before, but after being repeatedly rejected, he had gradually given up on the idea. He never imagined that she would suddenly understand. In the throes of intense pleasure, he felt as if his trip south to Suzhou had been truly worthwhile, and that he was even experiencing the feeling of being on his wedding night. Of course, at this moment, he had completely forgotten what his actual wedding night with her had been like.

Author's Note: This story has recently hit a roadblock, I'm getting stuck every few days... so updates have been affected. Sorry everyone.

Chapter Sixty-Six

The couple spent several days in Suzhou, thoroughly enjoying themselves. By day, they rowed boats to pick red lotus blossoms; by night, they strolled through the market buying water chestnuts. Not only was Danmei delighted and reluctant to leave, but Xu Jinrong also remarked on how wonderful the place was. No wonder his father-in-law no longer seemed reluctant to leave the capital's officialdom, but rather contentedly enjoyed it. They had originally planned to leave in a few days, but they dragged it out until the fifth or sixth, finally bidding farewell to the elderly couple with great reluctance.

Upon returning to Huaichu Prefecture, the first news was bad. Liang Ge had fallen ill, and quite seriously so. His appetite was decreasing daily, and he, already weak, looked even thinner and darker, lying there whimpering with tears in his eyes. Seeing Xu Jinrong and Danmei rushing over, the wet nurses and maids who were serving him immediately knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

"What exactly happened? Everything was fine when I left?"

Xu Jinrong's voice already carried a hint of anger.

The wet nurse hurriedly kowtowed, her voice trembling with fear, "A few days after the master and mistress left, the young master's spirits began to wane. He complained of not being able to eat, and after a few days it got worse. The steward then called a doctor, but he couldn't diagnose anything. He prescribed some herbal medicine, which the young master has been taking, but it hasn't helped. We tried another doctor, but the result was similar. Now he seems to be getting worse. Sometimes he has nightmares and talks nonsense, and when he wakes up, he keeps asking for his aunt..."

Xu Jinrong frowned slightly, sat down by the bed where Liang Ge was lying, reached out and touched his forehead. Seeing that it was cool to the touch and there was nothing wrong, he looked up and told the steward Xu, who had followed him in, to go and fetch the old imperial physician.

Although the old physician's foot, which he had broken a few days ago, had not yet fully healed, upon hearing that Xu Jinrong's son was unwell, he had no choice but to personally go to the residence in a sedan chair carried by Steward Xu. After a careful examination, he frowned and said with some puzzlement, "Young master's pulse is fine, but it is slightly weak, which is due to his generally weak constitution. He should not have the symptoms that the household just described. Let me prescribe a calming and regulating formula for him to take for a few days and see."

Xu Jinrong thanked him and, after seeing the old doctor off, ordered someone to take good care of Liang Ge and to inform him immediately if anything went wrong.

Because of this sudden change, Danmei's good mood from a few days ago was gone forever. She saw that Xu Jinrong was also in the same situation. Although he still forced a smile in front of her, there was some worry in his expression when he came and went. Fortunately, Liangge had taken the medicine prescribed by the old doctor and slept more soundly that night. The nanny said that he no longer had nightmares or talked nonsense. By the next day, he was able to eat some food. Danmei went to stay with him for half a day and saw that he seemed to be in slightly better spirits, so she breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Jinrong also seemed to have calmed down a bit.

That evening, the two had already gone to bed when Xiqing suddenly knocked on the door. A maid from Liangge's room came to report that he had fallen ill again and vomited up all the medicine he had drunk. Upon hearing this, the two hurriedly put on their clothes and went over.

When Danmei entered, she saw a mess of vomit on the floor, and a young maid was busy cleaning it up. Liangge was curled up on the bed like a shrimp, his body trembling, his lips pale, his face extremely pale, his eyes tightly closed, and he kept muttering "Auntie." This sight saddened not only Danmei but also Xu Jinrong. He went over and touched Liangge's sweaty forehead, taking a handkerchief to wipe his brow. A moment later, a maid brought in freshly brewed medicine, which Xu Jinrong personally brought over, feeding him spoonful by spoonful. After finishing the medicine, Liangge vomited several times, vomiting onto Xu Jinrong's clothes. Liangge seemed somewhat frightened, but when he saw that Xu Jinrong didn't scold him as usual, he calmed down a bit, his eyes fixed on Danmei.

"It's getting late, and you must be tired today. Go home and get some rest."

Xu Jinrong glanced at Danmei and said this.

Danmei glanced at Liang Ge, recalling how he had looked at her with the same eyes when she was awake during the day. Knowing that staying would be pointless, she nodded slightly and left without saying anything more.

Xu Jinrong didn't return until very late. As if afraid of waking her, he tiptoed to the table where the candlesticks were placed. Just as he was about to blow them out, Danmei turned over to face the outside and asked, "How is Liang-ge?"

He paused, seemingly surprised that she was still awake. He took off his clothes and lay down beside her, then sighed softly and said, "I was up for so long, I just fell asleep a little while ago..."

“These past few days, I’ve been feeling uneasy. I was thinking that if you hadn’t accompanied me to Suzhou and stayed home, we might have noticed something was wrong with the child earlier, and he might not have gotten this sick…”

Danmei hesitated for a moment, then whispered. After a long silence, she looked up and saw his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes fixed on the tent ceiling, as if deep in thought. She remained silent. A moment later, feeling a movement beside her, he turned and pulled her close, his arm around her shoulder. He reached out and brushed a stray hair from her forehead, hesitated, and looked at her, saying, "I have something on my mind..."

When Danmei saw that he stopped halfway through his sentence, she already guessed what was going on. Although she felt a little bitter, she didn't show it on her face. She just smiled and said, "Tell me. Whatever your plan is, I will do whatever you want as long as I can."

Hearing her say this, Xu Jinrong slowly replied, "Although that child is useless, he is still my flesh and blood. Now that he is so ill and keeps thinking about his concubine, I thought I would bring Zhou Shi here to put his mind at ease. I believe his illness will improve faster..."

"That's excellent. So be it."

Danmei smiled slightly.

Xu Jinrong looked at her for a long time, then touched her face in a comforting manner, got up, and blew out the lamp.

***

The next morning, Xu Jinrong got up and went to Liang Ge's room without even having breakfast. Danmei knew that he would tell the child the news himself, and it might not be convenient for her to go, so she didn't go with him, but only took Hui Jie to have breakfast.

Steward Xu immediately sent Jiang Rui back to bring Zhou Shi over as soon as possible.

Perhaps knowing that Aunt Zhou was coming, Liang Ge still seemed listless all day, though he was better than he had been recently. Danmei had the side courtyard prepared for Aunt Zhou to stay in when she came.

Since this incident, Danmei believed that she was no different from before, and her attitude towards Xu Jinrong was the same as before. However, she didn't know why, but when the two were alone, they no longer felt as natural as before. The casual and harmonious atmosphere during their trip to Suzhou had also disappeared without a trace. Even when they talked, they mostly talked about Liang Ge, such as how he vomited up his medicine again today and how he ate half a bowl less than usual. She found it somewhat rigid and boring, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. After a while, she sometimes wished that he wouldn't come.

That evening, Xu Jinrong embraced her and made love to her, using quite a bit of force. Afterwards, Danmei felt a little tired and turned over to sleep, but she felt his hand still gently stroking her back, which made her feel a little itchy. She couldn't fall asleep for a while, so she simply turned back over and opened her eyes.

"Are you unhappy that I called Qiuqin over?"

Xu Jinrong looked at her and asked in a low voice.

Danmei met his eyes and said, "Brother Liang is so sick, and he talks about his aunt every day. If I can't even be happy about this, am I even human? You underestimate me."

Xu Jinrong was taken aback, then said, "I've been thinking about something these past few days, and I'd like to tell you. Chunniang and Zonglian are currently living separately, one in a villa and the other at home in the capital. They're both still young, and I'm thinking of returning their contracts and giving them a generous dowry. After that, they'll be free. Whether they get married or become independent, it's better than wasting their lives with me like this until they grow old."

Danmei was surprised that he would say such a thing, and she didn't know what to feel. She just stared at his face in silence.

Xu Jinrong reached out and gently stroked one of her cheeks, smiling slightly, "I will have Steward Xu handle this matter tomorrow, and that will put my mind at ease."

He had never mentioned this matter before, when he hadn't called Aunt Zhou over. Now that she was coming, he made this decision. Could it be that he wanted to use this to express his remorse to her?

That night, before Danmei fell asleep, this was the only thing that kept going on in her mind.

Chunniang and Zhao Zonglian—the last impressions she had of those two women were of one's mournful, ghostly howls as she was being carried to the other courtyard in the snow, and the other's perpetually lowered head, radiating a sense of aloofness and gloom. She could barely recall what the other looked like. Before marrying Xu Jinrong, they must have been his wives, and now they were truly to be discarded.

Freedom is extremely precious to her, but I wonder how they view this freedom?

Chapter Sixty-Seven

After that, the days flowed by as usual, and a month or so passed in the blink of an eye, and it was the end of summer.

That day, Zhou finally arrived at the rear office of the prefectural government in a sedan chair. Perhaps it was the hardship of the journey, perhaps it was missing Liang Ge, or perhaps it was because she had not had a good time in the capital for the past six months, but she looked more haggard than before. A slight smile touched the corners of her mouth, and there were crow's feet at the corners of her eyes.

Danmei didn't say much to her, just exchanged a few words, accepted her bow, and then called her over to Liang Ge's place.

Because of Liang Ge's poor health, he had been staying in a room in Danmei Courtyard for some time, not far from Hui Jie's, so it would be easier to take care of him. Zhou Shi had only been there a short while when she heard a crying sound coming from there. At first, it was somewhat suppressed, but after a while, the sound grew louder, and she could faintly hear words like, "It's a pity you were fine before you left, how come you've become like this after you got here."

Upon hearing this, Xiqing frowned. Seeing that Danmei seemed not to have heard and remained calm, he muttered angrily, "What a despicable concubine! She's been given a little respect and she's already acting shamelessly!" After saying this, he turned and hurriedly left. After a while, Aunt Zhou's noise stopped.

When Xu Jinrong returned in the evening, he went to Liang Ge's room and came back to find Danmei looking down at a book. After thinking for a moment, he sat down next to her and said, "Qiuqin apologized to me earlier, saying that she had just arrived today and was so upset by Liang Ge's harsh words that she was confused and cried a few times. Xiqing stopped her, and she realized her mistake afterward. She wanted to come and apologize to you in person, but she was afraid you would be angry, so she was worried..."

Danmei looked up from her book, glanced at him, and said, "It's alright. If I didn't think it would sound bad if word got out that she was crying like that, I wouldn't have asked Xiqing to go and talk to her."

Xu Jinrong reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, sighed, and said, "I know you're feeling a little down... but Liang-ge is like this now..."

Danmei looked at Xu Jinrong for a long time, shook her head, and smiled, saying, "You're right. I also hope that Brother Liang can get better soon, so that everyone can be more comfortable and we can put everything else aside for now. Before his aunt came, he always stayed here with me. Now that his aunt has come, and the two of them can't live apart, they can both move to the courtyard that I had prepared a long time ago. What do you think? Except for the east room, the furnishings and utensils there are exactly the same as here. It should be convenient for them to live there."

"As you wish."

Xu Jinrong nodded slightly.

***

Since Aunt Zhou arrived, Liang Ge's spirits have gradually improved. Aunt Zhou is in a good mood, walks with a straighter back, and speaks louder. Danmei overheard the wet nurse whispering that Aunt Zhou had secretly given some benefits to the maids and servants in the back courtyard, and now those servants who had benefited from this were calling her "Auntie, Auntie" affectionately whenever they saw her.

"Even if she's called that, she'll only ever be a concubine! All she's done is have a baby! Madam, hurry up and give birth to a son, then let's see if she's still so smug!"

Finally, the wet nurse seemed somewhat indignant and said this.

Danmei smiled slightly.

She was weak and infertile, and had been taking medicine. Besides Xiqing, even Miaoxia didn't know why she had to take bitter medicine every day, only that the lady was weak and needed tonics. But as time went on, those below, not being blind or deaf, naturally guessed the reason. Now that Consort Zhou had won many hearts, rumors naturally reached her ears. Knowing she couldn't bear children, and now that she was the only son in the entire household, it was no wonder she was so proud.

But the good times didn't last long. Liang Ge's illness relapsed after only a few days. When it flared up, his lips turned blue, he drooled, and he curled up and trembled uncontrollably, looking even worse than before. They consulted doctors from various places, and countless doses of medicine were given, but to no avail. Xu Jinrong was busy with official business during the day, and at night he was often taken away in the middle of the night by messengers who would deliver messages. He would stay until dawn before returning. In less than half a month, his eyes became somewhat sunken. The entire back office of the prefecture was also deathly quiet, with only the occasional wailing of Aunt Zhou heard during the day and night.

Aunt Zhou had long lost the radiant spirit she had displayed just days before. When Liang Ge was well, she would anxiously watch over him; when he fell ill, she would hold him and weep incessantly. As Liang Ge's condition worsened, she gradually began to act strangely and even superstitiously. Danmei heard from the wet nurse that she was sitting alone, sometimes talking to herself, sometimes kneeling on the ground and repeatedly begging for mercy, her whole demeanor terrified as if she had seen a ghost.

"He must have done too many bad things in the past, and now he's afraid of being punished, so he's acting like a ghost. It's just a pity for him..."

The wet nurse clicked her tongue and shook her head, muttering to herself. Although Danmei stopped her, she was still somewhat surprised and uncertain.

That day, she went to visit Liang Ge during the day and saw that the child had become increasingly thin and emaciated, with bluish lips and eye rims, and his eyes were somewhat vacant. When Aunt Zhou saw her come in, she did not greet her, but just sat there blankly, not knowing what she was thinking.

Although Danmei disliked Zhou and her son, seeing this scene saddened her, and she silently left. That evening, Xu Jinrong returned and noticed he seemed restless. Around midnight, he faintly heard crying again, and tossed and turned. In the darkness, Danmei sighed and, after a moment's thought, said, "Go over there and keep Liang-ge company. With you there, Aunt Zhou won't wail so much, and Liang-ge might recover faster."

Xu Jinrong seemed to be taken aback for a moment, and then Danmei felt him gently kiss her forehead. He whispered, "Don't worry, once they're both feeling better, I..."