"Madam, the Marquis is back!"
Jiang Shu was giving Mrs. Shen medicine in the kitchen, and the maid Tan Yu hurriedly came to report.
Jiang Shu's hand when pouring the medicine paused, and a hint of joy rose in the corner of his mouth: "It's been six years, and finally... I'm back."
"Let's go." Jiang Shu motioned to Tan Yu to bring the medicine.
"Madam..." Tan Yu hesitated.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Shu looked confused.
Biting her lip, Tan Yu said angrily: "Master Hou did not come back alone. There was a woman and... two children with him."
Jiang Shuru was struck by lightning. It took him a while to recover, and he held his hands and headed to Shouyong Hall.
"Yan Yang, Yan Huan, please call me grandma and great-grandma."
"Grandma, great-grandma..."
When Jiang Shu entered the Shouyong Hall, he saw his mother-in-law Lin and Mrs. Shen on their laps, each holding a child with their faces full of joy.
Shen Changze, who was dressed in military uniform, and a woman were sitting at the bottom, talking with each other with smiles on their faces, looking like a happy family.
"Mother, grandmother." Jiang Shu walked to Mrs. Shen holding the medicine.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became silent. Finally, Mrs. Shen broke the embarrassment and said: "Shu'er is here, put down the medicine and see Changze soon."
"Master Hou." Jiang Shufu saluted, feeling that the person in front of him was familiar yet unfamiliar.
After six years of fighting, Shen Changze lost his youthful youthfulness and transformed into a resolute and solemn adult man. The corners of his lips were slightly pursed and his jaw was tense, like a sharp sword, dangerous and charming.
The woman in red uniform sitting next to him has her hair styled in a woman's bun. Her face is beautiful and her eyes are wild, and her heroic posture is just like the female general in the painting.
"This lady is..." Jiang Shu asked tentatively.
"Didn't mother tell you?"
"Her name is Cheng Jinchu, she is the wife I married at the border." Shen Changze spoke, but what he said was chilling.
What are you talking about? No one has told her in the past six years that he married a wife at the border.
Jiang Shu turned around and looked at Shen's mother: "Mom already knew, why didn't you tell me?"
"The reason for this is quite complicated. Nagasawa didn't make it very clear in his letter. I'm afraid that I might misunderstand you if I don't explain clearly, so I want to wait for Nagasawa to come back and tell you in person." Mother Shen explained with a guilty conscience.
Jiang Shu said nothing and looked at her intently.
Mother Shen felt uncomfortable being stared at, so she pushed the cute little girl Yuxue in her arms: "Yan Huan, call mother quickly."
The little girl was about two or three years old. She had a pair of black grape-like eyes on her round face and looked at Jiang Shu curiously.
"Yes, Yan Yang, call me mother." Mrs. Shen also touched the boy in her arms.
The four or five-year-old boy looked somewhat similar to Shen Changze. He pouted and said, "I have a mother, but she is not my mother."
"This child..." Mrs. Shen had no choice but to say to Jiang Shu: "Shu'er, don't be angry, the child is young and immature."
"Both of these two children belong to the Marquis?" Jiang Shu squeezed his hands tightly, his voice trembling.
Even though she knew it in her heart, she still wanted to hear him admit it himself.
Shen Changze pursed his lips, slightly displeased: "Yes, they will live with me in Lanyun Courtyard from now on and won't disturb you."
He was her husband, a decisive and decisive general on the battlefield, but he was being questioned by a woman like her in public, how could he lose face?
A good one who won’t disturb!
After Shen Changze went to the border, Jiang Shu was afraid of damaging the layout of the main courtyard and damaging Shen Changze's belongings, so he moved to the Tingzhu Building next door. Unexpectedly, he ended up making room for others.
Jiang Shu's heart trembled as her slender body trembled.
In the past six years, she had worked hard to support a large family in the Hou family, but her husband had married another man and had children, and she had no idea.
This house is full of families connected by blood, but she is the only outsider who is kept in the dark!
What a joke.
Cheng Jinchu, who had been silent for the whole time, stood up and spoke: "I heard from my husband that you are one year younger than me, so I will call you sister. From now on..."
"Jiang Shu cannot afford to be called my sister, Madam." After saying this, Jiang Shu turned around and left the Shou Yong Hall.
"Nagaze, go and explain to her quickly, don't let her misunderstand and feel resentful." Shen's mother said quickly.
The expenses inside and outside the Marquis Mansion depend on Jiang Shu, so he can't offend her.
Shen Changze kept a calm face.
When he comes back with great achievements this time, he will definitely be promoted to a higher position and become a new noble in the capital. Why should he lower his profile to coax a merchant's daughter.
Shen's mother was anxious: "You have been guarding the border for all these years, and it has not been easy for her to support the Hou Mansion. In the final analysis, it is you who can't help her."
What's more important is that the Hou Mansion will also point to Jiang Shu in the future.
After hearing this, Shen Changze finally stood up.
Tingzhu Tower is a two-story attic with a large area of purple bamboo in the courtyard, which is very elegant and quiet.
"Madam, the Marquis is here." After reporting in a low voice, the maid Chu Yu took the aggrieved Tan Yu away, leaving the two of them alone.
Jiang Shu was furious and did not get up to greet him.
Shen Changze entered the room and saw Jiang Shu, who was wearing a lotus-colored Suzhou embroidered moonflower brocade dress, sitting by the window. The bright sunlight hit her face, which was as white as jade, and made her delicate facial features shine brightly, making her heart-wrenchingly beautiful. shock.
But at this moment, her eyebrows were furrowed, her brows were slightly raised, her red lips were slightly pursed with a look of grievance, making people unconsciously want to coax her.
Shen Changze's heart softened, and he said apologetically: "I didn't marry a wife intentionally, but because I had no choice."
Jiang Shu didn't say anything, but his ears perked up.
"Six years ago, I first entered the battlefield with no experience. I almost died under the enemy's spear. At the critical moment, my master risked his life to save me. Before he died, he entrusted Jinchu to me and begged me to marry her."
"Jinchu followed Master to guard the border. There are no relatives at home to rely on. I can't repay the life-saving grace, so I have to marry." Shen Changze sighed deeply and stood next to Jiang Shu.
Jiang Shu looked surprised. He never thought there would be such a reason.
He really had no choice but to save his life and leave him alone at the end of his life.
But no one could force him to give birth to those two children.
After pondering for a moment, Jiang Shu asked: "What title do you plan to give her?"
When he talks about marrying a wife and calls her madam, what does he mean?
Hearing Jiang Shu mention this matter, Shen Changze was silent for a long time and then said: "Jin Chu is the general's legitimate daughter, and she is kind to me. She has given birth to two children for me. She cannot be humiliated as a concubine. I want to make her For an equal wife.”
"It's not easy to humiliate her, so Lord Marquis will humiliate me? Just because I am the daughter of a merchant and have a low status, I can humiliate her at will?" Jiang Shu's face turned red with anger, and his chest heaved up and down.
As the daughter of a wealthy businessman, she was indeed a high-ranking person to marry into the Hou family, but it was also the Hou family's initiative to propose marriage.
Furthermore, when she married into the Hou Mansion, the Hou Mansion was defeated and could hardly stand in the capital, and it was only possible to maintain its superficial honor by relying on her generous dowry support.
Now that he has returned to his hometown in glory, he wants to kill the donkey. It is really too much to deceive others!
"I don't mean to humiliate you, I just want to give Jin Chu a decent status. You will still be in charge of the Hou Mansion from now on, and nothing will change." Shen Changze explained to her patiently.
What about her dignity? Who will give it to her?
Looking up at the man in front of him, Jiang Shu said with a cold face: "What if I don't agree?"
