It was late at night, with a full moon hanging outside the window. Ji Shu was sitting on the heated kang, using the candlelight to sew an ink-colored golden pattern on his forehead.
The forehead was mostly embroidered. She bit the thread and put down the needle, then picked it up and looked at it.
There is a word sewn into the slit on the inside of the wiping forehead, which can't be seen once it is turned down. No one can guess that there is such a secret love hidden here.
Ji Shu put down the wiping of his forehead with satisfaction and yawned. Just as he was about to go back to the inner room to rest, there was a small sound outside the curtain, like the wind blowing open the partition door.
"Tao'er?"
Xitao spent the night in the ear room, and Ji Shu habitually told her to close the door, but no one heard anything after shouting twice.
She picked up the candle lamp and was about to get off the ground when the wick in her hand was blown out by a gust of wind. Ji Shu raised his voice and was about to call someone when he suddenly smelled the familiar cold fragrance.
Ji Shu tentatively stretched out his hand in the dark night, "General?"
A few breaths later, a pair of warm hands held her tightly, and Qi Ye hummed in a low voice. The sound was pleasant and satisfying. He was very happy that Ji Shu recognized him every time.
"Why did the general come back so soon?"
Ji Shu put down the candlestick and groped his way up to Qi Ye's shoulder. He could tell by touching him that he was wearing regular clothes. It was the last wave of spring cold recently, and the clothes on his body still carried the cold temperature from running around.
Qi Ye lay in the crook of her neck and lazily opened his mouth: "The camp training will take five days before we can return to Beijing. The school is close, so I rushed back to ask for a favor so that some people won't forget."
"No." Ji Shu retorted softly.
"You still need someone to accompany you every year."
"..."
Ji Shu remained silent, she was keenly aware that something was not right, and as expected, Qi Ye's next sentence was calm and said: "I still want to have children every year."
"I don't!"
Ji Shu understood. It turned out that she knew it when Qi Ye heard the conversation between Qi Chengxu and her that day! That damn bastard keeps talking nonsense in the corridors that extend in all directions, and his mouth will rot sooner or later!
Ji Shu pursed his lips, "He kept pestering me, so I just said a few nonsense words to him, and he stopped. Those words don't count!"
It didn't count, but it was harsh. Hearing Qi Chengxu talk about his mother-in-law and how he treated her well, Qi Ye wished he could shut up forever.
He lowered his eyes and calculated carefully: "There are still ten days."
"Yes! I feel wronged, General, stay with me and wait..." Ji Shu kissed Qi Ye's lips in a flattering manner. She was also in a dilemma. With the Ji family behind her, it was impossible for her to completely escape from the Hou Mansion without making a big deal. Yes, the latest big day is Wu Dinghou’s birthday, and it can’t come any sooner.
Ji Shu was breathing unevenly when she was let go. She closed her eyes for a while and said hoarsely, "General, light the lamp. I have something for you."
Qi Ye put her down, and soon the candlelight lit up the room.
Qi Ye had already seen the forehead wipes in the basket, and his first reaction was not too happy. He frowned and took Ji Shu's hand, looked at her palm, and said helplessly: "What are you doing in such a hurry?"
"It's not the one that was driven out in the past few days. It was made with Brother Yuan. I just took it out and made up for it."
Ji Shu opened the inner lining and used gold thread to fix the character "Sui" inside.
Ji Shu straightened up and put the forehead wipe on Qi Ye's head. With a smile as bright as a flower, he said charmingly: "First, give the general a stamp quietly."
Seeing Qi Ye's knowing gaze, Ji Shu skillfully tried to run away, but he grabbed his waist and pulled him back.
After a kiss, Ji Shu's eyes blurred and turned into a puddle of water. Qi Ye leaned over and buried himself in the crook of her neck, his heavy breathing making Ji Shu tremble.
Qi Ye stood up, lowered his head slightly, kissed her neck with a pious look, brushed his hand across Ji Shu's sweaty forehead, and said in a hoarse voice: "Reciprocity is a courtesy."
When Ji Shu fell asleep, Qi Ye hadn't left yet. The two of them were separated by the bed curtain, one on the bed and the other under the bed.
The next day Xitao came in and called her. Ji Shu even raised the curtains and looked inside the room. Everything on the floor was clean, as if he had never been there.
Ji Shu was in a daze for a moment.
"What are you looking for, miss?"
Xitao soaked the cloth and handed it over. Ji Shu washed his face, shook his head and said, "It's nothing... did you sleep well yesterday?"
"For some reason, I feel like I slept very well last night. I'm not very tired at all..."
Ji Shu lowered his eyelids feeling guilty, it would be better if Xitao didn't know.
She got up and dressed, Xitao tidied up the bed and the heated bed beside it, picked up the basket, and Xitao let out a light sigh: "Why is the dark gold forehead embroidered by Miss missing?"
"...I put it away."
Xitao had no doubts. After the master and servant finished cleaning up, the front yard manager Qiao sent over the list of servants responsible for all aspects of Wu Dinghou's birthday.
In the Baosha Building of Changle Courtyard, Manager Qiao said respectfully: "The people in charge here are all the old people in the house. If the young lady sees that there is no problem, I will give the order."
Ji Shu: "That's it. The Marquis's birthday in the year of destiny needs to be held in a big way. He also has to entertain all the officials in the capital and the royal family. The manpower currently in the house is not enough. You send someone to post a notice to recruit some temporary workers. My maidservant has come back and has taken care of me for the past few days. I will pay her wages on a daily basis and just register it in the account when the time comes."
"yes."
Manager Qiao bowed his head and took the booklet back to handle it.
Ji Shu flipped the tea cover and looked at Xitao: "Have the arrangements been made?"
"My slaves have given all my orders. Don't worry, Miss."
Two days later, a carriage stopped in front of the Wuding Hou Mansion. Three well-dressed men and women got out of the carriage. The older one wore a woman's bun. They were Mrs. Qi Er's wife An and her son and daughter.
When he learned that the second wife had returned home, Ji Shu had to come to the front yard to greet her. As soon as he arrived in the yard, he heard loud noises in Baoxia:
"What kind of tea is this! It's bitter and astringent. Are you thinking that I just came back and can't do anything to you?! You don't treat me as your master!"
Ji Shu stopped, and after a few breaths, the little maid ran out with red eyes, holding a teapot.
"Why are you crying?"
"Young madam! The second madam thinks that the tea served in the house is not good, so she wants her servant to make some tea..."
The maid felt aggrieved and scared. The house had arrangements for brewing tea. She could take whatever she wanted from wherever she wanted. Moreover, the green tea was very expensive. The house was short of money. I didn’t know if it was in the treasury. Even if it was, I didn’t know how to give it. No payment!
Ji Shu: "Xitao, go to the treasury with her and send some Taiping Houkui to make tea for the second wife. Tell the people in the house to remember that since the second wife and her family are back, they must be like the wife and the Marquis. Don’t neglect your treatment, just pay them whatever they want.”
Anyway, she will be responsible for the money in the treasury from now on, so she can spend it as she pleases. Forty taels and one kilogram of Taiping Houkui is nothing.
"This slave will remember it."
Xitao led the girl away together, and Ji Shu entered Baoxia alone.
"Second aunt."
"Hey! Ji Shu, I haven't seen you for many years!"
Mrs. An stood up and walked forward. She was a short, fat woman with the word "noble" all over her body. Eight of her ten fingers had gold rings, and the remaining two had jade rings. Those who didn't know thought she was some country gentry. woman.
It's only been four years since I took office in Jiangzhou. How can such a big change happen? You must know that four years ago, An was still a picky woman. In order to be in charge of the family, she stole money and water from the public servants, causing chaos in the house. It seems that Mr. Qi Er's errand in Jiangzhou was done well.
The two of them did not exchange a few words, and the girl sitting next to them opened her mouth: "Sister-in-law, we have been away from Kyoto for four years, why haven't we seen my cousin yet? He hasn't returned to Beijing yet, has he? If you ask me, sister-in-law, I'd better relax. Let my cousin Na Jiang sister come back, after all, my sister-in-law is the last one. She should give way."
Qi Chengxu's face turned pale with fright when he just stepped into Baoxia.
"Qi Yaoyao, what are you talking nonsense about?!"
