The baby's loud cry brought strength and hope to Shen Que, and also brought a new life to the poor Chen family.
Shen Que sat well during her confinement period, and Aunt Chen took good care of her like her own mother. She brought hot tea and rice to the bed for fear that she would be uncomfortable.
The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are blooming outside, and people's mood is getting better.
Shen Que was a little weak due to the previous hard work and childbirth. Now Chen Da earns more money every day and brings her delicious food in various ways. Chicken, duck, fish and meat are constantly coming to her, and occasionally... I brought back a small ginseng to replenish her body.
The two of them were very busy, but Zelan felt a lot more relaxed. She only had to take care of Shen Que's diet and soup every day. Xiao Liuzi's diapers and small clothes were washed by Chen Da.
The hands of a rugged old man who used to fight with guns and sticks on the battlefield are now incredibly delicate and gentle in serving the clothes and supplies for the little ones.
Chen would wash every little piece of clothing, gauze, and hat that Liu Zi bought twice with the newly bought soap, and then boil boiling water and iron it again. After that, he would take it to the yard and wash it with a new one. Dry on a clean rope and turn it over every half day to allow both inside and outside to absorb sunlight.
Shen Que looked at this scene and couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't realize that Brother Chen is so meticulous. Any young lady who marries you in the future will be really lucky."
Chen Da blushed with embarrassment, lowered his head and ran away in embarrassment.
Aunt Chen smiled and said: "In the future, I will be just like his father, a good father."
At this time, there was a knock on the door outside the yard, and Zelan ran to open the door.
It was the neighbors who came to send things again. After a few months of rest, everyone's life was much better. Although they couldn't bring out any gifts, they were still thoughtful.
I don’t know which wave this is. The meat, vegetables and eggs that were delivered have been piled high in the yard. Aunt Chen asked everyone to sit down. They were all women from different families, sitting around and drying themselves in the sun. While Taiyang was drinking tea, he started to tell Shen Que:
"Don't touch the cold water, even if the weather is warm now."
"Don't hold your baby for too long. Be careful and your waist will be tired. It will never get better in your life."
"Be happy during confinement, sleep more and eat more, and have enough milk..."
Shen Que felt happy when she heard it. Some of them were things she had always known, and some were local customs, which sounded warm and fresh.
"I have lost my mother since I was a child, and now it feels like I have returned to my parents' home."
Indeed, at first, I was worried that I would be wronged if I gave birth alone in a foreign country, but now I think it is actually better than staying with my father.
Shen Que wrote a letter to Shen Fu, explaining everything here clearly. He planned to return to the capital after confinement. The weather happened to be not very hot yet, but Aunt Chen was worried that Liu Zi was too young and could not withstand the fatigue of traveling on the road. Advise them to stay a few more days.
Shen Que was hesitating and looked at Zelan: "What do you think?"
Zelan said: "My slave will follow my wife, and neither my wife nor my mistress will be wronged, and my slave will feel relaxed. It's okay."
Shen Que nodded and held Liu Zi in his arms. The little girl was soft and tender. She had just woken up from sleep, her little face was flushed, and she was asking for milk from her mother.
Sure enough, with this child, everything is really different.
While she was hesitating, Chen Da came back from outside and brought some earth-shattering good news.
"There is news from the government. It was delivered at high speed from the capital." Chen Dal didn't have time to wipe his face and hurriedly reported the situation, "I heard that Shuofang's army was sent to completely wipe out the banditry in Fengyi. It is said that it is the last resort. An elite force of 20,000 people."
"So many people?" Zelan asked, "Didn't it mean that there are not many bandits left in Fengyi? Why do we need so many people?"
Chen Da shook his head and said no, "It is said that the imperial court has found out the true situation. The reason why Fengyi bandits are rampant is because they colluded with foreigners. What is this called? It is called treason and beheading. It is a capital crime for rebellion. No wonder they It’s so unscrupulous, it turns out there is powerful support behind it.”
Shen Que asked Zelan to bring tea to Chen Da and asked, "How did the court know?"
"I heard that there are people who have been working as spies inside the bandits these days and risking their lives to send out the information. It is absolutely reliable."
He was a soldier, and his face was full of envy at this moment: "If we can have such an experience, although it is dangerous, it is also a blessing for us soldiers..."
When Chen Da talked about being a soldier and fighting, he was completely immersed in it. He kept talking endlessly, but Shen Que's mind was fixed on what he just said: someone infiltrated into the bandits to work as a spy...
I don’t know if I am overthinking it, but I always feel that this matter is related to Li Luansong’s disappearance.
Could it be him? If it is really him, it means that he is still alive and has done something big.
Shen Que's heart was beating hard. No matter what, just wait a little longer. The imperial troops are coming soon. In just a few days, they may be able to defend the place until the clouds clear and the moon shines.
That night, Shen Que had another dream. He dreamed that Li Luansong was back, but his daughter didn't recognize him...
She sent another letter to her family, and Shen Fu also supported her in staying and waiting for news.
Shen Que still sees the villagers every day as usual, but instead of doing it all day long before, now she only sees doctors for half a day in the morning, and spends the afternoon with her daughter and teaching Chen Da about business.
The imperial army was rushing to Fengyi non-stop. Shen had indeed calculated that this battle would probably last for a while, ranging from three to four months to half a year. Then there would still be time to help Chen Da get on the horse and send him off.
She was very optimistic about Chen Da. He was simple, honest, and of good character. He had a trustworthy aura when dealing with people and doing business. He was straightforward and direct, which made an excellent impression on others.
Shen Que was thinking that if he could bring Chen Da out completely, he could transfer the Shen family's business to him. Then he would not only make money, but also help Fengyi develop quickly and recommend some business suggestions. Partners also come to develop this virgin land, and everyone can make money together.
She told Chen Da about her thoughts, and Chen Da was stunned for a while. He didn't understand how it could be so big.
"Ms. Shen, who are you? How big is your family's business?"
Shen Que smiled and said: "It's relatively big, just think about it as big as possible."
"What kind of business is that? How come I'm looking at you and you know everything." Chen Da became more and more confused.
"There are all kinds of businesses. It's very complicated. You have to study hard. Not only do you have to learn well on your own, but you also have to find a few capable helpers. When running a business, you will definitely need your own people in the shop, such as shopkeepers, assistants, maids..."
Shen Que counted on his fingers, "Most of these people can be outsiders, but those who understand the core issues and can discuss Ding Mao with you must be trustworthy."
Chen Da nodded and scratched his head, "This is really not easy."
Zelan joked on the side: "Brother Chen must study hard. I have so many apprentices, but Brother Chen is the one who cares most about me. I hope that Brother Chen will be the most promising in the future."
This sentence made Chen Dali full of motivation. From that day on, he worked even harder from dawn to dusk, which made Mrs. Chen praise her son for his potential: "If he had used this energy to take part in the imperial examination, I'm afraid he would be the prime minister now."
One sentence caused the whole room to burst into laughter.
Such laughter and laughter have not stopped since Liu Zi was born, and the atmosphere in the Chen family courtyard has also changed greatly.
Chen Da goes out every day. When he comes back, he washes his hands and changes clothes. Then he hugs Liu Zi, feeds her water, plays with her, and coaxes her to sleep. He is inseparable from her all the time. Little Liu Zi is also an elf. Knowing that Chen Da liked her, she kept pestering her every day. As long as Chen Da was at home, she would not be hugged by anyone else and would stick to Chen Da's body.
"Brother Chen's hands are big and generous. It's probably more comfortable to be held." Zelan smacked her lips, "But it's also very comfortable for me to hold. This little baby, I'm her godmother."
Aunt Chen smiled and said: "Liu Zi loves my godmother, and also loves my mother-in-law and grandma Chen. Let's let Mrs. Chen hold her. Wouldn't it be nice for us to take some time to rest."
Everyone was joking again.
Chen Da stood aside and didn't care. He held the little doll in his hands. His gentle and patient look made people melt.
When the little baby was only about half a year old, Chen Da made many toys for her. Shen Que just shook his head and said, "How can such a little girl play with knives and swords, let alone a slingshot?"
Chen Da silently raised his head in embarrassment, thinking that he had indeed made a mistake, so the next day, these boys' toys were gone, replaced by a bunch of colorful dolls, beautiful handkerchiefs, and many jewelry.
Looking at those bright and dazzling things, Shen Que said in surprise: "How old is she? How can she use such expensive accessories?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Day thought he had made the right purchase this time and said, "Liu Zi will grow up soon. When you leave, take her with you. She will remember me as her godfather."
Shen Que felt sad when he heard this, and Chen Da couldn't bear it.
So he thought about it and said, "I'll teach Liu Zi how to speak tomorrow. First, I'll learn to call him godfather."
Chen Dayi nodded happily.
From that day on, Shen Que taught Liu Zi to call people every day: "Grandma, godfather, grandma..."
The little baby didn't understand. At first he didn't open his mouth, and he scratched his legs and arms randomly. However, after being taught more, the baby also started to open his mouth. He called his grandma "mother" and his grandma "milk". Guan Shen was indeed called mother, and Guan Zelan was also called mother, which made the whole family laugh and cry all day long, but it was also a very happy thing.
After a few days, Liu Zi finally learned to call her daddy. If her godfather couldn't be called out, she would just call her daddy. It was vague at first, but later because Chen Da hugged her every day and gave her delicious food, she could call her daddy. Much clearer and clearer than my mother.
The most common sound heard every day in the Chen family's small courtyard was Liu Zi's milky voice shouting: Daddy, daddy... The shouting made Chen Da feel like a cow, and his heart was full of joy.
