Chapter 24. Fox tail revealed
Maybe due to a good season this year, there were bountiful harvests everywhere. At first, Yue Da Fu thought that he could gather some money by selling food. The plan broke apart. On the contrary, the same amount food earned ten percent less than last year. Old Mrs. Chen was so angry that she laid on the kang for a few days and refused to get up.
This year was a good year. The mountain chickens and hares in the mountains were also plump. There were more people eating game in the town than in previous years. You Jin exchanged the caught wild chickens and hares for money every time she went to the market. She had got familiar with the purchase steward from Umami Room's kitchen. Every time she got mountain goods, they were sent straight to Umami Room. Which saved You Jin a lot of trouble.
When the first snowfall of this winter fell, You Jin had already saved seventeen silver liang from the wild chickens and hares. Seventeen silver liangs can buy less than three mu of top-quality farmland or build a few spacious mud-brick houses in Liutun Town.
But for You Jin, this was far from enough. She had to support six younger sisters, as well as the unknown gender baby in Mrs. Su's womb. Seventeen silver liang was probably not enough for the cost of them leaving Yue's house and settling down.
But now it had started to snow, all the animals in the mountains have entered hibernation. It seems not plausible to go hunting and make money again. She had to find another input.
Before You Jin thought of a new way to make money, something big happened in Yue Family.
Yue Chang Lu brought a big-bellied woman back to Yue's house!
In the main room of Yue's House, Yue Chang Lu supported the young woman whose stomach was at least seven months old. The two knelt together in front of Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen. Yue Chang Lu stammered: "Father, Mother, the child in Wan Niang's womb belongs to son. Son can't let the mother and son suffer outside. Father, Mother, please fulfill our wish!"
Old Mrs. Chen looked at somewhat enchanting and seductive Wan Niang, who was kneeling on the ground. Her eyes were dark for a while. She leaned back on the kang without speaking. Even Yue Da Fu didn't expect that his second son, who was honest and didn’t even speak much on most days, would stir something up. Frowning, he sat cross-legged on the kang as he smoking his pipe. For a while, the main room was dead silent.
On the other side at the west wing, You Jin, who first came out to add firewood to the kang, saw Yue Chang Lu lead a woman through the entrance. Then she hurried back to the west wing to instruct You Yin and the other girls: "No matter what happens outside, don't come out. Watch Mother, okay?"
As a result, the little girls, who didn't know what happened, obediently listened to Third Elder Sister and nodded.
Seeing the few girls nodding earnestly, You Jin frowned and left with pursed lips. Before You Jin went out, You Zhu felt an unknown nudge in her heart and followed her: "Third Elder Sister, what happened?"
You Jin just went out, when she saw her following. She hurriedly pushed You Zhu back into the room: "Go back quickly."
Then she turned around and went to the backyard. Seeing Third Elder Sister's reaction, You Zhu felt that something big happened at home. So she quietly followed behind You Jin and made way to the window at the back of the main room.
You Jin noticed You Zhu as soon as she turned her head. Afraid that her voice would alert the people inside, she wink to imply that she wasn't allowed to make a sound. Braving the snow, the sisters hid behind the main room and listened quietly to the action.
In the main room, Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen were silent for a long time. Yue Chang Lu knelt for a long time. It wasn't until the tobacco in his hand were exhausted that Yue Da Fu coughed twice and looked at Wan Niang who was kneeling beside Yue Chang Lu: "What do you like about my second son?"
Wan Niang opened her mouth and replied in a soft tone: "I have known Elder Brother Yue for more than a year. Although Elder Brother Yue is a man of few words, he is sincere to me. I can't repay him. I can only repay him with my sincerity. Master, please allow our marriage!"
Laced in the words, the sincerity can be said to be touching.
"Did you know that old Second has already married?" Although Yue Da Fu hadn't met countless people, he still had the ability to see people. She was a woman in her early twenties and got some beauty. How could she fancy the taciturn and disfigured old Second?
Wan Niang smiled guiltily: "I did Elder Sister Su wrong. However, Elder Brother Yue and I really love each other. I don't ask for a title. Just implore you two elders to allow us to be together."
"Pah! Stinky shameless vixen!" When old Mrs. Chen heard what she said, she could not wait to jump up and peel off skin: "Really don't ask for a name!? Why are you here today?"
If it wasn't for the wrong timing, You Jin, who was eavesdropping outside the window, would almost have laughed out loud. This old Mrs. Chen's ability to embarrass a woman was to its max!
"Mother! I begged Wan Niang to come back with me. I want to give her a name. Don't blame Wan Niang!" Yue Chang Lu steadily guarded the heavily pregnant Wan Niang behind him and blocked old Mrs. Chen's thrown shoe: "If you want to beat or scold, you can only aim at me!"
This was the first manly act You Jin and You Zhu seen from Yue Chang Lu. If it wasn't for the fact that this man was their father and was now begging their grandparents to allow mistress to enter the house, You Jin would applaud this pair of bitter mandarin duck. You Jin gave You Zhu a 'don't be reckless' gaze. How could this drama be messed up before the show was over?
Yue Da Fu lit another tobacco. After a few puffs, he said solemnly: "Old Second, do you know, let alone our Yue clan, even our Cuifeng Village and us ordinary family in eight villages and ten miles away had no precedent for concubinage!"
"Those rich and noble people take in concubines. We, a peasant family, taking in concubine is downright laughable!" Old Mrs. Chen viciously glared at Wan Niang. Although she hated Mrs. Su, she hated Wan Niang in front of her even more. When she used to beat and scold Mrs. Su, old Second never stopped her. Now she just took a shoe and threw it over, worthless old Second stepped forward to stop it. If she really let her in, would old Second still listen to her words in the future?
However, Yue Chang Lu didn't want to take in a concubine. But rather, marrying in an equal wife! Got to say, this Wan Niang really had some ability. She can actually make the cowardly and incompetent Yue Chang Lu bewitched and fight his parents head-on for her.
Kneeling on the ground, Yue Chang Lu glanced at Wan Niang, whose eyes were full of water. He spoke with courage, "I won't accept concubine. Father, Mother, I want to marry Wan Niang and enter the door as an equal wife."
"Equal wife!" Both Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen were taken aback. They didn't expect their son to make such a request.
Before Yue Da Fu could respond, old Mrs. Chen jumped out and objected: "Having a concubine has defiled my Yue Family's front. And you still want an equal wife. Not happening!"
Although old Mrs. Chen would peck at people like a fighting cock, Wan Niang wasn't afraid. That was because she had a trump card in her hand: she gently rubbed her eight-month-old belly and said softly, "Old Master, old Madam, the day before yesterday, I asked Rejuvenation Hall's gynecological sage to take a pulse. They said my baby is probably a baby with a handle."
Softly glancing at Yue Chang Lu, she slowly said: "If it wasn't for the sake of giving birth to a son to continue the line for Second Brother Yue, how can I still have the face to live!"
When she heard that she was carrying a son in her womb, both Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen's eyes lit up, "Really a son?"
Yue Chang Lu hurriedly answered: "Really, Father, Mother. How could what Doctor Zhao from Rejuvenation Hall say be false? Wan Niang wants to give birth children for son. Son really doesn't want to wrong her. I beseech Father and Mother to allow son!"
After saying that, he kowtowed heavily.
Yue Da Fu sighed. The fact that old Second had never had a son was not only old Second's heart disease, but also his heart disease. Now suddenly a woman who was pregnant with old Second's child that said to be a son in her womb, how could he not be overjoyed? But when he thought of marrying an equal wife, it was a little difficult for Yue Da Fu to nod his head. After all, it wasn't a trivial matter!
He pondered about it for a long time. It wasn't until the second pipe was finished that Yue Da Fu slowly stated: "This matter is not something I can decide alone. Ask your eldest brother and third brother for their opinions. Also Mrs. Su's. After all, if she enter the door, both of them are people who will serve you."
"Ai!" Yue Chang Lu was relieved to hear his father loosening up. He happily kowtowed again. Old Mrs. Chen pursed her lips and disgruntledly muttered, "It's such a cold day. Still not getting up?"
Outside the window, You Jin and You Zhu had a lot of snowflakes on their heads and bodies. But the chill brought by the snowflakes wasn't as cold as the chills brought by Yue Chang Lu's action. It was unknown how long it took before there was no voice in the main room. You Jin dragged the already numb You Zhu quietly along the wall back to the west wing.
You Yin and the others were anxiously waiting in the room. They didn't dare not to disobey Third Elder Sister. Each one of them didn't know what was going on. Still, they were all inexplicably flustered. They finally waited for You Jin and You Zhu's return and instantly surrounded them: "Third Elder Sister, what happened?"
You Jin and You Zhu both sat on the edge of the kang in silence with serious expressions. This made You Yin and the others even more panicked: "Third Elder Sister, Little Fifth, just tell us what happened! Don't remain silent. Don't scare us!"
You Zhu's scarlet eyes stared straight at You Yin and then suddenly pointed at You Yin as she cried out, "You said that he can correct your mistakes! It's all a lie! Big liar!"
In fact, how could You Zhu's heart not want to have a father who was kind and didn't beat people? But the reality was so cruel. The little desire in the most hidden part of You Zhu's heart had been wiped out.
"You Zhu!" You Jin stopped You Pearl's movements. Then she shook her head at You Yin who was in the dark: "It's okay. She's just feeling down. It'll be fine in a while."
Hearing the movement outside, Mrs. Su, who was on the inner kang, forcefully supported her seven-month-old stomach to get out of bed. She gasped for breath before walking to the door of the room: "What's wrong? Why did you fight out of the blue?"
Seeing that Mrs. Su came out, You Jin hurriedly helped her back to the inner kang to lie down. Then she replied, "It's nothing. You Zhu was throwing a little temper."
However, Mrs. Su sensed something was amiss in You Jin's eyes and sighed: "What are you guys hiding from me?"
Due to motherly feeling and being familiar with daughter, how could Mrs. Su fail to see something was wrong?
You Jin shook her head: "It's all right. You Zhu lost her temper. Mother, don't think too much about it. Now it's the time to nurture the baby with peaceful mind!"
Although Mrs. Su's pregnancy reached seven months, she looked the size of the full-term. Last time Doctor Ma came to check. Although he couldn't tell the gender, he felt two pulses: one strong and one weak. Mrs. Su was pregnant with twins this time. There can be no mishap.
Chapter 24. Fox tail revealed
Maybe due to a good season this year, there were bountiful harvests everywhere. At first, Yue Da Fu thought that he could gather some money by selling food. The plan broke apart. On the contrary, the same amount food earned ten percent less than last year. Old Mrs. Chen was so angry that she laid on the kang for a few days and refused to get up.
This year was a good year. The mountain chickens and hares in the mountains were also plump. There were more people eating game in the town than in previous years. You Jin exchanged the caught wild chickens and hares for money every time she went to the market. She had got familiar with the purchase steward from Umami Room's kitchen. Every time she got mountain goods, they were sent straight to Umami Room. Which saved You Jin a lot of trouble.
When the first snowfall of this winter fell, You Jin had already saved seventeen silver liang from the wild chickens and hares. Seventeen silver liangs can buy less than three mu of top-quality farmland or build a few spacious mud-brick houses in Liutun Town.
But for You Jin, this was far from enough. She had to support six younger sisters, as well as the unknown gender baby in Mrs. Su's womb. Seventeen silver liang was probably not enough for the cost of them leaving Yue's house and settling down.
But now it had started to snow, all the animals in the mountains have entered hibernation. It seems not plausible to go hunting and make money again. She had to find another input.
Before You Jin thought of a new way to make money, something big happened in Yue Family.
Yue Chang Lu brought a big-bellied woman back to Yue's house!
In the main room of Yue's House, Yue Chang Lu supported the young woman whose stomach was at least seven months old. The two knelt together in front of Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen. Yue Chang Lu stammered: "Father, Mother, the child in Wan Niang's womb belongs to son. Son can't let the mother and son suffer outside. Father, Mother, please fulfill our wish!"
Old Mrs. Chen looked at somewhat enchanting and seductive Wan Niang, who was kneeling on the ground. Her eyes were dark for a while. She leaned back on the kang without speaking. Even Yue Da Fu didn't expect that his second son, who was honest and didn’t even speak much on most days, would stir something up. Frowning, he sat cross-legged on the kang as he smoking his pipe. For a while, the main room was dead silent.
On the other side at the west wing, You Jin, who first came out to add firewood to the kang, saw Yue Chang Lu lead a woman through the entrance. Then she hurried back to the west wing to instruct You Yin and the other girls: "No matter what happens outside, don't come out. Watch Mother, okay?"
As a result, the little girls, who didn't know what happened, obediently listened to Third Elder Sister and nodded.
Seeing the few girls nodding earnestly, You Jin frowned and left with pursed lips. Before You Jin went out, You Zhu felt an unknown nudge in her heart and followed her: "Third Elder Sister, what happened?"
You Jin just went out, when she saw her following. She hurriedly pushed You Zhu back into the room: "Go back quickly."
Then she turned around and went to the backyard. Seeing Third Elder Sister's reaction, You Zhu felt that something big happened at home. So she quietly followed behind You Jin and made way to the window at the back of the main room.
You Jin noticed You Zhu as soon as she turned her head. Afraid that her voice would alert the people inside, she wink to imply that she wasn't allowed to make a sound. Braving the snow, the sisters hid behind the main room and listened quietly to the action.
In the main room, Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen were silent for a long time. Yue Chang Lu knelt for a long time. It wasn't until the tobacco in his hand were exhausted that Yue Da Fu coughed twice and looked at Wan Niang who was kneeling beside Yue Chang Lu: "What do you like about my second son?"
Wan Niang opened her mouth and replied in a soft tone: "I have known Elder Brother Yue for more than a year. Although Elder Brother Yue is a man of few words, he is sincere to me. I can't repay him. I can only repay him with my sincerity. Master, please allow our marriage!"
Laced in the words, the sincerity can be said to be touching.
"Did you know that old Second has already married?" Although Yue Da Fu hadn't met countless people, he still had the ability to see people. She was a woman in her early twenties and got some beauty. How could she fancy the taciturn and disfigured old Second?
Wan Niang smiled guiltily: "I did Elder Sister Su wrong. However, Elder Brother Yue and I really love each other. I don't ask for a title. Just implore you two elders to allow us to be together."
"Pah! Stinky shameless vixen!" When old Mrs. Chen heard what she said, she could not wait to jump up and peel off skin: "Really don't ask for a name!? Why are you here today?"
If it wasn't for the wrong timing, You Jin, who was eavesdropping outside the window, would almost have laughed out loud. This old Mrs. Chen's ability to embarrass a woman was to its max!
"Mother! I begged Wan Niang to come back with me. I want to give her a name. Don't blame Wan Niang!" Yue Chang Lu steadily guarded the heavily pregnant Wan Niang behind him and blocked old Mrs. Chen's thrown shoe: "If you want to beat or scold, you can only aim at me!"
This was the first manly act You Jin and You Zhu seen from Yue Chang Lu. If it wasn't for the fact that this man was their father and was now begging their grandparents to allow mistress to enter the house, You Jin would applaud this pair of bitter mandarin duck. You Jin gave You Zhu a 'don't be reckless' gaze. How could this drama be messed up before the show was over?
Yue Da Fu lit another tobacco. After a few puffs, he said solemnly: "Old Second, do you know, let alone our Yue clan, even our Cuifeng Village and us ordinary family in eight villages and ten miles away had no precedent for concubinage!"
"Those rich and noble people take in concubines. We, a peasant family, taking in concubine is downright laughable!" Old Mrs. Chen viciously glared at Wan Niang. Although she hated Mrs. Su, she hated Wan Niang in front of her even more. When she used to beat and scold Mrs. Su, old Second never stopped her. Now she just took a shoe and threw it over, worthless old Second stepped forward to stop it. If she really let her in, would old Second still listen to her words in the future?
However, Yue Chang Lu didn't want to take in a concubine. But rather, marrying in an equal wife! Got to say, this Wan Niang really had some ability. She can actually make the cowardly and incompetent Yue Chang Lu bewitched and fight his parents head-on for her.
Kneeling on the ground, Yue Chang Lu glanced at Wan Niang, whose eyes were full of water. He spoke with courage, "I won't accept concubine. Father, Mother, I want to marry Wan Niang and enter the door as an equal wife."
"Equal wife!" Both Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen were taken aback. They didn't expect their son to make such a request.
Before Yue Da Fu could respond, old Mrs. Chen jumped out and objected: "Having a concubine has defiled my Yue Family's front. And you still want an equal wife. Not happening!"
Although old Mrs. Chen would peck at people like a fighting cock, Wan Niang wasn't afraid. That was because she had a trump card in her hand: she gently rubbed her eight-month-old belly and said softly, "Old Master, old Madam, the day before yesterday, I asked Rejuvenation Hall's gynecological sage to take a pulse. They said my baby is probably a baby with a handle."
Softly glancing at Yue Chang Lu, she slowly said: "If it wasn't for the sake of giving birth to a son to continue the line for Second Brother Yue, how can I still have the face to live!"
When she heard that she was carrying a son in her womb, both Yue Da Fu and old Mrs. Chen's eyes lit up, "Really a son?"
Yue Chang Lu hurriedly answered: "Really, Father, Mother. How could what Doctor Zhao from Rejuvenation Hall say be false? Wan Niang wants to give birth children for son. Son really doesn't want to wrong her. I beseech Father and Mother to allow son!"
After saying that, he kowtowed heavily.
Yue Da Fu sighed. The fact that old Second had never had a son was not only old Second's heart disease, but also his heart disease. Now suddenly a woman who was pregnant with old Second's child that said to be a son in her womb, how could he not be overjoyed? But when he thought of marrying an equal wife, it was a little difficult for Yue Da Fu to nod his head. After all, it wasn't a trivial matter!
He pondered about it for a long time. It wasn't until the second pipe was finished that Yue Da Fu slowly stated: "This matter is not something I can decide alone. Ask your eldest brother and third brother for their opinions. Also Mrs. Su's. After all, if she enter the door, both of them are people who will serve you."
"Ai!" Yue Chang Lu was relieved to hear his father loosening up. He happily kowtowed again. Old Mrs. Chen pursed her lips and disgruntledly muttered, "It's such a cold day. Still not getting up?"
Outside the window, You Jin and You Zhu had a lot of snowflakes on their heads and bodies. But the chill brought by the snowflakes wasn't as cold as the chills brought by Yue Chang Lu's action. It was unknown how long it took before there was no voice in the main room. You Jin dragged the already numb You Zhu quietly along the wall back to the west wing.
You Yin and the others were anxiously waiting in the room. They didn't dare not to disobey Third Elder Sister. Each one of them didn't know what was going on. Still, they were all inexplicably flustered. They finally waited for You Jin and You Zhu's return and instantly surrounded them: "Third Elder Sister, what happened?"
You Jin and You Zhu both sat on the edge of the kang in silence with serious expressions. This made You Yin and the others even more panicked: "Third Elder Sister, Little Fifth, just tell us what happened! Don't remain silent. Don't scare us!"
You Zhu's scarlet eyes stared straight at You Yin and then suddenly pointed at You Yin as she cried out, "You said that he can correct your mistakes! It's all a lie! Big liar!"
In fact, how could You Zhu's heart not want to have a father who was kind and didn't beat people? But the reality was so cruel. The little desire in the most hidden part of You Zhu's heart had been wiped out.
"You Zhu!" You Jin stopped You Pearl's movements. Then she shook her head at You Yin who was in the dark: "It's okay. She's just feeling down. It'll be fine in a while."
Hearing the movement outside, Mrs. Su, who was on the inner kang, forcefully supported her seven-month-old stomach to get out of bed. She gasped for breath before walking to the door of the room: "What's wrong? Why did you fight out of the blue?"
Seeing that Mrs. Su came out, You Jin hurriedly helped her back to the inner kang to lie down. Then she replied, "It's nothing. You Zhu was throwing a little temper."
However, Mrs. Su sensed something was amiss in You Jin's eyes and sighed: "What are you guys hiding from me?"
Due to motherly feeling and being familiar with daughter, how could Mrs. Su fail to see something was wrong?
You Jin shook her head: "It's all right. You Zhu lost her temper. Mother, don't think too much about it. Now it's the time to nurture the baby with peaceful mind!"
Although Mrs. Su's pregnancy reached seven months, she looked the size of the full-term. Last time Doctor Ma came to check. Although he couldn't tell the gender, he felt two pulses: one strong and one weak. Mrs. Su was pregnant with twins this time. There can be no mishap.
