After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 228 Extra Chapter 1: Daily Life After Marriage

Since Pei Yanzhi and Xiang Ning got married, they have stayed in the Marquis's mansion and never left.

Thanks to the Marquis of Jian'an's hard work in the previous period, he has been granted this long vacation.

But Xiang Ning is different. She just got married, and the Marquis's mansion's storeroom has to spend a lot of time calculating her dowry.

Pei Yanzhi became the most idle person in the family.

"Isn't Madam coming back for dinner?"

"My lord, the madam has invited several stewards to dine at Wangjiang Tower, so she won't be returning today."

Conversations like these became a daily occurrence in the Marquis's residence.

So on this day, Xiang Ning was about to leave the mansion when Pei Yanzhi stopped her.

"what happened?"

Xiang Ning was still somewhat surprised and looked at him, not understanding why.

“A-Ning hasn’t spoken to me for many days.”

When she tried to get up, Pei Yanzhi wrapped his arms around her waist and refused to budge an inch.

With the appointed time with the managers about to pass, Xiang Ning asked helplessly, "Then I'll stay home with you today."

She sighed, put her hand behind her back, and patted Pei Yanzhi's head.

I never realized he was so clingy.

Fortunately, today's matter wasn't too important; she wouldn't go herself, she could just send someone to deliver a message.

Upon hearing Xiang Ning's words, Pei Yanzhi gave a soft "hmm".

"Just leave these things to your subordinates. The family paid them money to do these things, not for you to worry about."

Pei Yanzhi released Xiang Ning and let her sit next to him.

Hearing him say that, Xiang Ning smiled and said, "We just got married, and many things were delivered during this period."

“Your uncle and elder brother have prepared a considerable dowry, not to mention the land and shops you own. If you don’t plan things out carefully, it will cause even more trouble in the future.”

Xiang Ning never imagined that she would one day be so rich.

Sometimes you can't help but sigh and say that being a housewife is really tough.

But that's just her personality; she would never entrust something to someone else if she could figure it out herself.

Pei Yanzhi knew she was strong-willed and would never say anything about keeping her confined in the mansion.

It would be unfair to her to keep her at home every day like the noble ladies in the capital.

This kind of life is naturally not what Xiang Ning wants.

"I know that Madam did this for the sake of the family."

Pei Yanzhi smiled and leaned close to her ear, whispering something.

Xiang Ning's face immediately turned red, and she scolded him for being indecent.

Where did he learn such vulgar language?

I remarked that the young emperor really gave him special privileges, allowing him to stay at home for so long.

However, Xiang Ning felt that she could relax a bit. Since he had begged her so much, she would reluctantly keep him company.

Cold comes and heat goes, autumn goes and winter goes.

As the days went by, Wen Caifu and Duan Zhuo's child was able to walk.

Xiang Ning and Pei Yanzhi have been worrying about their child lately.

"Madam! The young master has swallowed the abacus beads!"

Xiang Ning was sketching in front of three account books when she heard Chunxi's words, and her pen left a red stain on the rice paper.

Beside the bench, in a brocade swaddling cloth piled up, Pei Heng, who had just turned one year old, clutched half a jade counting rod and giggled.

"It's just something you keep in your mouth."

Pei Yanzhi leaned against the carved rosewood couch, his fingertips still twirling the gilded and silver-inlaid nine-linked ring.

“He swallowed my jade pendant yesterday, but he spat it out just like that.”

Xiang Ning snatched the wet abacus beads from her son's mouth, looked at the vermilion stains on the account book, and finally slammed the wolf-hair brush heavily onto the jade pen holder: "Pei, respect!!!"

The Marquis of Jian'an, addressed by his courtesy name, sat up. His black brocade robe was slightly open at the collar, revealing fresh teeth marks on half of his collarbone. He reached out and pulled his sullen wife into his arms, his chin brushing against the trembling phoenix hairpin adorned with pearls in her hair.

"Ah Ning, don't be angry. I will go and teach Heng'er to recite the 'Jijiuzhang' to apologize."

The little dumpling in his arms suddenly sneezed loudly, and the counting rods, covered in saliva, flew straight towards his father's forehead.

Pei Yanzhi dodged the hidden weapon by tilting his head, then scooped his son up with one hand and held him above his head: "Good lad, with such strength, tomorrow I'll take you to the western hunting grounds..."

“He’s only a few years old, you’re really his father.”

Xiang Ning grabbed his waistband, "Last time you said you'd take him to recognize the foals, but the swaddling clothes were almost trampled by a startled horse!"

Spring rain gradually falls outside the window, while the fragrance of styrax rises gently from the incense burner.

Pei Yanzhi looked at the faint dark circles under his wife's eyes, then suddenly stuffed his wailing son into Bitao's arms: "All of you, step back."

The moment the lattice window gently closed, he pulled her into his arms and gently pressed her temple.

"The housekeeper said you laid off twelve accountants this month?"

"They can't even read the new-style four-pillar inventory book..."

Xiang Ning struggled to get up, her golden hair ornament brushing against his neck.

He touched her lips with his finger.

"Stop joking, we still have to meet with the canal gang at three-quarters past Shenshi (3:45 PM)..."

The unfinished words were swallowed between warm lips and teeth.

Pei Yanzhi stroked the back of her neck, then suddenly bit her earlobe and chuckled, "I've recently acquired a copy of 'The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art' with commentary. Would you like to discuss it by candlelight tonight, my lady?"

Today was the day to check the accounts for the grain tribute in March.

But when Pei Yanzhi's calloused fingertips slipped inside her elaborate clothes, she suddenly felt that occasionally making the stewards wait an extra two hours didn't seem like a big deal.

"Besides, I think Heng'er is getting old, it's time to give him a little sister."

Hearing this, Xiang Ning looked up at him.

Does this person have any conscience? Pei Heng has just turned one year old.

—

The youngest daughter, Pei Yuan, was born shortly after the start of summer, which happened to fall during the Lesser Fullness of Grain season, hence the nickname "Little Fullness."

Compared to his indifferent attitude towards his eldest son, Pei Heng, Pei Yanzhi doted on Xiao Man immensely.

When Xiaoman was five years old, she suddenly developed a high fever, which made her cheeks flush red.

Xiang Ning clutched the handkerchief soaked in cold water as she watched the imperial physician administer acupuncture, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

The child is so young; a single illness could easily kill him. She was terrified.

Pei Yanzhi was worried that Xiang Ning would get tired, so he took care of Xiao Man all night.

As dawn broke, Pei Yuan, whose fever had subsided, slept soundly, clutching her father's clothes.

Xiang Ning saw this scene when she came in.

He gave all his love to Pei Heng and Pei Yuan.

He would never let his children go through what he had gone through before.
-
As Pei Heng and Pei Yuan grew up, their personalities reversed.

As Pei Heng grew older, he loved reading more and more. He became a student of a great Confucian scholar of the time and studied so diligently that he forgot to eat and sleep.

He is particularly skilled in water conservancy, and I imagine that when he grows up, he will be able to control floods in the area and benefit the people.

Pei Yuan was different. She was quite quiet when she was young, but as she got older, she had to follow Duan Zhuo to learn martial arts every day.

She said Duan Zhuo was a good marksman and that she liked him.

Unexpectedly, his skill with the red-tasseled spear turned him into the eldest brother who bullied the Duan family every day.

Xiang Ning and the others never expected that their bullying would actually make the Duan family boy take a liking to Pei Yuan.

One was born weak and sickly, as if he could be blown away by the wind.

An energy that never seems to run out.

Pei Yuan once said that as long as she was in the capital, no one could bully her Brother Duan.

The words she had spoken in her youth actually caught the attention of her brother Duan.