He stretched out his hand to touch the small umbrella in Yang's hand, and it was so cold that his fingers hurt. He scolded, "I said I'd come see you as soon as I got back from the Du Hu Fu, what's the big hurry? You'll catch a chill like this!"
The lamb's thin lips trembled slightly, wanting to say something, but after a long blink of her eyelashes, she still remained speechless.
Zhou Xuan slowed down his tone, pulled her hand and said warmly: "Come on, let's go inside and talk."
Three people entered Yang Xiaomei's room and shut the door on Yan Han. Fu'er hastily added charcoal to the brazier.
Zhou Xuan saw that Xiao Xun's face was frozen blue, like a piece of Qing dynasty porcelain, so he cupped her cheeks with both hands, cold as icy jade, and gently rubbed her face, saying: "Be careful not to get frostbite, it's going to be all purple and ugly."
Little Fuhou is young but has many thoughts. Seeing Zhou Xuan giving Yang Xiaomei a facial massage and hand rub, looking at her own small red hands from the cold, she thinks: "My face is also cold, my hands are also icy, I'm afraid of getting frostbite too! But Master doesn't give me any attention, isn't it because Yang is born beautiful? Sigh, being a beauty is great!"
Yang Xiao Chen opened her beautiful big eyes, staring at Zhou Xuan. Zhou Xuan himself felt embarrassed and stopped, asking: "Xiao Chen, what's the hurry to find me for?"
Yang Xiaoyin walked into the inner room, took out a scroll and slowly unfolded it. It was a painting of the character "shou" in various scripts: jinwen, dazhuan, xiaozhuan, lishu, kaishu, xingcao... as well as many other scripts that Zhou Xuan didn't recognize, but all of which spelled out the character "shou". Dozens of large and small "shou" characters filled the two-foot-long scroll, subtly forming a giant "shou" character.
In an instant, Zhou Xuan's heart softened and felt a pang. Today was December 1st, his birthday! He had only celebrated the solar calendar birthday before, so he had forgotten that he was born on the first day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar. The last time he returned to Jiangzhou, at a roadside inn in Suizhou, he and the young prostitute slept in the same bed, asking her when she was born, and only then did he remember that his birthday was on the first day of the twelfth month. He had casually mentioned it, but didn't expect the young prostitute to remember it firmly in her heart. Today, she waited for him all day, carrying a lantern in the snowy ground, just to give him this "shou" character to wish him a happy birthday!
"Sparrow and Needle don't know that today is my birthday! Of course, I didn't tell them either. If I had told them, they would definitely have remembered."
Zhou Xuan smiled and said: "Xiao Chen, give me a kiss, wish me a happy birthday."
Yang Xiaoyan's face turned slightly red, she pursed her cherry lips, and suddenly tiptoed up to Zhou Xuan's lips for a fleeting touch, then stepped back, lowered her eyebrows, and fiddled with the hem of her skirt. Luckily, her hand hadn't pointed towards the inner chamber or the embroidered bed, but even so, it was already a great test for Zhou Xuan, who really wanted to pamper this timid little concubine. After some thought, he decided to wait until next year instead.
"Wait for me, little brow, until I return from the capital."
Zhou Xuan ambiguously hooked his finger under the chin of the little prostitute, making her lift up her face. He lightly flicked her white and rosy cheek to see if it was really as fragile as a blown bubble.
***********************
On the twenty-third night of the twelfth lunar month when Gongzhong Shangtian was sent off, Su Zhen suddenly vomited, and Xiao Ju hastily reported to Gongzi and Que Er Furen.
It's so convenient to have a doctor at home. Qin Chui took her pulse and was stunned for a moment before breaking into a smile, saying: "Sister Zhen has good news!" He turned around and bowed to Zhou Xuan: "Congratulations, husband."
Zhou Xuan was taken aback, he thought he was still young, just over 23 years old and about to become a father, it took him a while to adapt, stunned for a moment before happily saying: "Great, succeeded once."
Her face was red to the point of bleeding, her heart was joyful to the point of bursting into laughter. Since the beginning of the month when she didn't get her period, she had already had this feeling, but she was too embarrassed to ask Qin Chou, afraid that it might be a joke, but it turned out to be true, she was pregnant with her husband's child!
Dr. Qin and his wife hurried over to pay their respects when they heard the news, and Dr. Qin also took her pulse with a needle, confirming that she was pregnant.
Madam Qin had long been looking forward to holding her grandson, and while she was delighted, she also felt a twinge of regret that she had been beaten to it by the needle, for the sparrow had already shared a room with Zhou Xuan!
However, there is also a place of loss. Husband said that she was pregnant and could not take her to Xijing anymore. She had to stay in the mansion to rest and take care of herself, and "Yun Shang Nv Zhuang" should not be as worried as before.
That night, Zhou Xuan and Qin Que shared the same bed, and Zhou Xuan said: "Que'er, let's make tonight a success too. When I return from Xi Jing, both of our little wives will be big-bellied women, how interesting!"
Thinking of getting two beautiful women pregnant, Zhou Xuan burst out laughing in his bed.
Qin Que's face was half shy and half annoyed as she lightly bit his shoulder.
……
It's New Year's Eve, and San Chou and Si Chou are also spending the holiday at Zhou Fu. You Xia seems to have popped out of nowhere, no one has ever heard of them having a home, but where did these cousins come from?
Three fools and four fools don't say, Zhou Xuan doesn't ask either. Who doesn't have a little secret? It's like he, Zhou Xuan, is from a thousand years later, this secret can't be told to anyone.
Several with family background
It's time to return home for the New Year, and most of the servants in the Zhou household are treating it as their own home. More than 40 masters and servants have gathered in the front hall of the main courtyard, several large braziers burning brightly, with fine wine and food filling the tables.
He looked around, feeling like something was missing. Later he realized it was because they weren't watching the Spring Festival Gala. It was a bit of a letdown, but he couldn't help but laugh when his servants told some jokes and Sheep Xiaoqin played a tune on the pipa. He himself got into the mood and sang a segment of "Unforgettable Tonight", glossing over any lyrics that didn't fit the scene, earning thunderous applause from everyone.
Dr. Qin and his wife were old and weak, couldn't stay up for the New Year's Eve, so they went to bed early with Xiaodi. Zhou Xuan asked his two young wives to rest early too, but both of them refused, wanting to stay up with their husband to celebrate the New Year.
So, the Zhou family temporarily held a Go competition, and all the maids who could play chess participated. Whether they won or lost, there were rewards.
Qin Que lost a game to Sanzi and Zhenxia, Zhou Xuan stood by with his hands behind his back watching. Seeing that the situation was getting intense, he pointed out two moves, which made Qin Que pout: "You're being biased again, I'm not playing anymore!"
Zhou Xuan smiled and said: "As a husband, I love to see injustice on the road and help with a knife. If someone bullies you, I will also help you."
Three Fools and Four Fools brothers are fighting fiercely, Zhou Xuan gave them a reward of a delicate and exquisite question.
When the fourth watch drum sounded from afar, Zhou Xuan quietly walked to Yang Xiaojin's side, gesturing for her to go to the side hall. He said to her: "Xiaojin, today is your 14th birthday, I'll give you a string of pearls as a gift." From his silk fish bag, he took out a string of thumb-sized pearls, each one roughly the same size, round and smooth, just like Yang Xiaojin's skin. This string of pearls was worth a thousand pieces of gold.
Zhou Xuan put the pearl necklace around Yang Xiaojin's neck and praised: "Xiaojin, you are really beautiful, pearls and jade shine because of you."
The lamb's eyelashes curled upwards, her deep eyes fixed steadily on Zhou Xuan, her cherry lips trembling as she called out: "Young Master..."
Zhou Xuan smiled and said: "Last time on my birthday you kissed me once, today it's your birthday and I want to return the kiss, right?"
Yang Xiaoyin's eyebrows were already slightly furrowed, her cherry lips pursed, and her beautiful eyelashes lowered.
……
On the first day of the new year, Zhou Xuan took his two young wives to pay their respects to Dr. Qin and his wife, then headed out to the Duhu Fu to celebrate the new year with his uncle Lin. Lin invited the three of them to drink spring tea and eat spring rice, and also inquired about their plans for entering the capital in a few days' time. He told Zhou Xuan not to worry about things at home, as everything would be taken care of by the Duhu Fu, so he could set his mind at ease and attend the Yuanxiao chess gathering.
On the second day of the beginning, Zhou Xuan was busy preparing for his journey. He decided to bring Lai Fu and Xiao Xiang along. Lai Fu would run errands, while Xiao Xiang would attend to Zhou Xuan's daily needs. Of course, there were also Old Three and Old Four.
In the evening, Abu came over and said that his big ship had been prepared and was moored on the south bank of the river. All the goods had been loaded onto the ship, including 100 mirrors, which were divided into two categories: high-quality and medium-quality. He said they would set sail tomorrow and asked Zhou Xuan if he had any goods to bring along, offering to transport them together on the ship.
Zhou Xuan said, "I only brought ten sets of 'Cloud Dress', after boarding the ship and having some free time, I will draw ten more dress designs, and with these thin ten pieces of paper, I'll make my way to the capital."
On the eve of departure, the three of them slept together again, entwined for half the night, with loving words that never ended, and countless reminders, until Zhou Xuan fell asleep.
In the twenty-ninth year of Kaibao in the Tang Dynasty, on the third day of the first month, a fleet set sail for Jinling in the Western Capital. The large ships of the Duhu Fu and Zhou Xuan's medium-sized ships all had loud whistles, with huge fish eyes and tiger mouths carved on their bows. There was also an escort warship with three layers up and down, carrying 100 naval soldiers armed with strong bows and hard crossbows. At that time, the pirates on Poyang Lake had already been eradicated, and Lin's dispatch of a fleet to escort them was just a precautionary measure.
Abu's large merchant ship, fifteen zhang long, followed behind the warship and also left the riverbank.
Qin Que and Zhen gazed at their husbands standing on the bow of the boat, waving goodbye to them. Tears streamed down their faces, but Qin's elderly father comforted them, and they finally stopped crying.
They kept watching the fleet disappear around the bend of the river, and after a long while, the two young wives got into their carriage to return home. As soon as they entered the gate, they saw little servant girl Fu'er crying with a sad face, saying: "Lady Que'er, Lady Zhen'er, Yang'niang is gone!"
Qin Que and Zhen were both shocked and hastily asked what was going on?
Fu'er said: "After the two young ladies sent the young master to the riverbank, Yang's daughter packed a small bundle and put it on her back. The little maid asked where she was going? She said four words - 'Chase after the young master', and then went out, walking quickly too, the little maid couldn't catch up."
"Ah!" Qin Que and Zhen Mian looked at each other in dismay. When Zhou Xuan boarded the boat, they were both standing on the side watching. Yang Xiao obviously didn't make it onto Zhou Xuan's boat. As a single woman traveling alone, and such a beauty at that, what if she encountered bad people? Her husband would definitely blame them two when he returned and found out she was lost.
Qin Que hastily ordered six household servants to immediately chase after Yang Xiaoyan in the northeast direction and must find her.
