My wife is a concubine - Chapter 7

The day of taking office in Pianzhou was relaxed, and the packing and preparations went on leisurely.

Since the whole family was going together and it was uncertain whether they could return, the couple discussed and finally decided to sell the house.

Although the house wasn’t large, it sold quickly along with all the furniture, thanks to the master’s careful maintenance of the pavilions and courtyards.

Bergman’s business was just taking off, and although it was a pity to let it go at this time, she wasn’t too attached to it. She trusted the Li couple, and besides, if there was business to be done in Tong’an County, why couldn’t it also be done in Beidi?

Bao Si was reluctant. North Vietnam was so far away, and the business in Tong’an would be out of reach. Even if things went smoothly in the first few years, what about the future?

Bergman knew what her sister was worried about, so she used the story of selling shoes in Africa to encourage her though she embellished it a little.

“One day,” she said, “two shoe merchants went to a remote place where almost no one went. They both wanted to start a new business there. After arriving, they eagerly went out to see what was popular and were shocked to find that no one wore shoes. The first merchant thought, ‘What a disaster! No one here wears shoes!’ But the second said, ‘Great! No one here has shoes to wear!’ This story teaches us to think positively and look for the good in every situation.”

“Where did you even hear that story?” Bao Si asked. She felt her little sister was so different now mature enough to tell such stories to inspire others.

“Didn’t you always scold me for being lazy and not doing my work properly?” Bergman smiled. “Besides, if our business grows bigger in the future, we can’t personally manage every shop. We should take this chance to train good managers it’s a long-term plan.”

Bao Si sighed and tugged playfully at Bergman’s hair. “It feels like my little sister suddenly grew up. I hardly recognize you.”

As for the corset-making techniques, Bergman didn’t keep them secret—she taught everything to Chen and promised to send new design drafts every month.

Meanwhile, Bao Zhengtao was busy handing over duties to the newly appointed county magistrate. The people of Tong’an County also heard the news of his transfer. Out of reluctance, people from nearby towns and villages came to visit him almost every day.

Moving was no small task. There were countless little things to deal with, and most of them fell on Madam Ba, with Bao Si helping out. The servants moved what needed moving, gave away what needed giving, and packed every box carefully, so the process went smoothly.

Besides the Ba family, the only servant who accompanied the Bao sisters was the eldest maid from their mother’s dowry. The rest of the servants were hired from Tong’an County.

After all, they were going far away to North Vietnam a distant and desolate land—and no one wanted to leave their hometown. That was understandable.

On the day of departure, seven or eight carriages set out north. As they traveled, their light summer clothes were replaced by thicker ones, then two layers of silk and linen jackets, and finally cloaks and hand warmers. The road was rough; they stopped and went, and after nearly half a winter’s journey, they finally arrived safely in Pian Prefecture, North Vietnam.

The city walls of Pian Prefecture were solidly built over ten meters high, made of huge stones and green bricks, with bright flags fluttering on the gates and towers.

As they entered the city gate, they saw a long, wide street paved with pebbles half-buried in snow. Everything else was blanketed in white.

Houses in the north were simple. No matter how big, they were built around courtyards, and by distinguishing east, south, west, and north, one could easily tell where the main courtyard and the main house were.

Bao Zhengtao’s assigned residence was in the backyard of the prefect’s office. The black-lacquered doors opened to a spacious three-section courtyard—through the hall, retreat, and rear quarters, with a small garden now frozen over, turning into a quiet gray scene. Pine trees stood tall at the corners, their crowns sheltering the snowy paths.

Servants, bundled in thick clothing and clogs, some even holding oiled paper umbrellas, welcomed the Bao family into the house, where braziers already burned warmly.

After chatting with his deputy, Bao Zhengtao went to inspect the front yamen, leaving the household affairs to Madam Ba.

Without needing instructions, the maids and servants quickly unpacked the boxes they had brought. Bergman and her sister, with their maids, each chose a courtyard and began settling in.

Meanwhile, in the Prince’s Mansion, things were different. The rules there were strict, and the maids in the Chaoyang Courtyard all kept their heads down, standing quietly in the corners. Everywhere were tall cloisonné braziers glowing warmly.

Old Jiu saw that Prince Du Yu was finally done with official documents and quickly ordered tea to be served. “Your Highness, please rest a bit. You’ve been busy for so long.”

Du Yu had been in his fief for several months now long enough to see things clearly.

North Vietnam was a cold and barren land, and its poverty wasn’t an exaggeration. Beyond that, taxes barely covered expenses, and the arrears in stipends left even the royal household short of daily necessities.

But Du Yu had been mentally prepared. He wasn’t a favored prince, and North Vietnam wasn’t a rich fief. Those corrupt old officials in the Royal Household Department who looked down on him had probably taken this chance to push him further aside.

So, he decided to change things. He promoted high-yield crops that suited the climate—potatoes, sweet potatoes, sorghum, corn, and even hardy tea plants. He encouraged trade, sending out merchants to sell local goods and bring in supplies from elsewhere.

Only a few months had passed, so the results weren’t visible yet, but Du Yu was confident. Over time, North Vietnam would change under his rule.

The future was full of challenges, but he had lived through worse.

As a child, sickly and without parents, he had survived years of neglect and hardship in the cold palace. He often went without his monthly allowance, receiving only some fabric or tea as charity. But he had his pride and his pride refused to bow.

During his years of illness, he devoured books endlessly. The royal library, vast and unmatched, became his refuge. The title of Fifth Prince still gave him access to scholars and tutors, and he read everything he could.

In twenty years, he had read all the classics. He couldn’t remember faces, but he never forgot a book. Because of his sickness, he even studied medicine and martial arts.

Those who expected him to be weak were disappointed. Secretly, he built up his own business network, and though it was risky, he managed to earn enough to live well.

Now, away from the palace and those who disgusted him, nothing could truly trouble him anymore.

He took a sip of his tea.

“Your Highness,” said Lao Jiu, “why not visit the princess’s Cuifen Courtyard? I heard she’s cultivated a new kind of peony in her greenhouse—the petals are as big as a face. Quite rare, I hear.”

But Du Yu didn’t react.

Lao Jiu sighed inwardly. His Highness wouldn’t even pretend to care.

Ever since the wedding, the couple had quarreled on the first night, and from then on, they had lived coldly apart. Du Yu often left without a word.

It wasn’t an uncommon kind of marriage arranged by parents, lived out without love. Most people just endured, raised children, and went through life that way.

But His Highness was proud he saw no reason to tolerate a woman who never showed him respect, even if she was a princess.

So their relationship grew more and more distant. Or perhaps, it had never been close at all.

After arriving in North Vietnam, Du Yu didn’t even visit her courtyard. He ate, slept, and worked entirely in the Chaoyang Courtyard. With his busy schedule, even Lao Jiu didn’t dare to bring up the princess’s affairs often.

But now, since there was an opening, he tried. And immediately hit a wall.

“Then perhaps,” Lao Jiu said quickly, “this old servant can tell Your Highness something to lighten your mood?”

Du Yu didn’t reply. He just closed his eyes, resting on his brocade chair, his long lashes casting faint shadows over his handsome features.

“The old servant heard that Bao Zhengtao has taken over as Prefect of Pianzhou, and his whole family has come with him.”

“Bao?”

Seeing his master respond, Lao Jiu spoke eagerly. “Didn’t Your Highness ask Yun Ronglu to reward him with something? Yun Ronglu, thinking he was being clever, sent the man to North Vietnam to serve under you.”

“Bring him to see me.”

Du Yu remembered now. And with that memory came the image of a woman—beautiful, though not the most beautiful he’d ever seen, yet with something about her that drew all attention. It was as if she carried her own light, brightening even the dimmest room. Her eyes, especially shining like they held the stars.

He had thought he’d forgotten her. But the mention of that name brought her slender figure instantly to mind.

“I heard,” Lao Jiu continued, “that when this prefect left Tong’an County, the people lined the roads for miles to see him off. Rarely have I seen such love for an official.”

Lao Jiu, who had served in the palace for over thirty years, didn’t praise people lightly.

Du Yu’s lips curved faintly. “And what benefit did he give you?”

“Your Highness wrongs this old servant,” Lao Jiu chuckled. “I only remembered that Miss Bao once saved Aunt Xuan’s life. When I heard the name again, it came to mind.”

The mansion was divided into two domains: external affairs, managed by Lao Jiu and the chief steward, and internal affairs, handled by another eunuch and the head matron.

Strictly speaking, Miss Bao had saved His Highness’s life as well; Aunt Xuan had merely been a part of it.

“His Majesty grows older and dimmer by the year,” Du Yu murmured. “The court is a mess, yet there are still a few with conscience who truly serve the people. To find someone like that is rare.”

It was rare, indeed, for him to say so much and rarer still for him to praise anyone.

The master can complain unpleasantly based on the conflict between father and son, how can he say anything as a servant, so naturally he quickly changed the topic.

Du Yu held his cheek and looked at the cloud dragon pattern on the pillar with his eyes like ink jade. “She saved the lives of this king and Aunt Xuan, and only gave her father the position of prefect, and the girl had no benefits, she seemed to be at a loss.”

“It is her blessing to be able to save His Highness.” This is pure dog legs.

Du Yu glanced at Lao Jiu, this person, even if he said that the sun would come out in the west, he would nod his head and say yes. “Why don’t you think about what to give her for this king?”

Reward, Lao Jiu’s head became hot, “Your Highness’s position as a concubine is still hanging in vain.”

Du Yu even took a glance back, his eyes were really closed this time, and Quan Dang’s words were like a fart.

Lao Jiu is in a hurry!

He is a eunuch, destined to have no offspring in his life, His Highness was brought up by him, no different from his children, but His Highness is over twenty years old, many men of his age, the house has long been full of the laughter of little dolls, His Highness and the concubine have a bad relationship between husband and wife, they have been married for more than two years, let alone have a night in the same room, and even the time they talk has never exceeded a stick of incense, how can they give birth to a child?

If you can’t even have children, no matter how capable or beautiful this woman is, it is useless for the royal family to have it.

What’s more, His Highness doesn’t even want to be beaten by the princess, his old man wants to hug a soft baby, a baby who will giggle, this hope is destined to be disappointed.

Since the road of the concubine is not passable, and the several concubines around the concubine also have the appearance of sinking fish and falling geese, usually wishing that His Highness could give them a glance, and the gaze of a bear was as fierce as a blazing flame, but His Highness really asked them, and he was so frightened that he was no different from a quail.

His Highness was in Chaoyang Courtyard all day long, either dealing with official business, or taking the chief historian to see all over the country.

“It’s good not to invite Miss Bao to come to the house to play in the name of Aunt Xuan.”

At least that girl was not like the few in the house, she was scared and shocked when she saw His Highness, these people only saw His Highness’s appearance, but they couldn’t see his heart.

The most important point is that His Highness seems to have an impression of this Bao girl.

This is a unique thing, even the princess and His Highness took two years to roughly remember her silhouette, so this Bao Er girl must be very, very special.

Du Yu didn’t know Lao Jiu’s thoughts, he also had a little understanding of his mentality of wanting to stuff women beside him, and he suddenly wanted to play a trick on this old man who looked like his father and mother. “On a cold day, the snow outside is higher than people, she can’t even see anyone in the snow, and the house is even more boring, what is there to play with?”

“Your Highness grew up in the palace and didn’t think there was anything wrong with nature, but like those little girls, 80% of them had never seen such a magnificent palaceOrdinary people can get it.”

“You can deal with it.” He also had some expectations for seeing the woman who seemed to have been reborn like him again.

It has been nearly a month since I moved to Pianzhou City, and although the weather is so cold that it drips into ice, every household has a brazier and an earth dragon, as long as they stay in the nest and don’t go out, it’s not a bad thing.

When the Bao family was wrapped in three layers on the left and three layers on the right, the servants hired by the house only wore two thick jackets, clogs and thick socks on the soles of their feet, and they did whatever they had to do, without any reluctance.

When the weather clears, the children who can’t keep it in the cage come out of the cage, building snowmen, snowball fights, playing ice hockey, and some drag homemade climbing plows, also known as ice beds, and take the older children to play in the moat.

Such ice play can be seen everywhere here.

After seeing the skates here, Bergman asked the craftsman to give her a pair of skates that were changed from iron bars to skates, which were closer to modern skates, and then Bao Si and the maids took them to the moat.

The moat is ice thick, and many girls and boys are sitting on the ice bed, flying down from a high place like a shuttle.

This time Bao Si asked Bao Si to encourage her to go out, at first she was a little unaccustomed to it, but looking at so many boys and girls of her age playing without any grudges, she put down the young lady’s shelf, and let Bergman take her hands and slide slowly on the ice.

Bergman has never been a stingy master, she improved the ancient skates, tried to do it, the girls wanted it, and naturally they also played a pair of skates according to their foot shape.

Some people looked at their novel skates, and saw that they were new faces, two of them had fairy-like faces, pink makeup, beautiful like mortals, and extraordinary clothes, everyone was curious, but no one dared to come forward and ask.

After coming to Pianzhou, she appreciated the customs and customs here, and slowly put away her cautious temperament.

At first, Bao Si kept muttering, “Don’t let go secretly, if you let go, I will definitely not forgive you.” If she falls on the ice, she will definitely be embarrassed, and if she does, she will never come out to meet anyone.

Bergman smiled proudly, her sister, who is usually calm, rarely sees mood swings on her face, but now it is much cuter in line with her age.

Just looking at Bao Si, why did she think of a certain pale and handsome face that made people angry?

Bergman remembered that when she first learned to ride a bicycle, she was afraid that the person who helped her would let go, but after riding a long distance, she looked back and saw that the person who helped her was far, far away from her, and was giggling at her, it turned out that she had learned to ride a bicycle before she knew it.

“Am I this kind of person?” She replied to Bao Si. Of course, she will let go later.

This is how hens bring chicks.

Who knew that Bao Si was learning quickly, and she didn’t need her hen to steal food, so she had already pulled away her hand and slipped around quickly.

Forget it, the heroic female is useless, just play by yourself.

She put her skates on her feet like flying, even if she was wearing some bulky clothes, her body was brisk, and the wind stung slightly on her face, but the feeling of flying in the wind was very refreshing.

However, there is a saying that joy turns into sadness, because it is easy to take it lightly if you believe in your own skills too much.

A group of people laughed, and no one wanted to help her.

Isn’t there no sympathy, will there be fewer people who fall into dogs and eat sh1t on the moat? What’s more, everyone is dressed as thick as a mixture, so it is impossible to really fall and hurt anywhere.

If you fall, you can stand up by yourself.

Unexpectedly, Bergman’s fallen to the sky unfortunately caught the eyes of someone above the battlements.

Lao Jiu’s white eyebrows raised high, and the corners of his mouth twitched suspiciously. “Yo, isn’t this the girl from the Bao Prefect’s family? Squirt, this fall hurts. Hey, she didn’t cry, but her grinning was really funny……”

Du Yu was dressed in a fox fur cloak, wearing a black fox skin inlaid white jade warm hat, standing like a ghost, feeling that the snow particles falling from the sky had to avoid three feet beside him before he dared to fall to the ground, which showed the power of the air conditioning.

“What is under her feet?” Zhaojun’s hat and cloak and snow boots were wrapped like a ball, and she could only vaguely see her palm-sized face from a distance.

Lao Jiu was worthy of being a roundworm in Du Yu’s stomach, a wink, and the little eunuch who followed him had already gone down the city ladder, and came back in a moment, and quickly said something in Lao Jiu’s ear.

“Your Highness, I heard that thing is called ice skates, compared to iron bar skates, it is as fast as a bird with wings flying, and it is said that that thing was invented by Miss Bao Er and asked the craftsmen to toss it for her for several days.”

“How did you arrange her entry into the house?” Only? I mentioned this matter coldly.

“The post has been sent to Bao Mansion.”

Du Yu glanced at Bergman, who had already gotten up and was talking to an ordinary-looking girl, and heard the two of them saying something ridiculous, and the laughter of the silver bell came over.

Why could she smile like this?

He can’t.

From the moment he was born, he didn’t know what laughter was, he only felt old, and he didn’t know what it was like to laugh heartily.

If this girl is a reborn person like him, it means that she has also suffered a death disaster, right? Like he was assassinated, what about her? Why could she still laugh at the fact that there were so many mysteries in her that he wanted to dig out.

If she enters the house, he will definitely ask.

Sister Bao, who returned home happily, asked the maids to take off their heavy cloaks and big coats, and entered the main hall of the Ba director with a red face.

“As soon as my sister heard that the prince’s palace had posted a post to our family, she pulled me over to see what was going on.” Bao Si, whose face was rosy and her complexion was obviously a step higher, was more angry in her words, which was very tempting.

Paz took out the foil stamping post sandwiched under the ledger. “It is said that it is a snow viewing party for the concubines in the palace, and all officials and female relatives are invited to the palace to enjoy the snow.”

Ba Shi read the post several times, generally speaking, the royal family holds this kind of party, the female family is mostly invited by the woman, and the man naturally comes forward…… RespectfulA post that was only given on Wang’s face?

The relationship between the second girl and the fifth prince, she heard her husband gently bring it, and after the matter passed, she also put this matter behind.

Are royal people so kind? Or is it a means to win over the husband?

In short, it shouldn’t be a bad thing.

“Sister, do you think we should go?” Bao Si took the post and pondered.

“Dad works under Prince Gong, no matter what kind of invitation, we always have to go see it to find out.” Only then did I know what kind of medicine was sold in the gourd.

The stepdaughters participated in the snow viewing party organized by the heavyweights for the first time, and Ba Shi was more anxious than the two girls, so he put down the things at hand and put together new clothes for them to attend the meeting.

The two stepdaughters going out are the face of the Bao family and the face of the husband. She is not stingy in spending money, there is a saying that having money can make ghosts grind, as long as she has money in her hands, otherwise no one will do things for her. At her request, the tailor and embroiderer rushed out two new sets of clothes as scheduled.

Bao Si is a big red satin jacket, a blue and white silk shawl, a one-foot-wide seahorse tide cloud parchment gold edge skirt, and wears a pearl exquisite tendril red gold hairpin and a few dotted emerald pearl flowers and a sleeping rabbit on her head: Bao Man wears a small begonia jacket with cloud fei makeup and flower satin, a white silk vertical collar, a large buckle of golden bees chasing chrysanthemums, and a sapphire pendant and bead hoop on her head.

The two sisters are dressed up carefully, and the more Pa Shi looks at it, the more proud he becomes, this money is really worth it!

According to the date on the post, the sisters took a carriage sent from the palace to the palace.

Bergman couldn’t help but say that the carriage in this palace is wide and comfortable, and it is no problem for a few people to lie down or lie down, and there are tea sets, pastries, books, chessboards, and all kinds of things to pass the time, and they are not afraid of boredom at all.

The carriage arrived at the prince’s mansion, the gate of the five wide rooms, two big jade lions squatted in front of the door, the carriage drove straight in from the side door, and drove for a while before reaching the place where to get off.

The female official was already waiting and led the two of them straight to the middle road.

Although it was a snowy day, the corridors and environment were cleaned, and the servants wearing thick coats saw them, although they did not salute, but they tied their hands, lowered their eyelashes, and stood in the corner.

The rules of this palace are very good, which shows that Prince Gong has a set of rules under his control.

Since ancient times, the royal family has not planted trees except for specific gardens, in order not to give any assassins and killers a place to hide, and the same is true for Prince Gong’s mansion.

The most important buildings on the middle road are Chaoyang Courtyard and Changle Courtyard, and the roof of the hall is made of green glazed tiles, which shows majesty and style, and is also a reflection of identity.

Du Yu met the Bao sisters in Chaoyang Courtyard, and the two sisters knelt down and shouted three times.

The so-called Tencel is woven from Hangzhou silk mixed with Tencel silk, and a piece of cloth is said to be able to buy 100 acres of fertile land.

After the two sisters performed the kneeling salute without any mistakes, he started speaking, and his voice was as cold as ever.

Bao Si raised her delicate little face slightly, but was frightened by Du Yuqing’s pale face, her face turned pale, yellow and purple again, bit her lip tightly, and hid her trembling hand in her sleeve.

After she gave Du Yu a big salute, she handed a playful smile to Lao Jiu who was standing next to Du Yu.

Seeing an acquaintance say hello, this shouldn’t be out of order, right?

The two sisters stood together, if you really want to distinguish between the upper and lower, Bao Si’s appearance is definitely worthy of the four words of elegance and peerlessness, but Du Yu’s eyes only saw Bergman’s slap face, a pair of weeping eyes, a healthy and rosy complexion, beautiful and green, intertwining a charm that people can’t take their eyes off of.

As for her sister, it’s okay if she doesn’t look at it, why bother to look at a gloomy female version that is seven points similar to herself, he has no shortage of Western mirrors, and there is no need to compare them.

“Your Highness, speak, just say something.” Seeing that it was cold, Lao Jiu felt that if he didn’t mention his master who didn’t like to talk, he would lose his good intention to call someone else’s little girl to the house.