The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 973 - 219: Valuing Pei Qin_3

Chapter 973: Chapter 219: Valuing Pei Qin_3

Seeing how well she understood, Mo Heng nodded.

Emperor Chu Wen was reminding Mo Heng that matters of progeny were at stake; as sovereign, he could not forcibly intervene, but he valued Pei Qin and would continue to value the children she bore, Jiujiu and Xixi.

Outside, Xiao Yong popped his head in, "Sister Qin! I want to come join you guys for a meal!"

Pei Qin beckoned him in, "I was just wondering why you scampered off so quickly yesterday?"

Xiao Yong approached with a smile and sat next to her, "For my safety, my father temporarily arranged for me to stay with Sister Qin. Besides, I want to participate in the Imperial Examination. I’ll try my best to achieve the title of top scholar and bring honor to Sister Qin’s name!"

"The radishes that come from the Royal Family grow cunning with age!" Pei Qin gave him a sidelong glance.

Xiao Yong chuckled, "I just have one trick up my sleeve, from top to bottom!"

"Little nitwit Radish!" Pei Qin exclaimed.

Xiao Yong’s mouth twitched.

"Grow any longer and you’ll be a big flirtatious Radish." Pei Qin added.

"Sister Qin! I am devoted, I won’t be fickle-hearted!" Xiao Yong protested with a woeful look.

"Hmm! As if anyone would believe that!" Pei Qin nodded.

Seeing Xiao Yong’s face as if he was being wronged, Pei Qin laughed and called for dinner to be served.

Xiao Yong got up to wash his hands, asking Jiujiu and Xixi to sit beside him, and started serving food to both of them.

In the front courtyard, only Pei Wendong was left; he ended up eating with the siblings Xie Yi and Xie Ze.

With her cheeks blushing slightly, Xie Yi served him some food, asking, "Who were the visitors yesterday? They doted on Jiujiu and Xixi as if they were their own granddaughters, were they from the Mo family?"

"No, they weren’t," Pei Wendong responded with a brief reply, not saying anything more.

Seeing Xie Yi’s puzzled expression, he also reminded Xie Ze, "Just focus on your studies, study well, and you will have a bright future ahead!"

Xie Yi felt somewhat disappointed that he wasn’t more open with her and turned to instruct Xie Ze as well, "Study hard, heed Brother Wendong’s advice!"

"I am studying hard!" But that teacher, knowing he didn’t come from a powerful aristocratic family, treated him with cold indifference.

After mid-February, the weather slowly warmed up, getting increasingly warmer day by day. Pei Qin’s injuries were almost fully healed, though she still felt a chill easily. Mo Heng only dared to let her go out to bask in the sun during the warmest part of the afternoon.

Xie Yi, realizing that Mo Heng always prioritized Pei Qin in everything, shifted her focus to Pei Qin as well, joining her for conversations and needlework, cooking soups, and preparing snacks for Jiujiu and Xixi.

Mo Heng only watched Jiujiu and Xixi eat Xie Yi’s cooking once, casting a cold glance at Zhang Gengshan.

Zhang Gengshan shrank his neck and immediately went to the kitchen, "Ms. Xie is of noble birth, how can we let her cook!?"

When Xie Ze learned of this, he also chastised Xie Yi, "Sister! You are not their servant, why do you cook and make things for them!?"

"We are currently living in their house," Xie Yi patted his head gently. She wanted to integrate, to have Mo Heng and Pei Qin see them as part of the family, so she tried to show goodwill in small ways.

But the kitchen had received its instructions, and they never again allowed her to cook.

Huang Qiu and Xue Dong, along with the wet nurse, took over all the sewing work.

Xie Yi, who was perceptive, quickly sensed the servants’ disrespect and contempt beyond the lack of formal courtesy, and she cried in secret. Rushing to finish, she embroidered a Zhaojun’s hat to present to Pei Qin, hoping she would wear it.

The last thing Pei Qin liked was wearing fluffy furs that made her look like a middle-aged matron; she had Huang Qiu put it away without even trying it on her head.

"If Madam doesn’t like it, I can embroider a forehead ornament for you!" Xie Yi was eager to please her now.

Pei Qin laughed heartily, "There’s no need, no need! Ms. Xie might as well embroider it for herself to wear!" The ridiculous idea of adorning oneself so heavily, who wouldn’t mind their head being weighed down!

Afterwards, when Pei Wendong saw her, he asked what was wrong, and she asked anxiously, "What does the lady usually like? I embroidered a Zhaojun’s hat for her, and she...didn’t seem to like it very much."

"My elder sister doesn’t wear those kinds of things normally; you don’t need to make them and send them," Pei Wendong said with a smile.

Xie Yi bit her lip, her eyes watery like autumn waters as she gazed at him.

Pei Wendong felt moved and was about to comfort her.

Just then, news arrived that Fang Liuming and Pei Qian had come.

Pei Wendong’s expression changed instantly, and without the heart to comfort Xie Yi any longer, he hurried to let Pei Qin know and went out to greet them, "Third sister, brother-in-law! What brings you back so suddenly?"

Fang Liuming had been developing Baoning County for two years, particularly the terraced fields he had renovated, which had earned the praise and attention of senior officials, prompting other counties to follow suit.

Pei Qian’s face was grim, her eyes fierce, "Your brother-in-law has lost his position, and if we didn’t come back soon, we might have lost the baby too!"

"What happened?" Xiao Yong hurried over.

Pei Qian, remembering the incident, wished she could tear Fang Li and Yang Yulan to pieces!