The General's Delicious Wife Chapter 024: Visitation in the city
The fact that Xue Zhuang can feel something with his legs has made the few of them elated and motivated.
Qin Zheng throws away his over thinking from earlier. It is something that has yet to form any shadow, so worrying about it now is useless.
While the medicinal herbs are being packed, Xia Yue Chu takes the opportunity to buy several common herbs from Doctor Tang.
Xue Liang Ping sees that it is already nearing noon time, out of his overflowing joy he spontaneously decides. "It is still early today, let us go to your eldest younger sister's house for lunch. We will go back after buying all the stuff in the afternoon."
Xia Yue Chu knows that the Xue family eldest daughter Xue Ping is married into the city. But they have never met, so she cannot tell what kind of temperament she has. Hearing Xue Liang Ping's arrangement, she intuitively believes that it is not appropriate.
"Father, we did not notify in advance, going to their house so abruptly, big younger sister surely will be unprepared around the house. How about we forget it, find a place and eat simply is good enough."
"No problem, we can just buy some ingredients and go." Xue Liang Ping drivels his disagreement, he turns to tell Xue Zhuang. "Your big younger sister still doesn't know that you are back, she will definitely be happy to see you."
Xia Yue Chu is speechless towards Xue Liang Ping, it is not that he doesn't know what kind of attitude Madam Sheng and her few children have towards Xue Zhuang, how can he be so naïve to think that Xue Ping will be welcoming to Xue Zhuang.
Xue Zhuang too does not wish to go, but upon seeing the excitement on Xue Liang Ping's face, he does not have the heart to reject. Eventually, he can only nod his head in agreement.
Xue Liang Ping goes to the butcher for a strip of meat, buys more than ten chicken eggs, and then bring the few of them to the Feng's house.
At that time, Xue Ping is famous in the village for her beauty, from the age of thirteen or fourteen, the matchmakers have stomped on the Xue family's doorstep to the point of damaging it.
The Feng family is not of the best amongst all with their family status and conditions, but Feng Yong Yuan is an intellectual person*. He has an average height, but he looks cultured and polite, which gains Xue Ping's favour, thus their marriage is successfully agreed to.
It is also due to her having a good life, ever since their engagement is confirmed, the Feng family has been smooth sailing in everything they do.
The Feng family's business that is located outside their region has earned some profits, after coming back and arranging the matters of their son's marriage, the entire family has moved into the city.
This event is without a doubt Madam Sheng's biggest pride, that two years when Xue Ping has just been married, she feels that her back has toughen up even as she is simply taking a walk around the village.
.
But when three years has passed since Xue Ping has married over yet having no signs of pregnancy, the two families begin fretting to their wits.
Her mother-in-law Madam Lin has wanted to get a concubine for her son a few times, it is good that Feng Yong Yuan remains faithful and loving towards Xue Ping and pushes everything back.
It is until their fourth year when they have a baby, birthing a chubby grandson for the Feng family without a hitch, then she is able to thoroughly and firmly sit at her position, her days begin to pass increasingly thrivingly.
.
It is also due to Xue Ping marrying high beyond their family status, now Madam Sheng regards Xue Qin's marriage as exceptionally important. Holding back all the pressure and wanting to find another family that is even better.
The Feng family is inside the City South Stone River Alley, the neighbourhood are all residentials. It appears to be a calm and quiet area.
Xue Liang Ping goes up and swats the door, half a beat later, a woman's voice can be heard from the inside.
"Who's that?"
"Da Ping, it is your Father!"Xue Liang Ping recognizes his daughter's voice and replies cheerfully.
"Father, how do you have the time to come into the city…"
A pleasant surprise can be heard in Xue Ping's voice, opening the door and seeing that many people outside, the smile on her face suddenly freezes.
Xue Liang Ping remains oblivious to the end, smiling and saying to his daughter. "Da Ping, quickly look who is this!"
Xue Ping looks towards Xue Zhuang, completely astonish, she is not able to say a word even after a while later.
.
"Cannot recognize him?" Xue Liang Ping laughs out loudly. "This is your brother!"
"Big Brother?" Xue Ping's expressions turns even more strangely, looking at Xue Zhuang suspiciously up and down. She stretches her hand out, pulls Xue Liang Ping to one side and whispers. "Father, are you sure this is? Being gone for so many years, why did he come back so suddenly just like that?"
"You, this child, whatever are you saying! Your father is not yet old and senile, still cannot even recognize his own son?"
Regardless, Xue Ping finds it somewhat hard to believe. But having so many people blocking their door does not appear too good, the passers-by have been directing their strange curious glances towards them.
She forces out a smile. "Look at me, must have been overjoyed into a dazed, it is cold outside, come into the house quickly and continue the chat."
The Feng house is a typical northern style courtyard house. Upon entering and going around the spirit screen, they immediately see a straight and squarish yard.
In the north direction, there is a main building with three bays. The two sides in the east and west wings are the side rooms. In the south direction, there are a few opposite houses, they appear to be a storage for miscellaneous goods.
"My Parents-in-law brought Zhi Jun back to the old ancestor's house for Tomb's Sweeping, we see that after Spring is here, Yong Yuan has to take the preliminary imperial examination, so we did not follow them back this year." As Xue Ping is explaining, she brings them directly to the east wing room where she lives. "Yong Yuan, my father has come."
A man walks out from the east side room, his built is not tall, his skin is pale with no moustache, he wears a long traditional robe and his hair bundled with a long cloth hat. With a single glace anyone can see his image as a scholarly intellect.
"Father-in-law." Feng Yong Yuan comes up and greets Xue Liang Ping, ignoring the other three people straight away.
After finding out that his in-laws are not here, Xue Liang Ping becomes relaxed almost immediately. Not detecting a single bit of his son-in-law's attitude, still eagerly introducing them.
Feng Yong Yuan wrinkles his forehead for a moment undetectably, but still polite in greeting. "Big Brother, Big Sister-in-law, Qin Brother. Didn't know that you have returned, if not it should be us who goes back home for a visitation."
"Father, just come if you are coming, why did you buy so much things!" Xue Ping sees Xia Yue Chu holding the things in her hands, so she instructs her directly. "You put these things in the kitchen opposite here!"
"Coming to the city today so that your brother can see the doctor and we are buying the offering things for Tomb's Sweeping. I was thinking instead of eating outside, we could buy something here to see you and have a meal together."
"Father has not yet eaten?" Xue Ping hears this and instantly turns to Xia Yue Chu, rushing her impatiently. "Didn't I tell you that the kitchen is opposite here, what are you standing here for, still not going quickly to cook."
Xue Zhuang frowns when he hears that. "Yue Chu, give the ingredients and what not to Da Ping, let her do the cooking. You can get me a wet handkerchief to wipe my face, been blown by the wind all morning and was perspiring just now from the acupuncture, it is really uncomfortable."
Xia Yue Chu understands that this is Xue Zhuang helping her out of the trouble, so she follows the flow and stuffs the things to Xue Ping and going to get some water on her own.
Xue Ping has not expected Xue Zhuang will be like this, carrying the meat and the eggs in her hands seems to make her slightly shabby. Her mouth cannot help but speaks out of tartness. "Yo, yet you truly know how to cherish your wife!"
"Whosever wife she is should be cherished by whoever he is, could it be that Yong Yuan does not cherish you?" Xue Zhuang rightfully says. "Anyways, we came to your house, we should at least be considered as guests, there is no justification in commanding a guest to cook."
As he is saying he turns his head towards Feng Yong Yuan, asking him with a smile. "Brother-in-law has studied a lot, what do you say, isn't this the principle?"
Ever since Feng Yong Yuan has moved into the city, to a certain degree he looks down on the people who comes from the village. But now that the question has been thrown above his head, ultimately he is too embarrassed to act dishonourably, so he ends up telling Xue Ping. "It is rare that Father-in-law and Big Brother come for a visit, you can just arrange a few dishes and add a few flasks of wine. I can accompany Father-in-law and Big Brother for a sip or two."
Seeing that her husband has said so, her temper dissipates, and she carries all the things to get her chore done grumpily. Before she leaves, she glares hatefully at Xia Yue Chu.
Xia Yue Chu disregards it completely, she can glare if she wants to glare, what is the big deal, it is not like she will lose a chunk of meat from it.
Feng Yong Yuan's expression seems to suggest how proud he is, turning to Xue Zhuang explaining. "Truly we have let Sister-in-law see our joke, usually we have a hired madam who does all the work, it is not necessary for Da Ping to do these things personally. It is unfortunate that the madam has taken a break to go home, we couldn't find anyone suitable in the meantime, so we can only trouble Da Ping these few days."
.
Translator Notes:
*An intellectual person, here, refers to someone who studies, aims to pass the imperial examination and eventually become a government official, making a living out of it and glorifying the family because of it. It is glorifying because they are people who make a living with their knowledge and wisdom, basically with their brain, in a world where most jobs consist of physical hard labour. For those who cannot pass the imperial examinations, they could also choose to become teachers and open tuition classes. The Author uses the words someone who studies (direct translation of du shu ren).
Translated by Yellow. Sep 2022.