Third brother, I can get a promise from you before the wedding, my voice is filled with unspeakable sadness. "Although he is twenty years older than me and is a remarriage, after all, it's a proper marriage... In the future, my children won't have to be humble like me..." Third brother, this is the last time I see you, you must take good care of yourself." She said, hugging the man in front of her who was standing still. "Third brother, you are kind and sincere, but the person by your side really makes me worried."

  Li Qiming stared blankly at her: "You, you're getting married? Is, is who?"

  Feng Wanqing sighed softly: "Third brother, it's just a proposal for now... My affairs are easy to discuss, what I'm most worried about is you!"

  Liáng Jìmǐn seemed to have heard clearly what Féng ànqīng was saying only at this time.

  "There was deep pain in his eyes: 'You, who are you going to marry?'"

  Feng Wanqing's eyes didn't turn red as she said, "Third Brother, don't be like this. If you're like this, I'll worry about you even more?"

  Liang Jimin's expression was somewhat agitated: "Worry about me? You're worried about me?"

  Feng Wanqing lightly bit her red lips and said in a low voice: "Third brother... you, you have to be careful of Third Sister-in-law..."

  Liáng Jìmǐn was shocked.

  Feng Wanqing smiled bitterly: "Everyone must be discussing it in private, saying that I pushed her into the water, right?"

  "No. No one said that." Liang replied with a somewhat guilty conscience.

  Feng Wanqing smiled self-deprecatingly: "Not only that, but also in front of the elderly lady and aunt, they will definitely defend me?"

  Liáng Jì didn't answer, but his eyes had already revealed confusion.

  Feng Wanqing was already tearfully saying: "If it were me, what good would I get from doing this? Let others discover our relationship? Or foolishly think that without Shen Muqing, I could marry you... No. None of that. I never thought that way, with a single heart and mind only for your well-being. As long as you're doing well, it doesn't matter to me how I am. Why would I do something like this?"

  Li Qiming's face was full of doubt: "But... but why did she want to..." He didn't finish his sentence. His whole body shook. "Could it be... could it be that she's pregnant with your child?"

  Feng Wanqing's eyes flashed with a hint of shock and her face also showed a few points of tension: "Third brother, what do you remember?"

  Li Jiemin furrowed his brow: "You once embroidered a set of sleeve cuffs for me, I liked them so much that I couldn't bear to use them, and often took them out to play with after reading." As he spoke, his eyebrows gradually relaxed, and the gaze he fixed on Feng Wanqing also became tender. But this expression only lasted for a moment before his eyebrows were tightly locked together again, "But once, she actually secretly searched my study and even took away that sleeve cuff..."

  "Feng Wanqing exclaimed, 'Ah!' and said, 'I didn't expect that she, who claims to be a renowned lady, would actually do something so despicable.'"

  "Does she think of herself as a talented lady from a prestigious family?" Liang Jitian was taken aback. "When did she ever say that?"

  Feng Wanqing's face showed embarrassment, and he said, "Third Brother, don't ask anymore."

  Li Qiyue's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance, and indeed didn't ask again.

  "Could it be that's why she suspects me..." Feng Wanqing said, tears streaming down her face. "Third Brother, look at this person, how vicious! She suspects and yet must make a big show of it for everyone to know. What good does it do for her? Husband and wife are one body, where does that put Third Brother?" By the end, her voice was stern and severe.

  Liang Jimin lowered his head, full of guilt: "Fifth sister, it's all my fault."

  "I've dragged you into this..."

  "Third brother, I'm fine, others don't look at me with a straight eye, no matter how much dirty water they pour on me, I'll admit it." Feng Wanqing's eyes were brimming with tears. "But third brother, you're different, you're the new jinshi, and soon you'll be taking the huishi exam again. If something scandalous gets out at this time, your future will be completely ruined..."

  Liang Jimin's mouth slightly opened, just about to say something, when Feng Wanqing preempted: "We grew up together, and no one knows San Ge's character and aspirations better than me. Far from the brothers' disputes, reading books, fishing, appreciating the moon, planting flowers, and traveling with like-minded scholars - this is what San Ge wants, this is what San Ge desires. But San Ge is also extremely filial, and cannot bear to go against his aunt's wishes, so he reluctantly participated in the imperial examination, and reluctantly took it to today's step."

  Liang Jimin's eyes shone brightly as he tightly grasped Feng Anqing's hand: "In this world, only Fifth Sister understands my heart."

  Upon hearing this, Shen Muqing gently shook his head and turned around to leave Xinzhu Courtyard.

  ******

  The next morning, Shen Muqing had Liu Chun carry a food box to Cong Lüting.

  Liang Jimin had just gotten out of bed, and Cengxin was helping him get dressed.

  Shen Muqing was waiting in the main hall.

  It wasn't until a while later that Liang Jimin walked out with a radiant complexion.

  He smiled and asked Shen Muqing, "Why did you come so early?"

  Shen Mu Qing gazed at Liang Ji Min's gentle and elegant face, thinking to himself that he must have seen a ghost yesterday. But then he thought about how this was their first encounter after falling into the water, and yet Liang didn't ask about his physical condition - this was enough proof that what he saw yesterday wasn't a ghost!

  She sneered to herself and pointed to a dish of scallion and egg stir-fry on the table in the main room: "Fresh scallions, specially sent over for you to try."

  Li Qiming glanced lightly at the dishes on the table and smiled faintly: "In the future, let the servants by your side do such things, you are a thousand gold girls, don't humiliate yourself."

  Shen Mu's mouth slightly curved upwards and he smiled lightly.

  "What the husband said is"

  "Actually, I have come to discuss something with you, sir."

  Liáng Jìmǐn was quite surprised.

  Shen Muqing smiled and said, "Yesterday when my grandmother came to see me, she asked if it was true that my fifth aunt had pushed me into the water. I sensed there was more to this, so I carefully asked her about it. It turned out that Yu Hui had misunderstood a quarrel between me and my fifth aunt..." She told Liang Jimin about her conversation with Taifu, ending with a smile, "Originally, grandmother had already made up her mind on this matter, and as younger generations, we shouldn't go against her wishes. But I thought, if we really sent Fifth Aunt back like that, wouldn't she be wrongly accused? So today, I want to go with you to pay respects to grandmother and beg for mercy on behalf of Fifth Aunt. Let her stay at home a few more days, and it won't be too late when the agreed-upon day arrives."

  Liáng Jìmǐn couldn't hide the surprise on his face and slowly said, "You're saying that you want to go beg Grandma to let Fifth Sister stay."

  She smiled and nodded: "She has been close to you since childhood, this time falling into the water was indeed an accident, how can she be treated like this because of a momentary mistake. You are her brother, I am her sister-in-law, we should go help her explain to her grandmother."

  She saw a few parts of confusion in Shen Muqing's clear eyes.

  "Ah!" Shen Muqing let out a soft sigh, "I didn't expect that Wu's personality would be so sensitive. At the time, she was emotional about her life and said she was like a wild rose or a peony."

  I didn't mean to, I just casually replied 'I think your sister looks like the white jasmine on that tree...' She said, eyeing Liang Jieming's expression. Liang Jieming nodded slightly. Shen Muqing smiled faintly and continued: "Who knew Fifth Sister would start crying? Hui is such a straightforward person, which led to this misunderstanding..." As Liang Jieming listened, his expression gradually relaxed, and his face looked softer than before. "It's all my fault!" Shen Muqing said with a guilty conscience, "I didn't fulfill my responsibilities as an elder sister-in-law..."

  "Never mind," said Liang Jimei with a smile, "it was just a misunderstanding, and now that it's cleared up, everything is fine."

  "Sir doesn't blame me, that's all!" she said with a charming smile, patting her own chest. "I didn't sleep well at all last night!"

  Liang Jimin was taken aback, and Shen Muqing had already smiled and handed him a handkerchief-wrapped zongzi: "Sir, please have your early lunch - we can also go to Grandma's place earlier. Otherwise, Grandma's words might reach the ears of Fifth Sister-in-law, and she'll be heartbroken."

  Liang Ji took over the chopsticks from Shen Muqing's hand and smiled at her with a warm smile.

  ******

  Madam Tai saw Shen Muqing plead for Feng Wanqing, so she calmly glanced at Liang Jieming and let everyone in the house retreat without a word, leaving only Shen Muqing to speak.

  Shen Muqing didn't wait for Madame Tai to speak up, smiling as she said: "Grandmother shouldn't be angry, this was indeed my own suggestion."

  The old lady was stunned.

  "Master is about to take the imperial examination, everything should be prioritized for the greater good. Moreover, Master and Fifth Sister are mutually in love, as his wife, I should proactively help him arrange things. However, firstly, Master has never mentioned this matter to me before, so I didn't know. Secondly, our marriage is still new, and Master taking a concubine so early may lead to gossip from people with ulterior motives. Thirdly, Fifth Sister is a relative on my mother's side, proposing her as a concubine for Master might make Mother feel humiliated and have some other thoughts..."

  She hadn't finished speaking when the old lady had already pulled her into a hug: "My child, you are truly virtuous and gentle." As she spoke, she sighed again, saying, "It's really because your mother-in-law is unreasonable. Last night in the middle of the night, she came to my room crying, without thinking about how much injustice you've suffered!" After speaking, she called Liang Jiming over and told him everything Shen Muqing had said, then said: "Still not quickly kneeling down to apologize to your wife?"

  Liáng Jìmǐn was stunned, until the old lady scolded him to kneel down. He then reacted and a few happy expressions floated onto his face. He quickly knelt at the feet of Shěn Mùqīng: "Thank you, young mistress, for your help!"

  Shen Mu Qing avoided Liang Ji Min's kneeling and said with a hint of complaint: "You and I are originally one body, husband. Whatever the matter is, you must not hide it from me again. If there's another time, I'll wash my hands of it."

  Liáng Jìmǐn's face turned slightly red, and he surprisingly gave Shěn Mùqīng a deep bow.

  The old lady looked at them with a smile and said, "A young couple should be like this, harmonious and loving."

  The two stood side by side, the man as elegant as a jade tree in the wind, the woman as beautiful as a flower. The old lady looked at them more and more fondly, and couldn't help but gently tap Liang Jiamin's head: "You lucky boy, there's no one with better luck than you! Why don't you go back to Long Green Hall and study hard, preparing for the Imperial Examination? You can't disappoint your father-in-law's expectations of you!"

  Liang Jimin smiled and backed away - before leaving the door, he still looked at Shen Muqing with gratitude.

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and watched as Liang Ji Min's figure disappeared, then turned to Tai Fu Ren and said: "Grandmother, shouldn't we invite Mother over and ask her what she means?"

  Old Lady Tai was taken aback, her face sinking as she said: "Letting Feng Wu marry our family's Ji Min is already a humiliation for her - if it weren't for Ji Min doing something so foolish, even if you came to me personally, I still wouldn't agree. The reason I'm doing this is entirely to preserve the dignity of the Feng family."

  Every night after 10pm there is electricity, and it stops at 7am... I surrender! ~~o(_