A few days later, Fang Zheng followed the caravan to the capital, and this time he took a large quantity of fabric from Zhongnan. (Please remember our website) According to him, it's just a gamble, if you win, you'll save a lot of silver cost, if you lose, it's just that your profit will be reduced a lot. Bi Lu felt that Fang Zheng was too bold, putting all his bets on this one. However, Jiang Wanru supported Fang Zheng's decision, she thought that since they had grasped the initiative in doing business, they should dare to make a move, without worrying about the consequences, otherwise they would miss the opportunity.

  A few days before his departure, Fang Zheng renovated the courtyard and stocked up food until next spring. After he left, Wen Jiuniang came to Jiang Wenyu and revealed the good news, smiling: "Your father and mother agreed to the conditions you proposed, they just want their children and grandchildren to be happy." Jiang Wenyu nodded in agreement, and the engagement between the two families was settled, but the ceremony would have to wait until Fang Zheng returned to choose a auspicious day to exchange betrothal gifts.

  Jiang Wanting had discussed the marriage with Fang Zheng and Bi Lu that night, and the three of them carefully weighed the pros and cons. Jiang Wanting sighed and said: "I have never been willful for a day since I was young, and when encountering things, I always think about being careful and cautious."

  I wish my children could live a more carefree and happy life than I do. Unfortunately, many women of our generation are not living the life they want." Bi Lu looked at her with a smile and said: "Xiao Lan, our family's Xiao Lan, when she grows up, we don't expect her to have a life of luxury and wealth. So this marriage proposal from the Shang family is actually the best choice, since they grew up together, their feelings for each other are different from others."

  Jiang Wanru was hesitant because she knew this, and she whispered worriedly: "I'm a bit worried that when the two of them grow up, they'll only have a fraternal relationship, what's to be done then?" Bi Lü heard Jiang Wanru's words and smiled slightly, saying: "Xiao Lan, for two people who were betrothed from childhood, there are only good or bad relationships, not fraternal ones. They grew up together like green plums and bamboo horses, their feelings will naturally deepen when they grow up, it's a good match."

  Jiang Wanmu hopes that the feelings of childhood friends between her daughter and Bi Qing can truly become a deep and lasting relationship. If they don't arrange for them to be married, and the two families continue to interact like this, it's possible that the two children will develop feelings for each other in the future, and even if they don't, it would still be better than having their own child marry into another family.

  He nodded and said with a smile, "As Lazy's uncle, I agree to this marriage between Lazy and Shang Ming Shi. The Shang family has a good reputation, and someone from such a family will not neglect his legitimate wife." Jiang Wanru didn't believe in the romantic words of men, thinking they were empty and elusive. She believed more in a man's sense of responsibility towards his family, which was a tangible feeling that women could grasp. In this era, women had limited choices, and choosing a simple and honest husband from a good family was a kind of luck.

  In the south, winter days were still drizzling with rain. When Fang Zheng and his parents arrived, it was just when Bi Lu had an early onset of labor, fortunately, Jiang Wanru had already sent Old Cangtou to invite two midwives who were waiting by Bi Lu's side. Wen Jiuniang took Jiang Feiyang and Jiang Lanyu back to be taken care of by Shang Furen, she herself hurried over to accompany Jiang Wanru in the room with Bi Lu. When sweat dripped down Bi Lu's hair, Jiang Wanru's hands left one purple fingerprint after another on her skin, but Jiang Wanru was still smiling and comforting Bi Lu, saying: "Don't worry, Fang Zheng is already on his way."

  Jiang Wanmu saw the two midwives nodding in agreement, and she smiled, saying: "Biqi, next spring, you and Fang Zheng will be holding a child, take it to show Yiniang, she'll definitely be overjoyed." Biqi's eyes lit up, and Wen Jiuniang handed her a dry cloth to wipe the sweat from her face. Just then, Fang Zheng's voice came from outside, "Biqi, I'm back, I'll come in to keep you company." Jiang Wanmu and Wen Jiuniang both let out a sigh of relief as they heard Biqi's trembling voice say: "Don't come in." The old man's wife also firmly blocked Fang Zheng, who was about to rush in, saying: "Master, this is such an important matter, don't go in and cause trouble."

  When Bi Lu had another contraction, the two midwives finally showed a relaxed smile on their faces. They said to Bi Lu on the delivery bed: "Okay, it's time, we'll tell you when to push, remember to use all your strength." Bi Lu slightly opened her eyes and nodded lightly. When the midwife told them to push, Jiang Wanru and Wen Jiuniang saw that Bi Lu suddenly had spirit, she clenched her teeth tightly, and her two hands simultaneously squeezed Jiang Wanru's two hands fiercely, causing both of them to cry out in pain at the same time.

  When the child let out its first cry, the midwife smiled and said: "Mother and son are safe, it's a boy." The midwife holding the child lifted him up for Bi Lu to see, then walked into the outer room where hot water had been prepared. A radiant and relaxed smile appeared on Bi Lu's face, and the midwife indicated that Jiang Wanru and Wen Jiuniang should leave. As the two were about to walk out, Bi Lu looked at them and said softly: "Thank you." Her eyes searched for Jiang Wanru's hands, and seeing that she had been holding them behind her back, she weakly asked: "Xiao Lan, did I hurt you?" Jiang Wanru smiled and shook his head, saying: "It's nothing, I'll come see you again later."

  Jiang Wanru and Wen Jiuniang walked out of the delivery room, while Fang Zheng could no longer hold back and rushed towards the innermost door. Jiang Wanru thought of the midwife helping Bi Lüqing clean up inside, and just as she was about to stop him, Wen Jiuniang gently pulled her aside and whispered: "Let him take a look at Bi Lüqing's exhausted state." Jiang Wanru and Wen Jiuniang stood outside the room, gazing at the neatly wrapped little baby, watching Fang Zheng's wife staring excitedly at the small red face.

  The two women smiled and exited the outer room. They walked into the courtyard, where Fang Zheng's father was overjoyed, beaming with delight. Seeing Jiang Wanru and Wen Jiuniang exit the room, he rushed over, stopping a few steps away from them, and exclaimed happily: "Miss, thank you! Mother and child are safe, my family has an heir!" Jiang Wanru saw the faint glimmer of tears in his eyes, this honest and kind-hearted man had never been so excited before.

  Wen Jiuniang's eyes suspiciously swept over Jiang Wanyu, looking at the purple fingerprints on her hands behind her back, looking at her slightly disheveled hair, and hearing her say with a smile: "Congratulations, Uncle, you have an heir." Fang Zheng's father turned around in the courtyard twice before rushing to the backyard. Jiang Wanyu and Wen Jiuniang looked at each other as they watched him rush away, and then Jiang Wanyu smiled and said to Wen Jiuniang: "Thank you for being by my side."

  The courtyard has a new life, and there is a young mother who needs to be taken care of. Everyone in the courtyard seems busier than usual. Even Jiang Feiyang and Jiang Lanyan are busier than before, they go to Shang's house every day to see their newborn brother, and when they come back from Shang's house in the evening, they go again to see their little brother. Jiang Wenyu had already hired a woman for Bi Lu to take care of her diet.

  Since the winter solstice, the unrest on the Ning-Chao border had slowly spread to Zhongnan. Shang Dafu hastened to organize his medicinal herb catalog and even compiled a special catalog of herbs for treating knife wounds. Jiang Wanru stayed at the Shang residence from dawn till dusk every day except when she was menstruating, copying down recipes. Her sons, Jiang Feiyang and Jiang Lanyan, naturally followed her to the Shang residence. After Fang Zheng's parents and Fang Zheng himself arrived, in order to save time, Jiang Wanru accepted Shang Dafu's suggestion that from the next day on, she and her two sons would have all three meals at the Shang residence.

  After Fang Zheng's son was full moon, he asked Shang Daifu to give his son a good name, and the name was called Fang Datong. Fang Zheng's mother happily said to Jiang Yuanshu: "Miss, Mr. Fang has an heir. Bi Lu is a meritorious minister. His father said that after restoring his original surname Fang, the family prospered a lot." Jiang Yuanshu smiled and nodded, she originally thought that the people in Fang Zheng's family were surnamed Jiang, but it turned out that they had changed their surname to follow their master's surname, and after liberation, they still wanted to return to their original surname.

  When Jiang Wan heard the name Fang Datong for the first time, she felt it was quite familiar. Later on, thinking that she was being too paranoid, the name Datong symbolized people's good wishes. The Shang family chose an auspicious day for the engagement between Shang Ming Shi and Jiang Lanlan. A few days after Fang Datong's full moon, the two families exchanged betrothal gifts. Jiang Wan gave the Shan Hai Feng inkstone in her hand as a betrothal gift to Shang Ming Shi. After carefully playing with the inkstone, Shang Dafu nodded and said: "It's a rare treasure, I will let the old fifth family help him keep it well."

  Shang gave Jiang a beryl jade pendant, the greenish-blue color was round and full, without any flaws, a perfect jade pendant. On it were tied many small knots of good fortune with red ribbon, Shang took it out and gently hung it around Jiang's neck, saying: "This is one of the pair of peaceful jades, the white jade is for Ming Shi, and the beryl jade is for Lanlan. The knots on both pendants are handmade by their ancestors, we wish the two children to grow up peacefully and happily."

  After the two families settled on the engagement, Wen Qinghe returned from Beijing and brought gifts to both families, as well as news of a border war. The Shang family received a letter requesting that Mr. Shang and his family hurry to Beijing after the New Year's festival, when the roads are passable. Fang Zheng got the news and came with his father on the same day to bid farewell to Jiang Yuanshuo. Fang Zheng said: "Xiao Lan, after Bi Lu has finished her confinement, my mother will stay here to help take care of the children, and you can also take care of them. There are many things to do in the shop, and my father and I need to hurry back, as Mu Gen alone may not be able to manage two shops."

  Miss, I have to hurry back. At this critical moment, we businessmen can't afford to make a single mistake. Mu Gen is too honest and can't take care of the fabric store either. My master is a good person, but he has no way to deal with his family's unreasonable relatives. As for my mother's side, I've told Bi Lu that it's better for you to speak up if there's anything going on.

  Two books by Qiujia Wu: "Primitive Society Female Chieftain" travels to a matriarchal clan to become the chieftain, leading poor people to pursue a better life. "Grand Wedding of the Aristocracy" grassroots woman reborn changes the predetermined outcome.