Mid-November.
With the imperial court's year-end assessments beginning, officials from various prefectures and counties were required to come to the capital to report on their work, keeping the officials in the capital extremely busy.
Meng Anci leaving early and returning late these days, and in just a few days he was practically turning into a decrepit old man. He chewed on his steamed bun listlessly, "Auntie, did my sister go to the private residence for dinner again?"
Jin Shanyao her head and hummed in agreement. "What's wrong? You miss her?"
Meng Anci remained silent. It had been ten days to half a month, and she still couldn't conceive... Zhao Zhiyuan was indeed a cunning and scheming person.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Jin Shanyao picked up a piece of pork rib and put it in his bowl. "Eat quickly... finish eating so you can go to sleep. Look how tired you are... Has the court said when the holiday will be?"
Meng Anci, "December 15th."
"That's quite early this year..." Jin Shanyao slowed her chewing movements and asked casually, "What gift do you want for the New Year?"
"Ah... I don't really want anything," he said. His family provided for all his needs, so when asked out of the blue, he honestly didn't know what he wanted.
"Auntie, is there anything you want? I'll give it to you... I'm a paid person now, I have money..." Meng Anci straightened his back, patted his chest, and said earnestly.
Jin Shanyao chuckled, "I don't need the gift, come and let your auntie give me a hug."
Meng Anci awkwardly, "I'm fifteen..."
"Oh, alright then..." A fleeting hint of disappointment crossed Jin Shanyao's eyes. Meng Anci hesitated for a moment, "Um, my birthday isn't until next month..."
Jin Shanyao grinned and suddenly pulled the person into his arms.
Meng Anci out, feeling as if his bones were about to be dislocated by the embrace, but he didn't break free, nestled in Jin Shanyao's arms and chuckled.
After dinner, Meng Anci went to bed early.
The Jin Shanyao infused the oil lamp with a layer of Spiritual Power, making it brighter, and then the golden fan picked up the needle and thread and carefully finished the edges of the garment.
After unfolding and shaking it, a red padded jacket was finished. Jin Shanyao smiled with satisfaction, "Not bad, not bad... not a single bit of cotton showed."
She folded the clothes and put them in the wardrobe. Suddenly, she remembered that pregnant women like to eat sour foods, so she went up the mountain in the dark, regardless of the time of day.
She planned to plant some grapevines in the yard, water half of them with Spiritual Power to make the grapes sweeter, and protect the roots of the other half to keep the grapes' original acidity, so that she could have either sweet or sour grapes.
While you're at it, find an orange tree for Anci to plant; he'll be overjoyed.
Jin Shanyao hummed a little tune... and in the blink of an eye, she arrived at the foot of the mountain. As soon as she stood still, she noticed that snowflakes were falling from the sky, and she was stunned on the spot.
Is it because it's already the twelfth lunar month that the snow is falling so frequently? She still has so many things to prepare; how did the day come so quickly?
Forget it, I don't want to think about it anymore...
With perfect accuracy, Jin Shanyao located the grapevine, his hand sweeping through the air... The snow melted, revealing the cracked vines.
She carefully dug out the grapevines, then picked and chose from a pile of orange trees, finding the straightest and best one before finally going home satisfied.
As soon as Jin Shanyao entered, Meng Anzhi greeted her, "Auntie, where have you been so late..."
"I've come up the mountain. You must be craving sour things since you got pregnant, so I brought back some grapevines to plant. You can just reach out and pick them whenever you want. I'll plant sweet ones on the left and sour ones on the right."
Eat whichever side you want, and that orange tree... I'll transplant it too."
Meng Anzhi brushed the dirt off her clothes, "Transplanting in the spring isn't too late... Why bother running up the mountain in the dead of winter and getting yourself all muddy..."
Jin Shanyao and said, "It's nothing. When did you get back?"
Meng Anzhi blushed and said, "I just got back not long ago..." As she spoke, she fetched some hot water from the kitchen and brought it over. Then, she took a shovel and found a spot to plant it. "Auntie... is this okay to plant?"
"Keep them away from the pear trees... so they don't crowd each other when they grow bigger..."
"I understand..." Meng Anzhi said, then walked a little further away, but after a couple of attempts, she couldn't move an inch of soil.
Jin Shanyao suppressed a laugh, channeling a burst of Spiritual Power into the frozen ground. Sure enough, the shovel was planted in the ground the next moment. Meng Anzhi asked as she dug, "Auntie, can trees planted in winter survive?"
"Others' trees won't survive... but mine will be fine..." She dried her hands, walked forward, placed the orange tree in the hole, and watched Meng Anzhi fill the hole with soil while holding the trunk.
"How about Zhao Zhiyuan... If he's useless, then replace him..."
Meng Anzhi nearly dropped the shovel of soil, but steadied herself and said, "It's fine... Also, my period hasn't come this month, but I'm not sure if I'll have to wait."
Jin Shanyao a soft "hmm," and by the time the fruit trees were planted, it was already early morning. The two quickly washed up and went back to their room to rest.
The next day, Meng Anci the backyard to lead his horse to court. He immediately saw an orange tree as thick as an arm planted in the yard. He looked around and saw Zhou Xiaosi coming out of the outhouse.
He called out, " Xiaosi... when was this tree planted? I don't think I saw it yesterday!"
"Young Master, the Master went up the mountain to dig this last night..." After saying that, he went to open the courtyard gate for Meng Anci.
Meng Anci stared at the orange tree, his brows furrowed slightly. His aunt, though prone to impulsive decisions, had never actually gone up the mountain to dig up a tree in the middle of the night before. Something felt off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it...
He rode his horse all the way to the palace gate, and from afar he saw Lu Chi raising his arm and talking to Su Wenqian. Su Wenqian then pretended to roll up his arm.
Lu Chi's smile vanished instantly. Meng Anci handed the reins to the eunuch and quickly stepped forward to greet them, "Lord Lu, Lord Su..." He then noticed that the two were wearing identical red wristbands.
What are you doing here?
"The boss gave it to me... Isn't it pretty? He knitted it himself..." Lu Chi said proudly. Su Wenqian scoffed, "I knitted this myself too. It's said to ward off evil and disaster. What kind of grown man wears a red string? He made me wear it."
Meng Anci stared at their wrists and muttered, "Why don't I have any?"
Upon hearing this, the two silently covered the red rope with their sleeves. "Which Ministry of Revenue has other business to attend to? I'll take my leave now..."
Lu Chi quickly replied, " The Capital Prefecture also has matters to attend to. Anci, let's talk again when we have time..." After saying that, he ran away faster than a rabbit, as if someone was chasing him.
Meng Anci stood there, stunned. His aunt had personally braided red strings for others, and then given them away to two people?!
"What are you standing there for?" Zhao Zhiyuan's steps were light, and his voice was slightly raised, clearly indicating he was in a good mood. Meng Anci turned her head to look at him, "Did my aunt give you a red string?"
Zhao Zhiyuan, "No..."
Meng Anci a sigh of relief, "Why are you so happy that I didn't give you a gift..." She then turned and walked towards the palace gate, Zhao Zhiyuan following closely behind, "Why would I let my aunt give me a gift? Anzhi will give me one."
Upon hearing Meng Anci's inner demons flashed, and he drew a large knife, stabbing Zhao Zhiyuan straight through...
A mistress... has no right to be arrogant.
Zhao Zhiyuan Meng Anci ignored him, Zhao Zhiyuan was not annoyed and always had a smile on his lips. After spending more than half a month together, he had figured it out.
Marriage, marriage, and even moving into another man's family are all just empty titles. As long as he stays by Anzhi's side, he won't let any other man get close to her, and Meng Anzhi's child can only be his child.
"What are you laughing at?" Meng Anci's sinister voice rang out.
Zhao Zhiyuan retorted, "I didn't laugh..."
You smiled.
"No, you're mistaken..."
"Your laughter isn't funny, it's dangerous..."
"Everyone says you're mistaken..." The two voices disappeared at the crossroads; one went to the Ministry of Works, and the other to the Censorate.