Chapter 256: Compensation

Madam Zhao, after resting these days, her complexion improved a bit, and thinking that she had just left like that, feeling sorry for her daughter-in-law, she again urged Old Master Zhao to follow her back to the General's Manor.

Madam Zhao had the maid bring out the things she had brought back from the manor, laying them out in neat piles on the table.

Although Shang Jing is prosperous, game is scarce.

While recuperating at the manor, Madam Zhao went into the wilderness and hunted plenty of game, also obtaining several fine pelts, intending to bring them back to make a coat for her daughter-in-law.

Old Master Zhao teased her, saying that nowadays young women in Shang Jing wouldn't like wearing such pelts.

Madam Zhao quickly turned the pelts into hand-warmers; although her stitching was far inferior to Jinzhi's, she had still spent several late nights painstakingly sewing them.

At that moment, Madam Zhao was laughing and chatting with Old Master Zhao as they examined the pelts, when footsteps sounded outside the door.

The maid standing at the door hurriedly bowed to Zhao Lang and Jinzhi as they entered, and her expression flickered with surprise.

Madam Zhao also saw her son and daughter-in-law; just as she was about to speak, she suddenly looked in disbelief at Zhao Lang holding Jinzhi's hand.

For a moment Madam Zhao forgot what to say, and then a look of ecstasy crossed her face.

Her wooden-headed son must have finally opened his mind, right?

He finally remembered to take his wife's hand.

Moreover, from the expressions on their faces, it was clear they had gotten together.

Madam Zhao happily rose to her feet, but Old Master Zhao behind her laughed and tugged at her sleeve.

Young people are thin-skinned; if you, old lady, ask something, it would embarrass the daughter-in-law.

Old Master Zhao gave a look that Madam Zhao understood; she quickly composed herself, stepped forward, and grabbed Jinzhi's hand.

Jinzhi, having been carried sideways by Zhao Lang all the way, already had flushed cheeks; as they entered Madam Zhao's main courtyard, Zhao Lang still clung tightly to her hand, refusing to let go.

At this moment, being caught by her mother-in-law, Jinzhi wished she could find a crack in the ground to disappear into.

She hurriedly pulled her hand free from Zhao Lang's grasp. Madam Zhao seized Jinzhi's hand, walked to the table, and pushed the bundles she had brought back toward Jinzhi.

She then picked up the hand-warmers she had personally sewn, slipped them onto Jinzhi's hands, patted them, and laughed: "I thought they might be too big and unsuitable, but now they look just right, with a little extra room—you could even stick a hand warmer in there without it being tight."

"By the way, this is wild boar meat; I personally hunted it on the mountain, and your father-in-law dried it into jerky—give it a try."

"This lingzhi was found by the manor's steward, who also picked it for you; your body still needs proper nourishment, so that if you ever have a child, you won't suffer during pregnancy and childbirth."

Upon mentioning the matter of children, Jinzhi's cheeks flushed so red they seemed ready to bleed, and she lowered her head slightly.

She pressed her lips and gave a faint smile, but dared not lift her eyes to her mother-in-law.

Zhao Lang, watching Jinzhi's embarrassed state from the side, never imagined a young lady could be so shy.

He burst into a loud laugh, sat on Jinzhi's other side, and smilingly asked Madam Zhao: "Mother, this time returning from the manor, what tasty things did you bring for your son?"

"Right, this is the wild boar jerky; my son has loved it since childhood. He hasn't had any for years at the frontier, and now you've made so much, Mother—he wants to try some."

Zhao Lang lunged to grab the jerky spread on the table, but Madam Zhao slapped his hand hard on the back, knocked it aside, gathered the jerky, and pushed it toward Jinzhi.

"Eat, eat, eat—all you think about is eating; your wife hasn't touched anything, why the rush? First attend to your wife's meal."

"At your age, still gluttonous—you deserve a beating!"

Zhao Lang burst out laughing: "Forget it, I see now—this wife of mine wasn't taken for myself; she was taken for you."

"You little brat, what nonsense are you spouting? Just wait till I beat you to death."

Seeing that things were going badly, Zhao Lang quickly laughed and fled.

Madam Zhao grabbed a stick from the side and chased after him.

Jinzhi hastily rose to her feet, and Old Master Zhao smiled at her, saying: "This mother and son have always been like this."

Old Master Zhao then brought out the gifts he had brought from the manor and placed them before Jinzhi, fearing he might slight his daughter-in-law.

Soon the family of four was happily eating a meal together.

Madam Zhao hoped her son would spend more time with the poor girl Jinzhi, and after they finished eating she drove them out.

In a few days the son will have to go to the frontier to fight; it would be best if Jinzhi could conceive before he leaves, so that when he returns next winter they could hold their child.

Zhao Lang understood his mother's meaning—it was nothing more than letting him spend more time with Jinzhi before he departs.

The two walked forward along a path paved with plum blossom petals, not hurrying back to their warm pavilion, but strolling to aid digestion.

They had hardly taken a few steps when Jinzhi suddenly grabbed Zhao Lang's sleeve.

Zhao Lang turned, his handsome brows and eyes flashing with concern: "Are you unable to walk again? Do you need your husband to……"

Before Zhao Lang could utter the word "hold," Jinzhi raised her hand and shoved the thing she had been clutching into his large hand.

Zhao Lang opened his palm and saw that it was the pork jerky Jinzhi had secretly kept for him.

Zhao Lang burst out laughing, raised his hand to tweak Jinzhi's nose: "Forget it, in this household you're the one who dotes on me."

"It's clearly you who married into the family. I always feel like I'm the one brought in as an afterthought; from now on, if Mother has any tasty treats, you must think of me and save some for me."

Jinzhi pressed her lips and smiled, but Zhao Lang took her hand and whispered: "After this year passes, I must go to garrison the frontier; our time together won't be long."

"Come on, I'll take you for a tour of Shang Jing; I heard you've been staying in the Rui Wang Fu and never dared to leave."

Jinzhi's expression stiffened; previously Su Wanrou had wanted to kill her.

The Princess Consort of Rui worried she couldn't protect him, so she hid Jinzhi in the Peach Blossom Pavilion.

She was also obedient, unwilling to go out, saying in all honesty that ever since being sold as a slave from Fu Yu Guo to the Third Prince,

one careless mistake almost fed her to wild beasts; after being rescued by the Princess Consort, she had remained in the Peach Blossom Pavilion ever since.

Besides occasionally running errands for the Princess Consort, she hardly ever went out; now that Zhao Lang took her hand and said he wanted to take her out for a stroll, she actually felt a stir of longing.

Zhao Lang took Jinzhi's hand and left the General's Manor.

He helped Jinzhi onto the horse's back, then leapt up himself, holding her close in front of him.

Zhao Lang did not take Jinzhi to the bustling places; instead he went straight to the woods outside the city.

In Shang Jing, there aren't many places for noblewomen to while away the winter, but the plum grove in the suburbs is a fine destination.

Last time at the Princess's Mansion plum-blossom banquet, the Zhao and Duan families fell into irreconcilable conflict.

Zhao Lang knew Jinzhi liked plum blossoms, yet at that plum-blossom feast she hadn't properly enjoyed the scenery and nearly lost her life there.

At this moment Zhao Lang rode a horse and took her to the plum garden outside the city, also to make up for the regret left from last time.

The plum garden out there is second only in scale to the Princess Mansion, yet it has a few more wild charms than the Princess Mansion.

Moreover, the plum blossom varieties exceed those at the Princess Mansion—red plums and white plums, dazzling together—Jinzhi stared, eyes unable to take it all in.

The married couple held hands, strolling slowly along the path through the plum forest, when suddenly a set of footsteps approached from ahead—it turned out to be the noble ladies from Shang Jing walking over.