Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law

While Xia Zhiqing looked at the bloodstains and teeth marks on Chen Mo's arm, her heart fluttered in fear. At a glance, she could tell it was bitten quite hard. She hurriedly took out a handkerchief from her sleeve to wipe it, not out of concern for Chen Mo, but fearing the youth would vent his anger on her sister.

Chen Mo was silent for a moment, then raised his hand towards Xia Zhining.

Xia Zhiqing's face changed, thinking the youth was going to retaliate, she quickly embraced him, saying, "Don't, Zhining didn't mean it, you... please forgive her this once."

Xia Zhining didn't dodge, lifting her smooth white face, her narrow eyes shimmering with tears, biting her lip, glaring stubbornly and resentfully at Chen Mo.

As if to say, if you dare, just hit me.

But who knew the hand the youth reached out with, gently caressed her cheek, wiping the tears at the corners of her eyes with his thumb. Whether it was genuine or not, Xia Zhining even saw a trace of guilt in his eyes.

"Do you feel avenged?" Chen Mo asked softly after a moment of silence.

Xia Zhining's expression remained unchanged, still glaring at him like that.

Chen Mo raised his eyebrows, looking at that coldly beautiful face with tear marks at the corners of her eyes, and said, "If you feel avenged, for your sister's sake, let this matter rest. I keep my word, the debt will be paid, and I will let you leave."

After speaking, he turned his gaze to the sister whose face only differed slightly from her younger sibling, and removed the wooden hairpin from her head, as the latter was still wiping his arm, she didn't react at all.

With the wooden hairpin removed, the long hair that had been pinned up lost its hold. The three thousand strands of black hair cascaded down, draping over her shoulders. She was originally beautiful, with bright eyes and white teeth, a sculpted nose, a smooth and long jade-like neck, the loose hair adding a touch of serenity and purity.

Xia Zhiqing thought it was about to begin, she dropped the handkerchief and shrunk back, covering her chest with both hands, saying, "I... am not ready yet."

"What are you thinking."

Chen Mo pinched Xia Zhiqing's face, then got out of bed, dressing while he said, "After all, you are the girl my heart desires, using a wooden hairpin seems too shabby. Later I will have Chunhong bring a Jade Hairpin."

Afterwards, Chen Mo shifted his gaze to the somewhat dazed eyes of Xia Zhining, speaking softly, "What I said earlier was indeed a bit harsh. Some things are not really what I… never mind, think of it as words out of anger..."

After saying that, Chen Mo finished dressing, in the blind spot of Xia Zhiqing's vision, he glanced longingly at Xia Zhining before leaving the room.

Naturally, Xia Zhining saw this, and her initially dazed gaze changed, what did that bastard mean by those words, and that gaze, her heart couldn't help but wander.

"Zhining, are you... okay?" Xia Zhiqing crawled over, gently stroking Xia Zhining's shoulder. Her earlier appearance seemed even more sorrowful than when she was whipped for the first time.

Hearing this, Xia Zhining's delicate body trembled, facing her sister's clear, cold gaze, she turned around and hugged her, her voice carrying a sob, saying, "Sister, that bastard bullies too much!"

Xia Zhining was naturally strong-willed, and due to being a twin with Xia Zhiqing, she was inevitably compared with her from childhood.

Yet, each time, it was Xia Zhiqing who was more favored by others and the family, Xia Zhining saw this and quietly began to compare herself with Xia Zhiqing in her heart.

Due to their father's influence, and also to gain his favor, Xia Zhining took a liking to military affairs, loved reading Military Books, dreaming of campaigning across the battlefield, galloping across the world, while her sister Xia Zhiqing was quite the opposite, enjoying the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and poetry.

For a girl, whether it be the Magistrate's Daughter or a Royal Princess.

People preferred the well-behaved Xia Zhiqing who wrote poetry and painted, rather than the tomboy Xia Zhining who brandished weapons.

Even in their family, this was the case.

Therefore, it was always Xia Zhiqing who received the good, and Xia Zhining who was reprimanded.

Of course, the parent's love for both daughters was the same, but for the still young Xia Zhining, being particularly sensitive, she cared deeply about any slight difference.

After turning ten, talks of marriage began in their family, but each time the subject was her sister.

From that moment, she told Xia Zhiqing that they would marry the same man in the future.

This was also a form of competition, Xia Zhining simply did not want Xia Zhiqing to marry before her.

Later, using this reason, she gradually ruined Xia Zhiqing's marriage prospects.

As a result, in everyone's eyes, Xia Zhining was seen as rebellious and difficult to get along with.

Seeing that everyone believed this, she didn't bother to explain, choosing instead to walk her own path alone, heading down a dark road.

Of course, Xia Zhining never told anyone about this, it was her innermost thought, or perhaps obsession.

So, what Chen Mo said just now, equated to stripping her bare of pride.

Xia Zhiqing gently patted her sister's jade cup, saying, "It's over, it will soon be over."

With that, she fetched another handkerchief, gently wiping away the tears at the corners of Xia Zhining's eyes, and the beads of sweat on her cheeks, looking into those expressive eyes, she softly spoke to help her forget the sadness just encountered:

"Zhining, where shall we go when we leave?"

"..."

Xia Zhining's gaze was vacant, saying nothing.

"How about going to Jiangnan? I remember our father saying he has a friend who serves as a County Magistrate in the counties of Yangzhou, we could seek refuge with him." Xia Zhiqing suggested.

Xia Zhi Ning's gaze flickered for a moment as she looked at her sister, and she was silent for a while because she wasn't particularly happy about leaving. However, she still said, "I'll listen to sister..."

...

With Geng Songfu's help at the County Government Office, Chen Mo felt a lot more at ease.

Geng Songfu was born to be an official.

After putting on the County Magistrate's robe, Geng Songfu transformed from the confusion he showed when he first met Chen Mo, into a person exuding a bit of vigor and appearing quite dignified in demeanor.

Let's put it this way, if Chen Mo, Zhao Daoxian, and Geng Songfu all wore the County Magistrate's robes and let the people identify the real one, they'd definitely point to Geng Songfu.

Geng Songfu was efficient in his work. From the moment he took up the position of County Magistrate, it took him less than three days to understand all the matters, big and small, of the County Government Office.

Chen Mo also knew how to delegate, entrusting the governance of civil affairs and logistics, which were more literary matters, to Geng Songfu, while he focused on military and political affairs.

And for some matters that weren't particularly significant, Chen Mo let Geng Songfu make his own decisions.

Of course, during this time, something happened: the supply of coarse salt was cut off.

Initially, Yuan Youchun raised the price, selling coarse salt to Chen Mo at twice the market price.

So, Chen Mo simply stopped sourcing from Yuan Youchun.

At twice the market price, he could import coarse salt from Jiangnan and still pay less than that.

After all, Qingtian County wasn't the only place in the country producing coarse salt, and Yuan Youchun simply couldn't hold him hostage.

...

On June 21st.

Zhang River returned with thirty thousand jin of red copper, and it was Geng Songfu who made the handover with him because Chen Mo was attending to his concubine's affairs.

The procedure for taking a concubine was relatively simple, with no need for the Three Letters and Six Etiquettes, or the Eight-Carriage Sedan.

If it weren't for Chen Mo wanting to give some face to the Yi Family by setting up a banquet and accepting gift money, he would have just sent someone to carry a small sedan chair to the Yi Family to fetch Yi Shiyin, and then bring her through the small gate of the County Government Office. That would have settled the matter of taking a concubine.

At this moment, inside the Yi Family Courtyard.

The steward responsible for receiving outside guests held a large notebook, reading out the names of the congratulatory guests: "Patriarch Wang Xiu of the Wang Family from Pingting County, Shopkeeper Lin Qi of Purple Gold Tower, Shopkeeper Wei Jiucheng of Wanhe Building... Steward of the Zhu Family of Quanyang County."

The reading went on, leisurely, for about a quarter of an hour.

Guests coming to the wedding banquet naturally wouldn't come empty-handed. The gifts they brought were already piled up like a small mountain.

Although it was for taking a concubine, Yi Qianchi made sure the ceremony was grand.

In the bridal chamber in the backyard, many maids and old nurses were bustling around in an orderly manner. At this moment, Yi Shiyin was in their hands, akin to a dressed-up puppet, bathing, dressing, hairdressing, and applying makeup, making her look beautiful.

Yi Shiyin held a round fan big enough to cover her entire face, with a poem embroidered on the side facing her body. It was a peach blossom poem given to her by Chen Mo.

After the maids finished, the old nurse dismissed them, and then, with the insight of someone experienced, she shared some things for Yi Shiyin to pay attention to.

At the end, the old nurse took a small booklet from her bosom and handed it to Yi Shiyin, saying, "Miss, you have to study this well."

"Nanny Wang, what is this?" Yi Shiyin put down the round fan and began to read the booklet. Before long, the booklet dropped to the ground with a slap, and Yi Shiyin's face turned crimson. She quickly raised her hands to cover her face, the stray hair on her head drooping: "This is so embarrassing, why learn this..."

"Miss, you must learn it. After you enter the household, you'll be part of the master's family. In the future, you must serve the master well. If you don't learn this well, you may be despised by him," the old nurse said with much experience.

"Ah..."

Upon hearing this, Yi Shiyin stifled her shyness and quickly picked up the booklet. She didn't want to be disliked by Chen Mo.

The old nurse continued, "Miss, don't worry, it won't last too long. Grit your teeth and you'll get through it, and moreover, this servant sees that the master is also someone who cherishes people. Perhaps Miss might even find it enjoyable..."

The old nurse had seen Yi Shiyin grow up, and since they had a good relationship, she couldn't help but make a little joke.

"Alright, Miss, take your time reading it. I'll come back when the auspicious time arrives." The old nurse smiled, patting Yi Shiyin's shoulder, and as she was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something and leaned towards Yi Shiyin's ear, saying, "If Miss can't handle it, you can let Xiaoling assist you."

Having said this, the old nurse left with a smile.

Yi Shiyin held the booklet, feeling for a moment that a significant mission was awaiting her completion.

Soon, the auspicious time arrived, and the old nurse came in to take Yi Shiyin out.

As they neared the main hall, the old nurse handed Yi Shiyin over to two maids who had yet to be initiated, and the two maids brought Yi Shiyin inside.

Outside the hall, the sound of gongs began, shortly followed by various instruments like suonas.

The hall was filled with guests witnessing the ceremony, and amidst their jeering, she finally saw her husband for the second time, dressed in festive red, tall and imposing, extraordinarily handsome.