Chapter 4: Triumphant Return

  “Ah...” The magpie clenched her fists, “It’s... it’s the great victory of the Grand Master again, on his way back to the capital after winning the battle, I heard that...” She stole a glance at Zhen Shiniang's expression, “Tomorrow at noon, he will present the captives in front of the Meridian Gate, and the Emperor will personally welcome him.”

  What the magpies didn't say was that everyone knew they had been abandoned outside since childhood, and seeing Shen Zhong's power rising day by day, those officials and nobles in the court, as well as the aristocratic families, were all scrambling to marry their legitimate daughters to him as his successor.

  Wu Zongyuan, with a background in martial arts, Shen Zhongge was well-versed in both literature and military affairs. For five years, he had been fighting against the Japanese pirates, suppressing the southern barbarians, and had just recently subdued the southern Yue region. He had already risen from being a sixth-rank jiaowei to becoming a second-rank auxiliary general of the state.

  Although Zhen Shi Niang seemed like a different person after that hanging incident and had forgotten many things, she was still the abandoned wife of Shen Zhong Ge. No matter how calm she appeared, Xi Que didn't think she would ever let go of Shen Zhong Ge. He didn't dare mention Shen Zhong Ge in front of her, especially now that he was riding high on his success. Even someone as close to her as Qiu Ju didn't know that Wen Ge and Wu Ge's father was the current Auxiliary General.

  And so, Zhen Shiniang had no idea that she was abandoned in this godforsaken town mainly because the original owner of her body was too arrogant and hurt Shen Zhongjie deeply.

  Of course, the former her was even more overbearing and arrogant, so Ji Xixi didn't dare to speak directly. So in Zhen Shiniang's eyes now, she ended up like this today because Shen Zhongjie was someone who liked novelty and disliked old things. That day, although she couldn't see Shen Zhongjie's appearance through the beaded curtain, she did see clearly that he was wearing a big red wedding robe.

  She is still alive, and he has married another woman, isn't this a case of loving the new and hating the old?

  Not to mention just being a general of the auxiliary country, even if he were an emperor, such a scumbag would give her away for free, and she wouldn't care. Zhen Shi Niang smiled and shook her head.

  The magpie is really worrying too much!

  Followed her for five years, yet still couldn't see through her calm and composed heart. She doesn't seek wealth or fame, this life even if she wears simple clothes and eats plain food, as long as she can find someone who will treat her with a single-minded devotion, be together for a lifetime, that's all that matters.

  In ancient times, Zhen Shining only knew that ancient times were not as people in later generations thought, men all had three wives and four concubines. Just like this Wutong Town, most people still have one husband and one wife, only those wealthy and powerful families would have many wives and concubines. She believed that as long as she didn't cling to wealth and nobility, she could definitely find someone who was willing to grow old with her.

  She let out a soft sigh.

  How easy it is to talk!

  A widow without a divorce, with a pair of burdens, her husband's family is a powerful and prosperous general - how could he tolerate her remarrying with his children?

  "Otherwise, Miss will tell Grandfather about the affairs of Wen Ge and Wu Ge, they are always Grandfather's eldest sons..." Unbeknownst to Zhen Shiniang, who was worried about her own future, thinking that she was not willing to see Shen Zhongjie's triumphant return, Jixiao advised, "I heard that in recent years, the General's mansion has given birth to a daughter of the eldest aunt, and the son of the third aunt died three days after birth. Grandfather has no other children, I believe that when he sees Wen Ge and Wu Ge, he will immediately take you back." Since ancient times, mothers have been honored for their sons, especially in aristocratic families, where descendants are most valued.

  Magpie really didn't understand why Zhen Shining refused to tell Shen Zhongjie about having children.

  With Shen Zhongjie's tolerant personality, upon hearing that Zhen Shiniang almost lost her life giving birth to these two sons, no matter how great the resentment was in the past, he would treat Zhen Shiniang with kindness and let her and their children live a lifetime without worrying about food and clothing.

  "...I've made up my mind not to have anything to do with him, you'd better give up on that idea!" Zhen Shi'niang's voice became stern, "Wen Ge and Wu Ge are mine alone, they both share the surname Jian! From now on, don't mention to anyone that they're Shen family's flesh and blood, including your husband!"

  Zhen Shiniang's name in her previous life was Jian You. After being abandoned here, to avoid trouble, she simply declared to outsiders that they had rented the Shen family's ancestral home and were a widow surnamed Jian who lived in seclusion here.

  The two children were also named Jianwen and Jianwu respectively.

  For five years, no one from the Shen family had come, and with Zhen Shiniang's poor health, she had been living a reclusive life, so no one in town suspected anything.

  It's been a long time since I've seen Zhen Shiniang so severe. Jixiao hurriedly knelt down, "I dare not."

  "Get up..." Zhen Shining sighed, "You don't know, I'd rather find a rustic village husband who knows the pain and warmth of life than spend the rest of my life with him."

  "Miss... Miss is..." The magpie was tongue-tied.

  Isn't Miss really thinking of remarrying?

  This is too outrageous!

  Also knowing that Zhen Shiniang's mind, which had been set on marrying off her daughter to a decent family from the very beginning, would not accept these things for even half a moment, she stood up and said, "Let's go, it's time to make lunch."

  Her lips moved again and again, Ji Wu still wanted to ask clearly, seeing Zhen Shining had already walked out, she shook her head and quickly chased after him.

  Apart from Wen Ge and Wu Ge, who are men, there are three women in the family. Behind the ancestral house, there are two mu of lotus ponds and half a mu of vegetable fields. On ordinary days, the rough work in the fields is taken care of by Xi Que and Qiu Ju. Among the three women, Zhen Shi Niang's body is poor, so she is responsible for cooking.

  Fortunately, Zhen Shiniang had a liking for good food in her previous life and loved watching "A Bite of China". Cooking was not a difficult task for her, but rather an enjoyable one. Especially when she used the most ordinary ingredients to make a delicious meal, and saw Jian Wu and Jian Wen's little bellies round and full, Zhen Shiniang felt a special kind of satisfaction.

  The magpie went to the lotus pond and caught a carp, which was steamed. A dish of braised pork belly was also made, and a pot of lotus seed porridge was cooked. The pre-made wild vegetable buns were simply heated up, accompanied by two small dishes of pickled vegetables. In less than half an hour, a table full of fragrant food was presented.

  While she was cooking, the magpie brought back several baskets of lotus pods with Autumn Chrysanthemum and two little ones. "Miss's craftsmanship is getting better and better." Seeing the fragrant dishes on the table, Autumn Chrysanthemum's saliva flowed out first.

  "Meat! Meat!" It's been almost a month since they've seen meat, and smelling the aroma of meat, Jian Wu and Jian Wen hastily climbed onto the kang, "Mother, mother, I want to eat meat! Steamed pork is delicious!"

  "Alright, we'll all eat meat." Zhen Shiniang stopped them with a bow, "However, Wen Ge and Wu Ge must wash their hands clean first."

  He stretched out two muddy little hands, looked at each other with Jian Wu and Jian Wen, turned around and ran out, saying "Wait for me, mom!" Wu Ge bumped into Qiu Ju's body at the door, was stunned for a moment, and then shouted, "I'm going to wash my hands, don't eat the meat secretly, Sister Qiu Ju!"

  Qiu Ju burst out laughing, "......Sister will take you to wash."

  "I'll take them there, you help Miss serve the porridge." Just then, Jixi, who had just put away the lotus pods in the house, saw this and pulled over Jianwu and Jianwen.

  Qiu Ju responded with a sound and went to the kitchen to fetch a bowl.

  Although Wen Ge and Wu Ge were young, they were very sensible. They didn't need to be fed when eating. Zhen Shi Niang divided the dishes into two bowls for them, and they lowered their heads and started eating fragrantly.

  There were many people but little meat, and when the magpie had picked up a piece of meat, it refused to eat any more, only letting its two children eat. Zhen Shiniang knew that it was no use trying to persuade her, so she took the steamed fish in front of Wen Ge and put it in front of the magpie: "Come on, your favorite steamed fish..."

  We have a pond at home. In spring, Zhen Shiniang put many fish fry into the pond, and we often get to eat fish meat.

  "Miss, you're not feeling well, eat some more meat..." Ji Que put a piece of rice with meat into Zhen Shi Niang's bowl, but took a piece of fish for herself.

  As soon as the chopsticks reached her mouth, the magpie let out a loud retch.