Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5231 The Wu Sisters
Fang Jun and his wives and concubines got up together and went to the door. They bent down to support their mother, Madam Lu, and tried to welcome her into the hall. However, Madam Lu, who had always doted on Fang Jun, slapped his hand away, her eyebrows furrowed, and she angrily questioned him.

"What kind of spell have you cast on your father this time? Every time you two spend a long time together in the study, your father loses his appetite and becomes absent-minded for days on end, locking himself in the study and not allowing anyone to approach him... He finally recovers, but as soon as you come back, he starts acting up again!"

Gao Yang, Xiao Shu'er, and Jin Shengman all turned their gazes toward their husbands.

This was not only strange to Madam Lu, but also to everyone in the household. Everyone knew how well the head of the family raised his children; he was gentle, kind, and easy-going. He usually liked to take his grandsons for walks inside and outside the mansion. However, after each long talk with Fang Jun and his son, things would change drastically...

What exactly did these two talk about?
Fang Jun felt awkward and said cautiously, "My father is engrossed in his studies and doesn't like to be disturbed."

The political and economic knowledge of later generations is too profound and difficult to understand for people of this era who have no foundation. Even with Fang Xuanling's wisdom and insight, he had to think hard to understand even a little bit. At the beginning, he explained the word "society" in a simple and easy-to-understand way until he was hoarse. It took Fang Xuanling several days to roughly grasp its meaning, let alone the others.
Gao Yang and Xiao Shu'er stepped forward to welcome Madam Lu into the hall and respectfully invited her to take a seat. Jin Shengman served tea, and Madam Lu's anger subsided slightly, but her face was still unpleasant. She scolded, "From now on, you should bring less of those strange and unusual things home, and you are not allowed to mention them in front of your father. As people get older, their energy declines, and they are most afraid of exhausting their minds and wasting their energy. You should let him live a couple more years!"

Princess Gaoyang hurriedly replied, "My husband and I have always been respectful to our parents-in-law. We only wish them a long and healthy life, and we would never dare to do anything unfilial!"

Seeing her son and daughter-in-law both in a state of panic, Madam Lu realized she had spoken out of turn.

He quickly grasped Princess Gaoyang's hand and said gently, "I was confused and said the wrong thing. My son and daughter-in-law are all good, especially my daughters-in-law who are gentle and filial. They are truly a blessing to our family! Anyone who dares to say a word against them, I will fight them to the death!"

He then turned to Fang Jun and sighed, “Don’t you know your father’s temperament? He’ll do anything to the best of his ability, unless he doesn’t want to do it at all. He never avoids, shirks, or goes around problems. He has to get to the bottom of things. It was fine before, but now that he’s older, his energy is waning. He can’t overexert himself, or it will shorten his lifespan.”

Fang Jun sighed helplessly, "Father is humble and eager to learn. I only casually mentioned some unusual things and principles, and he became engrossed in them... Mother, don't worry, I will pay attention in the future."

He didn't think there was anything wrong with his elderly father studying socio-economic knowledge. On the contrary, he felt that it was a good thing for the elderly to be interested in something because of their passion, as it could make their spirits more fulfilled, their bodies in a slightly excited state, and slow down the aging process.

But seeing his elderly mother's worried expression, he could only obediently obey.

After scolding her son and chatting with her daughter-in-law for a while, Madam Lu excused herself, saying she was tired, and left. Having been through similar experiences, she knew that her son's long absences from home inevitably caused his wives and concubines some boredom, and she certainly didn't want to waste her time and become a nuisance…

Hsiao Shu-er and Chin Sheng-man also took their leave.

……

It suddenly started snowing in the night. The north wind, carrying snowflakes, howled as it swept across the eaves and treetops, drowning out the increasingly loud pleas for mercy coming from inside the bedroom...

After the maid, blushing, finished serving the couple and left, Fang Jun embraced his beautiful wife, his hands caressing her delicate, smooth back and feeling her slender, soft waist. He suddenly thought that it would be so pleasant to smoke a cigarette afterward...

"correct,"

Princess Gaoyang lifted her beautiful upper body from her husband's embrace, propped herself up on her elbows, and looked down at him from the side. Her long, flowing hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her eyes sparkled in the snow outside the window.

"Sister Shunniang came to our residence a couple of days ago, saying she had something to discuss with you, and asked you to come over after you return to the capital."

"Didn't you say what it was about?"

Fang Jun raised his hand and caught a strand of hair, unconsciously twirling it with his fingers, feeling slightly strange.

Wu Shunniang was a very dutiful person. Although she had a secret affair with him, she never asked for any benefits from it. On the contrary, she avoided suspicion at all times, fearing that he would think that she had given herself to him for personal gain. Even when she sent Helan Minzhi to Zhenguan Academy, she repeatedly declined.

Why would someone come looking for me for something?

Princess Gaoyang's eyes shone brightly: "You didn't say... Hey, let me ask you, are you really not going to give Sister Shunniang a clear answer? That dead ghost Helan Yueshi has been dead for several years, and those people from the Dutch family have treated Sister Shunniang and her son very badly. It's very difficult for a young widow. Why don't I go and talk to the Helan family and bring Sister Shunniang into the mansion directly?"

Although Wu Shunniang is Meiniang's older sister, if she wants to marry into the Fang family as a concubine, it would require Meiniang, the principal wife, to handle the arrangements. If Meiniang were to bring her in, it would be illegitimate and improper; she wouldn't even be a concubine, but rather a "concubine's attendant," no different from a maid or servant, with absolutely no status...

Fang Jun was surprised: "Your Highness is so enlightened and righteous in taking a concubine for your husband? Hmm! Could it be that you're planning to torture her with all sorts of cruel methods after bringing her into your mansion, or even kill and bury her silently?"

"presumptuous!"

Princess Gaoyang was furious. She clenched her fist and punched her husband's strong chest, angrily saying, "I know you're joking, but can you say such things so casually? People are subject to misfortune at any time. What if something happens to any of your wives and concubines? How can I clear my name? I, a princess of the Great Tang Dynasty, will be branded as jealous and vicious. Are you, this treacherous minister, trying to divorce me?"

Realizing he had misspoke, Fang Jun quickly reached out and embraced her slender, soft waist, lifting her delicate body onto his own. The couple's skin was pressed tightly together, their breaths mingling.

He apologized, saying, "It was my fault for speaking out of turn, Your Highness! How could I not know Your Highness's virtue and kindness? Even my foolishness is tolerated. It is truly my good fortune to marry Your Highness!"

These words come from the heart.

If it were someone else, having an ambiguous and entangled relationship with their sister-in-law, even to the point of making it known to the whole world and affecting the prestige of the royal family, would have already caused chaos and unrest in the family.

However, Princess Gaoyang did not seem to care much about these matters between men and women. As long as her sisters were willing, she not only did not stop them, but even welcomed them. For example, regarding Princess Changle, Gaoyang happily made arrangements inside and outside the house, and finally Princess Changle entered the Fang family. Although she did not have a formal title, she was a real family member. Lu'er had already been included in the Fang family genealogy.

Princess Gaoyang twisted her body twice, their skin pressed together, their ears brushing against each other. The tide that had just receded was beginning to overflow again. She lightly bit her red lips and breathed sweetly: "Since you, this treacherous minister, know your crime, how should you atone for it?"

Fang Jun exclaimed in surprise: "Your Highness is too domineering. Have you forgotten the principles of male superiority and the natural order? You actually want to turn the tables on us!"

"Humph!"

Princess Gaoyang snorted twice, her face flushed, and grabbed her husband's ear with one hand, gritting her teeth as she said, "I only know that the ruler is the guide for the subject. I am a princess, and you are a subject. This is the proper order of superiors and inferiors!"

Fang Jun twitched his fingers and chuckled, "So, Your Highness, being the most honored, must be on top?"

Princess Gaoyang felt weak all over and was furious with shame: "You treacherous minister, shut up right now!"

"Wei Chen obeys!"

The wind and snow intensified, making the windows creak.

*****
Helan Yueshi was the eldest son of the Helan clan in this branch. He had no other brothers. After his death, he left only Wu Shunniang with a son and a daughter. Facing the increasingly excessive attempts of the other branches of the family to seize the property, he was isolated and helpless and suffered endless criticism.

By this time, the Duke of Guo's mansion was already in decline and had lost all its power. Without a strong maternal family to support her, one can imagine what Wu Shunniang's experiences were like after her husband's death...

Fortunately, Wu Meiniang was bestowed upon Fang Jun by Emperor Taizong and married into the Fang family. Although she was only a concubine, she was deeply loved by Fang Jun. With Wu Meiniang's support, the Helan family's aggressive pressure on Wu Shunniang was somewhat restrained, but they still harbored wicked intentions.

When rumors about Fang Jun and Wu Shunniang spread among the common people, the Helan family finally gave up their plans and abandoned their desire to seize the eldest son's family business.

They even completely reversed their attitude towards Wu Shunniang, hoping to use her to climb the social ladder through Fang Jun and seek benefits for their family...

Wu Shunniang naturally refused.

She was already embarrassed by the illicit affair she had committed with Fang Jun, so how could she possibly ask Fang Jun for help for the sake of the Helan family?
So he simply moved away from the Helan family's old house with his son and daughter, bought a house in Jingshanfang, and lived there permanently.

Fang Jun arrived at the gate of the mansion with his personal guards. The steward hurriedly welcomed Fang Jun into the house, where three figures, two adults and one child, quickly walked out of the hall to greet him.

Wu Shunniang, with her plump figure and beautiful face, was overjoyed to see Fang Jun: "When will Erlang return to the capital?"

Fang Jun first bent down and picked up He Lanyan, who rushed over, and replied with a smile, "I returned to the capital yesterday, and since I had nothing to do today, I came to visit."

His gaze, however, bypassed Wu Shunniang and landed on the face of a slender, graceful woman with a beautiful face standing to the side. He smiled gently and asked, "What brings you here, Third Sister?"

It was Wu Xiuniang, the youngest of the three Wu sisters...

Wu Xiuniang curtsied, her pretty face slightly flushed, her voice soft and gentle: "Younger sister greets brother-in-law... I happen to be staying with you these past two days."

Ok?
His gaze swept over Wu Xiuniang's face before turning to Wu Shunniang.

It's normal for a head wife to visit relatives, but it's not normal for her to stay at her widowed sister's house for several days.

Wu Shunniang smiled gently and said, "Second Brother, come inside and have a cup of tea before we talk."

Fang Jun then knew why Wu Shunniang had come to him; it was probably because Wu Xiuniang had encountered some trouble...

He nodded and, holding the fragrant and soft Helan Yan, stepped into the main hall.