After the replacement marriage, I was forced to fight at home

The banquet for thirty families at Prince Shen's mansion was very lively. The three families gathered together, and there were five tables for the masters alone.

Zhou Yiheng took everyone to the ancestral temple to worship their ancestors and returned to Junyueju. The men followed Zhou Yiheng to the study in the inner courtyard, while the women sat in the banquet room in the east room and talked.

Brother Hong ran behind Zhou Yihuai's two grandsons. Zhou Jun's son, who had just learned to walk, followed behind step by step with the support of his wet nurse, shouting "ah ah" non-stop, which made the female relatives look at him with smiles.

Zhou Yihuai's three granddaughters and Zhou Jun's eldest daughter sat at a table nearby, watching Zhou Yinghan cutting paper-cuts. Meng Wan didn't know Zhou Yinghan was so skillful. When she brought the paper-cuts to Qinghe Garden a few days ago, Meng Wan praised her endlessly as she pasted them.

Zhou Yinghan said gently, "This is nothing. Anyone can do it with regular practice. Second sister-in-law is just too busy on weekdays and doesn't have the time."

Meng Wan sighed inwardly. Hu Shi was indeed from a small family, and she showed her small family spirit to the fullest. She found a nanny, but she had never let Zhou Yinghan go with her. It was only after the prince mentioned it that time that he was afraid that Li Shi would "accidentally" let it slip again, so he let Zhou Yinghan go with her. However, when they were learning something serious, he didn't let her stand in front, but when they were reciting those boring female rings, he looked for someone else in the yard and asked the second young lady to learn.

"Thank you for reminding me last time."

Zhou Yinghan paused while handing over the paper-cuts, "But I couldn't help my second sister-in-law. When I heard the letter, I was really worried. I thought my father would not listen to your explanations like before and would just beat my second brother."

Meng Wan took the window paper and asked, what does it mean? Could it be that the princes used to "enforce the law violently"?

"Did the prince always beat your second brother?"

"Well, as far as I can remember, whenever my second brother got into trouble outside, or someone said he got into trouble, my father would never listen to his explanation. As time went by, my second brother no longer bothered to explain. The whip in my father's study was specially prepared for my second brother."

Meng Wan remembered what Zhou Yu told her about Yan Fu, saying that Zhou Yiheng whipped him with a whip.

"It's better now. With my second sister-in-law here, my father is finally willing to listen to your explanation. This matter was not your fault in the first place. Anyone who hears it will find it wrong. Unfortunately, no matter how many witnesses and testimonies there are, they are useless." Zhou Yinghan lowered his voice.

"Don't worry, I believe the prince will never beat your second brother again. No matter what, I appreciate your kindness. Chuan'er..."

Chuan'er brought a box over, and Meng Wan gently opened it. "Take a look at what styles you like and pick a few to wear for fun."

Zhou Yinghan looked at the glittering gold hairpins and jewels in the box and waved her hands repeatedly, "Sister-in-law, I don't want this. I just don't want my second brother to be beaten by my father."

"I know. I didn't give you this just because you informed me. It's because the New Year is coming, and this is a New Year's present for you. If you didn't come today, I would have sent someone to secretly deliver it to you. I don't want my third sister to see it. You also know that these things of mine may not be to her liking. If she takes the gifts, she will frame me again. Why bother?" She giggled after saying that.

Zhou Yinghan looked at Meng Wan's charming eyes, thought about Zhou Yu's performance that day, and the interaction between the two, which made her more confident in her decision. The second brother and the second sister-in-law must not be what outsiders see.

"Then I would like to thank my second sister-in-law." After saying that, she picked out two standard headdresses from the box.

Meng Wan added a pair of rice-grain beads to her temples, "It's perfect to wear during the spring banquet this spring."

Zhou Yinghan turned the pearl flower in her hand, thinking again and again, and said softly, "Second sister-in-law, what did you do with the piece of material that the princess gave you as a reward?"

Meng Wan looked into Zhou Yinghan's eyes. This was another person who knew about the matter. Although it was a little late to bring it up, it was still better than trying to flatter him afterwards.

"I made a cloak and will wear it at the fifteenth palace banquet."

There was a banquet in the palace on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, but Zhou Yinghan, as a concubine, was not eligible to attend.

"Can I not wear it?"

"Why? But you heard that someone would wear the same clothes as me, and you were afraid of bumping into others?"

Zhou Yinghan shook his head and hesitated for a long time without saying anything. Meng Wan was not in a hurry either. She asked Cai'er to take the window paper-cuts that Zhou Yinghan brought to Zhou Yu's study in the outer courtyard and asked Xuefu to paste them up.

"Second sister-in-law, actually that piece of material is... Don't blame me for not telling you. At first, I didn't know that the princess gave you that material. It was a few days ago when I went to my third sister's place, and she showed me the clothes she was going to wear in the palace. I didn't see her using that material to make clothes, so I asked why she didn't use the one given by Princess Yong'an."

Meng Wan showed just the right amount of surprise, "Princess Yong'an? What does that mean? What did she say?"

Zhou Yinghan first explained the origin of the material, "She said that the material has a great use, and she used it to make someone look bad." Zhou Yinghan held the teacup in her hand and continued, "I had a guess in my mind at the time, because I heard that after Brother Hong stained your skirt, the princess gave you a piece of material, but I didn't know it was that piece of material. So, I asked Ruyue to find out, and it was indeed that piece of material."

Meng Wan was really surprised this time. Zhou Yinghan asked Ruyue to inquire, and Ruyue must have gone to Zhou Yingning's yard to inquire. What does this mean? It means that there are people of Zhou Yinghan in Zhou Yingning's yard. Even if they are not hers, they are people who can provide her with information at any time.

Zhou Yu was right, no one in Prince Shen’s Mansion was there for free.

"Second sister-in-law, I'm afraid that Third Sister will use this material to make a fuss at the palace banquet. After all, it was given to her by Princess Yong'an, and the Queen Mother also knows about it, so you'd better not wear it."

Meng Wan stood up and patted Zhou Yinghan's arm. "Thank you for telling me. I have already made the cloak, and the princess specifically told me to wear it when I go out. Don't worry, I know what I am doing. Don't worry about me. You see, the salt issue is no problem either."

"That's different. The princess underestimated the enemy in the salt incident. No, I'm not saying you are enemies. I'm just making an analogy. If she knew that father would do this, I think she would be more careful. In the past, when my second brother was beaten, the princess didn't have to worry too much. She just had to find two people to testify and talk. So, she must have thought the same thing this time."

Zhou Yinghan stood up and said anxiously, "Second sister-in-law, after the salt incident, the princess will definitely not underestimate the enemy again."

Meng Wan nodded, "I see. I will discuss this with your second brother. Anyway, I am very grateful that you can tell me this. A few days ago, your second brother also said that when he was chatting with his eldest brother-in-law, he mentioned that after the next spring imperial examination, there will be a talented person. I heard that Pingxi Hou has a good relationship with the prince. You know about your second brother and my marriage. It was Pingxi Hou who reminded the prince."

Zhou Yinghan knew that Meng Wan had married in place of Meng Qi, and the rumors outside that the second young lady was originally destined to be the first were just rumors. How many people in the palace would believe this? She still clearly remembered that Li said to her happily that when Hu heard the news, her face was distorted with anger, and she kept saying that the Huainan Marquis's Mansion was too shameless, and in order to get a marriage with the Shenjun Prince's Mansion, she didn't know where she found the second young lady.

Of course, she would not say these words to Meng Wan.

Meng Wan's words stunned her at first, but then she realized what he meant. Her face turned red and she bowed deeply to Meng Wan.

"Thank you, brother and sister-in-law, for your concern. But my aunt has no family and is not favored by the prince. I am not favored by the princess either. I thought, I thought...if Yinghan's wish really came true, I will kowtow to my brother and sister-in-law."

"My dear sister, we are close siblings, there is no need to do this. I don't know how to thank you for always thinking of me and reminding me. You also know that I know nothing about the old people and things in this palace, and I need you and Concubine Li to remind me."

Zhou Yinghan looked at Meng Wan's sparkling eyes, smiled and nodded.

That’s really good. We are all smart people. There is no need to explain some things in detail. It is enough for Zhou Yinghan to understand what I mean.

In this way, the more people who knew the past of Wang and Hu, the better. For example, Zhou Jun's mother, the third wife of the Zhou family, Lin, who was talking happily with him now.