The first time in history

Qian Mingduo sat by the charcoal fire and waited for Xiao Cui to bring up some dishes, then he started to eat with relish.

"Eat slowly, don't choke!" Li Shishi picked up some food for Qian Mingduo and said, "You've been hungry all day, haven't you?"

"Yes, I went for the parade in the morning and was cold and hungry. In the afternoon, the emperor gave a banquet in the Imperial Garden. There was a lot of food, but it was too cold."

"Eat quickly. After you eat, you won't feel cold when you get on the kang." Li Shishi took out the hot wine from the small copper basin and said, "Drinking a cup of hot wine can also warm your body."

Ling'er came over quietly, "Miss, do you want me to boil a bucket of hot water for you?"

"No need." Qian Mingduo looked at Li Shishi, "When the girl is able to take a bath, we will take a bath together."

Li Shishi glared at Qian Mingduo with a smile.

A few days later, the emperor issued an edict, appointing Qian Mingduo as a fifth-rank official and sending him back to Lin'an Prefecture to serve. In the Song Dynasty, the top scholar was usually appointed as a sixth-rank official, but Qian Mingduo was the top scholar who won the first prize three times in a row, so naturally he was different from others.

After spending the New Year in the capital, on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, Qian Mingduo brought Li Shishi and others back to Lin'an Prefecture to take up his post.

The further south you go, the better the weather becomes. After returning to Lin'an, people have already taken off their bulky cotton clothes.

Qian Mingduo and Li Shishi agreed to buy the small courtyard, but the landlord didn't want to sell it. So Qian Mingduo sent someone to find a house in the East Market of Lin'an Prefecture, which was a two-entry courtyard.

One of Qian Mingduo's subordinates introduced his sister-in-law to Qian Mingduo's house, and Li Shishi arranged her to work in the front yard, where she was responsible for guarding the house and cleaning.

One day in March, Li Shishi arranged for Xiaocui to move in. Qian Mingduo was reluctant, but Li Shishi was very determined, so Qian Mingduo had no choice but to obey Li Shishi.

There are three main rooms in the backyard, with a main hall in the middle. Li Shishi's bedroom is on the east side, and Xiao Cui's bedroom is on the west side.

At dinner, Li Shishi specifically asked Zhang Ma to go to Juxianlou at the corner of the street and order a table of delicious dishes. After Zhang Ma and Ling'er arranged the wine and dishes in the main hall in the backyard, Li Shishi sat on the east side and asked Xiao Cui to sit opposite her.

"From today on, Xiao Cui is the second wife of this family. We will call each other sisters from now on. I hope you can give birth to a boy or a girl for the master. This will also fulfill one of my wishes." There was a trace of sadness in Li Shishi's eyes.

"Yes, madam." Xiao Cui's shy face looked so blushing.

"The west room will be your room from now on." Li Shishi looked at Qian Mingduo, "As for where the master sleeps every night, it's up to the master. Tonight is your wedding night. Congratulations to both of you!"

Li Shishi picked up the wine glass and said, "I congratulate you." Without waiting for Qian Mingduo and Xiao Cui to raise their glasses, Li Shishi drank it all in one gulp.

Qian Mingduo could really understand Li Shishi's mentality at this time. Although it was normal for men to have several wives and concubines in ancient times, which woman would be willing to let other women share her husband?

Qian Mingduo smiled and held Li Shishi's hand, "Madam, what's wrong with you? Why don't you wait for us and drink it yourself?"

Li Shishi did not answer, but silently filled her glass with wine.

"Xiao Cui!" Qian Mingduo said, "I don't need to say what I need to say. You should understand it yourself. The mistress of this family is my wife. Although you are my concubine, you still have to obey my wife's words as before, and you must not overstep your authority in the slightest."

Xiao Cui got up from her seat and knelt before Li Shishi. "Xiao Cui's family is poor, so Madam took her in. Now Madam is betrothing Xiao Cui to you. Madam is Xiao Cui's second parent, and Xiao Cui will never dare to have the slightest thought of usurping power. Madam is in charge of everything."