Tangli Fried Snow

The young couple had just finished breakfast and hadn't even had a proper chat when the mother-in-law, Jiang, arrived at Chunyi Garden with several beautiful young maids.

When Duan Jingyu saw his mother-in-law's demeanor, he was a little confused. He quickly bowed to his mother-in-law and invited her to sit down.

Jiang was only in her thirties and was a stunning beauty. Xu Sangning resembled her by seven or eight points. The mother and daughter sat together, their expressions quite different, which was rather amusing.

Jiang glanced at her pale-faced daughter, her beautiful eyes darting over her son-in-law, and stared at him for a long time without saying a word.

Duan Jingyu smiled and said, "I wonder what business Mother has with me? There are no outsiders here, so please speak freely."

Madam Jiang smiled and nodded, saying, "I know you don't come here unless you have a reason. I know you're busy with official duties, so I don't come here often. I never bother you when you come to see Ning'er. But now that Ning'er is pregnant, there are some things she can't do herself, so I, as her mother, have to step in to handle them."

Duan Jingyu said respectfully, "Mother, please speak."

Jiang pointed to several beautiful young girls behind her and said to Duan Jingyu, “Son-in-law Duan, you are in your prime, strong and energetic. You are usually busy fighting on the front lines, but you always come back to see us a few times a month. Now that Ning’er is pregnant, it is inconvenient for her to take care of you. It is only right and proper that we choose a few suitable people to take care of you in her place.”

“Raise your heads,” Jiang said to the girls.

The girls obediently raised their heads. They were about seventeen or eighteen years old, each with a slender figure and delicate features, and two of them were quite attractive.

Jiang then smiled and said to Duan Jingyu, "I personally selected these girls. They come from respectable families and are of good character and appearance. Keep whichever one you like. If you like them all, you can keep them all to serve you."

Xu Sangning lowered her head and didn't speak, but her pale face revealed her inner turmoil.

After listening to his mother-in-law's words, Duan Jingyu glanced at his wife. Although she remained silent with her head down, she was young and couldn't hide her feelings. Her face flushed red and then turned pale, making her look rather pitiful.

He got up, walked around the girls, picked out the one who looked the most honest, and said to Jiang, "She'll do."

Seeing that he had accepted the gift so readily, Jiang was unsure whether to be happy or worried. She glanced at her daughter and gently patted her back to comfort her.

She stood up and said to Duan Jingyu, "Since you personally chose her, it's not easy for a woman to make a living in the backyard, so you should treat her better and be good to my daughter."

Duan Jingyu smiled and said, "I will follow my mother's teachings."

Seeing that he had given her face and given her respect, Jiang didn't say anything more and left with the remaining girls.

Xu Sangning glanced at the girl; she was plain-looking and seemed honest and unassuming, which relieved him.

Duan Jingyu asked the girl, "What's your name? How old are you?"

The girl replied respectfully, "My lord, my name is Ye Wen, and I am sixteen years old."

He looked at her with satisfaction and said, "Hmm, not bad, very good. You can serve her in the madam's courtyard. She is pregnant and needs careful attention. You need to be especially careful about her food, clothing, and shelter. You can go now."

Xu Sangning's personal maid took her away to settle her in.

After Xu Sangning watched the person leave, she glanced at Duan Jingyu and said, "Why didn't you give her a courtyard to live in, so she could take care of you..." Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, and by the end, she realized that it was inappropriate.

That's not the demeanor of a proper lady.

Duan Jingyu sat down beside her, staring intently at her until she felt uncomfortable. He lifted her chin and asked softly, "Would you like me to sleep in her courtyard?"

Xu Sangning didn't speak, but the tears welling up in her eyes spoke for her.

Duan Jingyu laughed heartily, picked her up and carried her to the bed, lowered the curtain, kissed away her tears and said to her in a coquettish tone, "Since Madam doesn't want me to go to her courtyard, then I'll have to trouble Madam to serve you personally."

Xu Sangning was both amused and exasperated by him. In no time, he had taken advantage of her every inch of her body, even getting her delicate hands all dirty. His eyes sparkled as he nibbled on her pink earlobe and said, "The men of the Duan family only have wives, no concubines... From now on, my lady will have to work hard..."

Xu Sangning then broke into a genuine smile, threw herself into his arms, and cried and laughed at the same time.

. . . . . .

Duan Jingyu stayed by her side for two days this time.

On the third night, as darkness deepened, a carriage stopped at the side gate of the City Lord's Mansion. Duan Jingyu was waiting at the gate. The carriage was understated yet luxurious, with four horses, indicating that it had traveled a long distance. White breath was coming out of the carriage, and two bright red lanterns on the carriage shone dazzlingly in the dark night.

An old woman got off the carriage first, followed by a young girl, and finally the two of them helped one person down.

Duan Jingyu smiled and nodded to the two of them, his eyes full of laughter.

He took the hand of the man dressed in black and wearing a hat and personally welcomed him into the Spring Garden.

Xu Sangning watched the two enter the room, looking the man up and down at his mysterious attire, completely puzzled.

With an excited expression, Duan Jingyu personally helped the man remove his cloak, revealing a gentle and dignified beautiful woman.

Duan Jingyu quickly pulled Xu Sangning down to kneel, looked up at her, and affectionately called out, "Mother."

Xu Sangning's eyes lit up with surprise. It turned out that this lady was actually her husband's mother, her mother-in-law, Duan Yuanshan's wife, and Princess Duan.

She hurriedly knelt down with her husband to pay their respects to her mother-in-law, whom she was meeting for the first time.

Princess Duan was about forty years old and very beautiful. If Shirley were here, she would definitely exclaim that she had seen a ghost, because she looked so much like Duan Xueyao and herself.

There was a charcoal brazier and an underfloor heating system in the room, which quickly dispelled the chill from the princess. Her beautiful eyes sparkled like they held hidden light, and radiated an intense warmth as she stared intently at the two young people on the ground.

This is his beloved son whom he worries about deeply, and the young wife he married without his own consent. Now that girl is pregnant and is the next generation of the Duan family.

If Yuanshan were here, he would surely be laughing heartily.

"Your son (daughter-in-law) greets Mother." The two on the ground said in unison.