The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

The important maid-maid manager wore a quilted bodice with jacquard brocade; the maids and old women wore short quilted jackets with dark patterns.

Bai He and Bai Tao came out of the main room carrying trays. When they saw Bai Zhi, they bowed and congratulated her with a smile: "Congratulations, sister Bai Zhi, you are going to be a bride."

Knowing that Baizhi's wedding was scheduled for the sixth day after the New Year, anyone who saw her would say congratulations.

It adds a touch of joy to the courtyard which is already filled with the flavor of the New Year.

Mother Xu stood in the yard, looking at the maids that the lady brought as dowry.

Baizhi and Baishao have had a childhood friendship with the lady and are the two senior maids surrounding her.

Bai Zhi married a counselor from Zhuli Pavilion. Not only will she continue to live in the Duke Dingguo's Mansion in the future, she will also continue to work for his wife.

Bai Shao has reached the age to get married, but she doesn't want to get married. She is determined to serve her wife for the rest of her life.

Bai He and Bai Tao also became more calm and sensible, especially Bai He. This girl is smart and clever, and she is also sweet-mouthed. Not only do the two older maids like her, but Mother Cheng also treats her well.

Therefore, everyone knows that if either Baizhi or Baishao becomes the housekeeper in the future, Baihe will definitely replace the head maid.

Thinking of this, Mother Xu lifted the door curtain of the main room and walked in.

Gu Jinchu was finishing the edges of the winter socks he was making for Master Jiang Wu.

Her due date was in September, when the weather was neither too hot nor too cold. A baby would look different every day, so she prepared some small clothes and bellybands and stopped making them.

When Mr. Jiang Wu saw the clothes she prepared for the children, he was secretly jealous and had a smile on his face all the time when he asked Gu Jinchu to help him.

Since Wuye has a hot body, his winter socks don’t need to be too thick.

When she was finishing the edges, she used gold thread to draw a circle of auspicious cloud patterns, which were neat and beautiful, and also hid her little thoughts.

When Mother Xu came in, Gu Jinchu was putting a pair of finished winter socks in a basket.

After hearing what Mother Xu said, she looked up at her and asked, "Mother Xu, you said you wanted to go back to the farm to live in your old age?"

Mother Xu brought in a brocade stool, sat on the edge of the kang and said with a smile: "My daughter-in-law is already seven months pregnant... If Bai Zhi had not married Mr. He, I probably wouldn't have said this."

The lady has been married to the Jiang family for less than half a year and is currently pregnant, so they are in need of manpower.

She couldn't make matters worse, but the situation was different now.

"This is a happy event... However, I have to make arrangements for you before I can let you go." Gu Jinchu said with a smile:

"Which of the two maids beside me do you think can take your place?"

Seeing that the lady did not blame her, Mother Xu calmed down and replied, "Bai Shao is loyal, but all her worries are expressed on her face and in her mouth; Bai Zhi is hot-tempered and understands pharmacology, and now she is married to the Fifth Master's adviser..." She didn't know how to choose between the two.

Gu Jinchu also smiled. The advantages and disadvantages of both of them were very obvious.

The shortcomings of white peony cannot be concealed, so white angelica root seems to be more suitable.

Gu Jinchu smiled and said, "Mother Xu, I will keep you here for another two months. When Bai Zhi gets married and comes back, you can teach her more."

Mother Xu stood up from the brocade stool, "Madam, rest assured, I will tell Bai Zhi everything I know."

Gu Jinchu nodded, and when he saw that Fifth Master had returned, he whispered to Mother Xu, "Don't make it public yet, and make plans after Bai Zhicheng is married."

Mother Xu agreed and stepped back.

Master Jiang Wu sat beside Gu Jinchu, looking at the winter socks made for him in the basket, with a smile in his eyes, and asked her softly, "What's wrong?"

Gu Jinchu shook his neck, and Master Jiang Wu naturally raised his hand to help massage it.

She leaned back, leaned on his shoulder, and whispered, "Mother Xu is leaving the house to live out her retirement, and I'm thinking of letting Bai Zhi take over her position as the manager.

Baizhi will have children after marriage... and it will take some time to recover, so there will always be something wrong."

Master Jiang Wu thought it was something serious, so he held her hand and said, "If there is someone available, we will arrange for someone more suitable. If there is no reliable person, we will just take it one step at a time."

Gu Jinchu nodded and thought about it.

She raised her head and looked at the profile of Master Jiang Wu, "Since we are back, let's go to Minghui Hall."

Looking at the time, it’s almost time to set off for the palace.

Master Jiang Wu hummed softly, and personally put the gold-thread jade bracelet on Gu Jinchu's wrist.

When they arrived at Minghui Hall, the Duke and his wife were sitting in the armchairs in their best attire.

The Duke, dressed in his dragon robe, still had a solemn look on his face, while the Duke's wife was wearing the imperial robes of a first-rank lady, which made her look even more noble.

Mr. Jiang, who was sitting below, was wearing the uniform of a fourth-rank official, and his face was equally stern.

Liu, who was standing beside him, smiled more broadly when she saw his fifth brother and his wife come in. She had changed her usual attire and was wearing a golden embroidered cloud-patterned shawl, a symbol of a fourth-rank lady.

In previous years' palace banquets, the Duke Dingguo's Mansion was among the invited noble families, accompanied by the eldest son and his wife from the main house.

For some reason, the emperor orally ordered yesterday that officials of the fourth rank and above can bring their families with them to this year's palace banquet.

Mr. Jiang Er is the fourth-rank assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel, not to mention Mr. Jiang Wu, who was promoted just a few days ago and is the third-rank chief of the Dali Temple.

Master Wu Jiang was still wearing his scarlet official uniform, but the goose in front of him had been replaced with an elegant peacock patch. Gu Jinchu, who walked into the main hall hand in hand with him, was wearing a county lady's standard five-Di crown and a shawl, looking dignified, rich, and bright.

The people in the room made the prince, a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Works, seem a little embarrassed among the masters of the Jiang family.

The Crown Prince was not wearing his blue official uniform, and his wife was not wearing the formal attire of a noble lady. Instead, they were both dressed in formal attire, adorned with jewels all over their bodies, looking extremely wealthy.

After Master Jiang Wu brought Jin Chu to pay respects to his father, mother, and several brothers, they came out of Minghui Hall and found a carriage with green curtains waiting outside the courtyard gate.

The Duke took the reins from Mr. Wei and mounted the horse, just as gracefully as he had been on horseback in the past.

Upon seeing this, Mr. Jiang tightened his cloak, put on the gloves that his wife had sewn for him before she went out, and also followed his father's example by stepping on the saddle and getting on the horse.

The Duke nodded upon seeing this, took the gloves handed to him by Mr. Wei, and put them on his hands reluctantly under the gaze of the Duke's wife.

Old Madam Jiang was still not satisfied, and told the Duke to put on his cloak and hat, otherwise he would have to change to a carriage.

The Duke pursed his lips and tilted his head away, not looking at the Duchess. He did everything she had just ordered without forgetting a single word.

Liu and Wang, one on the left and one on the right, helped Madam Jiang into the carriage.

After Madam Jiang sat down, she lifted the curtain beside the carriage and told her daughter-in-law, "Jinchu, don't let Xiaowu show off. Remember to tell the driver to drive slowly."

Gu Jinchu smiled and nodded in agreement. His mother-in-law's favoritism was always like this, and it was impossible to find fault with it.

When the Crown Prince saw his fifth brother and his wife get on the last carriage, he looked up at his father, then glanced at the carriage where his mother and the two female relatives were.

He gritted his teeth, climbed onto the black horse beside his father, and couldn't help but squeeze the horse's belly nervously.

After Gu Jinchu sat down in the carriage, he asked Master Jiang Wu in a low voice, "Is your wound okay?"