Chapter 456: Chapter 452: Song of Nine_1
Erni reluctantly withdrew her hand and rubbed it with a handkerchief, casting a resentful glance at the sesame candy.

Yingbao pretended not to see, and asked, “When is your due date?”

“At the beginning of the third month of spring.” Erni rubbed her belly. “Xiaoshui said, he would take leave in advance and come home.”

Erni’s husband, Xiaoshui, held the position of Sergeant in the county seat, working under Jiang Sanlang.

Although it wasn’t any official position, he was pretty influential in the county town.

Also, with the financial aid from his elder brother Wang Dashan, he had bought a house in the county town.

However, his parents couldn’t bear to leave their old home and still lived in Dongchen Village with his younger siblings. Erni also had to care for her mother from the Leng Family. Ever since she got pregnant, she went back to Dongchen Village.

She specifically rushed from her hometown because Yingbao was coming.

Yingbao took her pulse, nodded, “You are indeed robust, but you should not be traveling in a carriage back and forth.”

Erni chuckled, “It’s no problem, my mother-in-law put five layers of padding in our carriage.”

The two chatted a bit about life, then the conversation shifted to Chen Zhao and Xubao.

Now Xubao was thirteen years old, studying at the village school, which had now hired a veteran scholar to teach, taking over Li Xu’s job.

“Xubao has been living with his second sister, and he also helps her take care of the child after school. Did you know that Chen Zhao had a daughter? She’s almost three years old.”

Once Erni started talking, there was no stopping her. She told Yingbao everything that happened in Dongchen Village: “Chen Zhao’s husband is not bad, quite honest, sells tofu at the market. His mother-in-law, she’s a tough one, keeps asking for money from her son and daughter-in-law, causing a commotion every time.”

“Also, Master Zhang Meng went to Yuzhou. Chuchu took her two children to join him. It’s said that master Zhang Meng was recruited by Chuyan into the military, he’s now a drillmaster head. Chuchu’s younger brother, Chu Qing, also went with him, I guess they won’t be returning.”

Yingbao knew this. The Imperial Court had deployed armies on all sides, led separately by Chuyan, Zhou Fu, and two other generals. Chuyan had invited his sister and brother-in-law as a source of support.

She, all of a sudden, thought about Sister Wen Shu, who had been transferred elsewhere with Li Xu. She wondered if Madam Wen and her husband were also with them?

At this time, Second Aunt Yanru came in holding her young son, placed him next to Wuyang: “Play nicely with your brother but don’t go picking up firecrackers. Be careful not to blow up your hand.”

Little Jiang Bao was pretty, fair-skinned, and with his beautifully drawn brows and eyes, he was as beautiful as a little girl.

He blinked his eyes at Yingbao, then looked at Wuyang, who was drooling. He took the handkerchief his mother gave him and helped Wuyang wipe it up.

Erni laughed, “Look at him, he’s so neat, nothing like a country child. When Huzi was little, he would roll on the ground. Little Bao was always so delicate, even when he fell, he refused to put his hands on the ground. He always scraped his face during these falls. You can still see the marks on his face.”

Examining him carefully, Yingbao noticed indeed little calluses on Jiang Bao’s nose and cheek from where the skin had broken and healed.

“Don’t listen to her nonsense, these are the scars from when Bao fell from a stool.” Yanru glared at Erni reproachfully. “Always teasing your brother.”

Erni covered her mouth, giggling.

Jiang Bao finished wiping Wuyang, then with a look of disgust, he threw the handkerchief off onto the ground. He then began to chat with him: “What’s your name?”

Wuyang was observing his older brother with blinking eyes, unconsciously stuffing his hand into his mouth.

Jiang Bao took his hand down. He seriously warned: “You cannot eat hands, they are full of bugs.”

Wuyang responded with an “ah” sound, waved his little hand, and continued to stuff it into his mouth.

Jiang Bao pulled a face, full of disgust, and said, “You are really nasty!”

Wuyang took his hand out of his mouth and slapped it on Jiang Bao’s shoulder, almost hitting his face.

Jiang Bao got angry and pushed Wuyang down.

Anrou, who had been watching all along, was a bit nervous. She was about to come over and hold Wuyang, but Yingbao stopped her, “Let the children play and fight amongst themselves, no need to interfere too much.”

She didn’t want to spoil Wuyang.

Anrou could only step back and watch the two children from the side.

Although Wuyang was knocked down, he didn’t cry. He flipped over and sat back again, looking at Jiang Bao as if thinking about something.

At this moment, Jiang Bao was somewhat embarrassed. However, seeing his sister and mother not scold him, he exhaled in relief. He then sincerely said to Wuyang, “I’m sorry, I’m your brother, I shouldn’t have shoved you.”

Wuyang blinked, then suddenly called out, “Brother!”

“Ah,” Jiang Bao responded happily, and bent down to say, “Let’s brother teach you the multiplication table.”

Then, he patted his little hands and began to sing, “One nine is nine, two nines are eighteen, failing to greet each other;

Three nines are twenty-seven, playing music by the fence;

Four nines are thirty-six, sleeping in the night like sleeping in the dew;

Five nines are forty-five, every house keeping salt hogs;

Six nines are fifty-four, warm air coming out of the mouth;

Seven nines are sixty-three, pedestrians carrying clothes for warmth;

Eight nines are seventy-two, cats and dogs look for a cool place;

Nine nines are eighty-one, poor people have finished suffering, only to be pestered by mosquitos and fleas just as they are about to sleep!”

Wuyang looked confused, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying learning to clap along with Jiang Bao.

Seeing this, Anrou finally found peace in her mind.

After finishing a meal at Plum Blossom Lane, Yingbao and Wei Zhan bid adieu to return to their shop.

Wuyang, held in Anrou’s arms, burst into tears as soon as they left the yard, extending his little hand and pointing towards Jiang Bao.

Yingbao tried to comfort him, “We can come back next time, right?”

Wuyang shook his head violently and repeatedly called out for his brother.

Yanru proposed with a laugh, “Would you like to go home with brother?”

Wuyang nodded repeatedly in agreement.

“Oh my, this child understands what we are saying!” exclaimed Yanru in surprise. “Is he one year old yet?”

Yingbao responded, “He just reached a year old.” In reality, Wuyang was only around eleven months old.

Seeing Wuyang persistently reaching out to Yanru, Yingbao had no choice but to suggest, “How about you and Jiang Bao come with me for a visit? Anyway, we are going to visit my aunt tomorrow, so we can go together.”

Without much of a wait, Jiang Xiaomei arrived with little Jiang Shan from the Jiang family following her.

Several children crammed into Yingbao’s carriage. Wuyang was pleased to the brim and tried to squeeze between Jiang Bao and Jiang Xiaomei.

Yingbao could not refuse him and had to place him amongst children.

Upon reaching home, Yingbao simply let the children play on a Kang bed while she herself rested nearby.

Jiang Xiaomei, only six or seven years old, had a knack for keeping children entertained. Before long, she had lulled Wuyang, Jiang Bao, and Jiang Shan to sleep and herself also dozed off.

Anrou tucked the children in individually and covered the Commandery Princess with a quilt.

They all slept until evening. When they woke up, Magnolia and Anrou were preparing meals for the children.

Wuyang was overjoyed, holding Jiang Bao with one hand and Jiang Shan with the other, mumbling and murmuring joyously.

When Chunniang and Yanru walked in and saw the children playing harmoniously, they stopped worrying and began to discuss the trip to the aunt’s house with Yingbao.

“We’re going to your aunt’s house tomorrow and we shouldn’t take the children,” Chunniang suggested. “Zhang Yukun also has a few children, things might get out of hand if they start causing a commotion.”

Yingbao replied, “I had no intention of taking them in the first place. I was actually planning to leave them at home with Anrou and Xinghua.”

“That’s good. You might not be aware, but Zhang Yukun has moved his entire family, not only his wife but even the concubine and her daughter, to your aunt’s house.” Chunniang said in a huff: “Your aunt can’t seem to do anything about it.”