16 BESTOW UPON HER

After Lady Ding finished sewing, she showed Bian. "It is very nice," Bian complimented. "It is similar to a robe I sewed for General Meng De," Lady Ding said pointing out the similar colors. "They will be a great match," Bian said. Lady Ding smiled. "Consort Bian, you need to learn how to sew better," Lady Ding said. Bian nodded, her sewing skills were not as great as Lady Ding. Throughout the past three and a half years, Bian had learned every little thing of each but her sewing skills haven't improve compared to other things. The most she can do is sew ripped clothes or buttons back to a dress, but not as good as Lady Ding, who can sew a whole outfit. "We can start with handkerchiefs," Lady Ding said.

From always observing Lady Ding's sewing skills, Bian sets up her needle and took a white cloth. "This is how you do a flower," Lady Ding teaches Bian how to sew a petal. Bian nods and followed the directions on how to the flower. "Consort Bian," a consort called. "Yes?" Bian answered. "Mother Yan needs your presence," the consort told Bian. "You should go," Lady Ding said giving her permission. Bian nodded and left.

"Yes, Lady Yan?" Bian said when she reached Mother Yan. She entered Mother Yan's manor for the first time ever. It was structure to a similar manor as Lady Ding but no child room for any children. Although, her room had more things such as cabinets stacked up full of whatever was in them and less spacious for a person to walk around. "Come here," Mother Yan smiled at her. Bian went close to her but still kept a distance and bowed her head. Without looking at her, Mother Yan held onto a opal pearl necklace, "this is a necklace given to me from my mother," she said. Bian looked at the pearl necklace, she had never seen such a antique necklace that still keep its value. "It is beautiful," Bian said. "I only wear this necklace on special occasions," Mother Yan said. Bian can see why the necklace is still such in good shape. "I kept this necklace in a good place almost forgetting that it exist," Mother Yan chuckled. "Lady Yan is very wise to care good of the necklace," Bian complimented Mother Yan's way of preserving her things. "Thank you," Mother Yan said and put it in back into the bag.

She grabbed another small bag from the cabinet and led Bian to sit by her tea table. "I was thinking of what you should wear as an accessory with the wedding dress and thought of this," Mother Yan said and handed the bag to Bian. Bian looked at it then looked at Mother Yan. Mother Yan nodded her to open the bag. Bian slowly grabbed the bag and opened it to pour out a small red pearl necklace. Bian spread the necklace out with her palmed to observe it. "The Empress gifted me that necklace when I became Cao Song's wife," Mother Yan told Bian. "I cannot take it," Bian handed back. It was a gift from the Empress and Bian felt it was rude to take it. "I want you to have it," Mother Yan said putting her hands over Bian's hands, "as a mother to a daughter." Bian smiled at Mother Yan, who treated her well and as if it she was her daughter. "Thank you," Bian said. "Remember to wear it on your wedding day," Mother Yan said, "it would look beautiful with your wedding dress." "I will," Bian said happily. "I will take this to put it away," Bian excused herself.

"Did you see the red pearl necklace?" one of the consorts asked. "Lady Yan bestowed it on Consort Bian," the other consort responded. "I am so jealous," the consort giggled. "Maybe I should also seduce General Meng De, so Lady Yan can also gift me something precious?" the other consort joked. "If you are more beautiful than Consort Bian then you can," the consort responded. "Am I not beautiful?" the other consort asked putting her hands on her face. They both walked past Lady Ding's manor. Lady Ding heard the conversation and balled up her fists. "Mother, I want to play outside," Lady Guo said. Lady Ding looked at Lady Guo who got bored being her mother. "Consort!" Lady Ding called for Lady Guo's consort. "Yes," the consort came running in. "Take Lady Guo out of my presence," Lady Ding raised her voice. "Yes," the consort came to carry Lady Guo to leave. "Someone take Lady Mei too," Lady Ding yelled seeing her youngest daughter crawling around on her bed. "Yes," the consort ran back inside to grab Lady Mei and take Lady Guo outside the manor to the court yard. Lady Ding sat down on the tea table in blowing out her anger. Jealously went through her mind, Mother Yan had never gifted her accessory. "Everything will be mines when I have that child," Lady Ding told herself.

It was already in the evening, Mother Yan prepares dinner for the family, especially Cao Song's favorite dishes. All the consorts and servants helped Mother Yan, including Bian. Lady Ding rested in her manor not wanting to be bothered, claiming she have a headache. "What are you doing?" a consort asked Bian. "I am brewing medicine for Lady Ding," Bian said. "I can help you," the consort said. "I am almost done," Bian said assuring she can take care of it.

Cao Song and Meng De had returned from the long day. "Where is everyone?" Cao Song asked a servant. "Lady Yan is in the kitchen and Lady Ding is in her manor," the servant bowed his head and informed Cao Song. "Where is Lady Guo and Lady Mei?" Meng De asked wanting to rejuvenate his energy in seeing his daughters. "They are in Lady Ding's manor," the servant answered. Meng De nodded, "here take this sack of peaches and slice them for our dessert later," Meng De informed the servant. "Yes," the servant answered and received the sack. "Father, excuse me, I will go see my children first," Meng De said. Cao Song nodded and walked towards the kitchen. "General Meng De, Lady Ding is not feeling well, so she had requested for no one to bother her," the servant informed Meng De. "I will check her and call the family physician," Meng De said. "Yes," the servant left.

"Lady Ding," Meng De called as he opened her manor's door. Lady Ding heard a familiar voice and saw that it was Meng De. She smiled happily and walked towards him to greet him, "you are home," she said. "Yes," Meng De said. Although, in the morning that haven't talked much since the argument of the night before, he knew she was the type to get over things quickly. "How are you feeling?" he caressed her face. Lady Ding smiled, "I am feeling fine," she confessed. "That is good," he said and looked for his daughters. Lady Ding faced him, "what is it?" she asked. "Where is Guo and Mei?" he asked. "They are in their room," she informed. "I want to see them," he said walking past her. Lady Ding followed him to their room connected to her room, with a door.

He opened to see Lady Guo playing with the consort. "Little Guo," Meng De said as Lady Guo saw him and ran towards him to give him a hug. "Father," she said as got into his arms. "Spin me around," Lady Guo requested. "Little Guo," Lady Ding lectured, "father had just return from a long busy day, do not bother him." Lady Guo frowned. "I will spin you later," Meng De said as he dropped Lady Guo and went to see Lady Mei sleeping soundly. "She must be tired," Meng De said as rubbed his daughter's back. "They played all day long in the court yard today," Lady Ding said. "How long?" Meng De questioned since it was a hot day. Honestly, Lady Ding doesn't know because she kicked them out for the longest. "How long?" Lady Ding asked the consort who was bowing her head. The consort gulped and answered, "the whole afternoon." Meng De's anger raised and Lady Ding can see him getting mad. Before he does anything or she gets told on, Lady Ding gasped, "why did you let the children stay out for so long?" she lectured the consort. "Lady Ding said..." the consort explained but Lady Ding cut her off by yelling at her. "You dare talk back," Lady Ding yelled at her. The consort lowered her head even more, "I do not dare talk back," the consort said. Lady Ding turned to her husband and touched his arms to comfort him, "I will lecture her," Lady Ding assured him. Meng De nodded and announced to the consorts, 2 of them in the room with them caring for Lady Guo and Mei, "if anything happens to Lady Guo and Lady Mei during your watch, you will be punish harshly," he warned them. Both of the consorts bowed their head in understanding the threat.

"The physician is here," the servant knocked on the door. "Send him away," Meng De said angrily. "Yes," the servant turned away. "What is wrong?" Lady Ding asked. "I called the physician to check how you are feeling," Meng De said and looked around the room, "you are fine." Lady Ding smiled to see how caring her husband was. "Take care of the children, I will return," Meng De said and walked out. "Wait," Lady Ding said but Meng De had already left. Lady Ding looked at the consorts, "all you have to do is apologize," she told them and rolled her eyes. None of them was competent like Consort Bian and Lady Ding didn't like it. It has only been one day, and she almost got in trouble.

Meng De walked out Lady Ding's manor towards his manor to see Bian walking with a tea tray. "What are you doing?" he asked Bian. Bian looked up to see Meng De and bowed her head, "it is Lady Ding's medicine," Bian quickly answered. "Lady Ding is doing fine," Meng De informed her. "Yes," Bian said. "I brought some peaches for dessert," Meng De said wanting to tell her that he did it for her. "Yes," Bian said. Meng De stood still to see if Bian will look up to at him and give him a reaction. "If that is all," Bian said trying to excuse herself. Meng De blocked her. She showed no reaction.All she did was lowered her head even more and tried pass Meng De. Impatiently, he grabbed Bian's jaw for her to face him. Her face in pain of his action and she couldn't let go of the tea tray to defend. "Where are you going?" he said. "Lady Ding," Bian make out the words. "I said she is fine," Meng De dropped his hand, "you are not Lady Ding's consort anymore, you do not have to deliver this to her," he said. "I want to..." Bian started but Meng De cuts her off by taking the tea tray and threw it onto the grass on the side. Bian gasped at his action. "What did you do?" Bian said as she stood in shock by his action and looking at all the brewed medicine pouring out to the grass. "You do not have to tend Lady Ding anymore, you can come with me," Meng De said pulling shocked Bian into towards his manor. He throws Bian inside and closes his door.

"Why did you do throw out the medicine for Lady Ding?" Bian questioned in anger. "I already told you, she is fine," he said walking to his medicine cabinet. Bian followed him, "that was the last of the headache medicine, if you threw it out, I cannot get another one until tomorrow morning," Bian told him in disappointment of the wasted brewed medicine. Meng De turns around after searching for the medicine cream. He grabbed Bian's hands, sat her by the bedside, and lifted her legs onto the bed. Bian shocked of this action, starts back away from him. "General Cao Cao," Bian said, "we exchanged..." "I know," Meng De sighs and pulled her legs toward him. He opened the medicine cream and starts applying them onto Bian's knees that were still slightly bruised. "I can do it," Bian said as Meng De rubs the medicine on the bruised spot. "Did mother give you the medicine?" he asked as he continue and ignored Bian. "Yes," Bian said. "Did you put the medicine cream on then?" he said when he continue to her other knee. "I did" Bian said, "General Cao Cao, I can put it on myself," she handed out her hand for the medicine cream. "I am done with your knees," he said. "Thank you," Bian noticed the medicine nicely applied to her knees.

"What about your soft spot?" he asked. Bian blushed knowing what Meng De meant. "It must have been bruised from last night," he said knowing how he treated her during their intercourse. "I am fine," Bian said wanting to get off the bed but Meng De blocked her as he came closer to her. "General Cao Cao," Bian said backing up and holding out her arm to not let him come any closer to her. "I can apply it for you," he offered. Bian inhaled his lavender musky scent and then gulped, "I am fine," she said. "I do not want any bruises on your body," Meng De said gently looking at her eyes.

"General Meng De," Servant Bo knocked, interrupting Meng De and Bian. "What is it?" Meng De answered but still looking at Bian, who blushed at what he said, turning him on. "Dinner is served," Servant Bo said. "Yes, will be there," Meng De answered. Bian pushed Meng De away and quickly left the room. As she closed the door behind her, she touches her hot face to feel her temperature rising. Bian walk towards the kitchen remembering she forgot to ask Meng De about him moving forward with the exchange, in dismissing the wedding.