0p0 Chapter 214 Orphanage
Chapter 214 Orphanage
Chapter 214 Orphanage
At the Drunken Flower Pavilion, Wang Wenzhou's other three children, Sheng Lan, Zhang Jiao, and Zhao Fengmin, sat together drinking tea and chatting. They knew their husband had gotten married, but the fact that he had suddenly taken another wife made all three of them unhappy.
But Wang Qiang just reported that the three babies are overjoyed. It seems Liu Ru is a little bitch, and she and Zhang Shifang are an ugly monster; they've made an enemy of each other. Let them fight it out.
After Wang Wenzhou got married, his children formed three major factions.
The first group, centered around Zhang Shifang and Zhang Rong, was backed not only by the power of the newly established Earl's Mansion but also by the strong support of the Duke of Ying's Mansion. They could be said to represent the noble families of the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, Zhang Rong was the editor-in-chief of the *Hanshan Weekly*. Although the weekly was currently only published in Hanshan, according to Wang Wenzhou's plan, it would eventually be published nationwide, thus allowing them to influence public opinion and firmly control the narrative.
The second group, centered around Liu Rushi and Ge Wei, had a large portion of the labor camp's influence behind them. Through Liu Rushi, they also maintained close ties with the Fushe Society. They represented the lower-class intellectuals and wielded considerable influence.
The third group, centered around Sheng Lan, Zhang Jiao, and Zhao Fengmin, is backed by local forces from Hanshan. The labor camp, comprising constables, female police officers, and medical personnel, while the largest and strongest in number, has relatively less influence.
……
The twelfth day of the first month of the ninth year of the Chongzhen reign.
Outside Hanshan City, several hundred fully armed soldiers were protecting a few people jogging.
After more than half a year of weight loss, Wang Wenzhou is no longer a fat guy, but a handsome man with less excess fat and more eight-pack abs.
A healthy body can certainly make a baby cry! Wang Wenzhou's babies, except for Sheng Lan, are all pregnant.
Zhang Shifang was the first to become pregnant, already over seven months along. Dressed in maternity clothes, she followed slowly behind Wang Wenzhou. Zhang Rong, running beside her, was also over three months pregnant, but her belly wasn't very noticeable yet.
Liu Rushi was more than five months pregnant and her pregnancy was starting to show. She was no longer dressed as a scholar, but also in maternity clothes.
To Liu Rushi's left is Ge Wei. She was only two months pregnant, so she wasn't wearing maternity clothes, but rather a flight attendant's uniform, which was the adults' favorite outfit for her.
To Liu Rushi's right was Shuiyu, who was pouting, clearly unhappy. So much time had passed, and the adults still wouldn't have sex with her. They said she was too young and they'd wait until she was older. She always felt that the adults didn't like her; she was already 15! She should have been a mother long ago.
Sheng Lan was in the most pain. All of Wang Wenzhou's other children were pregnant, so during this time, Wang Wenzhou had been trying to conceive with her, but Sheng Lan still couldn't get pregnant. Only she knew the bitterness in her heart.
Zhang Jiao, four months pregnant, wearing maternity clothes, runs to Sheng Lan's left. To Sheng Lan's right is Zhao Fengmin, three months pregnant.
Wang Wenzhou looked back at his babies. They were lined up in a row, none of them giving way. If one took the lead, the others would immediately follow. Wang Wenzhou wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighing inwardly, "Having too many babies isn't a good thing! They're fighting every day! I'm exhausted."
After running, it was time for breakfast. On odd-numbered days, Wang Wenzhou would go to Zuihualou to have breakfast with Sheng Lan, Zhang Jiao, and Zhao Fengmin. On even-numbered days, he would go to the labor camp to have breakfast with Liu Rushi and Ge Wei. As for Zhang Shifang and Zhang Rong, things were a bit worse, because Wang Wenzhou disliked Zhang Shifang, so he rarely ate with them.
The babies dispersed under the protection of the guards, and Wang Wenzhou led Liu Rushi and Ge Wei into the sedan chair.
Ge Wei unbuttoned her clothes and said softly, "My lord, please have some milk first. If my belly gets bigger, I won't be able to feed you anymore."
Wang Wenzhou smiled and said, "Ruru, Ruru, let's eat together, one on each side. You're pregnant now, so you need to eat more nutritious food."
Liu Rushi was both amused and exasperated. This rascal! His own breast milk couldn't be fed to his biological daughter; it had to be fed to his nemesis. His biological daughter could only drink her wet nurse's milk, and he had to constantly monitor his nemesis. His nemesis's bad habits were impossible to change. It wouldn't be good to let him marry another woman.
Wang Wenzhou took a sip of milk, glanced at Shuiyu, and said with a smile, "Little Yuyu, are you craving it too? Here, have a sip."
Shuiyu stepped forward and took a sip of milk. She wasn't shy at all; she was used to it. She had done all sorts of absurd things with the adults!
Liu Rushi suddenly said, "Wang Wenzhou's orphanage has been built for so long, and you haven't been there yet. After breakfast today, come with me to the orphanage. The children all want to see you. It's the New Year, and these orphans have no parents; it's quite pitiful."
Wang Wenzhou pursed his lips. "Is it that I don't want to go? It's that I'm afraid to go!" The orphanage was split in two, one half under Liu Rushi's management, and the other half under Sheng Lan's. Since her adoptive mother's death, Liu Rushi's personality had drastically changed; she was always picking fights with people.
Before Wang Wenzhou slept with Liu Rushi, he would always hold Sheng Lan while sleeping. But ever since he slept with Liu Rushi, he only holds Sheng Lan while sleeping on odd-numbered nights. As a result, Sheng Lan became somewhat hostile towards Liu Rushi, regarding her as her greatest threat.
Of course, Sheng Lan has a softer personality, and it was Liu Rushi who started all the conflicts. Liu Rushi is now a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.
"Wang Wenzhou! I'm talking to you, did you hear me?" Liu Rushi frowned.
Wang Wenzhou quickly said with a smile, "Ruru, let's make this clear first, you can't argue with Lanlan today. The New Year isn't even over yet, and tell me, how many times have you two argued these past few days? The New Year is supposed to be a happy time, but you two are arguing every day, is that really meaningful?"
Liu Rushi glanced at Wang Wenzhou with a mournful look, then leaned in and kissed him on the lips.
Wang Wenzhou's babies have all been successfully brainwashed by him; they'll kiss him if he apologizes.
"Good boy!" Wang Wenzhou's large hand reached inside again.
"Sigh..." Liu Ru sighed softly. No matter where she was with that fat man, his hands were never still. He was always touching this or rubbing that.
The orphanage, located next to the labor camp, covers more than 400 acres and is currently the largest building complex in Hanshan. It houses over 10,000 children, all adopted from various places. The majority are girls, numbering over 8,000. After all, in that era, men were superior to women; girls were considered a financial burden, while boys were kept to carry on the family line. No one would sell a boy unless they were truly desperate.
The children in the orphanage ranged in age from newborns to 14 or 15 years old. The older children were mostly staff members of the orphanage and received a salary.
As Wang Wenzhou carried Liu Rushi into the orphanage, he saw Jiang Xuyang playing with a dozen or so little girls.
These girls are all very pretty, and some of them are quite well-developed.
Liu Rushi was furious and shouted angrily, "Jiang Xuyang, who let you come? Didn't I tell you you're not allowed to go to the orphanage!"