18: Chapter 18 My Xinlan is the best

"Then, what about Yu Yan?"

Tie Xinlan asked.

Meng Li answered without hesitation: "Keep her as a Personal Maid."

"You—-" Tie Xinlan's expression froze, then her eyes widened. She was angry and aggrieved: "You bastard!"

Saying that, she struggled to leave.

Meng Li held her tightly and said at the same time: "Don't be anxious, listen to me finish. I have my reasons for doing this."

Seeing she couldn't break free, Tie Xinlan stopped struggling, stared at him, and waited for him to continue.

Meng Li carried her to a nearby stone bench and sat down. Then he slowly said: "Firstly, I want Yu Yan to be a Personal Maid to spread the branches and leaves further, to prevent future generations from repeating my mistake of being alone and without support when facing accidents."

"Then couldn't you just marry a wife?" Tie Xinlan said.

Meng Li replied: "Marrying a wife is certainly possible, but do you know how much bearing children drains a woman?"

"The hardship of ten months of pregnancy is just the basics. Childbirth afterward is not only extremely painful, but it’s also dancing on the gates of hell. A slight mistake could cost her life."

This wasn't an exaggeration; it was fact, because the medical standards in this world were far inferior to his previous life. Childbirth had no Cesarean sections, and even with a midwife present, the help offered was limited. More often, it relied on the woman herself fighting for her life.

"After giving birth, a woman's Origin Qi will be greatly damaged, her figure is prone to losing shape, her skin will slacken, and she will age faster."

Tie Xinlan was instantly shocked.

She was still a young girl. Although she had heard that childbirth was a difficult hurdle for women, she didn't understand it very clearly.

Hearing Meng Li describe it so seriously now, her heart couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Meng Li's eyes showed pity: "For such pain and consequences, even if you were willing to endure them, I couldn't bear to let you experience them multiple times."

Tie Xinlan was warmed by his words, but then she noticed the keyword in his sentence—multiple times?

"How many children do you want?" she asked tentatively.

Meng Li answered: "At least three."

At least three?

Tie Xinlan's eyelids twitched, and she subconsciously asked: "Why?"

In her mind, it made sense that Meng Li wanted 'descendants to have brothers to support each other, avoiding the mistake of being alone and without support,' but two or three children should be enough.

She never imagined he wanted three as a minimum.

Meng Li understood her confusion and pondered before replying: "Because Esteemed Uncle only has you as a daughter. In the current age, it is emphasized that upon marriage, a wife follows her husband. After you marry me, unless Esteemed Uncle takes a second wife and has more offspring, the Tie family line will end after he passes away."

"Do you think it's possible for Esteemed Uncle to take a second wife?"

Tie Xinlan shook her head.

Her mother had passed away early due to illness. If her father had wanted to remarry, he would have done so long ago.

Then, she asked doubtfully: "What does this have to do with you wanting three children?"

Meng Li said: "Esteemed Uncle and my father have been friends for many years, and he has shown me great kindness. If I then marry his beloved daughter to me... this debt of gratitude cannot be repaid. So, I want that after we have children, one of them will change their surname to Tie, allowing him to continue the Tie family line."

Tie Xinlan was stunned by these words. She never expected Meng Li to have such a plan.

People in this era placed great importance on the continuation of the lineage. Having a child change their surname to continue another family's line went against ancestral tradition and was rarely done.

Even she felt that this method was inappropriate upon first hearing it. But after considering her own family situation, she fell silent, then felt moved, mixed with a bit of secret delight. Because if this matter were settled, her father would definitely not oppose her marrying Meng Li.

Although based on the relationship between the two families and her father's demeanor, the possibility of opposition was already very slim.

But if the matter of having a child change the surname to Tie was added, the marriage between the two would be a certainty.

And Meng Li's words continued: "This way, both the Meng and Tie families would each need one child for their respective lineages to continue, and the Meng family would still need one more for support."

"That makes three."

"But no one can guarantee whether a child will be a boy or a girl. If a girl is born in between, then we must have another boy."

Hearing this, Tie Xinlan became a little unhappy.

She pouted: "What's wrong with a girl? Didn't you say that women can hold up half the sky? Moreover, history has even seen a female Emperor."

Meng Li smiled: "I didn't say girls are bad. If we have a girl, I'll be even happier. Because daughters are more affectionate; they are a father's little padded jacket. But the current world favors men, and it is much harder for a woman to support a family business than a man."

"I don't want our daughter to suffer."

"That sounds about right." Tie Xinlan smiled contentedly, then put away her childish temper and thought: "According to what you say, if you only marry me, the pressure on me to bear children in the future would indeed be a bit high. You should find someone to help share the burden."

"It’s fine to keep a Personal Maid in advance for that."

"But I have a Personal Maid too. Why do you have to find one from outside?"

You have one too?

Meng Li blinked: "Xiaoxiao?"

Tie Xinlan nodded, then asked suspiciously: "What, you don't favor her?"

Meng Li shook his head: "No, I think Xiaoxiao is very good."

This was the truth. Xiaoxiao was not bad looking, and he appreciated her personality: pursuing what she loved boldly, and being fiercely loyal. In the original plot, after confirming that she and E Tongtian liked each other, she bravely pursued him. To cover Tie Xinlan's escape, she stayed behind to cover the retreat despite knowing she was no match, and was ultimately killed by the palace maids pursuing her from Yihua Palace.

It's just...

"Is Xiaoxiao willing to this?"

As soon as this question left his mouth, Tie Xinlan's attitude instantly changed: "You really are plotting against Xiaoxiao!"

Meng Li was instantly filled with question marks.

What did he mean by "I am plotting against Xiaoxiao"?

Didn't she suggest keeping her as a Personal Maid?

Faced with this unreasonable statement, he decisively denied it three times: "I am not, I did not, don't slander me."

Seeing him like this, the suspicion in Tie Xinlan's heart wavered slightly: "Really?"

"Really, truer than pearls. I swear! If I, Meng Li, had any improper thoughts about Xiaoxiao before, may the heavens..."

Before the oath was finished, Tie Xinlan reached out and covered Meng Li's mouth.

Then, she smiled: "I believe you."

"Then about the Personal Maid issue..." Meng Li asked tentatively.

"I will find an opportunity to ask Xiaoxiao first."

"Ahem, I was talking about Yu Yan."

Tie Xinlan sounded a little unhappy when she heard this. She asked faintly: "Do you like her that much?"

Meng Li said softly: "I have already agreed with her."

Tie Xinlan was displeased: "Why didn't you discuss it with me beforehand?"

Meng Li acted "wronged": "I didn't know you would be willing to marry me before either!"

"You—-" Tie Xinlan was speechless and turned her head away, sulking.

Meng Li saw that things had progressed this far and she hadn't explicitly refused, realizing that the blessing of having multiple wives might be possible. So, he struck while the iron was hot and whispered into her ear: "Xinlan~~"

"Good sister~~"

Tie Xinlan instantly felt goosebumps rise all over her body and immediately said irritably: "I'm afraid of you."

"Do you mean you agree?"

"Mm."

Seeing that his goal was achieved, Meng Li narrowed his eyes and smiled: "I knew my Xinlan was the best."

Hearing this, Tie Xinlan couldn't help but curve her lips upwards. Then, as if thinking of something, she stiffened her face and huffed: "Not really? Unlike your Yu Yan, I can't play the zither or sing to please you."

Meng Li smiled slyly: "She sings to please me? Then I'll sing to please you, is that okay?"

With that, he cleared his throat and began to hum softly: "The east wind breaks again, willow catkins drift down, the banks are colored with peach blossoms..."

"The Phoenix flute sounds stir, the light shifts the jade pot, your whispers sway my temple tassels. Hoping for a glance that shines, the cool breeze blows, the lights of ten thousand homes show mutual affection, so ancient. Starlight like rain, willows like threads, cups clinked, fine wine poured like a torrent."

"My heart is focused, our eyes meet, suddenly I am deeply struck by your Gu."

"One night the flowers bloom into a tree, one night the fish and dragons dance, one night the precious horses and carved carriages fill the road with fragrance. Pretending not to care, searching a thousand times, yet that person is at the place where the lights are dim."

...