Chapter 104

The couple lay on the couch, neither of them sleepy.

Xu Minghua found a topic and asked: "The children went to the Liang family's Wu Lou today, were they okay?"

Madam Sun said: "Naturally, they were fine. When Anmei came back, her tail was about to be raised to the sky. I think your daughter has been praised to the point where she can't find north. She should be disciplined."

"Hmm, Zaihang's marriage still needs Madam Wu to look after it more."

Madam Sun clicked her tongue.

Xu Minghua asked: "What's wrong?"

"Husband, Earl Yuan did a good job with the Horse Administration, that's what he should have done. You also spoke for him in the court, why do you still have to not send a letter to Yang Zhou because of repaying his favor?"

Xu Minghua pondered for a moment and said in a calm tone:

"Not all officials would be so dedicated to rectifying the Tianwu Army."

Madam Sun said: "Husband, I have thought about it and feel you are biased. You made contributions and entered the capital, gained the Emperor's favor, spoke for Earl Yuan in the court, and saved his title and position. The favor is repaid. Bianjing to Yang Zhou is more than a thousand miles away. What if the Sheng family doesn't know and lets Hualan marry into the Yuan family? Will people laugh at them?"

Xu Minghua said: "That wouldn't happen, would it?"

Madam Sun said: "I think it's better to send a letter to Yang Zhou and let Cousin Sheng make the decision himself."

Xu Minghua continued in a melancholy tone: "The Kang family in Bianjing and the Sheng family are brothers-in-law. We are just going to send a letter later than them. I recalled my father back then. My father also thought it was a good marriage for a concubine-born daughter of the Hou Fu to marry a small Jinshi. But..."

Madam Sun looked at her melancholy husband, knowing that he was being cautious and had learned the lessons of his elders.

Madam Sun recalled that back then, her father-in-law was adopted into the Yongyi Hou Fu.

The father of the Xu family's aunt did not raise her father-in-law like a noble son of the Hou Fu.

Her father-in-law was originally a commoner in Daizhou, cherished the relationship between husband and wife, and did not divorce his original wife because of wealth. When Madam Sun married over, her father-in-law also treated her very well, never scolding or insulting her.

But her mother-in-law suddenly obtained the title and was fascinated by the wealth and luxury of Bianjing. She was originally a kind woman, but because she was ridiculed and compared herself to others, she turned herself into a mean, greedy, and jealous noblewoman.

Later, she blew pillow talk to her father-in-law, trying to use a concubine-born daughter to scrape away the property of her aunt's dowry, which made things so stiff.

Madam Sun also understood her husband and said: "Husband, I really can't bear to see it. If Hualan enters a tiger's den, it will be the Sheng family that loses face and is laughed at, and this is also slapping Aunt's face. When I first entered the Xu family, I received a great favor from Aunt."

Xu Minghua said: "I think Earl Yuan is a sensible person. After the court, I reminded him like this..."

Madam Sun said: "Like this, the Yuan family's reputation is gone, and Second Young Master Yuan is also old. Around Bianjing, unless it's the kind of shameless person who harms others, no one will marry their daughter into that fire pit. If Earl Yuan thinks of this, he won't take the initiative to call off the marriage."

Xu Minghua said: "Madam is right."

Madam Sun continued: "Another thing is, if the Sheng family knew that Seeing Hu Yanjiong had something bad, and Cousin Sheng didn't send you a letter, letting An'er enter the fire pit, what would you do?"

"I'm afraid the two families would break up again. Regarding the Yuan family's matter, if we don't send a letter, Cousin Sheng and Aunt will also be angry with us."

Madam Sun looked at Xu Minghua's knowing expression and knew she had persuaded her husband.

Xu Minghua nodded and said: "Madam is right, then listen to Madam."

The couple lay there,

silent for a long time.

Suddenly,

Madam Sun heard Xu Minghua say softly: "Madam, shall we send someone to Dengzhou to inquire about Seeing Hu Yanjiong?"

"Naturally, I listen to my husband."

The next day,

Xu Zaijing was doing his morning exercises and saw his father, Xu Minghua, go to the Tianwu Army early.

Afterwards, a maid from Madam Sun's courtyard went to the stable to harness the carriage. Xu Zaijing asked and found out that it was to send a letter to the post station, the fastest express delivery.

After exercising, he came to Madam Sun's courtyard. It could be seen that she had no worries, and Madam Sun was in a very good mood.

Afterwards, she called her daughter-in-law and unmarried children into the room for breakfast.

But looking at Xu Anmei, who was about to get married but still had a childish temperament, she couldn't look at her no matter how she looked.

"Xu Anmei, put away your mouth. Is this how Madam Fan taught you etiquette?" Madam Sun scolded.

"Oh."

Anmei lowered her head and gave Xu Zaijing a look: 'What's wrong with Mother, she's so high-spirited.'

Xu Anmei lowered her head and fed the civet cat a piece of meat.

Madam Xie also felt the majesty of her mother-in-law and didn't dare to speak much, glancing at her Little Five.

Xu Zaijing received the signal from his sister and sister-in-law and relieved the situation: "Mother, Aunt Bai is preparing things to go to Yang Zhou. Do you want to go help?"

Madam Sun's brows relaxed when she heard this: "Naturally, I will go."

After eating, the daughter-in-law and daughter were told by Madam Sun to leave, leaving only Xu Zaijing.

"Jing'er, now that your sister-in-law is pregnant, I have to look after her. You can only go to Yang Zhou. There is one thing, Mother wants to tell you in advance."

Xu Zaijing said: "Mother, please speak."

"Regarding the Yuan family's matter, you know it. When you arrive in Yang Zhou, if your great-aunt's face looks bad, you must help."

"Mother, you have already sent a letter to Yang Zhou. Why not just tell the Yuan family and let them call off the marriage themselves?"

"Reasonably speaking, it is the Sheng family and the Yuan family who are getting married, and we are the Xu family. The goodness of the two families should be shared by the two families. It is not easy for us to interfere too much."

"Yes, as long as the elders of the Sheng family know about the matter in Bianjing, they will definitely deny this marriage."

Madam Sun said: "Your father already made the relationship between the Kang family and the Sheng family clear when he left the court yesterday. As long as they are reasonable, the Yuan family should report that Yuan Wenshao is sick and call off the marriage."

"But I am worried that the Yuan family knows they can't find a better wife and will risk going to Yang Zhou."

"It's best if the Yuan family doesn't go! If they go, it's because the head of the Yuan family is insensible. Then..."

As she spoke, Madam Sun took a post out of her sleeve.

"Yes, Mother."

He exited Madam Sun's courtyard.

Looking at the post in his hand,

Xu Zaijing thought to himself, in this way, Hualan should not enter the Yuan family's tiger's den.

Returning to his courtyard,

Xu Zaijing ordered:

"Qingcao, go find a good wooden box."

After waiting for a while,

Qingcao walked over holding a wooden box.

"Young Master, this is the wooden box used to hold the Empress's reward, and it's already empty! Is it okay?"

The one-foot-sized purplish-red smooth wooden box was inlaid with rounded gold edges, which was very exquisite.

"Not bad, that's it."

Putting the wooden box away, Xu Zaijing went to the stable.

Looking at the pregnant horse,

Xu Zaijing then took the reins handed over by Qingyun and said high-spiritedly: "Let's go, let's go to the Gu family."

Xu Zaijing's master looked at his apprentice, shook his head, touched the dog at his feet, and said to himself: "What happened to make this kid so happy."

Ningyuan Hou Fu, riding a horse into the second gate of the Gu family,

He saw his sister in the inner courtyard who was sorting things out with Mama Chang.

"You can't help here, your brother-in-law is in the study, go."

Gu Tingyu was preparing for the spring examination in March and rarely went out during the holidays.

"Brother Yu, was it your plan for Aunt Bai to go to Yang Zhou?"

Gu Tingyu raised his head and said: "Yes, I still have to prepare for the palace examination after the spring examination. With a few less people in the house, it will definitely make Father happier."

Xu Zaijing said: "I think Brother Yu wants Father Gu to experience the desolation of his old age."

Gu Tingyu said: "You kid. On the road, with you there, I am also more at ease."

"Brother-in-law, rest assured."

Gu Tingyu nodded and said: "Go find Tingye, I still have to read a few more articles."

"Okay."

Time flew by,

Lantern Festival, Bianjing City was once again a sea of lights.

In the evening, Hai Chaojie and Shen Herui invited the children of the Zhang, Xu, Zheng, Liang, and other families to drink at Fan Lou,

and at the same time watch the huge lanterns outside the Xuande Gate.

The lanterns made in the palace this year were two giant dragons, and there were countless lamps and candles inside the giant dragons.

Between the two giant dragons was a high platform, on which there was a huge wooden water basin. There was a water wheel sending water upward.

After the water was full, it would automatically tilt, like a waterfall, which made the residents of Bianjing and the many children on Fan Lou very amazed.

This year, the Xu family did not bring female guests to watch the lanterns, and Gu Tingyu stayed at home to accompany Pingmei and Madam Bai.

On Fan Lou, the host and guests enjoyed themselves, and when it was late, everyone returned home.

Xu Zaijing also told Anmei and his mother about the dragon lanterns at Xuande Gate.

After the Lantern Festival, a poem was circulating among the noble ladies and official families in Bianjing.

Last year on the Lantern Festival, the flower market lights were as bright as day.

The moon rose above the willow tips, meeting after dusk.

This year on the Lantern Festival, the moon and lights are the same as before.

I don't see the person from last year, smiling and covering my spring sleeves.

Some said it was brought by their brother from a poetry meeting,

Some said it was obtained inadvertently at a banquet, missing the person who wrote the poem.

In the courtyard of the Hai family in Bianjing, Hai Chaoyun looked at the poem brought back by her brother and quietly changed a few words with a pen.

Then she smiled and said: "In this way, it's just right."

(End of this chapter)