Chapter 223: The tips of the branches of the Marquis [Thanks to everyone for your support

After Prince Yong's heir and the others left.

"Be alert, the young master didn't give them a chance to take by force, they will likely think of some crooked ways."

Hearing Qingyun's words, the Marquis mansion's horse attendants hurriedly cupped their hands and said yes.

Therefore, when Xu Zaijing and the Bianjing noble young men were playing ball on the polo field, the two horses didn't go to the stable at all,

but played in front of the Xu family tent with the horse attendants,

the loud shouts of back and forth on the polo field attracted the horses' attention from time to time, causing the horses to snort endlessly,

not knowing if it was a yearning for the polo field, or disdain for the speed of their peers on the field.

This series of actions,

caused some people's calculations to fail.

In the afternoon,

the crowd went to Wu Lou beside the polo field again,

and the two horses were led directly to the third floor, right in the sight of everyone.

And those who could enter the third floor of this Wu Lou gathering were all people who had a good relationship with Liang Han and knew the bottom line.

Before going upstairs, Liang Sixth Young Master even set a requirement: playing polo is full of dust, so it's better to bathe and change into comfortable clothes of Wu Lou before going up to the third floor.

After going upstairs, the crowd changed into refreshing and light clothes. Among them, Hai Chaojie, who liked painting, specially asked Liang Han to take things and started painting on the third floor.

Seeing this scene, many people followed suit.

But the effect of the painting...

How to say it,

let's use a metaphor, some people painted a phoenix pride intention, some people painted a little chicken...

Ahem.

Zheng Xiao crumpled the drawing paper in his hand into a ball.

I don't know if the horse was smart enough to know that someone was painting it, or if Alan and Xunshu, the two horse attendants, soothed it well,

when everyone was painting, the two horses were very quiet, the most action was just lifting their hooves and shaking their heads.

Qingyun, standing beside Xu Zaijing, waved his hand toward the two horse attendants. After they looked over, he said:

"Young master said, don't always hunch your back, straighten up."

Alan and Xunshu looked at each other and hurriedly followed the instructions.

Xu Zaijing also took a brush and painted a few strokes on the drawing paper,

looked up at the others,

but suddenly felt something was wrong,

looking at the young men who kept looking up at the horses and painting with concentration,

and then looking at the two horses, naked, lazy and quiet, with a natural divine posture,

Hiss,

how is it so similar to a certain scene in memory.

But, this is my horse!

After painting and playing for an hour and a half,

Zheng Xiao successfully asked for one of Hai Chaojie's works,

and one of Shen Herui's two works was also asked for by the fourth son of the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Ying's family.

At this time, Liang Sixth Young Master came to Xu Zaijing's side,

but only saw two people on Xu Zaijing's drawing paper, two horse attendants looking at the horses full of affection.

This made him stunned,

Qi Heng on the side thought there was something, and stood beside Liang Han to look over.

"Jing Ge's painting is quite vivid."

Liang Han nodded.

The crowd exchanged their painting experiences again, and also discussed whether painting could calm the heart.

Outside Wu Lou,

the sunset slanted,

the warm breeze blew, and the willow branches swayed endlessly.

Xu Zaijing, who went downstairs with the horses, stood under the steps. After waiting for several Marquis mansion servants to lead the Li horse to him, he mounted the horse,

Qingyun handed two bamboo tubes to Alan and Xunshu and said: "Look at them when you get home."

The two horse attendants looked at each other in confusion.

Subsequently, the crowd did not separate, but returned to Bianjing City together.

A group of people was mighty. If someone really wanted to find trouble, there would be many bystanders when Xu Zaijing beat people.

In the blink of an eye, it was May, and the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching.

Sheng family,

Shou'an Hall,

The Old Madam looked at Sheng Changzhen, who was crawling around on the carpet beside the Luo Han bed.

She saw Sheng Changzhen nimbly reach the Old Madam's side; just as he was about to drool on her, the Old Madam scooped him up.

Fang Mama on the side looked at this scene with a full face of smiles.

The Old Madam peered at the colorful "Hundred Knots for Longevity" hanging on Sheng Changzhen's neck: "Your young mistress certainly has a pair of skillful hands."

Hearing this, Wei Shuyi, who was standing behind Wang Ruofu, hurriedly bowed.

"Mother is right, look at what she sent to the daughter-in-law, it's really beautiful."

While talking, Wang Ruofu revealed the five-colored knot at her wrist, only to see the words 'Buddha, Confucian, Dao' woven out of five-colored threads on it.

"It can be seen that she put her heart into it."

Hearing this, Wang Ruofu smiled and looked back at Wei Shuyi:

"You tell the old madam yourself."

"Old Madam, I don't know if you have this hundred-knot in your courtyard, so I also wove one for you..."

"Oh?"

Old Madam smiled and gave a light 'oh'.

When speaking, Wei Shuyi had already handed the hundred-knot to Fang Mama.

After Old Madam took it, she looked at it carefully, only to see that this hundred-knot was woven into three fingers wide and one zha long,

with two layers,

the upper layer woven with 'Sheng Xing'

the lower layer woven with 'Xu An'

Seeing these four characters, the old madam's smile became more and more gentle.

"Old Madam, Da Niangzi is also thinking about the young men in the school, and also let the servant weave more hundred-knots."

"Da Niangzi did the right thing. In the past year, each family has been sending everything from anthracite to materials to the house. We don't compare with them for precious things, and we can't compare. Just send these to express our heart."

In this way, Wang Ruofu and Liu Mama looked at Wei Shuyi with even more gentle eyes.

After paying respects, they returned to their courtyards.

Weirui Xuan,

"I really didn't see it before, Wei Shuyi, this woman, is quite good, her mind is clever, and mainly her mind is correct."

"Da Niangzi is right, yesterday she talked to you until night, the master came to call, but she kept the master in our courtyard instead."

"Hmm, she has a mind!"

After saying this, Wang Ruofu paused with a frown, thinking to herself why it sounded so familiar,

then shook her head,

and stopped thinking about it.

At noon,

at the Sheng family school,

when it was time for the noon meal,

the meal sent from the small kitchen of Shou'an Hall arrived, and along with the meal came the colorful "Hundred Knots" on a tray carried by a maid.

Fang Mama stood smiling at the door, bowed to the scholar, and then smiled at everyone in the school.

"The Old Madam says the Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, and since the family doesn't have anything particularly good, these colorful 'Hundred Knots for Longevity' are a token of the Madam's heart. I hope you all won't mind."

"How could we dare, how could we dare."

"Thank you, Madam!"

"Thank you, Auntie, thank you, Great-Aunt!"

As they spoke, the maids walked into the lecture hall.

When distributing the "Hundred Knots" to Xu Zaijing and the others, Fang Mama took a tray from a maid, which also contained a "Hundred Knots."

Scholar Zhuang put down his folding fan and picked up the "Hundred Knots" from the tray.

He looked at the line of poetry embroidered on it, "Opening up the wild southern fields," and stroked his beard with a satisfied smile.

Xu Zaijing's colorful "Hundred Knots for Longevity" was only two fingers wide and also had two layers; the top layer had the character "Jing," and the bottom layer featured a pattern of a spirited horse woven with colorful threads.

"Fang Mama, your hands are still as skillful as ever."

Hearing Xu Zaijing's words, Fang Mama, who was holding her hands, smiled meaningfully.

She didn't say much else.

Qingcao, like Buwei, came to her respective young master's side to help tie the colorful knots.

Taking advantage of this moment, Qi Heng said:

"Brothers, my mother says she will host a banquet at home on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival and has ordered me to invite you all. I hope that when the time comes..."

"Heng Ge'er, rest assured. Jing Ge'er and I will definitely go."

After school ended,

sitting in the carriage,

strolling and eating on the streets of Bianjing at dusk,

Xu Zaijing looked out through the carriage curtain lifted by Qingcao and suddenly saw a stall by the roadside.

"Stop the carriage."

"Whoa."

After getting out of the carriage, Xu Zaijing took Qingcao to the side of the stall.

The stall owner hurriedly bowed and said politely:

"Young official, would you like to taste the authentic, sweet 'Silver Drum' from the Li family?"

As he spoke,

at a nearby stall selling clever flower-painted fans, a woman called out:

"Li Zi, give a 'Silver Drum' to this young lady."

"Coming right up!"

As she spoke, a young lady walked over holding several painted fans and said:

"Sorry to trouble you, big brother."

"Where are you saying that, young lady?"

The young lady looked closely at the maid beside Xu Zaijing.

Suddenly, she called out: "Qingcao?"

Hearing the call, Qingcao looked over in confusion, then hurriedly squatted in a bow and said:

"Greetings, Sister Miss Zhu Jian."

After Qingcao glanced at Xu Zaijing, she said:

"Young Master, it's Sister Miss Zhu Jian, a maid from the Hai family."

"Greetings, Fifth Young Master. Thanks to your righteous act at Shenbao Temple previously, why don't I treat you to these 'Silver Drums'?"

As she spoke, she took out copper coins and placed them in the stall owner's hand.

Xu Zaijing looked at the sincere-eyed young lady and nodded with a smile.

Seeing that Xu Zaijing had nodded,

Qingcao, while the stall owner was making the "Silver Drums," went to buy something nearby and walked back:

"Sister Miss Zhu Jian, I heard your status as a bondservant has been released?"

"Yes, my masters are benevolent; they released me last year."

"That's wonderful. Sister Miss Zhu Jian, please take these five-colored rice dumplings; they are a token of my heart as well."

Feeling Xu Zaijing's gaze, Miss Zhu Jian also smiled and nodded.

After taking her things,

Miss Zhu Jian boarded the Hai family's carriage and waved goodbye.

Xu Zaijing bought a few more "Silver Drums," placed them in the small bag beside Qingcao, and brought them back to the carriage.

Inside the carriage,

watching Qingcao impatiently take the things out of her bag, Xu Zaijing sighed.

Aren't they just the round, big lollipops of the Great Zhou Dynasty?

Qingcao, how can you, someone who is used to eating sugarcane, still be so fond of these?

Returning to Quyuanjie,

Xu Zaijing got out of the carriage beside the stables.

Qingcao also followed him down and walked toward the small hut next to the stables.

In the distance, the three people—old and young—who were watering the horses all looked toward Qingcao.

Qingcao took the candies out of her bag and waved to signal.

After placing one in the one-eyed uncle's hut,

she entered the room shared by Alan and Xunshu.

On the wall of the room hung two paintings that had already been mounted.

Placing two candies on the table beneath the paintings, Qingcao walked out with a "Silver Drum" in her mouth.

In the distance,

Xu Zaijing's master withdrew his gaze from Qingcao.

He turned his head to look at the thin gauze bandages wrapped around the foreheads of Alan and Xunshu.

This was the result of them returning from Wu Lou a few days ago, seeing their respective portraits in the bamboo tubes, and kneeling on the ground to swear an oath using the highest-level "forehead-cutting ritual" of the Northern Liao to pledge their loyalty.

Xu Zaijing's master naturally knew that using this Northern Liao forehead-cutting ritual to kneel and swear loyalty only represented one thing: as long as their bloodline was not severed, their descendants would forever be loyal to the Xu family.

Even if Xu Zaijing had told the two horse attendants to die at that moment, any hesitation on their part would have been an insult to the forehead-cutting ritual.

And the reason they took such a heavy oath was those two paintings.

Being able to become horse attendants for "Dragon Colts," the two youths were certainly not stupid.

And Xu Zaijing had not painted horses, but people; this meant many things.

At the time, Xu Zaijing had been somewhat frightened.

It was only under his master's guidance that Xu Zaijing solemnly touched the fresh blood on their foreheads to his own, completing these two oaths.

Afterward, Xu Zaijing pulled them up and encouraged them.

After speaking, Xu Zaijing forgot to wipe the fresh blood off his own forehead.

When he returned to the courtyard,

he was seen by Cuichan, who was passing by Hualan's side.

The result was another chaotic scene in the Xu family's backyard.

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival,

Xu Zaijing rode his "Li Ju" horse and walked out of the Xu family's main gate together with Zaihang.

On the main gate,

a large straw man made of mugwort was nailed to the gate.

Because this straw man had all five limbs complete,

and was personally tied by Xu Zaijing using mugwort,

Xu Zaijing gave it a name: "Ai Ren" (Mugwort Man).

On the side of Quyuanjie,

Chu Zhan, also wearing colorful "Hundred Knots" on his wrist, was busy working.

At Shu Bo's stall, there was an additional woman helping to clean the tables and arrange the stools.

Xu Zaihang, riding on his horse, glanced at Qingyun.

When passing the stall, Qingyun specifically lowered his head and called out "Mother-in-law."

On the road, Xu Zaijing bought quite a few inexpensive but fun little trinkets for Qingyun to carry.

After wandering around, they arrived at Xingguo Lane.

Gu Tingye, waiting at the gate, saw that Xu Zaijing had not brought any other horses, and he sighed.

Buwei, who was welcoming guests at the gate, saw them and hurriedly walked over with a smile, leading everyone into the residence.

Arriving at the front hall where the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Qi received guests,

Xu Zaijing saw Gu Tingyu sitting in a chair, talking with Qi Yiqiu beside him.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Qi nodded incessantly, his eyes full of agreement with Gu Tingyu's words.

Xu Zaijing/Xu Zaihang: "Greetings, Xiao Xiao Gongye, Brother-in-law."

"Sit."

Gu Tingyu waited until the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Qi had finished speaking before looking at Xu Zaijing and saying:

"I heard that you and the Heir of Prince Yong had an unpleasant encounter a few days ago?"

Xu Zaijing nodded.

"Have you sent a letter to the Xie family in the south?"

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing was stunned, then patted his forehead and hurriedly said:

"Alas, I was so busy with other things that I forgot. Brother-in-law, I will have someone write the letter right now."

"Why go to such trouble? Just write it in Heng Ge'er's study and have it sent to the Xu residence."

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Qi, who was beside them, said.

Half a quarter of an hour later,

in the backyard of the Xiao Xiao Gongye's residence,

under a cool corridor,

listening to the report of her personal female official, Princess Pingning sat in a chair, fanning herself with a round fan, and said:

"Humph, this Princess Yong, before she married Prince Yong, was nothing more than the legitimate daughter of a military officer. After becoming a Princess, she didn't say few cool words about me! Do I still remember her telling the Princess of Prince Jing that I was someone who 'touched the tips of the branches of royalty'?"

"It's just envy of the favor you enjoy before the Empress, My Lady."

"Alas, let's not talk about them! I only hope that Heng Ge'er can pass the palace examination just as he passed the prefectural examination!"

"My Lady, didn't you say that the Sheng family school is full of children who study diligently? The Young Xiao Xiao Gongye will certainly be as you say."

"Yes, that's right."

Inside, there are not only those who study diligently but also those who are currently in high imperial favor.

As she spoke, Princess Pingning narrowed her eyes.

The personal female official glanced at her, then hurriedly left the Princess's side and walked quickly to a maid to reprimand her:

"Tidy up that loose hair of yours. The Princess is in a good mood today, otherwise, you wouldn't escape a beating."

Sheng family,

Shou'an Hall,

Sheng Changzhen was sleeping soundly in the Old Madam's bedroom.

Hualan, who had returned to her maiden home, was speaking softly in front of the Old Sheng Madam.

Wang Ruofu looked at Hualan's light green summer outfit and light-colored jewelry; she couldn't get enough of looking at her.

Wei Shuyi, who was behind her, listened with a smile in her eyes to what Hualan was saying.

"Grandmother, have you heard of the Northern Liao's forehead-cutting ritual?"

The Old Madam's smile paused slightly; she looked at the curious Wang Shi and Wei Shi and said:

"Hua'er, why do you ask about this?"

"It's all because of this girl Cuichan..."

Hearing this, Cuichan in the room lowered her head in shame.

(End of chapter)