Chapter 257: Hometown and after the festival [Thank you all for your support! Bowing again!]

(The little princess has been renamed: Liqiu)

The north is still some distance from the place where the three kingdoms meet.

The fortified Mizhi Zhai,

by the roadside outside the Zhai, there is a post station for passing soldiers to rest, eat, and change horses.

A group of tough-looking young men rode their horses to the outside of the post station.

The gatekeeper at the entrance of the post station casually cupped his hands and shouted:

"Hey! Greetings, officials. Only soldiers of the Great Zhou are allowed inside here. You gentlemen should go further ahead and find an inn!"

The man in the lead cupped his hands in return from horseback: "I ask that the Commandant please check our credentials!"

As he spoke, he dismounted and showed the gatekeeper the item from his bosom.

"Oh! Gentlemen, please come in!"

Soon, the horses, snorting, were led into the stables.

The gatekeeper hurriedly went into the post house to pass the word: "Postmaster! Boss! Noble guests have arrived!"

Upon getting closer, he whispered: "They have a letter of introduction from the Marquis Yongyi's residence."

In the evening,

looking at the clean rooms and the sumptuous dinner,

the tough young men who had met the Xu family disciples outside the Daoist academy sat down one after another.

The young man in the lead did not eat, but instead went outside the house and placed several pieces of broken silver from his bosom onto the counter in front of the postmaster:

"This is for our food, lodging, and the horses' feed."

"Official, this is too much, far too much!"

"The rest is for your hard work."

The postmaster was stunned, then hurriedly smiled and accepted it: "Thank you for the reward, official!"

Returning to the room, the young man who was eating said:

"Elder brother, we could have just kept the money the Marquis's residence gave us; why give it to this minor official?"

The man in the lead shook his head and said:

"If I kept you busy for a while and gave you nothing, would that be good?"

"Since we took the Marquis's letter, we have had such convenience along the way, so don't be stingy."

The others nodded one after another.

Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the group arrived outside the northern military prefecture city.

On the massive city walls, flags fluttered in the autumn wind, snapping loudly.

Zhu Qinghu, having finished patrolling the camp, stood at the crenellations on the city wall with his soldiers, talking to Feng Dabao, who had been promoted from a personal guard to a squad leader.

The two looked down below the city wall.

Those tough-looking men were handing the letter written by the Marquis's residence's clerk to the soldiers.

Feeling the gazes from all around directed at them,

these tough young men all looked back.

Feng Dabao on the wall said: "Boss, these guys look quite unruly!"

Zhu Qinghu said with eyes full of interest:

"Unruly? That's called untamed! Let's go, let's go take a look!"

"What's there to see about these greenhorns?"

Zhu Qinghu didn't speak and walked downward.

Ye Fang, who was beside him, said irritably:

"Fool."

"Say that again!"

Zhu Qinghu and the others were talking as they arrived below the city wall.

Soldiers along the way who saw them saluted one after another.

After stopping them in front of the gate tunnel and asking a question, they learned that these people actually held a letter from the Marquis's residence.

Those tough young men instantly felt that the few people dressed as Commandants in front of them were looking at them with much more affection.

Walking and talking,

"Where are you brothers from?"

The man in the lead said:

"Reporting to the Commandant, we are from Xiangzhou!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Qinghu stopped abruptly, turned his head, and scanned the men from top to bottom.

Nodding, his demeanor became even more affectionate.

"What a coincidence! Our boss is also from Xiangzhou!"

After Feng Dabao finished speaking, this group of tough young men also showed surprise and delight.

Zhu Qinghu turned his head and said: "My hometown is in Zhu Family Fort, north of Xiangzhou City. Where are you from?"

"Reporting to the Commandant, we are from Yonghe Township, Tangyin County, south of Xiangzhou."

Zhu Qinghu nodded; before, he just saw them as good seedlings who looked capable.

Now that he himself was thousands of miles from his hometown, and the distance between Xiangzhou and Tangyin was not very far,

he suddenly felt they were fellow countrymen, so he led them to the courtyard in the city for reporting.

Seeing Zhu Qinghu personally bringing people, the officials in the courtyard hurriedly stood up to welcome them.

After politely inviting the men to the table, the official took a brush and asked with a smile: "Brave men, please tell me your names, ages, native places, etc. We need to file them."

"This official, my name is Yue He, age twenty-six, native place: Yonghe Township, Tangyin County, Xiangzhou, Hebei West Circuit."

"Is it the 'Le' from the famous general Le Yi?"

"The 'Yue' from mountain, and the 'He' from harmony."

The official hurriedly wrote with great speed.

"Da Niangzi, Yao Shi; have one son, age six."

After finishing, the official said:

"Good. This brave man, go over there to collect your robes, and come here in the afternoon to collect your wooden identity plaque. Next!"

While they were filing, someone was invited over.

That person's gaze was like a falcon.

After carefully examining the young man named Yue He, he asked a few questions.

"From Tangyin County... Your wife's surname is Yao? Is her maiden home in Taojiaying Village, Wuling Township?"

When this question was asked, Yue He was stunned and nodded: "It is indeed Taojiaying Village! Could it be that you..."

"From Taojiaying, then your wife must have told you that this village has old ties with which family in Bianjing, right?"

After Yue He exchanged glances with this person, he whispered in a voice only the three of them could hear: "Naturally, it is the Duke of England's family and the Duke of Lian's family."

After asking a few more questions about village elders, local feuds, landmark rivers, etc.,

that person patted Zhu Qinghu on the shoulder and said:

"It's fine, he has a solid background. I'm going to get busy."

In other words, he was trustworthy.

"Sorry to trouble you, big brother."

"It's nothing!"

Saying this, he turned and walked away.

Looking at Yue He's puzzled expression, Zhu Qinghu said:

"This person is also from Tangyin, surname Tao."

After the others in the group also filed their records, Zhu Qinghu took them to the drill ground to test their skills.

Three quarters of an hour later,

Ye Fang, panting, rubbed his shoulders and said:

"None of them are easy to deal with!"

At this time, Xu Zaiduan also came to watch.

During the competition, Zhu Qinghu introduced the people, and Zaiduan said:

"Then tomorrow's personal guard martial arts competition will have even more variables!"

"Let's be clear first! If I find out again that you, cousin, intentionally let people lose, I will really report it to Father."

Hearing this, Zhu Qinghu hurriedly waved his hands to indicate he would not continue.

In the competition before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the few people from Tangyin, that Yue He and another companion, both entered the personal guards of the Marquis Yongyi.

Jiying Lane,

Sheng family.

A carriage stopped at the entrance.

The Mama beside the carriage walked a few steps, handed the letter to the servant who walked over, and said a few words.

The servant hurriedly walked toward the inner courtyard.

Lin Qige, Xueniang walked in quickly:

"Little Niang, there is a guest visiting the residence."

Lin Qinshuang, who was making incense, stopped her movements and said: "From which family?"

"They say it's the Da Niangzi of the Xie Zijue Zhu family, here to visit our Old Madam."

Lin Qinshuang then continued her movements: "Understood."

"Little Niang, shouldn't we go and find out more?"

"It's just a Xie Zijue, you don't see what kind of families are sitting in our family's school."

"This servant is foolish."

Shou'an Hall,

"The mistress is here!"

As soon as the words fell,

Wang Ruofu walked in with Liu Mama,

and saw the Da Niangzi of the Zhu family standing by the embroidered stool in front of the Old Madam.

Ni Qiqiu hurriedly lowered her head and saluted: "Greetings, Auntie."

Wang Ruofu nodded as she walked, walked up to the Old Madam, and performed a salute: "Greetings, Mother!"

The Old Madam smiled, and Wang Ruofu said to Ni Qiqiu: "Sit, you sit!"

After Ni Qiqiu sat down, her hands were rubbing the Old Madam's legs.

Looking at Wang Ruofu's curious gaze, Fang Mama to the side said:

"Just now, Da Niangzi Ni saw the Old Madam pounding her legs, so she sat down in front of the Old Madam to rub them for her. We servants couldn't stop her even if we wanted to!"

Ni Qiqiu said with a smile:

"Auntie, I learned a bit of massage technique before I was married; today, let me let the Great-Aunt try it."

Hearing this, Wang Ruofu looked at the Old Madam with some curiosity; usually, the Old Madam would not accept favors from others for no reason like this.

Ni Qiqiu explained while massaging; after a quarter of an hour, the Old Madam's face showed a look of comfort,

and her eyes looked at Ni Qiqiu with great gratitude.

Subsequently, despite Wang Ruofu's repeated refusals, she was still held by the hand by Ni Qiqiu, who slowly rubbed her wrists and neck.

Wang Ruofu's expression also changed from initial embarrassment to one of surprise.

"You came to visit our house, but you've been doing hard labor for half a day."

The Old Madam said with a smile.

Ni Qiqiu hurriedly said: "Great-Aunt! Compared to my younger brother from my maiden home being able to go to the Li family school, what is this!"

Hearing this, feeling the relaxation in her neck, Wang Ruofu said with a proud smile:

"You child, we are all relatives, don't take it so much to heart!"

The Ni family child being able to go to the Li family school was also through the connections of the Old Madam of the Wang family.

Ni Qiqiu smiled and didn't speak.

Subsequently, Wang Ruofu said to the Old Madam:

"Mother, I heard from relatives that the Ni family boy is famous for his diligence and love of learning in the school!"

Looking at the Old Madam, Ni Qiqiu said: "He is not smart, so he can only put in the effort."

Wang Ruofu smiled and held Ni Qiqiu's hand, saying:

"Alright, you rest a bit, my neck is much more relaxed!"

Seeing that Ni Qiqiu's gratitude had reached the right level,

the Old Madam then said leisurely:

"I do remember that before in Yang Zhou, did Hu Ge'er help a maid in our residence get her status removed?"

Cui Mama to the side hurriedly said:

"Yes, Old Madam! The maid Xiaodie in Wei Xiaoniang's courtyard is said to be the biological younger sister of the Zhu family boy's comrade-in-arms."

Liu Mama behind Wang Ruofu, hearing this, looked at Ni Qiqiu carefully, her eyes filled with understanding.

"Both the mistress and I are sweating a bit and it's not good to move."

"Ruan, you take my grand-niece-in-law for a walk around the residence and go see that maid Xiaodie."

"Yes, Old Madam."

After the two left the room, Wang Ruofu said:

"Mother, letting that maid come to Shou'an Hall would have been enough; why make the Ni family girl walk those extra steps?"

The Old Madam shook her head and said: "It's better to let the Ni family girl see Wei Shi and Xiaodie."

Jin'an Studio,

amidst the announcement of the little maid,

Ni Qiqiu and Cui Mama entered the courtyard.

Wei Shuyi and Xiaodie walked out of the room together; the mistress and servant performed a salute and looked at this Xie Zijue's Da Niangzi with smiles on their faces.

"Little Niang?"

Hearing Cui Mama's reminder, Wei Shuyi hurriedly invited the two into the hall.

After Ni Qiqiu entered the courtyard, she didn't say anything, observing Wei Shuyi's figure, demeanor, jewelry, and eyes.

After entering the hall, Ni Qiqiu looked around at the furnishings, calligraphy, and paintings in the room, and looked at the books stacked on the table.

The two sat down.

When she looked at Wei Shuyi again, Ni Qiqiu smiled slightly; for some reason, she always had an indescribable feeling of familiarity.

"Cui Mama, may I ask who this Da Niangzi is?"

Wei Shuyi asked with a smile.

Cui Mama stood to the side and said: "Little Niang, this is..."

After hearing Cui Mama's introduction, Wei Shuyi realized with a smile and then looked at Xiaodie to the side.

Ni Qiqiu was visiting Xiaodie in the capacity of her sister-in-law.

Wei Shuyi and Ni Qiqiu chatted casually for a few sentences.

"Autumn cold and heavy dew,"

"Clear sky and blue firmament," after which she said:

"Xiaodie has grown older over the past two years; in the future, I will need the Da Niangzi to worry more about her affairs."

Ni Qiqiu didn't take the bait, but instead examined Wei Shuyi and said:

"Forgive my presumption, but you look like someone who has read books?"

Wei Shuyi was stunned, then seemed to think of something warm.

She wore a comfortable smile:

"Yes, when I was a young girl, my father took me to read a few poetry collections."

After finishing, she glanced at Xiaodie and said: "A concubine of humble status, yet having Xiaodie, a commoner, serve me like this..."

Xiaodie bit her lip and looked at Wei Shuyi, saying:

"Little Niang! I won't leave you!"

"For all these years, we have been mistress and servant in name, but you have cherished me like a younger sister!"

"Da Niangzi Ni, I will not leave Little Niang!"

Ni Qiqiu looked helplessly at Cui Mama to the side.

Cui Mama said with a bitter smile: "Oh my, I say, Xiaodie girl, you, you, this is not cherishing Little Niang!"

Xiaodie looked at Cui Mama in confusion.

Cui Mama said:

"Look at Liu Mama beside the mistress, and me and Fang Mama beside the Old Madam; which of us hasn't started a family? After starting a family, we can still serve beside the master's family!"

"The words might be a bit harsh, Xiaodie girl, but when decades pass and we are all in the ground, and no one is there to burn paper for you, if Little Niang feels sorry for you, can she feel good in her heart?"

Wei Shuyi nodded at Xiaodie with a smile.

Ni Qiqiu to the side said:

"Little Niang and Mama are right. I came this time to see Xiaodie girl, so that I can talk about how you are doing in front of others in the future."

Looking at Xiaodie, Ni Qiqiu continued:

"The ladies of the families of those comrades-in-arms who are close to my husband have also entrusted me to take a good look!"

Amidst the laughter of the three women, Xiaodie lowered her head in embarrassment.

Subsequently, Ni Qiqiu had the Zhu family Mama who followed her place a bolt of fabric in Jin'an Studio, as a token of the Zhu family and the other comrades' families' ladies.

After agreeing with Wei Shuyi that if there really was a good family, she would let Wei Shuyi vet them, Ni Qiqiu returned to Shou'an Hall with Cui Mama.

When Ni Qiqiu left the Sheng family to return, she was forced by Wang Ruofu to take a lot of fruit gifts in the carriage; she couldn't refuse even if she wanted to.

Wang Ruofu stated directly that she would visit the Zhu family in the future to experience what it feels like to have a full-body massage.

The Mid-Autumn moon is round on the fifteenth.

The private rooms of the major restaurants and main shops in Bianjing were booked out early.

The higher the floor, the more expensive the price.

But that still couldn't stop the wealthy squires of Bianjing.

Drinking wine and admiring the moon upstairs was truly delightful!

The three-story wooden building of the Marquis Yongyi's residence was decorated anew, hung with silk ribbons and large lanterns.

Because neither his father nor his elder brother were present,

to prevent the atmosphere from being cold, Xu Zaijing specially invited the Zhu family to Quyuanjie.

He also invited the Pipa player Yang Xingshou, bringing several elderly musicians to play cheerful music on the wooden building.

The sound of the music

reached the courtyard in the front yard where the Li brothers were, which housed the women and children of the Bai Gao nation.

But the atmosphere in the courtyard was somewhat sorrowful; perhaps they were thinking of those relatives who were still alive at this time last year.

Nanjiangtang Lane,

Rong family courtyard.

A banquet was set in the three-story pavilion.

The musicians were not playing music,

because the drunk Marquis Hou Fu Chang was talking about the Rong family's "future grand plan" with the bleary-eyed Rong Xian.

Rong Feiyan was standing by the railing,

her arms resting on the railing.

She was tilting her head, resting it on her forearm, looking at the bright jade plate in the clear night sky.

Because it was relatively close to the Imperial Palace,

Rong Feiyan could hear the sounds of silk and bamboo music coming from the palace; if one didn't look into it carefully, one would think the music was coming from the heavens.

This tilted-head posture, she didn't know what it made her think of,

but she smiled slightly.

At this moment, in the lane downstairs, the sound of children came. Rong Feiyan looked down.

It turned out to be a few children from the neighbors' houses chasing and playing while carrying lanterns.

There were even some waving at her.

When she withdrew her gaze, she glanced into the distance.

In the distance, there was also a tall building decorated with lanterns; after thinking about it, she realized that the courtyard might be the Chai family's.

Perhaps because the elders in the family were drunk,

and no one was keeping watch,

when Chai Zhengzheng got up early the next morning for a walk,

she could vaguely hear the sound of children playing and making noise in the lane outside the side gate:

"You're lying again! What fairy?"

"I'm not talking nonsense, my younger brother and I both saw it last night!"

"Yes, yes! Standing by the railing, with a rosy cape fluttering..."

"Right there in Nanjiangtang Lane!"

"I even waved at the fairy!"

"Take me to that place to see!"

As they spoke, the sound faded away.

Chai Zhengzheng wrinkled her nose and continued her walk in the courtyard.

Six quarters of the Hour of the Dragon (after 8:30 AM)

Carriages from other families began to appear at the Chai family entrance.

Gu Tingyi, who arrived early, prepared to go and visit Chai Zhengzheng's bedchamber.

Half an hour later,

the tea-tasting gathering exclusive to noble young ladies, without any mistresses, was about to begin.

(End of chapter)