Chapter 265: The Gift is Light but the Affection is Heavy [Deep thanks to everyone for your support

"Ah?"

Liang Han, Qiao Jiu, and the others all showed confusion.

Rong Xian came back to his senses, turned his head to look at the expressions of the few young people on the side,

there was not the slightest embarrassment on his face, he scanned Liang Han and the others up and down, then raised his eyebrows,

"Pfft."

After a sneer, Rong Xian curled his lips, shook his head, and turned to walk toward the hall.

Gu Tingye was the first to react:

"He... what does he mean by this?"

Qiao Jiu said: "It seems like he looks down on us!"

The few exchanged a look, then all ran a few steps to crowd around him.

"Xian Ge'er, what did you mean just now?"

"That's right! What was that sneer for!"

Rong Xian wasn't drunk at this time.

He glanced at Gu Tingye, who was slightly shorter than him, and looked at the others who had drunk wine, and said pretentiously:

"You are all still young, your blood and energy are not yet settled!"

"Adult matters, ask less..."

Hearing this, everyone chased after him for another round of horseplay.

Entering the room, the maids and servants had already served tea soup that helped with sobering up and digestion.

Everyone played for another quarter of an hour.

At this time, Buwei walked in from outside the door and whispered in Qi Heng's ear:

"Little Duke, the Princess has sent a Mama to urge you."

Qi Heng was stunned and nodded. Taking advantage of the gap while everyone was talking, Qi Heng raised his tea soup and said:

"Mother is urging me to go back to the mansion, so I will take my leave first, everyone."

Liang Han on the side said:

"It's getting late, why don't we just disperse?"

Gu Tingye said:

"That's fine!"

As he spoke, the maids and servants brought by everyone began to serve them in putting on clothes and organizing the utensils.

Buwei, who returned to the room on the side, looked at the maids and servants of the Qiao family and said a few words.

When it was time to leave, Buwei held a three-layered food box and came to Qingyun's side:

"Brother Qingyun, I just saw the maids in the mansion like these aquatic products, so I specifically asked for some more."

Qingyun looked at Buwei, didn't look back at Qingcao and the others, smiled, and nodded: "You're thoughtful."

The three maids following Qingyun all smiled and bowed to Buwei.

Buwei bowed and then followed Qi Heng out of the hall.

The sun was still high.

After everyone had left the hall, they all got into their carriages. Amidst a chorus of farewells,

the carriages of the Gu, Rong, Liang, and Qiao families walked in one direction.

In the carriage returning to Quyuanjie,

Qingcao and the three maids Hua Xiang occasionally glanced at the huge food box placed in the middle.

Today, they were either serving dishes or pouring tea, and had little time to eat anything. At this time, they were all very hungry.

"It's all cold; wait until we get home to heat it up before eating! Qingyun, have three small bowls of *gu-hun-tun* (wonton) brought up!"

"Yes, Young Master."

After walking for a while, they encountered a *hun-tun* stall.

The Xu family's carriage stopped, and Qingyun picked out three bowls from the utensils they brought and walked to the stall.

When they heard Chu Zhan's voice greeting customers by the roadside in the carriage,

everyone knew they were about to arrive home.

At this time, Qingyun beside the carriage said: "Young Master, it seems there are guests visiting."

After seeing Xu Zaijing's gaze, Yun Xiang, who was close by, opened the carriage door.

Xu Zaijing looked and saw more than a dozen flatbed carts covered with oilcloth and fully loaded driving toward the Xu family gate, all with small flags with the character "Zhu" stuck on them.

Xu Zaijing glanced at Qingcao again. Qingcao hurriedly carried the food box to her legs, and Xu Zaijing walked off the carriage.

Qingcao followed him down. When the carriage and Qingyun's mount were led into the mansion by the servants at the gate,

a sound of "Whoa" came.

The motorcade arrived at the Marquis's mansion gate.

The leader was a yamen runner:

"This little one, Li Mubai, greets the Yamen. I saw this old man asking for directions on the street near Fan Tower, so I led him here."

Xu Zaijing cupped his hands and returned the bow: "Many thanks."

Qingyun behind him greeted the yamen runner and said: "Please come this way."

An old man dressed decently in the motorcade also walked up. After carefully sizing up Xu Zaijing, he said:

"You are... Han Wulang. It's been a long time, you've grown tall."

Xu Zaijing bowed and cupped his hands:

"Greetings, Seventh Grandfather."

The old man was the seventh uncle of Xu Zaijing's aunt's husband.

Hearing Xu Zaijing call him, the old man's eyes were full of surprise and he smiled:

"I didn't expect Han Wulang to still recognize me, good child!"

After finishing the bow, Xu Zaijing held the old man's hand and said:

"Please come inside quickly."

The old man smiled until his face was full of wrinkles, patted Xu Zaijing's hand and said: "Good, good, good!"

During the time they were talking, several half-grown boys in the motorcade crowded to the front.

The old man turned around and said: "Call him Fifth Cousin."

For a time, the sound of "cousin" was constant, and Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile.

The yamen runners who had received the reward were also waiting in the gaps of the conversation.

After the boys finished calling him, the yamen runners led by Li Mubai bowed and bid farewell one after another.

After walking ten steps away, the yamen runner beside Li Mubai said:

"Head Li, I didn't expect that when the Xu family's legitimate son met them, he would actually get off the carriage and personally welcome this rural old relative."

Li Mubai smiled and threw the purse in his hand to the person who spoke.

"Whoa! Generous!"

At the main gate,

after Xu Zaijing nodded, he shouted toward the stall direction: "Little Chu, come over!"

*Cha-cha*, Chu Zhan ran over.

"Young Master!"

"Serve hot drinks to the horse masters, and after you're done, come in and play with them."

"Yes, Young Master."

The old man in front of Xu Zaijing raised his chin, and the few half-grown boys who followed hurriedly chased after Chu Zhan.

Uncle Shu, not far away, heard this and hung the cloth strip with the two characters "Resting Stall" on the cloth shed.

After Chu Zhan and the others walked over, Uncle Shu rinsed the porcelain bowls in hot water, Chu Zhan set the porcelain bowls, and then the hot and sour soup on the stove was ladled into the bowls.

The few boys who followed hurriedly helped serve the bowls.

At the stall next to it, the stall owner, who was about the same age as Uncle Shu, had already placed warm water, draped a towel over his shoulder, and walked toward the horse drivers carrying a basin.

"A few of you, wash your hands!"

The horse drivers, holding horse whips and standing beside the carriages, looking at the towering courtyard walls of the Xu family with great emotion, heard this and hurriedly said words of thanks.

After wiping their hands clean, the hot soup was also served.

The stall owner carrying the basin behind said: "Wait for me to change the water."

"Hey, no need to change..."

"Seventh Grandfather, please enter the mansion."

"Good, let this lead carriage come in!"

Xu Zaijing waved his hand, and the gatekeeper servant hurriedly walked up, leading the draft horse into the Xu mansion.

Just after entering the door, Madam Sun had already led her two daughters-in-law and daughter to walk here and bowed one after another:

"Seventh Uncle."

"Greetings, Madam."

The old man bowed.

"Why are you still bowing! This is the Eldest Young Master's wife, the Third Young Master's wife!"

Xie Shi and Sheng Shi hurriedly greeted him.

Subsequently, Madam Sun said: "Please come inside quickly."

"Mother, Seventh Grandfather specifically let this carriage come in; why don't you take a look?"

Madam Sun's eyes lit up and she said: "Jing'er is right, Seventh Uncle?"

The old man smiled even more happily, lifted the oilcloth on the flatbed cart, and said:

"Madam, these are the winter vegetables, winter melons, and radishes produced from our Zhu family's manor..."

"The winter vegetables haven't had the outer leaves peeled off, so they look a bit ugly..."

Looking at the cart full of vegetables, Madam Sun smiled and said: "Seventh Uncle, I understand! Then can we go inside now!"

"Hahaha! Let's go, let's go!"

Xu Zaijing on the side interjected: "Mother, there are more than a dozen carts outside!"

This Seventh Grandfather of the Zhu family said: "They are all the same as this cart!"

Laughing and talking, everyone entered the front hall.

The old man wasn't restrained either. After drinking a cup of tea, he nodded with appreciation in his eyes.

"The dozens of *qing* of farmland our family has by the river are all bumper harvests..."

"The watermelons also sold for a lot of money..."

"There was a noble young master, surnamed Rong..."

At this time, a maid announced:

"Madam, Madam Zhu has arrived."

Soon, Xu Zaijing's aunt entered the hall accompanied by her daughter-in-law.

Looking at Xu Shi, who had already returned to normal,

the old man nodded with relief, and then looked at Madam Ni.

Although the old man wanted to say something but stopped, he ultimately didn't say anything.

At dinner time,

Xu Zaijing and his elder brother accompanied this Seventh Grandfather to drink some wine, and the Zhu family boys who followed behind the screen also ate heartily.

At this time,

the horse masters at the gate had already eaten and drunk their fill. Some were sitting on the carriages talking,

and some were led by Xu family servants, driving the carriages away from Quyuanjie and heading elsewhere.

Jiying Lane

Sheng Mansion

Shou'an Hall

Minglan, who was winding anti-slip rope around the handle of a polo stick together with the Old Madam, suddenly raised her head,

listening to the somewhat noisy sounds outside.

The Old Madam also heard it. Soon, Mama Cui walked over and said:

"Old Madam, it's a cart of winter vegetables sent by the Marquis's mansion, saying it was sent by relatives from Xiangzhou."

The Old Madam nodded with a smile:

"When the manor on the outskirts of the capital produces some, send some over too."

"Yes, Old Madam."

Minglan on the side finished listening and said: "Grandmother, this was pulled from Xiangzhou, how far away is that? Why not just give silver coins?"

The Old Madam looked into Minglan's eyes and said:

"Ming'er, some things cannot be measured by silver coins alone."

"Silver coins can buy winter vegetables, but they cannot buy this sentiment."

Minglan nodded as if she understood.

The Old Madam, whose wealth was unknown, said with an unclear expression:

"Silver coins... Hmph... Ming'er, you must remember, using silver coins to seal mouths is the stupidest method."

"If you can use money to make her shut up, then there will naturally be more silver coins to make her open her mouth."

Minglan blinked and said: "Grandmother, are you saying that after having the sentiment, silver coins are no longer useful?"

The Old Madam said: "This depends on the person. Let's not talk about this!"

After finishing, the Old Madam smiled and said: "Tomorrow, we are going to the manor, are you happy?"

Minglan nodded hurriedly.

The next day,

before the sky was bright,

Xu Zaijing rode his fine horse and accompanied his elder brother to the North Gate of Bianjing with the Zhu family relatives.

In the carriages of the horse masters, some were re-filled with large wooden barrels containing pickled crabs, clams, etc., which were purchased by the Marquis's mansion at the Qiao family last night.

Some were filled with silks and satins; there were quite a few of these in the Xu family's warehouse.

After the city gate opened,

countless carriages loaded with winter vegetables and other winter vegetables poured in.

With the beginning of winter imminent, everyone in Bianjing, whether commoners or nobles, began to store vegetables for the winter.

Outside the city,

Xu Zaijing and his elder brother waved their hands again, and the motorcade soon disappeared on the official road before dawn.

When they returned, passing by Pan Lou, the sky had already brightened.

Several noble young men who were stretching at the entrance of Pan Lou saw Xu Zaijing in the distance,

and hurriedly hid back into Pan Lou in a panic.

Qingyun, who was riding behind Xu Zaijing, shook his head: How unconfident are these few young masters in their own young master's eyesight!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 266 =====