Chapter 285: Yo, coming to my house for a blind date? [Thank you all for your support!]

At the entrance of the Xu mansion

"Heh!"

The coachman gave a light call,

the horse obediently pulled the carriage and walked forward,

and the Imperial Guard soldiers guarding both sides of the carriage cupped their hands toward Xu Zaijing and Qingyun on the steps:

"Fifth Young Master, go back!"

Xu Zaijing waved his hand, watched the group holding torches walk away, and only then turned around and returned to the Xu mansion.

Behind Xu Zaijing, the gatekeeper brought the servant to carry the lanterns that had been taken down and followed him in, closing the side door.

When passing the racecourse, he happened to meet his Master returning from Deng Bo's vegetable greenhouse.

Xu Zaijing hurriedly stepped forward, and he and Qingyun wanted to support his Master, but were waved away.

"I haven't reached the point where I need people to support me! Are you done talking?"

"Hmm."

Xu Zaijing glanced at his Master's waist and smiled: "Why are you using the wine gourd again?"

"Hmm, that wine pouch is too small and inconvenient, it holds too little!"

Arriving at the door of the house, Xu Zaijing looked at his Master, who was hesitating to speak: "Master?"

"Hiss... why don't you find a physician for that couple."

Xu Zaijing turned his head, looked at the stunned Qingyun, and bowed:

"Yes, Master!"

Yin Bo looked at Qingyun and said: "What are you looking at? You can't even compare to someone who is about to be a grandfather, and you still have the nerve?"

Qingyun lowered his head.

Xu Zaijing walked to the corridor leading to the inner courtyard,

and happened to see Yunxiang wearing a cloak, holding a lantern, waiting for him.

Under the starlight of the winter night,

the master and servant entered the courtyard, and a few lines of conversation came from the room.

After a while, a shadow of someone exercising was reflected on the window paper (Xu Zaijing was practicing at night).

Before the lamp went out, 【285

Xia Mama carried a wooden basin of water to the corner of the courtyard and poured the water into the hidden drainage channel.

In the bone-chilling cold night,

a small patch of white steam rose up.

Time passed,

in the early morning,

before the sky was bright, looking down from the angle of the roof,

in the dim courtyard, candlelight lit up on the windows.

Before long, two people, one tall and one short, the short one carrying a lantern, left the courtyard.

After about an hour, after someone finished exercising, the two returned to the courtyard.

A quarter of an hour later,

another group of one tall and three short, the four master and servants, left the courtyard, with one of the short young maids carrying a book box.

When the east turned a pale fish-belly white,

only two maids returned to the courtyard and entered the room.

In the courtyard a quarter of an hour later, the warm water from Huaxiang and Yunxiang's face washing was combined into one basin and poured into the hidden drainage channel by Xia Mama.

After Chen hour (9:00 AM)

the sun was shining brightly,

Huaxiang and Yunxiang carried the wooden rack components, which were taller than them, into the courtyard.

After assembling the base, pillars, and crossbars,

a brocade quilt and soft mattress were draped over it by the two working together.

"Pa! Pa!"

Yunxiang beat the brocade quilt with a bamboo board, looking at the smooth curves and exquisite carvings at both ends of the rack's crossbar, she said:

"Sister, looking at this rack, why do I feel it's even better than the one at the Marquis's mansion before?"

Huaxiang stroked the dense, smooth pillars of the rack and sighed:

"This rare top-grade nanmu wood is used to make this rack for drying quilts."

"Qingcao sister said it was brought out by Zhu Mama from the mansion's storehouse! They are all founding noble families, their foundations are much the same."

Yunxiang, who was to the side, said:

"But the Marquis's mansion before didn't have the rewards for conquering a nation."

Huaxiang glared with a straight face, and Yunxiang tightly closed her mouth.

After lunch,

in the afternoon,

the sun was at its peak.

The sisters were just about to change the quilt cover to dry,

when a maid walked into the courtyard entrance.

"Two sisters, I've come to get some moisturizing cream, it was agreed upon this morning in the mistress's courtyard by the young master and young lady."

Huaxiang and Yunxiang looked over, then bowed:

"Ye'er sister, please wait a moment."

"I'll go get it!"

Yunxiang walked quickly toward the room.

Ye'er walked up to Huaxiang, helped her change the cover, and then held Huaxiang's hand and sighed sincerely:

"Sister is truly a sight to behold!"

Huaxiang lowered her head, blushing slightly.

At this time, Yunxiang walked out, holding a porcelain bottle in her hand.

After letting go to take the porcelain bottle, Ye'er said:

"You have time to come play in our young lady's courtyard, also, why do I feel your embroidery skills have improved recently?"

After the two sisters bowed, they said in unison with a tacit understanding:

"Thank you for the praise, Ye'er sister, we will definitely go."

"I'm off."

Ye'er waved her hand and left the courtyard.

The sun slanted to the west,

the Huaxiang sisters put the quilt and wooden rack back into the room early.

When the sky turned dark,

Qingcao carried the book box back to the courtyard first, while Xu Zaijing was bonding with the horses.

When the sky was completely dark,

Xu Zaijing returned to his courtyard, washed his hands and changed his clothes, then, holding something, he walked to his mother's courtyard with his hands behind his back.

As soon as Xu Zaijing entered the warm room,

he saw Sun Shi sitting on an embroidered stool holding her eldest grandson, and Anmei was holding a piece of candied fruit to the eldest nephew's mouth.

Just as the boy opened his mouth, she put the item into her own mouth instead.

This action caused the eldest nephew to wail loudly,

and Xie Shi and Sheng Hualan both laughed when they saw this scene.

Zaizhang looked at Anmei, and before he could speak,

Anmei also received a slap on her arm from Sun Shi:

"You are already an aunt, yet you are still so mischievous."

"Dai'er, don't cry, grandmother will get some for you."

Xu Zaijing walked over, squatted down in front of Sun Shi's knees, and said:

"Sister, you really are something!"

As he spoke, he bumped foreheads with his nephew and took the opportunity to open his mouth and snatch the candied fruit Sun Shi had taken for her grandson into his own mouth.

Xu Zaijing chewed the candied fruit, staring eye-to-eye with his eldest nephew.

Then,

the eldest grandson of the Xu family burrowed into Sun Shi's arms, aggrieved and tearful.

Sun Shi was so angry that she raised one hand, ready to strike her younger son's shoulder.

"Ta-da!"

Xu Zaijing extended the hand he had been hiding behind his back, holding a lifelike tiger doll stuffed with cotton.

The eldest nephew turned his head, eyes filled with tears, and then began to smile.

To the side, Xu Zaijing was telling his mother and sister-in-law about the origin of the doll.

Sheng Hualan looked at the tiger doll in Xu Zaijing's hand and smiled enviously.

Zaizhang smiled and whispered in Sheng Hualan's ear:

"Jingge'er brought back two! Mother-in-law specifically instructed that the other one is for the one in her eldest daughter's belly."

"He mustn't let him snatch it away."

As he spoke, he pointed with his chin at Dai Ge'er in Sun Shi's arms.

Sheng Hualan was startled, then shook her head with a smile:

"I thought you were different from your sister and brother!"

Zaizhang smiled: "Little Five said he brought them back to share."

"Made by Wei Xiaoniang?"

Zaizhang nodded and reaffirmed: "Given by mother-in-law! Made by Wei Xiaoniang."

Sheng Hualan nodded with a smile.

The maids set out the meal,

and they took their seats.

"Sister, my brother and I are off tomorrow, we haven't rested since the snow stopped."

Listening to her younger son's words, Sun Shi gave her grandson to the wet nurse and said:

"That's perfect, no need to ask for leave for you then."

"Tomorrow the Xie family relatives are coming, and Da Niangzi Wu will also come, it will be livelier if you two are here."

Xu Zaijing and his brother looked at their sister-in-law, Xie Shi, who was sitting beside Sun Shi.

Xie Shi nodded with a smile and said:

"My mother sent a mama today to say that when she comes, you two must be present."

Anmei nodded: "Mm, she said she wants to thank you two properly."

Xie Shi looked with gratification at the two brothers-in-law who were looking at each other.

Not just yesterday, the Xie family had also sent people before,

Xu Zaijing and Xu Zaizhang didn't know because they were at school when the Xie family sent people.

Actually, if the Xu brothers hadn't sent coal, the Xie family would have been in big trouble.

The reason was that the little coal the Xie family had prepared before!

The Xie family's old manager hadn't bought it from a coal shop, but from a peddler walking the streets.

Eighty percent of it turned out to be black stones that wouldn't light!

If not for the coal sent by the Xu family, the Xie family would have really had to tear down their house to burn for warmth, and the loss would have been huge!

And after Sun Shi learned of this, she only said it was what relatives should do.

After finishing the meal,

everyone returned to their own courtyards.

Xie Shi also carried her sleeping son back to the room.

After a flurry of activity,

Xie Shi sat on the warm bed,

looking at her son in the quilt clutching the tiger doll's tail, her eyes full of smiles.

Turning her head to look at the maid who had accompanied her as part of her dowry, now wearing a married woman's hairstyle, she said:

"Why is he becoming more and more like his father!"

"This servant thinks his eyes look like yours, Miss!"

Xie Shi saw her son trying to open his eyes and wake up, and hurriedly patted him.

After a while, when the child was fast asleep, Xie Shi said:

"I wonder what Mother will bring tomorrow?"

"It should still be those few things you like best, Miss!"

Xie Shi smiled, then her smile gradually faded, and she sighed:

"I wonder when my husband will be able to return to the capital..."

After speaking, she shook her head,

then, assisted by the maid, she began to change into her pajamas.

The next day

Xu Zaijing got up a little late.

After completing his usual exercise and eating breakfast,

he was writing on two large sheets of paper in the somewhat chilly study while wearing a thin cotton jacket, when Huaxiang poked her head out from behind the door leading to the outer room and said:

"Young Master, the Sixth Young Master of the Liang family has brought a young master to see you."

Xu Zaijing looked up from behind the desk and said:

"Serve tea first, I'll be over in a moment."

"Yes, Young Master."

After finishing the calligraphy, Xu Zaijing came out of the study,

and saw a noble young master who was even older than himself talking with Liang Han.

"Jingge'er, this is Xiong Yan, the eldest son of the Xiong family, the Earl of Kang'an."

"Brother Xiong, as for him, I don't need to introduce him."

Xu Zaijing bowed and smiled: "Greetings, Brother Yan."

The noble young master stood up somewhat reservedly and returned the bow to Xu Zaijing, saying:

"Greetings, Jingge'er. The tea, the tea is very good!"

"Thank you for the praise, Brother Yan! Please sit!"

When the two were exchanging greetings,

Liang Han was staring at Yunxiang, who was standing to the side, and just as he was about to speak, his view was blocked by Qingcao.

Qingcao lifted her chin toward Yunxiang, and Yunxiang returned to the inner room.

Liang Han rolled his eyes helplessly, looked at Xu Zaijing, and said:

"Jingge'er, was that the older sister or the younger sister just now?"

Xu Zaijing said: "The younger sister."

Liang Han picked up his teacup and said:

"Sigh!"

"My Liang family prides itself on having wide-reaching news and business, yet we can't find anyone with the beauty of your maids."

"Sigh!"

Not knowing what he was thinking of, Liang Han paused his movements, then shook his head.

Xiong Yan, who was to the side, said: "Aunt might be able to find one, but she might also say she can't."

Liang Han's mouth was already at the edge of the teacup, and he froze there.

Xu Zaijing suppressed the corner of his mouth and hurriedly changed the subject: "Meeting Brother Yan for the first time today..."

"Pfft, Jingge'er, perhaps you two are about to become relatives!"

Hearing Liang Han's words,

Xu Zaijing looked at Liang Han and Xiong Yan in surprise.

Liang Han raised his eyebrows.

Xiong Yan's face turned red instantly.

Xu Zaijing frowned and realized: Brother-in-law might be +1.

During the heavy snow before, he had indeed met Sister Rui of the Xie family.

Xiong Yan stammered as he pointed to the long sword displayed on the sword rack in the room:

"Jingge'er, you... this large high-quality iron sword of yours is truly, truly..."

As Xiong Yan saw the quality of the long sword clearly, his expression became less constrained, and he said sincerely:

"Top-grade!"

Xu Zaijing smiled:

"Brother Yan likes swords too? Come, please come inside."

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, he stood up and gestured toward the study.

Liang Han, who was sitting in the chair, slapped his forehead and said:

"Right, right, right, today I came to see your sword collection, Jingge'er, I almost forgot because I was so annoyed!"

As he spoke, he jumped up and rushed into Xu Zaijing's study, then was frozen and retreated back out.

Xiong Yan, on the other hand, straightened his clothes and walked solemnly into Xu Zaijing's study.

The three stayed in the study for a good half hour.

After Qingcao served tea three or four times,

at Si hour (around 11:00 AM)

Qingcao came to the study again, bowed, and said:

"Young Master, the Mistress sent word that the Xie family relatives are coming, and she wants you to go to the second gate to welcome them."

Hearing Qingcao's words, Liang Han glanced at Xiong Yan.

Xiong Yan, who had just been talking eloquently about the long sword, suddenly became visibly nervous and constrained.

When the three walked out of the courtyard,

Liang Han said from the side: "If this marriage really goes through, perhaps Jingge'er will give you a large high-quality iron sword!"

Once these words were out, Xiong Yan stopped in his tracks: "I, I'll go check on Jingge'er's horses."

After speaking, he walked away quickly.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Liang Han shouted a few times, but only saw Xiong Yan's back.

"Jingge'er, you didn't even try to stop him!"

Xu Zaijing: "Pfft!"

After the scoff, Xu Zaijing walked straight toward the second gate.

Liang Han hurriedly chased after him,

and his voice came over: "Jingge'er! I... I won't look at your maids anymore..."

When they were almost at the second gate, Da Niangzi Wu, who was laughing and talking with Sun Shi, glanced over.

Immediately, her face stiffened as she asked: "Where is he?"

Liang Han lowered his head.

Xu Zaijing said: "Aunt, Sixth Young Master said if the marriage goes through I should give him a good sword, so Brother Yan went to check on our stables."

Da Niangzi Wu looked at Liang Han resentfully and pointed into the air a few times.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at Sun Shi and said: "Sister... that Yan-ge'er is thin-skinned, you see..."

Sun Shi said: "Then, shall we go for a stroll with my in-laws later?"

As she spoke, Sun Shi looked at her eldest daughter-in-law.

Xie Shi hurriedly nodded.

Da Niangzi Wu pulled Xu Zaijing aside and said: "Jingge'er, you go inside and tell Yan-ge'er this..."

After a while,

the Xie family's carriage procession entered the Xu family's main gate.

Yes, it was a procession made up of eight or nine flatbed carriages.

The first carriage of the procession had already entered the Xu family's racecourse and parked,

before the carriage of the Xie family's mistress had even entered the gate.

This scene left not only the two mistresses, Sun and Wu, but even Xie Shi stunned:

'What has happened to my maiden family...'

After the Xie family mistress and the Third Da Niangzi of the Xie family got off the carriage,

Sun Shi smiled and hurriedly walked up, saying: "I say, in-laws, what are you doing! Why..."

Xu Zaizhang, Liang Han, and the other juniors hurriedly paid their respects and greeted them.

The Third Da Niangzi of the Xie family also greeted them and bowed several times.

Da Niangzi Xie held Sun Shi's hand tightly,

then first nodded to Da Niangzi Wu, looked at the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xu family, and only then said to Sun Shi:

"I came to thank my in-laws, I couldn't come empty-handed, could I?"

"If you don't accept it, I won't be able to enter your gate!"

Sun Shi smiled: "This..."

Xie Shi, who was to the side, said:

"Mother-in-law, accept it!"

"Mother, what did you bring? Do you have the Gongcheng moon persimmons from Zhaozhou that daughter likes best?"

Da Niangzi Xie said: "Naturally, I do!"

"Let's go, let's go, let's go take a look!"

Sun Shi immediately replied.

Da Niangzi Xie and the Third Da Niangzi of the Xie family behind her were both startled, but also nodded with a smile.

Sun Shi and Da Niangzi Wu were on the left and right,

while Xie Shi walked behind with her younger sister and Anmei.

A large group of female relatives walked together toward the direction where the carriages were parked.

By the racecourse,

Xiong Yan, who was bored, was staring blankly at the horses walking in the field.

Then he saw Xu Zaijing walking over quickly.

He had originally thought there was nothing going on, and in any case, the female relatives wouldn't come here.

Xu Zaijing came up to him and said:

"Yan-ge'er, Aunt Wu said if you don't go over when she waves, or if you run away again, she'll have Earl Xiong throw away all those long swords, saddles, and such of yours."

"..."

Sun Shi walked arm-in-arm with her in-laws.

Da Niangzi Xie looked around at the Xu family courtyard, which had changed from before, and said:

"I heard your family had renovations, but I didn't expect the changes to be so great."

Sun Shi smiled: "Heh, this was all done by the artisans found by Jingge'er's sworn brother's family!"

Entering the courtyard of the racecourse,

Da Niangzi Wu, who was on the other side of Da Niangzi Xie, whispered:

"Look, that is the young master from my relative's family."

As she spoke, Da Niangzi Wu waved her hand.

Xiong Yan hurriedly walked over.

Xu Zaijing followed behind.

Arriving in front of the crowd, the two bowed and greeted them.

When Xiong Yan saw the young lady beside Xie Shi and Anmei after bowing, his face turned even redder.

Da Niangzi Xie smiled gently at Xu Zaijing, then looked at Xiong Yan with a scrutinizing gaze.

Afterwards, she smiled at Da Niangzi Wu and nodded.

(End of chapter)