Chapter 286: Bring Over More Than Half! I Want to Make Incense! And the Last One [

Wu Da Da Niangzi looked at Lady Xie's expression,

gently patted the hand of Lady Xie that she was holding,

her smile becoming even more warm and genial.

Then Wu Da Da Niangzi exchanged a glance full of pride with Sun Shi,

even raising an eyebrow.

As she turned her head, Wu Da Da Niangzi spotted the carriage parked to the side,

beneath the cotton quilt covering the carriage stood many green bamboo tubes, thicker than a bowl's mouth and about a foot tall, arranged vertically.

Wu Da Da Niangzi froze for a moment and stopped walking,

causing Lady Xie to stop as well,

Sun Da Da Niangzi, puzzled, followed Wu Da Da Niangzi's line of sight:

"Sister, what is wrong?"

Wu Da Da Niangzi pointed at the bamboo tubes on the carriage and asked uncertainly:

"Could it be that these contain lychees?"

Hearing Wu Da Da Niangzi's words, everyone around froze in shock.

In this deep winter month, was Wu Da Da Niangzi speaking of lychees?

Only the few members of the Xie family showed no surprise on their faces,

Lady Xie smiled and said:

"Da Da Niangzi is widely traveled and knowledgeable; indeed, what is inside are lychees produced in Qinzhou, Guangnanxi Circuit."

Wu Da Da Niangzi nodded and said:

"Last year, in a letter from my brother at my maiden home coming to the capital, he mentioned this rare item; I never expected to actually see it today."

'So many, filling an entire carriage.'

Sun Shi looked curiously at the bamboo tubes on the carriage, extremely curious about what the lychees inside were like.

Xu Xu Anmei asked Lady Xie in a low voice: "Sister-in-law, did you often eat these before?"

Lady Xie shook her head and whispered: "I too am seeing this thing for the first time today; previously I only ate preserved lychees in honey."

To the side, Xu Xu Zaijing, Liang Han, and Xiong Yan blinked in equal stupefaction.

Seeing the expressions of the crowd beside her, Lady Xie lifted her chin toward the old nursemaid at her side and said: "Take a few tubes down."

After speaking, Lady Xie noticed Xu Xu Zaijing gazing curiously at the other carriages,

so she smiled, patted the hands of the two Da Niangzis, lifted her chin, and pointed at the convoy, saying:

"The first two carts ahead hold Guangxi brocade, a specialty of Guangnanxi Circuit; those two carts hold Congcheng persimmons; these two carts hold lychees; and the two carts behind hold bamboo shoots."

"They are all specialty items from Rui Hua Jie'er's father's side; they are not worth much!"

"Take some items down from those carts as well."

Hearing Lady Xie's words, Wu Da Da Niangzi looked at Sun Da Da Niangzi, her expression clearly conveying: 'Your in-law family is truly remarkable! So generous!'

Lady Xie smiled and said: "Mother, let us go look ahead."

Lady Xie paused for a moment, looked at the two Da Niangzis beside her; Wu Da Da Niangzi and Sun Shi smiled, and Sun Shi said:

"Let's go! Let's go! Let us head to the front; that courtyard over there is Jing Ge'er's falconry."

The group of women continued walking forward,

the sunlight was just right,

it was exactly the time for the Xu family to walk their horses,

Xiao Li Ju, Xiao Li Ju's foal, and two dragon steeds—four divine and handsome horses—were released by A Lan,

and began to stroll around the horse track,

this was always the hour for it,

Lady Xie had not seen the dragon steeds Xu Xu Zaijing received after the Spring Festival last year,

"Truly handsome horses."

Wu Da Da Niangzi said: "That black and shiny one was bestowed by Your Majesty."

The women followed the corridor Xu Xu Zaijing often walked in the morning,

entered the inner courtyard,

and while observing the compound previously renovated by the Li family, Lady Xie's maternal grandparents, they walked toward Sun Shi's courtyard.

Following behind were Xu Xu Zaijing and the other three.

Upon reaching the courtyard and entering the warm main hall,

everyone one by one removed their heavy cloaks, capes, and the like,

took their seats, and the Xu family's eldest grandson, Dai Ge'er, who was clutching a tiger cloth doll, was brought out.

Xu Xu Zaijing and Xu Xu Anmei reached out their hands,

but the child did not seek them out,

when Lady Xie and the Xie family's Third Lady reached out, perhaps because they resembled Lady Xie somewhat, Dai Ge'er instead went to them.

Xu Xu Zaijing smoothed his clothes,

and said to Liang Han, who was looking at him curiously:

"Liang Liu Lang, ahem, this is simply the bond of blood; Dai Ge'er is certainly closer to his maternal grandmother and aunt."

Xu Xu Zaijing spoke with an extremely assured tone,

while Seeing Qingcao, the female servant standing discreetly behind him, secretly curled her lips: 'Young Master, you seem to have forgotten what you did last night!'

Liang Han looked at the several plates of lychees being brought up by the female servant and clicked his tongue: 'Isn't he your nephew?'

But he did not dare say it.

The fruit platter, laden with washed lychees, was placed on the table by a female servant.

Xu Xu Zaijing looked at the lychees, which still emitted a fresh fragrance.

He casually picked up three or four and handed them behind him; Seeing Seeing Qingcao hurriedly reached out to take them and tucked them into her pocket.

Liang Han, his face filled with shock, said:

"Brother Jing, are you really this good to your female servants?"

"Lychees of such quality, if placed on the market, five strings of cash apiece would still see wealthy families snapping them up."

Xu Xu Zaijing looked at Liang Han with confusion.

At that moment,

Seeing Seeing Qingcao held the peeled lychee flesh to his mouth.

Xu Xu Zaijing opened his mouth and ate it.

The taste was excellent!

Liang Han bit his lip, lowered his head, and began peeling a lychee with great care; his personal attendant, Diao Che, was standing outside.

After a while,

The Xu family's female servants brought out persimmon cakes cut into pieces and dusted with white sugar frosting.

This item was not as rare as the lychees just now; it could be bought at Li He's famous fruit and dried fruit shop in Bianjing.

Amidst the laughter and joyful chatter of teasing Brother Dai, mealtime arrived.

Brothers Xu Xu Zaijing and his sibling sat at one table with Liang Han and Xiong Yan, while the womenfolk sat at another.

Dishes continued to be served.

"Young Master, this dish uses dried bamboo shoots brought by Lady Xie; the kitchen staff just prepared it."

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded and made a gesture inviting the guests to begin.

Then, turning to Seeing Seeing Qingcao who had placed the dishes, he said: "Have Hua Xiang and the other one come here."

Liang Han's eyes lit up.

"Come take two lychees to eat for fun."

Liang Han's eyes dimmed again; he had thought they were coming to pour wine and serve dishes.

Seeing Seeing Qingcao smiled, performed a formal bow, and said: "Yes, Young Master."

Xiong Yan, raising his wine cup from the side, said: "Zhang Zhang Sanlang, Han Han Wulang, Liang Liu Lang, come, let's have a drink!"

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled and drained his cup in one go.

This meal counted as a family banquet.

It also served to accomplish the matter of arranging a marriage for Miss Xie the Third.

Not only at Xu Xu Zaijing's table,

but at the tables of Wu Da Da Niangzi and the young ladies as well, some wine was consumed, and the air was full of laughter and joyful chatter.

After the Wei hour (around two in the afternoon),

the tables were cleared.

The ladies drank digestif teas while discussing Bianjing gossip, such as the issue of the background of the woman that the Han family's illegitimate son had befriended during the Double Ninth Festival.

Or how that woman's sisters remained unmarried because no suitable matches could be found for them.

As a professional, Wu Da Da Niangzi's access to information and the authenticity of her news were beyond doubt.

Sun Shi, meanwhile, spoke of a letter from Marquis Marquis Yongyi, praising the outstanding quality of the oilcloth purchased by the Ministry of Revenue.

Chatting continued until the afternoon.

The ladies rose to their feet.

As they walked toward their carriages, Wu Da Da Niangzi discussed quietly with Lady Xie approximately when the Xiong and Xie families should exchange the grass tally.

In the golden afternoon sunlight,

the guests took their leave.

The womenfolk saw them off to the second gate,

while Xu Xu Zaizhang and Xu Xu Zaijing saw them off to the main gate.

Inside the returning carriage,

Liang Han, still holding a basket of lychees, bamboo shoots, and persimmon cakes in his arms, said:

"Da Da Niangzi didn't say to give us more."

Wu Da Da Niangzi tapped his head and said: "You foolish boy! What remains in the Xu house is meant to be sent to the palace!"

Liang Han was stunned.

After speaking, Wu Da Da Niangzi sighed with emotion: "This Xie family is truly formidable; they actually managed to master this craft."

"Mother, then why doesn't the Xie family present it themselves?"

"What would the Xie family gain by presenting it? Could it compare to letting the Xu family gain even more imperial favor? Have you not thought about whose son Brother Dai is?"

Liang Han: "Oh."

The Yi family of Zhending Prefecture was merely a military official.

The Zheng family's representative was an illegitimate son.

Whereas the Xu family was the legitimate eldest grandson of Hou Fu.

It was obvious which family to invest in.

After the guests departed,

the sun tilted further toward the west.

Xu Xu Zaijing and his elder brother returned to Sun Shi's courtyard,

and before they had even sat down,

a female servant arrived to report: "Wu Da Da Niangzi, the Xie family has sent another three large cartloads of goods."

Sun Shi looked at her eldest daughter-in-law, sighed with a smile, and said, "Put them away for now."

"Jing'er! You have the Empress's token; keep three bamboo canisters for the Gu and Sheng families, and send the rest to the palace."

"Aside from the lychees, the palace has no use for the rest."

Xu Xu Zaijing bowed deeply with hands clasped and said:

"Yes, Mother!"

After inspecting them for half an hour,

soon two carriages from Quyuan Street headed toward the imperial palace.

The sun had already touched the horizon,

at the side gate of the imperial palace,

just as the inner eunuchs and imperial guards were jointly verifying the token,

someone had already been dispatched to sprint swiftly to where the Emperor and Empress were, to report Xu Xu Zaijing's purpose.

Soon, a young inner eunuch, panting heavily, approached Xu Xu Zaijing and said:

"Han Han Wulang, His Majesty and the Empress bid you enter the hall."

"Bring the bamboo canisters of lychees with you."

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded, lifted two bamboo canisters of lychees from the carriage, and handed them to the imperial guard.

"Thank you, Han Han Wulang, for your understanding; please proceed."

The party walked toward the palace where the Emperor and Empress resided.

Meanwhile, the carriages were left parked outside,

and a group of inner eunuchs and female officials formed a line, carrying the bamboo canisters from the carriages down to the storage chambers beneath the imperial palace.

Inside the palace hall,

by the time Xu Xu Zaijing arrived,

the sun had set behind the mountains,

and lamps had been lit within the hall.

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled at the Imperial Prince Zhao Fang, who was dining with the Emperor and Empress,

using his own chopsticks, with grains of rice still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

"Have you eaten?"

Xu Xu Zaijing hastily bowed and replied:

"Replying to Your Majesty, I ate heavily at noon and am not hungry."

"Bring another table. Add a set of bowl and chopsticks for him."

Xu Xu Zaijing said:

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Eat, do not stand on ceremony."

"Yes, Empress."

Watching Xu Xu Zaijing eat with the speed of a master table-cleaner,

the attending inner eunuchs frequently had to come forward to refill his rice,

and Zhao Fang also ate one more bowl of rice than usual.

The Emperor watched with sheer amusement,

while the Empress sighed softly and quietly instructed a female official to prepare a digestif drink.

Xu Xu Zaijing discreetly let out a burp; the palace food was indeed delicious.

Inside the palace hall,

after the meal, several of them shared a sweet hawthorn and rock sugar drink,

and after about a quarter of an hour had passed,

the Emperor glanced at the memorandum handed over by the chief inner eunuch and said:

"Why are there only lychees? Where are the dried bamboo shoots and dried persimmons?"

Xu Xu Zaijing stammered, "Uh, replying to Your Majesty, my family thought—"

"Send half of those as well."

"Yes!"

"No, more than half!"

Xu Xu Zaijing lowered his head and assented.

"Go!"

Xu Xu Zaijing bowed and assented.

Walking with Zhao Fang along the path out of the palace hall,

Zhao Fang whispered, "Brother Jing, you should not have moved so many of Father Emperor's precious swords."

Xu Xu Zaijing whispered in reply, "Mm, what Your Highness says is true; I should not have moved so many."

Ahead, an inner eunuch carried a lantern and walked briskly,

and upon reaching the palace gate, Xu Xu Zaijing bowed deeply with hands clasped and said, "Your Highness, please stop here."

Two quarter-hours after Xu Xu Zaijing exited the palace,

The side gate of the imperial palace opened.

A column of imperial guards clad in winter garments, their chests bulging, rode their horses out of the palace.

Immediately scattering, they galloped toward the homes of the various nobles and dignitaries of Bianjing.

The Rong family in Nan Jiang Tang Lane and the nearby Chai family lived close together.

The imperial guards' horses arrived early.

In the Courtyard of Returning Snow,

Rong Rong Feiyan was holding an arrow, playing pitch-pot.

Beside her, Seeing Xi Bu kept company.

On the table lay crystallized sugar fruits, serving as the prize.

After a burst of clamor outside,

just as Rong Rong Feiyan grew curious,

a maid from the Rong family's inner courtyard arrived at the door carrying a tray.

"Miss, fresh fruits bestowed by the palace."

"Come in. What fresh fruits? Our family lacks nothing of the sort."

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang spoke, went to the outer room, exchanged a few words, then brought the tray into the inner room.

After glancing at it, Rong Rong Feiyan continued playing pitch-pot and asked:

"Hmm? Lychees? Where did the palace get these? Since Elder Sister entered the palace, this is the first time I've seen them!"

"Replying to Miss, the person from the palace said they were offered by the Marquis Marquis Yongyi household."

"Snap!"

The arrow flew astray, landing more than two zhang away from the pitch-pot vessel.

Rong Rong Feiyan clapped her hands and said, "Leave them on the table."

Munch, munch.

The two maids each took one.

The rest all went into Rong Rong Feiyan's mouth.

Looking at Seeing Xi Bu, who was cleaning up the mess, Rong Rong Feiyan said:

"Do not throw away the lychee shells!"

"Do not throw away the lychee shells!"

At the Chai family residence,

under the bright yellow candlelight,

the maid Miss Yun Mu listened to Chai Chai Zhengzheng's words.

She exchanged a puzzled glance with another personal maid, slightly younger than herself.

Then, looking at her own young lady, she said:

"Ah? Miss?"

"Although these were offered by the Xu family and bestowed by the palace, is there really a need for this?"

Chai Chai Zhengzheng walked over to Miss Yun Mu.

Stuffing the last peeled lychee into her mouth, she said:

"If I tell you to keep them, then keep them!"

Speaking thus, Chai Chai Zhengzheng clasped her hands behind her back, turned, and walked over to the armored wooden puppet, saying:

"This young lady intends to keep them to make incense!"

At the Rong family residence,

Rong Rong Feiyan sat before the candlelight, carving a lychee pit with a small knife.

Beside her, Seeing Xi Bu was organizing the lychee shells.

Recalling what her young lady had just said,

she glanced at Seeing Seeing Ningxiang and asked:

"Can lychee pits be used in incense?"

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang frowned and said:

"Can they?"

From the side, Rong Rong Feiyan said, "They can be used in medicine!"

In Xingguo Ward,

within Gu Gu Tingye's courtyard,

a black shadow quietly entered his room.

"Brother! Brother! Do you still have any lychees?"

A lychee shell was tossed out from within the bed curtains.

"Come get them yourself!"

"Thump, thump, thump."

Gu Tingyi ran over quickly.

"Walk lightly! If Mother hears, we'll both be in for a world of trouble!"

Gu Tingyi nodded repeatedly.

After lifting the bed curtains,

Gu Tingyi's eyes suddenly widened.

Looking at the large bamboo tube in his own elder brother's arms, he said:

"Brother, this isn't the one bestowed by the palace; it was sent by your sister-in-law's family. How can you..."

"Shh, shh, shh!"

Gu Tingyan quickly raised a finger and said:

"I'll stuff the lychee shells back in after I finish eating, then punch a hole in the bamboo tube."

Gu Gu Tingyi's eyes lit up:

"That way, Cui Cui Mama Chang will think a rat stole them!"

"Clever!"

Gu Gu Tingyi: "Hehehe."

"Here! Eat!"

Gu Gu Tingyi: "Eat Cui Cui Mama Chang!"

Gu Tingyan sneered, "I say, Gu Tingyi, the tricks your older brother has played, you still... Cui Cui Mama!"

Cui Cui Mama Chang, using the light from the lantern outside the room, hurried over and said:

"Speak lower!!! My young master! My young mistress!"

"Truly born of the same mother! When the Miss was young, she had a stomach ache from eating too many lychees!"

"You two little ancestors..."

Saying this, Cui Cui Mama Chang snatched the large bamboo tube from Gu Tingyan's arms,

weighed it in her hand, and then angrily poked the two siblings.

"Cui Cui Mama, I say it was all Brother who ate them; I only had one. Do you believe me?"

Cui Cui Mama Chang: "I believe you!"

Gu Tingyi was just about to reach out to ask for some,

when Cui Cui Mama Chang said, "Believe you? Don't make me laugh!"

Saying this, Cui Cui Mama Chang walked out of the room.

Two quarters of an hour later,

in the Main Mistress's courtyard,

Bai Da Da Niangzi was looking at the account books on the table.

She reached out and took the last peeled, snow-white lychee from a bowl nearby.

Beside her, Cui Cui Mama Chang was speaking earnestly:

"Miss, you are a mother now; eat less..."

"You know I understand some medicine; you truly cannot eat any more."

Bai Da Da Niangzi held out her hand: "This is the last one!"

Cui Cui Mama Chang: "Does the Miss keep her word?"

Bai Da Da Niangzi spat out a lychee pit:

"The last one!"

Good morning, everyone!

(`) Sending love





(End of this chapter)