Chapter 325: No Eighteenth Son and no bed-warming [Thank you all for your support!]

Xingguo Lane.

Ling Guo Gong Prefecture.

Zhang Wu Niang's courtyard.

Zhang Wu Niang, who had been grounded for many days, was standing at the courtyard gate, looking out with eager anticipation.

Seeing several young noble ladies walking toward her, Wu Niang jumped for joy and waved to greet them.

Soon, the young ladies arrived in Wu Niang's courtyard.

Wu Niang took Chai Zhengzheng and Gu Tingyi by the hands and said:

"It's fortunate you came. These past few days, I've been about to go crazy from boredom."

After speaking, Wu Niang nodded to Rong Feiyan and then reached out to pinch the small face of Li Wu Niang, who was somewhat "nearsighted."

She also smiled at Miss Hai Chaoyun.

Currently, the head of the Hai family was stationed in Taiyuan, and for a long time, the support provided to the various noble families had been timely and powerful.

Although Wu Niang's grounding period had not yet ended, being grounded didn't mean she couldn't invite her close sisters over to play.

Aside from Gu Tingyi, most of the noble ladies were visiting the Zhang family for the first time.

As they walked into Wu Niang's room holding hands, they looked at the surrounding items with great curiosity.

Arriving at Zhang Wu Niang's "Polo Equipment Room":

"Wow!!!"

Looking at the polo mallets neatly arranged in a row in the room—not only astonishing in number but also smooth, shiny, and of varying lengths—the young ladies couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Seeing the reaction of her sisters, Wu Niang proudly put her hands on her hips.

"Wu Niang, I only have one pair of arm-binders in this color. I searched for a long time and couldn't find any others. I didn't expect you to have so many here!"

Hearing Gu Tingyi's words, Wu Niang said proudly:

"The Wang family's silk shop just released this color of arm-binders, and I bought them all, so naturally, you couldn't find any."

"I'll take two!"

"Take them yourself."

On the other side, Li Wu Niang looked at the dozen or so polo balls of different colors and pointed to one, saying: "Big Sister Zhang, may I take a look?"

Wu Niang waved her hand: "Feel free to look, don't be shy!"

The other young ladies looked at the six saddles in the room, and Rong Feiyan asked: "Big Sister Zhang, are these the Northern Liao saddles?"

Wu Niang: "Yes!"

As she spoke, she walked over, took Rong Feiyan's hand, and pressed it onto the saddle, saying: "Feel it. Isn't it very comfortable?"

After Rong Feiyan touched and pressed it with her small hand, she nodded in surprise: "With a saddle like this, sitting on it definitely won't make one's bottom feel sore."

Hearing Rong Feiyan's words, Hai Chaoyun reached out to touch it, her eyes full of agreement.

Wu Niang nodded repeatedly.

After Rong Feiyan finished speaking, she continued to walk forward.

Then, her eyes lit up as she looked at a row of soft bows hanging on the wall. She pointed to one in the middle, turned her head, and said: "Big Sister Zhang, may I take a look at this bow?"

Wu Niang waved her hand.

A Zhang family maid hurried over, picked out a thumb ring from the nine-grid box hanging below the soft bows, and handed it to Rong Feiyan.

Then she took down the soft bow and handed it to Rong Feiyan. Rong Feiyan drew the bow halfway, her small face showing some strain, and she slowly released the bowstring, saying:

"This bow has such a heavy draw!"

Chai Zhengzheng, who had followed, smiled, reached out to Rong Feiyan, and after taking the thumb ring and soft bow, also tried to draw it, saying:

"Hmm! It is indeed heavy. In a few years, Little Sister Feiyan, it shouldn't be so strenuous for you to use."

Wu Niang, who heard the two talking, walked over, took down the largest bow on the wall, drew it with relative ease, and said:

"Is it difficult?"

Before Chai and Rong could speak, Wu Niang added: "Little Sister Li, try the smallest one. That's what I used when I was ten."

Li Wu Niang gave a weak "Oh" and pointed at the wall.

Gu Tingyi, who had already reached the end of the "Equipment Room," looked back and said: "Wu Niang, the last time I came to your house, this room wasn't like this, was it?"

Zhang Wu Niang nodded with a smile, looking at the other noble ladies who were looking at her, and said:

"At the end of the first lunar month, my Fourth Brother went to Xu Wu Ge's house to see the Gyrfalcon. When he came back, he told me that the room by the Xu family's racetrack was just like this."

"After asking around, I found out that Xu Wu Ge designed it himself, and it was completed when Lu Zezong's maternal grandfather's family came to help with the repairs."

Listening to Wu Niang's words, the other young ladies nodded one after another.

Gu Tingyi nodded and said: "It's both neat and good-looking. My Pei Erge has been to the Xu house many times, why didn't he tell me!"

Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan looked around with similar expressions. When they went to the Xu house, they hadn't had the chance to see the details of the room by the field.

Hearing that it was done by Lu Zezong's maternal grandfather, the Li family, Chai Zhengzheng smiled slightly. Recently, she had a very good relationship with the daughter of the Lu family's Imperial Son-in-law.

She had also met the eldest daughter of the Lu family, Li Daniang, a few times. It was time to entrust someone with a task.

"By the way, yesterday afternoon and evening, I heard that fireworks and firecrackers were set off for a long time over here in Xingguo Lane. Whose family is having a happy event?"

As soon as Rong Feiyan said this, some of the young ladies had the same confusion in their eyes, while others understood.

Gu Tingyi spoke up:

"It's the Xiangyang Marquis Prefecture. The old Marquis's concubine gave birth to two boys."

"Yesterday, my eldest brother and second brother, as elder clansmen, were also called over. I heard they have already been adopted under the name of Princess Pingning's mother!"

Rong Feiyan nodded: "So that's how it is. Then both of them are legitimate sons now?"

Gu Tingyi nodded.

Wu Niang, who was on the side, said: "I heard from my mother that when she was giving birth, Xu family's Fifth Brother was also called over!"

The daughter of Minister of Personnel Li Guangren, Li Wu Niang, asked in confusion: "Why was Xu family's Fifth Brother called over?"

As soon as this was said, the young ladies all had some confusion in their eyes. Chai Zhengzheng had not been in the capital long and understood even less why.

Wu Niang looked at Rong Feiyan and whispered: "Little Sister Feiyan, do you know?"

Rong Feiyan nodded and said: "I heard from Imperial Consort Rong that when the Empress gave birth to the Princess, Xu family's Fifth Brother was called over."

The young ladies nodded as if they understood.

After finishing this topic, Gu Tingyi turned sideways and curiously picked up a delicate long sword placed on the sword rack.

"Clang."

The sword was drawn out.

Gu Tingyi carefully examined the patterns and the blade edge, saying: "Wu Niang, is this sword sharpened?"

Wu Niang walked over, pulled out a strand of hair, and said: "Watch closely!"

After speaking, she swung it across the blade, and the hair was cut into two pieces.

Gu Tingyi's eyes lit up, and she said: "Wow! So sharp!"

Seeing the surprised look of her sisters, Wu Niang felt very satisfied.

After finishing the "Wu Niang Equipment Room," the young ladies entered the room.

They sat on chairs around a small round table, forming a circle.

The young ladies drank their favorite beverages and talked about the gossip they had heard recently.

"Big Sister Chaoyun, I heard that during the Spring Outing, you went to the south of the city?"

Hai Chaoyun smiled gently and said:

"Little Sister Feiyan is right. I went to Yujin Garden. They were all close friends from the families of civil officials who are on good terms with my father and brother!"

"If there is an opportunity to meet, perhaps we can get to know each other."

Gu Tingyi's eyes lit up and she said: "Then, they are all from scholarly families. Have they composed any poetry or anything?"

Hai Chaoyun and Li Wu Niang looked at each other and said: "There are a few."

Li Wu Niang nodded repeatedly, squinting her eyes, and said: "I heard from my brother at home that there is a line: 'One night of east wind, blowing away the sorrow by the pillow... only returning is good.'"

Hearing the beginning, Hai Chaoyun stopped speaking.

After Li Wu Niang finished reciting, she continued: "My brother said this might be written for a certain young lady and is not suitable for me to recite. Is there one?"

Everyone nodded.

Hai Chaoyun, who was on the side, helped resolve the situation: "I have heard one..."

The young ladies present were all from noble and official families and had been taught to read by female tutors since childhood, so they could naturally appreciate the charm of poetry.

Listening to the content of the poem Hai Chaoyun recited, everyone nodded in approval.

Hai Chaoyun continued: "I think this last one is the best..."

Rong Feiyan even borrowed Wu Niang's paper and pen to transcribe one she felt was good.

Gu Tingyi looked at Rong Feiyan's handwriting from the side and nodded:

"My second brother also studies, but when I asked him on the day of the Spring Outing, he actually said that because he walked too much, he lost his poetic inspiration, so he didn't write any!"

Li Wu Niang asked: "Why did he walk?"

Zhang Wu Niang reached out and pointed at herself.

Gu Tingyi tapped Zhang Wu Niang's forehead in annoyance and said: "After hearing this last poem recited by Little Sister Chaoyun, I think the person who wrote it deserves to be the best in Bianjing!"

Seeing that someone agreed, Hai Chaoyun nodded with a smile and then looked around at the noble ladies.

However, she saw Chai Zhengzheng shaking her head slightly.

Hai Chaoyun asked with some confusion: "Zhengzheng, have you heard a better poem?"

Chai Zhengzheng was stunned. She pursed her lips and looked at the young ladies from various families who were looking at her. She hesitated and said: "There is one, not heard, but seen by my maid."

Hai Chaoyun's eyes lit up. She loved poetry and asked with great interest: "Tell me about it?"

Chai Zhengzheng said: "Well... let me say first, it was seen by my maid when she helped Qingcao pick up paper!"

Hearing the name Qingcao, the pen in Rong Feiyan's hand paused, but she finished writing the last few words before looking up.

Gu Tingyi asked in surprise: "Qingcao? Is she the Xu family's maid? Was it when we went downstairs and that big wind blew?"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded and said: "Yes, I am ignorant and don't know if it was recited by the Xu family's young master or written by himself."

Hai Chaoyun glanced at Li Wu Niang and smiled:

"Zhengzheng, tell us. Li Wu Niang and I have a fairly broad knowledge of poetry, so perhaps we can tell if it was written by himself."

Chai Zhengzheng nodded, glanced at her maid Miss Yun Mu, and recited in a crisp voice:

"The light rain on the Tianjie is as moist as cream, the grass color is visible from afar but absent up close."

Just hearing these two lines, Hai Chaoyun, Li Wu Niang, and the other young ladies' eyes lit up.

On the day of the Spring Outing, it had rained in the morning, and the Tianjie was the Imperial Street starting from the Imperial City.

Chai Zhengzheng continued: "It is the best time of the year in spring, far surpassing the smoky willows filling the Imperial Capital."

After Chai Zhengzheng finished reciting, she looked at the young ladies of the Hai and Li families with great hope and said:

"I also asked the document tutor at home who understands poetry about the last two lines... they all said they didn't know."

Hai Chaoyun and Li Wu Niang looked at each other and said: "We really haven't heard of this poem. Little Sister Li?"

Li Wu Niang's eyes moved back and forth, obviously thinking. After a moment, she said: "I have read all the classics about poetry at home, and this one is not there!"

"Could it really be written by Xu Wu Ge himself? Or Zhuang Xuejiu?"

Gu Tingyi asked hesitantly.

Rong Feiyan, who hadn't spoken, changed a piece of paper and continued writing on it.

"Tingyi, don't forget when you go home!"

Listening to Zhang Wu Niang's words, Gu Tingyi nodded.

Afterward, the young ladies continued to talk about the elegant activities of burning incense and hanging paintings.

After lunch,

In the afternoon, taking advantage of the warmth outside, the Zhang family maid set up a grass target outside.

The young ladies even held an archery competition using Zhang Wu Niang's soft bows. The first place was naturally Zhang Wu Niang, and the second place, unexpectedly, was not Gu Tingyi, but Miss Feiyan.

After ensuring that they would convey Zhang Wu Niang's blessings to Anmei, everyone left.

The next day,

Early morning,

When attending the Sheng family school,

Gu Tingye pulled Xu Zaijing aside and asked him about it.

Xu Zaijing nodded shamelessly. Having studied for so long, he had discovered that the poem "Early Spring" was missing when he first read the poetry collection.

But there was clearly a great poet named Han Yu in the previous dynasty. After checking the official records of the Great Zhou through his brother-in-law Gu Tingyu, Xu Zaijing realized that,

In the official records, among the successive officials of the Ministry of Works in the previous dynasty, there was no such person as Zhang the Eighteenth Son who worked in the Ministry of Works.

By a stroke of luck, this poem was actually missing.

Gu Tingye looked at Xu Zaijing with envy, and then the two sat down together.

When Zhuang Xuejiu came to the school leisurely, Gu Tingye walked over with a piece of paper and whispered a few words.

Zhuang Xuejiu looked at the paper on the table, stroked his beard with one hand, and patted the desk with the other, saying loudly:

"Good, good, good!"

"Hahahaha, to have obtained a poem, what more could one ask for!"

"Fifth Young Master, not bad! Very good!"

Receiving the curious gaze of his brother, Xu Zaijing stood up, blushed, and bowed.

"Changbai, pass it around and take a look!"

Changbai was also a bit curious. He took it from Gu Tingye, who was passing it on, looked at the poem carefully, and then looked at Xu Zaijing in surprise.

The reactions of the others, like Qi Heng, were much the same.

Soon, the paper reached Seeing Mo Lan's hands.

At first, seeing the reactions of her brothers, Seeing Mo Lan felt a bit curious and unconvinced.

Until she saw the content on the paper clearly, she handed the paper to the back woodenly,

And looked at the "Ink Fate" book on her desk with some discouragement.

Rulan glanced at it, looking as if she didn't understand, and immediately threw it to Minglan.

After Minglan finished reading, she looked at Xu Zaijing in surprise and left the paper on the table,

Preparing to take it back when school was over.

Evening.

With the Ningyuan Marquis Prefecture as the center,

Several servants went out and walked in different directions.

When the sky was getting dark,

Rong family's Huixue Courtyard,

The maid Seeing Xi Bu arrived at the door.

Inside, Kong Mama was speaking in a leisurely manner, and she felt that just listening to it was a kind of enjoyment.

"Miss Feiyan, have you noticed that when arranging flowers, the position of these flowers..."

As she spoke, Kong Mama inserted the flowers into the vase, making the flowers in the vase complement each other very beautifully, and continued:

"It is just like the marriage of women from noble families. Where one is married off to is not something the flowers themselves can decide."

Hearing this, Rong Feiyan lowered her head and nodded, the crystal jewelry on her hair bun shaking along with her.

Kong Mama saw this scene and nodded with satisfaction:

"Then, today's lesson ends here."

Rong Feiyan stood up: "Respectfully send off Mama."

Kong Mama smiled and left the room with the little maid.

Seeing Xi Bu bowed at the door, saw Kong Mama off for a distance, and then returned to the room.

Looking at her young lady, whose eyes were full of urgency, she looked back at the door and whispered: "Yes."

Hearing this word, Rong Feiyan smiled slightly, and then sighed again.

Mid-February.

The Sheng family school was on break again.

Early this morning,

The outer courtyard, inner courtyard, and the rooms at the gate of the Yongyi Marquis Prefecture were all decorated with red.

Yin Bo, Qingyun, Shu Bo, Chu Zhan, Wang Yan, and other old servants and personal guards of the Marquis Prefecture also had red silk tied around their waists.

Matriarch's courtyard.

Inside the room,

The eldest grandson of the Ningyuan Hou Gu family and Xu Xingdai, the two children, were dressed very cutely and were being held by the nurses.

Standing beside Xu Zaijing was Lu Zezong.

Lu Zezong was also in new clothes, his eyes full of novelty and eagerness, obviously the first time he was doing something.

Why was it like this? Nothing else, it was because today the Huyan family was coming to send the wedding gifts, and the children were going to the Huyan family to warm the bed.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 326 =====