Chapter 342

Zhu Residence

After the Sheng family's carriage left,

Ni Qiqiu and the other few Madams returned to the hall to sit and drink tea.

The Madams also said a few words from time to time, mostly about the situations of their own cousins and nephews, and others would also offer their opinions.

Occasionally inserting a few topics discussing Xiaodie's embroidery skills.

Ni Qiqiu listened to the Madams' words and nodded from time to time.

After everyone talked for a while longer, Madam Jin, who had just sighed at the style of Xiaodie's clothes, looked at the sky and stood up, saying:

"We've seen Sister Xiaodie, and it's not early anymore! Sisters, shall we go back?"

While speaking, she looked around at the others.

Hearing this, among the two young ladies who hadn't spoken, one had a slightly disappointed expression.

The Madams also stood up one after another.

"We must go back!"

Ni Qiqiu accompanied them as they stood up and smiled: "Sisters, talk for a while longer; it's fine to stay and eat at my house today!"

"No, no..."

The Madams declined and walked out.

When they were about to reach the door, Ni Qiqiu said: "Once we have discussed and decided, Madam Wang of the Sheng family also said she wanted to take a look!"

Madam Jin said: "Oh! This Madam from a civil official family is really particular."

Ni Qiqiu nodded and said:

"Yes! The Old Madam of the Sheng family comes from a noble family and always feels more empathy for families like ours who come from martial backgrounds."

"When I went to the Sheng family to visit Sister Xiaodie before, the Old Madam specifically instructed me when I was leaving."

"When Madam Wang heard the Old Madam say this, she took this matter upon herself."

Of course, at that time, Little Madam Wei Shuyi would mostly be accompanying Wang Ruofu.

The Madams nodded in agreement and walked out of the courtyard.

When they were about to reach the main gate,

Madam Jin said: "Is Madam Kang of the Kang family in Xiguozi Lane the younger sister of this one from the Sheng family?"

Ni Qiqiu's eyes were full of thought, and she shook her head: "No! Madam Kang is the older sister!"

"Oh!"

Madam Jin nodded.

Hearing this, the young lady following behind curled her lips with some disdain and said:

"I heard the inner courtyard of the Kang family is not peaceful; that Master Kang brings concubines home every three days."

When she wanted to continue saying something, Madam Jin looked back from the front and glared at her fiercely: "Little sister!"

Another Madam to the side hurriedly changed the subject and said:

"Madam Sheng is truly worthy of being a young lady from the Wang family, always maintaining the family's reputation!"

"After this, those who know about this matter will definitely praise her for caring for the maids in the house, and a good reputation will spread!"

"Not bad, not bad!"

At this time,

a little servant at the Zhu family's door walked over and bowed: "Madam, Master Yue has arrived."

The young lady who had just curled her lips was teased by her friend to the side.

Outside the door,

"Whoa!"

Uncle Qian, the Sheng family's carriage driver, pulled the horse hard and stopped the carriage.

Looking at the alley they had left not long ago, and the servants bowing to the young man at the door, Uncle Qian looked back at the carriage and said:

"Miss Xiaodie, this... seems to be a relative's house!"

In the carriage, Xiaodie lifted the curtain and looked at the Zhu family's main gate, her eyes full of hesitation and contradiction, but in the end, she lowered the curtain and said:

"Uncle Qian, just wait here!"

After saying this, after a while, Xiaodie heard the voices coming from outside the carriage.

After cheering herself up in the carriage, she lifted the curtain and walked out.

Ni Qiqiu, with a fierce expression, led the Madams out of the main gate.

At first, she was a bit angry, thinking her brother had run into a money-grubbing Bianjing shrew.

But looking at the Sheng family's carriage at the door, and Xiaodie walking out of the carriage with an injury on her hand and damaged clothes, she glared at her brother fiercely.

The Madams behind also exclaimed: "This, how did it become like this?"

Xiaodie looked at the group walking out, squeezed out a smile at Ni Qiqiu, and said:

"Madam, I..."

"Sister Xiaodie, did he not look where he was going while reading?"

Xiaodie nodded and said: "Yes! Madam! It's just that this piece of clothing was newly embroidered by my Little Madam, using the material she treasured!"

"She hadn't even worn it once! I..."

Hearing Xiaodie's words, Ni Tengyue lowered his head in shame.

Ni Qiqiu nodded: "I understand, I understand."

Saying this, she came to Xiaodie's side, pulled Xiaodie's hand hidden behind her back to the front, and looking at the scraped palm,

Ni Qiqiu looked at the Zhu family's servant woman to the side and said: "Go, take out a bolt of the material sent by my aunt, and also that medicinal powder for stopping bleeding."

When Ni Qiqiu was speaking, the two young ladies following behind looked on curiously.

Listening to the conversation, the Jin family young lady who had a good impression of Ni Tengyue glanced at Ni Tengyue and whispered:

"They are relatives now; shouldn't she say there's no need to pay!"

"Brother Ni didn't do it on purpose either! She's really stingy!"

"It's a waste of Madam Ni's efforts to find her a husband!"

"Hmph!"

Ni Tengyue, standing beside his sister, listened to the conversation not far away and looked at Xiaodie beside the carriage with some apology.

Madam Jin glared back, and the two young ladies immediately shut their mouths.

Soon,

the Zhu family's servant woman brought out a bolt of precious and bright clothing material.

Looking at the material in the servant woman's hands, Xiaodie hurriedly declined: "Madam, this is too precious, I cannot accept it!"

Ni Qiqiu shook her head and said: "You must take it; you were injured and didn't even ask him for medical expenses!"

"Take it!"

Saying this, she also glared at Ni Tengyue.

Xiaodie pursed her lips, looked at the clothes she was wearing, and nodded:

"Thank you, Madam! The time to leave the mansion is almost up, so I will..."

"Go!"

Soon, the people at the Zhu family's door dispersed.

After Ni Qiqiu watched everyone leave, she turned around and patted Ni Tengyue on the arm, saying:

"Did you read yourself stupid at the Li family?"

"Reading while walking on the street again?"

Ni Tengyue lowered his head.

"Let's go, follow me inside to see Mother!"

In the inner courtyard,

Xu Zaijing's aunt looked at Ni Tengyue walking in, a gratified smile appearing on her face.

Before, when she returned to the Marquis Yongyi Mansion, she had heard plenty of praise for Ni Tengyue from the Li family, relayed by Madam Sun.

If Ni Tengyue could pass the imperial examination in the future, whether it was the Zhu family's descendants or the Xu family, they would all have an extra helper in the officialdom.

On the way back to her own home,

Madam Jin, who had been at the Zhu family just now, glanced at her younger sister sitting in the same carriage and said:

"Do you know why I glared at you just now?"

Jin Xiaomei lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside without speaking.

Madam Jin slapped the curtain down and said: "I'm asking you a question!"

Jin Xiaomei said indifferently:

"Isn't it just telling me not to talk too much?"

"But the Kang family is a rotten family; our eldest cousin from the eldest uncle's side has suffered so much injustice in the Kang family!"

Madam Jin glared and said:

"It was she who took a fancy to that Master Kang and was willing to humble herself to be a concubine!"

"No one forced her!"

Jin Xiaomei hummed and said: "And our family hasn't asked the eldest cousin to find the Kang family to handle things for us!"

"You!"

Madam Jin, who was choked, tapped her sister's head hard and said:

"Do you know how the Ni family brother you like got into the Li family school?"

Jin Xiaomei froze, tilted her head to continue looking outside the carriage, and denied:

"Who likes him!"

"Hmph! Besides, Brother Ni being able to enter the school naturally relies on his true talent and learning!"

Madam Jin sneered:

"Pfft!"

"Your brother-in-law told me long ago that the Ni family took the path of Madam Sheng and begged the Wang family to let the Ni family brother enter the school."

Jin Xiaomei froze and argued: "Ah? The Wang family? What does that have to do with the Li family!"

Madam Jin said: "Hmph! Old Madam Wang and Minister Li are cousins!"

"If you say the Wang family is bad, can Madam Ni look at you favorably?"

Jin Xiaomei froze and said anxiously: "Ah? Sister, what should I do?"

"Don't do anything! Put away all your little thoughts; you are not people of the same path!"

Jingying Lane

Sheng Family

Weiruixuan

Wang Ruofu allowed Liu Mama to stroke her back to the side,

and she sighed deeply, looking at Rulan, who was laughing heartlessly after school to the side, and said:

"Ru'er, laugh more quietly!"

Rulan glanced at her mother, said 'oh', and asked:

"Mother, why are you sighing!"

Wang Ruofu shook her head: "Nothing!"

Rulan: "Oh! Mother, then I'm going back to my room."

"Hmm."

Watching Rulan walk away, Wang Ruofu sighed again: "Why didn't I give Hua'er more silver notes at that time!"

Caihuan walked to the door, bowed, and said: "Madam, Miss Xiaodie's pass for going out has been returned."

"Hmm."

Subsequently, Wang Ruofu continued: "Liu Mama, why do you think I was so stupid at that time? If I had given Hua'er four thousand guan at that time, then now..."

Jin'an Zhai

On the table lay the precious material and the new clothes Xiaodie had already taken off.

Wei Shuyi to the side sat on an embroidery stool, carefully untying the fine cloth Xiaodie had wrapped around her palm.

Looking at the palm that was no longer bleeding, Wei Shuyi breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiaodie, who was standing, smiled and said:

"Little Madam, I told you it was fine!"

"The wound medicine given by the Zhu family is really good!"

Wei Shuyi gave her a look of annoyance and said: "They were so kind to you, and you asked their brother for money? How can you be like this?"

Xiaodie let Wei Shuyi re-tie the fine cloth around her wound and said:

"Anyway, whether it works or not, I'm by the Little Madam's side! You haven't worn this piece of clothing even once!"

"Besides, it's just that I was the one who was knocked down this time! If it had been another family's young lady, she would have insisted on him taking responsibility!"

"If she were ugly, she would definitely make him regret it for a lifetime! I'm just giving him a lesson!"

Wei Shuyi on the embroidery stool smiled helplessly and shook her head.

She touched the material of the new clothes, and then touched the one Ni Qiqiu had Xiaodie bring back.

Xiaodie to the side said with great feeling:

"Little Madam, before we felt the material of the new clothes was good enough, but unfortunately, compared to this bolt... the gap is so big!"

Early third month, Qingming had passed.

After the timely rain, the sky cleared up.

On this day, end of the Si hour (after 11:00 AM)

The spring breeze brushed over the willow trees in Jinming Pool Garden, and the leaves swayed gently with the wind.

The water surface was also wrinkled by the spring breeze, reflecting the sunlight, sparkling.

At this time, the dragon boat race of the day had long ended,

and several pleasure boats belonging to noble families and high officials in the capital had their cables untied and were released into Jinming Pool.

Beside the pleasure boat of the Marquis of Ningyuan, several sturdy women were holding long bamboo poles, pushing the pleasure boat forward.

This pleasure boat was four or five zhang long and more than a zhang and a half wide,

with half-person-high wooden railings around the deck, and a small archway built in front of the flat deck, and a wide, one-story-high pavilion built behind.

The pavilion was hung with semi-transparent silk gauze to block the view and mosquitoes.

In the pavilion on the boat, maids stood all around.

The noble young ladies sitting in the middle were all wearing new spring shirts of different colors and styles, with exquisite and valuable jewelry on their heads.

On the table fixed to the deck, the kettle on the portable charcoal stove was bubbling with heat.

Chai Zhengzheng sat behind the table, personally making tea; after looking at the color in the teacup, she stopped her movements.

Subsequently, Chai Zhengzheng held the teacup and looked at Tingyi with a smile: "Sister Tingyi, please taste the tea."

Tingyi took the teacup in a proper manner, smelled it carefully, and nodded: "Hmm! Zhengzheng, the tea you made is very good."

Chai Zhengzheng showed surprise: "Really?"

"But it's still a distance from mine."

Hearing Gu Tingyi's words, the other noble young ladies in the pavilion laughed one after another.

The fifth young lady of the Zhang family, who was fishing by the side of the boat, turned her head abruptly and said with feigned anger:

"Hey! Don't be so noisy, you've scared my fish away!"

Saying this, the fifth young lady lifted the fishhook with the bait still on it to look, and then put the hook back into the water.

Beside the fifth young lady of the Zhang family, the fifth young lady of the Li family, who was watching the fishing and was somewhat nearsighted, also nodded and said:

"I just saw Sister Zhang's fish float move!"

The young ladies on the boat hurriedly covered their mouths.

Hai Chaoyun, sitting next to Gu Tingyi, said in a low voice: "Sister Tingyi, is the fifth young lady of the Zhang family's fishing technique really as powerful as she says?"

Gu Tingyi nodded and said: "Hmm, before when I went to play at the Marquis Yongyi Mansion, I heard Sister Anmei say that the fifth young lady once caught a fish with a blade of water grass!"

Hai Chaoyun said with surprise: "Ah? Water grass?"

Gu Tingyi nodded, and the fifth young lady of the Zhang family straightened her waist and sat up straighter.

And the fifth young lady of the Li family beside her looked at her with even more admiration.

Rong Feiyan to the side said: "Is it in the water by the horse racing track at the Marquis Yongyi Mansion?"

Gu Tingyi: "Yes, yes, yes, Sister Feiyan, have you also been to the Xu family?"

Rong Feiyan nodded with a smile: "I went to play before Sister Anmei got married."

The fifth young lady, with her back to everyone, said: "By the way, why haven't I seen Sister Anmei these few days?"

Gu Tingyi opened her mouth to speak, but the words circled in her mouth, and she said: "I heard she is feeling unwell."

After speaking, facing Chai Zhengzheng's somewhat suspicious gaze, Gu Tingyi hurriedly lowered her head and took a sip of tea, saying: "Hmm, it tastes much better than the tea I made!"

Rong Feiyan to the side lowered her head, her fingers moving slightly, as if she were calculating something.

Hai Chaoyun, sitting at the table, took in the expressions and eyes of these noble young ladies; she felt a bit confused, but didn't show it on her face.

Just at this moment, the fifth young lady of the Zhang family suddenly said:

"It's got it! It's got it!!"

The sound attracted Chai Zhengzheng's attention.

And Gu Tingyi, with tea in her mouth, raised her head and looked at the fifth young lady of the Zhang family with surprise:???? Fifth young lady, how did she know?

Before Gu Tingyi could react, the fifth young lady had already stood up, and the fishing rod in her hand was already bent!

"A fish is on the hook!"

Seeing the young ladies all leaning toward the fifth young lady, Fan Mama of the Duke of England's mansion in the pavilion hurriedly waved her hand to signal, and the maids all walked to the position opposite the fifth young lady.

Preventing everyone from going to one side and causing any dangerous situation for the pleasure boat.

Rong Feiyan and Hai Chaoyun also leaned over.

Gu Tingyi didn't move; she looked at the direction of the two fifth young ladies, and said to Chai Zhengzheng in a low voice:

"Zhengzheng, I heard from Mother that you earned quite a lot of silver notes?"

Chai Zhengzheng, who was continuing to make tea, froze; she didn't know what she thought of—perhaps someone she thought of when she made her decision.

So she smiled slightly and said:

"Hmm! It's just that I heard from my mother that Her Majesty the Empress is having the Cao family busy with something that requires silver!"

"So I invested some of my pocket money."

Gu Tingyi nodded and said in a low voice: "Me too, how much did you invest? I invested this much."

Saying this, Gu Tingyi held up one finger.

Chai Zhengzheng smiled and held up two fingers.

Gu Tingyi said: "Ah? You invested two thousand guan? Then didn't you receive... two days ago..."

Chai Zhengzheng looked at her raised index and middle fingers; her smile froze, but she still nodded.

Yes, it's two... hmm!

(End of chapter)