Chapter 352

Linqi Pavilion

Zhou Xueniang walked in with hurried steps,

And after bowing to Lin Qinshuang, who was instructing Seeing Mo Lan on how to weave things, she said: "Little Mistress, the Master and the others are back!"

Seeing Mo Lan raised her head, frowned, threw the five-colored hundred-knot cord she had just woven less than a quarter of on the table, and said with some impatience and irritability:

"How is Hualan?"

Lin Qinshuang glared at Seeing Mo Lan, then looked at Zhou Xueniang without saying anything.

Zhou Xueniang smiled and glanced at Lin Qinshuang. Seeing that Lin Qinshuang had no intention of reprimanding Seeing Mo Lan, she said:

"Little Mistress, Young Lady, the eldest young lady has given birth to a boy."

Seeing Mo Lan frowned, stood up irritably, grabbed the semi-finished hundred-knot cord on the table, and was about to throw it on the ground.

But Lin Qinshuang pressed Seeing Mo Lan's hand on the table: "What are you doing!"

Seeing Mo Lan said angrily: "Hualan has given birth to a son again, and it's from the Marquis mansion! Rulan... she will definitely jump on my face tomorrow!"

"I don't know how she will show off then! I, what should I do tomorrow!!!"

Lin Qinshuang took a deep breath and said: "What are you anxious about! Just solve the problem when you encounter it. What's the use of you being anxious!"

As she spoke, she was about to pull Seeing Mo Lan to sit on the embroidery stool.

Seeing Mo Lan broke free from Lin Qinshuang's hand and glared: "Then what can I do! I don't have an elder sister married into the Marquis mansion!"

Lin Qinshuang pressed Seeing Mo Lan onto the embroidery stool and said: "Hualan is your elder sister! Her having a son only has benefits for you, no harm!"

Seeing Mo Lan opened her mouth to speak, but was glared back by Lin Qinshuang.

"From the outside, you and Minglan are both the Da Niangzi's children."

"A young lady like Hualan who married high into the Marquis mansion, giving birth to a son in one go, means that in the future when your father looks for a husband for you, he can also look higher!"

Listening to Lin Qinshuang's words, Seeing Mo Lan's chest heaved more slowly. After looking at Lin Qinshuang again, she bit her lip and said:

"What's the use of looking higher? The few elder brothers in the study are all between dukes and marquises!"

Lin Qinshuang: "Hmph! So what if they are from a duke or marquis mansion?"

Seeing Mo Lan looked at Lin Qinshuang in surprise and said: "Mother, I am only a concubine-born daughter..."

Lin Qinshuang looked at Seeing Mo Lan and said:

"Mo'er, back then, your mother I was still the daughter of a disgraced official! What about your father?"

"Father is a top scholar, and the legal mother is the only daughter of the Marquis mansion. Isn't the gap between them bigger than yours?"

Seeing Mo Lan thought for a while and nodded in agreement.

"But in the end, didn't I rely on your mother I to fight for it! Not only did I have you and your brother, but I also had quite a few industries under my hands!"

"Mo'er, you are my daughter, how could you be worse?"

Listening to Lin Qinshuang's words, Seeing Mo Lan's eyes looking at Lin Qinshuang became brighter and brighter, and then she nodded heavily: "Mm!"

"Your father is coming over to eat tonight, you must smile from the bottom of your heart for Mother!"

Seeing Mo Lan nodded.

After a while,

Estimating that Sheng Hong had already finished speaking in the Shou'an Hall, the female servant at the door shouted: "The Master is here!"

Lin Qinshuang stood up and said: "Quick! Serve the food!"

As she spoke, Lin Qinshuang stepped forward to help Sheng Hong take off his official uniform and change into light clothes, while saying with a smile:

"The eldest young lady has given birth to a boy, this is truly a good thing!"

"It was not in vain that Mo'er and I prayed at home!"

Hearing this, Sheng Hong turned his head and looked at Lin Qinshuang with a smile, his eyes full of gratification, "Shuang'er has a heart!"

Sitting in front of the dining table, Sheng Hong nodded again as he looked at the table of food.

At this moment, Seeing Mo Lan walked out from the inner room with a smile and said:

"Father, the child the eldest sister gave birth to, have you seen him? Is he fat?"

Sheng Hong looked at Seeing Mo Lan's smile and also laughed, nodding:

"Mo'er, he is quite a sturdy boy!"

"Good child, you are so concerned about your sister!"

The sky was already dark,

Sheng Hong finished his meal at Linqi Pavilion, looked at Lin Qinshuang, who turned around with a smile and was preparing to serve him as he went to sleep, and said:

"Shuang'er, don't be busy! Tonight I will go to the Da Niangzi's place to sleep!"

In the candlelight,

Lin Qinshuang, with her back to Sheng Hong, nodded and made a gesture of wiping away tears.

This made Sheng Hong feel heartbroken.

He walked behind Lin Qinshuang and said softly:

"Now that Hua'er has a child, I must take care of the Da Niangzi."

Lin Qinshuang nodded twice and said:

"Honglang, Shuang'er understands your difficulties!"

Sheng Hong felt even more heartbroken, only feeling that Wang Ruofu was the culprit who had torn him and Shuang'er apart!

Before stepping out of the door of Linqi Pavilion, Sheng Hong said: "Shuang'er, our Mo'er, you can rest assured!"

Lin Qinshuang: "Mm! Shuang'er believes in Honglang!"

Marquis Yongyi's mansion,

Xu Zaijing's courtyard,

Before going to sleep, Xu Zaijing rubbed his arms,

This afternoon, his mother had really beaten him hard.

What was hateful was that when that little brat Xu Xingdai saw him getting beaten, he thought his grandmother was teasing his uncle, and laughed extra loudly.

Seeing Xu Zaijing's action, Qingcao, who was following him, covered her mouth and chuckled.

Hearing the laughter, Xu Zaijing turned his head back abruptly. Seeing his young master's gaze, Qingcao immediately covered her mouth.

Subsequently, Xu Zaijing exercised a little more, and after bathing, he lay on the bed.

And the three female servants outside the room were whispering to each other.

Outside the room,

Because the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching,

Huaxiang and Yunxiang were holding the five-colored hundred-knot cords in their hands and whispering:

"Sister Qingcao, do you think the hundred-knot cord woven like this is good?"

"If it works, let's weave a few more, and the young master can also give them to others!"

Qingcao, who walked out, took the five-colored hundred-knot cords from the sisters' hands by the candlelight, examined them carefully, and after thinking about it, said:

"Wait a moment!"

As she spoke, Qingcao searched through a wooden box in the outer room where Xu Zaijing kept his gifts.

"Found it!"

Qingcao said, holding a five-colored hundred-knot cord that looked quite good in her hand and walked over.

This hundred-knot cord was received by Xu Zaijing at the Sheng family study before, and it had the character 'Jing' woven on it, as well as a picture of a spirited horse.

When Xu Zaijing received this auspicious five-colored hundred-knot cord, Huaxiang and Yunxiang had not yet entered the Marquis Yongyi's mansion, so naturally, they had not seen it.

Handing the hundred-knot cord to the sisters Huaxiang and Yunxiang, and looking at their surprised expressions, Qingcao said:

"This was given to our young master by Fang Mama last year! I think it's better to weave it like this!"

The two little sisters Huaxiang and Yunxiang looked carefully at the 'sample' in their hands and said: "This is woven so cleverly!"

Qingcao smiled:

"That's right, Fang Mama knows everything! When I saw this hundred-knot cord before, I was also stunned!"

"However, Fang Mama is so good at combing hair, wouldn't weaving this thing be very simple?"

After listening to Qingcao finish, the two sisters Huaxiang and Yunxiang nodded and said: "Then shall we weave it according to this?"

Qingcao also nodded and said: "Let's explore the weaving method first."

In the dark night,

A need to use the chamber pot struck, and Xu Zaijing opened his eyes.

Groping for the chamber pot under the bed, Xu Zaijing froze suddenly, because the candles were actually still lit in the outer room.

After finishing, Xu Zaijing shuffled in his slippers to the door.

Xu Zaijing opened the door and looked at the three female servants sitting at the table: "What? You don't need to get up tomorrow?"

Hearing the sound of the door opening, the three female servants turned to look over, and also revealed the messy table in front of them.

"Hmm?"

Xu Zaijing continued to ask.

Qingcao stood up and said: "Young... Young Master, I... I broke the five-colored hundred-knot cord the Old Madam gave you!"

Xu Zaijing frowned and scratched his head: "Isn't the Dragon Boat Festival not here yet? Last year's?"

Qingcao: "Mm-hmm! Yes, Young Master! I thought about taking it apart to learn, who knew it was too difficult."

Xu Zaijing looked at Yunxiang and Huaxiang, who were lowering their heads, looking at him from time to time, and wearing expressions of guilt, and said:

"It's fine, when you go to the Sheng family tomorrow, go ask Fang Mama."

Looking at the three who wanted to speak but stopped, Xu Zaijing said before returning to the room: "All go! Sleep now!"

Early morning,

A sound of horse hooves came from the racetrack,

Mixed with the sound of bowstrings and the thud of arrows hitting shields.

Qingyun, who was behind the shield, poked his head out from the side and shouted to Xu Zaijing, who was riding a horse in the distance:

"Young Master, stop for a moment, the shield here can't be held!"

"Put it aside, mount the horse!"

Xu Zaijing's voice came from afar.

After Qingyun responded, he put the shield full of feathered arrows aside, and also took the opportunity to shake his arms to relax a bit.

I saw that the thick shield was full of feathered arrows, and many arrowheads were exposed, flashing with cold light.

Hearing Xu Zaijing's words, Alan hurriedly led Qingyun's mount over.

"Alan, you mount too!"

Subsequently, the sound of weapons clashing continued to come from the racetrack.

After a workout, Qingyun was still okay, but Alan had been rubbing his shoulders after dismounting.

While helping Xu Zaijing untie his armor, Qingyun said: "Young Master, why did you come over by yourself this morning?"

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "The three of them haven't woken up yet!"

Having breakfast in his mother's courtyard as usual,

Xu Zaijing rode a horse, Qingyun drove the carriage, and they took the three female servants in the carriage toward the Sheng family study.

Although there were three people, it was very quiet in the carriage.

Unlike in winter,

When Xu Zaijing arrived at the Sheng family, although it was still early, the sky was already bright.

In the lecture hall where the curtains had been rolled up, the morning light was bright.

Xu Zaijing walked into the study, looked at Changbai, who was reading, and smiled and nodded.

Changbai smiled and said: "Why didn't brother-in-law come?"

Xu Zaijing said: "Mother said, elder brother is accompanying Hualan sister."

Changbai nodded, then his eyes widened and he said: "Why..."

Before he finished speaking, the servant Han Niu, who was sitting on the wooden platform behind, also widened his eyes, looked at the sisters behind Qingcao, and exclaimed:

"This... are they really this alike!"

Huaxiang and Yunxiang usually came one by one, so the effect was not obvious. At this time, the two of them came together and didn't speak, so they couldn't be distinguished at all.

Soon,

More and more people came to the study.

Qi Heng and Gu Tingye came in together. After nodding to Changbai and Xu Zaijing as usual,

The two looked toward the wooden platform behind, and looking at the female servants sitting on both sides of Qingcao, their eyes widened even more than Changbai's!

Qi Heng closed his eyes and sighed heavily!

After Buwei and Zhique finished setting up the desks for their young masters, they both walked to the back with a smile.

After sitting down, Buwei asked in a low voice: "Why did all three of you come today?"

Qingcao rolled her eyes at Buwei and said: "None of your business!"

Buwei found himself bored, looked at Zhique after looking at each other, and stopped talking.

When the three Lans of the Sheng family all came to the school,

Minglan's eyes were full of surprise and curiosity,

Rulan looked at the very beautiful sisters, then looked at Xu Zaijing, her eyes rolling around.

Seeing Mo Lan secretly rolled her eyes and said in a low voice: "Two vixen!"

Seeing the three Lans all come to the school, Qingcao stood up on the wooden platform, walked to Xu Zaijing's side and said: "Young Master, then we servants will go?"

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Seeing Xu Zaijing's permission, Qingcao took the sisters Huaxiang and Yunxiang and walked out.

When walking out of the lecture hall, Scholar Zhuang happened to be shaking his fan, walking leisurely and preparing to enter the lecture hall.

The three of them hurriedly bowed.

After the scholar said "Hmm," and entered the lecture hall, he looked at Xu Zaijing, who was bowing his head and writing, and nodded.

Just as Scholar Zhuang sat on the chair behind the table,

"Greetings, Scholar!"

Changfeng's voice came from the door.

Looking at Changfeng's face full of shame and regret, Scholar Zhuang said lightly: "Feng Ge'er, this is the first time this month, next time I will tell Master Sheng!"

Changfeng hurriedly bowed and responded, saying: "Thank you, Scholar!"

Scholar Zhuang waved his closed paper fan.

Changfeng entered the lecture hall as if he had been granted amnesty.

On the road from the study to the Sheng family's backyard,

Qingcao watched Changfeng walk away and said: "This third young master is truly rude! How can he look at people like that!"

Huaxiang and Yunxiang, who were protected behind Qingcao, nodded repeatedly.

Arriving at the second gate,

Qingcao took the sisters Huaxiang and Yunxiang and said to the gatekeeper mama: "This mama, the three of us are entering the courtyard to find Fang Mama."

With Xu Zaijing leading the way on weekdays, the Sheng family's mama naturally let them pass.

At this time, the masters were not there, so although the three of them were female servants of the Marquis mansion, they still had to ask for instructions.

Fortunately, it was not troublesome. In less than half a quarter of an hour, Qingcao brought people into the Shou'an Hall courtyard with a smile.

In Shou'an Hall,

After breakfast, the Old Madam, who was reading on the Arhat bed, looked at Fang Mama who came in and said:

"Suqin, why did you come back so soon?"

"Didn't the three girls beside Jing Ge'er say they had something to ask you for advice?"

Fang Mama pinched her handkerchief and smiled:

"Old Madam, they came to ask me for advice on how to weave the five-colored hundred-knot cord that was sent to Jing Ge'er before!"

"How would I know! So I came back to ask you for them, to see if they can go to Wei Little Mistress to ask for advice."

Hearing this, the Old Madam thought about it for a moment, knew what it was about, and nodded:

"Let Danju take them there!"

After Fang Mama responded, she walked out again and said a few words to Danju at the door.

Jin'an Study,

"Little Mistress! A guest is here!"

Danju's voice reached the room.

Xiaodie beside Wei Shuyi hurriedly went out to greet the guests.

Wei Shuyi said softly: "Zhen'er, you go inside and continue copying the calligraphy."

"Yes, Little Mistress."

Watching the obedient and sensible Changzhen, Wei Shuyi smiled with gratification, then hurriedly stood up and walked out.

Arriving outside the room, Wei Shuyi saw Qingcao, who was talking affectionately with Xiaodie, and her smile deepened.

Subsequently, the sisters Huaxiang and Yunxiang behind Qingcao also entered Wei Shuyi's field of vision.

After a flash of amazement in Wei Shuyi's eyes, she nodded toward Qingcao:

"Young Lady Qingcao, why are you here?"

It was an ordinary greeting, but hearing Wei Shuyi's words, Qingcao looked back at Huaxiang and the others with an awkward expression and bowed to Wei Shuyi.

Then she took out the half-unraveled five-colored hundred-knot cord from her sleeve and said embarrassedly:

"Little Mistress, we are here to ask for advice..."

Looking at the thing in Qingcao's hand, Wei Shuyi froze, then smiled: "Come, come in and talk."

After entering the room,

Qingcao was still okay, after all, she had been here several times.

But the sisters Huaxiang and Yunxiang, who were here for the first time, looked at the exquisite semi-finished embroidery on the embroidery frame in the room, and their exclamations never stopped.

The look in their eyes toward Wei Shuyi was somewhat worshipful.

When it was almost noon,

Qingcao, who had 'advanced studies' under Fang Mama, learned the fastest, so she gave up the best learning position in front of Wei Shuyi,

Standing to the side watching Huaxiang and the others who were still learning, Qingcao smiled, then leaned into Xiaodie's ear and said a few words about 'matchmaking' and the 'Zhu family'.

It made Xiaodie's face blush.

After school in the afternoon,

Just after leaving the Sheng family gate,

On the road,

Listening to the chattering voices of the three female servants in the carriage, which were different from the morning, Xu Zaijing smiled.

At this moment, Gu Tingye leaned toward Xu Zaijing and said: "Jing Ge'er, on the Dragon Boat Festival, Liang Han and Qiao Jiulang are hosting, inviting us to Pan Tower for high fun!"

(End of this chapter)