Chapter 427

Those present were all men in the army,

As soon as Zaiduan spoke, everyone quieted down and looked over one after another.

"General, just say it, we are all listening attentively."

Lu Junyi bowed with a smile.

Zaiduan looked at everyone, nodded, and bowed solemnly towards the air:

"The true identity of the little young master that Zaijing accompanied yesterday is..."

After Xu Zaiduan finished speaking, one could hear a pin drop in the room.

"General, you... aren't joking with us, are you?"

"Is this something to joke about?" Zaiduan replied.

Looking at Zaiduan's expression, Wu Song, who was speaking, slowly lowered his head.

Lu Junyi said: "General, our dissolute appearance yesterday, wouldn't it all have been seen by His Highness the Prince?"

Zaiduan looked at the Fang brothers with pale faces, and Lu Junyi, Guo Kui, and others who had worried expressions in their eyes, and smiled: "Don't think too much! We are just men who kill in the army; His Highness knows what we are like."

"But! Keep this matter in your hearts and don't spread it outside! Thinking more about the future is the right thing to do."

Hearing Zaiduan's words,

The expressions in the eyes of the few people in the room were all different.

Subsequently, Zaiduan nodded to the personal servant at the door, and the breakfast prepared in Fan Tower was brought in.

After finishing breakfast, everyone dispersed.

Lu Junyi and Wu Song, who were still living in their master Zhou Dong's house, rode their horses on the street.

"It's a pity, Tingyu didn't follow us back, otherwise he could have seen the Prince too." Wu Song said with some regret in his tone.

Lu Junyi on the side smiled slightly: "Er Lang, you are thinking too much."

"Ah?"

"You have to know... Commander Zhu and Commander Di didn't return either; did you think His Highness would only meet with us?"

"That's true! 'Think more about the future!' Tsk! General Xu's words make sense."

"The Emperor only has one son, the Prince; as long as we are loyal to state affairs, in the future..."

After Lu Junyi finished speaking, his eyes were full of indescribable expressions.

The Lu family was originally a wealthy household in Daming Prefecture, but they had no one in the officialdom of the Great Zhou.

Now Lu Junyi himself has military merit and has seen the Prince...

As the master and apprentice brothers talked, they arrived at the back door of the archery shop on the main street of Pan Lou.

After leading the horses into the stable, the two entered the backyard of the archery shop.

In the courtyard, their master Zhou Dong was exercising his body with slow movements.

"Master! We are back." The master and apprentice brothers bowed and shouted.

"And no matter what, he is the own younger brother of the Viscount's Madam."

Seeing their master Zhou Dong finish his practice, the master and apprentice brothers very perceptively offered the towels and warm water placed in the courtyard.

Zhou Dong nodded approvingly, wiped the sweat on his forehead with a towel, picked up the water bowl, and said: "How was the banquet yesterday?"

The master and apprentice brothers looked at each other, and Lu Junyi said: "Master, His Highness the Prince went yesterday."

Zhou Dong nodded, his face showing no expression of surprise.

He was originally serving in the Imperial Guard's Archery Class, and he could see the Emperor and Prince whenever he was on duty.

It was precisely because they knew this that Lu Junyi and his brother said this.

After finishing the water, looking at Lu Junyi's thoughtful appearance, Zhou Dong said: "Little Yi, what's wrong?"

"Master, the disciple is thinking of not returning to Daming Prefecture after the New Year."

"Is there any urgent matter?"

"The disciple is about to set off after the New Year, following the Heir of Xu Hou to the Northwest, I don't want to delay things!"

"Your family wrote a letter before saying that they want to arrange a marriage for you after the New Year!" Zhou Dong frowned.

"I saw the woman my family chose when I went home last year, I don't like her!" Lu Junyi lowered his head and said.

"Nonsense! Is marriage a major event that you can decide?" Zhou Dong said softly and reprimanded.

Lu Junyi lowered his head.

"Father, what are you talking about?" Zhou Niangzi walked over from the archery shop in front.

Zhou Dong didn't speak, just shook his head and walked back to his room.

Zhou Niangzi, who walked up close, glanced at her father and said: "Little Yi, Little Song, what did you say to Father?"

"Senior Brother said he won't go home after the New Year." Wu Song said in a low voice on the side.

Hearing this, Zhou Niangzi was stunned, looked at Lu Junyi and said: "Little Yi, that Jia family is also a famous wealthy household in Daming Prefecture, the girl in the family is not old, it is certainly not bad..."

Lu Junyi shook his head and looked at Zhou Niangzi: "Senior Sister, aren't you going to the Chai family today?"

Zhou Niangzi smiled: "It's still early, no rush."

Glancing at her father Zhou Dong's back as he returned to his room, Zhou Niangzi turned her head and patted Lu Junyi's arm: "Of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest; Father is not easy to say much!"

"Even if you don't go back, you should send a letter to explain the matter clearly to your family; just not going home is always not good."

Lu Junyi nodded.

Because the banquet invitations received by Scholar Zhuang in the twelfth lunar month were increasing.

So the Sheng family school went on holiday two days earlier than in previous years.

After the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month,

Xu Zaijing's wake-up time was delayed by half an hour.

Every day, he mostly did the 'winter holiday' homework left by the scholar in the morning, and in the afternoon, sometimes he did homework, and sometimes he attended banquets in the capital.

Time flies,

And it was the end of the twelfth lunar month.

The atmosphere of the New Year in the entire Bianjing city was becoming increasingly strong.

On the side of the street, one could see stalls selling peach charms, door gods, and wealth-attracting New Year pictures from time to time.

And the family that made the best peach charms and other things was in Yichun Lane.

The former pipa performer Yang Luoyou and her apprentice Zhiyue lived here.

As the Spring Festival approached,

Every day, the alley was full of carriages and horses, and one could see servants and maids from high-ranking families coming in and out here from time to time.

This day,

Early in the afternoon (around 1:00 PM)

Qingyun rode a horse and brought two flatbed carriages of the Marquis's residence to Yichun Lane.

On the flatbed carriage also sat Chu Zhan and several half-grown boys from the former Bai Gao; the boys sitting on the carriage were all wearing cotton-padded clothes and wearing cotton ear muffs.

Chu Zhan, who grew up in Bianjing, looked at the carriages parked on the side of the road,

And said to the other few children who were running noses from the cold with a proud look from time to time: "Look, do you know whose family this one hanging the 'Pei' wooden sign belongs to?"

When speaking, there was still white air gushing out of his mouth.

Several boys shook their heads one after another, and the snot under their noses also moved along.

"Listen well, it belongs to the Duke of Xin's family."

"What about the one hanging the 'Tan' character?"

"It belongs to the Duke of An's family."

"Oh~~~ Brother Zhan, you know so much!" Several boys said with admiration, and one of the boys even wiped his nose with his sleeve while echoing...

"That's right!"

"Then whose family does the one hanging the 'Huang' wooden sign belong to?" Another boy pointed to a carriage and said.

"Uh... Huang family? There are many people with the surname Huang, it's not necessarily a carriage from a noble family!"

"Is that so? Brother Qingyun."

Chu Zhan shouted forward uncertainly.

Qingyun, who was wearing ear muffs and riding a horse in front, turned his head, looked at Chu Zhan and smiled: "It might be the Earl of Shoushan's family."

"Right, right, right, their family surname is Huang."

The group continued to walk towards Yichun Lane while talking.

When Chu Zhan shouted "Brother Qingyun",

The carriage curtain of the carriage hanging the 'Tan' wooden sign on the side of the road that Chu Zhan mentioned was lifted by a woman, and the woman's gaze followed Qingyun and the others for a moment.

Then, the woman put down the curtain and got out of the carriage.

The coachman looked and said: "Mama Xiang, why did you come down? In a while, the servants and maids from the house will bring the things."

Mama Xiang pinched her handkerchief and smiled: "It's a bit stuffy in the carriage, I'll go to the front to take a look."

As she spoke, she stepped on the carriage stool and got down.

At this moment,

Qingyun's group had also found a place to park the carriages at the entrance of the alley,

Leaving the coachman to watch the carriages, Qingyun led a group of half-grown boys and walked into the alley.

Before long, they arrived at the door of the family that made peach charms and New Year pictures.

There were many servants from wealthy families standing at the door, and Qingyun nodded and greeted the ones he knew from time to time.

Of course, there were also families with bad relationships and who were not on good terms.

Qingyun pretended not to see them.

At this moment,

A fifteen or sixteen-year-old servant stood at the door and shouted impatiently into the gate: "Are the things for our Sha family of the Marquis of Zhongshan not ready yet?"

As soon as the servant shouted,

Someone on the side said: "Little brother, don't be anxious! Whoever's turn it is, it is!"

"How can I not be anxious? My young master is anxious to have them, and as a result, those who came later than me have already taken their things and left."

"That's because they ordered early!"

Hearing the conversation, a middle-aged man from the family that made peach charms came out, bowed and said: "Little brother from the Marquis of Zhongshan's family, please wait a moment, I will bring them to you when they are ready."

"Whose family is in front of mine? You let them wait, my family is anxious." The servant said with a bad face.

The middle-aged man smiled and said: "It is the family of the old Prince Hui."

The servant's face froze.

The servants around looked at the servant who stopped talking and laughed.

"This fellow is truly overestimating his own capabilities." Someone on the side said softly.

After the middle-aged man finished speaking, he looked at Qingyun's group and bowed: "Seeing that this little brother just arrived, may I ask which residence you are from?"

"We are from the Marquis of Yongyi's residence."

Qingyun bowed and said.

The middle-aged man was stunned and said: "Then send someone in, your residence's things have long been ready."

"Brother Qingyun, you wait outside, we will go." Chu Zhan volunteered to say.

"It's the same if these few come."

The middle-aged man smiled.

Qingyun nodded, and Chu Zhan led several boys into the courtyard amidst the envious eyes of others.

When Qingyun was waiting at the door,

A large and a small woman, the adult carrying a pipa and the child carrying a drum, walked over slowly amidst everyone's gaze.

When the two arrived not far from Qingyun,

Qingyun bowed and said: "Performer Yang, did you just come back from Fan Tower?"

Hearing Qingyun's voice,

The two, who were looking at the ground, looked up.

Looking at Qingyun's appearance, Yang Luoyou, who was wearing a veil, thought for a while and then crouched and said: "Brother Qingyun, are you here to pick up something?"

Zhiyue, the little girl beside Yang Luoyou, looked at Qingyun with a smile in her eyes.

Qingyun nodded and said: "Yes, the things reserved by the residence."

As he spoke, Qingyun walked to the side of the door, so that their conversation wouldn't block others' way.

At this moment,

Mama Xiang also walked to the vicinity of the door, said a few words to her own maid who was queuing there, and stood at the door.

On the side,

Yang Luoyou said in a light tone: "I have always gone to the shop where Sister Hua is, but I haven't seen her these days. I heard from the steward mama in the shop that Sister Hua is pregnant?"

Qingyun said with an unstoppable smile: "Yes, yes."

Hearing the conversation, Mama Xiang's eyes widened.

"If possible, please give me a message, Brother Qingyun, I will also offer a congratulatory gift to Sister Hua."

"Easy to say, easy to say." Qingyun smiled and glanced at Zhiyue, the little girl beside Yang Luoyou.

"Brother Qingyun, we have all moved them over."

Chu Zhan's voice came.

A group of half-grown boys swarmed out holding things.

Then, they looked at Zhiyue, the little girl beside Yang Luoyou, in unison.

Wearing colorful flower ropes on her head, wearing plain silk cotton-padded clothes, with plain cotton skirts underneath, and a pair of dark leather boots on her feet.

Zhiyue was naturally beautiful and had a delicate face, and learning music gave her a unique temperament, plus this outfit instantly made Chu Zhan and the other boys stare straight.

Qingyun smiled embarrassedly at Yang Luoyou and said: "Performer Yang, if you have something to do..."

As he spoke, Qingyun also gave Chu Zhan, who was staring straight, a knock on the head and said in a low voice: "Have some dignity!"

Chu Zhan smiled embarrassedly.

"Then, Brother Qingyun, we will take our leave." After finishing, Yang Luoyou bowed again.

Watching the little girl Zhiyue leave, the Bai Gao boys holding things sighed with some regret, but their gazes kept following her.

Chu Zhan couldn't let go of the things he was holding, so he could only kick the Bai Gao boys' butts lightly one by one and said: "Have some dignity!"

As he spoke,

Qingyun picked out a few big or heavy things, held them himself, and walked towards the Xu family's carriage.

It was lively all the way.

After putting the things on the flatbed carriage, the group rushed towards Quyuan Street in the afternoon sun that made people feel comfortable.

On the way,

Qingyun saw stalls selling candied haws and sugar cane, and would also buy some for the boys on the carriage.

Returning to the Marquis of Yongyi's residence,

After putting the things on the carriage into the outer courtyard storeroom for use during the Spring Festival,

When Qingyun arrived at Xu Zaijing's courtyard, he only saw Mama Xia, who was busy moving charcoal.

"Mama Xia, where is the Young Master?"

Mama Xia said with a smile: "The Young Master and the three young ladies just followed the Madam to the Huyan family half a quarter of an hour ago."

Hearing this, Qingyun's eyes widened: "Is..."

Mama Xia nodded.

Qingyun hurriedly left the courtyard, rode his horse, and rushed to the Huyan family.

Seeing Hu Yanjiong's residence.

The alley, which was usually very quiet, was full of carriages today.

The wooden signs hanging on the carriages were all different.

"Whoa"

Qingyun reined in his horse and stopped in front of the gate, gave the reins to the Xu family's coachman, and walked towards the courtyard.

Qingyun had come with Xu Zaijing more than two or three times, and the gatekeeper naturally recognized him.

Entering the courtyard,

After passing through the gate and corridor, Qingyun saw Xu Zaijing standing in the courtyard wearing a cloak.

Beside Xu Zaijing also stood Seeing Hu Yanjiong and Zaizhang.

The door of the side room beside them was wide open, and inside, Xu Marquis's wife Sun Shi, Xie Shi, Pingmei, Hualan, and others were all wearing thick cloaks or capes and sitting inside.

Madam Pan sat on one side of Sun Shi,

On the other side were Pingmei, Xie Shi, Hualan,

On the lower seat on both sides sat one of Anmei's sisters-in-law.

"Young Master."

Xu Zaijing, who had a straight face, turned his head: "Finished?"

"Yes."

After Xu Zaijing nodded, Qingyun and several other servants from the Xu family stood at the door of the side room, waiting for orders.

In the side room with the door open,

The first cup of tea soup offered by the Huyan family maid was still steaming.

Although Sun Shi had seen many such scenes, and the grandchildren had almost ten people, she was still somewhat nervous.

At this moment,

Zaiduan walked into the courtyard panting, breathing white air, bowed and greeted the mother and elders in the side room, and walked to the side of Xu Zaijing and the others.

"How long has Little Sister started?"

Zaiduan asked while calming his breathing.

Zaizhang on the side was somewhat anxious, squeezed out a smile and said: "Hearing from Jiong Ge'er, her stomach started hurting in the afternoon, Doctor Ren said she was about to give birth, so we notified our family; counting from then, it has been more than an hour."

Zaiduan exhaled, patted Seeing Hu Yanjiong's shoulder, who was somewhat nervous, and said: "That's just the beginning, there's a wait, Jiong Ge'er, set your heart at ease."

"Hmm."

Listening to the pain cries of Anmei in the inner room starting to get louder, Seeing Hu Yanjiong nodded.

Zaiduan's breathing calmed down a lot, and he took the tea soup offered by the Huyan family maid while standing.

He hadn't finished drinking the tea soup yet.

After a cry of pain in the inner room,

A servant woman ran out with a happy smile on her face.

Listening to the servant woman shouting "It's a boy" full of joy.

In the courtyard,

Zaiduan's action of drinking tea paused.

In the side room,

When Pingmei gave birth to Gu Shixing, she had a turn at the gates of hell.

Xie Shi giving birth to Xu Xingdai was also a long toss.

Hualan also suffered quite a bit.

The other few wives were mostly like this.

After hearing the news, the wives looked at each other: No, how long has it been? Can this first birth be so smooth?

(End of chapter)