Chapter 428: A youth is still worthy of praise [Thank you

Evening,

Southeast of the inner city of Bianjing,

Chunming Ward,

Two stone lions stood before the wide main gate,

The stone lions were a circle larger than those of the Xu family, roughly the same size as those at the entrance of the Qi family.

A large plaque hung on the lintel, inscribed with the four gilded characters "An Guo Gong Fu" (Residence of the Duke of Anguo).

The vast courtyard, where lanterns had yet to be hung, was deep and very dim.

Mama Xiang, accompanied by two maidservants holding trays, stood before the gate of a courtyard.

Someone inside the gate picked up a peach-wood charm from a tray and said, "It's actually from Yichun Lane. Mama Xiang is truly thoughtful! No wonder the mistress of our chamber, the First Madam, entrusted this task to you!"

"You are too kind, Elder Sister! If there is anything improper, I ask that you and the Young Madam bear with me!"

"Certainly, certainly!"

"Then I shall take my leave."

"Walk slowly, Mama Xiang. Please convey our Young Madam's gratitude."

Mama Xiang turned and left, walking two steps before the courtyard gate behind her was closed.

The courtyard grew even dimmer.

Mama Xiang walked through the gates and corridors of the large residence into a courtyard.

Following the covered walkway, she entered the inner room of the main house, where the floor heating was burning.

Inside the room, a candle was lit on the table in the center of the Luo Han bed, casting a dim, yellowish light.

Mama Xiang looked at the two people, one large and one small, on the Luo Han bed and curtsied slightly: "First Madam, this servant has returned."

The adult was the second daughter of the Qin family of Dongchang Marquis, who had remarried into the fourth branch of the Duke of Anguo's residence; outsiders had to address her as First Madam Qin.

First Madam Qin, who was sitting, nodded and said, "Have the items been delivered?"

"Yes. The Young Madam entrusted me to convey her gratitude."

"Hmph! That slut would thank me?"

"That is what the managing mama in that courtyard said."

As Mama Xiang spoke, she glanced at First Madam Qin a few more times.

"Mother, does this count as having captured one piece?"

The little girl opposite First Madam Qin pointed at the Go board and asked in a crisp voice.

First Madam Qin looked at the board, smiled, and nodded. After glancing at Mama Xiang who had entered, First Madam Qin stood up from the Luo Han bed and said, "Wan'er, think about it more yourself."

"Yes, Mother."

After speaking, First Madam Qin stepped away from the Luo Han bed and walked toward the outer room.

Mama Xiang, who had just entered, followed her out.

After standing still in the outer room,

Mama Xiang said to the two maidservants in the outer room, "You go ask the kitchen when dinner will be served, and you go to the inner room to watch over the young lady."

The two maidservants acknowledged and left separately.

First Madam Qin said in a low voice, "What is it? Are the servants of the other branches saying unpleasant things again?"

"First Madam, they didn't say much."

"Hmm? Then there is something else?"

"It is that when this servant went to Yichun Lane, I ran into the Yin family's young master."

Upon hearing Mama Xiang's words, First Madam Qin froze.

"If you ran into him, so be it. Isn't it quite good that he is by the side of the Xu family's Fifth Young Master?"

Mama Xiang nodded, looked at First Madam Qin, and said in a low voice, "Da Niangzi, I heard the Yin family's young master talking to others, and it seems the Yin family's young master's wife is pregnant."

First Madam Qin looked at Mama Xiang, and Mama Xiang nodded affirmatively.

A trace of emotion appeared on First Madam Qin's face. After taking a deep breath, she said, "Find out the approximate date; we will need to send a congratulatory gift then."

"Yes, Da Niangzi. There is one more thing: the Marquis's residence on Jingming Street has sent people again to ask when you will mention the matter of Han Ge'er's position to the Duke."

The Dongchang Marquis's residence was on Jingming Street.

"They also said that since the Tan family found such a good naval position for the Tian family of Hui Xian Bo, our family cannot be weaker! If they can handle it, they should; if they can't, they want you to take back the things given by the Qin family."

"Heh!"

First Madam Qin laughed out of extreme anger, her face full of sarcasm as she said:

"The stingy nature hasn't changed! When I married, they said the family had no money and gave such a small dowry. Now that they are seeking an official position for Han Ge'er, they aren't short on money! Take it back? My brother and sister-in-law are truly shameless."

"What did you say?"

Mama Xiang: "This servant said that we didn't expect the family's Old Ancestor to be unwell, so we couldn't enter the palace to beg before His Majesty and the Empress, and asked them to wait a while longer."

First Madam Qin nodded, her eyes full of contemplation as she said, "In these years, the Marquis's residence's assets haven't changed, and my brother has no real power in his hands. Among the gifts sent by the Tan family, have the origins of those few good items been investigated?"

Mama Xiang nodded: "My husband asked the old servants by the Old Madam's side; they were all items sent when the Tian family of Hui Xian Bo entrusted the Marquis's residence to handle matters previously."

First Madam Qin's eyes were full of contemplation as she said in a very low voice, "Sent by the maternal family of my cheap sister-in-law?"

Mama Xiang nodded.

"My sister-in-law comes from the Tian family of Hui Xian Bo, and her concubine-born sister is a secondary consort of Prince Jing."

Mama Xiang said with some horror in her eyes, "Da Niangzi, are you saying it was sent to the Marquis's residence by Prince Jing's residence?"

First Madam Qin glanced toward the inner room and said in a low, worried voice, "I hope it is just a courtesy exchange."

"By the way, I remember that before my maternal nephew had his accident, he was accompanying the heirs of the princes and nobles of Bianjing to the Elephant Breeding Office?"

"Yes, Da Niangzi."

First Madam Qin's eyes moved, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "Go, entrust someone to find some books about elephants; I want to read them."

Mama Xiang nodded in acknowledgment.

Three days after Anmei gave birth to her child,

The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month,

The sky was overcast from the morning.

By noon, goose-feather-like heavy snow began to fall.

Soon, the snowflakes turned the Xu family's horse racing track white,

And the stable room beside the racing track was covered with a layer of clean, thick dry grass, with a large stove lit in the corner.

A tall, magnificent horse with a large belly lay on its side on the dry grass, covered with a wool blanket.

In the stable room,

Alan and Xunshu were busy beside Long Ju.

Beside the stable room,

Xu Zaijing was leaning on the railing looking inside, with Qingyun and Chu Zhan and several other boys on one side, and Xu Zaijing's two elder brothers and his master on the other.

The Xu family was a Marquis's residence, and the young masters and their personal guards all had mounts, so there were many horses in the residence.

They had seen horses giving birth several times,

So there was no look of anxiety or curiosity on their faces.

Listening to Long Ju snorting,

The heavy breaths blew the dry grass spread on the ground.

Xu Dalang Zaizuan looked at Long Ju not far away with love and said, "Zaizhang, Zaijing, you two guess what color this foal will be?"

Xu Zaijing said, "Its mother's coat color is quite good."

Zaizhang said, "I think it's eight-tenths likely to be black; the good horse that Uncle Yin took a fancy to didn't change Xiao Li Ju's coat color."

Xu Dalang said, "That's not certain; it might be like the coat color of Zaijing's first horse."

Xu Zaijing thought of the appearance of his first mount and shook his head, saying, "Let's forget about that!"

Xu Dalang laughed, "With the physique of Little Xiao Li Ju and Long Ju, this foal won't be ugly; it must be a divine steed! Anmei's son is truly lucky."

Zaizhang nodded, "It's rare to see a horse give birth in the winter!"

As they were talking,

In less than half an hour,

Long Ju finished giving birth; it was a little filly.

Alan and Xunshu on the side were full of joy.

The newborn foal was all black, very much like its father and grandmother.

It wasn't late,

But the snowy weather made the stable somewhat dark,

Xu Xingdai followed Zaizuan, who had come to the stable again, and saw the foal with slender limbs that combined the advantages of its parents, walking around in the stable.

"Father, is Little Uncle really going to give this foal to the newborn cousin?"

Zaizuan nodded, "Don't envy your cousin; when Father goes to the Northwest, I will find a foal for you too."

Xu Xingdai nodded with a smile, "Hmm!"

The next day,

It was New Year's Eve,

Two quarters past the Si hour (around 9:30 AM),

Still in the Xu family stable,

Lu Zezong, wearing a small cloak, stood beside Xu Zaijing like a little adult, looking at the foal in the stable room.

While looking, he kept glancing at his own mount.

The twelfth lunar month was cold,

And it had just snowed,

So Lu Zezong naturally had to come to the Xu family by carriage, with his mount tied behind the carriage.

But after entering the Xu family, he could trot several laps in the snow-cleared racing track.

After comparing, Lu Zezong shook his head and said, "It really is beautiful."

Xu Zaijing, wearing a large cloak, glanced at Lu Zezong's pony and said, "Actually, they are about the same."

The foal the Duke's residence wanted to find was naturally good.

But...

"Young Master, the palace's Great Nu Ritual is about to begin, and the young masters are waiting for you at the gate."

"Alright, we'll go out immediately."

Lu Zezong and Xu Zaijing rode the same horse. Lu Zezong, sitting in front of Xu Zaijing, touched the fur of Little Xiao Li Ju and said, "Little Xiao Li Ju, you must work hard!"

Listening to Lu Zezong's words, Xu Zaijing smiled lightly.

When Xu Zaijing rode out of the Marquis's residence gate, the carriage full of gifts prepared for the Lu family also followed him out.

But Xu Zaijing hurried toward the Imperial Street with Gu Tingye, Liang Han, and others, while the Xu family's carriage, along with the Lu family's carriage and the pony, headed toward Huihe Ward in the north.

Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong stopped their horses beside the Imperial Street for a short while before the Great Nu Ritual procession of over a thousand people from the palace passed before them.

The Great Nu Ritual had the omen of dispelling disease and plague, and the commoners and wealthy families watching on the roadside all had the action of patting their clothes.

Xu Zaijing and the others did the same.

Subsequently,

The group rode their horses following the procession out of the Nanxun Gate,

And after stopping outside the city to watch the process, they returned the same way.

It had snowed heavily yesterday,

There was much snow outside Bianjing City,

So their horses couldn't run fast, and they didn't gallop wildly to race as they had last year.

Huihe Ward,

Residence of the Duke of Lian,

Main hall of the back courtyard.

The Old Duchess was standing and talking with her daughter-in-law, First Madam Li.

From time to time, servants came to ask for instructions.

After giving instructions to a mama, First Madam Li said, "Mother, this is the first time in so many years that I have managed the various affairs of the New Year; I really feel a bit flustered."

After First Madam Li remarried and gave birth to Lu Zezong, her husband passed away from illness.

First Madam Li was heavy-hearted and had no mind for affairs, so the Old Duchess had always shouldered these matters.

As Lu Zezong grew older, he was both literary and martial, which made First Madam Li much more cheerful.

This year, First Madam Li took over the New Year affairs.

The Old Duchess smiled and said, "It's alright, the first time is strange, the second time is familiar; we are all our own family, it's fine!"

First Madam Li nodded.

At this moment,

A managing mama entered from outside the door, walked up to them, bowed, and said, "Old Duchess, First Madam, the carriage of our family's relatives has arrived at the second gate."

"Is Jing Ge'er bringing a few people over?"

"Replying to the Old Duchess, there are only three maidservants."

"Mother, then I will go out and take a look." First Madam Li stood up and said.

The Old Duchess smiled and nodded.

At the second gate,

Qingcao brought the sisters Yunxiang and Huaxiang off the carriage.

After waiting by the carriage for a while, they saw a woman wearing a magnificent cloak and exquisite, appropriate head ornaments walking over.

First Madam Li's maternal family were officials of the Ministry of Works' Wensi Academy, specializing in the carving of gold, silver, rhinoceros horn, and jade, so there was naturally no shortage of good things.

"Greetings, First Madam. Sending a mama over would have sufficed; why did you come out personally!" Qingcao and the three of them hurriedly bowed.

First Madam Li smiled and beckoned, "It's alright! Come."

Walking in the Duke's residence,

On the road, mamas still came to First Madam Li from time to time to ask for instructions.

Seeing that First Madam Li was somewhat busy, Qingcao said, "First Madam, please go ahead and be busy! Just let a mama take us there."

"It's alright, it's only a few more steps!"

Seeing First Madam Li's insistence, Qingcao said no more.

Arriving at a courtyard,

The maidservants in the courtyard were called over by the mama beside First Madam Li.

First Madam Li said sternly,

"These three young ladies are maidservants of our family's relatives! Later, you take them to familiarize themselves! You must not neglect the three young ladies!"

"Yes! First Madam!"

The Lu family maidservants said in unison.

"If there is anything, you can go straight to the hall to find me." First Madam Li said to Qingcao and the three of them again.

Qingcao and the three of them hurriedly acknowledged.

First Madam Li glanced at the sisters Yunxiang and Huaxiang, nodded, and led people away from the courtyard.

Qingcao watched First Madam Li leave, turned around, smiled and bowed to the Lu family maidservants, saying, "I have troubled you, sisters."

Looking at the expensive materials and exquisite embroidery on Qingcao, Yunxiang, and Huaxiang, the Lu family maidservants smiled and said, "What are you saying, young lady! Please, this way!"

Xu Zaijing, along with Gu Tingye, Liang Han, and others, entered the outer city from Nanxun Gate,

Walked less than a mile north along the Imperial Street,

And stopped their horses beside a pavilion with the three characters "Kan Jie Ting" (Street-Watching Pavilion).

"Jing Ge'er, aren't you coming with us?"

Xu Zaijing nodded and said, "Later I have to take Zong Ge'er back to the Duke's residence in Huihe Ward for a meal. There are too many people on the road north, and we can't run fast, so I plan to take a detour."

Gu Tingye's tone was somewhat regretful: "I was thinking of calling you to go drink at Pan Lou!"

"You go ahead!"

"We're off!"

After speaking, Xu Zaijing bowed to say goodbye, and Lu Zezong followed suit.

Qingyun bowed at the end and followed behind Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing and his party of three rode their horses straight east for a considerable distance, passing the Daoist temples Jiucheng Palace and Nanbaozhen Palace, which were built opposite each other across the street.

Near the three pools of Ningbi, Ningxiang, and Yingxiang, they turned north on the street, and after crossing the Yitai Bridge over the Cai River, the horses' speed began to increase.

Galloping north,

They entered the inner city from the Old Cao Men and would arrive at Huihe Ward after a short walk.

While walking on the Old Cao Men Street,

Lu Zezong, in Xu Zaijing's arms, pointed at the three carriages on the roadside and said, "Brother, those are our family's carriages! It might be the cousins inside."

Hearing Lu Zezong's words, Little Xiao Li Ju, who shared a heart with Xu Zaijing, leaned toward the carriages.

"Sisters? Are you there?"

Lu Zezong called out in a crisp voice.

The curtains of the three carriages were all lifted, and the noble ladies inside all looked out.

Looking at the people behind the carriage windows, Lu Zezong was stunned, because inside the middle carriage, besides his cousin, there was also a young lady who looked somewhat familiar.

"Sister Chai."

Lu Zezong called out in a crisp voice.

Chai Zhengzheng in the carriage smiled at Xu/Lu Zezong and waved her hand.

The young ladies of the Lu Imperial Son-in-law's family looked at Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong and said, "Why did you come back so soon?"

Lu Zezong smiled and said, "My brother and I came from the outer city. Aren't you going back for lunch, sisters?"

"Hmm, hmm, someone is treating us."

The Lu family young lady in the middle carriage looked at Chai Zhengzheng as she spoke.

"Then we'll go first." Lu Zezong waved his hand and said.

"Go on, go on."

The Lu family young ladies impatiently lowered the carriage window curtains.

The sky turned dark,

And the sound of firecrackers in Bianjing City gradually increased.

From time to time, fireworks flew into the sky and exploded.

Jiying Lane,

Sheng family,

Dishes filled a table,

Sheng Hong sat beside the Old Madam, looked at the Sheng family children at the table, stroked his beard, and said, "Bo'er, come, recite a poem."

Changbo stood up, bowed, and said: "Wishing to know the ending year, a youth is still worthy of praise."

Rulan and Minglan, who had just been full of expectation, sighed and lowered their heads after hearing the first line Changbo recited.

Rulan frowned and said, "Second Brother, when can you change to a different poem!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 429 =====