Chapter 441: Soft and Glutinous and Happy Events【Gratitude! Bow again! Owe 20,000 characters】

Yu Yanran lost her mother in childhood,

and although she had the love of Old Master Yu and the Old Madam, her expression was still somewhat timid when dealing with people, and she dared not look at others directly.

Sensing Gu Tingye's gaze, Yu Yanran only dared to take a quick glance.

After seeing clearly the owner of the gaze, she was like a rabbit meeting an eagle, somewhat fearful and unnaturally turned her head to look elsewhere.

Gu Tingye found it interesting to look at Yu Yanran's appearance, and just as he wanted to look a few more times, he discovered that the two old ladies had walked to Yu Yanran and Minglan's side.

The Sheng Old Madam even smiled and nodded at Gu Tingye.

Gu Tingye hurriedly bowed and escaped as if fleeing, turning to chase after Xu Zaijing.

After Old Madam Yu took Yu Yanran's hand, she noticed the direction the Sheng Old Madam was looking, and after looking along with her, Old Madam Yu said: "What's wrong?"

The Sheng Old Madam shook her head with a smile and said: "I saw a little monkey."

"Grandmother, where is there a little monkey?"

Minglan stood on tiptoe at the side and asked, looking around.

The Sheng Old Madam smiled and stroked Minglan's hair.

Xu Zaijing looked at Gu Tingye, who had caught up from behind with a few quick steps, and said: "Yuan Erlang, why are you walking so fast?"

"Did you do something bad?"

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing even looked back.

Gu Tingye put his arm around Xu Zaijing's shoulder, preventing Xu Zaijing from looking back, and said: "Am I that kind of person?"

Xu Zaijing raised his eyebrows.

Just as Gu Tingye wanted to say something, he felt Rong Xian, who was walking in front, suddenly stop and turn to hide behind the two of them.

Before Gu Tingye could ask, Xu Zaijing patted Gu Tingye's shoulder and raised his chin toward the two noble ladies coming toward them; these two noble ladies had lanterns on their heads and were surrounded by respectable servants.

It could be seen that these two young ladies were meticulously dressed.

Although the young ladies' faces were ordinary, under the foil of their makeup, they could be called beauties.

However, sometimes one cannot compare,

and once compared, everything is revealed—they were talking to Rong Feiyan.

Rong Feiyan listened to the praise of the two Dou family young ladies for the lantern in her hand and smiled very happily.

Looking at Gu Tingye's dazed appearance, Xu Zaijing whispered beside Gu Tingye:

"The two young ladies of the Duke of Consort Fu Guo's Dou family."

Gu Tingye nodded and turned his head to glance at Rong Xian behind him, the corners of his mouth unable to stop rising.

Rong Xian bowed and pleaded behind him: "Yuan Erlang, Yuan Erlang, spare this brother this once! Jing Ge'er, help me!"

Xu Zaijing advised at the side: "Yuan Erlang, it is better to be forgiving when one can; Xian Ge'er doesn't have it easy!"

Rong Xian nodded repeatedly.

Gu Tingye shook his head: "Xian Ge'er, the Lantern Festival is a day for unmarried men and women to see each other. Besides, your two families are about to set the marriage! With such fate tonight, how can you miss it!"

As he spoke, Gu Tingye grabbed Rong Xian behind him and shouted loudly: "Xian Ge'er of the Rong family of Consort Fu Guo Marquis, why are you here? Hahaha!"

Xu Zaijing at the side saw this scene and took a step directly between Qi Heng and Liang Han.

At the same time, he picked up his sworn brother Lu Zezong and used Lu Zezong to block the direction of the Dou family young ladies.

"Zong Ge'er, if there is anything you want, tell your sworn brother."

As Xu Zaijing spoke, he held Lu Zezong and hid on the side of the road.

Gu Tingye shouted, and the two Dou family young ladies took the opportunity to say goodbye to Rong Feiyan and walked toward Rong Xian somewhat shyly.

Arriving near Rong Xian,

"Xian Brother~~~"

The eldest Dou family young lady called out in a soft and glutinous voice, then looked shyly at Rong Xian, who was dressed very flashily.

The soft and glutinous voice made Gu Tingye's eyes go straight, his gaze unfocused as he swallowed his saliva, and the direction his gaze was unfocused happened to be the position of the younger Dou family sister.

Seeing Gu Tingye's gaze and the way he swallowed his saliva, the younger Dou family sister was even shyer than her sister, lowering her head and biting her lip, then raising her head to glance at Gu Tingye.

Between the younger Dou family sister lowering and raising her head, the candlelight of the lantern worn on her hair bun flickered.

Seeing this scene,

Rong Xian at the side turned his eyes and said: "Let me introduce you, this is the second legitimate son of the Marquis Ningyuan..."

Inside the Imperial City,

below the Xuande Gate tower,

Zhao Taifeng and Meifeng handed their waist plates and seals to the Imperial Guards guarding this place.

After the Imperial Guards looked at them twice, they bowed and went up to the gate tower.

After a while,

a palace eunuch walked out.

The two brothers Zhao Taifeng hurriedly bowed: "Eunuch Eunuch Huai Bao!"

Eunuch Eunuch Huai Bao held up a lantern and looked carefully at Zhao Taifeng and Zhao Meifeng, and after letting the Imperial Guards search them, he flicked his horsetail whisk and said: "Two officials, please go up; you cannot go where His Majesty is, just watch from the side tower!"

"Yes!"

After the two bowed, they followed Eunuch Huai Bao to the side tower on both sides of the gate tower where the Emperor was.

The two Zhao Taifeng brothers did not sit down in the side tower, but walked to the city wall outside the side tower.

Large lanterns were hanging under the eaves of the side tower,

and higher up were the huge Kongming lanterns floating in the air.

The two came to a place where there were few people around and stood leaning against the railing.

Meifeng looked at the lively sea of lanterns below the tower and asked: "Senior Brother, you didn't say a word along the way; do you really not intend to remove the niece's household registration?"

Zhao Taifeng held the railing and leaned out to look up.

Looking at the huge Kongming lanterns and listening to the sound of "Long Live" from below the tower, Zhao Taifeng whispered: "In our line of work, the more hidden the background, the better! Besides, without me for so many years, hasn't she lived just fine!"

"I heard that the young lady she follows is raised by the Sheng Old Madam! A granddaughter raised by such a person... even if we don't take action in the future, when she marries, she will naturally be removed from the household registration."

Meifeng nodded: "Then I will send some capable hands to watch just in case."

Zhao Taifeng nodded: "When Master is old, the position of Chief of the Imperial City Division will be yours."

"Senior Brother, you have made such great contributions in Bai Gao, I will not take this position!"

Zhao Taifeng withdrew his body and patted the shoulder of Zhao Meifeng, whose figure had already become strong: "His Majesty also thinks highly of you."

"Master said, His Majesty now looks at the Great Zhou map and often looks in the direction of Northern Liao and the Jin Kingdom; it is not certain that I will have to leave the capital in the future."

"To Northern Liao or the Jin Kingdom?" Meifeng whispered.

"I feel it is neither, there is a 70-80% chance it is to Dengzhou."

After Zhao Taifeng finished speaking, Meifeng's eyes were full of thought: "Dengzhou... it is not far from the Jin Kingdom, and the sea route can go to both Northern Liao and the Jin Kingdom; this is for you, Senior Brother, to oversee the intelligence affairs in the north."

"Yes! If His Majesty recovers the Sixteen Prefectures of Qin Yan Yun in the future, and I am not dead yet, then I will reunite with them."

When Zhao Meifeng heard this, he nodded in agreement; the "them" he thought of was that little Xiaotao girl getting married and having children years later.

And the "them" Zhao Taifeng spoke of were one, Xiaotao, and the other...

End of the Xu hour (9:00 PM),

the first Lantern Festival after expanding the territory,

the Emperor was in a very good mood,

so much so that he stayed to enjoy the festival with the people until this moment before leaving Xuande Tower.

After the Emperor left,

the huge lanterns in front of Xuande Gate gradually extinguished.

The commoners of Bianjing, who had nothing to do tomorrow, would still go to restaurants to drink and feast all night.

And for those like Xu Zaijing who would start school tomorrow, they could only honestly return home.

Entering his own courtyard,

before even entering the room, he heard the laughter of the three maids inside.

Pushing the door and entering, there were several exquisite lanterns hanging in the room.

"Greetings, Young Master!"

Qingcao said while stepping forward to take the cloak from Xu Zaijing's hands.

"What is so happy?"

Hearing Xu Zaijing's question,

the three maids laughed again, and the twins Huaxiang and Yunxiang still had shy expressions on their faces.

"Young Master, tonight we went to see the lanterns with the Second Madam, and met several official wives in the capital; there were a few who knew the Second Madam and asked about them two a few times."

Qingcao said, looking at the Yunxiang sisters.

Yunxiang looked at Xu Zaijing: "Young Master, someone also asked about Sister Qingcao!"

"Why, the cloaks you embroidered yourselves made people think you were daughters of some boudoir, and they want to propose marriage for you?"

As soon as Xu Zaijing said this, the three girls in the room nodded with a smile, and Yunxiang turned to the back room to serve the drink.

Qingcao said: "I heard from Sister Cuichan that there was a Madam who said the words on our three cloaks were written well and embroidered well, and had a scholarly air!"

Xu Zaijing sat on the chair and took the tea drink served by Yunxiang: "You all accompanied this young master to the study anyway, having a good teacher like Scholar Zhuang, it is only right to have a scholarly air."

"Young Master, then were you happy playing today?"

Xu Zaijing didn't know what he thought of, nodded with a smile: "Not bad!"

Xingguo Lane,

Marquis Ningyuan's residence,

in the Matriarch's courtyard,

Gu Tingyi sat on the chair in the main hall, listened to the voices of Madam Bai and her sister-in-law talking on the head seat, yawned, then leaned back and rested her head on Chang Mama's body.

"Yi'er, did you see anyone tonight?"

Hearing Madam Bai's words,

Gu Tingyi sat up straight in confusion, wanting to ask who.

But seeing the expressions of Gu Tingyu and Pingmei, and Gu Tingye's stinky face, Gu Tingyi pursed her lips shyly and nodded: "Mother, daughter has seen them."

Madam Bai smiled: "Jing Ge'er handles things steadily!"

Gu Tingye interrupted at the side: "Mother, you should have left such matters to your son, what does it count for to let Jing Ge'er handle it!"

Madam Bai ignored her son and continued: "How did you feel?"

Gu Tingyi looked at her depressed second brother, pondered for a moment: "Looked not bad!"

"The Marquis has returned!"

A maid shouted outside the door.

Gu Yankai, with some smell of wine on him, walked in. Looking at the crowd standing up in the hall, Gu Yankai waved his hand: "Don't get up."

Sitting on the Arhat bed, Gu Yankai looked around the hall and said: "Where is Yan Jie'er?"

"Father, Yan Jie'er was carried back to the room to sleep." Pingmei still stood up and replied.

Gu Yankai nodded with some regret on his face, then looked at Gu Shixing, who was yawning in Gu Tingyu's arms, turned his head and said to Madam Bai: "What are you talking about? The children are all sleepy!"

"Father, Mother is talking about the boy from the Shoushan Bo family who is engaged to Little Sister."

Gu Yankai said: "How old is Yi Jie'er now, why be in such a hurry to discuss marriage?"

Madam Bai gave Gu Yankai a look: "Yi Jie'er is about to reach the age of capping, how can we not look at the marriage in advance, otherwise all the good sons-in-law will be snatched away!"

"What kind of good son-in-law is that boy from the Huang family!"

Gu Yankai glared at Gu Tingye: "He has made contributions on the battlefield, and in the future, the Shoushan Bo title of the Huang family will also be his, what about you?"

Gu Tingye was embarrassed for a moment.

"I also heard that you and the Huang family boy fought?"

Gu Tingye sat on the chair and nodded.

"Who won and who lost in the contest?"

Gu Yankai asked.

"A draw!"

Hearing Gu Tingye's answer, Gu Yankai nodded: "That's about right."

After finishing, looking at Gu Tingyi, who looked very much like Madam Bai, and then glancing at Gu Tingyu, who was healthy and had passed the imperial examination,

Gu Yankai drank the hangover soup served by the maid and thought to himself: "If there is a chance, I must see that boy."

After the Gu family talked for a while longer, they each returned to their courtyards.

Madam Bai served Gu Yankai as he changed his clothes and prepared to sleep. Gu Yankai sat on the edge of the bed: "Do you have any plans in your heart for Yuan Erlang's marriage?"

Madam Bai, who let Chang Mama remove her hairpins, said: "We must always look for a young lady from a family of civil officials who have been officials for generations."

Gu Yankai nodded in agreement: "With Gu Dalang here, if Yuan Erlang can marry a legitimate daughter of a civil official, no one will be able to call our family military brutes anymore."

Chang Mama was tidying Madam Bai's hair, and Madam Bai closed her eyes and said "Mm."

"But I see that the current Emperor has great ambitions, and being a military brute might not be a bad thing."

Listening to Gu Yankai's hesitant tone, Madam Bai replied: "Gu Dalang said that our Gu family has deep roots in the military, and even if Yuan Erlang is a civil official, he can still command troops and fight!"

"Right, right!"

Sheng family,

Shou'an Hall,

The Old Madam, wearing pajamas, said to Cui Mama at the side: "No need to decoct the calming soup tonight, I'm tired after walking for so long."

"Yes, Old Madam."

"Ming'er, look at the lanterns tomorrow, let's sleep first!"

Minglan, who was playing with the lanterns in the room, hurriedly responded, put down the lanterns, and walked to the Old Madam's bed.

After washing and undressing,

the grandmother and granddaughter lay on the bed.

After Fang Mama blew out the candle on the table and left the bedroom, Minglan said beside the Old Madam: "Grandmother, tonight after I guessed lantern riddles with Sister Yanran, I saw... I saw..."

"Mm? What did Ming'er see?"

"I saw the Second Young Master Gu, who studies in our family's study, looking at... Sister Yanran somewhat rudely."

The Old Madam closed her eyes and said "Oh," understanding in her heart that Gu Tingye had some curiosity about Yanran.

Thinking of Yanran's weak and sensible appearance, the Old Madam said: "It's nothing, just the temperament of a young person."

Minglan nodded: "But I have never seen Cousin Jing look at anyone like that."

"That's because he is sensible."

After finishing, the Old Madam thought about the possibility of the Yu family and the Gu family marrying.

The Old Madam was just thinking about it; she was old and had long lost the interest in matchmaking.

If she really knew of a good young lady, the Old Madam would only hint to Sheng Hong to go and propose.

Kong Mama, whom the Old Madam knew in the palace when she was young, often taught the young ladies in the high-ranking households of Bianjing.

Kong Mama could see clearly the character of these young ladies, and with this kind of "exclusive news," the Old Madam also knew a lot.

Thinking and thinking, the Old Madam fell into a deep sleep.

Chai family,

Qiusheng Garden,

Bedroom,

Chai Zhengzheng had already loosened her hair bun,

and she, in plain white pajamas, stood beside the table. Not far away, the maid Miss Yun Mu was tying a wooden stick to the waist of an armored puppet.

After tying it, she tested the sturdiness, and Miss Yun Mu nodded.

Fuyi walked in carrying a copper basin for foot soaking, followed by Zhiteng carrying hot water.

"Da Niangzi, come soak your feet."

Chai Zhengzheng nodded and walked quickly to the bedside with a smile.

A quarter of an hour later,

the three maids including Miss Yun Mu walked out of the bedroom.

When leaving along the corridor, Miss Yun Mu, who was not on duty, whispered: "Zhiteng, be alert at night, check the lanterns often, don't wait until the candles in the lanterns burn out before blowing them out."

"Yes, Sister."

In the bedroom,

the candle on the table had been blown out.

An exquisite lantern was lit in front of the armored puppet at the side.

Rong family,

Huixue Garden,

Several candles were lit in the warm outer room,

and the maid Ningxiang covered her mouth and yawned before whispering: "Da Niangzi, it's getting late, you should study this lantern tomorrow!"

Rong Feiyan, who was looking at the patterns on the lantern in front of the lantern, straightened up and rubbed her eyes,

looked at the lantern in front of her and said: "You must remember the matter of finding someone who can make lanterns tomorrow!"

Seeing Xi Bu said at the side: "Yes, Da Niangzi! I will definitely make a few more to hang under the eaves. It's getting late, you should rest first!"

Rong Feiyan nodded: "Put it together with those few things."

"Yes, Da Niangzi!"

The next day,

Xingguo Lane,

Si hour (around 9:00 AM),

Gu Tingye had already gone to the Sheng family's study in Jiying Lane.

Inside the Marquis Ningyuan's residence,

Madam Bai was taking Pingmei to look at the account books.

"Confirmed correct?"

"Correct."

After Madam Bai nodded at Pingmei, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law put away the account books in their hands,

and just as they were about to open a new account book,

the maid Qingzhi arrived at the door and bowed: "Madam, Eldest Madam, Madam Wu has arrived, saying there is a happy event."

Madam Bai and Pingmei looked at each other in confusion.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 442 =====