Chapter 447

"Even if the Marquis of Dongchang's mansion gets better, with that sister-in-law of mine there, can I have any relationship with them? Pfft!"

Mother Xiang looked at Eldest Madam Qin's disdainful expression, and continued somewhat anxiously:

"Da Niangzi, you can naturally not care! But you are not alone now; there is also Wan Jie'er!"

Listening to the laughter of the young girl outside the room, Eldest Madam Qin, sitting in the chair, softened her expression and looked at Mother Xiang: "Apart from these, is there nothing else?"

Mother Xiang showed a difficult expression: "Da Niangzi, this servant had better not say it!"

"I don't lack this one troublesome matter; speak."

"The Marquis's mansion also said that before, when the war started in the Northwest, the nobles of Bianjing who participated all made a fortune! When war starts with Northern Liao, the Duke of England, Duke of Xin, Marquis of Zhongjing, and Marquis of Ningyuan guarding the North will naturally support it to gain benefits. At that time, please send a letter to the Marquis of Ningyuan's mansion, to Gu..."

"Crash!"

The teacup on the desk was swept onto the floor.

Eldest Madam Qin's chest heaved violently, looking at the empty space in the study with eyes that could eat people.

Mother Xiang, regretting saying these words, hurriedly walked over to help Eldest Madam Qin smooth her breath.

"This pair of brother and sister-in-law of mine... for the sake of Eldest Sister's dowry, they did such ugly things as harming their own nephew! And now they actually say such things??? Tell them! It's wishful thinking!"

"Da Niangzi... you must think long-term! If this matter can succeed, it can mend the relationship between the two families; if it doesn't, it can also probe how the Marquis of Gu feels about you! The Marquis of Gu remembers his feelings for Eldest Sister! If you really have something happen in the future, we can also consider the Gu family, can't we!"

Mother Xiang's words made Eldest Madam Qin close her eyes in discomfort.

Through the maids and servants left by her sister,

Eldest Madam Qin naturally knew that her former brother-in-law, Gu Yanhai, often went to the ancestral hall to hold the spirit tablet of her sister, Qin Yan Yun, and cry bitterly.

The study became quiet,

I do not know how much time had passed,

"Grind the ink."

"Yes, Da Niangzi."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong's residence,

Outer courtyard,

Although the original Marquis of Jinghai, the Huyan family, no longer had a title,

And Seeing Hu Yanjiong was the youngest son of the fifth branch,

But the Xu family, the in-laws of the fifth branch, was now enjoying great imperial favor, and nothing happened during this full-month celebration.

Before, when the Huyan family still had a title, Seeing Hu Yanjiong had met many dissolute young men of Bianjing playing polo at Eldest Madam Wu's polo field, and quite a few came to join in the fun,

But their arrogance and tyranny also depended on who they were dealing with.

These dissolute noble youths of Bianjing might beat commoners to death without paying with their lives, but with the "good name" of Xu Zaijing beating the Prince's heir to a disability, if they caused trouble...

That fellow Xu Zaijing could beat them to death, and in all likelihood, he could get away with it.

Looking at Rong Xian's attitude toward Xu Zaijing, perhaps Xu Zaijing wouldn't even need to take action, so they were very well-behaved today.

And the brave captains who liked to boast and drink heavily in the army also restrained themselves, becoming refined.

"Come, Eldest Young Master Huang, I will toast you another cup!"

Gu Tingye, his face flushed, raised his wine cup and shouted at Huang Qingyue opposite him.

Huang Qingyue, whose forehead was sweating but whose eyes were clear, raised his wine cup: "Thank you, Second Young Master!"

Xu Zaijing watched helplessly from the side.

At this moment,

Qingyun walked to Xu Zaijing's side and whispered a few words.

"Why did he come?"

Xu Zaijing said, standing up, nodding to everyone at the banquet, and walking outside.

Just as he reached the door,

He bumped into Wu Song and others coming over in the corridor carrying wine bowls.

Before they could speak, Xu Zaijing smiled: "You toast first; I will knock you all down later!"

Wang Yan and others behind Wu Song, who came from the Old Madam's manor, had flushed faces and reached out one after another, patting Wu Song on the shoulder and smiling: "Brother Song, we'll rely on you later!"

Wu Song nodded heavily, looking at Xu Zaijing with a fighting spirit.

Xu Zaijing also patted Wu Song's shoulder: "Wait for me."

Saying this, he walked toward the Huyan family's main gate.

At the main gate,

The gatehouse steward brought by Anmei looked contemptuously at Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding, who was standing nervously in front of the gate.

"Hahaha! Zhejue Zhongding, why did you come!"

Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding raised his head, looked at Xu Zaijing walking over with a smile, and cupped his hands with fear, surprise, and being flattered: "Fifth Young Master! You... why did you come out personally!"

"You came personally to deliver a gift; naturally, I came out personally to welcome you."

"Oh, oh... I also just learned of this matter from my father and rushed over! It is truly abrupt!"

"The Old Master has a heart; come, please inside!"

Saying this, Xu Zaijing put his arm around Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding's shoulder and walked into the gate.

Before entering the gate, looking at the mounts of Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding and his entourage, Xu Zaijing turned his head and told Qingyun: "Have them take good care of Zhejue Zhongding's horses."

"Yes, Young Master."

Qingyun lifted his chin toward the gatehouse.

The servant on the side didn't wait for instructions and hurriedly went to lift the fine feed for the horses with a smile.

After Xu Zaijing, Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding, and the others entered the main gate,

Not far from the main gate, a servant who saw this scene mounted his horse and left, the horse's rump branded with the characters "Zaijue" in Great Zhou and Bai Gao scripts.

Xu Zaijing and his group passed through the moon gate and were about to go up the veranda when they saw two people standing in the veranda.

One person with his back to Xu Zaijing was tall, and the person blocked had a bit of green robe exposed.

"Brother Xian?"

Rong Xian's awkward smiling face appeared from behind that person, and immediately the awkward smile turned into a real one: "Brother Jing!"

That person turned his head, saw Xu Zaijing, and also smiled.

"I will go change clothes first; My Lord, please feel free, feel free!" Rong Xian cupped his hands and slipped away.

Xu Zaijing and the others walked past and cupped their hands: "Brother He."

That person was He Guan, who, by virtue of his merit in the Northwest, had become the deputy to Minister Pei Yuanchen and Rong Xian's superior.

He Guan glanced at Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding and nodded imperceptibly.

Subsequently, the two walked and talked.

"What were you and Brother Xian talking about just now? Is he doing well in the Palace Guard?"

"So-so!"

Returning to the courtyard of the banquet,

Before entering the room,

Xu Zaijing saw Gu Tingye bending over by the flower bed in the courtyard, with Huang Qingyue supporting him with one hand and patting him on the shoulder with the other.

"Ugh~"

Hearing this sound from Gu Tingye,

Huang Qingyue's throat surged,

"Ugh~"

After Gu Tingye's second sound, Huang Qingyue couldn't help but bend over too: "Pfft! Ugh!"

Inside the room,

Wu Song and others had bright eyes and had not yet left,

Those two outside had originally been drinking heavily, and encountering Wu Song and others toasting, they were knocked down directly.

After adding a chair to the banquet, Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding also participated.

Seeing Xu Zaijing take his seat, Wu Song and the others' eyes brightened.

Xu Zaijing asked Wu Song how many bowls he had drunk, and then said: "I drank six bowls less than you at the banquet; how about I drink enough and then come back to drink with you?"

After finishing six bowls of wine,

Looking at Wu Song, who was about to toast, Xu Zaijing smiled slightly: "Brother Song, how about this, let's have eighteen bowls each; whoever can't drink anymore loses, how about that?"

Hearing this number, Wu Song, whose stomach was somewhat sloshing, was silent for a moment.

"Tsk, Wu Erlang, you aren't afraid, are you!"

Gu Tingye, who had returned from vomiting, shouted loudly.

"Who is afraid of whom! Brother Jing, I will accompany you to the death!"

While Xu Zaijing was drinking,

Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding held his wine bowl and came to the head of the table where the Xu family's Eldest Brother Zaiduan was sitting. Seeing Xu Zaiduan actually stand up from his chair, Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding hurriedly bowed.

Amidst the low cheering of a group of people,

Zaiduan and Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding talked, and after half a quarter of an hour, Zaiduan said seriously: "So, these two tribes of Bai Gao are not rumored to have a blood feud?"

Zaijue Zhejue Zhongding nodded: "Correct! That was just for outsiders to see; my family only learned of this by coincidence!"

Zaiduan's eyes shifted, full of thought, and after a moment, he said: "Then the strategy set before must change."

After speaking, Zaiduan smiled and raised his cup: "Come, I toast you on behalf of General Cao and my father."

"I dare not, I dare not."

Finally,

Wu Song finished his last bowl of wine, braced himself to stand for five breaths, and then ran away in a panic.

Xu Zaijing hiccuped and suppressed the wine liquid surging to his throat.

Inner courtyard,

Outside the room,

Because there were many unmarried young ladies from various families today,

Xu Zaijing could only stand somewhat drunk in the courtyard, listening to the movement inside the room.

There were others nearby, the most conspicuous being Gu Tingye, who was being supported.

Inside the room,

Zhang family's Fifth Da Niangzi and other noble young ladies stood on the periphery,

Looking at the Eldest Madams surrounding Anmei's son,

Amidst auspicious words,

Gold coins and dates were poured into the silver basin for the infant's bath.

The infant's maternal grandmother Sun Shi, paternal grandmother Pan Shi, aunt Pingmei, uncle's wife Xie Shi, and Sheng Hualan leaned closer,

Simultaneously taking off the hairpins of different materials from their hair buns and stirring them in the silver basin.

These hairpins had all been selected, and the tips were not sharp.

"Waa!!!"

The infant, entering the water, wailed.

Soon,

The infant was carried by the wet nurse into the warm bedroom,

Pingmei, Xie Shi, and Sheng Hualan fished out the dates floating upright in the silver basin and distributed them one by one to the young married women in the room.

This time, the young ladies like Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan were not participating in such a washing ceremony for the first time,

And they did not, as they had at the Marquis of Ningyuan's mansion, foolishly reach out to beg for these dates, which symbolized early sons and direct childbirth.

There were few young married women today; if there were many people, the dates in the basin would have been snatched.

While distributing the dates,

Eldest Madam Ni Qiqiu of Zhu Qinghu received an exceptionally large amount; it was unknown which three people had stuffed them in...

Looking at the three Eldest Madams distributing dates, Zheng Ni, who had been teased, said a few words beside Gu Tingyi.

Then the faces of Rong Feiyan and Chai Zhengzheng turned red.

Looking at Gu Tingyi also smiling,

Rong Feiyan didn't know where to put her eyes, bit her lip, and looked outside in a panic, just happening to see her brother Rong Xian standing beside Xu Zaijing asking something with concern.

And not far from Rong Xian was a noble youth with a scar on his face.

Rong Feiyan glanced at Xu Zaijing, and not knowing what she thought of, her face turned even redder.

"Sister Feiyan, what are you thinking about?"

Gu Tingyi "pressed the attack."

Rong Feiyan hurriedly turned her head, glanced at Chai Zhengzheng in a panic, and whispered something into Chai Zhengzheng's ear.

Chai Zhengzheng narrowed her eyes: "Sister Tingyi, did that Young Master Huang of the Count of Shoushan come today?"

"That's right, Tingyi, do you know?" Zheng Ni hurriedly pursued the question.

When asking, she also looked outside.

Gu Tingyi insisted on her own: "I don't know!"

"Then I will tell..."

Rong Feiyan started to say,

Gu Tingyi hurriedly went to cover her mouth.

The sunset slanted westward,

And the guests who had drunk some soup and tea began to leave.

The Xu family, as Anmei's maiden family, stayed until the very end.

Sun Shi led her son and daughter-in-law to accompany Eldest Madam Pan in seeing Eldest Madam Bai and Eldest Madam Wu to the main gate.

While the Eldest Madams were talking,

Anmei's close sisters in the capital had already finished saying goodbye,

Gu Tingyi, Fifth Da Niangzi, Chai Zhengzheng, and Rong Feiyan led their maids directly to the Eldest Madams, bowed, and stepped out the door.

After going out,

Looking around the street alleys, there were very few carriages left,

And not far from the gate were Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and others waiting on horseback.

Seeing the group,

Especially the leader, Xu Zaiduan,

Zheng Ni, who was walking in front, bowed without any affectation, and the other noble young ladies followed suit.

Although the Xu family arrived late, their position was the closest to the main gate,

And the earlier carriages were mostly parked on the right hand side of Xu Zaijing and the others; although the coachmen had already led the horses to the main gate, they still had to pass by Xu Zaijing and the others.

"Brothers, then I will go first."

"Go slowly, Second Young Master."

Zaiduan smiled.

After saying goodbye, Rong Xian rode his horse toward the Rong family carriage.

On the way, Rong Xian looked at Chai Zhengzheng walking toward the carriage, his eyes lonely, and he sighed quite uncomfortably.

"Whoa~"

Two horses slowed down not far from the crowd.

The sturdy young man on the horse's back smiled and rode toward the Xu family brothers.

Seeing his two elder brothers somewhat uncertain, Xu Zaijing said softly: "That is the Chai family's second son, Chai Bo."

The other one was his long-term attendant.

After the few exchanged greetings,

Chai Bo walked toward Chai Zhengzheng, who was standing in front of the carriage looking this way.

Soon, Chai Zhengzheng's carriage passed by the group accompanied by Chai Bo.

Chai Bo stopped his horse again, and Chai Zhengzheng in the carriage also lifted the curtain.

Chai Bo cupped his hands with a smile: "I forgot to say just now, my family is hosting a banquet next month; you must all come then!"

Zaiduan smiled: "I have to return to the camp at the beginning of the month, so I definitely won't make it; just let my two younger brothers go."

"So that's it! Then I wish the Heir a smooth journey. Brother Zhang, Brother Jing, you must come!"

"Many thanks!"

The Xu family brothers cupped their hands in unison.

Chai Zhengzheng in the carriage nodded with a smile, looking at Xu Zaijing, who had a somewhat drunken appearance, and pursed her lips slightly.

Although Xu Zaijing was conscious, he had been drinking too fiercely today, and the wine vapor surged, making his head somewhat dizzy.

Looking at the beautiful young lady with bright eyes and clear gaze in the carriage,

Xu Zaijing couldn't help but look a few more times; these few looks startled Chai Zhengzheng, who was just looking at him politely.

Although Chai Zhengzheng summoned the courage to look at Xu Zaijing, wanting very much to look for a long time, she didn't persist for two breaths before she hurriedly and frantically lowered the curtain.

After lowering the curtain, Chai Zhengzheng in the carriage only felt her heart was about to jump out!

She hurriedly took a few deep breaths.

"Da Niangzi, are you alright?"

Fuyi, sitting on the side of the carriage, hurriedly asked,

While Miss Yun Mu, who knew something, smiled: "Da Niangzi! This Xu family boy is truly rude; how can he look at an unmarried noble young lady like that!"

Chai Zhengzheng hurriedly nodded: "Exactly! This lecher! Pfft!"

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng's light "pfft," she must be fine, so Fuyi also laughed.

Zaizhang, beside Xu Zaijing, sat on his horse, exchanged an ambiguous look with Zaiduan, and smiled.

A cold wind blew,

Xu Zaijing felt the drunkenness surge.

"Brothers, little brother takes his leave; we will gather again when we have the chance!"

Rong Xian said after riding back, beside him was the Rong family's magnificent and spacious carriage.

Another round of returning the salute.

In the carriage,

The warm cotton curtain inside had already been lifted, leaving only the outermost semi-transparent thin gauze window.

Perhaps the gauze weaving technique was exquisite,

Or it was dark inside the carriage and bright outside,

This gauze window looked very blurry from the outside, but clear from the inside.

Rong Feiyan stared at Xu Zaijing, whose eyes were dazed and who was shaking his head to clear his mind, her eyes somewhat worried for Xu Zaijing, so she looked straight at him.

But before Rong Feiyan could look for long, she saw Xu Zaijing's gaze shoot over, seemingly piercing through the gauze to see her clearly.

The somewhat fierce gaze startled Rong Feiyan.

Sensing the gaze, Xu Zaijing, after seeing clearly that it was Rong Feiyan, cleared his mind and hurriedly smiled with some apology and courtesy.

Rong Feiyan then reacted and hurriedly hid to one side.

Looking at the concerned gaze of the maid Seeing Xi Bu, Rong Feiyan shook her head to indicate she was fine.

"Put down the cotton curtain; the wind is a bit cold."

"Yes, Da Niangzi!"

Listening to the sound of the carriage wheels, Rong Feiyan closed her eyes, the corners of her mouth slightly raised; in her heart, she remembered the look in Xu Zaijing's eyes when he fought Yelu Ying in the palace that year.

Lowering her head to smooth her clothes,

Rong Feiyan thought to herself: "When he smiles... he is actually quite cute..."

(End of chapter)