Chapter 592: Can you still enter the palace to file a complaint? [Thanks! Bow again! Owe]

"How come you seem to recognize us?"

Xu Zaijing naturally couldn't tell the truth. Looking at Shen Congxing, whose face was very similar to the Terracotta Warriors, he smiled and said: "Yesterday, Big Brother Xiong mentioned to me that he had met three very good comrades in the army in Guangnanxi Circuit. He also said that one of them was the eldest uncle of Ce Ying."

"According to him, you look somewhat familiar."

Listening to Xu Zaijing's words, Old Geng and Little Duan behind Shen Congxing looked at each other and nodded lightly.

"Moreover, after chatting, I found out that the courtyard your eldest young lady rented is actually my family's."

Shen Congxing was stunned. Looking at Xu Zaijing's young face, his attitude became increasingly respectful: "So, so it is the Fifth Young Master of the Marquis's mansion before me!"

"You finally recognized him! Jing-ge'er was talking to you first; I thought you were very close and familiar people!"

Gu Tingye, who was beside Xu Zaijing, interjected.

Little Duan and Old Geng's eyes widened suddenly, and they looked at Xu Zaijing with some reverence.

The three of them were all men who had fought in the army. The status of noble young masters would certainly make the three of them bow their heads, but in their hearts, they were somewhat unconvinced.

But Xu Zaijing was different. Although he was the legitimate son of a Marquis's mansion, his military merits were truly earned from being a scout and a small soldier, fighting on the battlefield with arrows and spears.

He wasn't some silver-spear-head who strolled around the army and returned to the capital after putting on military merits.

As for why Little Duan and Old Geng knew so clearly,

Of course, it was because of that batch of former Bai Gao elite foot soldiers who were sent to Guangnanxi Circuit to seek a future.

Among this gang of foot soldiers, many had witnessed Xu Zaijing's skills in the mountains outside Keyi Gate. After competing, they would naturally tell them about their previous encounters in Bai Gao.

"During these days, thank you to the Marquis's mansion for taking care of my wife's relatives! In the future, if the Marquis's mansion has any orders, this subordinate Shen Congxing will not refuse."

Shen Congxing bowed and continued.

Little Duan and Old Geng followed behind Shen Congxing: "Will not refuse!"

"You have heart!" Xu Zaijing smiled.

Shen Congxing continued: "After returning to the capital, the young Earl heard that we hadn't seen the scenery after Jinming Pond opened, so he brought us in today."

"By the way, standing in front of the Earl's mansion tent for a while to prevent some petty people from coming here to make trouble."

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye to the side looked at each other.

The 'petty people' in Shen Congxing's mouth were not the rascals in Bianjing city, but several uncles of Xiong Yan's family.

Xiong Yan's father, the Earl of Kang'an, had three brothers in his generation.

The Earl of Kang'an was the second in the family, and his elder brother and younger brother were both born of concubines, and they were full brothers.

Although they were sons of concubines, Xiong Yan's grandfather still sought marriages for the two with daughters born of concubines from the Duke of Anguo and Duke of Lingguo families.

The Earl of Kang'an's status as a legitimate son was here, and Xiong Yan's maternal family was not some marketplace household, so the title was naturally inherited by the Earl of Kang'an.

But ever since Xiong Yan's grandfather and grandmother passed away, Xiong Yan's uncles wanted to divide the family property. Relying on the fact that the two families' eldest young ladies had the Duke's mansion supporting them, they had quite a few opinions on how to divide the Earl's mansion property.

Fortunately, previously, Madam Wu, out of kinship, helped Xiong Yan find this marriage with the Viscount Xie family.

Having become the future brother-in-law of Zaiduan, the heir of the Marquis Yongyi, Xiong Yan finally had a position with real power, and the two uncles' families didn't dare to be as arrogant and domineering as before.

Xiong Yan had grown a lot from working in Guangnanxi Circuit for these days, so to be on the safe side, he invited Shen Congxing and others, whom he regarded as his confidants, to the vicinity of his own tent.

"I remember that when Brother Yan went south before, he took two young masters of military officers familiar with the capital. Didn't they come today?"

"Replying to the Fifth Young Master, Guo Zhui and Yu Zhi stayed in Guangnanxi Circuit to help the young Earl watch the situation."

Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile, looked at the situation near the Water-Facing Hall by the pond in the distance, and smiled: "It looks like the performance is about to begin."

"Han Wulang Young Master is right!"

Shen Congxing echoed while looking toward the pond surface.

The Emperor and Empress had a biological son, Zhao Fang. Regardless of the Prince of Yong, Prince of Jing, Prince of Tan, and Zhao Zongquan, they had all now become members of the Great Zhou's imperial clan.

Shen Congxing, who was originally going to be the uncle of the Emperor, was now just an ordinary military officer seeking a future under Xiong Yan's command.

"You watch first, I'll go in and pay my respects to the elders."

"Han Wulang Young Master should go ahead," Shen Congxing bowed and said.

"Hmm."

After Xu Zaijing nodded in acknowledgment, he led several people to turn around and walk toward the Xie family's tent first.

"Han Wulang Young Master of the Xu family, the Second Young Master of the Gu family, and other distinguished guests have arrived."

The Xie family's elderly woman announced with a smile.

Stepping onto the stairs to enter the Xie family's tent, Xu Zaijing turned his head thoughtfully and glanced at Shen Congxing by the pond.

"Jing-ge'er, what's wrong?" Gu Tingye beside him asked suspiciously.

Watching Shen Congxing, who was laughing heartily,

The thought, 'If one can only choose between the glory and wealth of being a future uncle of the Emperor and the survival of Madam Zou, I wonder how Shen Congxing would choose,' flashed through Xu Zaijing's heart.

"Nothing, just thought of some things."

Entering the tent, Xu Zaijing looked at the Xie family members he had seen many times, smiled, and cupped his hands: "Auntie, greetings. Sister Rui'er, greetings. Young ladies, greetings."

Gu Tingye and Qiao Jiu and others following behind Xu Zaijing all followed suit to greet them.

Xie Rui and the young ladies like Gu Tingyi and Chai Zhengzheng, who had arrived at the Xie family's tent early to wait for Xiong Yan to win the peony jade carving, all stood up and returned the greeting with a smile.

"Jing-ge'er, Ye-ge'er, Jiulang, sit down quickly!" the Xie family's eldest young lady greeted with a smile.

Xu Zaijing bowed and said: "Auntie, we won't sit. We still have to go to the Earl of Kang'an's tent next door."

"Oh! That's right!" The Xie family's eldest young lady nodded, looked at the tent full of unmarried noble young ladies, and smiled: "Then, children, I won't keep you."

Xu Zaijing and the others bowed and cupped their hands again, then walked toward the outside of the tent.

After Xu Zaijing and the others' figures could no longer be seen, the people in the Xie family's tent began to chatter.

Leaving the Xie family's tent, Xu Zaijing and the others passed Shen Congxing and the others and entered the Earl Xiong family's tent.

Amidst the announcement of the maids,

The Countess, who was sitting in the tent with her family, saw Xu Zaijing and the others entering the tent and hurriedly stood up with a smile: "Children, sit! Sit quickly!"

Xu Zaijing looked at the Countess of Kang'an, who had a kind smile and whose face showed that she had a very good temper, and bowed and greeted her with a smile.

"We will all be relatives in the future, sit down quickly!"

The Countess of Kang'an said with a smile, reaching out.

After sitting down, Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye talked to the Countess of Kang'an for a while.

During the conversation, they couldn't help but talk about the Liang family of the Marquis Yongchang.

After listening to Gu Tingye's question, the Countess of Kang'an smiled and said: "Sixth Young Master is not like you all who are studying! Going to the Water-Facing Hall to sit quietly with his mother today, I think he will be able to see many young ladies from good families."

"So that's how it is!"

Gu Tingye and Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile. It turned out that Liang Han, whom they hadn't seen today, had gone to the Water-Facing Hall for a 'blind date' with Madam Wu.

Qiao Jiu and Changfeng, sitting below the two, also had smiles on their faces.

After drinking tea in the Xiong family's tent for quite a while, Xu Zaijing and the others stood up to take their leave, departing amidst the Countess of Kang'an's efforts to keep them.

Xu Zaijing and the others left the tent and heard various movements of performances on boats near the Water-Facing Hall in the distance.

Various tricks were more or less the same. Like the water swing on the boat, it looked thrilling and made a lot of noise, seeming to be an indispensable program every year.

There were also scenes simulating water battles, and between the shouting and cheering, the noise was not small.

Xu Zaijing had been watching these performances for several years, and his interest was not as great as before.

"Jing-ge'er, why don't we go and see near my family's tent?" Gu Tingye asked, stretching his waist beside Xu Zaijing.

Qiao Jiulang pointed in the direction from which everyone had come and said: "Ye-ge'er, I see that the newcomers are not well-intentioned, let's wait."

"Hmm?"

Gu Tingye was stunned and turned his head to look with Xu Zaijing.

Looking at the group of elegantly dressed noble young masters walking along the pond, Gu Tingye said: "Jing-ge'er, I think it seems to be those few rascals from the Tan family and Han family."

"Hmm, it's them."

"Who is following behind them?" Gu Tingye asked suspiciously.

"Ye-ge'er, it's the disciples of the Xiong family's first and third concubine branches. I have also played with them a few times," Qiao Jiulang said to the side.

Not far away, the sons of the Duke of Anguo and Duke of Hanguo, who were walking along the pond, also saw Xu Zaijing and the others.

Xu Zaijing and the others stood still and just watched this group of people.

Han Chengyun, who was holding a folding fan, turned his head and looked at the Tan family's young master, then quickly led people to the front of the Xiong family's tent.

"Swish~"

After the gold-painted folding fan with ivory fan ribs was unfolded, Han Chengyun bowed and smiled at Xu Zaijing and the others: "Xu Five, Gu Er, Qiao Nine, long time no see! This one beside you is a bit unfamiliar, I don't really recognize him..."

Changfeng, who was standing to the side, already knew that the group of people walking over were disciples of the Duke's mansion through the conversation of Xu Zaijing and the others. Hearing Han Chengyun's words, Changfeng raised his hand and was about to cup his hands to speak and introduce himself.

Han Chengyun waved his folding fan and said: "This young master doesn't want to know either."

Changfeng: "I... uh..." The words of self-introduction were stuck in his throat.

The Sheng family's status was not high, and Sheng Changfeng was also a son of a concubine, but he couldn't help that his biological mother was favored, and there were quite a few noble sons from Marquis's mansions studying in their family's private school.

Hearing Han Chengyun's words, Changfeng didn't panic much. After pursing his lips, he raised his cupped hands to his head and smoothed his hair.

"Yo! Isn't this the loser to the Jin Kingdom warriors? What? The place where you were beaten doesn't hurt anymore?" Gu Tingye asked with a smile to the side.

"Slap!"

The expensive folding fan was closed.

"Gu Er, you!"

Han Chengyun pointed at Gu Tingye with the folding fan and said.

"I suggest you'd better not point at me with that piece of junk in your hand," Gu Tingye said with a smile, placing his hand on the jade pendant at his waist.

"Gu Tingye, what are you acting crazy for in front of me?" The disciple of the Tan family of the Duke of Anguo stared at Gu Tingye and said.

"I just like acting crazy in front of you, so what, deserter? Come! Beat me!" Gu Tingye walked forward a few steps.

Looking at Xu Zaijing beside Gu Tingye, Han Chengyun took a deep breath, lowered his raised arm, grabbed the Tan family's disciple, and said: "We are going to pay respects to the Countess of Kang'an, move aside."

Xu Zaijing shook his head with a smile and said: "Hehe, you are quite capable of bending and stretching."

"Pfft."

Changfeng covered his mouth and laughed.

"You!"

Han Chengyun glared at Xu Zaijing, but when Xu Zaijing looked over, he didn't even dare to meet his gaze.

Xu Zaijing turned his head to look at the Tan family's disciple and said: "Old Duchess, how is her health recently? Can she still enter the palace to file a complaint?"

"Xu Zaijing, you!"

"I, what about me?"

Looking at Xu Zaijing's confused and very annoying appearance, the Tan family's disciple's chest heaved, and he looked to the side with hatred on his face.

"That's right!" Gu Tingye added fuel to the fire to the side, angering people.

Subsequently, Han Chengyun glanced at the Xiong family's tent and then at the maids of various families standing at the entrance of the Xie family's tent.

Taking a deep breath, he exchanged glances with the Tan family's disciple to the side. After a cold smile appeared on the corner of Han Chengyun's mouth, he turned and left.

"Hey, don't go!" Gu Tingye shouted.

After shouting, Gu Tingye turned back to look at Xu Zaijing and said: "Jing-ge'er, I think these few grandsons are not harboring any good intentions."

"Hmm, they must have some backup plan."

Xu Zaijing said as he looked into Jinming Pond.

Not far from Xu Zaijing and the others,

Shen Congxing and the three, who saw the noble young masters of Bianjing arguing, looked at each other.

Geng Jiechuan said in a low voice: "Little Duan, the one in the lead just now is the one you mentioned, the young master of the Duke of Anguo's family who has some connection with your family, right!"

Looking at the sturdy Little Duan, Geng Jiechuan continued: "Before, when you were in the south, you boasted to us about the prestige of the Tan family in the capital to the heavens!"

"What Tan family's old lady has a deep relationship with the imperial family! Is this it?"

Without waiting for Little Duan to speak, Old Geng continued: "And what about your mother having some connection with the Duke of Anguo's Tan family, and that you could say a word or two in front of them after revealing your identity! Why didn't you say it just now?!"

Little Duan scratched his nose and said: "This, I, I was also bragging, who knew you would believe it."

Looking at Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and the others who were still talking not far away, Old Geng stopped mocking Little Duan and leaned into Shen Congxing's ear, saying in a low voice: "Old Shen, looking at the appearance of the two Duke's mansion disciples, it seems they have suffered losses under the Xu family's young master!"

"They are all young, frivolous, and arrogant! They have never suffered losses since they were young, so it's impossible for them not to take action and swallow their anger just like that."

Shen Congxing nodded thoughtfully and said in a low voice: "But I heard from my wife that the Xu family's young master has always been a good one! When meeting on Quyuan Street, he doesn't even frown much."

After listening, Old Geng pondered for a moment and replied: "The Xu family's young master doesn't show his emotions! He has made repeated military merits on the battlefield and has achieved success in his studies! Old Shen, I see that this Marquis Yongyi's mansion is going to flourish!"

"Why don't you bring your younger sister to the capital? I heard from the young Earl that the Xu family's young master is not yet betrothed, maybe..."

"Go away!" Shen Congxing glared, stretched out his finger and pointed at Geng Jiechuan, saying: "I will convey these words to my wife when I go back!"

"Old Shen, I was wrong. If Sister-in-law Zou finds out, my 'mother tiger' at home will know sooner or later! Wrong, I won't say anything more!"

Looking at Geng Jiechuan's appearance, Little Duan covered his mouth and laughed.

Xu Zaijing and the others watched the performance by the pond for a while longer,

Changfeng said to the side: "Xu Fifth Brother, Gu Er Brother, Jiulang, we have been outside for so long, why don't we go to my tent and have a cup of tea!"

"Jing-ge'er?" Gu Tingye said.

Xu Zaijing nodded: "It looks like the big dragon boat hasn't come out of the boathouse yet! Going is fine, just in time to see what Changbai is doing."

"Good!"

Watching Xu Zaijing and the others walking toward the north, the maids of several families standing at the entrance of the Xie family's tent looked at each other.

The Sheng family's tent was located further south than in previous years.

Caihuan, standing at the entrance, saw Xu Zaijing and the others coming, and hurriedly turned back and shouted into the tent: "Eldest Da Niangzi, Feng-ge'er and the young masters of the Xu and Gu families are coming!"

"Is it Zaihang?" Wang Ruofu stood up and asked.

"Replying to Eldest Da Niangzi, it's not the eldest son-in-law, it's Jing-ge'er."

"Oh! It's this kid! Go quickly, tell Bo'er."

The three Lans sitting below Wang Ruofu heard the conversation,

After Minglan's eyes lit up, a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she craned her neck to look at the entrance.

Rulan looked confused, almost having the words 'what are they coming for' written on her face;

Seeing Mo Lan curled her lips in disdain.

Soon,

Xu Zaijing and the others arrived at the Sheng family's tent.

After exchanging greetings, Xu Zaijing looked at Changbai, who was holding a book, and smiled helplessly.

"Changbai, you are too diligent!" Gu Tingye said with a smile.

"Diligence can make up for clumsiness."

Before they had said a few words,

Caihuan at the tent entrance shouted into the tent again: "Eldest Da Niangzi, this servant sees that it seems to be the elderly woman from the Feng family coming."

Hearing this, Wang Ruofu and Mother Liu looked at each other in surprise.

Soon,

The Feng family's elderly woman entered the tent. After bowing, she smiled and said: "Eldest Da Niangzi, Madam asked us to convey a piece of good news, saying that our relative, the Fifth Da Niangzi of the Li family, was kept near the Water-Facing Hall today."

"What? Kept in..."

Wang Ruofu stood up at once.

"In other words, Miss Li the Fifth, she might... enter the palace?"

The Feng family's elderly woman nodded with a smile.

Wang Ruofu shook her head in disbelief and muttered to herself: "Heavens~"

The three Lans of the Sheng family were all surprised. Rulan whispered: "Sixth Younger Sister, is what this elderly woman said about the Fifth Da Niangzi of the Li family, who is a bit nearsighted?"

Minglan nodded repeatedly.

Xu Zaijing in the tent had the image of a young lady he had seen several times, who loved to laugh and often squinted when looking at people, appear in his mind.

As the big dragon boat in the boathouse was pulled out by small dragon boats and moored in front of the Water-Facing Hall,

The nobles and officials in the colorful canopy in front of the hall began to board the big dragon boat with the Emperor, Empress, and Princes.

The warship formation performance of the Huyi Navy will not be described in detail.

Soon,

The water competition that made the crowd watching by the pond most excited was about to begin.

Everyone didn't sit quietly in the tents, but stood by the pond one after another, watching which family's small dragon boat would win the jade carving.

At the bow of the big dragon boat,

At Zhao Fang's signal, the commander of the Earl of Huixian, the Tian family, waved the flag in his hand vigorously.

"Boom boom boom~"

The sound of drums rang out, and the small dragon boats in the distance flew toward the shore amidst the vigorous rowing of the sailors.

The small dragon boat flying the 'Xiong' flag was very fast, and its position was very far ahead from the beginning.

But,

When the Xiong family's small dragon boat was about to win, its speed suddenly slowed down.

This caused the Chai family's small dragon boat, which was chasing closely behind, to instantly overtake it,

And Chai Jin was even more agile in grabbing the jade carving into his hands.

Seeing Chai Jin holding the trophy high in the air, a cheer erupted from the shore.

Especially near the Chai family and Lu family, the sound of cheering was very loud.

"Go, go and thank them!" Chai Jin ordered the sailors.

The Chai family's small dragon boat soon arrived near the Xiong family's small dragon boat.

Chai Jin looked at Xiong Yan, who was frowning and looking at the sailors on the boat, and the smile on his face diminished slightly: "Brother Yan, thank you."

A smile appeared on Xiong Yan's face, and he nodded: "Congratulations, Eldest Brother."

When Chai Jin won, many people walked toward the vicinity of the Duke of Lian's Lu family tent.

The liveliness of Chai Jin sending the peony jade carving to the Lu family's young lady will not be described in detail.

When Chai Jin was about to drive the boat away, Xu Zaijing on the shore went up and said a few words to Chai Jin.

When the small dragon boat returned to the starting point, soon, a commotion came from the shore.

"That Xiong family young master over there, is he changing boats?"

Someone pointed to the starting point and shouted.

Sure enough, vaguely, one could see the Chai family and Xiong family flags swapping positions.

When everyone's attention was attracted by the actions of the Chai and Xiong families,

Gu Tingye followed Xu Zaijing with an excited expression, looking at the Duke of Anguo's tent not far away, and said: "Jing-ge'er, what are we going to do?"

Xu Zaijing smiled and said: "Let those few rascals take a bath."

"Good!"

Gu Tingye was even more excited.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 593 =====