Chapter 653

In front of the main gate.

Looking at the Sheng family Old Madam in the carriage,

Xu Zaijing and Zaizhang bowed: "Great-Aunt."

Qi Heng, Gu Tingye, and others also bowed and greeted her one after another.

Lu Zezong looked at Qi Heng, then at Xu Zaijing, and followed by shouting: "Great-Aunt."

The Old Madam's smile became more and more kind, and she said slowly: "This is Zong'ge'er from the Duke Lian mansion, right?"

"Yes, Great-Aunt." Zaizhang smiled.

"Good! Truly a talent."

"Thank you for the praise, Great-Aunt." Lu Zezong cupped his hands and smiled.

After the Old Madam nodded with a smile, she looked at Xu Zaijing: "Jing'ge'er, did your grandfather and grandmother come today?"

"Great-Aunt, they came." Xu Zaijing smiled.

"Good! Let's go." The Old Madam nodded and smiled.

The Old Madam's carriage drove past, and the Sheng family's carriage followed.

"Greetings, Cousin Aunt/Mother-in-law/First Madam..."

Xu Zaijing and the others bowed and cupped their hands, calling Wang Ruofu by different titles.

Liu Mama, Caihuan, and others who were following beside the carriage bowed in return.

Rulan, following Wang Ruofu's instructions, smiled without showing her teeth and nodded at Xu Zaijing and the others.

Wang Ruofu looked at Zaizhang with some heartache.

After putting down the carriage curtain, Wang Ruofu sighed: "Today, almost all the high-ranking and prominent families in the capital have come; I imagine your eldest brother-in-law is tired enough! I don't know what your sister looks like at the second gate."

"Actually, Cousin Jing is also quite tired! I don't know if he will be exhausted." Rulan said.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Will this little thing exhaust that boy Jing'ge'er?" Wang Ruofu frowned: "Why are you so concerned about him?"

Rulan shook her head with some worry: "Mother, you don't go to school every day, so you don't understand."

Wang Ruofu's carriage walked inside,

Behind,

Changbai and Changfeng didn't follow on horseback and were still standing at the main gate.

Xu Zaijing looked at Changqi, who was sitting in front of Changbai, and smiled: "Why did you bring Seventh Brother like this?"

Changfeng on the side said: "Seventh Brother said he wanted to learn to ride a horse, so Second Brother put him in front."

While talking, Sheng Changqi cupped his hands and greeted people.

In the last carriage, Seeing Mo Lan and Minglan also lifted the carriage curtains and greeted Xu Zaijing and the others.

Qi Heng, who was standing beside Liang Han, looked at the Sheng family carriage as if he had eaten a happy fruit, unable to close his mouth from smiling.

Looking at Seeing Mo Lan, who was nodding at him, Qi Heng nodded repeatedly with a kind and amiable attitude.

This action made Seeing Mo Lan's face blush somewhat, and she put down the carriage curtain.

"Yuanruo. Yuanruo?"

"Ah?"

Qi Heng, who had come to his senses, looked at Zaizhang, who was calling him.

"Brother Zhang, what's wrong?"

"You and Brother Ye go in; the guests have almost all arrived."

"Oh, oh! We'll go in right away."

"Thank you for your hard work." Zaizhang nodded with a smile.

Xu family inner courtyard,

In the spacious hall,

Madam Wu was talking with several ladies and official wives.

"I say, Sister Wu, I came to the Xu family today and didn't see you at the second gate; I thought you hadn't come!" A First Madam said with a smile.

Madam Wu replied: "There's no way; now that the wife of Xu Hou has two capable daughters-in-law, I don't need to join in the fun!"

"Sister Wu is right; the two First Madams at the Xu family's second gate can be seen to be shrewd and capable! I feel like a spring breeze when I hear them speak."

Everyone in the hall nodded in agreement.

In the past, when the Marquis Yongyi mansion had something to do, it was mostly the mistress, Madam Sun, who made the decisions; the titled official wives in the capital didn't know much about the abilities of the Xu family's two daughters-in-law.

Seeing them today, both Xie Shi and Sheng Shi were formidable.

"By the way, Sister Wu, I heard that the old sister who married into the Sheng family will also come today?" Someone asked.

"Yes, she is coming today!" Madam Wu smiled.

Hearing this, some of the older ladies and official wives in the hall began to discuss and whisper to each other.

The Old Madam was the only daughter of the illustrious Marquis Yongyi mansion, grew up in the palace since she was a child, and was raised before the Empress of the late Emperor.

After she left the palace when she came of age, her daily living expenses were among the top tier in the capital, which was full of high-ranking families.

Moreover, when the Old Madam was young, her personality was arrogant and fierce, and she loved and hated clearly; her insistence on marrying a top scholar back then stirred up the situation in Bianjing, and there are still people who tell it as an old story.

Of course, when some people tell it, their words are full of nostalgia and regret;

When others tell it, their words are full of schadenfreude and sarcasm.

Today, many of the younger ladies had only heard her name but had never seen her.

Listening to the chatter around her, Chai Zhengzheng looked at the person beside her with some confusion and said: "Sister Tingyi, Fifth Sister, have you heard of that Old Madam?"

Madam Chai mostly followed her parents to other places, and she hadn't stayed in Bianjing for long; Chai Zhengzheng rarely heard about past events from her mouth.

Zhang Fifth Sister nodded: "I've heard my mother mention it a few times."

Gu Tingyi nodded with a smile: "I've heard the wife of Xu Hou mention it."

Rong Feiyan on the side blinked, looking like she was listening.

Looking around at the several noble ladies, Zhang Fifth Sister smiled and said: "Before, whenever I did something and became complacent, my mother would always be dismissive."

"I also asked my mother a few times why she was so calm! Then my mother said that if I had seen the only daughter of Marquis Yongyi when she was young, I would be the same."

"Madam Wu's polo skills are good enough, right? I heard she is also obsessed with that Old Madam."

"Ah?" Chai Zhengzheng, who had seen Madam Wu's ball skills, sighed in surprise.

Gu Tingyi pursed her lips with a smile.

Rong Feiyan hesitated: "I haven't seen this Old Madam usually, and I don't know what she looks like."

Gu Tingyi smiled: "The Old Madam rarely goes out since she entered the capital; when there is something, Wang First Madam usually comes forward, so naturally we haven't seen her much."

Zhang Fifth Sister thought for a while and said: "She should be like my mother, with a very serious expression, and scary when she pulls a long face."

"When walking, maybe like you, Feiyan, holding your chin up like a proud little peacock."

Rong Feiyan was embarrassed: "I... I don't..."

"Pfft!" Gu Tingyi covered her mouth and laughed: "It's not like what you said, Fifth Sister; Sheng Old Madam is very kind!"

"Fifth Sister, what are you talking about?" Anmei walked to the side and asked with a smile.

Fifth Sister frowned and looked to the side; after seeing clearly that it was Anmei, she immediately smiled: "Ah? Sister Anmei. Why didn't I see you just now? We were talking about that Sheng family Old Madam."

"I went to see Ning'er." Anmei replied: "You are talking about Great-Aunt? Hmm... let me tell you a little story about my Great-Aunt."

Looking at the expressions of Chai Zhengzheng, Rong Feiyan, and others, Anmei said with a smile: "My little brother's fine horse was also ridden by Great-Aunt."

Before Rong Feiyan and the others could exclaim, Anmei continued: "I heard from the servants that the speed at which Great-Aunt rode that day was even faster than Little Five's!"

"Ah?" The noble ladies exclaimed again.

"By the way, do you know Kong Mama?" Anmei continued.

Rong Feiyan nodded repeatedly: "I know, I know; Kong Mama taught me for a period of time, but she was strict! All kinds of etiquette, hanging paintings, tasting tea, arranging flowers, and burning incense, I also benefited a lot."

Anmei raised her eyebrows with a smile and said: "I heard that when she was in the palace, many things were taught to this Kong Mama by my Great-Aunt."

"Gulp." Rong Feiyan couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

Zhang Fifth Sister looked around and said: "It is known that this Old Madam plays polo well, and she is also very knowledgeable about etiquette, burning incense, and so on; her family background is also top-notch! Heavens..."

"If I were born in that time, I would probably say a few sarcastic words too..."

Hearing this from Fifth Sister, the noble ladies around laughed.

At this time,

The sound of a maid's announcement came from outside the door: "Sheng family Old Madam, Wang First Madam have arrived."

Once these words were spoken,

Many people in the hall cast their eyes toward the door.

(End of chapter)