Chapter 657

In the evening,

the sky was dim,

the north wind was howling,

and the previous snow grains had turned into snowflakes at this time.

Quyuanjie,

Marquis Yongyi's residence,

the roof of the wooden house beside the racecourse had turned white, and the chimneys on the roof, which could not be seen clearly, were puffing out blue smoke.

The lanterns under the eaves of the wooden house had been replaced by a heavy-colored iron lamp standing not far in front of the door.

The iron lamp was cast from refined iron, and the solid base was extremely heavy, so even though the north wind was quite strong at this time, the iron lamp remained motionless.

Translucent paper was fixed on the lamp chambers on all four sides, and the warm yellow candlelight illuminated the surrounding area.

The invisible snowflakes in the night sky took shape within the range of the light and fell one after another.

"Click."

The door of the wooden house was opened,

and the candlelight inside the house reflected on the ground in front of the door,

"Although it's almost the Minor Snow solar term, it's not too cold in the north yet. Listening to the situation over there, your father and brothers shouldn't be able to return!"

"Master, what you said is right. Disciple has also read some historical materials, and Northern Liao has records of attacking the former Bai Gao in winter."

"Yes!"

A moment later, Xu Zaijing, who had finished talking with Uncle Yin, stood at the door, waved his hand and said: "Master, don't come out in the room."

Uncle Yin in the room nodded.

Xu Zaijing stepped out of the house, Qingcao, who was following behind, bowed to Uncle Yin in the house, closed the door, and hurriedly followed with small steps.

Looking at the vast white expanse outside, the master and servant realized after stepping on the snow that there was snow on top and melted snow water underneath. Stepping down, the footprints quickly turned black.

Xu Zaijing's courtyard,

"Young Master is back!"

Qingcao, who had passed through the grape trellis, shouted beside Xu Zaijing,

a moment later,

the door of the main room was opened, Yunxiang and Huaxiang lifted the cotton curtain, one holding a duster in her hand, walked to the corridor in front of the door, looked at the two people walking in the courtyard with a smile, and bowed: "Young Master."

"Hmm."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

After entering the room,

shutting the wind and snow outside the door,

Yunxiang hurriedly took the cloak Xu Zaijing had taken off and carefully swept it with the duster in her hand.

Xu Zaijing went directly into the study.

Qingcao put down the book box, looked at Huaxiang beside her, and smiled: "Huaxiang sister, I'll do it myself, you go and send a warm drink to the Young Master first."

"Yes, sister."

Huaxiang responded and left.

Qingcao walked forward to help Yunxiang hold Xu Zaijing's cloak, making it convenient for Yunxiang to sweep off the falling snow.

Xu Zaijing's cloak was quite large, and after being spread out, it covered Qingcao entirely.

"Qingcao sister."

Yunxiang leaned over from the side, looked at Qingcao behind the cloak and said: "At noon today, the gatekeeper sent a letter to our courtyard, written to you."

"Ah? My letter?"

"Hmm, it seems to have been sent from your hometown."

In the study,

Xu Zaijing held a small dish in his hand, stood beside the extremely clean fish tank, his eyes full of thoughts, and threw a few pinches of fish food into it from time to time.

He had read historical materials before, and Northern Liao moving troops in winter was something that happened more than forty years ago, wanting to take advantage of the internal chaos of the former Bai Gao to seize it, but the result was first victory and then defeat.

This year, his father and brothers were not returning to the capital, and he didn't know if they would move troops against Northern Liao.

After thinking for a while,

"Young Master, drink a warm drink to warm your body, and change your cotton boots by the way," Huaxiang said with a smile.

"Good."

When Xu Zaijing was changing his boots,

outside the study,

Qingcao, who had already put away various things, held a letter paper in her hand and looked at it carefully by the candlelight beside the lantern.

After reading for a while, Qingcao's brows furrowed.

Folding the letter paper, Qingcao thought for a while and walked toward the study.

"Young Master."

Looking at Qingcao, who walked into the room holding the letter paper, Xu Zaijing stood up wearing new cotton boots and smiled: "Why, is something wrong?"

When speaking, Huaxiang carried the old cotton boots that had been soaked in several places out, and even closed the study door when she went out.

Qingcao nodded and said hesitantly: "Young Master, this servant..."

Looking at Qingcao, who continued to speak, Xu Zaijing smiled: "Hmm? If you have anything to say, just say it."

Qingcao pursed her lips, and her tone was full of worry: "My brother and sister-in-law in my hometown sent a letter saying... my younger brother's marriage had a change, and he left home in a fit of anger last month, and there has been no news for some days."

Xu Zaijing's smile disappeared, and he frowned: "A change? I remember during the Dragon Boat Festival, didn't you say that a young lady from a Juren family was introduced?"

Qingcao lowered her head and said: "It is said that after the Dragon Boat Festival, that young lady eloped with someone else."

"Private behavior, Qingcao, are you going home to see and help search?" Xu Zaijing asked.

Qingcao shook her head: "No, Young Master, my brother and sister-in-law said in the letter that someone saw my younger brother following a merchant caravan transporting goods to the capital, and he is likely coming to Bianjing to seek refuge with this servant, saying that this servant should pay more attention."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "That's easy to say."

After pondering for a moment, Xu Zaijing said: "Tomorrow, please ask a good painter in the Kaifeng Prefecture to draw a portrait of your younger brother, place it outside several city gates, and ask the soldiers to pay more attention."

Hearing this, Qingcao lowered her head.

Looking at Qingcao's appearance, Xu Zaijing's eyes darted, and he said softly: "Qingcao, you... don't know what your younger brother looks like now?"

Qingcao nodded: "Yes, Young Master."

"Do you remember his name, how old he is this year, and what features he has?"

"I remember, I remember, my younger brother's name is Yuan Feixing, he is fourteen this year, as for features... this servant doesn't know."

"Don't you know about scars or moles?"

Qingcao shook her head and said slightly anxiously: "Young Master, my younger brother doesn't have these things."

"Hmm! Knowing the name and knowing it's a carriage caravan, it's quite convenient to look for him." Saying this, Xu Zaijing walked toward the outside of the study and said: "Qingcao, don't be anxious, being anxious is useless!"

"Yes, Young Master."

The next day,

early morning,

the snow had stopped.

When going out for exercise early in the morning,

Yunxiang, who should have been accompanying Xu Zaijing, did not appear, but was replaced by Qingcao.

"Crunch, crunch."

The snow water that melted last night had frozen again in the middle of the night, and the noise of stepping on it was quite loud.

Walking on the road to the racecourse, Qingcao, who was carrying a lantern, looked at Xu Zaijing and said: "Young Master, to handle this servant's affairs, one must spend human favors, and two must spend silver money. It would be better for this servant to..."

Xu Zaijing exhaled a white breath, looked at Qingcao with a smile, and said: "This kind of small matter won't consume your Young Master's human favors, at most it will just cost some silver money."

"Oh." Qingcao nodded.

After walking for a while, they arrived in the corridor leading directly to the racecourse.

"However, Qingcao, you..." Xu Zaijing didn't continue.

"Young Master, what's wrong?" Qingcao looked at Xu Zaijing by the lantern light, her eyes full of confusion.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Zaijing exhaled a white breath and said: "From Wushang County to Bianjing, it's nearly two thousand li along the way, and it's at a time when the weather is turning cold, you must be prepared in your heart."

"Ah? Pre..." Looking at Xu Zaijing's gaze, Qingcao suddenly understood something.

"Snap."

The lantern light shook,

Qingcao, who was too distracted by thinking, slipped under her feet, and if it weren't for Xu Zaijing's quick hands and eyes, she would have fallen.

"Thank you, Young Master!" Qingcao said, holding Xu Zaijing's arm.

Xu Zaijing shook his head and said: "Small matter! But what I just said, Qingcao, do you understand?"

Under the lantern light, Qingcao slowly exhaled a white breath from her nose and nodded: "Young Master, this servant understands, this servant will make plans in her heart!"

"Hmm."

Saying this,

the master and servant continued to walk toward the racecourse.

Nothing to do in winter,

and after the snow,

whether rich or common families in Bianjing would take advantage of this weather to visit relatives and hold gatherings and banquets.

At the hour of Si (after 9:00 AM),

the weather was sunny,

"Whoa!"

Following the carriage driver's shout,

several carriages stopped steadily at the gate of a residence.

"We've arrived."

In the warm carriage, Madam Chai held a hand warmer in one hand and smiled.

When speaking, Madam Chai even lifted the carriage window curtain on the side.

After the carriage stool was placed outside the carriage,

Madam Chai took her daughter and daughter-in-law out of the carriage.

After getting off the carriage with the help of the maids and mamas beside the carriage, Chai Zhengzheng raised her head to look at the gate of the residence, and the plaque that came into view had the words "Cheng Mansion."

This place was exactly the maternal family of Chai Zhengzheng.

Under the welcome of relatives such as aunts and cousins, Chai Zhengzheng, her mother, and her sister-in-law entered the Cheng family courtyard together.

On the way to the inner courtyard,

Chai Zhengzheng's eldest aunt smiled at Madam Chai: "Sister, it's a coincidence, after our family knew you were coming, the posts from the seventh young lady and the others also arrived."

Madam Chai smiled: "Oh? Have they come?"

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family nodded with a smile: "At the hour of Chen, they came, saying they were coming to our house for breakfast."

"Then the cousins are really frugal, maybe grandmother will praise the cousins a few times," Chai Zhengzheng said with a smile.

"Hahaha, Zhengzheng, if your sisters know what you said, they will tear your mouth," Chai Zhengzheng's second aunt said.

Chai Zhengzheng's sister-in-law beside her also laughed.

Laughing and talking, they arrived at the backyard,

and before they even entered the room, they saw several ladies and young ladies standing at the door with smiles.

After being welcomed into the warm room and exchanging greetings, the young ones were in one room, and the middle-aged ones were in another, each talking about their own private matters.

On the side of the young people,

there were maids and mamas standing by.

In the room with floor heating, it was very warm, and Chai Zhengzheng had already taken off her cloak and was wearing ordinary clothes.

Standing in front of the couch, Chai Zhengzheng looked at a little boy who was more than a year old with a face full of affection and smiled: "Hao Ge'er, come, call me Wei Wei Yima."

Looking at Chai Zhengzheng, the little boy didn't speak, just hid in his mother's arms.

Seeing this, Chai Zhengzheng looked at her cousin and said: "Seventh Sister, can Hao Ge'er call people?"

"He can only call grandmother, mother, and father, he can't call anything else," Cheng Qiniang smiled.

This Cheng Qiniang married the eldest son of the Zhu family, the Earl of Chengping, whose home was in Guangfu Lane, and Xu Zaijing and his brother had attended the wedding.

At the wedding banquet that day, Huang Qingyue of the Earl of Shoushan family was plotted against and almost made a fool of himself.

"If he doesn't call me Wei Wei Yima, can I hold him?" Chai Zhengzheng looked at the little boy and smiled.

Looking at Chai Zhengzheng's appearance, the little boy's dark eyes turned, and he left his mother's arms and reached out toward Chai Zhengzheng.

Seeing this,

Chai Zhengzheng's smile became even brighter, and she hurriedly took the child into her arms.

The little nephew's cheeks were tender and smooth, and his body was full of the scent of milk, which made Chai Zhengzheng couldn't help but rub against the little nephew's cheeks.

This action made Hao Ge'er laugh.

"You are truly pleasing!" Chai Zhengzheng said, holding the child with a smile.

After some laughter, the young women and young ladies sighed at the passage of time.

After all, when Chai Zhengzheng came to Bianjing a few years ago, the cousins were all young ladies when they met at the Cheng family.

Now, however, most of them were married, and even mothers.

At noon,

the younger children had already been held by the wet nurses to sleep.

Everyone sat down at the two banquet tables set up beside the screen.

The banquet not only had various dishes but also Boxia Gong, which was the most comfortable to eat in winter.

Just smelling the tempting high-soup aroma of the Boxia Gong in the room made people salivate.

With relatives and friends gathering, there were several bottles of light wine on the banquet table today, and there were no rules about not talking while eating or sleeping, and everyone was eating while talking, which was very lively.

After the hour of Wu,

when the atmosphere in the hall was lively,

a Cheng family mama lifted the cotton curtain and entered the room.

After whispering two sentences to the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family stood up with some surprise on her face.

"Sister-in-law, what's wrong?" Madam Chai, who had a smile on her face, asked.

Others at the table also looked toward the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family one after another.

"Husband sent quite a lot of rabbit meat and good wine back again," the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family said.

"Does eldest brother want to make us drunk?" Madam Chai smiled.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family shook her head: "It is said that it was sent by the Liang family of the Marquis Yongchang's residence."

Hearing this,

the smiles of everyone at the banquet faded slightly, and one of Chai Zhengzheng's aunts said softly: "Sending gifts for no reason at this time, wouldn't there be something wrong?"

Chai Zhengzheng and several cousins were no longer talking at this time, pricking up their ears and listening suspiciously to the conversation on the other side of the screen.

"That's right, it's likely something is wrong." After the sister-in-law from the maiden home finished speaking, Madam Chai continued: "But looking at the items, they are not very valuable, it seems the matter shouldn't be big."

Everyone nodded one after another.

After another Cheng family mama was sent out to inquire about what was going on, the banquet continued.

After the hour of Shen (after 3:30 PM),

the sun slanted to the west,

on the way home,

in the Chai family carriage,

Chai Zhengzheng, who had drunk a few cups of wine, rubbed the hand warmer with both hands, her face was slightly pink, and with crystal clear eyes, she looked at Madam Chai and her eldest sister-in-law beside her, and said: "Mother, sister-in-law, what is the matter with the Liang family, did the aunts find out clearly?"

In the afternoon, Chai Zhengzheng and her cousins went elsewhere after eating and leaving the table, and didn't know the origin of the matter.

Madam Chai let out a breath, which still carried a hint of wine, nodded and said: "Yes. It is said that the Liang family has something to ask your uncle."

"What is it?"

"It seems to be to pay attention to someone," said Lu Shi, Chai Zhengzheng's eldest sister-in-law.

"A relative of the Liang family?" Chai Zhengzheng asked uncertainly.

"I don't know," Madam Chai shook her head.

It was a small matter, and Chai Zhengzheng didn't continue to ask.

A few days later,

late in the tenth month,

this day,

an auspicious day,

the continuous sunny days made the snow in the capital almost melt away,

and this day was also the wedding day of Gu Tingye, the second son of the Marquis Ningyuan.

The inside and outside of the Gu family were decorated with red, full of joy,

and people were coming and going in the courtyard, a scene of busyness.

Chai Zhengzheng and her sister-in-law Lu Shi accompanied Madam Chai on both sides, walking and stopping while bowing and talking with maids and mamas, before entering the hall for guests in the backyard.

After staying in the hall for a while, Chai Zhengzheng left Madam Chai and went to talk to several good friends with a smile.

The personal maids standing by also occasionally leaned forward slightly, whispering about some interesting news in the capital.

Looking at the young lady of her own family talking beside her, Miss Yun Mu listened to the words of Rong Feiyan's maid Seeing Xi Bu, suddenly stunned, turned her head in confusion and said: "Seeing Xi Bu sister, what did you just say?"

Seeing Xi Bu smiled and said: "Miss Yun Mu sister, Qingzhi, the maid beside Lady Xu, said that the matter entrusted by the sixth young master of the Liang family two days ago was actually entrusted by the fifth young master of the Xu family."