Chapter 677: Qi Heng is handsome and has a good family background [Many thanks

Although he usually got up early, he could sleep for a while at noon.

Today, he was accompanying the imperial carriage and doing dragon boat competition things, exerting more effort but having no time to rest at all.

Being exposed to the sun at this moment, listening to the hypnotic noise vaguely coming from inside and outside the pool garden, Xu Zaijing was a bit sleepy.

Recalling the fishing encounter before, Xu Zaijing shook his head helplessly.

Reaching out from the small table placed beside him, he picked up his wide-mouthed porcelain cup, Xu Zaijing lowered his head and sipped a mouthful of fragrant and slightly hot tea, then sighed comfortably.

The water vapor by Jinming Pool was abundant, and the south wind blowing toward his face made the air carry a fresh water vapor smell.

Xu Zaijing, resting his elbows on the chair armrests and supporting his chin with one hand, closed his eyes and enjoyed it.

After a while,

"Oh, yo?"

Liang Han, sitting not far away, made a sound.

Xu Zaijing hurriedly opened his eyes and looked at his fishing rod. After seeing that there was no movement under the fishing rod, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Subsequently, Xu Zaijing looked at Liang Han beside him, only to find that Liang Han was looking toward the Aowu direction on his left hand.

Xu Zaijing glanced at it and saw the reason for Liang Han's sound: several carriages tied with colorful flowers were walking toward this side.

Looking at the decoration, one knew that the passengers in the carriage were mostly noble young ladies from some family.

Still some distance away from Xu Zaijing and the others, several carriages stopped. When several noble young ladies got off the carriages, the maids and servants following began to arrange things.

Xu Zaijing had good eyesight, and after one sweep, he didn't see any noble young ladies he knew, such as Rong Feiyan or the fifth young lady.

There were old women holding two lacquer sticks, one person high and wrist-thick with a base, walking a few steps toward Xu Zaijing and the others, then placing them one in the south and one in the north.

There were also maids who hung a piece of light and thin cloth one person high between the two lacquer sticks, and after hanging it, it just blocked the view of Xu Zaijing and the others.

"This 'screen' is quite fun," Liang Han said with a smile.

"Brother, what are they doing?" Lu Zezong asked.

Before Xu Zaijing could answer, everyone saw maids holding fishing rods walking toward the inside of the 'screen'.

"Looking at it, they are also here to fish, just a bit unfamiliar." Qi Heng, who was to the side, said, then looked at Liang Han, who was always well-informed to the side.

"Sixth Brother, do you know them?"

Listening to Qi Heng's question, Liang Han shook his head, "If it were men, it would be easy to say, but for these noble young ladies in the boudoir, I don't know many."

"However, women fishing is rare."

Everyone nodded.

That side was the young ladies in the boudoir, so it wasn't good for everyone to keep staring, so they continued to look at the fishing rods in front of them.

"Got it!"

Just after turning his head, Liang Han smiled and lifted the fishing rod.

A half-foot-long fish was swinging back and forth on the fishhook.

After removing the fishhook and throwing it into the bucket, Liang Han looked at Xu Zaijing proudly and smiled, "Diao Che, take it to the side and have someone make fish slices."

"Brother Jing, do you want a plate?"

Looking at Liang Han's proud appearance, Xu Zaijing shook his head, "I'll pass. Sixth Brother, these fish slices haven't been processed with hot water or hot oil, it's better to eat less."

Liang Han was stunned and smiled, "Alright, then I'll listen to Brother Jing, I'll take it back to make fish soup."

Xu Zaijing smiled.

When the two were talking, the several carriages that had just arrived also stopped not far behind everyone.

The sound of the coachmen and attendants talking came over.

After a while,

Qingcao carried a water pot to add water to Xu Zaijing's cup.

While adding water, she said, "Young Master, Brother Qingyun just came over and said that those few are noble young ladies from the Prince's residence."

Hearing this, Liang Han, Lu Zezong, and several others to the side also had a look of realization on their faces.

Qi Heng looked toward that side and said, "I imagine it's the several princes in the capital, such as Prince Kang and Prince Hui."

Xu Zaijing nodded and looked at Qi Heng with a smile.

Looking at Xu Zaijing's meaningful gaze, Qi Heng was a bit confused and asked in confusion, "Brother Jing, what's wrong, why are you looking at me like this?"

"Nothing," Xu Zaijing smiled.

The Empress had a son, and as the Empress's adopted daughter, Princess Pingning, who grew up in the palace, played a big role in it, which could be considered a merit.

Now Princess Pingning and the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Qi's residence didn't need to take sides at all, they just supported Zhao Fang.

Moreover, now that Princess Pingning had a younger brother, the Marquis of Xiangyang had a successor, and the forces that should have disintegrated because the Marquis of Xiangyang had no successor didn't disintegrate.

It was very difficult for some county princesses and township princesses from the Prince's residence to want to marry Qi Heng.

After all, as long as wealthy families in the capital had connections, they could spend five thousand or ten thousand strings of money to marry a woman from the Prince's residence.

However, like the upcoming marriage of Tingyi, the annual profit of a salt farm in the Gu family's dowry was this much.

Thinking of these, Xu Zaijing continued to look at the fishing leisurely.

Behind the assembled 'screen', the laughter of the young ladies came from time to time.

A quarter of an hour later,

an old woman carrying a carp walked toward the back of everyone. I imagine she was looking for someone to process the carp.

Seeing this scene,

feeling the teasing gazes of Liang Han and the others to the side, Xu Zaijing pursed his lips slightly with some depression.

The sun slanted to the west,

Xu Zaijing and the others stood up, and the maids and attendants began to pack up.

When everyone got on their carriages and horses and prepared to leave, the several noble young ladies who were fishing to the side had also stood up.

Xu Zaijing and the others happened to pass by that side when riding away. Liang Han followed the gaze of those several young ladies and looked at Xu Zaijing and Qi Heng to the side with a smile.

Xu Zaijing didn't blink, but Qi Heng couldn't help the gaze to the side and turned his head to look at the noble young ladies.

After meeting the gaze of the noble young ladies, Qi Heng nodded habitually to show respect.

Although there was no other meaning in Qi Heng's eyes, Qi Heng was handsome and good-looking, so just nodding made one of the noble young ladies to the side turn her head away embarrassedly.

After Xu Zaijing and the others passed, those several young ladies whispered for a while.

Shen hour (after 4:00 PM),

Xingguo Lane,

Marquis of Ningyuan's residence,

at the second gate,

Madam Bai walked out of the carriage with a smile.

Looking at Yu Yanran, who was standing by the carriage and reaching out to support her, Madam Bai smiled, "Yuan Erlang's wife, I haven't reached the age where I need you to support me! Go and play with Tingyi behind."

As she spoke, Madam Bai got off the carriage with the help of Mama Chang's hand.

"Ah?" Yu Yanran looked at Gu Tingye to the side in a daze.

"Madam, just do whatever Mother says."

"Oh!" Yu Yanran nodded with a smile.

At this time, the carriage behind drove over.

After it stopped steadily, Pingmei and Tingyi walked out of the carriage one after another.

Tingyi was also holding a precious wooden box with excellent carving in his hand.

After everyone was gathered,

the Gu family prepared to enter the courtyard.

Pingmei, relying on her tall stature, looked around, looked at the expressions of the Gu family's maids and old women, and said with some confusion, "It seems the servants in the house are in a good mood today after going to Jinming Pool!"

Hearing this, Madam Bai, Gu Tingye, and the others also looked around a few times, and looking at the smiles on the faces of the maids and servants, Gu Tingye said, "How did this come about today?"

Yu Yanran to the side smiled and said, "Husband, the maids and servants are so happy because of sister-in-law."

"Me?" Pingmei asked in surprise.

Yanran nodded repeatedly, looking at Qingzhi, who was lowering her head beside Pingmei, with a smile.

A similar situation also happened in the Chai family's residence.

Because the distance was far, the Chai family, who left Jinming Pool early, was also walking toward the inner courtyard at this time.

Chai Zhengzheng walked on both sides of Madam Chai with a smile, accompanying her sister-in-law.

Miss Yun Mu followed on the outside of Chai Zhengzheng, leaned out and smiled, "Madam, First Madam, the servants in the house are so happy, it's mostly because of our young lady."

"The attendant Ah Lan beside Xu Fifth Brother and Qingzhi beside the Xu First Madam of the Marquis of Ningyuan's residence are betrothed. From the moment the Xu family arrived at Jinming Pool today, for most of the day, that attendant Ah Lan was gambling outside the garden."

Madam Chai frowned slightly, "The Xu family attendant was gambling outside the garden, and our servants are so happy because of that?"

Miss Yun Mu looked at Chai Zhengzheng, shook her head with a smile, and said, "Madam, it's mainly because that attendant's luck was very good. For most of the day of gambling, the things he won couldn't even be loaded onto the Xu family's flatbed carriage."

"Ah?" Madam Chai looked at Miss Yun Mu with surprise, and then looked at the others with half-belief.

Chai Zhengzheng nodded with a smile, "Mother, it's true."

Miss Yun Mu's smile lessened slightly, "Because of Qingzhi, that attendant sent quite a few things to the old women and maids of our house and the Gu house. That's why..."

Madam Chai nodded, glanced at her daughter whose smile had become much shallower, and said, "Are there any precious things in there? If there are, our house can't take them for nothing!"

Chai Zhengzheng, who sensed Madam Chai's gaze, looked up and smiled, "Mother rest assured, there is nothing precious, mostly things worth ten or twenty wen, or a few dozen wen."

"That's good," Madam Chai said.

Miss Yun Mu to the side looked at Chai Zhengzheng's expression, eyes turned, and smiled, "Madam, First Madam, young lady, the slave heard from the maid beside the second First Madam of the Marquis of Ningyuan's residence that that attendant Ah Lan..."

Watching the gazes of the three people, Chai Zhengzheng, looking over, Miss Yun Mu continued, "He prepared quite a few things to marry Qingzhi! Interestingly, the things were all won by that attendant himself through gambling."

"I heard there are tweezers, small knives, sharpening stones; porcelain, candles, warm water vessels; tea grinders, incense cages, flower seeds, etc., not limited to these."

Hearing this,

Chai Zhengzheng's sister-in-law, Madam Lu, smiled, "He is quite good at saving money, and the things are complete, it looks like life won't be bad in the future."

Madam Chai nodded and smiled, "Gambling so powerfully, it can be considered a craft."

Chai Zhengzheng's face floated with a shallow smile, "I'm just afraid that after gambling too much, the merchants in Bianjing will see that attendant in the future and directly not let him enter the field."

"Zhengzheng is right, it is still possible!" Madam Chai smiled.

"Since people sent our servants quite a few things, then on the day of their marriage, our house will also give some silver congratulatory gifts." Madam Chai added.

"Yes, Madam," Miss Yun Mu smiled.

Arriving at the inner courtyard,

entering the room,

Chai Zhengzheng supported Madam Chai to sit down. She smiled, "Mother, sister-in-law, have you heard that a brother who is not very old passed the county examination in the capital last month?"

"County examination?" Madam Lu sat together, said with some confusion, "Zhengzheng, now there are no children in our family who need to take the county examination, so I didn't pay much attention."

Chai Zhengzheng nodded with a smile, "Sister-in-law, Mother, I heard that brother is only seven years old this year! He is the younger brother of Hualan sister's maiden family."

While talking, Chai Zhengzheng sat below Madam Chai.

"Oh? At such a young age, it is indeed rare!" Madam Chai's tone was emotional, and she continued, "Seven years old? Is he Hualan's own younger brother?"

"No, Mother, he is a brother born of a concubine, his sister is Sheng family's sixth young lady Minglan," Chai Zhengzheng smiled.

"Sheng family Minglan? I remember you mentioned her, Zhengzheng, this girl seems to be very good at pitch-pot? Then according to the Sheng family's ranking, should he be called the seventh young master?"

"Right, Mother has a good memory."

Madam Chai smiled and said, "If Sheng family's seventh young master keeps taking examinations like this, when Sheng Sixth Da Niangzi discusses marriage, I imagine there will be quite a few families in the capital who will fancy this young lady."

Madam Lu stood up, took the teacup from the maid and placed it in front of Madam Chai, "Mother, don't wait for that Sheng family seventh young master, next imperial examination, look at how the two Sheng family brothers do, and you will see the outcome."

After finishing, Madam Lu also smiled and looked at Chai Zhengzheng.

This look from her own sister-in-law made Chai Zhengzheng's eyes drift.

Now that Chai family's second brother is not yet betrothed, Chai Zhengzheng can still be raised in the boudoir.

And there are noble young ladies like the Zhang family's fifth young lady of the Xiao Xiao Gongye of England's residence, and the Rong family's Feiyan girl in the capital, so Chai Zhengzheng can't be considered very conspicuous.

After the first day of the third lunar month,

regardless of whether it was sunny or raining, it couldn't stop the wealthy commoners of Bianjing from going out of the city to play.

At this time,

Bianjing was the capital of Great Zhou, with nobles, officials, wealthy merchants, and rich families gathering in the city, so the residents of the city, even if they weren't wealthy, would have enough spare money to go out of the city to enjoy spring and appreciate the spring scenery.

As the weather gradually warmed up,

the cotton curtain at the gate of the Sheng family schoolroom had been dismantled, and one could see the outdoors directly while sitting in the schoolroom.

On this day in the first ten days of the month,

early in the morning, the sun was blocked by dark clouds, making the sky not very bright.

Today's weather was like Qi Heng's complexion: a bit gloomy.

The three Lan sisters who came to the schoolroom after dawn soon discovered that Qi Heng seemed to be in a bad mood today.

Seeing Mo Lan, who wanted to strike up a conversation, hesitated for a while, but in the end, didn't say a word.

In the morning,

amidst the sound of Scholar Zhuang, everyone began their 'recess'.

Xu Zaijing turned his head to look at Buwei, and looking at Buwei, who was walking with a grimace, Xu Zaijing said, "Buwei, what's wrong with you today? Are you injured?"

To the side, Huaxiang also looked at Buwei with some concern.

Buwei squeezed out a smile, "Fifth Young Master, it's nothing, the little one just accidentally fell yesterday."

"Did you apply medicine?"

"Applied it."

"That's good!"

In front of Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye looked at Qi Heng beside him and asked with concern, "Yuanruo, you have been pulling a long face since you came to the schoolroom today, what's wrong?"

Qi Heng, who couldn't hide his mood, forced a smile and said, "Second Uncle, it's nothing."

Changfeng, behind Qi Heng, also saw something and said, "Little Xiao Xiao Gongye, if there's anything, just say it, Brother Jing and Brother Gu Er might be able to help you consult! You know the abilities of the two brothers!"

Qi Heng pondered for a moment with a thoughtful expression, turned to look at Xu Zaijing, and said, "Brother Jing, do you still remember that we were fishing at Jinming Pool on the first day?"

"Mm, I remember, what's wrong?" Xu Zaijing asked.

"Sigh!" Qi Heng sighed long and shook his head with some annoyance.

Without looking at Minglan, Qi Heng said, "The next day after I went back from the schoolroom, Mother asked me what I did on the first day."

Buwei, who was serving tea, also sighed helplessly.

"Mm. Yuanruo, didn't you just wait for me to finish the competition and then we went fishing together? What else?" Xu Zaijing asked in confusion.

Qi Heng pursed his lips and said, "The daughter-in-law of the Prince Kang's residence went to my house on the second day to propose marriage for the granddaughter of the Old Prince Kang."

"Pfft."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Behind Qi Heng, Rulan, who was drinking water, sprayed it out, and Seeing Mo Lan was choked and coughed incessantly.

Fortunately, at the moment of spraying water, Rulan turned her head to the left, otherwise, she would have sprayed it on Qi Heng.

The calligraphy copybook that Seeing Mo Lan had finished writing was soaked.

Minglan, who was listening to others talk and was fascinated, had the teacup by her mouth and didn't drink water, so she escaped a disaster.

Gu Tingye sat up straight, glanced at Xu Zaijing, and said, "What did Yuanruo do on the first day? Actually making people from Prince Kang's residence go to propose marriage?"

Xu Zaijing thought for a while, looked at the annoyed Qi Heng, and said hesitantly, "Yuanruo, is it because when we left, you nodded at several noble young ladies with a smile?"

Qi Heng closed his eyes and nodded painfully.

And the three Lan sisters who heard this on the other side had different expressions.

"Did the Princess scold you?" Xu Zaijing asked.

"Mm."

"Didn't she give you a lesson?" Gu Tingye interjected.

Opening his eyes, Qi Heng looked at Buwei apologetically and shook his head, "Mother didn't hit me, she hit Buwei five times."

Looking at Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye's eyes, Buwei smiled through the pain.

Xu Zaijing glanced at Buwei and said, "Mm, Yuanruo, just take a lesson, don't provoke other girls casually. For you, it's a small matter, but for others, it's a big matter, and even concerns life and death."

Qi Heng nodded.

"Yuanruo, how did the Princess answer Prince Kang's residence?" Gu Tingye asked.

As soon as these words came out,

Seeing Mo Lan, who had finally stopped coughing, seemed to be choked again and continued to cough.

Qi Heng pursed his lips, resisted the urge to look at Minglan, and said, "Mother said I am still young and have no ability or success, fearing that I would drag down the noble young lady of Prince Kang's residence, so she declined."

Changfeng to the side sighed with quite a bit of regret, "Tsk, Little Xiao Xiao Gongye, it's truly a pity. That is the daughter of a Prince, if I could marry..."

"Brother!"

In the interval of coughing, Seeing Mo Lan glared at Changfeng angrily and shouted.

"I am telling the truth," Changfeng said indifferently.

Before Seeing Mo Lan could reply, Changfeng said with an envious tone, "Little Xiao Xiao Gongye, speaking of which, this is also the trouble of your good family background and handsome appearance!"

Qi Heng looked at Changfeng helplessly.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 678 =====