Man Bao listened for a long time before he understood that she was talking about Mrs. Tang, and was about to say hello with a smile, when another little girl beside him said: "Little girl, Aunt Zhang, my father is the servant of the Ministry of Rites who is traveling with Mr. Zhou this time... "
"Little girl Liang Erniang, her father is the Shaoqing of Honglu Temple..."
"My grandfather is Zhao Guogong."
The crowd fell silent.
Man Bao also calmed down, looking at them in bewilderment, "Little ladies, this is..."
Aunt Zhao pursed her lips and smiled. The eleven or twelve-year-old girl pretended to be mature and generous and bowed gracefully. She raised her eyes to look at Zhou Man with admiration and said, "I heard that Mr. Zhou is very knowledgeable, but I was not in the capital before. I wonder if there is a chance to ask Mr. Zhou for advice this time?"
Man Bao asked, "What do you want to ask for advice?"
"I want to ask for advice on everything," Mrs. Zhao said, "I can't finish talking for a while, why don't I come to visit another day? Mr. Zhou, what time do you think is suitable?"
Wang Jiuniang couldn't help but whispered, "I'll go too."
Once she started, the others immediately followed, "I want to go too."
Man Bao: ...
Mrs. Liu was stunned for a moment, then she smiled with Man Bao: "The plum blossoms in the garden are about to bloom, why don't you find a time to invite the children to enjoy the plum blossoms in the garden?"
Man Bao nodded blankly.
Bai Shan glanced at Aunt Zhao and the others, turned his head and said to Man Bao, "Aunt Shang, who is beside the Empress, is here."
Man Bao raised his head to look left and right, and saw Aunt Shang approaching with a smile on her face, bowed her knees with Zhou Man and the others, and said: "Your Majesty heard that Madam and the County Lord have come to the palace, so I specially sent servants to invite Madam and the others. County Monarch, please, both of you."
Many wives and young ladies turned their heads to look over together, and the adults who were talking together on the other side also looked over.
At such a banquet, it is a very honorable thing to be received by the queen.
Generally speaking, only some noble wives and old wives of aristocratic families can have this honor. Besides, they are people who are valued by the emperor. The empress specially summoned his wife and mother to show his importance.
Man Bao and Bai Shan immediately supported Mrs. Qian and Mrs. Liu to the apse.
Bai Shan didn't go in, but handed Mrs. Liu to Man Bao, nodded with her, stayed in the same place with his mother and Zhou Lijun, and watched the three of them enter the hall.
This is the advantage of women being officials, they can accompany their families to meet the queen.
It was Zheng's first time entering the palace, and the familiar mother-in-law was not there at this time, so she couldn't help but anxiously clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
Seeing her, Bai Shan stretched out his hand to hold her hand and said with a smile, "Don't worry, mother, grandma and the others will come out soon."
Zheng nodded.
Zhou Lijun has been in the palace once, and the young man is very courageous. Seeing Zheng's worried face, she stepped forward and hugged her arm and said, "Grandma Zheng, let's go and see the conservatory in the palace later. The reason why there are flowers to see in winter is because they have a greenhouse, which is much better than our greenhouse."
Mrs. Zheng laughed and said, "How can the small flower house in our house compare with the one in the imperial palace?"
Seeing his mother relax, Bai Shan couldn't help but smile.
Man Bao brought Mrs. Qian and Mrs. Liu inside, and saluted the queen together.
There were a dozen or so old ladies and wives sitting in the back hall, sitting on two sides, and there were a dozen younger girls or wives standing behind them, so it didn't look crowded.
The queen immediately raised her hand to let them stand up, pointing to the next seat and said: "It's the first time I've seen my wife and the county lord, Mr. Zhou, help your grandmother and mother to sit up and let me talk to them."
Man Bao then helped the two of them up, let Mrs. Liu sit at the top, Mrs. Qian sat at the bottom, and she stood behind them.
The queen looked at her and said with a smile: "It's rare to see Mr. Zhou so quiet and gentle."
Man Bao raised his head and smiled obediently at the Queen.
Mrs. Liu said with a smile: "She is still young, so it is inevitable that she is naughty, thanks to His Majesty and Empress for their tolerance."
The queen smiled and said: "For such a smart and lovely person, I and His Majesty just don't want to tolerate him, and I don't agree with him in my heart."
After finishing speaking, he looked at Mrs. Qian, with a solemn face, and said solemnly: "Da Jin can have such a talent as Mr. Zhou, thanks to the care of the county lord. Both the Zhou family and the Bai family have taught the children very well. Your Majesty also said that Bai Shan He is the pillar of the country, thank you madam and the county lord."
The Empress bowed slightly to pay her respects, Mrs. Liu was so frightened that she quickly stood up and bowed her knees to salute, and Mrs. Qian followed, "Your Majesty is absurdly praised. It is a great honor for the two children to be appreciated by Your Majesty and Your Majesty."
Qian Shi was more simple, and directly said to Man Bao: "Hurry up and come forward to thank your mother."
Man Bao came out and knelt down to salute.
The queen quickly asked Aunt Shang to support him, and said with a smile: "It can be seen that the county lord has taught well."
Seeing this, the other wives were also happy to sell Zhou Man, and they all nodded yes.
Qian was praised by so many people, including the queen and so many noble ladies whom she had never seen before, her face was slightly red, but she said generously: "This child was brought by her sister-in-law since she was a child. No, I can just talk to her."
Then an old lady stared at her face, and asked after a while, "I heard that Mr. Zhou gave birth to seven children?"
"Yes." When the topic of having a child was brought up, Qian stopped being cowardly and said with a smile, "Six sons, unfortunately only one daughter."
"What a blessing," the old lady said with a smile, "but I don't think the county lord's complexion is too bad. I don't know how to take care of it?"
After being taken aback for a moment, Qian said, "This is all taken care of by Man Bao. Eat more food and meat, and your complexion will improve."
They are envied by everyone, they are not short of food and clothing, but as long as they have children, they will have various problems. It is okay to have one or two children, but if they have three or more children, basically the more problems they have, the more problems they have. Even the queen is troubled. was not spared.
An old lady couldn't help asking, "Have you fed all seven children?"
"yes."
Everyone was even more amazed. They had long heard that Zhou Man's family was Ding Xingwang, and that the adoptive parents who raised her were her uncle and aunt, who gave birth to many cousins for her. The business is taken care of by a few elder brothers, and I have accumulated some foundations from no foundation.
It can be called a model of supporting each other and honoring ancestors.
But Zhou Man had too many brothers coming and going, except for her eldest brother and fourth brother, and the fifth and sixth brothers who were in charge of the restaurant, they had never seen anyone else, so they didn't know if it was true or not.
It was only after hearing this that she realized that she really had six older brothers.
But now the object of admiration is not Zhou Man, but Qian Shi.
An old lady couldn't help but sat up straight and leaned forward slightly, "Mr. Zhou, I don't know how your children are raised? To be honest, I have been pregnant with six children in my life and gave birth to four, but Only one son stood still."
She took out her handkerchief and wiped her tears and said: "My son has given birth to quite a few children, but there are only two children left. Now my grandson is going to get married. I, I always have a little bit in my heart." I am worried, so I want to learn from Lord Zhou."
Qian's heart arose, and she couldn't help but look at Man Bao. Can she say what she said in the countryside and fields here