When the group of people stood in the corridor again, saying goodbye to each other and leaving, Mei Niang counted the white snowflakes that occasionally bloomed in the dark night, and heard the conversation between Xu Junlang and Xu Junying:
"Brother, have you seen the King of Qi these days? Several of my colleagues and I wanted to visit the palace, but every time we heard that the King of Qi was not there. What's going on?"
"The Prince of Qi is indeed not in the palace. He first recovered in the palace, but then refused to stay in the palace and went to a quiet place. He is almost recovered now and will probably be able to return to the palace before the New Year."
"I see! When he comes back someday, please let me know so we can go visit him!"
"I don't think you need to go. The King of Qi is different from others. After coming back from injury, his temperament has changed drastically. He may not receive visiting guests."
"It doesn't matter, big brother, just give me some information!"
"Well, let's wait until he comes back!"
"Thank you, brother!"
"Go back!"
The two brothers bowed to say goodbye, and Mei Niang and Bai Jingyu also bowed to each other politely. Bai Jingyu looked at Mei Niang with a look that was no longer one of contempt and disdain, but of hidden resentment. Mei Niang had a blank expression and a cold look. She was tired and didn't bother to play tricks on her at this moment.
It was Xu Junxuan who accompanied his sisters all the way back. He said goodbye to Mei Niang and left surrounded by a large group of maids.
Cui Xi helped Mei Niang put on her cloak. Mei Niang let her do it, thinking to herself: That cold, arrogant, violent King Qi who likes men and hates women, is he going back to the city? I have to be careful when I go out this time. I should not wear men's clothes, but women's clothes.
Cui Lian couldn't reach Xu Junying's shoulders, so Zhuang Yulan came up to help and tied the ribbon for Xu Junying. This time she tied it very well and smoothly, making a beautiful bow. She also reached out and gently stroked it, saying softly:
"There's rain in the snow, and the road is slippery, cousin Ying, be careful!"
Xu Junying smiled and nodded: "Okay, I understand. Let's go in, it's cold outside."
Mei Niang stood behind him and watched. Xu Junying almost bumped into her when he turned around. Mei Niang said softly:
"Master Hou, slow down. If you knock me down, you will have to carry me back!"
After saying that, he turned around and said goodbye to Xu Junya and Ning Rulan: "The road is slippery due to the snow, walk slowly!"
Ning Rulan also said a few words like "be careful and walk slowly", Mei Niang waved at them, and Xu Junya took Rulan's hand and left with the maids.
Only Xu Junying and Mei Niang were left. Mei Niang saw Zhuang Yulan standing still, so she took a step closer, put her hand into Xu Junying's arm and said:
"Let's go, Lord Hou!"
Xu Junying twitched his arms and held her with a seductive look. Xu Junying had no choice but to turn around and say to Zhuang Yulan:
"Cousin Lan, please go in. Don't get cold!"
Mei Niang saw Zhuang Yulan's eyes turn to resentment, and was afraid that Xu Junying would not be able to bear it, so she hurriedly dragged him away: "The rain and snow are getting heavier, if we don't leave now, we won't be able to leave. Lord Hou, let's go back quickly!"
He stepped down a step, and Zhui dragged him down. Xu Junying had no choice but to follow him. He wanted to turn back, but Mei Niang reached out and pulled the hood of his cloak, blocking his view. Xu Junying said:
“Let go!”
Mei Niang refused to let go: "The road is slippery, I will fall!"
"Just walk carefully, just hold on. How can I walk when you're so close?"
Mei Niang turned around and saw Zhuang Yulan being helped in by Rui Xue, so she let him go: "Okay, we can go our separate ways, and we can walk faster!"
After leaving the courtyard, they walked along the blue brick corridor for a while, and then turned onto an ice-patterned stone brick road. It had been snowing for some time, and there was a thin layer of snow on the ground, so the road surface was not very clear. Two lanterns were lit one in front and one behind, and the light was weak, not comparable to modern flashlights. Mei Niang tried her best to keep up with Xu Junying's pace, hoping that he was familiar with the road conditions, and subconsciously moved closer to him. However, Xu Junying seemed to be afraid that she would stick to him, so he deliberately walked to the side and refused to be her guide. Mei Niang had no choice but to call Cui Xi:
"Bring the lanterns closer. Lord Hou is a martial artist with great eyesight. He doesn't need to light the way. You just need to walk in front of me!"
Just as he finished speaking, Xu Junying tripped and slipped, almost falling down, and struggled several times before he stood firm. Mei Niang laughed:
"I just praised you for your good eyesight, and you stumbled in front of us - at least give me some face!"
Xu Junying snatched the lantern from Cuixi's hand and walked back to look at the place. It was the half-broken flower tree that had been broken off in the snow last time. He said in an annoyed tone:
"Which woman is in charge of these flowers and plants? Tree stumps like these should have been dug up long ago. If it were me, you would have fallen into the mud long ago!"
Mei Niang had stopped laughing and wanted to deal with the matter seriously, but when she heard him say that it was nothing, she started laughing again. Xu Junying was really annoyed:
"Is this how you manage the household? If you are not competent, then find someone else!"
Mei Niang quickly stopped laughing, cleared her throat, and said, "Mr. Hou is right. I will find this woman tomorrow..."
"Wait until tomorrow? What if someone passes by here tonight?"
"Okay! Now, Cuilian, you run back first. The closest man who can work is in our Tsinghua courtyard. Call Baoju Baizhan to me, find a shovel, and dig up the tree stump!"
Cui Lian responded and ran away with the lantern.
Xu Junying held a lantern in his hand and stared at Mei Niang. Mei Niang also looked at him. Thinking of his miserable appearance, she couldn't help laughing and quickly turned her face away.
Back at Tsinghua Courtyard, the rain and snow were so dense that one could feel the grains hitting the cloak. Mei Niang and Xu Junying entered the courtyard without saying hello. Xu Junying went to the moon gate, and Mei Niang followed the lantern to the upper room. As soon as she entered the warm room, she breathed a sigh of relief, stamped her feet and shouted, "Hurry up and change your shoes. Who put on the embroidered cloth shoes for me? In rainy and snowy weather, you have to wear leather boots when you go out, understand?"
Cui Lian said aggrievedly: "To answer grandma, it wasn't raining or snowing when I went out. Who would have thought it would snow after dark?"
Mei Niang took off her wet shoes and sat on the couch. After thinking for a while, she said, "Oh, that's right. I blamed you wrongly. It's also Lord Hou's fault for insisting on digging the tree stump. If he hadn't walked around, he wouldn't have tripped. I had to stand there waiting for so long that my shoes got wet!"
Cui Lian suppressed her laughter and said carefully, "Mr. Hou was originally walking in the middle of the road, but it was Grandma who pushed him to the side of the road..."
Mei Niang squinted at her: "No way? I didn't squeeze him."
Thinking of that scene, she couldn't help but look up and laugh. Cui Xi and Cui Lian couldn't help but laugh along, leaving Mother Wang and Cui Si standing by confused.
Mei Niang felt that the worst thing about taking over as the housekeeper was that she had to sleep in. Her greatest hobby in life was sacrificed, which was very painful.
I was woken up early in the morning and rolled around in bed, still buried in the quilt. Mother Wang said through the curtains:
"Grandma reminded me last night to wake up early and go see Heng."
Mei Niang's eyes widened suddenly: "That's right! Heng'er! I haven't seen my lovely son for a few days!"
He jumped up and ran to the inner room, shouting, "Quick, quick, quick! Find me the clothes I'm going to wear today, and remember to find me a pair of leather boots and get ready to comb my hair!"
After taking care of her housework, she quickly brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth with green salt, washed her face with warm water, rinsed it with cold water, wiped the water droplets with a handkerchief, opened the door and rushed out. Mother Wang was waiting outside the inner room. She couldn't catch up even if she ran all the way, and she kept scolding her:
"I've told you so many times, grandma, but you won't change. What young lady is like this? You can't walk with a breeze - you used to walk so well!"
Mei Niang had already sat in front of the dressing table, letting Cui Xi and Cui Lian comb her hair. When she saw Mother Wang appear in the mirror, she smiled and said:
"Mom, if every young lady was the same, wouldn't it be a mess? I used to walk well, and I won't make any mistakes now. I will walk slowly outside and only run in my own room. Is that okay?"
Mother Wang looked at her helplessly, crossed her hands and placed them on her belly, sighing, "I just feel uneasy. You are so different from before!"
Mei Niang smiled and patted her hand on her belly, saying, "Let's not worry about the past, let's just look at the future, okay?"
Mother Wang smiled and nodded, "Okay, okay! Let's not worry about the past anymore, just focus on the future. I hope grandma will take good care of herself in the future!"
"Of course!" Mei Niang said confidently.
The rain had stopped, but snowflakes were still falling. Xu Junying stood under the porch with his hands behind his back, staring in a daze at the soaked snow on the ground.
Baoju went to see the martial arts training ground, but it was filled with snow and water, so he couldn't practice. Today the emperor allowed him to rest at home. Tomorrow is the Little New Year, and after the Kitchen God Festival, he doesn't have to go to court. How should he pass the time
Ruizhu went to serve breakfast and came back to say that the gate of Tsinghua Court had been opened early. Grandma took Cuixi and Cuisi and went out to the garden.
Xu Junying asked curiously, "Where is she going so early?"
Ruizhu thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to Qiuhuayuan. We should go to pay our respects to the eldest lady."
Xu Junying pursed her lips: It was early in the morning, Mrs. Zheng might not have gotten up, but Heng'er did, and she went to see Heng'er.
When Mei Niang was seriously ill, Zheng Meiyu helped take care of Heng'er. Xu Junying could hear Heng'er crying every day when he got up early to practice martial arts. The child was used to getting up early and would get up before dawn. This was inherited from his father Xu Junjie.
Xu Junying and Xu Junjie, both martial artists, were forced by their father to get up early since they were young. They developed a habit and would wake up on their own at a certain time.
Xu Junying's face turned cold and his hands clenched into fists. If he caught anyone at this moment, he would probably punch him.
As soon as the gate of Qiuhua Courtyard opened, Mei Niang was welcomed in. Mei Niang walked into the courtyard with a smile on her face, and went all the way upstairs. Under the corridor, Heng'er was shouting happily in his wet nurse's arms, and he reached out to pat the golden bamboo cage hanging on the edge of the corridor, scaring the poor little bird inside so that it flew around in panic.
Mei Niang called out, "Heng'er!"
Heng'er was startled for a moment, then quickly turned around and saw Mei Niang. He first smiled with his two small white teeth bared in surprise, then wrinkled his nose, scratched his two hands, made a humming sound, and gradually turned into a crying tone. Mei Niang didn't wait for him to cry, she ran over, hugged him in her arms and hugged him tightly, and kissed his chubby little face, no matter if it was the nose or the eyes, and kissed it again and again. Heng'er happily hugged his mother's neck and kissed Mei Niang's face. Mei Niang felt so sweet in her heart that she spun her son around a few times, scaring the wet nurse and Xia Lian who hurried over, and they shouted:
"Don't do that, grandma, or you'll fall!"
Heng'er was so happy that he screamed and laughed. The mother and son laughed and laughed. The joyful atmosphere infected the people who got up early in the yard. The birds under the corridor, which had just been frightened by Heng'er and dared not make a sound, also sang louder and louder. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)