Xicheng Gonghou Street is well-known in the capital. As the name suggests, there are only five or six families living on this street, but they occupy the entire street which is several miles long. These three or five families are all famous dukes and marquises in the capital. The most famous ones are the Mansion of the Duke of Wei, the Mansion of the Duke of Kaiguo, as well as the Mansion of the Marquis of Linhuai, the Mansion of the Marquis of Dingyuan, and the Mansion of the Marquis of Lingbi.
After the Battle of Tumu, the nobles had much less say in the court. In order to change their unfavorable position, these noble families not only changed from military to civil service, but also strengthened intermarriage with each other to expand their influence. The nobles on Gonghou Street were all related, and their relationships were intertwined. Overall, the effect was good, and their status is still out of reach for ordinary people.
The Linhuai Marquis Mansion on Gonghou Street has been quite busy these days, because the old lady's birthday is coming soon, and everyone in the mansion is busy preparing for the old lady's birthday. Of course, the main busy people are the servants, and the masters are still relaxed. For example, Master Li is now busy making a baby and playing games on a maid.
In the Peony Pavilion of the Linhuai Marquis's Mansion, several beautiful young ladies were laughing and chatting with their maids. The young ladies were about thirteen or fifteen years old, about to get married, and they were laughing together.
"Hehe... I heard that the fifth sister of Uncle San's family will be here today."
"I don't know what Uncle San was thinking. He actually ran away to the foot of the mountain to eat ashes for a wild woman..."
"Third sister, please be careful. What wild woman? That's Third Aunt."
"Second sister, what kind of Third Aunt is she? Grandmother didn't even acknowledge her, and our family never offered her a marriage proposal. But Third Uncle was really good to her, it's a pity that she was unlucky and died early."
"Fifth sister is coming today, so I will pack up a box of jewelry that I discarded last year and give it to Fifth Sister as a gift."
"I think you should keep it for rewarding others. Fifth sister is a very proud person."
"I think what Sixth Sister said is right. Third Uncle's Fifth Sister is just a country girl. When she saw Sixth Sister's gift, she was so happy that she was like a fool."
"Hehe... I heard that the fifth sister was betrothed to a poor boy who lived in the countryside."
"Is this true? Hahaha... The proud and arrogant fifth sister is actually going to marry a bumpkin. It's so funny. Even the maids around me would be assigned to the yamen clerks. Fifth sister actually... Hahaha..."
"Of course it's true. Grandmother was furious. Great aunt finally found a good family for Fifth Sister. It was the son of the founding duke's family. She kindly told Third Uncle about it. But within a few days, news came that Fifth Sister was betrothed to a country bumpkin. Great aunt was so embarrassed in front of the founding duke's family. Even Grandmother was so angry that she didn't eat for two days."
"Hehe... Fifth brother-in-law is actually a bumpkin..."
Several young ladies were chattering and laughing. They were probably all laughing when they talked about the fifth sister, but their smiles were full of contempt. As they were talking and laughing, a little maid came in from the second gate and reported to the young ladies that the carriage of the third master's family had arrived at Gonghou Street.
"Speak of the devil and he will appear. Fifth sister's arrival is really a coincidence. She arrived just as we were talking about her. Let's go and take a look at the door."
"You come from the countryside, what's there to see?"
"Third sister, how can you say that? We are sisters. It's not easy for Fifth Sister to come all the way from the countryside. Let's go and welcome her."
"I want to go too. I haven't seen my fifth sister in several years."
"Let's go. Who knows. The bumpkin that Fifth Sister is betrothed to is also coming along. Hahaha... I haven't seen what the bumpkin looks like yet."
After talking for a while, the young ladies reached a consensus and, accompanied by the old maids and servants, walked along the corridor, passed the hanging flower gate and headed for the main gate.
On Gonghou Street, several large carriages drove slowly, followed by more than ten strong servants in front and behind. There were also many old women and maids, all of whom followed the carriages very politely, and followed the carriages forward without looking around.
When they were about to reach Gonghou Street, Li Shu drove Zhu Ping'an to another carriage. This was also to avoid suspicion. In the Ming Dynasty, men and women were not allowed to touch each other. Although Li Shu and Zhu Ping'an were already engaged, they still had to avoid suspicion. If a man and a woman rode in the same carriage, people would gossip about them, so Li Shu drove Zhu Ping'an to another carriage.
Not long after Zhu Ping'an changed the carriage, he felt it stopped and there was a lot of noise in front.
"Son-in-law, we're here, please get off." A servant's voice came from outside the carriage.
"good."
Zhu Pingan responded, opened the door, and got out of the carriage. As soon as he got out of the carriage, he saw the huge Linhuai Marquis Mansion.
Looking at the Linhuai Marquis Mansion in front of him, Zhu Pingan didn't know what the word "overstepping" was for a moment. The Linhuai Marquis Mansion in front of him was huge in scale and extraordinary in bearing. Of course, the Duke of Wei's Mansion and others that he had just seen were also equally grand in scale.
Gonghou Street is about three meters wide, very wide and straight. Even a sedan chair with eight people can easily move across the street. But compared with Linhuai Marquis Mansion, this street pales in comparison. If Linhuai Marquis Mansion is a python, then Gonghou Street is just an earthworm.
Linhuaihou Mansion is located on Gonghou Street. In terms of appearance alone, Linhuaihou Mansion stands out. There are two stone lions as tall as a person in front of the main gate, which are lifelike and vivid. There is also a plaque hanging above the gate of Linhuaihou Mansion, on which are written four gold-plated characters "Linhuaihou Mansion".
Not long after the carriage stopped, we saw that the Linhuai Marquis Mansion had opened its doors, but it was not the main gate that was opened, but the side doors on the east and west corners next to the main gate.
The side door was wide open, and several gorgeously dressed women walked out. Leading the group was a woman who was about twenty years old, followed by some maids who were dressed in uniform.
"This must be Miss Wu, she is so pretty that I am moved by her. I am here to pay my respects to Miss Wu. I am Zijuan, the eldest maidservant of the old lady. The old lady just had a drink and went to bed. Before she went to bed, she asked me to pick up Miss Wu. The courtyard where the third master used to live has been tidied up, and all the things have just been bought. We are just waiting for Miss Wu to come."
The leading woman claimed to be Zijuan, the maidservant of the old lady. She bent down to greet Li Shu with a smile on her face.
"What an unfortunate coincidence! I was planning to go and greet my grandmother first." Li Shu made a regretful expression and sighed with her cherry lips.
"Young lady has been through a long journey, but you still miss the old lady. You are truly sincere and filial. But the old lady has already gone to bed. When she wakes up, I will definitely convey Young lady's filial piety to her."
The girl named Zijuan is very good at talking, and her simple greetings make people feel comfortable. (To be continued.)