Just like a mansion as deep as the sea!
This statement is definitely not an exaggeration. Even with a memory as good as Zhu Ping'an, he almost got dizzy on the way to pay his respects to the old lady. He went through winding paths, corner gates and screen walls several times before he finally arrived at the courtyard where the old lady of the Marquis's Mansion lived.
"Son-in-law, the old lady's yard is ahead." The two maids leading the way reminded Zhu Ping'an in a low voice.
Zhu Ping'an nodded to show that he understood. He checked his clothes and found nothing wrong with them, then signaled the two girls to continue leading the way.
This hallway is quite wide, and after passing through it is a huge jade screen wall, which makes Zhu Pingan a little surprised. He wonders how much gold and silver he spent to buy such a large jade screen wall. After passing this jade screen wall, there is a spacious courtyard, which is the courtyard locked by the old lady of the Marquis's Mansion. When Zhu Pingan walked in, he saw a row of five main rooms, ear rooms, gatehouses, kitchens, etc.
"My uncle is safe and sound."
The six maids who were busy in the yard in an orderly manner saw Zhu Ping'an, knelt down and bowed in unison, and greeted Zhu Ping'an in unison.
Zhu Pingan nodded, then asked, "Grandma, are you free?"
After getting a positive answer, Zhu Ping'an walked towards the main room in the middle. The maid inside had rolled up the curtain high when Zhu Ping'an just arrived at the door, and Zhu Ping'an walked in.
"I heard that you are coming to greet me. The old lady has been very happy for a long time. Please come in. When the old lady sees you, she will be very happy."
In the inner room of the main house, Zijuan, a maid wearing a dark green bodice, came out, bowed to Zhu Ping'an with a smile and said.
"Grandmother is thinking of Ping'an, so naturally Ping'an will come to pay his respects." Zhu Ping'an smiled faintly.
Zijuan smiled and raised the door curtain, welcoming Zhu Ping'an into the inner room, then smiled and announced to the inside, "Old Madam, the son-in-law you've been talking about is here to pay his respects to you."
The inner room was decorated in a very luxurious style. There was a large kang with a scarlet blanket by the window, a backrest with a picture of Mei Gu offering longevity in front, a gold-painted blessing pillow, and the quilt was fumigated with spices. On the kang stood a pair of exquisite huanghuali wood tables, on which were placed dried fruits, fragrant tea, spittoons, and other items.
There was a red carpet on the floor, and four chairs with soft armrests, cushions, and footrests were placed on the floor. There were vases with seasonal flowers, incense burners, and various unnamed ornaments in the room.
Zhu Pingan entered the inner room and took a look around, then bowed and greeted the silver-haired old lady sitting on the middle armchair. Zhu Pingan had seen the old lady many times when he lived in the mansion before, and he could recognize the old lady at a glance.
"My son-in-law is safe and sends his regards to my grandmother."
Zhu Ping'an stood at attention one meter in front of the old lady's seat, then stepped forward with his left leg, placed his left hand on his knee, half-knelt on his right leg, bent one knee and greeted the old lady.
Perhaps many people think that paying respects is a Manchu etiquette, but it is not. Paying respects originated from the Ming Dynasty. It was originally one of the military ceremonies of the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty Code has a standard description of the etiquette of paying respects, called "bending one knee". In theory, soldiers should kneel down to salute their superiors, but because they cannot kneel down in armor, they only bend one knee or half a knee to salute. Over time, they get used to it. Even if they are not wearing armor, soldiers will bend one knee to salute their superiors. Just like kowtow and bow, it contains the meaning of greeting and paying respects.
The unique etiquette of the Manchus should be kneeling, which means kneeling on both knees. At this time, the monarch's power reaches its peak, and all the people in the world, including officials, are the emperor's slaves, so they kneel on both knees.
"Ang'er, get up quickly. You've had a hard time on the journey. Grandma was scared by what happened at sea. Come here quickly and let grandma take a good look." The old lady stretched out her hand, motioning Zhu Ping'an to get up quickly.
Zhu Ping'an responded and stood up. Then he saw that the old lady of the Marquis' Mansion kept looking at him, so he smiled and looked at the old lady calmly.
"Why have you lost so much weight?" The old lady looked him up and down for a moment, and asked distressedly. Without waiting for Zhu Ping'an to answer, she looked at Zijuan and ordered, "Zijuan, go to the storehouse and give half of the bird's nest, ganoderma lucidum, deer antler, ginseng, snow lotus and other supplements that the palace rewarded last time to An Ge'er and his friends."
"Grandma is really partial. I begged for a long time before she gave me a little bit. Now my brother-in-law just came and hasn't even asked for anything yet, but grandma wants to give me half of it."
As soon as the old lady finished speaking, a delicate and coquettish female voice was heard. It seemed that she was aggrieved, but in fact she was acting coquettishly to seek favor.
As soon as Zhu Ping'an turned his head, he saw the Sixth Miss in a light pink gauze dress walking in with a fragrance. Her round, chubby face was laughing, and she came to the old lady with her little tiger teeth showing, hugged the old lady's arm and started to act coquettishly.
"You monkey have sharp ears. Hurry up and get up. Don't you even look who is there? You are just acting so shamelessly like a spoiled child." The old lady patted Miss Liu's shoulders lovingly and joked with a smile.
The Sixth Miss then raised her head from the old lady's arms, looked at Zhu Ping'an, and said with a smile that was not shy at all, "Grandma always changes the subject. My brother-in-law is not an outsider, so I am not ashamed."
The Sixth Miss looked at Zhu Ping'an boldly with her dark eyes. Her look was charming and her round oval face was flushed. She was like a lively bird, with a sweet and lively aura all over her.
Zhu Ping'an looked at his mouth with his eyes, looked at his nose with his mouth, and looked at his heart with his nose. There was not a single ripple in his eyes.
"You monkey are finding fault with your grandmother again. All right, I'll let Zijuan send the box of Dongzhu that you have been coveting for a long time to your courtyard later." The old lady pinched the Sixth Miss's chubby face lovingly and promised to give her a box of Dongzhu.
"Hehe, then I, the grandson, would like to thank the old ancestor." The Sixth Miss thanked the old lady happily.
"Okay, you're a grown-up girl who's about to get married, but you're not behaved properly. Go sit aside." The old lady patted the Sixth Miss's arm and scolded her lovingly.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The Sixth Miss stood up, giggled, and performed a standard female etiquette, then sat on a chair next to the old lady.
"You monkey..." The old lady didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Ping'an thanks grandma for her kindness, but these tonics are given to grandma by the palace for nourishment. No matter how unfilial I am, I dare not share my grandma's tonics." Zhu Ping'an smiled and shook his head, politely declining the old lady's kindness.
"Child, since you were rewarded to me by the palace, then you belong to me. I gave it to you, so you should keep it. You and Xiaowu should take good care of your bodies, which will be the greatest filial piety to me." The old lady of the Marquis' Mansion insisted again.
Zhu Ping'an declined again, and then the old lady acted angry and said that she dared not refuse the gift from the elder. After several arguments, they reached a consensus, and finally Zhu Ping'an accepted one third of the supplements.
"Shu'er, why didn't you come back with us?" the old lady asked with concern.
Zhu Ping'an explained to the old lady the reason why Li Shu came back a few days late. The old lady nodded and said that it was better for her to come back a few days later so that she could save herself from traveling.
After talking for a while, the old lady asked about Zhu Ping'an's memorial and advised him to give in to the Yan family. Although our noble family is not inferior to them in terms of merits, times have changed and they cannot prevail over others. For the sake of Zhu Ping'an's career, the old lady advised him to use the relationship of the Yan family and reconcile. If the matter gets out of hand, it will be detrimental to Zhu Ping'an's career.
"Don't worry, grandma. Ping'an knows his limits." Zhu Ping'an rolled his eyes and replied ambiguously without saying much.
The old lady thought Zhu Ping'an had listened to her, and nodded with satisfaction. She talked for a while, asked about Zhu Ping'an's life at sea, and then asked Zijuan to take Zhu Ping'an back to rest. (To be continued.)\\ ( )