"Really?" Mrs. Hong of the Yi family felt that something was wrong no matter how she thought about it, but every word her daughter-in-law said made sense and she couldn't find any fault with it.
Grandma Shi knew that her mother-in-law was not a bad person and was kind to people, but there were some things that she couldn't understand so clearly. Seeing her confused face, she simply smiled and said, "When we talked about this matter, my grandmother was there too. She picked the eldest daughter of the Wu family among the three candidates. Aunt Wu was also willing. Not to mention the Wu family. I heard from the matchmaker that Mrs. Wu agreed without asking any questions. Don't worry. As the saying goes, the matchmaker is thrown over the wall when the bride is married. We are just a matchmaker. As for what the two families say and whether they will live a good life in the future, it all depends on them."
This makes even more sense.
Mrs. Hong, the eldest wife of the Yi family, nodded.
Hong Rui walked in with a smile, knelt down and saluted, saying, "Madam, Madam, the maidservant next to the eldest daughter of the Wu family came over and said that she had made a summer shirt for the eldest and second young masters. Seeing that the weather was getting hotter and hotter, she didn't have time to come over, so she sent someone to deliver it."
Madam Zheng, the grandmother of Shi, smiled pointedly at Madam Hong, the eldest wife of Yi, and said, "I knew this girl was a smart person the first time I saw her. Once I just said that Hongrui and the others were helping Geng'er and Yun'er make summer clothes, and she remembered it."
When Mrs. Yi heard this, she also felt that the eldest daughter of the Wu family was a good person, at least she knew what was right for her.
"Since you and your grandmother have agreed, I won't care." Mrs. Yi stood up and said goodbye. "When the date of the two marriages is set, you can let me know."
Grandma Shi replied "yes" with a smile and sent her mother-in-law out the door.
Hong Rui then whispered in Grandma Shi's ear, "I heard that Madam Wu diagnosed the pregnancy pulse, and the eldest daughter of the Wu family is serving Madam Wu."
Grandma Shi was a little surprised, but she quickly smiled and said, "That's good! If my parents' family is unreliable, I have to rely on my husband's family even more."
Hongrui just smiled and said nothing.
Mrs. Wen was very happy.
She wanted to marry her niece to her son, and she also didn't want to let the niece of that woman outside into the family. But if she asked herself, the eldest daughter of the Wu family was several levels higher than her niece in terms of both family background and appearance. Especially when she heard that Cheng Wen agreed to this marriage with a bitter face in front of the ancestor of the second branch, she became even more satisfied with this marriage.
"It's a pity that I didn't take a close look at Miss Wu when she came to visit." Mrs. Wen said to her personal maid Xiang'er with some regret, "It seems that the second house has really put a lot of effort into Nuoge's marriage this time."
The Cheng family's ancestral precept is that a man can take a concubine only if he is forty and has no children. But since Cheng Wen started it, maids like Xiang'er couldn't help but have some thoughts. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "I heard that the eldest daughter of the Wu family is very close to Madam Shi from the second room. Madam Shi knows the eldest daughter of the Wu family very well. If you want to know anything, you can ask Madam Shi." At this point, she paused and continued, "I seem to remember that Mrs. Wu's maiden name is Guan. When Mrs. Wu first came to Jinling, she was closest to Mrs. Guan from the fourth room. Mrs. Wu also brought three Miss Wus to visit Mrs. Guan. The eldest daughter of the Wu family is about the same age as the second cousin of the Zhou family, and they played together at the time. The second cousin of the Zhou family should also be familiar with the eldest daughter of the Wu family."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wen curled her lips and said, "We'd better have less contact with the second cousin of the Zhou family. She is now the apple of Madam Guo's eye and is protected by her like a calf! Don't let us go to ask about the eldest daughter of the Wu family and get dragged into other matters, and then be accused of not knowing the seriousness of the matter and using the cousin who is visiting Jiuru Lane as an excuse to cause trouble!"
Xiang'er disagreed.
You, Madam Wen, are the head of the fifth house in Jiuru Lane, how come you are not as good as a cousin who lives under someone else's roof? It's normal for you to be afraid of angering Madam Guo, but why are you afraid of even a junior now? You are really going backwards. What can you expect from following such a person
She complained in her heart, but her face showed no strange expression. She smiled and said, "The eldest lady is right. Less trouble is worse than more. If you want to know about the eldest daughter of the Wu family, just go and ask the eldest grandmother."
Mrs. Wen also felt that it was quite boring for her to be like this, but as long as she thought about the Fifth House still relying on the dividends from Yutai Bank to make a living, she couldn't straighten her back. She could only pretend to be confused and ordered Xiang'er: "Then you call the little maid to come in and help me change clothes! I'm going to listen to Liuge and Madam Shi's talk."
Xiang'er smiled and called the maid to come in. After Mrs. Wen had washed and dressed, she accompanied her to the second room.
When they passed by the fourth room, they saw several maids moving flowers, all of which were precious varieties such as orchids, camellias, chrysanthemums, etc., which were placed in Xianyang pots.
She couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Xiang'er hurried forward and asked.
The old woman smiled and said, "My cousin raised them. Master Gao's wedding is coming up soon, and he needs to renovate his new house. There are often craftsmen and servants coming in and out of the house. My cousin was afraid that the flowers would be damaged, so she temporarily moved them to the Fucui Pavilion in Hanbi Mountain House."
Mrs. Wen was shocked and asked, "Did Mrs. Guo agree?"
The old woman laughed and said, "I don't know either. It was Biyu who was beside the old lady who gave the order. We will do whatever she tells us to do!"
Mrs. Wen was silent for a moment, then walked away with a sullen face.
The old woman snorted disdainfully at Mrs. Wen's back, almost inaudibly.
The other maids who were helping came over and whispered, "Is this Madam Wen from the fifth room?"
"If it's not her, then who else could it be!" The woman lowered her voice even more. "If I were her, I would have moved to another courtyard long ago. How could I have the nerve to wander around the courtyard in broad daylight, as if I were afraid that others would not know about her affairs?"
The story of Madam Wen kneeling down to listen to the maid reading "Instructions for Women" had already spread throughout Jiuru Lane. The maids, wives, and old women who were a little bit famous all felt that Madam Wen had lost face this time and were disgusted that she could endure such humiliation. They acted like "picking the weak and picking the weak", and were less respectful than before. On the contrary, they were more in awe of Madam Guo from Hanbi Mountain House.
Several people did not dare to delay and quickly moved all the flowers carefully onto the cart. One person pulled it, two people guarded it, and three people followed behind to look after it. They moved the flowers to Fucui Pavilion in a hurry.
There is a pot of camellia at the entrance, a pot of cymbidium at the bedside, a pot of asparagus fern on the coffee table, and a pot of peony under the veranda... the yard suddenly becomes bright.
Zhou Shaojin stood in the hall and put down his rolled-up sleeves with satisfaction.
Xiao Tan ran in and said breathlessly, "Second cousin, the fourth master is back!"
"Really!" Zhou Shaojin said, his eyes lit up, and turned to go to Tingli Pavilion.
"Second cousin, why don't you change your clothes first?" Xiao Tan said, "You were just moving flowers with the old woman!"
Unfortunately, before she could finish her words, Zhou Shaojin disappeared in a flash.
Xiao Tan stamped her feet and had to follow.
When Uncle Chi was not around, Tingli Pavilion was like a pool of stagnant water. As soon as Uncle Chi came back, the Ruyi door of Tingli Pavilion was wide open, servants carrying boxes and cages came and went, and a few birds were heard singing. The whole yard came alive with vitality.
Zhou Shaojin immediately saw Cheng Chi standing under the veranda and talking to Huaishan.
He was wearing a grey coarse cloth robe and black coarse cloth shoes. He stood with his hands behind his back, his face stern but his posture was elegant and dignified.
Uncle Chi dresses so simply, but how come he is still so handsome
Zhou Shaojin muttered to himself and his steps came to a halt.
Cheng Chi suddenly turned around as if he knew she was coming, and their eyes met in the air.
He started laughing.
The coldness has gone, leaving only the warmth of spring sunshine.
Zhou Shaojin felt warm in his heart and pounced over like a little swallow.
Cheng Chi's smile became even wider, and he whispered a few words to Huaishan. Huaishan glanced at Zhou Shaojin and quietly retreated.
Zhou Shaojin stood in front of Cheng Chi, pouted coquettishly, and said, "Uncle Chi, why did you come back just now?"
Cheng Chi looked at her flushed face and the dirt on her sleeves, and suddenly thought of the wild flowers growing in the deep mountains and old forests. They were extremely gorgeous, yet innocent and carefree.
Zhou Shaojin is sometimes like such a flower, able to keep his original heart no matter what he has experienced.
Maybe this is why she can forgive past grudges!
He smiled and said, "I haven't even established myself yet, and you already know I'm back. I think you'll know whether I'm back early or late. But you've only been here for a few days, you didn't bribe the gatekeeper, did you?"
"How is that possible!" Zhou Shaojin said coquettishly, "I just asked Xiao Tan to help me keep an eye out. If Uncle Chi comes back, tell me immediately!"
"Oh!" Cheng Chi raised his eyebrows, "So this doesn't count as tipping off!"
Zhou Shaojin's face was burning with anger, and he argued, "Who told you to be so elusive..."
"Am I elusive?" Cheng Chi raised his eyebrows again.
Zhou Shaojin quickly corrected himself, "No, no. I said the wrong thing. Uncle Chi is like a dragon that can only be seen from head to tail."
Cheng Chi laughed out loud.
The servants who were moving the boxes and cages all looked at Zhou Shaojin secretly.
Zhou Shaojin was very embarrassed, but didn't want to leave like that. He wanted to ask Cheng Chi where he had been and what he had done, but he felt like he couldn't say it.
She thought about it again and again, and simply asked Cheng Chi: "Uncle Chi, did Jiying come back with you? I haven't seen her for some time, and I miss her a lot."
"Really?" Cheng Chi smiled and said, "She came back with me and just returned to her room. If you want to see her, just turn left and you will see the room where she lives."
Of course she knows how to get to where Jiying lives
But why didn’t Uncle Chi ask her why she came to see him
It was obvious that he was not very happy to see her... No, Uncle Chi was quite happy when he saw her just now, she could feel it, but he was not as happy as she was, otherwise why didn't he invite her into the house for tea or something...
Zhou Shaojin's mood suddenly became a little depressed, and he felt indescribable embarrassment.
"Then I'll go find Jiying!" she said, and hurried towards where Jiying lived.
※
Sisters, here’s an extra chapter for Qingtian Moyun.
O(∩_∩)O~
It’s safer to check for updates tomorrow morning.
※(To be continued)