The deadline for the official announcement was approaching, but the master had not yet arrived. Qingtou had been very anxious a few days ago, and had followed Chengping to inquire about the news everywhere. Today, he had appeared safely, and he was filled with endless joy. Just now, he heard that he was going to Cui's house, and immediately asked someone to carry up two red lacquer mother-of-pearl boxes wrapped in colorful silk.
This was what He had asked him to prepare before he set off. Because she was worried that the things there were not as good as those in Chang'an, and that he would be looked down upon by the Cui family whom she had not seen for many years, He took out all her family savings and specifically told Qingtou to prepare the gifts for him according to the gift list after he arrived.
"Look, my dear. I bought all these from the best shops in the West City. We won't lose face if we come here like this!"
Qingtou opened the lid of the box and pointed at the gifts one by one.
"This is a rat whisker brush made by Zhuge in Xuanzhou. It was used by Wang Youjun to write the Lanting Preface. Do you know how much it costs? One brush costs ten gold coins! Even if I sold ten of them, I couldn't get this much money. Even so, it's still hard to find one. I've been waiting for a whole month! This is Xi's ink produced in Shezhou. It's easier to buy than Zhuge's brush, but it's still not cheap. This is the peacock silk and Wu silk that my mother prepared for Aunt Wang. She specifically wanted to buy them from Hengzhou and Yuezhou. It took me a long time to find them. The soles of my shoes are almost worn out from running..."
Qingtou was trying to take credit for himself, but suddenly he felt something was wrong and his eyes fell on his master.
Cui's mansion was right next to the East Market, and the people around were either high-ranking officials or noble families. Qingtou looked at the young man's clothes and found them too ordinary. It was just a dark blue round-necked spring shirt that anyone could wear, tied with an ordinary black rhinoceros belt, no different from an ordinary commoner, and looked very undignified.
During the time when Qingtou arrived early, he often followed Prince Ashina as an attendant, traveling around the country. In addition to broadening his horizons, he also realized the importance of gorgeous clothes. He immediately urged him to change his clothes. He said that his luggage had been delivered, and because he had not come before, it was still with the prince, and there was something suitable in it. People in Chang'an are different from before, and they must dress up brightly and beautifully so that people will not look down on them.
Pei Xiaoyuan just told him not to follow, and took out a gift box that He had prepared in the county governor's mansion from a box tied with colorful silk, left Qingtou and others behind, and urged his horse to go. When he arrived at Cui's house, he dismounted outside the door, tied the horse to the hitching post at the door, and walked up with the box.
A doorman at Cui's mansion had already checked him from head to toe.
"Who are you? What are you doing here? Have you handed in your visiting card?"
Pei Xiaoyuan handed over a greeting, "Pei Xiaoyuan, I'm here to visit my uncle and aunt today, please let them know."
When the doorman heard the name, he was startled because he had been instructed to do so before. He looked at the man again, then he realized what was going on. He quickly smiled, took the door, and opened it for the guest.
Pei Xiaoyuan entered the house under the watchful eyes of many servants of the Shuang Cui Mansion and waited calmly in the guest hall. Soon a steward came out, asked someone to serve tea, asked him to wait, and said that someone had been sent to inform the head of the family, and then stood aside to accompany the guest.
The steward introduced himself as Wang, with a smile on his face and a respectful tone. However, facing this young visitor who had not been around for many years, even though he knew that the master of the house had been waiting for him for many days, his inherent reserve and arrogance were still evident.
The head of the family is the Minister of Rites. He has been keeping a low profile in recent years. Due to the long-term internal strife, the talents of several branches of the family have withered and the children are mediocre. Apart from him, there have been no other high-ranking officials with influence in the court. But it doesn't matter. With this surname, the Cui family can still hold their heads high and look superior in front of outsiders.