Do you know: I’m Xu Jiazi

"Hmm!"

Chai Zhengzheng hummed, then looked down at his clothes.

Yunmu and Fuyi saw Chai Zhengzheng's movements and hurried to help touch the wrinkles on his clothes.

Mrs. Chai, who was sitting on the Luohan bed in the front hall, glanced at her daughter beside her, then stood up and helped Chai Zhengzheng to tidy up the bangs on her forehead.

"We went to the Zhu family first to get some good luck, and then we dared to visit the Chai family!"

"Hahaha! The prince consort is joking."

The voices of the Chai family master and Lu Prince consort came from outside the house into the front hall.

"Please come in."

The voice of the Chai family master sounded at the door.

Mrs. Chai also happened to sit back on the Luohan bed at this time.

Seeing Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong following Lu Prince consort into the house, Mrs. Chai stood up again.

Lu Prince consort just bowed and said a few words of New Year's greetings.

Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong bowed and saluted, and said in unison: "Madam, I wish you a happy new year! Miss Zhengzheng/Sister, I wish you a happy new year."

Seeing Xu Zaijing's astonished eyes and Lu Zezong's slightly opened mouth, Chai Zhengzheng and the maid beside him smiled and squatted slightly as a return gesture.

After the two of them bowed and greeted the new year and stood up, Madam Chai, who had stood up from the Luohan bed, had already walked to Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong.

Holding Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong by the hand, Madam Chai first smiled at Lu Zezong, then looked at Xu Zaijing carefully and said: "Brother Jing, I haven't seen you for a long time. Why do I feel that you have grown taller?"

Xu Zaijing smiled slightly: "Madam has a good eye. You have grown a little in the past six months."

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing measured with his other hand.

"I think so! Come, sit down!"

Wait for Xu Zaijing and others to sit down.

There was a table in the middle of the chairs.

Mrs. Chai pointed to the porcelain plate with dried fruits on the table and said, "Brother Jing, Brother Zong, try the newly-made melon seeds from the north! There are both sweet and salty ones."

Xu Zaijing looked at the dried fruits on the table that looked very similar to watermelon seeds in later generations, and smiled as he grabbed a handful in his hand.

Madam Chai's smile deepened when she saw Xu Zaijing's actions.

Xu Zaijing relied on his strong hands to not knock the watermelon seeds into his mouth at all, but directly broke them apart with his bare hands and ate them one by one, feeding the one in between to Lu Zezong.

Mrs. Chai asked about Xie and Anmei's children, then smiled at Lu Fuma and said, "Fuma, has the princess' morning sickness improved recently?"

Lu Fuma smiled and nodded, "Much better than before."

After saying that, Lu Fuma looked down as if he was looking at his nephew Lu Zezong.

Everyone talked for a while,

because everyone had to go to the palace in the morning,

so they didn't talk for too long. Prince Consort Lu took Xu Zaijing and the others to say goodbye.

The group walked out.

Walking in the corridor of the inner courtyard of the Chai family,

Lu Zezong walked side by side with Chai Zhengzheng behind. He looked at Chai Zhengzheng's face and said, "Sister Zhengzheng, is your makeup today new? It looks so good!"

The three maids following Chai Zhengzheng all laughed.

Chai Zhengzheng also smiled in confusion: "Brother Zong, why do you say that?"

Lu Zezong looked at Chai Zhengzheng, whose eyelids were a little blue, but made her skin look white, and said, "I have never seen my cousins ​​put on makeup that makes it blue here."

As he said that, Lu Zezong also pointed to his eyelids.

Hearing what Lu Zezong said, Chai Zhengzheng touched his eyelids, smiled and whispered: "Zong'er, I'm not embroidered, I'm awake at this time."

"Oh!"

Lu Zezong looked at Chai Zhengzheng a little embarrassed and nodded,

After walking a few steps quickly to catch up with Xu Zaijing in front, he held Xu Zaijing's hand.

After sending them to the second gate,

Xu Zaijing and his party left the Chai family.

Mrs. Chai looked at the figure of Xu Zaijing riding out on horseback, and then looked at her very beautiful daughter, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose, her eyes full of pride.

Mrs. Chai has been in Bianjing for so long, because she wants to find daughters-in-law for her two sons, she has seen many noble ladies in the capital, but few can compare with her daughter Chai Zhengzheng.

Family background, temperament, appearance, height, and women's needlework

Even Rong Feiyan, whose appearance is famous in Bianjing, has some gaps with Chai Zhengzheng in family background and temperament.

After all, most of the noble ladies in Beijing who were the same age as Chai Zhengzheng did not have the opportunity to manage so many shops and businesses like her.

"Wear this when you enter the palace, it looks good."

Mrs. Chai said to Chai Zhengzheng with a smile.

After returning to Huihefang from Chai's house,

after some preparations,

Xu Zaijing followed the people of the Lu family to the palace.

After so many times of visiting the palace on the first day of the new year,

Xu Zaijing did not go through the Xuande Gate in the south of the palace for the first time today, but went through the Donghua Gate in the east.

After entering the palace,

before reaching the main hall where the nobles lined up in previous years, a young eunuch in the palace came to the Lu family and bowed.

Xu Zaijing smiled and bowed in return: "Master Qingyun."

Qingyun, who had bowed, waved his hand and smiled and said: "Wulang, I can't bear your address as a master."

"Young master, you are too modest! What are you doing?"

Qingyun bowed to the Lu family next to him and said: "Your Highness, please ask Wulang and Zongge'er to wait somewhere else."

Old Duke Lian smiled and waved his hand: "You go."

Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong left the Lu family and followed Qingyun to the side.

After walking half a circle around the New Year's greeting hall, Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong came to the door of a room behind the hall.

Opening the door, Xu Zaijing took a look and found that Xu was a concubine who came to the palace to pay New Year's greetings on the first day of the lunar month. There were many relatives.

This room is separated by rows of doors.

"Wu Lang, Brother Zong, just take a seat in the room. His Highness will come over in a moment." Qing Yun said standing at the door of the room.

Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong nodded and entered the room.

After sitting down for a while,

Zhao Fang, whom he had just met before, walked in wearing light golden clothes.

"I have met His Highness."

The two stood up and cupped their hands.

Zhao Fang was older than Lu Zezong. Looking at the two people standing up, Zhao Fang waved his hands in an imposing manner: "Brother Jing, Brother Zong, sit down, sit down."

"Brother Jing, did you see the fireworks last night?"

Zhao Fang said first with a smile.

Xu Zaijing nodded.

"Hey, I lit two of them myself."

Seeing the surprised looks in Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong's eyes, Zhao Fang's face was full of pride.

"Your Highness is so brave!"

Lu Zezong looked at Zhao Fang, who was a few years older than him, and said.

Zhao Fang touched his nose.

In fact, the fuse for the fireworks last night was seven to eight feet long. When the fuse was lit, there were four internal officials like Qingyun standing in front of Zhao Fang.

Just before Zhao Fang and Xu Zaijing spoke,

In the room next door to the room where Xu Zaijing and others were located, there was only one partition between them.

Rong Feiyan was sitting on a chair, holding Concubine Rong's daughter in her arms, the youngest princess of the current emperor.

The little princess was hugged by Rong Feiyan, and her little hand held one of Rong Feiyan's fingers that was as tender as an onion.

When voices came from next door, Rong Feiyan didn't take it seriously.

But when she heard Zhao Fang calling someone, Rong Feiyan was stunned.

Because from the sound of the voice, it seemed that the 'Brother Jing' in Zhao Fang's mouth was sitting on the other side of the partition behind her.

If there was no partition, the two of them would be back to back.

Listening intently to the words "Fan Lou, Western Army, Military Attache, Second Day" and other words behind her, Rong Feiyan understood clearly. It seemed that the prince had gone out of the palace to have dinner with the soldiers of the Western Army a few days ago.

"Feiyan? What do you think?"

Mrs. Rong, who was sitting in the room, asked.

Rong Feiyan was stunned for a moment, then glanced at the little princess in her arms and said, "That's what mother said."

"Look, Madam, Feiyan also thinks that the Qi family is better than the Xu family!" Lady Rong said.

Rong Feiyan: "."

Concubine Rong glanced at Rong Feiyan, but did not expose Rong Feiyan's absent-mindedness. She said: "These long-standing nobles in Beijing have always looked down on our family! The Duke of Qi is famous in Bianjing. It’s so noble. Mother, please think more about it.”

"Brother Xian can get married to the Duke of Fuguo. How can Princess Pingning look down on Feiyan's outstanding appearance and charisma?" Mrs. Rong blinked and said with some lack of confidence.

Concubine Rong shook her head slightly: "Then what help can our family give Young Master Qi in his career in the future?"

Mrs. Rong was speechless for a moment and hesitated: "Your Majesty, the Lu family? Their eldest son, Sanlang, is older than Feiyan. Although I heard that it has a bad reputation, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. It has been passed down for several generations." The Duke of the country."

Concubine Rong closed her eyes and took a deep breath: "Mother has never thought about Gu Erlang of Ningyuan Marquis Mansion?"

"Gu Erlang? Her biological mother is from a salt merchant's family, which is lower than ours." Looking at Concubine Rong's serious eyes, Concubine Rong shut her mouth.

"Mom, others have said this about our family! You shouldn't look down on yourself and join in their troubles!"

After Concubine Rong finished speaking,

The room was very quiet,

The little princess seemed to be used to the appearance of her mother and concubine, so she followed Rong Feiyan's example and listened to the voices behind the door without paying much attention.

Listening to Zhao Fang on the other side saying, 'Brother Jing, you and Brother Zong sit here for a while, I'll go to the queen's side first. Don’t leave the palace gate later.’

"Auntie, it's the imperial brother who is talking." The little princess explained softly to Rong Feiyan.

Rong Feiyan looked down at the little girl in her arms and nodded.

"Concubine Rong, the empress said we can go there." An internal official said at the door.

After Concubine Rong took her daughter from Rong Feiyan, she said, "Well! Mother, sister, please sit down for a while! Then go through the corridor in the palace."

"Yes, concubine."

The mother and daughter of the Rong family stood up and responded.

In the corridor inside the palace,

After Zhao Fang left the room, he thought about the way he patted Lu Zezong, who was younger than him, on the shoulder when he left just now, and raised his lips happily.

After walking a few steps, Zhao Fang was even happier when he heard the door opening of Concubine Rong's room not far away.

After a while,

Rong Feiyan and her mother walked out of the room,

I happened to bump into Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong who were walking over together.

Mrs. Rong had a smile on her face: "Hey! We meet again, two brothers! Come on, let's go together!"

then,

Madam Rong and Lu Zezong were in the middle, Rong Feiyan and Xu Zaijing were on both sides, and the four of them were walking in the corridor of the hall.

Arriving near the front hall of the building,

There was a buzzing sound.

Behind the high platform where the dragon chair is located, the four people who came together separated in a tacit understanding and walked forward from one side of the high platform.

Rong Feiyan didn't even look in Xu Zaijing's direction during the whole trip.

But when her sight was about to be blocked by the high platform, she couldn't help but glance in the direction of Xu Zaijing.

In the main hall,

Many noble officials and their families have already entered the palace and are talking in the palace.

Xu Zaijing came out from behind the dragon chair platform and attracted a lot of attention.

The seat of the Duke of England Zhang family was very close to the dragon throne. Standing behind the Duke of England's wife, Wu Niang of the Zhang family looked at Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong who walked in and said, "Brother Jing, you went to the back hall. I thought you were not coming!"

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Wu Niang, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to Brother Jing and Brother Zong." Wu Niang said with a smile.

Xu Zaijing smiled, bowed to the Duke of England's wife and walked towards his home.

Lu Zezong followed behind Xu Zaijing, greeted Sun and Hua Lan, and was then sent back to the Lu family by Xu Zaijing.

Back near the Xu family's seat,

Xu Zaijing stood on tiptoe and looked around the hall. This year, there were obviously more wives of military officers and nobles in the hall than before.

There were a few wives who had never seen before. They were dressed luxuriously, but their faces were a little nervous. It was obviously their first time to enter the palace to pay New Year's greetings.

Xu Zaijing thought about it and felt that they were probably the wives of the generals who had made great contributions in the previous destruction of Baigao.

When Xu Zaijing was looking at the situation in the hall, there were still families of noble officials who entered the hall under the shouts of the eunuchs.

Ningyuan Hou Gu's family was located,

Gu Shixing was sitting on Bai's lap, Pingmei, Gu Tingye and Gu Tingyi were standing beside him.

Pingmei looked at Gu Tingye who kept turning his head curiously and said: "Brother Ye, what's wrong?"

Gu Tingye shook his head puzzledly and said: "Sister-in-law, I don't know why, I always feel that someone is looking at me."

Looking at the young version of Bai - Gu Tingyi rolling his eyes secretly, Pingmei smiled and smoothed the wrinkles of her clothes.

After smoothing the wrinkles, Pingmei relied on her tall stature to look around.

Then Pingmei lowered her head and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and leaned close to Bai's ear and said: "Mother-in-law, I see that the eldest lady of the Rong family is looking at us."

Hearing this, Bai looked in the direction of Rong Fei and saw Rong's eldest lady talking to Rong Fei.

At Rong Fei's place,

Mrs. Rong whispered to Rong Fei: "I see, how come Gu Erlang looks more and more like Ningyuan Hou as he grows older? They are not cut from the same mold, but his eyebrows and eyes..."

When the palace was very lively,

Jiying Lane

Sheng Family

Jin'an Zhai

The floor heating in the room was very warm.

Beside the embroidery frame under the bright window, a woman with bright eyes was humming a little tune while embroidering.

A little maid, about eleven or twelve years old, who was about the same age as Minglan, lifted the cotton curtain and walked in.

Wei Shuyi, who was standing in front of the embroidery frame, looked back and said, "Hmm? Qiujiang, did the old lady not let Brother Qian come back?"

The maid squatted down and said, "Miss, no! I didn't make it to Shou'an Hall."

Wei Shuyi asked in confusion, "Ah? What happened? Where is Xiaodie?"

"Sister Xiaodie said she was waiting at the intersection over there. She heard that there seemed to be a man from outside who was going to Shou'an Hall, so the lady ordered to temporarily block the maids in the backyard."

Wei Shuyi nodded.

"Miss, is it the boy from the family's school who is here?" the maid whispered.

"No, there is no need for those boys to come."

As she said that, Wei Shuyi turned around and continued to work in front of the embroidery frame.

Half a minute later,

Xiaodie returned to Jin'anzhai.

The maid Qiujiang asked curiously, "Sister Xiaodie, where did the guest come from? Did you find out clearly?"

Wei Shuyi also looked over.

Xiaodie warmed her hands in front of the stove in the house, smiled and glanced at Wei Shuyi and Qiu Jiang, and said, "I heard from Madam Cui that the people that the old lady had selected from the farm in the south to serve under Marquis Yongyi have returned to the capital."

"I heard that three or four elite warriors were rewarded and promoted. When I came back, they were kowtowing to the old lady in Shou'an Hall to wish her a happy new year."