Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 632: No favors and be prepared! [Thank you! Goodbye! 36k more to go]

evening,

The sky is dark,

The north wind howled,

The previous snow particles have now turned into snowflakes.

Quyuan Street,
Yong Yi Hou Mansion,

The wooden roof next to the racecourse had turned white, and the unclear chimney on top was emitting blue smoke.

There was no lantern under the eaves of the wooden house, replaced by a dark iron lamp standing not far from the door.

The iron lamp was made of fine iron, and its solid pedestal was extremely heavy. Even though the north wind was quite strong at this moment, the iron lamp remained motionless.

Translucent paper was fixed on the four sides of the lamp room, and the warm yellow candlelight illuminated the surrounding area.

The snowflakes that were invisible in the night suddenly appeared within the range of the light and fell down one after another.

"Click."

The door of the wooden house was opened.

The candlelight in the house reflected on the ground in front of the door.

"Although it's almost the Minor Snow season, it's not too cold in the north right now. Judging from the situation over there, your father and brothers probably won't be able to come back!"

"Master, you are right. I have also read some historical records. There is a record that Northern Liao attacked the former Baigao in winter."

"Correct!"

After a while, Xu Zaijing, who had finished talking to Yin Bo, stood at the door and waved his hand, saying, "Master, please stay in the room and don't come out."

Uncle Yin in the room nodded.

Xu Zaijing walked out of the house, and Qingcao, who was following behind him, bowed to Yin Bofu who was inside the house, closed the door, and hurriedly trotted after him.

Looking at the vast expanse of white outside the house, the master and servant stepped on the snow and realized that there was snow on the surface and melted snow water underneath. When they stepped on it, the footprints quickly turned black.

Xu Zai Jingyuaner,
"The master is back!"

Walking through the green grass of the grape trellis, I called out to Xu Zaijing,
After a while,
The door of the main house was opened, Yun Xiang and Hua Xiang lifted the cotton curtain, and one of them walked to the porch in front of the door with a duster in his hand, smiled at the two people walking in the yard, and bowed: "Young Master."

"Ah."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Entered the house,
Keep the snow outside the door,
Yun Xiang hurriedly took the cloak that Xu Zaijing had taken off and swept it carefully with the duster in his hand.

Xu Zaijing went straight into the study.

Qingcao put down the bookcase, looked at Huaxiang beside her, and said with a smile: "Sister Huaxiang, I will do it myself. You go and give the young master a warm-up drink first."

"Yes, sister."

Hua Xiang should leave.

Qingcao stepped forward and helped Yunxiang hold up Xu Zaijing's cloak so that Yunxiang could sweep away the fallen snow.

Xu Zaijing's cloak was quite large, and when it was opened, it covered the entire green grass.

"Sister Qingcao."

Yun Xiang leaned over from the side, looked at the green grass behind his cloak and said, "The concierge sent a letter to our courtyard at noon today. It was addressed to you."

"Ah? My letter?"

"Well, it seems to be sent from your hometown."

In the study,
Xu Zaijing was holding a small plate in his hand, standing next to the fish tank that had been wiped very clean. His eyes were full of thoughts, and he would occasionally throw a few pinches of fish food into the tank.

He had read historical records before and knew that Northern Liao had mobilized troops in winter more than 40 years ago. They wanted to take advantage of the civil strife in Baigao to attack, but they ended up winning first and then losing.

My father and brother will not return to Beijing this year, and I don’t know whether they will send troops to attack Northern Liao.

After thinking for a while,

"Young master, have a drink of hot water to warm yourself up, and change your cotton boots." Hua Xiang said with a smile.

"it is good."

When Xu Zaijing changed his boots,
Outside the study,
Qingcao, who had already put everything in place, was holding a piece of letter paper in her hand and standing next to the lantern, looking at it carefully in the candlelight.

After looking for a while, Qingcao frowned.

After folding the letter, Qingcao thought for a moment and walked towards the study.

"Son."

Looking at Qingcao who came into the house with a letter in his hand, Xu Zaijing stood up in his new cotton boots and asked with a smile: "What's the matter?"

As he spoke, Hua Xiang carried out his old cotton boots that were soaked in several places, and closed the study door when he left.

Qingcao nodded and said hesitantly: "Sir, this servant..."

Looking at Qingcao who was talking, Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Well? If you have anything to say, just say it."

Qingcao pursed her lips and said with a worried tone, "My brother and his wife in my hometown sent me a letter saying that something had happened to my marriage. Last month, he ran away from home out of anger and there has been no news of him for some time."

Xu Zaijing's smile disappeared, and he frowned and said, "Something happened? I remember during the Dragon Boat Festival, didn't you say you would introduce a girl from a Juren family to me?"

Qingcao lowered his head and said, "It is said that after the Dragon Boat Festival, the girl eloped with someone."

"Let's go privately. Qingcao, do you want to go home and help look for it?" Xu Zaijing asked.

Qingcao shook her head, "No, sir. My brother and his wife said in the letter that someone saw me following the Taiping cart team that was carrying goods to Beijing. He must have come to Bianjing to seek refuge with me. They asked me to keep an eye on him."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "That's easy."

After a moment's silence, Xu Zaijing said, "Tomorrow, ask the famous painters in Kaifeng Prefecture to paint a portrait of your little brother and put it outside the city gates. Please keep an eye on it."

Hearing this, Qingcao lowered his head.

Looking at Qingcao's appearance, Xu Zaijing rolled his eyes and said softly, "Qingcao, don't you know what your younger brother looks like now?"

Qingcao nodded: "Yes, sir."

"What's your name, how old are you, and what your characteristics are. Do you remember them?"

"I remember, I remember, my name is Yuan Feixing, I am fourteen years old this year, but I don't know my characteristics."

"Scars, warts, moles, etc., I don't know?"

Qingcao shook her head and said anxiously, "Sir, I don't have these things on me."

"Yes! I know the name and it's a carriage team, so it's easy to find." As he said that, Xu Zaijing walked out of the study and said, "Qingcao, don't worry, it's useless to worry!"

"Yes, son."

Turn around,

early morning,

The snow has stopped.

When I get up early to exercise,
Yun Xiang, who was supposed to accompany Xu Zaijing, did not show up, but was replaced by Qingcao.

"Crench, crunch."

The snow that melted last night had frozen again in the middle of the night, and it made quite a noise when one stepped on it.

On the way to the racecourse, Qingcao, who was carrying a lantern, glanced at Xu Zaijing and said, "Sir, to do my work, you have to spend favors and money. I'd better give the things in the storehouse to you."

Xu Zaijing exhaled a breath of white air, looked at the green grass with a smile, and said: "Such a small matter will not cost your master's favor. At most, it will cost some money."

"Oh." Qingcao nodded.

After walking for a while, we came to the aisle leading directly to the racecourse.

"But, Qingcao you..." Xu Zaijing didn't continue.

"Young Master, what's wrong?" Qingcao looked at Xu Zaijing in the light of the lantern, her eyes full of confusion.

After thinking it over, Xu Zaijing exhaled and said, "It's nearly 2,000 miles from Wushang County to Bianjing, and it's when the weather turns cold. You should be prepared."

"Ah? Accurate." Looking at Xu Zaijing's eyes, Qingcao suddenly understood something.

"Crack."

The lantern light flickered.
Qingcao was distracted by his thoughts and his feet slipped. If Xu Zaijing hadn't been quick, he would have fallen.

"Thank you, sir!" Qingcao said, holding Xu Zaijing's arm.

Xu Zaijing shook his head and said, "It's a small matter! But what I just said, Qingcao, do you understand?" Under the light of the lantern, Qingcao slowly exhaled white air from her nose and nodded, "Sir, I understand. I will make plans in my mind!"

"Ah."

Saying,

The master and servant continued walking towards the racecourse.

Nothing to do in winter,

After the snow again,

In Bianjing, no matter rich or poor, most people would take advantage of this weather to visit relatives and have gatherings for banquets.

The first quarter of the Si hour (after 9:00 a.m.)
Sunny weather,

"Shut up!"

As the driver shouted,
Several carriages stopped steadily in front of the gate of a house.

"arrive."

In the warm carriage, Mrs. Chai said with a smile, holding the hand warmer in one hand.

While speaking, Mrs. Chai also lifted the car curtain on the side.

When the carriage benches are placed outside,

Mrs. Chai then took her daughter and daughter-in-law out of the carriage.

Chai Zhengzheng got off the carriage with the help of the maid and the nanny beside him. He raised his head and looked towards the gate of the mansion. The plaque that caught his eye had the words "Cheng Mansion" on it.

This is Chai Zhengzheng’s maternal grandfather’s home.

Greeted by his aunt, cousin and other relatives, Chai Zhengzheng, his mother and sister-in-law entered the Cheng family's yard together.

On the way to the inner courtyard,

Chai Zhengzheng's aunt and Mrs. Chai smiled and said, "Sister, what a coincidence! After our family knew you were coming, Qi Niang and the others' invitations also arrived."

Mrs. Chai smiled and said, "Oh? Are they here?"

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family smiled and nodded: "He came at noon, and said he wanted to have breakfast at our house."

"My cousins ​​are really thrifty. Maybe my mother-in-law will even praise them." Chai Zhengzheng said with a smile.

"Hahaha, Zhengzheng, if your sisters knew what you said, they would tear your mouth apart." said Chai Zhengzheng's second aunt.

Chai Zhengzheng's sister-in-law beside him also laughed.

We came to the backyard, chatting and laughing.

Before entering the house, I saw several women and girls standing at the door with smiles on their faces.

Welcoming them into the warm house, after some greetings, the young people sat in one room and the middle-aged people sat in another room, each chatting privately.

Young people here,
There are maids and mothers standing around
The room was very warm with the heating on. Chai Zhengzheng had taken off his cloak and was only wearing ordinary clothes.

Standing in front of the couch, Chai Zhengzheng smiled fondly at the one-year-old boy and said, "Brother Hao, come here and call me auntie."

Looking at Chai Zhengzheng, the little boy didn't say anything, but just hid in his mother's arms.

Seeing this, Chai Zhengzheng looked at his cousin and said, "Seventh sister, has Brother Hao called for help?"

"He only knows how to call grandma, mother and dad. He doesn't know anything else." Cheng Jia Qi Niang said with a smile.

This Cheng Qinniang married the eldest son of Zhu, the Marquis of Chengping, whose family lived in Guangfufang. Xu Zaijing and his brother attended the wedding.

At the wedding banquet on the day of this man's marriage, Huang Qingyue from Shoushanbo's family was ambushed and almost made a fool of himself.

"If you don't want to call me auntie, can I hug you then?" Chai Zhengzheng looked at the little boy and smiled.

Looking at Chai Zhengzheng's appearance, Xiaonan Heren's dark eyes rolled around, and he left his mother's arms and stretched out his hand towards Chai Zhengzheng.

See here,

Chai Zhengzheng's smile became brighter and brighter, and he quickly hugged the child in his arms.

The little nephew's face was tender and smooth, and his body was full of the fragrance of milk, which made Chai Zhengzheng unable to help but rub his little nephew's face.

This action made Hao Ge'er laugh.

"You are so adorable!" Chai Zhengzheng said with a smile while hugging the child.

After some laughter, the young women and girls sighed at the passing of time.

After all, when Chai Zhengzheng came to Bian Jing a few years ago, the cousins ​​were still girls when they met at Cheng's house.

Nowadays, most of them are married or even become mothers.

at noon,

The younger children were already being carried to sleep by the nurse.

Everyone sat down at the two tables prepared beside the screen.

The banquet not only includes various dishes, but also the most comfortable Bo Xia Gong (a traditional Chinese food eaten in winter).

Just smelling the tempting aroma of the soup in the room makes one's mouth water.

It was a family gathering with friends and family. Today, there were a few bottles of light-flavored wine on the table. There was no rule of not talking while eating or sleeping. Everyone ate and talked happily.

After noon,
When the atmosphere in the hall was lively,
A maid from the Cheng family lifted the cotton curtain and entered the room.
After whispering a few words to the Cheng family's eldest daughter-in-law, the Cheng family's eldest daughter-in-law stood up with some surprise on her face.

"What's wrong, sister-in-law?" asked Mrs. Chai with a smile on her face.

The other people at the table also looked towards the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family.

"The master has sent back a lot of rabbit meat and good wine." said the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family.

"Does Big Brother want us to get drunk?" Mrs. Chai laughed.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family shook her head and said, "They said it was sent by the Liang family of Yongchang Marquis Mansion."

Hearing this, the smiles of the people at the table faded slightly, and one of Chai Zhengzheng's aunts whispered, "Sending gifts for no reason at this time, is there something wrong?"

Chai Zhengzheng and several other cousins ​​stopped talking at this time, and listened to the conversation on the other side of the screen with their ears perked up in confusion.

"Yes, there must be something wrong." After her sister-in-law said this, Madam Chai continued, "But it looks like the things are not very valuable, so it seems that it is not a big deal."

Everyone nodded.

Another nanny from the Cheng family was sent out to find out what was going on, and then the banquet continued.

2:45 PM (after 3:30 PM)
The sun sets in the west,

On the way home,
In the Chai family carriage,
After drinking a few cups of wine, Chai Zhengzheng rubbed the hand warmer with both hands. Her face was slightly pink. With sparkling eyes, she looked at Madam Chai and her eldest sister-in-law and said, "Mother, sister-in-law, what is the Liang family doing? Have you asked my aunt and the others clearly?"

In the afternoon, Chai Zhengzheng and his cousins ​​finished their meal and left the table to go somewhere else, not knowing what had happened.

Madam Chai exhaled lightly, with a hint of alcohol in her breath, and nodded, "Yes. They said that the Liang family has something to ask your uncle for help."

"What's going on?"

"It seems like he wants to keep an eye on someone." Chai Zhengzheng's sister-in-law, Mrs. Lu, said on the side.

"Relatives of the Liang family?" Chai Zhengzheng asked uncertainly.

"I don't know." Mrs. Chai shook her head.

It was just a small matter, so Chai Zhengzheng didn't ask any further questions.

A few days later,
In late October,

this day,

Good times and auspicious days,

The continuous sunny days have melted most of the snow in Beijing.
This day is also the wedding day of Gu Tingye, the second son of Ningyuan Marquis.

The Gu family's inner and outer courtyards were decorated with red ribbons and were filled with joy.
The yard was bustling with people coming and going.

Chai Zhengzheng and his sister-in-law Lu accompanied Madam Chai on both sides, and they bowed and talked with the maids and nannies along the way. They walked and stopped many times before entering the hall in the backyard for receiving guests.

After staying in the hall for a while, Chai Zhengzheng left Mrs. Chai and went to talk with a few friends, laughing.

The personal maids standing beside them would lean forward from time to time and whisper to each other about some interesting stories in the capital.

Looking at his own girl who was talking on the side, Yunmu was stunned when he heard the words of Rong Feiyan's maid Xibu. He turned his head in confusion and asked, "Sister Xibu, what did you just say?"

Xibu smiled and said, "Sister Yunmu, Miss Qingzhi beside Madam Xu said that the matter that Liang Jia Liulang asked someone to do two days ago was actually entrusted by Xu Jia Wulang."

(End of this chapter)