Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 651: Apricot blossom rain, willow wind, I want to speak up for my fifth brother [Thank you! Thank you again! I owe you 37k more]

Yinshi (before 4 a.m.)
It's still early.

The yard was dark.

"Click."

There was the sound of a bolt being removed.

After the door is opened,
Xu Zaijing and Qingcao, who was carrying a lantern, walked out one after another.

After taking a few steps toward the door, Xu Zaijing stopped.

"Sir?"

Qingcao looked at Xu Zaijing in confusion.

"Hiss! Huh!" Xu Zaijing let out a long breath and said, "A good rain really knows when to fall."

"what?"

Qingcao, holding the lantern, leaned towards the outside of the corridor.

In the bright yellow candlelight, Qingcao saw that the blue bricks next to the porch columns were half wet.

"Sir, it rained in the middle of the night! I didn't hear any sound of rain at all." Qingcao said in surprise.

"Let's go."

"Ah."

Qingcao quickly followed Xu Zaijing and said with a smile, "Sir, this scene is just like the scene in the poem 'The wind sneaks into the night, moistening everything silently', right?"

Xu Zaijing glanced at Qingcao and said with a smile, "It seems that you have not listened to Zhuang Xuejiu's lectures in vain in the past few years."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir." Qingcao bowed with a smile.

The master and servant walked down the corridor, feeling the raindrops falling on their faces. Qingcao touched her cheek and said in surprise, "Sir, it's still raining. I'll go back and get an umbrella."

"It's raining so light, why take an umbrella? Let's go."

"Oh."

Qingcao lowered his head and responded. When he looked up again, he felt the cloak on his back move.

After a moment, the hood of the cloak covered the grass.

"Thank you, sir."

"Ah."

Xu Zaijing responded as he put on the hood of his cloak.

After more than half an hour,

After finishing his exercise, Xu Zaijing was sweating slightly.

The drizzle of spring rain in the early morning also made Xu Zaijing's clothes very wet.

After changing into dry clothes, Xu Zaijing went to his mother's yard.

His younger sister Ning Meiduo was sleeping, and Xu Zaijing rarely saw her, and today was no exception.

early morning,

On the way to Sheng’s house,

The spring rain was still falling, and some rain water had accumulated in some potholes on the street.

At this time, vendors had already set up their stalls on the street early, and the candlelight under the tarpaulin was reflected on the water surface in the potholes.

There was also some light, coming from the candles under the eaves of the military patrol shops on the roadside, or the lanterns in the hands of the night watchmen who were telling the time.

Looking at the morning scenery, Xu Zaijing tapped the horse's belly lightly and continued to move forward.

The air in the early morning is fresh, but it is occasionally mixed with the smell of charcoal smoke.

of course,

Spring blossoms,

You can often see flower vendors carrying flower baskets on the road.

The flower vendor did not sing loudly at this time. I think it was because it was still early. Singing loudly would disturb people's sleep. The flowers would not be sold and he would be scolded. That would not be worth it.

Qingcao, who was in the carriage at the back, would occasionally lift the curtain and look out.

In the candlelight on the roadside, Qingcao's eyes lit up and she called out to a flower vendor.

"Hey, are the flowers in your basket osmanthus?"

The flower vendor looked at the tall and luxurious carriage parked beside him, nodded continuously, and said, "You have a really good eye, it's the wood fragrance flower."

After asking the price, Qingcao didn't bargain and just bought a bunch.

It rained in the morning and became sunny the next day.

After Chenshi (7 am), the sun slowly rises behind the clouds.

Jiying Lane,
Sheng Family Outer Courtyard,

The ground was wet by the rain and some traces of rain could be seen.

There were chewing sounds in the stable,

That's a horse eating grass in a trough.

Qingyun had already wiped the rain off the little black colt's body and hung the used towel on the wooden fence of the stable to dry. The towel would flutter from time to time in the spring breeze.

Schoolyard,

outside the house,

Zhuang Xuejiu was holding a book in his hand, and he looked at Chang Zhang who was following him with a smile on his face, and said with a smile: "Qi Lang, do you know what the word 'ambiguous' in this poem means?"

Seeing Chang Qiang's thoughtful expression, Zhuang Xuejiu did not rush him. He just looked up, smiled, stroked his beard, and admired the clouds in the sky.

After walking a few steps,
The figures of Xuejiu and Changzhang were blocked by the green bamboo in the yard and disappeared from the sight of the people in the school.

In the school,
The moment the two people disappeared, Rulan's upright sitting posture quickly deformed.

In the classroom, which had been very quiet just now, low voices were heard.

Rulan turned her head and glanced at the servants and maids sitting on the wooden platform at the back.

At this time, Changfeng's servant was sitting on the wooden platform. He leaned on the servant Han Niu's body, tilted his head towards the sky with his mouth open, and looked like he was about to fall asleep.

After curling her lips in disdain, Rulan whispered to Minglan, "Sixth sister, my aunt sent some mutton over a few days ago. I'll let her..."

"Fifth sister, if you don't study, I have several brothers who need to study. Can you please stop talking?" Molan in front said while writing without turning her head.

"I you!" Rulan turned around and seemed to be hesitant to speak.

Then, Rulan turned back and lowered her voice and said, "I'll ask Xi Que to prepare the mutton first. Come to my yard and we'll roast the mutton together."

Before I finished speaking,

Seeing Minglan looking behind her, Rulan turned around again, looked at Molan who turned back and glared at her, then glanced at Changbai, but in the end she said nothing.

After taking a few deep breaths, Rulan, who was a little angry, looked down in front of her.

On the table in front of Rulan,
The paperweight is holding down high-quality rice paper, without a trace of ink on the paper.

If she dared to tear such a paper, her father Sheng Hong would know, and Zhuang Xuejiu and her brothers in the academy would all glare at her.

Rulan thought about it and finally decided not to take action.

Looking back at Minglan who was practicing calligraphy, and the paper in front of Minglan with words written on both sides, Rulan picked up a piece of paper.

After just a tear, Changbai in front turned his head with a serious expression and looked at her, which made Rulan pause.

After seeing that Rulan's hand contained a piece of waste paper covered with words, Changbai straightened up and continued to write with his head down.

See here,

Rulan continued her actions. After tearing off a piece of paper, she rolled it into a ball, took a few aim, and threw it out.

"oops."

Molan, who was writing, was startled and looked around in panic.

After seeing the ball of paper falling beside her, Molan realized what had happened and looked back angrily.

Rulan held the brush in her hand, looked at Molan who turned back, and said, "Fourth sister, why are you screaming? If you don't study, I still have to study!"

"You!" Molan frowned and glared at Rulan.

Rulan glared at Molan with a look of as if to say, "What can you do to me?" and looked at her smugly.

Seeing the look in Qi Heng's eyes, Mo Lan took a deep breath and said, "A great man should not bear grudges against a small man! Humph!"

After saying that, he turned around.

"What's the difference between adults and children?" Rulan muttered in a low voice.

He continued to ball up the paper while muttering to himself.

Xu Zaijing, who was sitting behind Gu Tingye, noticed the "Shuanglan War" not far away from the corner of his eye, and smiled and shook his head without even looking up.

"Clap."

Another ball of paper was thrown over, and Molan took a visibly deep breath.

Rulan turned to look at Minglan and said, "It's too troublesome for me to organize it by myself. Sixth sister, please hurry up and gather some help for me."

"Oh."

Minglan pursed her lips and nodded.

When Rulan was preparing for the third attack, Zhuang Xuejiu and Chang Jian appeared behind the bamboo.

Rulan immediately sat up straight, not looking around.

When Zhuang Xuejiu's figure disappeared again and Rulan was about to continue attacking, she saw Changbai in front of her turned around and glanced at her.

Rulan pursed her lips with a timid look in her eyes. After putting down the ball of paper in her hand, she picked up the brush and started writing obediently.

"Humph!"

Molan in front looked back at Rulan and snorted complacently.

Rulan glanced outside and saw Zhuang Xuejiu and Chang Zhao approaching, so she had no choice but to give up.

Enter the house,
Master Zhuang motioned for Chang Qiang to sit down, then he gently patted his palms with the book in his hands.

"Clap!"

After glancing at the students who raised their heads and the two paper balls on the ground, Zhuang Xuejiao said, "Mr. Wu Liu sticks to his true nature. His poems "Returning to the Garden and Countryside" are simple yet elegant, thin yet rich. I will read one of them for you to appreciate the seclusion and transcendence in it."

"Yes, academic."

Xu Zaijing and others nodded in agreement.

"There is no vulgar rhyme for young people."

As Master Zhuang was reciting, everyone in the school began to write down their own insights.

The three Lans also held pens in their hands. Minglan and Molan wrote a few words, but Rulan took the opportunity when the scholar turned around to throw the paper ball in her hand away.

Seeing this scene, Xu Zaijing shook his head helplessly.

It’s hard to say whether Rulan is brave or timid.

suddenly,

Xu Zaijing was stunned.
He turned his head to look in the direction of the three Lans, pondered for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.

The reason is simple: this scene is one of the images in his memory.

Minglan, who was still a little girl a few years ago, has now grown into a young lady.

Xu Zaijing glanced over and saw that Minglan's eyes were less cautious and more bright and lively, as she had not experienced the pain of losing her mother and had grown up healthily under the care of the old lady.

Minglan, who was covering her mouth and laughing softly, noticed the gaze from the side. She moved her eyes slightly and looked over. It was Qi Heng who was looking at her sideways.

Minglan quickly turned her gaze forward while they were not looking at each other. Qi Heng also turned around and continued to write with his head down.

"Well?"

After realizing something was wrong, Minglan blinked and turned to look in the direction of her third brother Changfeng.

Looking past Chang Feng's figure, Minglan realized that it was Xu Zaijing, who was also looking at her.

Minglan was startled and tried to look into Xu Zaijing's eyes, suppressing her shyness.

After taking a look, Minglan realized that although Xu Zaijing was looking at her, he didn't blink, and he seemed to be in a trance?

Seeing this, Minglan glanced at Xu Zaijing's face again.

Before he could look away, Xu Zaijing blinked, his eyes became clear, and he looked back at Minglan.

Minglan's eyes immediately became flustered and vague. After shifting her gaze to look at Changfeng, she quickly lowered her head and started writing with the brush.

Not knowing what he was thinking of, Xu Zaijing smiled and shook his head, then continued writing on the paper.

in the afternoon,

Shengjia Academy,

Zhuang Xuejiu, who was sitting in front of the screen, said in a deep voice: "That's all for today, everyone please go away."

After everyone responded, the servants on the wooden platform at the back came forward to pack up.

The three Lans didn't have much stuff, so the maids packed it up quickly.

So, the three Lans left the school before Xu Zaijing and others left.

Minglan walked to the door and looked back at the school before leaving.

unfortunately,

At this time, Qingcao was standing beside Xu Zaijing packing her things, blocking Minglan's view.

So Minglan turned around and left the door with a little disappointment.

Pass through the Moon Gate and enter the inner courtyard.
After walking a few steps on the veranda,
Minglan heard voices coming from the front.

"Fifth sister, just wait! I will definitely report to father today that you didn't pay attention in class and even threw paper balls at me!"

"Fourth sister, my mother is the mistress of the household, and I am a legitimate daughter. I threw a paper ball at a concubine's daughter like you. Is it my fault?"

"You! Father said that in our family, only the elders are respected, not the legitimate ones. You are going against Father's will by saying this."

"Look at your flowing hair, you look like a fairy. Humph!" Rulan hummed and looked towards the school, saying, "Why hasn't the sixth girl come yet? Forget it, I won't wait for her."

Having said that, Rulan flicked her sleeves and walked towards Weiruixuan proudly.

Seeing that there was no opponent left, Molan rolled his eyes at Rulan's back, straightened his chest and raised his head and said, "Let's go back to Linqi Pavilion."

On the way,

Yun Zai, who was carrying a book box, glanced at Mo Lan's face and said, "Girl?"

Molan asked without stopping: "What's wrong?"

"Miss, today I heard Miss Qingcao and Xiaotao, who are beside Master Xu Wu, talking to each other."

"Green grass? What did this girl say?"

"Reply to the young lady, tell her that she heard Master Xu Wu recite two lines of poetry."

"Poetry? What poem?"

"I remember it was 'The rain from the apricot blossoms wets my clothes, The wind from the willow trees blows on my face without making me feel cold'"

"Click" Molan stopped.

He frowned and looked at Yun Zai beside him, saying, "Read it again."

Yun Zai repeated what he was told.

After listening to this, Molan took a deep breath, looked at the spring scenery in the Sheng family courtyard, nodded with affirmation in her eyes and said, "These two lines of poetry sound really good. I wonder if they were written by Brother Xu Wu himself, or from some poetry collection."

Yun Zai on the side also nodded.

After saying that, Molan continued walking forward.

Return to Linqi Pavilion.

"Mother? Mother!"

Molan shouted with a smile.

quickly,

Lin Qinshuang, holding a handkerchief and smiling, appeared at the door with Zhou Xueniang.

After approaching, Molan looked at Lin Qinshuang and said, "Mother, you look like you are in a good mood?"

Lin Qinshuang smiled and pulled Molan towards the house, saying, "Mo'er, your father came to me just now and brought a note."

"Post? Whose is it?" Molan asked with interest.

Lin Qinshuang smiled and said, "It belongs to Mr. Shen."

Molan was stunned and said, "Mr. Shen? This gentleman's family has sent an invitation, and it has nothing to do with you, mother, right? It's a big deal if you go."

Lin Qinshuang's smile froze and she looked at Molan with a hint of blame in her eyes.

Knowing that she had said something wrong, Molan pursed her lips and did not continue speaking.

"Young lady, the fourth young lady is just being frank." Zhou Xuenniang advised.

Molan smiled ingratiatingly.

Lin Qinshuang then took a deep breath and continued, "Mr. Shen's son married General Zheng Jun's daughter. The Shen family also has a daughter who grew up in the south."

Molan's eyes lit up: "Mother, is this the post from this girl?"

Lin Qinshuang smiled and nodded: "Your eldest sister is the eldest lady of the Marquis's Mansion, and your sister Shulan married the young doctor Yu, who also has a close relationship with the Shen family. That's why our family got this invitation."

"I heard from your father that at that time, the girls were either from official families or the legitimate daughters of noble families, and there would be poetry gatherings and elegant gatherings."

Hearing this, Molan smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother. I will definitely bring honor to the Sheng family. By the way, mother, should I go alone?"

Lin Qinshuang glared at Molan and asked, "What do you think?"

After thinking about it, Molan said with a rather disdainful tone: "We should bring Rulan and Minglan with us, so that they don't show their cowardice and bring shame to the Sheng family."

"Good Mo'er, perform well that day and beat the other two courtyards! Talk to your father about it when you come back, and bring honor to our Linqi Pavilion."

"Don't worry, mother."

A few days later,
The spring is bright and the breeze is warm.

The three Lan's seats in the school were vacant again, making Qi Heng feel a little empty.

The atmosphere in Prime Minister Shen's mansion was the opposite of Qi Heng's mood and was quite lively.

Lord Shen has been an official for many years and is a giant in the officialdom of southern Zhou.

Today, Miss Shen is holding a poetry gathering, and naturally many noble ladies from the capital are here.

The second gate of Shen's family,

Gu Tingyi, who was not yet married, stepped on the horse stool and got off the carriage.

After squinting slightly because of the bright sunlight, Gu Tingyi finally adapted to the light outside the car.

Subsequently,

Gu Tingyi followed the maid of the Shen family towards the yard.

The Shen family's mansion was granted by the emperor, and its size was very consistent with the official position of Prime Minister Shen.

After walking along the corridor for a while and passing through a moon gate, Gu Tingyi entered a garden.

Looking around, Gu Tingyi's eyes lit up, and he walked to the side with the maid, full of surprise and astonishment.

"Wu Niang, why are you here?"

This Wu Niang is the granddaughter of Minister Li of the Ministry of Personnel. Since she was selected as Zhao Fang's fourth wife, she has not appeared in public for a long time.

After asking, Gu Tingyi bowed to the female official beside Li Jia Wu Niang.

The female official bowed slightly and returned the greeting.

Li Jia Wu Niang narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled, "I have learned the rules from the maids in the palace for a long time at home, and today I came out to relax and have fun."

"Oh!" Gu Tingyi nodded with a smile.

"Sister Tingyi, I heard that you are getting married soon, so I would like to congratulate you in advance." Li Jia Wu Niang said with a smile.

"Okay, okay." Gu Tingyi replied shyly.

When the two of them were talking,
Another noble lady appeared at the Moon Gate.

Li Jia Wu Niang narrowed her eyes and said, "Sister Tingyi, can you help me see who that is? I think it looks like Sister Chaoyun."

"Wu Niang, you are not mistaken, it is the girl from the Hai family."

Saying,

The protagonist of their conversation walked over quickly.

"Wu Niang, why are you here?"

Hai Chaoyun asked in the same tone as Gu Tingyi.

Li Jia Wu Niang smiled and gave another explanation.

Li Jia Wu Niang was short-sighted and liked to look at people with her eyes narrowed while smiling. However, she was knowledgeable but not arrogant. She had a good relationship with the noble ladies in the capital.

She would also be one of Zhao Fang's four wives in the future. With the two of them combined, Li Jia Wu Niang would soon have a lot of people around her.

Whether it was Chai Zhengzheng, Rong Feiyan, or Zhang Jiawu Niang, after arriving at the Shen family, they would come to Li Jiawu Niang first.

When the four Lans from the Sheng family arrived at the Shen family, they saw a group of noble ladies who were gathered together talking.

After some joking,

Miss Shen and Zhen also appeared in the garden.

When talking to everyone, in addition to several noble ladies of the top noble families in the capital, Shen Hezhen also talked to the four Lans of the Sheng family, especially Pinlan, holding her hand and saying a few more words, which attracted the attention of the less noble ladies.

After all, Pinlan rarely appears in this circle, and the people Pinlan deals with most are the legitimate daughters of wealthy businessmen in Bianliang.

There was a noble lady who was not familiar with the four Lans of the Sheng family, and she asked her friend nearby the reason.

After asking around, I ended up asking Gu Tingyi.

Gu Tingyi didn't need to say much. He just said that Sheng Jia Pinlan was the sister-in-law of Yu Xiaoyiguan, and the noble ladies understood the relationship.

Shen Hezhen's biological brother was rescued by Junior Medical Officer Yu, so their relationship is naturally special.

Subsequently,

The poetry meeting begins.
After changing a few words and phrases to describe the scenery, I finally came to the word "spring rain".

After the ladies finished thinking and read out their works, Molan stood up, fanning herself with a round fan.

"My little sister was at home, and she did come up with a couple of lines of poetry."

Shen Hezhen, who was sitting next to him, smiled and held out her hand: "Fourth Sister Sheng, please."

Molan smiled and bowed, looking around, glancing at Rong Feiyan, and said with a smile: "The rain from the apricot blossoms wets my clothes, and the wind from the willows blows on my face without making me feel cold."

After reading the two sentences,

The garden, which had been noisy just now, suddenly became quiet.

Li's Fifth Lady nodded with shining eyes: "Good, very good, the Fourth Miss of the Sheng Family is really talented."

Beside the proud Molan, Rulan whispered, "Fourth sister, if you don't tell the truth, I will stand up for Brother Xu Wu!"

(End of this chapter)