Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 790 "Yes!" [Thank you! Bow again! 10k words owed]

Early in the morning, the sky was overcast.

Jiying Lane,
The Sheng family,

Side hall of Shou'an Hall.

"clap clap"

The rhythmic sound of raindrops hitting the ground came from outside.

The windows around the side hall were open, and fresh air would occasionally waft in, making one feel sleepy.

A table and a chair were placed by the window in the side hall. On the table was a pot and a cup, with faint white steam rising from the rim of the cup.

On the chair by the table, Minglan, dressed in a light purple silk spring dress, held a round fan and gazed absently at the scenery outside the window.

In view of,
Outside, a maidservant carrying an oil-paper umbrella hurried across the courtyard.

Swallows were taking shelter from the rain under the eaves, shaking off the raindrops and preening their feathers with their beaks from time to time. Smaller swallows nearby were imitating them.

Upon seeing this, Minglan couldn't help but laugh.

Looking into the distance, the sky was still covered with dark clouds.

A flash of light appeared in the distant clouds, and after a long while, faint rumbles of thunder could be heard.

"girl."

"girl?"

Hearing the calls in her ear, Minglan quickly looked to the side.

Looking at Xiaotao, who had her hands behind her back and looked puzzled, Minglan smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"

With her hands behind her back, Xiao Tao looked outside curiously: "Miss, what are you looking at? You seem so engrossed."

Minglan pointed to the swallows under the eaves outside the house and said a few words with a smile.

Xiao Tao smiled and nodded, then proudly took out the invitation she had hidden behind her back: "Miss, look, this is an invitation from Madam Wu's Polo Club, sent by the eldest young lady."

"Oh?"

Minglan smiled as she took the document and unfolded it to look at it.

Xiao Tao, standing nearby, said worriedly, "Miss, it's raining today, so will the polo match still be able to take place tomorrow?"

"As the saying goes, if it rains in the morning, the day will be sunny! Of course, it can be done," Minglan said while reading the post.

"Hehe, you're right, young lady! You'll definitely be able to play a good game of polo tomorrow at the polo field!" Xiao Tao laughed.

“Yes.” Minglan nodded happily.

"Xiao Tao, come help me!" Danju's voice came from the other side.

"Oh! Coming!" Xiao Tao replied and left the window.

Minglan, who had just been all smiles, turned to look out the window again. She seemed normal, but the corners of her mouth that had been turned up were now pursed.

After taking a sip of tea, Minglan continued to stare blankly out the window.

Do not know why,

Minglan suddenly thought of what had happened a few months ago.

That was the morning three days after her brothers came out of the examination hall. Zhengzheng frowned slightly after her sister Gu Jiating held her hand.

When Minglan noticed, she asked Zhengzheng with concern, "Does it hurt?"

Zhengzheng didn't answer at the time, but touched Minglan's cheek and invited her to visit the Chai family.

Minglan's cheeks were delicate, and one could feel the slight unevenness in Zhengzheng's fingertips.

At the time, Minglan thought that Zhengzheng had accidentally injured her finger while doing needlework, but Minglan no longer thought so.

Because Sister Xiaodie, who came to our house yesterday, said that she and her aunt went to Yuqing Temple outside the city.

While chatting with the young attendant at the temple, the two learned that during the imperial examinations, a wealthy family from the capital had booked the Beidou Hall at the temple.

The boy who greeted the guests sighed, not to mention the cost of booking the Beidou Palace, the guards and strong women who accompanied them for those few days were well-dressed and their every move showed that they were truly skilled.

The boy also said that he saw the believers in the temple were extremely sincere, and the ink on their prayer scrolls was mixed with blood from their fingertips. After the notice was posted, they even went back to Yuqing Temple to fulfill their vows.

By connecting several events, Minglan made a deduction.

'I wonder if Brother Xu Wu knows that Sister Zhengzheng once prayed for him like this.'

'Sister Zhengzheng, with such genuine sincerity towards Brother Xu Wu, you're sure to have a happy and fulfilling future!'

While Minglan was lost in thought,

"Miss, how about we wear this outfit tomorrow too?"

Danju and Xiaotao walked over, each wearing a dress.

Minglan quickly smiled and turned her head to look: "Yes! That's fine!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Tao happily put all the clothes in her hands and skipped outside.

Danju stayed by Minglan's side and said softly, "Miss, do you know why Sister Xiaodie came to our house yesterday?"

Minglan shook her head.

Danju said, "I heard from Qiujiang in the young lady's courtyard that Sister Xiaodie brought a very precious piece of fabric! She said it was a dowry item embroidered by a matron from a powerful and wealthy family in the capital!"

"Huh?" Minglan was quite surprised: "Isn't my mistress in charge of the business? Why is she helping with embroidery?"

“This servant doesn’t understand either! Qiu Jiang said that the young mistress even asked her to buy gold thread! Real gold thread.”

Minglan seemed to be thinking about something, and after a moment she said, "Could it be that you, my lady, are itching to use such fine fabric? But, with gold thread?"

"girl."

Danju, standing to the side, hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

Seeing Danju's expression, Minglan said, "What's wrong? Speak your mind."

Danju said, "Miss, do you think the things I helped embroider are the most talked-about happy event in the capital these past two days?"

"That material is extremely precious; it's said that only a handful of families in the capital possess it. So, are the rumors circulating in the capital true?"

“Of course it’s true,” Minglan said with a smile.

“Young lady, you were of great help and merit at Jinming Pond that day! I wonder when His Majesty and Her Majesty will reward you.”

Xiao Tao, who had put the clothes away, came back and asked curiously.

Danju, standing to the side, nodded in agreement.

Minglan smiled and shook her head, saying, "What kind of help was that? Even without me, those young masters from high-ranking families would have found a way to open the door themselves."

"Since you were in our tent that day, you didn't take a boat into the pond, so naturally you didn't see what Brother Xu Wu looked like that day."

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Crown Prince, and the Grand Chancellor are blessed with good fortune. It doesn't matter if the rescue boat arrives a little late."

"Even if I were to bestow any reward, it would have to wait until the situation in the southeast of the capital eases somewhat."

"Okay," Xiaotao replied somewhat dejectedly.

Danju stepped forward, picked up the teapot to check its temperature, and said, "Miss, did you say that Young Master Xu will be going to the polo field tomorrow?"

After hesitating for a moment, Minglan shook her head and said, "I don't know! I probably won't go, since his marriage is already arranged."

Xiao Tao said, "This servant is actually looking forward to him going!"

"Hmm?" Minglan and Danju frowned as they looked at Xiaotao.

Xiao Tao sighed with emotion and said, "During holidays, Sister Qingcao never forgets me and always sends me delicious and fun things."

"I'm so embarrassed! I haven't seen her much since after the New Year."

Minglan and Danju exchanged a smile. Minglan asked, "So, do you want Qingcao, or what Qingcao sent you?"

Xiao Tao thought for a moment and nodded affirmatively, "I want both!"

"Hahahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Minglan and Danju both burst into laughter.

Danju sighed, "Miss, the Marquis's mansion is truly extravagant. Sister Qingcao has sent quite a few furs from the north to the maids in the school over the past few years! I've also benefited from this and received a few pieces."

Xiao Tao nodded repeatedly.

In the school, Minglan was seated at the very back, close to the servants, so she naturally saw and heard a lot.

After thinking for a moment, Minglan pursed her lips and said, "But to me, it seems that Qingcao intentionally wanted to give Xiaotao something, and Xique and the others just gave it to her casually."

"Huh?" Danju and Xiaotao were both a little surprised.

"Girl, why?" Xiao Tao asked.

Minglan said slowly, "Perhaps...perhaps it's because of what Qingcao experienced in Yangzhou."

As a young maid in the old lady's courtyard, Danju naturally knew that back in Yangzhou, Qingcao was mistaken for Xiaotao and was given a basin of cold water in the dead of winter.

Xiao Tao's smile vanished. After glancing at Danju, she asked softly, "Miss, what do you think will happen to Sister Qingcao and the others after Young Master Xu gets married?"

Upon hearing this, Danju looked at Minglan with concern.

Feeling the gentle breeze blowing in from the window, Minglan said, "It's hard to say whether Huaxiang or Yunxiang will get married, but I feel that Qingcao will most likely get married."

"Ah? Marrying out? Not staying in the Marquis's mansion?" Danju looked at Minglan in surprise, then glanced at Xiaotao, who was deep in thought. Xiaotao looked at Minglan: "Miss, I think what you said makes sense!"

Turning her head to look at the puzzled Danju, Xiaotao said, "Sister Danju, you don't go to the school very often! Actually, over the years, the way Young Master Xu treats Qingcao seems more like he's looking at his younger sister."

Minglan smiled and nodded.

"Oh!" Danju nodded and said in a low voice, "This servant thought that Qingcao was like the maid in the Third Young Master's courtyard."

"The maid in the Third Young Master's courtyard?" Xiao Tao looked confused.

After glancing at Minglan, Danju said in a low voice, "When I brought Sister Xiaodie back yesterday, I ran into Miss Jiu'er. Jiu'er said that there are two outstanding maids in the Third Young Master's courtyard who have already lost their virginity."

"Huh? How did Miss Jiu'er know?" Xiao Tao asked blankly.

Danju thought for a moment: "Perhaps it was Liu's mother who noticed it."

Xiao Tao nodded and said, "No wonder."

"What's so strange?" Danju asked.

“No wonder the Third Young Master failed the imperial examination,” Xiao Tao said.

Seeing Danju's slightly reproachful look, Xiaotao quickly covered her mouth and glanced at Minglan.

"Come on, come on! Let's go get our clothes fumigated," Danju said, tugging at Xiaotao.

Before leaving with Danju, Xiaotao asked, "Miss, shall we use the same incense for each outfit?"

"Mm." Minglan nodded and continued to look at the rain scene outside the window.

the next day,
The sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.

On the street leading to Ansu Gate.

"Make way! Make way! Don't block the way!"

The shouts of yamen runners could be heard.

After a while,
"clang"

"clang"

The sound of shackles dragging on the stone slab grew louder as it approached.

Passersby on the street saw a group of prisoners wearing shackles and fetters passing by.

"stop!"

The yamen runners leading the way raised their batons.

The group of prisoners then slowly came to a stop.

At the front of the crowd, Sun Zhigao, who had been stripped of his scholar title and was wearing shackles, winced in pain and moved his ankle.

As a scholar, he had never suffered such torment since passing the imperial examination. Even the lightest cangue made his neck ache terribly.

"Hey, why are we stopping? What's going on up ahead?" asked the constable escorting the group in the middle of the procession.

"A distinguished guest's carriage is passing by, let's wait!" the lead constable shouted.

Upon hearing this, Sun Zhigao awkwardly raised his head and looked at the street corner not far away from the constable's side.

After a while,
The sounds of horses' hooves and wheels could be heard.

A procession of tall horses and carriages passed by the street corner.

"Hey! Those guys look familiar!"

"A newly appointed scholar!"

People were talking around the street corner.

After hearing this, Sun Zhigao watched the crowd pass by at the street corner with a mixture of envy and regret: 'If I had become a scholar and studied diligently, I might very well have been among them!'

At this time.

"My son! I've finally found you!"

Outside the crowd, a disheveled woman with a head like a bird's nest and shabby clothes cried out in a pitiful voice.

Sun Zhigao turned his head to look at the familiar voice and found that the person was his own mother, who should have been in Youyang.

"Mother, what are you doing here!"

Seeing the disheveled woman approaching the prisoner line, the escorting constable brandished his fire-and-water stick and shouted, "Stop right now if you don't want to be hit with a stick!"

"I..." The disheveled woman was instantly terrified.

Just as Sun Zhigao was about to continue speaking, the people nearby began to chatter:

"Is that the top scholar?"

"I couldn't see clearly because I was too far away before!"

“This mount is different.”

"Just call out and you'll know."

"The top scholar, my lord!"

A commotion began to rise from the surroundings.

When the young nobleman riding a black horse returned the greeting with a bow, the surrounding area instantly became lively.

Xu Zaijing and his entourage were surrounded by attendants and servants riding tall horses, so no one blocked the road or delayed their passage.

The yamen runners who had just stopped the disheveled woman also joined in the fun and looked towards the street corner.

Upon realizing that the "top scholar" the people were talking about was looking in their direction, the yamen runner quickly gripped his stick and bowed respectfully.

Upon seeing the top scholar nod in greeting, the yamen runner couldn't stop smiling.

As the noble young man riding his black steed passed by, a capable attendant beside him rode up to the head constable.

After bowing respectfully on horseback, the capable attendant pointed in Sun Zhigao's direction.

Soon, the capable officer casually rode his horse to catch up, while the constable looked at Sun Zhigao with some doubt in his eyes.

Then, Constable You came over, asked the disheveled woman about her identity, and said to the constable beside him, "Alright, let her go with us! Don't make things too difficult for the mother and child on the way."

"Boss, why?" the constable asked, puzzled.

The constable glanced at Sun Zhigao and his mother again, pulled the constable aside, and whispered, "Just now, the top scholar, who is also Xu Jiawu's attendant, asked him a question."

"Yes, Captain."

Xu Zaijing was naturally unaware that Qingyun had only asked a question, yet Sun Zhigao had suffered eight times less on his journey to exile.

At that moment, he and Liang Han were listening to Qingyun's report.

"This guy actually convinced a whole squad of bandits to surrender?" Xu Zaijing asked, puzzled.

"Yes, young master! According to that constable, not long after His Majesty's decree arrived, that scoundrel Sun Zhigao led his men to abandon their thievery and join the righteous cause!"

"Therefore, although that fellow was a staff member of the Prince of Tan, he was spared the death penalty and was sentenced to exile for two thousand miles."

Liang Han, standing to the side, said, "Brother Jing, who is that guy? If you don't like him, I have plenty of ways to deal with him."

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "Forget it. Since he managed to escape death, let him go."

"That guy got lucky!" Liang Han said.

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "By the way, Liu Lang, you just said your polo field is going to be under major repair?"

Liang Han nodded: "Yes! Lord Li, the uncle of Young Master Lu, obtained a method for building a polo field in the previous dynasty, and after trying it, the effect was extraordinary."

"When my mother found out, she decided to use this method to completely renovate the polo field!"

Seeing Xu Zaijing's curious expression, Liang Han continued, "They say that when compacting the ground, oil needs to be mixed into the various colored soils."

Upon hearing this, Qingyun looked over in surprise.

"Leaving aside the other gravel layers, the layer of oil-mixed soil that needs to be compacted alone needs to be a foot thick." Liang Han stretched out his hand to measure the thickness.

Xu Zaijing was equally surprised and said, "That's a huge project! It must have cost a fortune!"

"Okay!" Liang Han nodded and then glanced at Xu Zaijing.

"Liu Lang, are you trying to get me to invest money?"

"Hehe, Brother Jing is the best! That's exactly what I was thinking!"

"Okay!" Xu Zaijing nodded.

"And then there's Brother Gu Er's place."

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "When he arrives, I'll start the conversation, and you can speak."

"Thank you, Brother Jing!" Liang Han said happily, cupping his hands in greeting.

"By the way, Brother Jing, has His Majesty decided on your reward in the palace?"

Xu Zaijing nodded upon hearing this: "The eunuchs sent by the palace have already visited my home and said that the palace will send someone to deliver the imperial decree in three days."

Liang Han smiled and said, "I imagine that when my younger brother sees Jing-ge again in a few days, he will have to stand to the side, adjust his hat and belt, and bow respectfully."

Xu Zaijing patted Liang Han on the shoulder and said with a smile, "That's right."

(End of this chapter)