ps: If I want to hear more of your voices and receive more of your suggestions, search the WeChat public account "qdread" now and follow it to give more support! In summer, Yingcheng Courtyard is almost hidden in the green shade. Accompanied by the crisp sound of birdsong, a group of maids in blue, surrounded by a girl wearing bright skin and wearing snow, enters through the verandah.
Xu Nuo brought almost all the maids in her house in line with the principle of accepting gifts, which made the stern Nanny Li cover her mouth and laugh.
"Mommy, why are you laughing at me?" Xu Nuo pretended not to know and asked with a smile.
Nanny Li put down her hand with a faint smile on her face: "Madam, hurry in. Alang and his wife are waiting for you."
Xu Nuo nodded, suppressed the joy on his face, and after entering the room, he bowed to Xu Gucheng and Lu seriously, thanking them for their upbringing.
Mrs. Lu seemed to be about to cry when she saw the promise of a big gift, but she finally held back and helped her up personally and straightened her clothes. At this time last year, Liu Niang also made a big gift and kowtowed three times. Her forehead turned blue immediately. She accepted the gift and left. She did not have breakfast at Yingcheng Yuan. The longevity noodles were given by Grandma Li later. Went to Mingjin Pavilion.
In one year, Sixth Sister has undergone such a big change. Is God taking pity on her and giving her back a lively Sixth Sister?
When Ms. Lu was recalling what happened on that day last year, Xu Gucheng gave Xu Nuo a set of the four treasures of the study. Xu Nuo recognized it as a treasure at a glance and happily thanked her maid to accept it.
When Lu saw Xu Nuo's appearance, the sadness in her heart disappeared in an instant, and she asked her maid to bring up the gifts she had prepared.
It was a Paulownia piano. Xunuo's eyes lit up after seeing it. She immediately sat on the mat and took it in her hand to adjust it. She played two notes. Satisfied, Xu Qian also came over.
Xu Qian wore a light yellow jacket today, paired with a light green eight-piece long skirt. There were several hollow carved jade hairpins in her hair, and two white pearls hung from her ears. Her elegance and lightness were in sharp contrast to the brightness of the promise. .
"Liu Niang, I wish you a happy birthday." Xu Qian saluted Xu Gucheng and Lu. He took a rosewood and ebony pen holder from the maid and gave it to Xu Nuo. With a slight smile on her face, she looked like a well-educated, considerate and gentle woman.
Xu Nuo glanced at the pen holder. Xu Qian thought to herself that she was willing to give it up, so she accepted it with a smile and handed it to Chuntang.
The habits she has developed these days have made her very considerate in etiquette, even to Xu Qian. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Fourth Sister, for giving me such a precious gift."
The smile in Xu Qian's eyes deepened, and she looked like a good sister: "Of course I will give you the best. Just keep it."
I promised to slander you, but I didn’t say that I wouldn’t accept it.
While they were talking, Xu Pingyi also arrived. He was wearing brighter clothes than usual today and was as calm as ever. After giving gifts to his parents, he handed Xu Nuo a long narrow box: "Sixth Sister, I didn't know what to give, so I carved this."
I promise to open it and read it immediately. But she was stopped by Lu's gaze, and she had to ask Xu Pingqi: "What did you carve?"
Xu Pingqi said calmly: "An ivory hairpin."
Xu Nuo smiled happily after hearing this. She took the box and looked at it again and again, then handed it to Qiuhou and said: "Erlang still understands me. The ivory hairpin is not as afraid of breaking as the jade hairpin, and it is light. I can use it just right." She exercises morning and night, and her movements It's a big margin, but her long hair is difficult to handle, and she doesn't like using gold or silver hairpins. So far, she has broken two jade hairpins, and she had to catch them quickly with her hands to prevent them from breaking a few times.
"Sixth sister is welcome if she likes it." Xu Pingqi nodded, then beckoned someone to bring over a big box, handed it to Xu Nuo and said: "This is from eldest brother, please give it to me to give to sixth sister."
Xu Dalang?
Big brother?
Although Xu Nuo had never met him, he was still very happy when his brother gave him a birthday gift and happily accepted it.
The arm sank.
What is it packed with? Why is it so heavy?
Resisting the urge to open it, he gave the box to Chuntang and winked at her while handing it over.
Chuntang was not as strong as Xu Nuo and almost failed to hold it. It took a lot of effort to hold it steady, and then she understood Xu Nuo's expression just now.
Lu naturally noticed the weight of the box and signaled the maid in the room to help Chuntang. She was very satisfied with Xu Qian's dress today, because today's protagonist is Xu Nuo, Xu Qian shouldn't be too eye-catching, so she smiled and said, "Let's go, my grandparents will be impatient if we keep talking."
In the Song Dynasty, breakfast was the most abundant meal of the day, so the promised birthday banquet was held in the morning.
When the family of five arrived at Langyuan Hall, the people in the first and third bedrooms had already arrived, each sitting behind their own food table.
Today, Mrs. Ding is wearing a ginger-yellow jacket and a crimson skirt. She has two delicate gold hairpins and a slender jade hairpin in her hair. The makeup on her face is more delicate than usual. She looks dignified and noble. We can see the shadow of the fight with Wang Ying that night in the opera garden.
Xu Erniang is sitting next to Ding. She is much more calm now than before, and her temperament seems to have changed. Of course, it only looks like this on the surface. She has been preparing for marriage in the past few months, studying etiquette all day long and working as a female worker. She no longer goes to the teahouse and piano room to study.
Ms. Zhong still dressed appropriately but not too conspicuously, which was her usual style. Mr. Xu was sitting on the left, her eldest son was sitting on the right, and the youngest son was being held by the wet nurse.
Xu Gucheng and his wife bowed to Mr. Xu and Mr. Zhang, and then took their seats.
Seeing that everyone was here, Mr. Xu coughed and began to speak: "Today Liu Niang is twelve years old, and she is also a big lady. She has to pay more attention to her behavior. Female workers should practice more in this area so that they can be used when they get married in the future. Get it.”
No one in the Xu family knew that a six-year-old woman was inferior to a seven-year-old child, and Mrs. Xu also heard about it, so he spoke up to make a point.
Xu Nuo was thick-skinned but she didn't feel embarrassed. On the contrary, Chun Tang felt so embarrassed that she didn't know where to put her hands. Standing there, she felt like a light on her back. She is half the responsibility for being a poor worker, but she really tried her best to teach her!
After hearing this, Mrs. Lu immediately responded: "My daughter-in-law will give her more guidance, please don't worry, father."
"I don't need you to give me advice. Isn't Aunt Du's embroidery skills one of the best in Suzhou City? Just let her teach Liu Niang. You can take over the affairs of your sister-in-law and take care of the inner courtyard."
Mrs. Xu's voice was not loud, but it made everyone in the room sit still.
The second wife will go to Bianjing by the end of the year at the latest, and now Ms. Lu is asked to take charge of the middle office in place of Ms. Ding. Could it be that Xu Gucheng was asked to go to Beijing alone to take office?
Zhang didn't expect her husband to make such a decision. She suppressed the surprise on her face and said with a smile: "Master, what are you talking about? Ding has been doing things smoothly over the years, but suddenly Lu took over. I won’t be able to adapt to it, and it would be bad if it messes up the inner courtyard.”
Zhang's mouth was not directed towards Lu at all. Lu, however, looked calm. Sit without looking away.
Mrs. Ding sat aside, looking like it had nothing to do with her, but her mood went up and down again following the words of Mr. Xu and Mrs. Zhang. She would never give up her position as mistress.
Xu Qian's hand that was placed under the food table had already been clenched, and the handkerchief was wrinkled and wet by her. She had to go to Bianjing. Only by going to Bianjing could she have a chance to meet Ding Langjun.
She won't marry anyone other than Ding Langjun!
The calmest person in the room was Xu Gucheng. Because it was his proposal.
The way Ding manages the Xu family is really unbearable. Moreover, the wife will have to take care of the family when she goes to Bianjing in the future. The interpersonal relationships there are much more complicated than those in Suzhou, and the people she deals with are all ladies who have been in the capital's circles for many years. Although I believe in Wan Niang's strength, it would be better for her to get familiar with them here for a few months first.
Everyone in the room was beating their hearts out. No one dared to speak, they were all waiting for what Mr. Xu would say next.
"Last Dragon Boat Festival, Mrs. Lu did a good job. I think she can do a good job. The eldest daughter-in-law will prepare a dowry for the second mother in the past few months. Mingzhou has strict requirements and doesn't make any mistakes. When the second wife goes to Bianjing, you Then take over the matters in the inner courtyard." Mr. Xu said these words very calmly, and everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.
Mrs. Lu glared at Xu Gucheng, why didn't she tell her in advance so that she could be mentally prepared.
Xu Gucheng's transfer order came on the day Xu Gucheng eavesdropped, that is, two days ago.
He left for Beijing in mid-July and took up the post of Doctor of the Ministry of Industry in September.
The weather in July was still a bit hot, and the journey was long. He couldn't bear the suffering of his wife and daughter, so he discussed the matter with Mr. Xu yesterday and asked Mr. Lu to take the promise and others to set off again in October.
Mrs. Zhang calmed down and said a few words of encouragement to Xu Nuo, but her eyes kept looking at Xu Qian.
After the elders finished speaking, Xu Erniang, Xu Sanniang, and Xu Wuniang all came over and gave Xu Nuo a gift, either a hairpin or a comb, all things used by women.
Promise and thank you.
After all the etiquette and customs are over, the meal begins.
Xu Nuo had been hungry for a long time. After eating the longevity noodles, she stuffed all the four-color candies on the plate into her mouth. She found that she ate faster, so she asked the maid to remove the dishes early so that she could eat more. It won’t look like there are a bunch of empty bowls and plates on the dining table.
Because it was a birthday banquet, and it was prepared by Mrs. Lu herself, it was very sumptuous. Not just the quantity, but also the exquisiteness and deliciousness of each dish.
After breakfast, Mr. Xu and his three sons went to talk elsewhere. Xu Pingqi and Xu Sanlang took the book boy to the Ding family academy, leaving only the female family members in the house.
"Liu Niang, I see that Qi Qi in your house. She always comes to me these days to look for the maid next to me. If you like that maid, I can give it to you." Xu Qian held up an embroidered landscape painting. She held her round fan in front of her mouth, and the sound was neither too loud nor too quiet, just enough for everyone in the room to hear.
Xu Erniang was angry with Xu Qian and said sarcastically: "It's strange that you two maids in the courtyard have such a good relationship."
A big smile broke out on Xu Nuo's face: "Oh? I don't know that my good friend got married in Yilian Pavilion in July. Compared with the fourth sister, I care too little about my maid."
She had learned that Xu Qian ordered someone to deliver a letter, so she disguised herself as a man and took a shortcut outside Tiansheng Gambling House, pretending to be someone sent by Tang Qi to contact her and took the letter away.
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Today I wrote the proposal report for my double degree. I spent a whole day working on it, and then I couldn’t make another update. Let’s read this chapter first, and I’ll catch the bugs tomorrow. (The novel will have more fresh content on the official WeChat platform, and there will also be a 100% lucky draw gift for everyone! Open WeChat now, click on the "+" sign on the upper right "Add Friend", search the official account "qdread" and Pay attention and hurry up!) (To be continued)
