In August, even the Tea Villa, which is covered by lush forests dozens of miles away from the Imperial City, can still feel the heat of the heat, but it is much better than the scorching heat on the stone pavement in the Imperial City.
In addition to local farmers, all the big houses in the villa are occupied by noble officials from the imperial city or the families of wealthy people from all over the country. In the past, I relied on iced tea and cattail fans to resist the scorching heat, but now it becomes easier with air conditioning.
However, some elderly people are not used to air conditioning. They prefer the natural coolness. They hold a cup of herbal tea and a cattail leaf fan, and lean back on a lounge chair under the shade of the trees in the yard. The slow cool breeze and the swaying of the cattail leaf fan often make them spend an entire afternoon squinting. It's more comfortable than staying in an air-conditioned room.
Of course, there are only a few who have the conditions to choose. Most still like the suitable temperature in an air-conditioned room. Whether they are sleeping or chatting, they are not affected by the suffering of the heat.
The largest house in Tea Villa has been empty for a long time. It originally belonged to former left prime minister Ye Lansheng. Later, Ye Lansheng died and the Ye family disappeared overnight. The house fell into the hands of the Imperial City Yamen and was eventually sold, but it has not been sold yet. I don’t know if it’s too expensive or unlucky.
Not too far away from the Ye family's old residence is the second largest residence in the villa: Bai Mansion.
The Bai Mansion was originally quite big. Later, because the head of the family, Bai Changqing, remarried two lovely wives, and his in-laws were wealthy businessmen in Jingxi, he spent money as dowries for his daughters, and replaced his original house in Tea Mountain Villa next to the original Bai Mansion. The land was then expanded by the Bai family, and now it is the second largest house in Tea Villa. The things here are so clear that others can’t tell the difference.
In fact, not many people from the Bai family still live in Chashan Villa. Several of Bai Changqing's sons had fiercely opposed Bai Changqing's continued marriage, so they were sent away by Bai Changqing in anger. Now living here are Bai Changqing, his two lovely wives, and their two little babies who were born at the end of last year.
That's right. Bai Changqing became a father again when he was in his seventies, and his two babies were born almost at the same time, less than five days after each other.
The birth of two new lives also gave Bai Changqing new strength, and it seemed that his whole mental outlook had been completely renewed. Moreover, the practice that had been somewhat slack was now resumed, and there were rumors that Shangshu Bai was still buying high-quality elixirs in the auction house, hoping to impact the realm of cultivation.
This is how you prepare to live for a few more years!
The two babies are now able to bump and walk on the ground, and their short legs are trembling and they look cute.
One male and one female. The boy was born first, named Bai Xichen, and was born to his sister Xu Zhidi. The female baby came out later, named Bai Xiling, and was the daughter of her sister Xu Zhiyuan.
The two babies are now two treasures in the White Mansion, with twenty or thirty people surrounding them. As mothers, the Xu sisters don't have much time to worry about, and they are well-educated. They were very young to begin with, but in the past six months they have completely returned to the way they were before giving birth. How do their youthful and beautiful looks look like women? They all look like girls themselves.
Not only all the servants in the Bai Mansion knew that Bai Changqing doted on his two little wives, but everyone in the Tea Villa knew it, and even the well-informed people in the temple knew it.
There are also rumors that Bai Changqing is obsessed with women, and now he rarely attends banquets among his colleagues. There is no distinction between men and women when it comes to tongue-biting, and there is no distinction between men and women in terms of their viciousness.
But Bai Changqing didn't care. No one dared to gossip in front of him anyway, and even these people had to remain respectful to him on the surface. As for what happened behind the scenes, he was too lazy to care and couldn't care less.
Others said that Bai Changqing was fascinated by the two young women. But only Bai Changqing knew clearly that he was in for a lucky break! The two lovely wives are not only beautiful and gentle, but they are also obsessed with and deeply in love with him. Although it sounds disgusting to say it, Bai Changqing really felt the enthusiasm and vitality of his youth in them, and he felt as if he was dozens of years younger.
What Bai Changqing cherishes even more is that he feels that he has been lucky since he met the Xu sisters. When dealing with a case as big as Ye Lansheng's before, he suddenly had the idea to break away from Ye Lansheng and the civil service forces, who seemed to be incompatible at the time, and changed the court to the side of His Majesty, who was still the seventh prince.
This choice was made in the general environment at that time. Almost everyone regarded Bai Changqing as a fool, and he himself was also very nervous. But in the end, the facts proved how correct his choice was. Otherwise, where would he, Bai Changqing, be in the world at this moment? Presumably the entire Bai family disappeared into thin air, right?
People, sometimes you have to trust fate! Believe in luck!
In Bai Changqing's view, the two sisters Xu Zhiyuan and Xu Zhidi are his luck, the second spring of his family and career!
In this way, Bai Changqing doted on his two wives more and more. Now that he has children, this love has not diminished, but has become stronger.
During the day, Bai Changqing was working in the Yamen. The Xu sisters in Tea Villa are relaxing at home. Either sew some clothes and hats for the children, or write and draw together in their own small study, or talk about some personal topics.
Today is the day the two sisters made an appointment to practice calligraphy together.
In the past, when they were being trained, calligraphy practice was a compulsory course for them, and they would be punished if they didn't write well. But now, calligraphy practice has become their leisure time.
"Yesterday when I was cleaning up my husband's study, I saw a lot of memorials that His Majesty sent to the Ministry of Revenue for me to read in person. There were no less than twenty copies. I have never seen so many before."
"Well, I also discovered it two days ago. Hehe, but I think your majesty's calligraphy is not good-looking, and my husband's calligraphy is better."
The two women sat side by side in front of the desk, practicing calligraphy and chatting. The study we talked about is Bai Changqing's study, which is an important place of the Bai family. On weekdays, servants are not allowed to enter. If you break in without permission, you will be punished directly. Therefore, the Xu sisters are responsible for cleaning and organizing the study. This is also an important window for them to understand Bai Changqing's official affairs.
"You're talking nonsense again! Your Majesty, is this something you can discuss?"
"Sister! What's the matter? There's no one else here, so what does it matter if we sisters say a few words to each other? Don't you think His Majesty's handwriting is ugly?"
"Pfft!" Xu Zhiyuan said with a smile: "Ugly, not ugly, but it is indeed not as beautiful as my husband's calligraphy. However, why do you think my husband is receiving more and more memorials directly from His Majesty?"
This is where we get down to business.
However, Xu Zhidi curled her lips, shook her head and said nothing. Just listen to Xu Zhiyuan herself continue: "Does this mean that your husband is becoming more and more valued by His Majesty? If this news..."
"Sister! Why are you saying this again?"
