Husband has a sweetheart

Chapter 13
The members of Zhang’s family went out early in the morning, and the ox cart was driving slowly on the post road in the suburbs. He bent over to work, sweating profusely.

Zhang Yuqing put down the curtain, and it was not easy to gain a firm foothold in the flood of the secular world.The common people have worked hard for a year, but even food and clothing are extravagant expectations.

Ms. Liu was talking to Zhang Yuqing about the etiquette when meeting people, telling her not to run around, subtly reminding her to behave well, maybe some lady would fall in love with her and ask her to be her daughter-in-law.

Zhang Yuqing smiled, "Mom made fun of me again, how could those wives like me?"

Not to mention that she has been living abroad for more than ten years, and she is not a lady in the hearts of the world. What's more, the Zhang family has not recognized her identity to the outside world. Which wife blindly fell in love with her and hired her to be her son's wife?
Mother Liu laughed and said, "Girl, just perform well, and we'll talk about it later!"

Zhang Yuqing said with a smile: "Mum, tell me the truth. Is it the madam's intention or the old madam's intention that I come to the feast?"

"The old lady doesn't say anything, but she loves the girl in her heart. She can show the girl a way. As for whether it will succeed or not, it depends on the girl's luck!" Mother Liu laughed.

Zhang Yuqing expressed gratitude, "Then I really have to thank the old lady."

Her cheap grandmother may have a little love for her that has been transferred from Zhang Zuoming, but it is not much.If you really treat her like a granddaughter, why don't you personally choose a good marriage for her, and let her go to the banquet to try her luck?Waiting for others to pick and choose?

It was only when the sun was high that the ox cart arrived at the other courtyard in the suburbs of Beijing where the banquet was held.

According to Mama Liu’s science popularization, this other courtyard was the private residence of a favored minister during the period of Emperor Huai. Later, when Lu Erwei changed, the current emperor led troops into the capital to rescue him. Unfortunately, it was a step late. All the ministers who failed to escape from the capital were killed by the barbarians.

After the capital was settled down again, the house changed hands, and now it is the property of Zheng Guogong's mansion.

After following Mrs. Zhang into the other courtyard, Zhang Yuqing was almost blinded by this magnificent other courtyard.Pavilions, terraces and pavilions, rockery and flowing water, carved beams and painted buildings, and exquisite ornaments can be seen everywhere, showing the spirit of the owner everywhere.

Mrs. Zhang looked back at Zhang Yuqing just for a glance, then followed her obediently with lowered eyes, and then snorted in satisfaction.

After entering the yard, Mrs. Zhang brought Zhang Yuying and Zhang Yuqing, came forward with a smile and said hello to the wives who had arrived earlier.

After the wives praised Zhang Yuying for her talent, beauty and intelligence, they turned their eyes to Zhang Yuqing who was next to her.

Zhang Yuqing's eyes were clear and her expression was calm, letting them scrutinize her.

Thanks to Mrs. Zhang's handkerchief, the wives all know that the Zhang family has newly adopted a vulgar country mud leg as their adopted daughter, and they think she is a girl who is not worthy of the stage, but they don't know such a beautiful girl.Even though she was wearing old clothes that didn't fit well, standing next to the jeweled Zhang Yuying, she was not inferior.

Zhang Yuqing had just recovered from a serious illness, and her face was still a little pale. Instead of affecting her color, it added a bit of fragile beauty to her, and weakened the aloofness in her black jade-like eyes.

"This girl is really cute!" A wife laughed first, and praised Zhang Yuqing, and even Mrs. Zhang received a lot of praise, saying that she can raise girls, and all the girls in the Zhang family are as beautiful as flowers and jade of.

Mrs. Zhang had a smile on her lips, and said jokingly: "But you can't boast like that! If you keep boasting, the little girl doesn't know the heights of the sky and the earth, she really thinks she is amazing!"

Zhang Yuqing bowed her head in silence, pretending not to hear.

A maid came to invite Zhang Yuying, saying that the ladies in their poetry club were composing poems in a pavilion not far away, and invited her to come over.

Zhang Yuying looked enthusiastic and asked Zhang Yuqing, "Do you want to go together?"

"No." Zhang Yuqing shook her head.

Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, "She doesn't understand those things. Why do you take her there? You go!"

After Zhang Yuying left, Mrs. Zhang told Zhang Yuqing to sit in the flower hall not to go out, so she followed the ladies to other places to make friends.

A well-dressed and wealthy girl rolled her eyes in the direction Zhang Yuying was walking in disdain, she didn't care about Zhang Yuqing's presence at all, she curled her lips and said, "It's just the daughter of a seventh-rank sesame official!"

The girl next to her giggled and said, "You can't say that! When others asked who she was, she didn't say that she was the daughter of the seventh-rank Zhima official, but that she was the granddaughter of the late Shenzhi Zhengshizhang!"

"My ancestors have been dead for so many years, so it's worth mentioning it! The shabby household!" The girl curled her lips in disdain, "What are the four sisters in the capital? It's so shameless to give yourself a name! It seems that apart from the four of them, there are not enough ladies in the capital. It's as if you are qualified to meet people!"

Zhang Yuqing was embarrassed when she heard that, she got up and went out, just as she walked to the door, a richly dressed lady pulled a girl and walked towards her, looked at her in surprise, and asked tentatively, "Who are you from the Zhang family?"

Zhang Yuqing looked at the lady hesitantly.

"My maiden's family name is Huang, and my husband's family name is Luo." The lady introduced herself.

Zhang Yuqing saluted, "I've seen Mrs. Luo."

Mrs. Luo looked at Zhang Yuqing, and the more she looked, the more frightened she became, she couldn't help holding Zhang Yuqing's hand, and said excitedly: "My mother and Mrs. Zhang's father are brothers and sisters. I grew up with Ruxue , I think you look like her..."

Zhang Yuqing felt a sharp pain in her heart when she heard her dead mother, and said in a low voice, "My father's name is Zhang Zuoming, and my mother is An Ruxue. As for my relationship with the Zhang family, I... don't know."

The Zhang family has never officially admitted that she is the eldest daughter of the Zhang family.The servants of Zhang's family called the eldest girl, and they called Zhang Yuying.

Mrs. Luo burst into tears, choked up and said, "I knew it, I knew it! I saw it the first time I saw you. Your eyebrows and eyes look like your mother!"

The girl next to Mrs. Luo took out a handkerchief to wipe Mrs. Luo's face, and reminded: "Mother, it's not good to be seen!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Mrs. Luo laughed, and pulled Zhang Yuqing to an empty waterside pavilion.

Only then did Zhang Yuqing have the opportunity to look carefully at Mrs. Luo, who was in her thirties, with a slightly plump body, a face like a full moon, a pair of eyes full of smiles, a full set of red gold hair on her head, and brand new clothes Fine silk and satin, graceful and luxurious.The girl next to Mrs. Luo was fifteen or sixteen years old, with bright eyes, wearing a diamond necklace and a peach pink silk dress, grinning at her, bright eyes and bright teeth, lively and pretty.

"When did you return to Zhang's house?" Mrs. Luo asked with distress while holding Zhang Yuqing's hand.

Zhang Yuqing said simply in a few words, and Mrs. Luo couldn't help but sighed a few more times.

"According to the relationship, you should call me cousin." Mrs. Luo said, "I married to your cousin's house in Yangzhou, and your mother Ruxue stayed in the capital. Who would have thought of the separation when we got married? Farewell! The catastrophe of Lu'erwei's change, the whole family of An's family suffered."

Mrs. Luo became angry when she mentioned the Zhang family, "The Zhang family is always heartless. If there were still people in the An family, they would have found you back! You don't know how much your mother loves you. Most of the letter to me said It's you..."

Zhang Yuqing listened to Mrs. Luo's rambling about her mother, Anshi, and couldn't help but whispered, "My mother must be a very gentle person, right?"

One sentence almost made Mrs. Luo cry again, the motherless child is pitiful!

"Don't cry! Cousin must be sad again seeing you cry!" said the girl next to Mrs. Luo, shaking Mrs. Luo's arm.

Mrs. Luo was so angry that she couldn't laugh or cry, she patted the girl's arm, and said to Zhang Yuqing, "This is my daughter, her name is Danxia, ​​and she is almost one year older than you."

"Cousin." Zhang Yuqing stood up and saluted.

Luo Danxia playfully returned the gift.

"You cousin, you are like a monkey all day long. If I can be half as calm and sensible as you, I will be satisfied!" Mrs. Luo smiled and shook her head.

Luo Danxia stared and said: "Don't speak ill of me in front of my cousin!"

"Cousin is lively and cute, making people happy at the first glance." Zhang Yuqing said sincerely.

She looked at Luo Danxia who was snuggling close to Mrs. Luo's arms, and she couldn't help feeling envious in her heart. Only under the love and protection of her parents, could Luo Danxia have such a lively appearance.

"Your cousin's uncle is from Yangzhou. He passed the Jinshi examination and became an official. He went through several places. In recent years, he finally settled down in Wu County. It is also fate. My natal relatives held a wedding, and I brought my children Go to Beijing, otherwise, I will miss the chance to see you in this life!" Mrs. Luo said with emotion.

Luo Danxia said with a smile: "My brother didn't come today, next time you come to my house to play, you can see him! But he is a nerd, so it's not interesting to see him!"

Mrs. Luo nodded helplessly on Luo Danxia's forehead, "Speaking ill of your brother behind his back, it's useless for him to love you so much!"

A lady called Mrs. Luo out, saying that she was leading her to visit several wives. Mrs. Luo told Luo Danxia to stay with Zhang Yuqing and not to run around, so she got up and left.

Zhang Yuqing felt strange. Seeing that some wives brought girls by their side, while others let the girls play by themselves, she asked curiously, "Won't Aunt Biao take you to meet people?"

Luo Danxia covered her mouth and said with a smile: "I'm engaged!"

Zhang Yuqing was still at a loss.

"I've already been engaged, so I don't need to meet people. Those who are dragged out by my wife to meet people are not engaged." Luo Danxia explained, "Look, Mrs. Zhang doesn't need to take Zhang Yuying to meet people everywhere." .”

Zhang Yuqing asked, "Do you know Zhang Yuying?"

Luo Danxia curled her lips, her complexion not very good-looking, "Well, the four sisters in the capital can compose poetry and write. She is so famous, who doesn't know her? I have been in the capital for half a month, and I can hear it everywhere. she!"

Zhang Yuqing understood that this cousin must be neither good at poetry nor calligraphy, so Zhang Yuying, who was famous for her talent, was particularly disliked.

Luo Danxia curled her lips, turned her head to the other side, and suddenly pulled Zhang Yuqing excitedly, "Hey, look, look!"

Zhang Yuqing looked along and saw two young masters not far away facing each other two steps apart. One of them was dressed in a black brocade robe with a stern face. It was Lu Wei who had only met a few days ago.

Luo Danxia took Zhang Yuqing and hid behind the curtain of the water pavilion, watching the two young masters quietly.

"It's really pretty, isn't it?" Luo Danxia said with a blushing face.

Zhang Yuqing was not sure for a moment whether her cousin praised Lu Wei for being good-looking, or the young man with red lips and white teeth and delicate face opposite Lu Wei was good-looking, or whether the two men were handsome and both had their own merits, so she said vaguely: "Fine, let's do it!"

(End of this chapter)