Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 405: Very Few People Know and Dingding Are Good [Thank you! Goodbye! words owed]

Wang Ruofu was about to speak but stopped.

"It's Gu Dalang who almost made it into the top three!"

Wang Ruofu looked at the silent old lady and whispered, "That's just because she is the legitimate mother!"

Sheng Hong continued to point his finger at Wang Ruofu: "That's unreasonable!"

"I have seen the document in which Marquis Gu and Gu Dalang requested the imperial decree for Madam Bai. I can tell you that Madam Bai was in front and Madam Qin was behind!"

Wang Ruofu: "Ah? This..."

Hearing this, the old lady looked over in surprise and said, "Hong'er, Madam Qin entered the Gu family first and is Gu Dalang's biological mother, so she should be in front!"

Sheng Hong hurriedly nodded to the old lady: "Mother is right, but Mrs. Bai is indeed in front."

"I also asked Minister Li about this matter. Minister Li said that Your Majesty and he had asked Marquis Gu and Gu Dalang about this matter, and they both agreed."

"My nephew's grandfather was a big official, and he deserves to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

Wang Ruofu spoke unconfidently, but after being glared at by Sheng Hong, she stopped talking.

The old lady pondered in silence, only the Buddhist beads in her hand moved slowly.

"Mother?"

Sheng Hong tried to ask.

The old lady took a deep breath and said with emotion in her eyes: "Come to think of it, people in the capital said that Gu Dalang has been weak since he was a child."

"When Lady Bai married again and came to the Gu family, Gu Dalang was already sick and weak, and no one outside the sect had seen him."

Sheng Hong had an expression that said, 'Mom, how did you know?'

"Marquis Gu has invited my old sister's family to the Imperial Hospital. I don't know how many times he has invited them."

The old lady explained.

Sheng Hong understood.

"But over the years, this Gu Dalang has become healthier and healthier, and he can even get married and take the imperial examination! It shows that Madam Bai has put in a lot of effort."

Sheng Hong said: "Mother is right. My son knows the hardships in the imperial examination hall very well. The fact that Gu Dalang can bear it is no different from ordinary people! In recent years, Gu Dalang has been able to travel thousands of miles to the northwest, which is better than ordinary people."

The old lady nodded and said, "With such efforts, the second son of the Gu family will not be able to inherit the title."

Sheng Hong nodded, and said with great admiration in his eyes: "Mrs. Bai is a man of high ideals and upright conduct!"

After saying that, Sheng Hong looked at Wang Ruofu and said, "You know how well Gu Erlang is doing in our family's academy! The third daughter of the Gu family has such a bright future. If you let your sister-in-law raise her, wouldn't that offend people?"

"I think Jin is a good guy! He is also my sister's only son. How can he be treated badly if he really gets married?" Wang Ruofu said with her lips pursed.

“Who only looks after the children and not the parents-in-law?”

No one knew what he was thinking about, but Sheng Hong stopped talking, picked up the teacup and took a sip with some concealment.

He also avoided Wang Ruofu's rolling eyes.

When Sheng Hong was looking for a husband for Hualan, he didn't think of inquiring about the situation of the mistress of the Yuan family, and almost let Hualan fall into a den of tigers and wolves.

The old lady looked at Sheng Hong and his wife and said in a deep voice, "Madam, if both the Kang family and the Wang family came to ask for Ru'er's hand in marriage, which family would you prefer?"

Sheng Hong held the teacup and looked up at Wang Ruofu with a gloating expression, as if to say "you decide".

Wang Ruofu glared: "I"

Then he said awkwardly: "Of course it is the Wang family."

The old lady nodded and said, "I have also seen Jin'er, he is a good boy! But the Kang family..."

The old lady didn't continue.

Lord Kang, who was as famous as the old Lord Wang of the Wang family who was enshrined in the Taimiao, passed away. His son Kang Haifeng got his concubine pregnant during the mourning period, which led to him being reported and dismissed from office.

After that, he had no intention of getting back on his feet, and he just kept taking concubines and indulging himself in women. When something went wrong at home, he wasted the reputation of his father and his family.

It's really not a good match.

On the other hand, Wang Yan of the Wang family, Sheng Hong’s brother-in-law, was mediocre in talent but law-abiding. With the influence of his father, his career in office was relatively smooth.

Moreover, Wang Yan was not an extramarital affair. He only had a wife, one son and two daughters at home.

Wang Ruofu is not a fool, so she naturally chooses the Wang family, which has no troubles.

"Mother, but... I also heard from my sister that the Xin Guogong Pei family also sent a letter to the Gu family."

Wang Ruofu raised her eyes and looked at the old lady.

Sheng Hong looked at the old lady who lowered her head and picked up the teacup, and said sideways: "What is the status of the Pei family? What is the status of the Kang family? How can they be compared!"

After saying that, Sheng Hong looked at the old lady again.

The old lady nodded in appreciation: "The Pei family sent the invitation with the idea of ​​marriage, but it is more like a sedan chair with many people, saying that the girls of the Gu family will have no trouble finding a husband."

"Mother, do you think the Gu family will marry into the Pei family?"

Sheng Hong asked softly.

"Hong'er, what do you and the lady think about this?"

"I will definitely choose the Pei family!" Wang Ruofu said with certainty.

The old lady glanced at the disapproving expression of Mother Liu behind Wang Ruofu, then looked at Sheng Hong.

Sheng Hong hesitated for a moment and said, "Mother, I think it is more likely that we will choose the Huang family."

Hearing this, the old lady smiled and nodded.

The lively atmosphere around the beginning of winter in early October slowly dissipated in Bianjing.

The day came to October 10th, the middle of the month.

The weather is getting colder.

Xingguofang

Ningyuan Houfu
Inner Courtyard Kitchen
Several windows on the side of the kitchen were wide open, and blue smoke was floating out of the windows.

Along with the smoke comes the aroma of roasted lamb.

After a while

A maid came out holding a porcelain basin filled with red charcoal and a tray filled with plates of various seasonings.

Walking along the corridor towards the third lady's courtyard, the sizzling sound and tempting aroma of mutton along the way made the maids passing by involuntarily take a few more glances.

Pass through the door and corridor,

When they arrived at the door of the reception hall, a maid took the things over and at the same time another maid lifted the curtain.

The maid walked in with her head lowered, carrying a tray.

"Come, try the roasted lamb made by my cook!"

After Gu Tingyi finished speaking, several pairs of serving chopsticks appeared on the plate of roasted lamb, picking up the lamb.

After a while

Although there were handkerchiefs to wipe their mouths, the ladies present still couldn't help but have greasy mouths from eating.

"Here, here's a glass of sweet wine as a thank you for coming to my fire-warming party!"

Gu Tingyi said while holding up his wine glass.

After the girls toasted with their wide sleeves covering their glasses, they each ate their own food.

"Sister Feiyan, is the Madam Kong that your family invited earlier still in the capital?"

Hai Chaoyun put down his chopsticks and asked softly.

Rong Feiyan put away the handkerchief and looked at Hai Chaoyun, shaking her head and said, "Sister Chaoyun, last month the nanny went to Xijing to teach a noble lady from a royal family."

Hai Chaoyun nodded with some regret on his face.

Another maid brought a new dish.

Zhang Jiawu Niang, who was using serving chopsticks to pick up food, suddenly brightened up her eyes.

At this time,

The maid from Gu Tingyi's courtyard came in from outside the door and whispered something in Gu Tingyi's ear.

The maid leaves.

Gu Tingyi looked at the noble ladies who were looking at him at the table, and said a little embarrassedly: "Just now, the maid next to my sister-in-law said that Madam Xu Hou and Madam Wu are here. I will go to see my mother."

"."

After saying that, Gu Tingyi was about to leave.

"Eh? Madam Wu is here? I want to go and say hello too!"

Gu Tingyi stopped and looked at Wu Niang who was talking with some suffocation.

All the girls present laughed.

"Since the elders are here, it would be bad if we don't go. Why don't we all go?"

When they heard Zheng Ni speak, everyone else at the table stood up.

Gu Tingyi glanced at Rong Feiyan and nodded, "Okay!"

After saying that, everyone walked out together.

The mistress of the Gu family,

Gu Tingyi and several noble ladies entered the house smelling of roasted lamb.

But after entering the house, they found that there were far more than the two ladies the maid had mentioned in the hall.

Madam Pan, Madam Li, Mrs. Xie, Hualan and others are all here.

"Meet the Madam, Madam."

Everyone greeted each other.
Zheng Ni, who was standing behind the crowd, smiled and said to Chai Zhengzheng beside him in a very low voice: "Zhengzheng, who is the lady next to Madam Xu?"

Chai Zhengzheng glanced at Rong Feiyan who was also looking over curiously, and whispered, "It's Mrs. Li, the mother of Lu's Zong Ge'er."

Looking at the beautiful ladies wearing brocade and jade, whose faces were slightly red from drinking a few glasses of wine, Mrs. Wu smiled and asked, "Are you sisters eating roasted mutton?"

Everyone nodded.

"That's great! Go on and have fun! We'll just talk to your mother and then leave."

Listening to Mrs. Wu's words,
Whether it was Sun or Hualan and others, they all smiled and nodded in agreement.

The look he gave these girls was also friendly. After all, these girls were among the best in the whole Bianjing in terms of family background and appearance.

"Since Madam Wu has said so, Yi'er, you should go back! Take good care of your sisters!"

"Yes, mother!"

Ting Yi bowed to the elders in the hall, then stood at the door and led everyone out of the hall.

The girl who stayed at the back with Tingyi bowed somewhat stiffly.

Watching the girls turn around and leave, the ladies in the hall laughed as they heard the faint chattering of people talking outside the door.

"Whose family was the girl who stayed behind and went out with Tingyi just now?" Xie asked.

Hua Lan, who was standing by, looked at everyone with a smile on her face and said, "Is it the eldest daughter of the Yu family, Yanran?"

While speaking, Hua Lan also looked at other people.

Mrs. Wu nodded and said, "Yes!"

Mrs. Xie nodded with some admiration: "This child has grown so big!"

When Xie first married into the Xu family, she went to the Yu family with her mother-in-law, Sun, to pay homage to the deceased Madam Fan. In the mourning hall, she saw Yu Yanran, who was still a little girl at the time.

Because she had no relationship with the Yu family, Yu Yanran was raised by Old Madam Yu who seldom went out.

Most of the girls Yu Yanran dated were still virgins.

Therefore, over the years, Xie rarely saw the eldest daughter of the Yu family in social occasions in Bian Jing.

"Alas! If you have a stepmother, you will have a stepfather."

"This child has no mother to love him. Although he is raised by the old lady, he seems to be a little timid."

Mrs. Wu said with some sigh.

When Mrs. Bai heard this, she turned her head and looked at Nanny Chang beside her with deep emotion.

Nanny Chang nodded towards Bai with satisfaction in her eyes.

Bai Wanshu, the old man of the Bai family in Yangzhou, has an extremely wealthy family!
However, after Bai's mother passed away, he never remarried.

Madam Li from the Duke Lian's Mansion smiled and glanced at Sun across from her.

Her son Lu Zezong also lost his father at a young age and had a timid and introverted personality. He didn't dare to look people in the eye.

But since he became sworn brothers with the brother of the Xu family, Lu Zezong has become visibly cheerful. Taking his brother as his role model, he learned how to ride a horse, and practiced martial arts and literature every day.

Seeing this scene, the old Duke and his wife were in very good mood and in good health, and they ate more than before.

"But Miss Yanran is very clever and has created many new patterns and styles for earmuff puppets! She used her mother's dowry to open an embroidery shop, and the products she produced are selling very well in my shop!"

Mrs. Wu said again.

Hearing this, the ladies in the hall nodded one after another.

"That's great!" Xie said with emotion.

After talking about the girls, Sun glanced at Madam Wu.

Seeing the good sisters' looks, Mrs. Bai quickly waved her hand and asked the irrelevant people in the hall to leave.

When the hall was clean, Madam Wu smiled and said, "Sister Bai, we have almost found out everything about the Huang family's brother."

"Mrs. Shoushan is very strict in managing her household. This Yue brother has no concubines or maids! When we were discussing marriage with that family before, we even dismissed the maids."

"The Shoushan family has a good tradition. When the Yuan family was stripped of their title many years ago, they did not add insult to injury."

Bai nodded, which showed that Lord Shoushan was now a kind person.

"The inheritance of the title has accumulated a lot of property over the years, and the family is quite wealthy! They are not extravagant or ostentatious, and they are not the kind of family that only looks good on the outside!"

"Let Li's sister tell you about this brother's military affairs."

Mrs. Sun and Madam Li smiled at each other.

Madam Li said, "My old lady and the Duke of England's wife have asked around, and it was Zhang's eldest son who came out and said that Huang's son has been following Zhang's eldest son since he joined the army!"

"He is kind, smart and considerate of his subordinates. Zhang's eldest son is optimistic about him."

Bai nodded: "But I heard that this guy has a scar on his face."

Madam Wu and Madam Li looked at each other happily, as if they both knew some secret.

"Sister Bai, do you know how this Huang brother got the scar on his face?"

Mrs. Wu asked.

Bai shook his head.

Seeing the look in Madam Li's eyes indicating what Madam Wu said, Madam Wu smiled and slapped her thigh and said, "Sister Bai, the scar on Huang's brother's face was caused by the battle outside Keyi Gate. He took advantage of the chaos and led his men to rush into the fortress gate, risking his life to keep the gate open. That's how he got injured!"

"Very few people know about this!"

"what???"

Sun looked at Bai's surprised expression and explained, "My Lord would never tell the family about such a battlefield incident!"

Madam Wu smiled and said, "Although I was there at the time, if the old lady of the Lu family and the young lady of the Li family had not been at the Zhang family and told Zhang Dalang that they were there to inquire about the Huang family's son's marriage, Zhang Dalang might not have said anything!"

"Only the three marquises of the Cao, Zhang and Xu families and the brothers on the battlefield know about this!"

Bai looked at her daughter-in-law Pingmei in surprise and said anxiously, "Hiss! Doesn't that mean that when the merits are rewarded, this Huang family boy will get a lot of rewards?"

Mrs. Wu smiled and nodded.

Mrs. Xie said, "Ask our Xiaowu, he doesn't know!"

When the ladies heard this, they all smiled.

"The reward is secondary. The main thing is that this Huang family boy can be promoted in the army!" Sun added.

Bai nodded.

Now Gu Yankai is in good health and is commanding the Guangrui Army in the north!
Although the letters to his family were mostly about concern for his grandchildren and Tingye and Tingyi, Bai could still feel a lot between the lines.

Especially when the Great Zhou destroyed states in the northwest, the Northern Liao and Jin states were fighting each other.

Thanks to the merits of Huang's brother, he was later promoted in the cavalry under the Zhang family.

Whatever actions the Great Zhou will take in the north in the future, isn't this the time to make achievements? ?

Thinking about these,

Bai looked at everyone in the hall and said, "Well, isn't this the best marriage?"

Sun patted her thigh happily.

Mrs. Wu and Mrs. Li smiled and nodded heavily.

An Mei's mother-in-law, Mrs. Pan, also smiled with emotion.

She came along just to tell him the news she had heard from the wife of the Earl of Yongping.
Who knew that Brother Yue had such a secret.

By the time other people get wind of this matter, the marriage between Yue Ge'er and the Gu family may have been settled!

(End of this chapter)