Glory all the way

Chapter 110 Cousin
It took only one night for what happened in Yunshui Pavilion, and everyone in the Jing'an Marquis Mansion knew about it. For a while, everyone looked at Bai Yingluo with sympathy in their eyes, but when they looked at Bai Yingyun, they were slightly unkind. Even the servants would run away quickly when they saw Bai Yingyun from a distance, as if she had a contagious disease.

After a few days, the master's complexion was not good, and the servants dared not say a word, and the Yunshui Pavilion became more and more quiet.

In a blink of an eye, it was the tenth day of the eighth lunar month, and there were still two days before the happy event in Zhongshan Bo's mansion.

Arrived early at Mingcuiju, Master Yao told some anecdotes about famous women, before get out of class was over, Qiuwen came to pass the word that there were guests at home, old lady Bai said that today's class would end early, please Bai Yingluo and Bai Yingyun went over to pay her respects.

Master Yao responded, finished a few words, and returned to his room with the book in his hand.

"Sister Qiuwen, are you a guest of my aunt's family?"

When they arrived at the Chuihua Gate, Bai Yingyun took the maid and went back to the house to change clothes. Bai Yingluo looked at Qiuwen and asked.

She praised in her heart, "Miss Six really has a clear mind", Qiuwen nodded and said, "It's Da Furen's natal wife who brought the young masters and ladies here."

Xue's father, Xue Qunzhong, was a cabinet scholar and once assisted the former emperor's ministers. Therefore, Xue's family in the capital can be regarded as a famous family, but the ancestors are from a scholarly family, most of them are still in the south of the Yangtze River.

But Mr. Xue is now old, and he has signed up to be an official, but Emperor Jiayuan refuses to announce it.

The Xue family has two elder brothers, the second elder brother is an official in the court, the elder brother Xue Yanzhai is released, and now he is the third-rank governor of Suinan. Now, Mrs. Xue brought her children to Beijing, and I am afraid that it is not just a simple matter of attending the wedding banquet in the Zhongshan uncle's mansion .

Thinking so, Bai Yingluo bid farewell to Qiuwen, and went straight back to Lanxin Pavilion to change and freshen up.

When we went to Qing'an Hall, we saw a kind-looking middle-aged woman sitting on the lower seat of old lady Bai, and next to her were Mrs. Xue, the second wife and the fourth wife.

After meeting the three of them, Grandmother and Mrs. Xue, Bai Yingluo stood up again, Mrs. Xue pointed to the woman opposite and introduced, "Sister Luo, this is my natal sister-in-law, you want to call her aunt."

"Auntie, Yingluo greeted you."

She bowed her knees and saluted, just as Bai Yingluo stood up, word spread that Bai Yingyun had arrived.

Mrs. Xue turned back and waited for Bai Yingyun to come in, and introduced Mrs. Xue again. Then Mrs. Xue took out the prepared meeting gift and gave each of Bai Yingluo and Bai Yingyun a pair of identical agate bracelets and a purse.

Behind Mrs. Xue, sat a couple of children.

"This is your cousin Ning, and that is your cousin Zhe."

Xue pointed to those two people and introduced them to Bai Yingluo and Bai Yingyun.

"Cousin Ning, Cousin Zhe..."

Called someone crisply, and the two also got up and returned the salute.

Bai Yingluo took a look and was slightly taken aback. Xue Ning looked at seventeen or eighteen years old, with a pretty face and a smile, standing quietly in front of her, demure and dignified like a picture scroll, eye-catching.

But she is wearing the hairstyle of an unmarried girl. Could it be that she is not married yet?

Xue Zhe beside him looked about fourteen or fifteen years old. He was tall and handsome, but there seemed to be a hint of arrogance in his eyes, which made him difficult to get along with.But when Zhanyan smiled, his eyes were as bright as the stars in the night sky. For just that moment, people felt that he was more dazzling than Xue Ning, and people couldn't move their eyes away.

Looking back at each other, the four of them took their seats. The old lady Bai said with a smile: "Seeing these children standing in front of me, I feel happy when I look at them. Her sister-in-law, you should come and walk around more, so that I can let you go." My old lady is happy to follow."

Mrs. Xue responded with a smile: "It should be like this, don't worry, we will definitely come more in the future, and then, don't think we are annoying..."

The adults were talking enthusiastically, but Bai Yingluo felt that a gaze was sizing her up, she looked up, and met Xue Ning's gentle eyes full of kindness, Bai Yingluo smiled back and turned her head away.

A girl who has already left the court will not go to relatives with her mother. Xue Ning is still unmarried at this age. There must be something unspeakable. The old lady Bai didn't want to ask more questions, so she turned the topic to Xue Zhe, "Brother Zhe A good-looking talent, it can be seen that Mrs. Xue's education is good, where are you studying now?"

Mentioning this youngest son, Mrs. Xue's face immediately radiated a layer of unconcealable joy, "He, I learned about Yuan in the township examination the year before last, no, the master asked my concubine to bring him to the capital to have a look. Can you find a good teacher, or enter the Kyoto Academy?"

"Oh, brother Zhe is only old this year, and he has already passed the Jieyuan exam?"

Immediately, the old lady Bai also became astonished, and Mrs. Xue, who was at the side, also had a look of joy and pride.

"I'm already sixteen, and I'll be seventeen years old, and I'm not too young..."

Madam Xue said modestly.

Both the eldest lady and the second lady have sons. Although the son of the fourth lady is still young, he will also be tested for fame in the future. For a while, everyone in the room started a conversation around Xue Zhe, asking how Mrs. Xue taught children , chatting in such a lively manner in the room.

Bai Yingluo took a look at Xue Zhe, and lowered her head with some insight.

The 14-year-old Xie Yuan, no wonder he has a trace of cold arrogance, so this is the reason?
Thinking to herself, Bai Yingluo raised her head again, but met Xue Zhe's calm and clear eyes, as if she saw what Bai Yingluo was thinking in her heart, Bai Yingluo averted her eyes in a little panic.

The corners of Xue Zhe's lips curved slightly, and a faint smile appeared.

When lunch was approaching, Mrs. Xue said that in the evening, she would greet her sister-in-law, and the banquet would be held in Qing'an Hall, so she took Mrs. Xue, Xue Ning, and Xue Zhe away, and Bai Yingluo sent everyone away. Asked: "Grandmother, is Cousin Ning already old enough? Isn't she married yet?"

The old lady Bai's face suddenly showed a little sympathy, "Your cousin Ning is eighteen this year, and she was supposed to enter the palace last year to run for election, so no one was allowed to raise her until she was 16. By mistake, she was sent home with a sign on it, so no one came to ask for a marriage, isn’t this, it’s delayed until now?”

The girl in the family, either as a concubine or as a concubine, Xue Ning is outstanding in talent and appearance and is a prostitute, how can she be a parent?
Filled with sympathy, Bai Yingluo followed old lady Bai and sighed several times.

"If Mr. Xue wants to become an official, Mr. Xue may have to change his position. Mrs. Xue's coming to Beijing this time may not be so simple, so I brought my two children to meet relatives in advance."

Seeing Bai Yingluo bowing her head in deep thought, the old lady Bai whispered.

Suddenly realizing, Bai Yingluo nodded and smiled, "My relatives, of course we need to move around more."

Once Mr. Xue retires and Mr. Xue enters the capital, the changes in the capital will not be so one-sided. At that time, there will still be excitement.

Thinking like this, Bai Yingluo's heart immediately flew to Qingsong Academy again. Although Du Xuan recognized Mrs. Bai as a mentor, it was only in name after all. , maybe it won't be so difficult?

After thinking about it, Bai Yingluo shook her head again, putting this thought behind her.

Du Xuan is a man, and he is also an upright and thoughtful person. Since he has made up his mind to study in the capital, he has his own considerations about these things. If he is like this, it is too much to do, so let it go.

Returning to Lanxin Pavilion after lunch, I saw a few brocade boxes on the table, said to be local specialties brought by Xue Ning and Xue Zhe from Suinan, and sent them for my sixth cousin to taste.

Bai Yingluo asked about it, and was relieved when she learned that it was everywhere.

There were guests at home, so the afternoon classes were naturally skipped. Bai Yingluo got up from her afternoon nap, and when she arrived at Qing'an Hall, Madam Xue and the others were all there.

The chat was nothing more than trivial matters in the capital, Zhang's parents and Li's family were short, but Mrs. Xue was not unfamiliar at all. I don't know if she had chatted with Mrs. Xue before, or did her homework before coming to Beijing.

After coming and going, Mrs. Xue and Mrs. Bai had a lot of conversations, and the people around them became a little boring.

"You go to the garden to enjoy the flowers, lest you all freeze here like a clay bodhisattva, and I can also talk to your aunt."

The old lady Bai looked at Bai Yingluo and Bai Yingyun with a smile and said.

Getting up and going out, a group of four went straight to the backyard. Bai Yingyun pretended to be affectionate and walked forward holding Xue Ning's arm, while introducing the layout of the mansion. Bai Yingluo and Xue Zhe were so embarrassed. later.

After talking for a while, Xue Ning pulled his arms away calmly, turned around and called Xue Zhe and Bai Yingluo, the four of them walked forward again and again, Bai Yingluo suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Xue Zhe was only 16 years old, he looked like a mature adult. Standing beside him, Bai Yingluo felt awkward everywhere.

August is the best season of the year. The flowers in the garden are in full bloom, and the flowers are fragrant and the birds are singing everywhere. They all admired the flowers carefully.

Returning to Qing'an Hall again, old lady Bai had a loving smile on her face, and Mrs. Xue on the side seemed to have just cleansed her face and re-evened her makeup. Seeing several people enter the room, a pair of eyes looked at Xue Ning, full of love , Bai Yingluo knew in her heart that it must be her warm-hearted grandmother who offered to take care of a good family for Xue Ningxiang.

Looking back at Xue Ning, she seemed to have noticed it too, her cheeks were a little flushed.

"Since Brother Zhe is going to study in the capital, the academy will start a new round of enrollment in September, so you should make plans early."

Fearing that Xue Ning would be ashamed, the old lady Bai turned the topic to Xue Zhe in a considerate manner.

"That's right, my concubine has already inquired clearly before coming here. The Kyoto Academy will take the exam on the sixth day of September. I have free time these few days, so I'll go and sign up for him."

Mrs. Xue continued talking.

Maybe he was favored at home, or maybe he was so arrogant, Xue Zhe glanced at his mother, "Mother, my son has already decided to study in Qingsong Academy, so don't be obstinate with your son."

"Listen to your mother, Jingdu Academy is the leader of Jingcheng Academy. It only accepts 30 students every year. Don't be naughty for a while."

The old lady Bai said kindly.

Standing up and bowing respectfully to the old lady Bai, Xue Zhe raised his voice and said: "The old lady's words are reasonable, but I heard that Qingsong Academy has a rigorous style of study, which is no less than that of Jingdu Academy, besides..."

After changing the topic, Xue Zhe continued: "I heard that there is a student named Du Xuan in Qingsong Academy, who has only been in the academy for two months, and won the leader in the monthly exam. It's really a pity, so I'm going to Qingsong Academy to meet him for a while."

(End of this chapter)