On July 12, the sixth year of Dalong's reign of peace, there was a steady autumn rain over the capital.
Liu Mingzhi stood under the eaves outside the study room and admired the rainy scene for a long time, and then returned to the room to review today's memorial documents.
About half an hour passed when Liu Song's voice interrupted Liu Mingzhi's concentration on reviewing documents.
"Master, young Liu Song would like to see you."
Young Master Liu, who was concentrating on reviewing the memorial documents, instinctively frowned and raised his eyes to glance at the door of the study room.
"Liu Song, come in."
"yes."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Liu Song who walked into the room quickly, silently put down his ink pen and picked up the tea next to him.
"Xiaosong, what's the matter?"
Liu Song immediately took out a greeting card from his sleeve and handed it to Young Master Liu: "Back to Young Master, someone came to pay homage to me outside the house. This is the greeting card handed in by the visitor."
Young Master Liu spit out the tea leaves in his mouth and glanced at the greeting card in Liu Song's hand with surprise: "Is there someone visiting?"
"Back to Master, that's right."
"Who is it?"
Liu Song shook his head gently: "Master, the person who came here did not take the initiative to identify himself, so I don't know who he is.
Moreover, the person who came was wearing a hat with a black gauze covering the face, so the little boy couldn't tell what he looked like.
Seeing this, the young man was about to refuse at first, but the visitor then said that as long as the young master sees the invitation, he will definitely receive him.
The tone of the person's words seemed to be very familiar to you, young master, so I swallowed back the words I wanted to refuse and accepted this person's invitation.
In particular, Xiaosong vaguely felt that this person's figure and voice were somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere, but he just couldn't remember it for a while."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Liu Song's tangled expression and couldn't help but feel a little curious. He gently put down the teacup and took the invitation.
Holding the greeting card in his hand, he casually opened the cover. Young Master Liu, who just glanced at the content of the greeting card, suddenly stood up and looked at the startled Liu Song with eyes filled with tears.
"Xiaosong, where is the visitor now?"
Liu Song saw the young master's reaction and immediately understood that the identity of the person who handed over the greeting card was extraordinary.
"Go back to the young master, the visitor is waiting outside the door of the mansion."
"Please."
"Yes, I will go and invite him into the house right away."
"etc."
Liu Song, who was about to run out of the study, stopped in a hurry and turned to look at Mr. Liu with confused eyes.
"Master, is there anything else?"
Liu Mingzhi breathed a silent sigh, looked at the content on the greeting card again with a complicated expression, and then quietly put it into his sleeves.
"Don't invite him in. Just let him wait outside the house for a while. Young Master, I will change into formal clothes and then go out to meet him in person."
Liu Song looked stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and nodded hurriedly.
"Yes, Xiaosong understands, Xiaosong resigns."
After Liu Song quickly ran out of the study, Liu Mingzhi was silent for a while with deep eyes, closed the documents on the table and walked out of the study.
After a while, Young Master Liu's figure appeared in Qi Yun's boudoir.
"Lady."
"Ah! Husband, weren't you in the study reviewing memorials and documents? Why did you come here suddenly?"
Qi Yun, who was cleaning the boudoir, was frightened by the sudden arrival of Mr. Liu, and her beautiful eyes gave her husband a resentful look.
"I'm going to see my husband...it's nothing. Go get my husband's light white cloud-patterned Confucian robe. I'm going to meet a very important guest."
Qi Yun's resentful eyes suddenly became curious: "So solemn, husband, who are you going to meet?"
"Hey, don't worry about who Yun'er is. I don't know how to tell you now. I'll tell you the specific situation after I meet the person."
Although there was a hint of suspicion in Qi Yun's beautiful eyes, she still walked silently towards the wardrobe next to her.
After a while, Liu Mingzhi changed into a light white cloud-patterned Confucian robe under Qi Yun's service.
After Qi Yun straightened her husband's clothes, she turned to look at the drizzle outside the room: "Husband, it's drizzling outside now. Do I need to bring you an umbrella?"
“No need, the rain is not heavy, it’s not a big problem if you don’t hold an umbrella.
Yun'er, please go ahead and clean up the room. My husband will go over first."
"Hey, pay attention to the water under your feet."
Liu Mingzhi waved his hand gently and quickly walked out of Qi Yun's boudoir. However, after leaving the beauty's boudoir, Young Master Liu did not rush directly to the main entrance of Liu Mansion, but instead went to the courtyard of the third princess Li Yan.
After a while, Young Master Liu walked directly into the third princess's boudoir with the door open.
"Yan'er, are you in the room?"
"Husband?"
"It's for my husband, Yan'er, what are you doing?"
The third princess walked out of the screen with a smile and put the wire frame in her hand on the table.
"What else can I do? Yirou's shoes don't fit her feet anymore. I'm sorting out the shoes and planning to make two new pairs of shoes for her.
Husband, if you are not in the study reviewing memorials and documents, why are you here? Is there something wrong?"
Liu Mingzhi looked up and down at the light plain clothes worn by the third princess at home, and pointed to the wardrobe behind the screen.
"You're right, my husband is looking for you for something."
The third princess looked at Young Master Liu with her lips slightly parted: "Ah? Husband, you really have something to do with me? What's the matter?"
"Yan'er, you'll know what's going on later. Now go change into the clothes you will wear when going out. My husband is waiting for you in the room."
The third princess saw Young Master Liu's elusive calm expression, tapped her phoenix head twice and hurriedly walked to her closet.
After about half a cup of tea, the third princess, who had put on a light yellow silk shirt, walked out directly.
"Husband, I have changed my clothes."
Young Master Liu looked at the third princess's dress again, and then nodded with satisfaction.
"Yan'er, you look good in this outfit. Come with me, and we'll pick up an honored guest."
"Hmm? Meeting a distinguished guest? Who is it?"
"You'll know after you see it."
"Husband, please wait a moment. It's still drizzling outside! It's not too late for me to go get the oil-paper umbrella."
"It's drizzling, so why don't you bring an umbrella? If you get wet, your clothes will just stick to your body..."
Young Master Liu paused as he spoke, turned his head and glanced at the beauty's thin clothes and let out a heavy sigh.
"I made a mistake, Yan'er, you'd better bring an umbrella."
The third princess followed her husband's gaze and glanced down at the thin silk shirt she was wearing. She rolled her eyes angrily and turned around to return to her boudoir.
After a while, the third princess returned with an oil-paper umbrella.
"Silly husband, let's go."
"Okay, go quickly, go quickly."
When Liu Mingzhi and his wife rushed to the gate of Liu Mansion together, Liu Song hurriedly greeted them.
"Young man, see the young master, see the young madam."
"Where are the guests?"
"Waiting outside the door, young master, please, madam."
Liu Mingzhi took a deep breath under the surprised gaze of the third princess, and walked towards the door of the mansion with steady steps.