The sky was gray, the first snow had not yet fallen, and the cold wind was blowing straight into her collar. She said goodbye to her old aunt's yard, trimmed her temples slightly, smoothed the corners of her horse-faced skirt, and walked towards the main room of the Marquis' mansion holding a handkerchief.
And go.
Her steps were brisk, and she felt that the wax plum blossoms in the garden were just beginning to bloom, and the yellow pistils were crystal clear, and they were full of life in the winter.
Mother Chen walked in front, her figure upright, and Cao Xiwan followed behind. The corners of her lips were slightly raised with a smile, and she was thinking in her mind whether her wife would give Dr. Feng of Huichun Hall to her.
Or give her the Buddha statue she was given as a dowry, and she wouldn't mind it.
Mother Chen, who was leading the way, was Lou Shuluan's dowry. She looked at Lady Cao coldly.
According to Chen's mother's idea, depending on how she gets favored by the Marquis, just ignore her.
It's a pity that the wife is young after all. When the old lady and other ladies asked about this matter, Mrs. Hou was not calm enough. Instead, she said that this woman was an old person, the most cunning one, and might come to the Lord Hou to cry. He had to summon her to see her.
.
In the main room, the bright red brocade curtain is lifted, the fragrance of plum blossoms is light and warm, and the lattice windows are exquisite.
In the main room of the Hou Mansion, there is a plaque called Baihua Hall.
Cao Xiwan was waiting under the corridor house on one side, and saw the sixth wife coming out of it with a smile, and Mrs. Hou sent her out. She was thinking, did she just come back from the old lady?
Mother Chen looked at her at the door: "Go."
"Yes." She walked in. There was no one in the main hall, and there were green pines and wax plum bonsai on the long carved table.
When the red felt in the east wing was lifted, a girl beckoned.
She turned to the east wing, where four beautiful girls wrapped in silk stockings stood on both sides.
"Greetings, Madam." When Cao Xiwan saluted, he secretly took a look around, but did not see the rumored fox Jingliu.
However, there was an older girl named Yanzhi whom she recognized, standing first on the left.
Hey, my wife actually likes Yanzhi, a famously beautiful girl from the Hou Mansion? Or is it because she was sent here by the old lady?
Cao Xiwan was thinking about it, and Yanzhi gave Cao Xiwan a cryptic look.
Huh? What's the matter? She thought.
"I heard that you are a good Buddha?" Mrs. Hou said slowly.
Cao Xiwan, one of the eldest girls, looked down at the string of eighteen colored glaze beads tied around her wrist. Thinking about how Mrs. Six often talked to her about the Buddhist rituals in Chengfu Temple, she knew that it turned out to be Mrs. Six.
My wife spoke for her? As expected, she didn’t have to go to each room to say hello in vain.
She responded meekly: "Yes."
"In the past, I didn't notice it."
It was difficult to answer this. She stood with her head lowered and had already looked at Mrs. Hou when she came in.
She had a jade crown and a black bun, and a vermillion brocade coat and skirt that was often painted with gold. It looked like she had just come down from the old lady's room.
Mrs. Hou was born with a silver face, willow eyebrows and phoenix eyes, a Yao nose and red lips, especially Lou Shuluan, who had been waiting in the boudoir for many years. She would not marry anyone except Song Chengming. When she was nearly thirty, she got married and became a first-class Mrs. Hou, with a wealth of wealth and wealth.
Her eyes are solid and her temperament is graceful. She is such a rich lady with deep affection and big eyes that recognize people.
——She is still the bad-tempered young lady I met in Yanjing City many years ago.
Cao Xiwan thought.
Outside the main room of the Nankang Marquis Mansion, the first snow in Jinling was as thick as cotton wool and salt.
Just like in Yanjing City many years ago, she did laundry every day and was cold and hungry. It was her handsome eldest brother Song Chengming who took her hand and entered the Baihu Residential House.
In order to practice her stealth skills, she would secretly follow the suspicious Song Chengming from time to time. If she was not discovered, he would reward her with cakes, clothes, and teach her to write.
So one day, he praised her for being as light and mysterious as a flying owl walking on snow, leaving no trace.
That is the first of the Nine Transformations of Netherworld, Netherworld Shadow.
She practiced sneaking every day and saw the purple bamboo forest in the heavy snow, which was hazy like a fairyland. He met Lou Shuluan privately in the bamboo forest near the Zizhu Bridge.
At that time, Song Chengming had not yet gotten married.
And she is only seven years old. She still doesn’t know what love between a man and a woman is and what sadness is.
If she had ever had feelings for Mr. Marquis, I am afraid that before they took root, they would have been frozen by the heavy snowfall that year, and flowed by the spring thawed stream near the bamboo forest.
But Lou Shuluan was only four years younger than Song Chengming. She was already a graceful girl. In the forest beside the bridge, Lady Lou had her first love affair in the middle of winter, waiting for spring to come and the flowers to bloom.
If Mrs. Hou didn't like her, Cao Xiwan, she thought, she didn't understand.
Because that year, Song Chengming finally discovered her and shouted: "Xiao Wan?"
The bamboo snow fell lightly, and she walked out from her hiding place: "Sir." She looked at Lou Shuluan curiously, "Sir, does she want to practice with me?"
She thought that Lou Shuluan was a female fan selected to practice the Nine Transformations of Netherworld just like her.
"Sir, I discovered her. I defeated her, right?"
She was too young at the time and didn't know how to deal with people in the yamen. She could offend people with just one mouthful.
At that time, Lou Shuluan was already a pretty girl, several years older than her. Madam Lou was not hostile to her, a bean sprout-like little girl. When she saw her coming out, Miss Lou glanced at Song Chengming, who treated her gently.
Little girl, she smiled gently.
But Cao Xiwan noticed it. She opened her mouth and spoke: "I won. I saw her hiding behind the Yamen. I discovered her."
Lou Shuluan's eyes changed in an instant, she hated her.
When she recalled the past, she couldn't help but sigh in her heart. She didn't look down on Miss Qianjin, she just misunderstood that she was also practicing the Nine Transformations of the Netherworld.
Song Chengming smiled: "No, she doesn't practice this."
The Marquis also specifically explained why it was necessary. Miss Lou was the direct daughter of the dignified general's palace, not a female dancer. Of course she didn't know how to practice. Although Lou Luanshu was dressed in elegant clothes at that time, with a blue satin cloak and a plain jacket underneath,
Without makeup or hairpins, she looks like half a purple bamboo forest covered by heavy snow, elegant and fairy-like.
Song Chengming is like plum blossoms and snow, and Lou Shuluan is a ray of winter sun in the bamboo forest.
At that time, was she a little ashamed of herself?
Fortunately, now she is no longer a seven-year-old girl who was just picked up. Looking back calmly at the beginning, she realizes that this rich lady deliberately concealed herself, wore plain clothes that were inconsistent with her status, went out alone, and visited hundreds of households.
After snooping at the yamen door, she misunderstood that she was a female colleague of Jin Yiwei.
In fact, she first discovered that Lou Shuluan was suspicious, and then discovered that Song Chengming was secretly having a private meeting with someone.
But now she won't get it wrong anymore.
Back then, in Yanjing City, General Lou only had a thousand households, and Miss Lou was still fostered in someone else's home.
Her parents were away, the war was still in turmoil, and the army was stationed outside the city. Bodies could still be seen from time to time in the poor streets and alleys of Yanjing City. It was not uncommon for the daughter of a military attache to go out alone to meet her lover secretly.
The first time she discovered Lou Shuluan, she saw her hiding near Baihusuo, like a thief stepping through an empty door. This was a complete misunderstanding.
It turns out that Mrs. Lou came to the Yamen to find Song Chengming.
It turns out that her step on the snow without leaving a trace, as misty as smoke, was not like Cao Xiwan, who was practicing the first transformation of the Netherworld's Nine Transformations, Netherworld Shadow.
However, after that day, Mrs. Lou never appeared again.
It's impossible to get discouraged and give up after losing to her.
Moreover, the Marquis said that the figure she saw was not Miss Lou, but Miss Lou's maid.