In the hall of the main room of Cuizhuyuan, Mrs. Chen's sister-in-law was sitting on the rosewood chair at the top and talking happily. A young man of about sixteen or seventeen years old was sitting on the lower left side, and a young man of about sixteen or seventeen years old was sitting on the lower right side.
A pair of twin sisters.
"A Rui, the last time I saw you, your mother-in-law passed away, and you took Brother Xu back to Yangzhou for the funeral... In the blink of an eye, six years have passed. Time flies so fast!"
When Mrs. Chen mentioned her deceased mother, Mrs. Chen couldn't help but feel a little sad in her eyes.
Mrs. Chen also noticed this, so she changed the subject and laughed loudly, "When you came back last time, Jiayan and Jiarou were still little girls, but now they are both tall and graceful girls!
"
When called by their mother, the Chen sisters both lowered their heads shyly.
"By the way, Sister Wu and Brother Xu are here? Why haven't I seen them since I've been here for so long? Especially Sister Wu. Speaking of which, as my aunt, I have never seen her before." Mrs. Chen
He smiled and said to Chen again.
"Brother Xu has gone to the academy to study. As for Ah Wu, I just asked Wu Qing to call her." Mrs. Chen said with a smile.
"That's it!" Mrs. Chen's eyes moved. She looked around with a smile, and then sighed to Mrs. Chen, "Arui, the yard you live in must be very big!"
Otherwise, Wu Qing has been away for so long, why hasn't she brought her niece back?
Unfortunately, Mrs. Chen did not understand the meaning of Mrs. Chen's words. She subconsciously said, "It's not big, it's about the same size as the main courtyard in Yangzhou!"
After hearing what Chen said, an undercurrent flashed through Mrs. Chen's eyes. However, she still had a smile on her face, and there was no trace of anything strange at all.
It seems that her niece does not think highly of her aunt!
While Mrs. Chen was secretly thinking about it, the maid's voice suddenly sounded outside the door to say hello.
"This slave has seen the girl."
Really, if you talk about Cao Cao, Cao Cao is here!
Mrs. Chen straightened her body and looked at the door expectantly.
She wanted to see who this niece who put on airs for her as soon as she came was.
Under the expectant eyes of everyone, Xie Wu finally walked in gracefully.
Just look at her wearing a goose-yellow cross-collar short coat, with a light green pleated skirt underneath, and a simple white jade hairpin on her head. Both her clothes and headdress are extremely simple and plain.
She was more than a little worse than her two daughters, but when her eyes moved to Xie Wu's face, she was stunned.
The eyebrows are competing with willows for green, and the faces are competing with peaches for red.
She really didn't expect that her niece, whom she had never met before, would be such a beauty!
As soon as she appeared, she suppressed her two daughters to a dull state. What's worse, she directly suppressed her two daughters, who were dressed in gorgeous clothes and wearing pearls on their heads, into vulgar powder!
"Ah Wu, come here quickly." Mrs. Chen was very happy to see Xie Wu come in, and hurriedly smiled and waved to her.
Xie Wu smiled and walked up to Mrs. Chen and blessed her, "Mother."
Madam Chen stood up with a smile and helped Xie Wu up. Then she pointed to Mrs. Chen beside her and said to Xie Wu, "Ah Wu, this is your aunt."
Xie Wu smiled, lowered her eyes and saluted Mrs. Chen, "I have met my aunt."
"Good boy, stop being so polite." Mrs. Chen stood up quickly and held Xie Wu's hand to help her up. She said with a smile, "Speaking of which, this is the first time my aunt has seen you."
Xie Wu lowered her eyes and smiled slightly, letting Mrs. Chen hold her.
Mrs. Chen clapped her hands, and then shouted to the grandmother behind her, "Mother Zhou, why don't you take over the gift I gave to my cousin?"
"Yes, madam." Nanny Zhou responded with a smile, and then walked over respectfully holding a mahogany treasure box inlaid with hundreds of treasures.
Mrs. Chen took the multi-treasure box from Aunt Zhou, then handed it to Xie Wu with a smile and said, "Good boy, this is a meeting gift from your aunt. Open it quickly and see if you like it.
"
For Mrs. Chen to hand it to her so solemnly and solemnly, it goes without saying that the contents of this treasure box must be worth a lot of money.
but……
"Of course I like the gift from my aunt." Xie Wu replied with a faint smile, and then handed the Duobao Ge in her hand to Mi Yue behind her.
Seeing that Xie Wu didn't open it, Mrs. Chen couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
However, she also knew that it was rare for a distinguished family to open gifts in front of guests. However, she did not expect that Xie Wu, a little girl who had not yet had haircuts, could be so calm.
You know, in order to impress the people in the Hou Mansion, she specially spent a lot of money to have this treasure box made of mahogany and inlaid with hundreds of treasures. Unexpectedly, Xie Wu didn't even take a second look at it.
Could it be that she didn't see the value of this treasure box?
"By the way, Ah Wu, you haven't met your two cousins yet! This is your third cousin Jiayan, and this is your fourth cousin Jiarou! And..." Mrs. Chen smiled and pushed Chen Jiamu to Xie Wu
In front of her, she introduced Xie Wu with a smile, "This is your eldest cousin Jiamu."
"First cousin, third cousin, fourth cousin."
"Sister Wu."
The cousins hurriedly came forward to greet each other.
"Let me tell you, we are all a family, so there is no need to be so formal! Ah Rui, what do you think?" Mrs. Chen looked at the three people and said with a chuckle.
Mrs. Chen nodded repeatedly in compliance with Mrs. Chen's words.
No one noticed that after listening to Mrs. Chen's words, the woman behind Mrs. Chen quickly flashed a trace of impatience in her eyes.
Except Xie Wu.
As if aware of Xie Wu's gaze, the mother-in-law looked at Xie Wu sheepishly, and then quickly lowered her head.
This Aunt Liu...
It's really interesting.
After the greetings, everyone sat back down.
"I heard from Wu Qing that my aunt came to Beijing this time specifically to prepare for my cousin's imperial examination next year?" Xie Wu spoke first with a faint smile.
Mrs. Chen frowned and glanced at Xie Wu with some displeasure. Normally, she should not be asked by a little girl who has not yet had hairpins, especially when there are elders in the room, but no matter who is next to her,
Neither the maid nor the mother-in-law showed the slightest surprise on their faces, and even Mrs. Chen herself didn't think there was anything wrong with Xie Wu's question.
This knowledge made Mrs. Chen more and more curious about this niece. However, she quickly adjusted her mentality and accepted her words with a smile, "No, your cousin is also somewhat talented in reading, so I think
It would be better to go to the capital earlier. There are many famous teachers and scholars in the capital. If your cousin can join the disciples of some great scholars and make more friends, it will be helpful for him to enter the official career in the future."
"There are indeed many famous teachers and scholars in the capital, but it is indeed difficult to be their disciple... However, since my aunt said that my cousin is talented in studying, it is indeed not difficult to fall into the eyes of these great scholars." Xie Wu smiled lightly.
He answered.
As soon as Xie Wu said these words, Mrs. Chen was not worried yet, but Chen Jiamu showed timidity on his face first.
His knowledge was only above average in Yangzhou Academy, but it would be even less conspicuous in the capital city where there are so many talented people.
"It's okay, okay, aren't there my sister and brother-in-law here? My brother-in-law is the eldest son of Wu'an Hou Mansion. I heard that he has recently received the position of deputy general. It's not his word that Brother Mu wants to join the disciples of some great Confucian.
It's something." Mrs. Chen said with a cheerful smile.
"My aunt is joking, in this capital city where there are noble clans everywhere, you can just throw a stick and hit a prince, princess or something like that. Our Wu'an Marquis Mansion is really nothing." Xie Wu curled her lips and answered.
Words.
After listening to Xie Wu's words, Chen Jiamu's face became more and more uncomfortable, and he also started to retreat in his heart.
If I had known this, it would be better not to come.
"It doesn't matter! You don't have to be a disciple of a Confucian scholar. There are a lot of learned people in the capital. It's better for Brother Mu to have more contact with them than to have a black eye in Yangzhou!" Mrs. Chen didn't thank her at all.
Wu's words were disappointing, but she still accepted her words with a smile.
Xie Wu nodded in agreement towards Mrs. Chen, and then she said, "However, there is still one year before the scientific examination. Can my aunt find a place to live? I heard from Wu Qing that you plan to buy a house in the capital?
"
Perhaps it was because Xie Wu had just agreed with her words, so Mrs. Chen's inner vigilance was relaxed a little. She smiled and replied, "I think so, but we are new to the capital, we have a family and we are not familiar with the place.
Yes, I have to worry about my sister and brother-in-law about buying a house!"
Xie Wu smiled and nodded again, "That's right, but I wonder what kind of house my aunt wants to buy?"
"I don't have any requirements, as long as the children like it and live comfortably," Mrs. Chen said with a smile on her lips.
Saying this is the same as not saying it.
Not right either.
Is there any other house where they can live more comfortably than Nengwu'anhou Mansion? After all, people don't come to the capital just to buy a house!
Xie Wu looked at Curved Lips and smiled again, and then followed her words and said, "It is really not easy to buy a suitable house in the capital at this time."
"It doesn't matter, we can wait. After all, it concerns Brother Mu's future!" Mrs. Chen added with a smile.
Xie Wu curled her lips and smiled as well.
Whether it concerns Chen Jiamu's future or the Chen sisters' future, she and Mrs. Chen both know it well.
"By the way, mother, does grandma know that aunt is coming?" Xie Wu suddenly looked towards Mrs. Chen.
When she mentioned this, Chen's nerves immediately became tense. She looked at Xie Wu with a guilty conscience and said, "Not yet, isn't the old lady taking a nap at this time, so, so..."
"Since grandma is taking a nap, mother can also wait in the flower hall with her aunt!" Xie Wu's face darkened and she looked at Chen expressionlessly.
When Xie Wu said this, Chen immediately lowered his head and stopped talking.
The old lady originally disliked her for being a merchant girl. Now if she found out that someone from her mother's family was coming, and she was dragging her family along with her, she would definitely not have a good look. She might even be embarrassed on the spot, so she hurriedly let Wu
Qing went to call Ah Wu over.
Seeing Mrs. Chen unable to hold her head up after being told by her daughter, Mrs. Chen's face was full of surprise. Even the three brothers and sisters of the Chen family couldn't help but cast a surprised look at Xie Wu.
Xie Wu seemed not to see the surprised looks of the Chen family. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Mrs. Chen and continued in a deep voice, "What are you waiting for, mother? Or, are you not going to take your aunt and the others to see your grandmother?"
"No, it's not." Mrs. Chen shook her head repeatedly.
"Then what are you waiting for, mother?" Xie Wu raised her eyebrows and asked.
The corners of Chen's lips moved. She frowned and looked at Xie Wu. She pondered for a long time before she mustered up the courage to say, "Ah, Wu, aren't you going?"
A smile suddenly appeared on the corners of Xie Wu's lips, and soon after, her clear voice slowly sounded, "I just sent greetings to my grandmother in the morning, so mother, please take your aunt there by yourself!" After that, she
Then he got up and stood up.
"Ah Wu." Seeing that Xie Wu was about to leave, Mrs. Chen quickly stood up and called her out.
Xie Wu smiled softly and said, "My aunt came suddenly, so I have to ask someone to clean up the yard, right? Otherwise, where will my aunt and cousins live tonight?"
As soon as Xie Wu said these words, Mrs. Chen could no longer find any reason to ask Xie Wu to go with her. She could only watch helplessly as Xie Wu walked out of the house step by step.
Mrs. Chen was very puzzled by Mrs. Chen's reliance on her daughter. However, she felt very happy when she heard that Xie Wu had gone to have the yard cleaned for them to live in. So she stood up and said to Mrs. Chen, "A Rui,
Sister Wu is right! We still have to go see the old lady first, so as not to make others think that our Chen family does not understand the rules."
Mrs. Chen frowned and glanced at Mrs. Chen.
Although she was very frightened, under this situation, she had no choice but to go. She thought about it again and again, and finally had no choice but to bite the bullet and nod to Mrs. Chen.