Ding's Mansion is in the easternmost part of Xuanwu Street, and the inn where Chen Xuejiao's family lives is on the west side of Gulou Street.

Fortunately, the carriage sent by the Ding Mansion was relatively fast.

The carriage passed through Gulou Street, and after two more teas, it arrived at the gate of Ding's house.

Chen Xuejiao quietly looked out from the curtain, and saw a very magnificent vermilion gate, carved with a jade fence on it, two red lanterns hung on one left and one right, and two stone lions carved from white marble stood at the door.

There were already a few stewards standing at the door waiting, and the girl next to Mama Wu had just poked out half a head from the door, and before she could speak, the two stewards took people and greeted them, and entered the house from the corner gate on the side with a carriage.

Chen Xuejiao secretly thought in her heart, although the Ding Mansion was covered by Mrs. Ding's hand, the lovely sister's ability was great, and even the steward of the concierge had to smile when she saw her maid.

I heard that this sister is about the same age as herself, and her mother is frail and sickly, and she is not treated by her mother-in-law, and she is not favored by her husband. The young lady of a big family seems to be golden and noble, but if the status of her mother is not high, her status in the house is not as good as that of a maid with a good face.

Thinking of this, Chen Xuejiao became even more curious about this beloved sister.

Perhaps because of the winter, the trees and pavilions at the outer gate of the Ding Mansion are quite sparse and exquisite, and only a few servants are clearing the snow, pruning, and whispering.

When the carriage entered the gate, the mother-in-law in the second gate came out to pick it up, and saw the carriage of Chen Xuejiao's family, through the carriage curtain, with a smile on her face: "The wife and girl of the Chen family are here, and our eldest sister is chattering every day." ”

As he spoke, he led the carriage inside. "Our eldest sister is waiting in the room, and I'm worried that I won't pick it up too early and disturb the Chen family's wife and girl to rest." ”

What a clever girl. Chen Xuejiao sighed, and a smile appeared on the corner of Mama Wu's mouth, if she wasn't smart, she wouldn't let her run outside.

"Miss Lao is bothered, and she has to sue the eldest lady, we should have come yesterday, but it was too late to arrive at Xuzhou Mansion. I didn't bother. Chen Xuejiao said generously, and a crisp voice came out of the carriage curtain.

Originally, Chen Xuejiao was still a little worried, after all, Chen Xueyao was the aunt in this house. In the final analysis, they are Xue Yao's mother's family, and in terms of it, this layer of identity is really embarrassing, but Sister Ai does not treat them as Aunt Chen's mother's family. Seemingly. Sister Ai also knows the relationship between the Chen family's big house and the second room.

The carriage passed through the corner gate and stopped in front of a shadow wall carved with landscape paintings, many mothers-in-law and a group of girls and daughters-in-law were already waiting in front of the shadow wall, and when they saw the carriage stop, those mothers-in-law and maids hurriedly stepped forward.

There was a maid in a green shirt who lifted the curtain, and another maid in a goose yellow gown reached out to help Mama Wu first. Mrs. Chen and the girl are still there, so they helped me up first. ”

"This girl is new. I don't know much about the rules, so I make the girl and his wife laugh. Mama Wu smiled and said to the maid, "The person who came is a guest, and he didn't come up to help his wife and young ladies." ”

A few maids were blessed, and they quickly caught up and helped the Li family, Chen Xuejiao, Chen Xueru, and Jing Hao.

"Mama, you're so polite." Chen Xuejiao generously helped the maid's hand get out of the carriage, looked at the maid just now and said to Mama Wu with a smile, "Since you are a newcomer, you can teach more." Although we are guests, Mama is a long-term resident, and we should have let Mama be.

Chen Xuejiao is guilty of the maid, she heard that the rules of big families are heavy, and she looks at Sister Ai's style, I am afraid that she is the person who pays the most attention to the rules. Just now, the maid helped the grandmother first instead of the guest Chen Xuejiao, although it was nothing to Chen Xuejiao and the Li family, but this maid may be punished, and the most important thing is that this maid will most likely never be able to get up again in this mansion. Chen Xuejiao is the first time to come back to Dingfu, there is no need to ruin this maid's life because of a trivial matter.

Mama Wu also heard the meaning of Chen Xuejiao's words, glanced at Chen Xuejiao with some appreciation, and glanced at the maid: "Thank you Miss Chen Jiaer soon." ”

"Miss Xie Er." The maid was full of shame, her eyes were full of gratitude, she gave Chen Xuejiao a blessing, and quietly retreated behind the maids.

And Chen Qiping was hugged off the carriage by a young guy.

A group of people surrounded Li, Chen Xueru, Chen Xuejiao, Wang Jinghao, and Chen Qiping and walked towards Sister Ai's courtyard. It was the first time for Li to encounter such a pomp, and he looked at Chen Xuejiao a little uncomfortably, and Chen Xuejiao gave Li Shi, Xueru, and Jinghao a comforting look.

Chen Xuejiao chatted softly with Mama Wu as she walked, and Mama Wu looked at it coldly, and felt more and more that it was right to let Sister Ai see Chen Xuejiao. Sister Ai has a bold personality, there is no trace of the squeamishness of the young lady, and she is not wrapped from her feet, and she can't talk to the eldest lady who pretends to be a big girl, so there are not many boudoir handkerchiefs. Chen Xuejiao is not, there is no trace of squeamishness on her body, except for her family background, everything is suitable for Sister Ai. Mama Wu is holding the purpose of letting Sister Ai and Chen Xuejiao's boudoir communicate.

What's more, who doesn't have a mountain and water in life, this Chen family's big house looks bad at the family business, but who can guarantee the future.

Therefore, there are only benefits and no disadvantages in letting Sister Ai and Chen Xuejiao interact.

This is the inner courtyard of the Ding Mansion, which is quite different from the loneliness of the outer courtyard. The business of Dingfu has been doing for some years, and the ancestors are from Xiucai, the inner courtyard is not like the outer courtyard, which is full of wealth and wealth, the trees are tall and lush, rows of high eaves and wide houses, and many gorgeously dressed maids are standing in the courtyard.

Chen Xuejiao glanced at those maids, and they were all with flying eyebrows and handsome eyes, thin waists and bee backs, and they were all familiar. Chen Xuejiao thought about it for a while, and then realized that they looked very similar to Xueyao.

I don't know if it's the preference of the old lady of Dingfu or the preference of Uncle Dingfu.

Looking at the maids who are hugging themselves, they are all waiting in front of their sisters, but they are different from those maids, most of them are rough and stupid, and a few of them are good-looking, but they are just beautiful.

The house where I entered my sister was different, and the yard was extremely exquisite. There is no shortage of rockeries in the corridor, and as soon as you enter the yard, you will see that the branches are tied with colored paper and silk strips of red, pink, gold and orange. When I looked at it from afar, I thought I had seen the spring flowers of a tree.

Chen Xuejiao secretly wondered in her heart, because there were people around her, and she didn't have time to take a closer look.

After passing through the two verandahs, I came to my sister's house.

Sister Ai was already waiting, the maids at the door opened the curtains on both sides, and Mama Wu made a gesture of invitation.

I heard a maid in the house say, "But here, eldest sister." Mrs. Chen and her sister have already arrived. ”

"Come in, please." Just listening to this voice, Chen Xuejiao had a good impression. Crisp and bright, without a trace of squeamishness in it.

Chen Xuejiao and the others followed Mama Wu and the maid into the warm pavilion.

A burst of warmth mixed with a fragrance came to the face. I saw an eleven or twelve-year-old girl dressed in red sitting on a chaise longue.

Mama Wu led the Li family, Xue Jiao and the others to smile and said to Sister Ai: "Sister, your guest has arrived, this is the eldest wife of the Chen family, this is the eldest lady, and this is the second miss." This is Miss Chen Jiabiao. This is the little master. “

Li Shi, Chen Xuejiao and others asked for luggage, but they were stopped by Ai Jie at once, and a crisp voice popped out: "You are distinguished guests." “

Chen Xuejiao has a good impression of Sister Ai in her heart. A young lady from a big family, but she can treat people equally.

Sister Ai beckoned them to sit down, and a maid brought tea.

Chen Xuejiao picked up the tea and drank it one by one, it tasted extremely good, and it was her favorite Huangshan Maofeng.

Sister Ai took advantage of Chen Xuejiao's tea drinking. Quietly looked at her. Chen Xuejiao wore an autumn-colored gown and a big wool armor. Below is a Hunan skirt of the same color, with a bag on the head, no decoration at all, only a gold lilac inlaid on the ear. Originally, she was born with picturesque eyebrows, at the age of eleven or twelve, she didn't use a little powder, and she looked more and more delicate and lovely.

Chen Xuejiao is also looking at Sister Ai, Sister Ai was born with a pair of thick eyebrows, a round face, Yuxue is cute, and a pair of eyes are particularly brilliant and shining.

Seeing Chen Xuejiao looking at herself, Sister Ai sneered, pulled her eyebrows, and said to Xuejiao: "I have long heard my nurse talk about you, and it was really the case when I saw it today." You see, I have a pair of thick eyebrows like you, they say that we will get married after such thick eyebrows, and we can tame Xianggong, but I don't believe it, Xianggong doesn't need to be tamed, if it's not good for me, it's just that. ”

Mama Wu couldn't help frowning, and the maids around her all turned their backs and smiled.

These words shortened the distance between him and Chen Xuejiao in an instant.

Chen Xuejiao was still thinking about how to greet Sister Ai, but she didn't expect to start a precedent with Sister Ai's joke.

Chen Xuejiao also said: "Strange Mama said that the eldest sister is an extremely assertive person, and you can hear it just by relying on your words." “

Sister Ai laughed: "Yes, everyone else says that I am a big rebel." ”

"What is the great rebellion, the truth is set by people, as long as it does not harm others, and is worthy of the heart, it will be done, the so-called great rebellion is just not satisfying the minds of others." Chen Xuejiao couldn't help but drink.

Sister Ai glanced at Chen Xuejiao.

"Eldest sister, bring the embroidered portrait of my wife." Mama Wu stepped forward and interrupted Sister Ai's words.

Although she dotes on her sister very much, but a girl's house, before she left the cabinet, just saw someone, she kept talking about the taming of her husband, and she was really panicked when she said it. They are used to it, but the people of the Chen family are still there.

I don't know if people should look at it as a joke.

Seeing that Chen Xuejiao's remarks were similar to Sister Ai's, Li was smiling next to him, and his heart was slightly settled.

"Look, I forgot about it as soon as I started talking." Sister Ai smiled apologetically.

Lee pulled out the scroll, and the portrait was displayed on the table.

Sister Ai looked at it once, praised it once, raised her head and said to a maid, "Take it to my mother." ”

The maid went with the embroidered image in her arms.

Sister Ai sat down with Chen Xuejiao, and after talking for a while, she saw the maid come in with a red pomegranate.

There are a lot of fruits in the food box, and there is a special layer of pomegranates in it, it is difficult to have such a big and red pomegranate in this cold winter, but the skin is thin and the seeds are many, and the fragrance is fragrant. The maid who was waiting beside her peeled it off, tore off the yellow clothes attached to it little by little, took a crystal glass bowl and filled it with the pulp, and placed it in front of Sister Ai, Chen Xuejiao, Chen Xueru, Jing Hao, Qi Ping and Li, and put a spoon inside.

Other maids took towels and basins for Xue Jiao and others to wash their hands.

"Pomegranates are nothing, but they are rare to eat in winter." Sister Ai spoke, "This is my uncle who went to Yunnan to do business, picked it up from there, and sent a box over." ”

Chen Xuejiao thanked her, reached out for the spoon, and dug up the pomegranate pulp to eat.

The pomegranate is juicy, and although you are careful, the mouth will be stained with red juice, and after eating, the maid will rinse her mouth with water.

As soon as she finished eating the pomegranate, Sister Ai's mother, Wu, sent a maid from her side to invite Li to come in and talk.

Li Shi was a little nervous, she didn't know where to put her hands and feet, she was so big, it was the first time she had spoken to a noble lady.

"It's okay, my wife has the best temperament." Mama Wu stood up, "I'll take my wife over, by the way, the embroidery seems to be embroidered by a good girl, and I invite her to meet my wife too." ”

Li and Jinghao followed Mama Wu to Wu's house.

The sound of "dang" startled people. When I looked up, I saw a Western clock hanging in my sister's room. Chen Xuejiao didn't feel surprised to see it in her previous life, but Chen Qiping couldn't help it.

Sister Ai saw that Chen Qiping was still young, so she ordered the maid to catch the fruit for him to eat. Where has Qi Ping seen so much deliciousness, and when he saw the lotus root flour planning cake, he swallowed his saliva hard, but he didn't dare to eat it, and only looked at Xue Jiao with his eyes.

"Sister Ai gave it to you, you can eat it." Chen Xuejiao said with a smile.

During the conversation, the two men called out their names.

Qi Ping ate up.

Sister Ai sat Chen Xuejiao on one side and Chen Xueru on the other, and the three of them talked.

Chen Xuejiao picked up interesting stories in the countryside and told Sister Ai, Sister Ai really liked it, and when she said she was happy, she smiled: "Why didn't I know you earlier, you are more interesting than those daughters who make poems, and I am annoyed to death when I entertain them." ”

Chen Xuejiao pursed her lips and smiled.

The place where my sister lives is planted with bamboo on three sides, and one side is full of plum trees on the water. At this time, it was winter, and Sister Ai's house was made of glass, and through the window, the greenery of the bamboo felt a chill on her body. Sister Ai hurriedly ordered the maid to bring the hand stove to Xuejiao and Xueru.

Xue Jiao is okay, she is not afraid of the cold, but it is Xue Ru who is afraid of the cold.

After a while, Mama Wu came over, and saw that Xue Ru's face was a little pale, and she was stiff sitting on the chair. She is such a shrewd person, she immediately knew what the reason was, so she smiled and said to Xueru: "The eldest lady of the Chen family's face is a little pale, I'm afraid that she will faint from the carriage in a hurry, so let's go and rest for a while." ”

Chen Xuejiao was worried about Xueru's body, and smiled at Mama Wu: "My sister is a little uncomfortable. ”

Mama Wu understood, and ordered the girl to help Xue Ru to go to the inner room and prepare a clean and thick cloth.

Only Chen Xuejiao and Sister Ai were left in the house, and the more they talked, the more speculative they became.

Suddenly, there was a noisy sound outside, and a maid rushed in and said, "Eldest sister, Aunt Chen's stomach hurts again." (To be continued......)