Among the many ladies in the capital, Miss Wang is not a prominent figure. Because her father was the secretary of the Ministry of Industry of the Dynasty, he was deeply trusted by the emperor, so others were willing to give her some face.

But she prides herself on being a girl from a civil official family, so she feels that she is more knowledgeable than others, she always likes to hold a shelf, looks down on people in her eyes, and only makes friends with girls from scholarly families on weekdays. However, her father was born in a farming family, and his family background can only be said to be poor, but his wife is a rich man and a nouveau riche. Wang Shangshu is busy with official business on weekdays, just staring at his son's studies, and leaving his daughter's upbringing to his wife. Although Miss Wang also followed to learn some poetry and songs, piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, etc., she was not good at everything, but she put on a false shelf, in fact, she did not get much scholarly fragrance, but she learned the style of her grandfather's family, and her actions were cheesy. Few daughters of scholarly families can look down on her, but because of her father's power, any party must be counted as her.

Cao Luo's poetry meeting today was originally set a long time ago, but Zhao Xiu had just returned to the capital and made up the post temporarily. Cao Luo originally invited Miss Wang, which was not surprising, and there was no reason to drive out the guests in front of her for the sake of the later guests.

Zhao Xiu understood in his heart and didn't care, so he smiled and said to Cao Luo: "It's okay, although I have some old grudges with Miss Wang, they are all trivial matters, and I have long forgotten them in my heart." As long as she doesn't mess with me, I won't bother with her. ”

When Cao Luo heard this, the uneasiness in her heart decreased a little, and she said with a smile: "That's good, you stay away from her, don't pay attention to her - we don't actually like to talk to her, she always says something inexplicable, so that people can listen to it, and it is not laughing, nor is it refutated." There are a few new friends I have made today, you probably haven't seen them yet, and I'll introduce them to you in a moment. ”

Zhao Xiu smiled and held hands with her and went to the backyard.

The red plum blossoms in Cao Luo's yard are blooming brighter and better than in previous years. As soon as Zhao Xiu entered the courtyard gate, he was attracted and admired, and the people in the house had heard the movement and came out.

There are many acquaintances among the members of the party, Feng Xiuqin and the sisters of the Liu family are here, and several girls from the side branches of the Fang family are also here.

However, recalling the situation of the past poetry meeting, Zhao Xiu couldn't help but sigh in his heart. At that time, how many girls came to the Fang family, in addition to Fang Huizhu and Fang Renzhu, Fang Second Girl, Fang Fourth Girl and Fang Sixth Girl were all there. Now Fang Huizhu and Li are far away; Fang Renzhu served in Jining with his father; Fang 2 and Fang 4 died because their father was involved in a reverse case, and after the defeat of the raid, they accompanied their mother and brother to return to their hometown; Fang Liu's father, Master Fang San, was in Jining, but she herself was taken by her grandfather's family to live and had not seen her for a long time.

Even the girl who appeared at the poetry meeting didn't know how long she could relax. I heard that Feng Xiuqin and Miss Liu have agreed that they will get married in a year or two at most. By that time, how many people will be left in this poetry meeting?

However, among the people who came today, it is true that there are a few strange new members as Cao Luo said. Zhao Xiu, under the guidance of Cao Luo, greeted them one by one. Their respective fathers and brothers held high and low positions, some of whom had been known for a long time, but had never had the opportunity to see them before; There are also those who have met on certain occasions but have not spoken to each other; There are also the daughters of officials who have recently entered Beijing from other places, and they all seem to be from scholarly families, and they are polite. The first time I came into contact, I just felt that their appearance was also quite gentle and easy to get along with. In fact, we will only know how it will be with the passing days.

One after another, other girls came, some of whom knew and some of whom did not. Zhao Xiu was pleasantly surprised that the six girls of the Jiang family and Li Shanwen, the girl of the Li family, also came. She thought that these two were in the circle of Emperor Xungui, and they were not all the way to the poetry club, but she didn't expect to get in now.

Cao Luo seemed to be quite familiar with them, and greeted them happily, and received them into the door affectionately, talking and laughing, and pulling them to know a few cousins.

Although most of the girls in scholarly families are tall, not all of them are above the top. Although the six girls of the Jiang family and Li Shanwen are not members of their circle, they are the daughters of the top wealthy dignitaries of this dynasty. Being able to make friends with such a girl is naturally beneficial. Everyone was a little restrained in talking to them, but seeing that they were gentle and friendly and did not put on a show, they gradually relaxed. They are all teenage girls, with lively temperaments, and after a while, there are already talking and laughing.

The room was very lively, and there were girls who didn't want to get close to the aristocratic daughters, so they sat a little farther away, and they didn't show any sour appearance, but only smiled and chatted with each other, and talked about some books they had read and poems they had written recently.

There is a big girl Wang who can't get along with the girl from a scholarly family. The two who were compatible with her did not appear today. When she saw the six girls of the Jiang family, she also wanted to get together to curry favor, but people treated her the same as others, and even because she couldn't say anything interesting, she turned her head to talk to others, and she felt that the six girls Jiang underestimated her, and she was very depressed.

She is the daughter of Shangshu, and she is more noble than the girls in the room here. The father of the sixth girl of the Jiang family is not as high as her father's grade, but she just relies on an aunt who is the queen mother in the palace, why do you underestimate her?

She was angry in her heart, and she ignored the people, and sat alone by the window, and sneered at the others, and raised her chin high, waiting for someone to find her, and come and talk to her, so that she could take the opportunity to taunt the others in the room.

It is also said that it is a lady from a famous scholarly family, all of them are snobs, and when they see the niece of the queen mother, they surround them, and there is no reading spirit at all. A well-known girl like her looks down on this kind of behavior the most!

How did the six girls of the Jiang family and Li Shanwen know that there is a big girl Wang in this house, and they have such thoughts in their hearts? They are also used to being flattered on weekdays, who is sincere, who is false, who is fake, who is really snobbish, they have a clear heart. Today's party, they came for Cao Luo, most of the other girls haven't seen much, and it's not a bad thing to get to know each other. On weekdays, everyone is not in a circle, and it is difficult to say whether they can see each other after today, and they don't need to do too much to do everything, just act according to their hearts.

In the crowd, they were very surprised to find Zhao Xiu, who had been absent for a long time. Li Shanwen happily said to Zhao Xiu: "When did Sister Zhao return to Beijing?" The fourth aunt is really, why don't you tell us? We can also pick up the wind and wash the dust for Sister Zhao. ”

Zhao Xiu replied with a smile: "It's only been a few days since I came back, and I just settled down, and before I could take a breath, I received Sister Cao's post." When passing through Tianjin, due to heavy snowstorms, we were stranded for a few days, but we had a good reunion with Sister Jiang. Later, when the weather was better, I hurried on the road again. Fourth Sister Jiang may have the heart to send a letter, but she didn't have time. ”

Miss Jiang Liu smiled: "That's it, she is in Tianjin, and she must send a letter back on the first and fifteenth days of every month, but now it is neither the first day nor the fifteenth day of the new year, so I have to see the letter of the fourth sister." How are the four aunts and four sisters? How is the fourth uncle? It's been a long time, and my grandmother is still talking about it, and I don't know if they will come back for the New Year this year. ”

Zhao Xiu replied: "They all look good, when I left, Fourth Sister Jiang was still shouting to make new clothes, ready to wear them when she returned to Beijing for the New Year, but she didn't know what tricks are popular in Beijing now, and she was worried." ”

Miss Jiang Liu was happy to hear it: "This is easy, I will send someone to send her a big book of patterns tomorrow." ”

Li Shanwen pursed his lips and said, "What other tricks do you want?" That time, the fourth aunt asked someone to send it back, saying that it was the French lace sold by Western merchants in the port of Tianjin, which was extremely exquisite. It would be nice to let the fourth sister come back with a few more French laces. ”

Miss Jiang Liu flexed her fingers and scratched her face: "I think you want that lace, right?" coaxed people under the banner of the queen mother. Li Shanwen blushed when she said it, covered her face with a handkerchief and smiled.

They talked lively, and among the girls around them, there were also people who could talk, such as Cao Luo, she had no shortage of Western gadgets, and she could also discuss lace styles with Li Shanwen, and there were girls from the Feng and Liu families, as well as two other official daughters who came to Beijing from other places, all of whom knew a lot about dressing up and Western gadgets, and they chatted hotly together. Zhao Xiu listened to them with a smile and did not interject. And even if the other girls can't interject, they listen with great interest, and those who are really not interested will go to the side to read, talk, and enjoy the plum blossoms, and it will not be in the way.

Only Miss Wang, sitting alone for a long time, no one noticed her, her chin was raised for too long, her shoulders were a little sore, so she pulled her face long, and couldn't help but snort heavily.

The girls who were chatting with interest did not hear it, but a girl sitting not far from her heard the cold snort, looked up in surprise, smiled softly, and lowered her head to continue reading.

Miss Wang finally waited until someone responded, how could she let it go? Hurriedly sat down, nodded reservedly, and said, "The girl also thinks that some people are really not good, right?" Our scholarly family pays attention to style and knowledge! Where can I think about getting dressed all day long? ”

The girl looked strange, smiled dryly, got up and walked away. She just loves purity, but she doesn't intend to offend people. This big girl Wang is too blind, even if she wants to talk about it, she should go home and talk about it, don't be a guest at someone's house, so loud sarcasm, it's really rude.

Miss Wang's voice was indeed louder, and this time, even Miss Jiang Liu and Li Shanwen heard it clearly. Cao Luo, Feng Xiuqin and others were embarrassed for a while. Although they felt that Miss Wang's words were too rude, they also knew that with their own upbringing, they really shouldn't pay too much attention to dressing up.

Unexpectedly, when Miss Wang saw everyone's reaction, she only felt that she had to plan, so she became more and more sterned, and taught her coldly: "Since today is a poetry meeting, why don't you mention writing poems, but talk about those things that are useless?" I see that you have all made the power dizzy, and you only want to curry favor with the nobles, but you have forgotten the purpose of today. ”

Miss Jiang Liu's face had already drooped, and she was secretly disgusted in her heart. Who is this disgusting? It was as if she hadn't come over to please her.

Seeing this, Zhao Xiu smiled and played a round: "It seems that the people have not yet arrived, how can we start holding a poetry meeting at this time?" It's not a big deal to talk about a few family things when you wait for someone. 'Women's appearance' is also one of the four virtues, they are all girls of the same age, how can they not use some words about dressing up in their spare time? ”

Seeing that it was her, Miss Wang's face stretched longer, and she sneered: "Who did I say, it turned out to be you." You are more cunning than others, and you love to turn black and white upside down. Others are afraid of your family's power, but I am not afraid. What kind of good name is far and wide, what is capable and kind-hearted, who doesn't know the cats in these good reputations now? I did a little thing, but it was publicized all over the world, but it was just a fame and reputation, and I was funny when I heard it! ”

Zhao Xiu's face sank. (To be continued.) )