In the west of Shexian County, close to Lianjiang, there is a huge Hui-style mansion, with blue tiles and white walls, houses and houses, and courtyards. Just like the Mengshi mansion by Yaxi, the Bai family prospers with business, and the Bai clan people compete to take refuge, and they also breed such a huge family gathering place.

Bai Fuli and his entourage arrived outside the main gate of the Bai family, and Meng Qingyun looked out of the car window, which was a big gatehouse. The door cover is made of terrazzo bricks to form a line that protrudes outward, and the top is covered with cornices, and there are brick carving decorations, which are practical and beautiful. The ground in front of the gatehouse is paved with pebbles, which are fine and flat, and are commonly known as "fish scales". There are many fish seeds, which means that people are prosperous and have more than enough every year.

There are a few steps at the gate, and it is not possible to drive, and the carriage and horses have their own other ways to enter. The Bai family waited early, and when they saw the convoy coming back, they opened the door quickly, removed the threshold, and the carriage and horses went in until they stopped outside the second gate.

Meng Qingyun and Bai Xiuqing got out of the car hand in hand, and a large group of maidservants greeted them.

The two young women at the beginning, one is a young woman dressed as a young woman, with a round face and almond eyes, and an amiable face, it is Bai Fuli's wife Zhai, whose maiden name is Youjin; Another girl to be married is dressed up, her appearance is somewhat similar to Bai Xiuqing, compared to Bai Xiuqing's liveliness and jumping, but she has another quiet and elegant temperament, she is Bai Xiuning in the long room, Bai Fuli's sister-in-law, and Bai Xiuqing's cousin.

Zhai and Bai Xiuning warmly greeted Ramon Qingyun's hand, and the sister-in-law and sisters hurriedly chattered and greeted each other.

"Sister-in-law." "Sister." "Yuan Niang."

Zhai Shi took Meng Qingyun's arm and said, "I can count on you coming, grandmother doesn't know how many times she has been talking, let's hurry up to her courtyard, my mother and aunt are also there." ”

She also called the competent housekeeper's mother to properly arrange the entourage and luggage brought by Meng Qingyun.

Everyone surrounded Meng Qingyun and went to the courtyard of Mrs. Bai lively.

When it comes to the Bai family's mansion, outsiders generally call it "Bai Family Garden", and the Bai family's mansion is not built in order like most large families.

The Bai family house leads the river water into the garden, divides it into several roads, makes a viewing lake in the wide place, does the nine curved flowing water in the narrow place, each yard is built according to the water, it is scattered, plus bonsai, flowers, rockeries, pavilions, the whole forms a spectacular private garden. Therefore, outsiders often call it "Baijia Garden".

Along the way, Zhai simply and neatly introduced the locations of various courtyards.

Bai Rongcheng and his wife Xu live in Congshan Hall.

Bai Fuli and Zhai live in Luming Hall.

Bai Rongxin's residence is Leshantang, his wife died early, and now the two-bedroom house is taken care of by the concubine Xu.

The old lady's residence is Fukang Hall, which is also the largest courtyard in the entire Bai Family Garden.

"Since receiving the letter from the Meng family and knowing the news of your mother's death, the old lady was sad and passed out several times. Originally, I said that I was going to pick you up to live, but because the old lady was sick, I had to postpone it. Who knew that when I received the letter you were asking for a few days ago, the old lady was happy or something, and her health was more than half better. In the past two days, I really instructed my mother and us to go around, arrange a yard for you, a maidservant, and a mother-in-law, ask about the kitchen for a while, ask about the embroidery room for a while, and ask about the carriage and horse room for a while. ”

Zhai's words were playful, which amused everyone.

Her attitude of complaining, but in fact, only close people would say this, did quickly shorten the distance between each other, and made Meng Qingyun feel the welcome of the Bai family.

"That's mine, it's not mine, fortunately, I brought a lot of clay instruments, please aunts and sisters-in-law look at these gifts, don't blame me."

Zhai and Bai Xiuqing both burst out laughing.

Bai Xiuning was quiet, so she wouldn't be like them, just pursed her lips and chuckled.

The Bai family is in business, and the women in the house are also contaminated with the habits of the men outside, and they are very good at dealing with people.

Everyone talked and laughed and entered the Fukang Hall.

Sure enough, the room was full again.

As soon as they entered, all eyes converged.

There was a gray-haired old lady sitting in the hall, although she was not tall, but when she looked at her bearing, she knew that she was a wise old man who had seen through the world. It was about the beginning of a serious illness, and his face was slightly lacking in luster. Seeing Meng Qingyun at this time, he stood up with tears in his eyes, and without waiting for Meng Qingyun to salute, he hugged her into his arms.

"Good boy!" She opened her mouth and cried first, "I have raised such a daughter as your mother all my life, and now she leaves me first, it really hurts my heart......"

Meng Qingyun originally didn't have any grief for his mother's death, but when he was hugged by her at this time, he felt the pain and fragility of this old man closely, and the old and kind face of his grandfather in his previous life suddenly came to mind, and he was suddenly touched, and his eyes were red for a while. It's just that this scene is quite a bit of Lin Daiyu's entry into Jiafu, and I feel a little wonderful while being moved.

The women and maidservants in the hall hurriedly came up to comfort them, and the old lady slowly stopped crying.

She didn't sit back, so she took Meng Qingyun's hand and said, "Come, I've seen the people at home." ”

The first is Bai Rongcheng's wife, Xu.

Meng Qingyun saluted: "Uncle." ”

Xu was born rich, and when he smiled, his two eyes narrowed into two crescents, and he looked very amiable.

The second is Bai Rongxin's concubine Liu.

Meng Qingyun saluted: "Auntie." ”

Liu didn't dare to hold it up, so he hurriedly returned the salute.

Everyone sat down, Mrs. Bai took Meng Qingyun's hand and didn't let go, and the maidservant urgently put a palace stool next to her seat and let Meng Qingyun sit down.

"Your eldest uncle and second uncle are both out of town, and they won't be able to come back for a while. Your younger brother Jian'er has always followed your uncle now. ”

This is talking about Bai Fujian, the youngest son of Bai Rongxin in the second room, who is two years younger than Meng Qingyun.

Meng Qingyun was a little surprised and said, "How old is he, and he is doing business with his uncle?" ”

Old Madam Bai laughed: "Thirteen." He doesn't like to read, but he has had a talent for business since he was a child. There are two brothers in their generation, your eldest brother is going to study, so the person who will be in charge of the Bai family's business in the future can naturally only be a thrifty child, so it's better to follow and learn as soon as possible. Your second uncle went to the counter as an apprentice at the age of twelve. ”

Bai Fuli was a little helpless, and sneered: "Actually, I also want to ...... students."

"Phew!" Old Madam Bai hurriedly stopped, "It took three generations of our Bai family to produce such a seed of reading as you, and it was easy to get out of the exam, and the literary name of the family is all on you." There is no shortage of people doing business, you still read seriously, and if you come out as soon as possible, it will be good to shine on the lintel, lest outsiders talk about our Bai family, there will only be the word businessman, and you will be inferior! ”

Even if the Bai family is a businessman, it is not an ordinary businessman, wealth has always been linked to power, and the four words of the richest man in Jiangnan can be deterrent no matter what. It's just that this dynasty is heavy on literature, and on many official occasions, it is true that businessmen are inferior, and even with the wealth of the Bai family, they are often subject to some grievances.

Therefore, the Bai family up and down, in fact, has a heart, hoping that the Bai family can produce a serious reader, so as to revitalize the atmosphere of the Bai family, and get a reputation of "Confucian businessmen" in the future.