Yongle Curie didn't blow out all the lamps until the end of the day, and Yi Xiangxiang tossed and turned all night with the quilt half-covered, until the sky was bright, and she couldn't fall asleep.

The autumn morning is slightly cool, and the air is filled with the refreshing scent of osmanthus flowers. It was late after cleaning up Yongle House last night, so Le Qi did not go back to his home, but stayed in the courtyard of Yongle House. At this time, she stood at the door, listening to no movement in the main room, so she called Shumei and said, "You sent two little maids to the old lady and the lady to say a word, just say that the young lady had a cold last night, and she told her that she couldn't go over and ask for peace......"

Shumei was a little embarrassed when she heard this 10,000-year-old excuse for lying in bed, and turned around and left after saying goodbye.

Yi Xiangxiang slept late, so she naturally didn't wake up too early, and it wasn't until halfway through the hour that she stretched her waist and got up from the bed, and called Shumei and Huali to wash herself.

"I still haven't slept well!" Yi Xiangxiang snorted and muttered.

Qing Xuan, who had just come in, heard Yi Xiangxiang's snorting voice and hurriedly asked, "Miss, is she uncomfortable?" Is it cold? As he spoke, he reached out and touched Yi Xiangxiang's forehead to see if there was any fever.

"Oh no, I'm so squeamish! It's just a sniff and nose for ventilation! Yi Xiangxiang asked speechlessly.

Qing Xuan touched Yi Xiangxiang's forehead and did not have a fever, so he put his mind at ease, turned around and asked the maid to go to the kitchen to bring the warm breakfast.

"Miss, don't really say it, who is squeamish if you are not squeamish? A little orange made a new mat before, you dislike it and complained for a long time that it was not soft enough, until Sister Leqi removed it and stuffed it back into a lot of goose down to sew you satisfied, are you really embarrassed to say that you are not squeamish? Shumei said while changing Yi Xiangxiang's clothes.

Xiao Tang is a second-class maid in Yongle Ju, responsible for some work such as sewing clothes.

Yi Xiangxiang poked Shumei's forehead and said, "I can enjoy absolutely not being blind, so I can learn a little more for Miss!" ”

Shumei smiled and said, "Okay, good, the slave must learn something." ”

When the breakfast came, Yi Xiangxiang had already finished dressing up, she slowly finished eating the buckwheat husk chaos, and ate a yam cake and frosted millet cake, and then disliked the warm fried sesame oil fruit was not crispy, so she ended her breakfast time in the speechlessness of the maids.

She touched her full belly and wanted to wade into the beauty couch by the window, but was stopped by Le Qi on the grounds that "you can't lie flat after having a full belly". When Yi Xiangxiang pouted to express her dissatisfaction, she smelled the fragrance of osmanthus wafting in from the garden, so she said excitedly:

"Scholarly painting, let's go to the garden to pick osmanthus flowers and make osmanthus cakes!"

As soon as I finished eating the bowl, I thought that it was still growing on the tree, and Yi Xiangxiang's title of foodie was firmly established.

However, Yi Xiangxiang did not go to the garden to pick flowers as she wished, and Leqi said that the sun had begun to dry at this time, and the flowers picked could not be used, if you wanted to eat, you would go to pick the dew early tomorrow morning. Second, the Lin family sent someone to call Yi Xiangxiang to clean up and hurry to the main hall to greet the guests.

Yi Xiangxiang walked slowly to the main hall with the beauty of the book and the theory of painting, and when she didn't usually go out, the people around her changed from Qingxuan to the beauty of the book and the theory of painting. After all, she doesn't have to worry about any danger in her own home, and she thinks she is a good master, so she always has to give Qingxuan some free rest. Yi Xiangxiang walked on the road, thinking about what kind of guests still need to be entertained by herself, it should be the young lady's daughter, and searched in her mind, could it be that the Zhu family arrived in Tongzhou in advance?

The Zhu family handed over a letter two days ago, saying that it would take a few days to arrive in Tongzhou, which was not right in terms of time. Yi Xiangxiang didn't guess anymore, anyway, no matter who it was, she was going to go through the motions, and there were several other cousins on it, so it really wasn't her turn to entertain.

It's not that she's not qualified, it's that her cousins are ...... Relatively positive.

The main hall of Yifu was lively, and when Yi Xiangxiang walked in, he saw his father and mother greeting people enthusiastically.

It turned out that the family of Li Zhixian in Showa County came to attend Mr. Yu's birthday banquet, and after arriving in Tongzhou, they came to visit Yi's family. Yi Xihu used to be an official in Centennial County, and he was close to Showa County, so he often dealt with Li Ming. Now that Yi Xihu has been promoted to Li Ming's top boss, the latter is naturally very sensible when it is time to please.

Looking at the crowd of people gathered in the main hall, Yi Xiangxiang felt that this Li Zhixian had brought the whole family, right?

Yi Xiangxiang was right, Lord Li Ming of Li Zhixian County did bring the family with him. The wife of the main house, plus two concubines and two concubines, the concubine room was not qualified to participate in the birthday banquet, but he also begged Li Ming to bring three concubines and a concubine, all of whom were juniors who were already adults and could get married, and Yi Xiangxiang was shocked.

Obviously, attending the birthday banquet is secondary, and the blind date at the birthday banquet is the main thing.

In fact, originally this was going to be said, Mr. Yu's birthday banquet would not let a magistrate put down his official duties and bring his wife and children to celebrate his birthday, but the four princes were coming, so the concept was different. Which one of the top and bottom of Tongzhou is not working hard to have a relationship with Gao Jiapan now? The purpose is just to ask for an invitation to the birthday banquet, so that you can be familiar with each other in front of the four princes. The arrival of the four princes was naturally an honor for the Gao family, but it also forced the Gao family to triple the original seat.

No way, there are too many guests.

Yi Xiangxiang had to sigh at the benefits of power, but he was just a prince, so people were so eager to do it, and it was no wonder that all the princes coveted the position of the Ninety-Five Supreme.

She didn't stay in the main hall for long, because the smell of fat powder was really a headache, and Yi Xiangxiang returned to Yongle Ju after the two sides met.

After that, Yi Ruofu came to Yongleju and said that the Gao family was worried that there would be too many people and that there would not be enough accommodation for so many people in the Gao Mansion, so they booked inns for the guests. Yi Xiangxiang knew about this, because yesterday the steward came to report that all the vacant rooms in the two Xile Buildings had been chartered by the Gao family for ten days.

"Uncle feels that the guest house is somewhat inconvenient, our house is not small, and the two families have old friends, so Uncle has just invited the Li family and his party to live in our Yi Mansion. They may have gone back to the inn to carry their luggage at this time, and it is estimated that they will enter the house in the afternoon. Yi Ruofu called Shumei to move a chair for her and sat next to Yi Xiangxiang to talk to her.

Yi Xiangxiang is writing the "Feasibility Report on the Future Development of the Cabinet" on the bookcase at the moment, studying the new development direction of Huanxi Pavilion, and answering Yi Ruofu's words in a perfunctory manner.

Yi Ruofu couldn't understand the modern words written by Yi Xiangxiang, but she found that Yi Xiangxiang didn't care much about herself, so she didn't do it: "Eighth sister, what's the matter with you, I'm talking to you!" Li Yanqing, the concubine of the Li family, said that she was going to my Fuyuan to disturb her for a few days, but I didn't react at the time, so I let her succeed. I've been wronged, do you have to comfort me now? ”

Li Yanqing? Isn't that the woman who wanted to push her into the water in the first place? Yi Xiangxiang put down her pen after hearing the name.

Centennial County and Showa County are not far away, and the Yi family and the Li family also had a lot of contacts before. Yi Xiangxiang remembered that one year, Li Zhixian went to Bainian County to discuss official business with his father, and Mrs. Li also brought a group of children with her. At that time, her mother-in-law arranged a tour of the lake, and Li Yanqing wanted to push Yi Xiangxiang into the lake in order to marry the young lady, but she was put in the water by Yi Xiangxiang instead.

Yi Xiangxiang told Yi Ruofu about this stubble, and the latter looked surprised: "So this fourth lady of the Li family is still very scheming, so the purpose of her stay in my Fu Yuan is definitely not simple?" ”

Li Yanqing ranked fourth in the Li family, and she was called Miss Fourth by Yi Ruofu.

"What are you worried about? Worried that she wants to get close to your brother? Yi Xiangxiang asked as she slumped in the circle chair.

Li Ming brought so many children here this time, just to take this opportunity to let them show their faces, so that they can be good relatives. It would not be surprising if Li Yanqing wanted to go to the second room of the Yi family, after all, only Yi Hanchen in the second room was the only one who had reached the age in the Yi Mansion but had not yet decided on the family affairs.

Yi Hanxi is no longer on this list because he is now in Kyoto.

"I think she is working in vain, my mother is so picky, how can she choose a concubine!" Yi Ruofu said disapprerovingly, she got up as she spoke, and began to feel around Yi Xiangxiang's room, ready to wait for something to bring back to her yard to decorate the façade.

"In recent days, the sons of the family in Tongzhou have all had backgrounds, and if Li Yanqing is really big-hearted, she can't look down on your brother. This move may also be a case in case, which is really no different from eating the bowl and looking at the pot. Yi Xiangxiang said slowly on the string of emerald jade beads in his hand.

The root of people's inferiority is that they can't wait for everything to be their own, and Li Yanqing's actions can also be understood as looking for a spare tire in modern times.

Yi Ruofu sat down beside Yi Xiangxiang again, reached out and took the bead string in her hand and said, "Didn't you say that she wanted to push you down to the lake before to blame that Miss Yan, or I would invite that Miss Yan to my yard as well, and then sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight?" ”

Yi Xiangxiang was speechless for a while when she watched Yi Ruofu's action of picking up the beads, twisted her forehead and said, "This is not gold, my fifth sister, you can't tell the difference between the good and the bad!" ”

"Hehe, I'm used to it!" Yi Ruofu laughed and snorted, and quickly changed her words and said, "You said, how about letting the two of them fight?" ”

"Forget it, just your little IQ and little tricks, let's keep how to rub things from me. That Li Yanqing's heart is not ordinary ruthless, I didn't know how to water at the beginning, if I reacted more slowly, it was likely that Xiang Xiaoyu would die in that lake, if you can ignore her, ignore her. Anyway, it will be Mr. Yu's birthday banquet in a few days, and they won't stay here for long. We'll see if they're going to do anything when it's time for dinner, and who knows if they're going to do anything! Yi Xiangxiang said.

In the general direction, Yi Xiangxiang feels that her fifth sister does not have the ability to sow discord, but if she can get the one out of her hand to deal with Li Yanqing, it is not completely impossible, but Yi Xiangxiang still feels that more is better than less.

Yi Ruofu also knew that she might not be the opponent of these young ladies, so she gave up very well and put the bead string on her wrist by the way.

In order to entertain the Li family, the Yi family specially arranged a dinner, and Yi Xiangxiang, as one of the hosts, naturally had to accompany him to eat and drink.

The male guests and female relatives sat in the large round tables on both sides of the flower hall through the screen, and the staggered planning was not lively. Yi Xiangxiang felt that this scene was very similar to the appearance of entertaining the Zhu family at the family in Centennial County back then, but at this time, there was a lot more politeness than at that time.

She was thinking like this, and Li Yanqing, as the favored eldest daughter of the junior, really opened her mouth first.

"Sister Xiangxiang, I haven't seen you for a few years, but I'm getting more and more beautiful!" Li Yan sat opposite Yi Xiangxiang with a smile and opened her mouth to flatter.

It's really a very obvious flattery, Yi Xiangxiang and Yi Ruofu are both medium-looking, in this group of people, it can only be said that they are average, and Li Yanqing is talking nonsense with her eyes open.

But before Yi Xiangxiang could answer, the fifth lady of the Li family opened her mouth and said, "Fourth sister, where is this, Sister Xiangxiang used to be bright and moving." ”

This fifth lady of the Li family is Li Yanping, the daughter of the Li family, who was almost framed by Li Yanqing back then.

Yi Xiangxiang almost laughed out loud, haven't the Li sisters learned how to praise people?

Yi Ruonan also sat in the banquet, and because she had to ask Yi Xiangxiang for help in the future, she had to show favor to Yi Xiangxiang. So I saw her say before Yi Xiangxiang spoke: "The two young ladies said this, where are the young ladies present who have your outstanding appearance!" ”

False, excessively fake.

Yi Ruonan's words completely kicked the flattery back, because not to mention Yi Ruonan's appearance, even Yi Ruojiao and Yi Ruofan are better than the Li sisters.

"I have long heard that Miss Yi is both talented and beautiful, and when I saw it today, it really deserved her reputation. My sister has some poems, I wonder if my sister can help my sister point it out? Li Yanqing was very smart, she found that Yi Xiangxiang had no intention of dealing with them, so she turned the conversation to Yi Ruonan, who had just spoken.

"Sister Yanqing, don't be so polite, I can't talk about guidance, if my sister is free, she can go to Nanfeng Ju to drink tea." Nanfeng Ju is Yi Ruonan's courtyard, and she accepted Li Yanqing's overture.

Li Yanping saw that Sister Shu not only lived in Yi Ruofu's yard, but also got Yi Ruonan's invitation, and naturally felt uncomfortable. But the rest of Yi Ruojiao and Yi Ruofan are all concubines, because they have been suppressed by their sister Li Yanqing since childhood, she is used to having no good impression of concubines, so she still wants to knock on Yi Xiangxiang's door. I saw that she used chopsticks to pick up a piece of sweet and sour chops, bypassed the others and put it in Yi Xiangxiang's small porcelain bowl and said: "Sister Xiangxiang, try this, when I was a child, I knew that you liked sweet and sour, and the sweet and sour made by this small chop is very appetizing." ”

It's a reminiscence of the past!

Li Yanping's hint Yi Xiangxiang's actions are obvious, in the past, Li Yanqing designed you and me, but now we should be the same head.

It's a pity that Yi Xiangxiang is not a good child, so she only heard her say: "I'm already full." ”

When you're full, there's no need for appetizers.

Yi Ruofu heard the meaning of her eighth sister's words, and almost laughed.

Yi Xiangxiang didn't give face, and Li Yanping was not discouraged, she returned to her position and sat down with a smile: "It is said that my sister's Yongle residence is spacious and bright, I wonder if my sister has the honor to bother for a few days?" ”

Yi Xiangxiang was speechless, where is this? Can't it be a bit of a tactful twist? No wonder this Li Yanping, who is Miss Yan, can't fight Li Yanqing, and her rank is simply incomparable! Yi Xiangxiang sincerely sighed for Li Yanping in her heart.

She glanced at Li Yanping, who was scorching, and reached out to pinch Yi Ruofu's thigh under the table, the latter snatched a string of bracelets from Yi Xiangxiang in the afternoon, and then she cooperated with Yi Xiangxiang very sensibly, only to hear her ask Yi Xiangxiang and say, "Didn't Sister Qianqian come with a letter from the previous sister?" Said that when you arrived in Tongzhou, you want to go to your Yongle House to live? ”

"It is true." Yi Xiangxiang nodded.

"The eighth sister wants to entertain Miss Zhu, I think I may snub the fifth miss, otherwise the fifth miss will also go to my Fuyuan? Yesterday, a third brother sent me a few pots of fine ink chrysanthemums, just enough to watch together. Yi Ruofu pulled the person into her yard according to her advice to Yi Xiangxiang in the afternoon.

Sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight!

Perfect!

Yi Ruofu thought so.

After saying this, Li Yanping naturally couldn't refuse: "Then I'll be disrespectful!" This is to accept the invitation of Yi Ruofu.

The juniors, you come and go, the elders are naturally not ambiguous, the old lady Mo accompanied her for a while and then returned to Ci'an Hall, without the suppressed ancestors, the three ladies on the top chatted more enthusiastically.

"I heard that your family Chuan'er has been married, which girl is it?" It was Mrs. Li who asked this, and the person who asked was naturally Lin.

Lin Shi held his sleeve in one hand, and was pouring wine for Mrs. Li with the other, and after hearing the question, he put down the green jade wine jug and said, "It is the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, and her name is Jingshan." ”

"The Jiang family? That's a good family business! I heard that this young lady of the Jiang family has all kinds of piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and she is still the first beauty in Tongzhou, and her daughter-in-law here is really good. Mrs. Li praised.

No matter what Li Ming says, she is also a person in the officialdom, Mrs. Li, as the wife of a county official, although she can't suppress the concubine like the Huang family in the backyard, but she still understands the basic situation, at least she knows the backstage of Jiang Jiaming's face, as well as Jiang Jingshan's fame. Ignoring the rumors that Mrs. Hou wanted Jiang Jingshan to enter the palace, it was a good thing to climb the Jiang family in Tongzhou.

The Lin family was about to speak, but the Huang family on the other side opened his mouth first: "This wife still has to marry a virtuous person, and our Yi family doesn't need women to decorate the façade, it doesn't matter if it is the false name of those first beauties, and you have to be filial to your parents and considerate of your elders." However, I heard that the young lady of the Jiang family stayed in Tongzhou in order to take care of her mother's body and did not go to Kyoto with her father, which is indeed a good thing. ”

The deep meaning in Huang's words is well known to everyone present, but it is just pretending to praise but secretly ridiculing, which means that although Jiang Jingshan is excellent, she is not favored by her father, and it is useless.

Yi Xiangxiang sat down and heard Huang's words, but she didn't want to talk to her elders, so she only slandered Huang in her heart that she couldn't eat grapes and said that grapes were sour, and she also looked up at Yi Ruonan deeply. The latter received the deep meaning in Yi Xiangxiang's eyes, and with a sigh in his heart, he was secretly annoyed by his mother's impulse.

Over there, Huang proudly stepped on Lin's foot, and the latter really didn't care about Huang's ridicule at all, only to see Lin say with a smile: "What his second aunt said is true." After that, he still entertained the guests on his own.

A dinner party is a happy meal on the surface, but in fact, it is a matter of thoughts.