Chapter 46: The Lotus Festival

The next day was June 24. It is the folk lotus viewing festival. Xun Qingran dressed neatly, thought about it, and lightly decorated it again, before going out with the Fang family and coming to the Anguo Mansion.

The carriage traveled westward for more than half an hour, and when it reached the three bluestone archways, it slowed down. Xun Qingran secretly lifted the corner of the curtain and looked out, knowing that this was the famous Sanpailou Street in Beijing. After the bluestone archway, it is the Anguo Mansion. The Anguo Mansion was also built by Taizu after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the regulations were one level higher than that of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. Fang's entourage still did not go through the main gate, only entered the house from the corner gate, and changed to a soft sedan chair outside the second gate, which was carried by a few sturdy mothers-in-law, and walked along the Yongdao road to the back of the Guogong Mansion.

Zhou Caijia, who came to greet him, explained with a smile, "The old lady and his wife, grandmother and girls are all in the garden, please ask the aunt and the girls to meet directly in the Liantai Pavilion." ”

The sedan chair entered the garden gate and walked for more than a quarter of an hour before arriving in front of the lotus pavilion. Everyone got out of the sedan chair. The mothers-in-law lifted the empty sedan chair and retreated, and the second lady of the Anguo Mansion and the second grandmother of Qi came out of the Liantai Pavilion to greet them.

"Sister." The second lady took Fang's hand. The two of them are sisters-in-law, the second lady is four or five years older than Fang's, and her stature is also taller than Fang's, but she has a round face, but the eyebrows and eyes of the two are quite similar.

"I'll help my aunt." Second Grandma Qi, who was following the second lady, took a step forward, helped Fang's other arm, and said with a smile, "The old lady was looking forward to her aunt coming early in the morning, and sent someone out to see it several times. I complained to my wife and me that my aunt was in a hurry last time, she didn't talk well, and she didn't see enough of my sister. ”

Xun Shulan hurriedly stepped forward to greet the ceremony, and said, "Auntie, cousin." ”

The second lady said: "Let's change the name, Yingyatou, you have to follow Xiu'er to call aunt, Lan girl, you have to call Yingyatou's second cousin." ”

Second Grandma Qi had already seen Xun Qing's three at this time, and walked over to look at them one by one, "These are my other three sisters, they are really lovely." The old lady is going to be happy today. ”

Xun Qingran heard that one of Fang Xin's younger sisters was married to the chief of the Anguo Mansion, her name was Fang Jiaying, and she thought she was the one in front of her. Seeing that she is only in her early twenties, with a petite skeleton, a small face with a big palm, a thin mouth, she is dressed up very gorgeously, and she laughs very casually. People say that people with thin lips can speak. It seems to be true.

In the main hall of the Liantai Pavilion, there is a large rosewood chaise longue on the top, and there is an old lady with silver hair and a rich figure sitting on the couch, which is the former Duchess of Anguo, the old lady Jun Rong. On both sides of the chaise longue are more than a dozen rosewood high-backed chairs, all of which are covered with half-old dark green elastic ink chairs, almost full of people, all full of pearls and emeralds, all over the body, so rich and noble.

As soon as the Fang family entered the door, he hurriedly stepped forward to greet the Rong family, and the Rong family owed a debt on the couch, so he asked Fang Er's grandmother to help the Fang family up.

"Quickly help Mrs. Auntie to sit down. I've been looking forward to seeing you all morning! These are the girls in your family? Sure enough, it's all like shallots, come and show me. ”

Xun Qingran hurriedly stepped forward and gave Rong a salute.

"Well, okay, it's still my aunt's wife who can regulate people, and she is better than these few in my family." Rong laughed.

"The old lady is polite, they are not the same as I usually spoil, how can they compare to the granddaughters of the old lady. If you want to say that you can regulate people, the old lady recognizes the second, and no one dares to recognize the first. Fang said with a smile.

"It's still my aunt who can talk. I usually say that our second wife doesn't like to talk, and I don't know who Yingyatou's mouth looks like. I only found out today that the girl is like an aunt, and it is really good. ”

"The old lady said well, why did you start to assign me, who did I recruit to provoke whom?" Grandma Qi Er was beside her.

The room burst into laughter.

As early as when the Fang clan came in, except for the Rong clan, all the people in the house stood up, and at this time, they came over to salute the Fang clan.

"You sisters also see each other." Rong commanded again.

The fifth girl of the Qi family, Qi Wanrong, the sixth girl, Qi Wanli, the seventh girl, Qi Wanyan, as well as Rong's niece Rong Yunnuan, and Rong's granddaughter Yan Mingyue.

Grandma Qi came over one by one to introduce each other, and everyone continued the New Year's teeth together. Xun Shufang is the elder, and then Xun Shuzhi and Qi Wuniang. Xun Qingran, Xun Shulan, Qi Sixth Girl, and Seventh Girl are all the same age, only the difference is the month, Rong Yunnuan is fourteen years old, and Yan Mingyue is the youngest, just thirteen years old.

The nine girls were in the order of eldest and youngest, and the sisters and sisters saw each other, and the room was suddenly full of whispers. Rong watched from the couch, and he couldn't stop smiling.

Grandma Qi Er joked on the side, "Our old lady is different from other people's families, she only likes girls." When the four of us came out of the pavilion a few days ago, the old lady said that the house had become deserted. This time, there are four sisters who are like shallots, and my aunt should be careful, our old lady will keep them and not let them go with you. ”

"This monkey. Here you are sending me again. Rong said angrily.

"It's a blessing for the old lady to be able to look at it." Fang said with a smile.

Everyone laughed for a while, and a girl opened the curtain and said that the big * milk was coming.

"My daughter-in-law is late." Qi Da*ma is a woman in her twenties, slender and tall, handsome eyes and eyebrows, and a girl about ten years old by her side.

"Is Ru'er settled?"

"Mrs. Lao is worried, the uncle only coughed for a while, and the daughter-in-law has already waited for the medicine, and now she is asleep, so she is late."

"You have to take care of Ru'er's body is the first thing. Now that you are here, go and see your aunt and your sisters. ”

Qi Da * Grandma walked down, first saw the Fang family, and then came to see Xun Qing.

"This is Sister Qingran. Our sister Zhen is bothered a lot. The purse you sent, this kid likes it very much, and I envy the needle and thread very much. Even our old lady, who is used to seeing good things, can't stop boasting, I've been going to see you a long time ago. ”

Sister Zhen also came over to greet her. Xun Qingran remembered that she was the quietest among the little girls who lived by the water that day.

Xun Qingran said a few words humbly, and then pulled Sister Zhen to speak.

"I didn't expect that your needlework would be praised one day. When did you secretly work on it! Xun Shufang secretly bumped Xun Qingran with her elbow and lowered her voice.

"Big cousin. You haven't seen it, my second sister's needlework is good. Xun Shulan saw that Qi Da * Milk and Sister Zhen were only talking to Xun Qingran, so she said on the side.

"Oh, that's great, can you show us." Qi Da* milk road.

"Second sister, don't hide your secrets, take out your handkerchief and show it to your eldest cousin and Zhen'er, compare it, and only then will you know what a good needle and thread is." Xun Shulan rarely talked to Xun Shuzhi, but at this time, she took Xun Shuzhi's hand quite affectionately.

Xun Shuzhi blushed and couldn't speak.

Xun Qingran felt funny in her heart, "That day, Sister Zhen wanted to ask me for advice on scattering the wrong needle." I can only do the basics, but my second sister knows more. He leaned down again and whispered to Sister Zhen'er: "Although your second cousin doesn't talk much, she is a very good person." As he spoke, he pulled Sister Zhen and Xun Shuzhi aside.

Xun Shufang and Xun Shulan saw that Xun Qingran's smile was still the same, and they didn't care, but let Xun Shuzhi steal the limelight, and they were both depressed.

Speaking of needlework, the little girls all came over, and some took their own needles and threads, commented and compared with each other, and saw the novel and beautiful patterns, so they wanted to say that they would draw it, and it was lively for a while.

Rong looked at it from above, and was even more happy.

Xun Qingran sat in the Liantai Pavilion for no tea time, and there were new melons and fruits, fragrant teas and various snacks that the girls sent up like water. A few girls in the Qi family just pick what they like and take a bite. But after a while, some of the girls withdrew and put new ones up.

Rong said that while the sun was still shining, he would go to the lake to have a look. Second Grandma Qi had already arranged the boat and helped Rong to get on the boat. Everyone also boarded the boat, and the boat lady took a penny in the bow of the boat, and the boat left the shore.

The lake in Qijiayuan was originally a part of the famous Xihaizi in the capital, and the source was followed by living water, so the lake water was clear. There are also arch bridges, nine-curved bridges, covered bridges, etc. on the lake, and lotus roots, gourd seeds and water chestnuts are planted all over the lake. At this time, it is the height of summer, and the lotus flowers are in full bloom, and at a glance, you can hardly see the edge.

Xun Qingran sat on a chair on the side of the boat, listening to Qi Wanli and Rong Yunnuan introduce her to the houses and scenery on both sides of the shore.

Rong took people to sit in the cabin, she was very interested, and said to Fang's: "This Lotus Festival, now there are few families in Beijing who celebrate this festival, and it is very lively in the south." I was young. Living in Jinling, every time at this time, the big girls and little daughters-in-law in the city, regardless of whether they are high or low, all prop up the boat and come out to play. I also learned to hold a boat with those boat girls in my family, and I also took the little girls to pick lotus seeds, water chestnuts, and chicken head rice in the lake in person...... "Rong recalled the scene when he was a child, and he felt a few emotions.

"Old lady, I can also hold the boat, I'll go pick fresh lotus seeds for the old lady to eat." Qi Wu girl said.

"It's good that you have this filial piety, but don't be naughty." Rong laughed.

"The old lady grew up in Jinling since she was a child, and the people there are like flat land on the water, how can you compare." Mrs. Fang said.

"I am in my hometown in Yingchuan, and I often take a boat, and I dare not compare with the old lady, but I am still good at picking lotus roots by boat." Xun Shulan Road.

"You are all filial girls, I will have people pick lotus seeds and water chestnuts for you to play with in a while, and you are not allowed to mess around by yourself." Rong asked Grandma Qi to arrange it.

Xun Qingran naturally didn't know these words in the cabin, she was laughing happily with Qi Wanli and Rong Yunnuan.

"Third sister, come here." Xun Shufang beckoned to Xun Qingran at the stern of the boat, Xun Qingran turned her face slightly, but she didn't see it.

"Third sister, big sister is calling you." Rong Yunnuan saw it and reminded Xun Qing.

Xun Qingran was not easy to ignore at this time, but she knew Xun Shufang's personality, so she deduced that she was a little uncomfortable and was not used to walking around on the boat.

Rong Yunnuan has a lively temperament, "Big sister must be fun, just remember that you, your own sister, want to avoid us who just met." I'm going to take a look. ”

Without waiting for Xun Qingran to speak again, Rong Yunnuan went to the stern.

"Ignore her, her temperament can't be quiet for a moment." Qi Wanli said with a smile.

Xun Qingran thought about it and was relieved. Even if Xun Shufang had any bad ideas, she would not use them against Rong's niece.

"Many of these scenes are the names of the fifth brother, how do the third sisters think they ......," Qi Wanli said.

At this time, I heard a little girl on the bow of the boat shouting, "Look, it's the fifth girl, Miss Nuan and Miss Lan." ”

Rong was alarmed and led everyone to the bow of the boat, and Xun Qingran also followed. I saw a large lotus flower in front of me, a small boat was swinging out of it, Rong Yunnuan was standing at the bow of the boat, a large handful of lotus canopy in his hand, screaming and laughing at this side.

"These girls, they're so naughty, when did you get a boat?" Rong said, and saw that the boat was sailing very smoothly by the boat lady, so he temporarily relieved himself, and only said that he would let people go and pick up a few girls quickly.

At this time, I saw Xun Shulan and Qi Wanrong squeezing to the side of the boat lady at the same time, the boat shook violently a few times, and with a plop, the boat girl was squeezed into the water. The boat lost control and swirled on the lake, Xun Shulan held the snatched penny in her hand, and poked it into the water a few times, the boat lost its balance all of a sudden, and she heard screams and plops.