"There was only a small kumquat lamp in the room, and it was very dark and scary. When she saw me coming in, she was very surprised, and said Brother Yu, why are you, you, what did you see, I never lied in front of her, so I said, I saw the second uncle leaving very unhappy, did you quarrel? At this time, there was a sudden sound of grandmothers moving outside, and she pulled me and pushed me into the toilet room. I saw that the look on her face was very panicked, and I didn't dare to be naughty, so I obediently hid there. After a while, I heard Mama Yi's voice, she said, Mrs. is weak and can't afford it, it's better to find a few sisters, and the heirs are also more prosperous, she was silent for a long time, as if she was very sad, and muttered, thank you Mama for your advice, I still think about it, Mama Yi sighed and said, Madame Yi is too soft, let me tell you, this is Yandi is not Xizhao, the master doesn't care about the affairs of the inner house, if you take care of it, it is a shameful and immoral thing. As long as Madame hardens up, the lord will definitely give in. You say, why did Mama Yi suddenly go to Dexin Courtyard? ”

Mrs. Xu glared at Qi Yuzhi.

"Brother Yu, do you know what you're talking about?"

Qi Yuzhi's expression was very sad.

When everyone in the house was gone, she took me out of the toilet and put me on the kang, afraid that I would be cold, so she wrapped me in a quilt and brought me snacks to eat. I still remember that the dim sum that day was lotus cake. Do you know what lotus crisp is made of? ”

Qi Yuzhi had completely fallen into the memory, and without waiting for Mrs. Xu to answer, he continued, "Add sugar, eggs, and lard to knead the dough, wrap the oil heart with the oil skin, roll it up from bottom to top, roll out the oil skin, and after wrapping the dough base, you have to use a knife to cut five petals on it." When it is fried, it will bloom like a lotus flower waiting to be released. On several occasions, she took me to secretly make this snack in the kitchen, and whenever she made it, she seemed very happy. She told me. said that when she was a child, she liked female celebrities, and she didn't like cooking that filled her body with the smell of oil smoke. But someone told her that it was okay, and that she didn't want her to be a cook. As long as you learn one or two dishes, you can adapt to the situation when you get to your in-laws' house. This snack is because the man loves to eat it. So she specially invited the imperial chef to teach her, which is the only cooking skill she can master, and the only thing she can cook. You said, when Fang Shaoqing came to our house as a guest. How did you come up with the idea to serve him with that lotus pastry? ”

"Brother Yu. What nonsense are you talking about? Mrs. Xu's face changed drastically.

Qi Yuzhi turned a deaf ear to her appearance.

"She asked me, is the dim sum delicious? I said delicious. She took me in her arms and said with a smile, this lotus cake has not been fried yet, how can you say that it is delicious. I said, as long as you make it, I think it's delicious. She listened. And tears flowed. Say, You are the same as him. No matter what I do, I feel good... She babbled a lot to me that day, and I don't remember it very well. It's just that feeling, very warm, very reassuring, very quiet... Later, we talked a lot together. She told me what flowers to plant in the spring, what trees to plant in the summer, what is the best to eat in the fall, and what is the most fragrant to pick in the winter..."

But this kind of warm and comfortable life is not common. As soon as the second uncle returned, she cowered and hid in the garden and grove to cry. I'll just wait for her in the grove and listen to her. One day, the second uncle came back, and I waited for her in the grove. It didn't take long for her to come. That day, her mood was lower than usual, and I tried to amuse her, and made a garland out of dog's tail grass for her, and she didn't laugh. I was worried, so I sat quietly beside her. She suddenly said to me, Brother Yu, your second uncle, he is going to war. I was very happy to beat Gaochang people, and I said to her, that's good! In this way, the second uncle will not come back for a long time. You don't have to quarrel, you don't have to be sad, she not only didn't rejoice when she heard me, but she touched my head very worriedly, and said, fool, if he provokes a war, a lot of people will die, there will be many people without clothes, there will be many people without food... Then there was a blank look in her eyes and she said, "Why?" Isn't it good for us to be like this? Although he is not the largest, most powerful and most prominent prince of Xizhao, he is also very good compared to others, why do he have to fight? Do you have to plunder other people's things? I don't know why, I just listened to her there..."

Mrs. Xu slapped her palm on the small table next to Qi Yuzhi, and said in a deep voice: "Don't say it, are you still afraid that others won't know what ugly things you have done?" ”

Qi Yuzhi's eyes looked sharply at Mrs. Xu.

"Then one day, she suddenly called me and asked me Brother Yu quietly, what I told you that day, you can tell others, I thought about it carefully, and said no, I won't tell others what you said to me, she was greatly relieved, and said Brother Yu, if someone asks about you, you must say that you don't know, I asked her curiously why, she hesitated for a long time, and then told me that your second uncle was assassinated, as if he was a person from the court, and it is said that it is related to his invasion of Gaochang, and now this matter is being investigated, you must not say that you know, I nodded, and said don't worry, I won't say it. Besides, I didn't tell anyone else. ”

Speaking of this, Qi Yuzhi looked at Mrs. Xu treacherously: "At that time, I didn't know, others, including my grandmother!" ”

Mrs. Xu slapped Qi Yuzhi in the face. Her face was gloomy: "You're pouring dirty water on yourself." He is restless and disciplined, what does it have to do with us? ”

Qi Yuzhi covered his face and laughed.

He laughed helplessly.

He pointed to the lattice next to him: "It's just three pieces of wood, but it can change endless patterns, you say, isn't it interesting!" ”

Mrs. Xu pinched Qi Yuzhi's shoulders fiercely with both hands and shook them back and forth vigorously: "You sober me up." Do you know what you're talking about? Everything I do is for you, for you... When you inherit the title, I can go back to Xizhao in style..."

"Go back to Xizhao!" Qi Yuzhi looked at Mrs. Xu with a strange expression, "You say, go back to Xizhao!" You have been married to Qi Mansion for more than 40 years, but you are thinking about going back to Xizhao wholeheartedly? ”

Mrs. Xu's expression was a little embarrassed, and she said with little confidence: "I." After all, I grew up in Xizhao, and that is my home, and I will have to go back sooner or later..."

Qi Yuzhi pinched Mrs. Xu's shoulders with both hands, and looked sad: "Grandmother." Sober up! Without the Yanguo Mansion, who do you think you are? Who do you think I am? Back to Xizhao. Who will open the door for you? ”

Mrs. Xu avoided Qi Yuzhi's gaze in a panic.

Suddenly, Qi Yuzhi hugged Mrs. Xu tightly: "Grandmother, that's it!" Let it go! So be it! We are all alive, alive and well-fed, this. Already lucky, grandmother, let it go, you now. And me. I'll listen to you, marry the girl of the Fang family, you let it go..."

Mrs. Xu's stiff body gradually softened in Qi Yuzhi's arms. She stretched out her hand to hug Qi Yuzhi's body, and cried on the chest of her tall grandson: "Brother Yu, I have paid too much, forty years of cold and loneliness. Your father's life... I'm giving too much. I'm not reconciled, I'm not reconciled..."

Qi Yuzhi hugged his grandmother, who was already rickety. Gently patting her on the back, he muttered, "I know, I know... We've all lost so much..."

By the time Mrs. Xu came out of the East Purple Pavilion, her face had already regained the taste of kindness, kindness, and peace.

Mama Yi followed behind her, carefully observing her demeanor.

Walking through the long verandah, Mrs. Xu suddenly stopped beside the rockery piled up next to the Taihu Lake rocks.

She looked up at the sky and let out a long breath, then turned to Mama Yi and said, "You go to Huaiyuan to discuss with Wei Zhengrong about tomorrow's appointment!" ”

Mama Yi was startled and said in a low voice, "Madam..."

Mrs. Xu raised her eyelids and glanced at the girl who followed her, and she was already standing far away with the spirit grandmother. Mrs. Xu and Mama Yi walked to a corner of the verandah.

She wholeheartedly wanted Qi Hao to give birth to a son, so she often sent some girls she thought were good to Qi Hao's basement house. This time, I sent Cui Taijun to marry Liu Mei'er, I originally wanted to come to the bottom of the kettle to draw salary, but I neglected that Gu girl. ”

Mama Yi smiled and said, "Don't be a lady, even if we are individuals, none of us have thought of it." Usually she chooses girls, all of whom are between the ages of seventeen and eighteen. I'm afraid there is no way to do it this time, some time ago, didn't she send Miss Liu to Hongtai in vain? ”

Mrs. Xu was not happy at these words, and muttered: "So, I doubt, what is she going to do? The girl is so young, what do she know, let alone being pregnant, even Chenghuan, I'm afraid it's a little difficult. You say, will she just want a name? ”

Mama Yi's heart moved, and she hesitated: "Could it be that Qi Hao was really attacked and injured, so..."

"Hmm." Mrs. Xu said coldly, "I think so too." If Qi Hao is safe and sound, she will definitely not be in such a hurry to marry a daughter-in-law, and she should find a way to let Qi Hao accept the people in the house as before. After all, there is no justifiable reason, Hongluan, you have to be raised by my grandmother all the time, even Qi Hao, and you can't break the rules and say anything. ”

Mama Yi's eyebrows moved slightly, and she asked in a low voice: "Is it arranging the aftermath?" ”

Mrs. Xu was silent.

Mama Yi said again: "Then you, really promise her..."

"There's no way around it!" Mrs. Xu was calm and calm, and there was only ruthlessness in her eyes, "Qi Hao asked Erping to bring a letter to Brother Yu, saying that he already knew about the matter of Dexin Academy, so that Brother Yu would not worry, saying that he would take care of everything, let him do whatever he should do, remember to handle the Spring Festival properly, and the Yanguo Mansion will rely on him in the future... Brother Yu is young, how can he understand the sinister nature of people's hearts, and now he is thinking about the good of his second uncle wholeheartedly! ”

Mama Yi looked at Mrs. Xu in surprise: "In that case, why should Madam agree to Mrs. Wei's conditions and wait for Qi Hao to come back..."