In the middle of the month, the young lady of the Lian family in Hainan suddenly came to visit Mrs. Gu with the fourteenth lady of the Lian family.

Mrs. Gu's yellow face couldn't help but be shocked, she looked at Gu Xiyan, and hurriedly said, "Please!" Please! ”

Gu Xiyan also felt a little surprised: "Why did you come here at this time!" ”

The Spring Festival in Xia is more particular, even businessmen thousands of miles away will rush back to their hometown to celebrate the festival. In addition to sweeping dust on the 24th, sticking the Spring Festival on the evening of the Chinese New Year's Eve, and setting off firecrackers early in the morning of the first day of the first lunar month, and also paying attention to the rule that relatives cannot go at will until the 24th day to the 30th day of the month, now the Lian family has come all the way to Shengjing and visited the Gu family before the 24th year, how can the two not be surprised.

Mrs. Gu hurriedly called someone to come in and serve her to comb her hair, changed into a silver-red half-arm to receive guests, got up and walked a few steps and felt that it was inappropriate, turned around and took a small porcelain box with a large pastel palm from a small grid next to the bed, sat on the side of the mirror and wiped it herself.

Gu Xiyan saw that when she got up again, although her face was still yellow, it was obviously shiny than just now, and she seemed to be much more energetic, not the **** that she imagined that she could drop off a layer of powder in the blink of an eye, and couldn't help but glance at the small porcelain box placed on the mirror table.

Mrs. Gu explained with a smile: "This is the 'Yanyan' produced by Tongxinfang, which is said to be a tribute, and it is specially made for the Queen Mother. The other day, my sister-in-law came to see me and said that the color on my face was too dark, so she gave me a box. Today I also used it for the first time. ”

Gu Xiyan looked at her and nodded in praise: "Mother's face is really much better." ”

Mrs. Gu stopped talking and sighed.

Gu Xiyan said sincerely: "Mother's illness has also been lying for too long, and when spring begins, the weather will be warmer, so it is better for me to accompany my mother to Qixia to watch and relax." ”

Qixiaguan has a doctor to treat the disease, and there is also a Taoist aunt to do things, whether Mrs. Gu is really sick or heart disease, it is appropriate. Mrs. Gu glanced at Gu Xiyan, smiled with her eyebrows, patted the back of Gu Xiyan's hand affectionately, and turned around and walked out of the room.

Although the young lady of the Lian family is called a young lady, she is actually ten years older than Mrs. Gu, with a plump figure and fair and delicate skin, although there are fine fish wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, it still does not damage her beauty. She was followed by a girl about fourteen or five years old, wearing an oil-green gown skirt embroidered with gold ornaments on the inside, and a black fur cloak on the outside, between her eyebrows and eyes she was very similar to Gu Xiyan, all of them were ice skin with crystal skin, beautiful and beautiful facial features, and a tall figure, but Gu Xiyan's eyes were soft and her smile was sweet, giving people a sense of intimacy like a sister next door, and this girl was clear-eyed, with a reserved smile, giving people a dignified and bright feeling.

The two of them greeted Mrs. Gu. The young lady of the Lian family immediately stepped forward affectionately and grabbed Gu Xiyan's hand: "This is Xiyan's cousin, I am your third sister-in-law." ”

Gu Xiyan hurriedly and politely called her "third sister-in-law".

Mrs. Lian hurriedly pulled the girl on the side to Gu Xiyan's side: "This is your seventh uncle's third daughter Lian Fanghua, who ranks fourteenth in the family, and we all call her the fourteenth aunt." ”

Gu Xiyan hurriedly greeted Lian Fanghua.

Lian Fanghua generously called Gu Xiyan "Little aunt".

Several people greeted each other and saluted, and then Young Lady Lian led Lian Fanghua to sit down. The next person came out with tea, and even the people around the young lady piled up half of the house gifts in large bags, and even the young lady explained her intention: "Fanghua can also be regarded as a small talent in Hainan County, but after all, it is not as good as Shengjing is at the foot of the Son of Heaven and the root of the imperial city." The lord heard that Aunt Cui Baoyi and Aunt Cui borrowed the place of your mansion to open a private school, and I wanted Mrs. to introduce me, so that my niece could learn in front of Aunt Cui......"

Mrs. Gu was stunned for a moment, and said tactfully: "The two families are relatives, and it would be too obvious to say these words." Although Aunt Cui borrowed the place of Gu's Mansion to run a private school, I have lived in the inner courtyard for many years and have not seen each other once a year. But please rest assured, the young lady will go to the master as soon as he arrives at me, and let him personally come forward to do this for Miss Lian. ”

Mrs. Lian got the letter, sat down for a while, and then took Lian Fanghua to leave.

Mrs. Gu asked people to accept the gift, and her face was full of doubts: "Tianxiang Academy in Hainan County is one of the three major women's schools in Xizhao, how did the Lian family let Miss Lian go to Shengjing to worship Aunt Cui as a teacher?" ”

Gu Xiyan lowered his head and pondered.

Two days later, Gu Xiyan went to give Cui Baoyi a Spring Festival gift, and Cui Baoyi personally met her this time: "The class starts on the sixteenth day of the first month, and the girl reads the "Four Books" at home. ”

Gu Xiyan breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it was she who wrote the words and finally got the approval of this Aunt Cui.

She listened to Aunt Cui's admonition a few words and then left.

The Spring Festival is coming soon, and the family affairs are complicated, thanks to the help of Gu Xiyan by Mrs. Gu's side, and Deacon Ding has been managing foreign affairs for several years, with these two people, she finally passed the fifteenth day of the first month without danger. On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, Gu Xiyan resumed class and met Lian Fanghua at Aunt Cui.

Lian Fanghua saw that Gu Xiyan was very affectionate, and pulled her aside and told her: "My class is in front of you, if my little aunt is not busy, it can be seen often between classes." ”

Gu Xiyan replied with a smile, and turned around to ask Mama Zhao who was in front of Lian Fanghua.

Mama Zhao replied: "There is Miss Fang in front of Miss Lian. ”

Gu Xiyan smiled coldly.

The family has been jubilant these days. Master Gu was promoted to Honglu Temple, from the third grade. The family invited a flowing water seat for a few days in a row.

Gu Xiyan and Guiguan met again: "You help me inquire, there is a church in Fuchun County, where is it?" ”

Guiguan was surprised: "The second girl asked what is this for?" ”

Gu Xiyan smiled mysteriously.

Guiguan suddenly realized: "It turns out that the girl believes in Christianity!" ”

Gu Xiyan instructed: "You can help me inquire." ”

Guiguan nodded and hurriedly said goodbye.

Soon, the wind blew on people's faces and became cold, and the weeping willows by Yuanxiang Lake began to bud.

Gu Fuli began to get busy again. was busy making jewelry for Gu Xiyan and cutting new clothes for Gu Xiyan, Gu Xiyan found that the spring breeze was blowing not only young buds, but also like flower buds, with bulging chests, and had begun to have a woman's soft curves.

Mrs. Gu's body seemed to be even weaker, and she wrote to her brother who was far away in Jiangnan, asking him to send back her only son, Gu Panxi, who had been staying in Jiangnan's mother's house.

The affairs of the family gradually moved to Gu Xiyan's hands, and when Gu Xiyan and Guiguan met again, they gave Guiguan five hundred taels of silver: "You take it to the official mansion to buy a household registration, if it is not enough, ask me again." ”

Guiguan didn't say anything, and took the silver in his arms.

Gu Xiyan asked him to inquire about the specific date of the concubine: "It must be accurate, very accurate, when to do something, inquire clearly, and you can't make mistakes." ”

Guiguan nodded thoughtfully, and also told Gu Xiyan a piece of news: "I don't know what happened, the girl of the Xu family who was engaged to Fang Shaoqing was suddenly sent to Puzhaoguan, and the relationship between the two families must have been blown up." ”

Gu Xiyan was puzzled: "What do you mean?" ”

Guiguan said in a low voice: "The general view is a Taoist temple. Since Empress Yirong became a monk there in 152 years of Xizhao, Puzhaoguan has been a retreat place for royal nobles......"

Gu Xiyan groaned: "You mean, something happened to the girl of the Xu family?" ”

Guiguan nodded.

The two stood against each other, relatively speechless.

After a long time, Gu Xiyan said: "If you have the opportunity, ask what happened to the girl of the Xu family!" ”

Guiguan's eyes flickered.

A few days later, news from Guiguan came. The date for the selection of the concubine was set for April 12, which was the birthday of the Queen Mother. But before that, all women who are eligible to participate in the selection of concubines must complete the preliminary examination, that is, the experience, before March 10. The woman who has passed the preliminary examination must enter the palace on March 14 to participate in the "dormitory selection", that is, to live in the palace for a short period of time, to see if you sleep and snore, whether you talk in your dreams, whether you grit your teeth, etc., and the most important thing is that the female officials in the palace will examine whether you are generous, supple, knowledgeable, and so on. Before April 10, the female officials will send the list of outstanding women to the queen for reading, and when the election is held on the 12th, the queen will be able to make the final decision against the women who are running for the election.

After the Empress Dowager Fang became the queen, the first emperor was the only favor and did not accept any more concubines. When the emperor ascended the throne today, the queen mother personally sent envoys to Fengtai to ask for marriage, and the emperor did not accept harem concubines by choosing concubines in order to respect the queen. Several concubines who have given birth to princes and princesses have entered the palace earlier than the queen, and it is the imperial concubine Gu who is now favored by the sixth palace, and she also entered the palace as a female official. Several princes of the emperor have already decided on their family affairs, and of course there is no need to choose a concubine. In this way, the Xizhao Dynasty has not held a concubine election for thirty-eight years.

For a time, the election of concubines on April 12 became a gathering point of national concern in Xizhao.

Gu Fu is not idle, and the preliminary trial is about to begin, in addition to taking care of the female officials in the palace who come to the preliminary trial, he also has to take care of Gu Xiyan's body.

Mrs. Gu was sick and lying crookedly on the bed, and told Mama Tian to invite the master of Tifangzhai to give Gu Xiyan a soup bath. Gu Xiyan said: "Although the master of Tifangzhai is responsible for the famous soup bath of the women in the pavilion, this is not a special skill after all, everyone can please move, and everyone can afford it." In my opinion, it's better to ask Aunt Qin next door, she is a person in the troupe. ”

Mrs. Gu was stunned for a moment at first, but then she figured it out, and a crimson immediately flew on her yellow face, and she scolded: "Which demon moth is talking nonsense in front of the girl, and you have to beat it to death with a stick!" ”

Mama Tian smiled on the side: "I think what the second girl said is reasonable, Madame just lost the courage of the second girl!" ”

Mrs. Gu blushed for a while and turned white for a while.

It was Gu Xiyan who snickered on the side.