The end of March is the day to make an appointment to meet Dou.

Gao Qiuniang was accompanied by the eldest lady Du Shi, and took the eldest grandson Wuji and Guanyin to Chengnan Manor in advance.

At this time, it is the season of spring flowers, and after a few days of rain, it suddenly cleared, and the air appeared clean and fresh.

The locust on both sides of the manor road has grown a piece of new leaves, although it is not dense, but it is already full of green branches, washed by the spring rain, it looks spotless and delicate.

Gao Qiuniang instructed Zhuang Ding and the servants to clean and tidy up the entire manor, and it was in good order, without a trace of negligent management.

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The Duchess of Tang Guo, Dou, also set out from martial arts, took Juxian County to rest at the Li Manor for one night, and came to the Chengnan Manor in the afternoon of the next day.

Liu Changxi, the steward of the manor, waited outside the gate of the manor early in the morning, picked up the Dou family of more than 30 people, and led them directly to the Perak Hall Annex.

Gao Qiuniang and Du Shi led the eldest grandson Wuji and Guanyin to greet them outside the courtyard gate.

The calf came to a stop, and the servant placed the stool at the back door of the car.

Two maidservants stood at the door of the carriage, lifted the curtain, and helped a noble lady to walk down slowly.

This woman was about forty years old, with a solemn demeanor and a calm demeanor, and although she had a smile on her face, she also gave people a feeling of being unapproachable, implying a natural majesty.

Gao Qiuniang and Du knew that this was the Duchess of Tang Guo, Dou Shi, and the two watched with a smile as Dou Shi walked off the calf cart.

Dou got out of the car, and after standing firmly, he bowed slightly towards Gao Qiuniang and Du Shi.

Gao Qiuniang hurriedly stepped forward to salute.

She crossed her hands and curtsied, "Concubine Gao has seen the Duchess of Guo. ”

Dou smiled and bowed his knees in return.

The two finished saluting.

Gao Qiuniang pulled the eldest lady and introduced to the Dou family: "This is my sister-in-law." ”

Du Shi also crossed his hands and curts, and said, "The old Du family has seen the Duchess of the Kingdom. ”

Dou crossed his hands and bowed back: "The two ladies are so polite, it is really a concubine. ”

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When the three ladies were chatting with each other, Li Shimin held a two or three-year-old boy in his arms and a seven or eight-year-old boy in his hand, and the three of them walked out of the carriage together.

Guanyin and the eldest grandson Wuji saw Li Shimin, and hurriedly ran over to greet Li Shimin.

Li Shimin put down the boy he was holding, pointed to the older boy and introduced: "This is my third brother Xuanba." ”

Then, he introduced to Li Xuanba: "This is Brother Wuji and Sister Wuji." ”

Li Xuanba, Guanyin, and the eldest grandson Wuji all greeted each other in a proper manner and greeted each other.

In the end, Li Shimin pulled the youngest boy and introduced: "This is the fourth brother Yuanji." ”

Guanyin said that she stepped forward and touched Yuanji's head in a friendly manner, and said, "It's so cute." ”

Li Yuanji stared at Sanbai and looked at Guanyin, as if he was very reluctant.

Guanyin praised Li Yuanji for being cute, just out of politeness, and from the bottom of her heart, she actually felt that he was really ugly.

This Li Yuanji has a pair of white eyes, nostrils facing the sky, the pinna is turned out, a fire blowing mouth, and fat lips.

Growing so big, Guanyin has never seen such an ugly child.

Seeing that he was reluctant to take care of himself, Guanyin didn't talk to him more.

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The children greeted each other and came to the three ladies together.

Dou introduced Li Shimin, Li Xuanba, and Li Yuanji to Gao Qiuniang and Du Shi respectively.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba stepped forward to salute.

Gao Qiuniang and Du Shi praised the three children.

Then, Gao Qiuniang first introduced the eldest grandson Wuji to the Dou family.

The eldest grandson, Wuji, saluted the Dou family as usual.

In the end, Gao Qiuniang introduced Guanyin to the Dou family.

Guanyin was well-behaved, crossed her hands and knees to salute Dou's, and said, "Auntie greetings." ”

Dou looked at Guanyin with a smile and said, "This is what the people of the world said about Guanyin, right?" What a smart, sensible child. ”

Guanyin was a little embarrassed when she heard this, but Gao Qiuniang said: "You are sensible in front of outsiders, and you know how to play crazy when you are at home." ”

Dou Shi laughed and said, "Children, it's all like this. ”

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After introducing each other, everyone entered the courtyard through the main entrance.

Gao Qiuniang arranged a special yard for Dou's mother and son to live.

She asked Shuxiang to lead the maids and servants of the Guogong Mansion to clean up the residence and arrange their bags.

Liu Changxi went to settle the attendants and chariots and horses.

Gao Qiuniang, Dou and the others said as they walked, all the way to the front hall of the inner courtyard.

When they arrived at the front hall, Du Shi and Dou Shi sat down separately on the middle couch.

Gao Qiuniang and Ding Niangzi sat on the couches on both sides.

The eldest grandson Wuji and Guanyin sat next to Gao Qiuniang on the left side.

Li Shimin hugged Li Yuanji and Li Xuanba, and sat on the right side next to Ding Niangzi.

Everyone sat down, and Gao Qiuniang introduced Ding Niangzi to Dou:

"This is Mrs. Ding, the daughter of General Ding, the military governor of Juxian County, and the gentleman of my family's Upper Girls' Academy."

Ding Niangzi stood up and saluted, Dou leaned over and nodded and saluted: "The concubine is disrespectful, and the lady doesn't need to be polite." ”

After Ding Niangzi sat down, Dou continued: "I heard from the people of the world that the women's school hall in the Eldest Sun General's Mansion is very good, and Ding Niangzi's piano, chess, calligraphy and painting are all excellent. ”

Ding Niangzi bowed and said: "Madame, I learned these from my wife, and I can barely lead the child into the road, compared with the two ladies, how dare I talk about the word 'fine'?" ”

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Next, Gao Qiuniang asked Dou's itinerary for a few days, and Dou briefly talked about the way on the road, and the two sides were polite again.

Since they didn't know each other well and couldn't talk about much, Dou wanted to relieve the awkward atmosphere and said:

"I'm not smiling, I always look like I'm not close, and I hope the two ladies and Mrs. Ding won't be surprised."

The eldest lady smiled: "Where did the lady say something?" How could the three of us have been? None of them will gag, they will only speak with a serious face. ”

Dou said: "The family is like this, the ladies and ladies always go out of the door, and they rarely interact with each other. I am also used to being quiet in the countryside, and I am pestered by a few children, and in recent years, I don't even have a sister to talk to in the capital. ”

"This time, if it weren't for the fact that the husband said that the two ladies were virtuous and the children they taught were smart and sensible, let me learn from you. I'm still stuck at home as I used to. ”

Gao Qiuniang said: "Madame is the best among women, I will wait for what to do, when it comes to educating children, it is even more of a class to get an axe." ”

"That day, I saw Ling Lang Shimin, with a heroic bearing, calm speech, and the posture of a dragon and phoenix, and at a glance, I knew that after Mrs. Li's careful teaching, I admired you even more."

After some compliments and polite words, Gao Qiuniang also felt a little uncomfortable.

She felt that she had been so polite all the time, and she couldn't help but be a little angry.

Gao Qiuniang thought, there is no topic to talk about, is it related to the occasion you are in? How many people are sitting here in a precarious position, is it strange that they are not informal? Maybe the occasion will change and speak more naturally.

So she proposed to Dou: "Madame has come from afar, it is not easy to come here, this time I will stay here for a few more days, so that the children will have time to get closer and closer." ”

"If you don't let Wuji lead the people to play, my wife and I will walk around the yard casually and familiarize ourselves with the environment first."

Dou also felt that the atmosphere was not too relaxed, and thought that it would be good to go out for an activity, so he said: "Everything is arranged by Mrs. ”

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Gao Qiuniang turned her face and explained that the eldest grandson Wuji led the people to play.

A few children were sitting there, and they were already a little impatient, and when they heard that they could play, they were all excited.

The Dou family also explained to Li Shimin that he wanted to take his two younger brothers well.

After the explanation, several children went out of the front hall under the leadership of the eldest grandson Wuji and Li Shimin.

Gao Qiuniang arranged for Mozhu to prepare lunch, and after a while, it was placed in the east room of the front hall, and Mozhu went as promised.

Then everyone got up and walked out of the antechamber.

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The shape of the Perak Hall Annexes is similar to that of the Eldest Sun General's Mansion.

There is a moon gate to the west of the front hall, and the moon gate is the steward's room, and there is a three-entry courtyard on the north side of the management room, and there are two three-entry courtyards side by side in the west.

In the middle of the three courtyards, there is a road to the north, and at the end of the road there is a small gate leading to the garden.

Gao Qiuniang introduced as she walked, and several people walked north along Yong Road.

Yuhan opened the small door, and several people entered the garden.

The garden is not big, and it is not like the garden of the General's Mansion with houses and flowers, but it is not too high, and you can see the back wall of the garden at a glance.

In the middle of the garden is a pavilion. In front of the pavilion, there is a small square with a length and width of ten zhang.

The eldest lady suggested: "Why don't you let someone build an awning here, and let the children play here tomorrow." We talked and watched the children play. ”

Dou also said: "I also think this is very good, when the time comes, the children can show their talents, and it will be beneficial to learn from each other." ”

"I heard from the people of the world, your family's qin, chess, calligraphy and painting are extraordinary, I really want to see it."

Gao Qiuniang secretly wondered if this should be an exam question for Ah Wan, so she continued: "Madame's praise, Ah Wan is only a game of Go and can be said, and the others are just getting started." ”

Dou said with a smile: "If it can be called good by the people of our family, it must be good." This child has been arrogant since he was a child, and he has never been convinced, and this time he actually praised your maid, which has never been done before. ”

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The reason why Dou proposed to let a few children show off their talents was to see if Guanyin was as good as Li Shimin said.

If Guanyin is really as Li Shimin said, she will take the initiative to propose to marry the two.

If Guanyin is not as good as Li Shimin said, there is no need for her to rush to say it.

Even if in order to envelop the eldest grandson family and complete this marriage, it is necessary to let the eldest grandson general's mansion propose it first, so that the initiative is in the Guogong Mansion.

The second is to let Li Shimin show what he has learned through a talent show, Gao Qiuniang will like Li Shimin if she sees that she is talented, and she will naturally have the idea of marrying the Guogong Mansion.

When the Changsun General's Mansion begged for the Guogong Mansion, it was not the Guogong Mansion that could do whatever it wanted.

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Gao Qiuniang saw Dou's proposal to let the children show their talents, although she muttered a little in her heart, but it was not good to save Dou's face.

Besides, she knows that Guanyin is very good, and it is difficult to find a smart girl like her. If the Dou family can't even match Guanyin, then she is too picky, and whose daughter marries into her family, life will not be easy.

No matter how good Li Shimin is, she doesn't want to let her marry her and suffer from sin.