When they arrived at the gate of the courtyard, everyone saw the prince Xiao Yan who came in from outside, Xiao Yan was wearing a purple robe, embroidered with gold silk at the hem of the clothes, wearing a jade crown, and standing tall and jade, and the whole person looked luxurious and majestic.

Zhou took the lead and stepped forward to salute: "The courtiers pay a visit to His Royal Highness the Prince." ”

The ladies and girls who followed her also bowed down, and for a while, there were people kneeling on the ground in the courtyard.

Xie Ji also bowed down with everyone, and as far as the eye could see, she could only see the moire embroidered with gold thread at the hem of Xiao Yan's purple robe, the purple and gold threads complemented each other, showing the dignity and majesty of the prince more and more.

I don't know if it's an illusion, Xie Ji felt Xiao Yan's gaze looking at her, which reminded her of the time when she bumped into Xiao Yan in Fu'an Temple that day. At that time, Xiao Yan was guilty of a head disease, and she was suspicious of her, the hand that pinched her neck was slender and powerful, and the joints were distinct, and she seemed to be able to remember the feeling of suffocation that she couldn't breathe at this time, which made her nervous in her heart, and she subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

Xiao Yan looked at her subconscious movements in her eyes, raised her eyebrows slightly, and then fell her gaze on Zhou's body, and said, "Get up, Madame doesn't have to be polite." Today's lady's birthday, come to the house alone, and Mrs. should not feel lonely and abrupt. ”

As he spoke, he glanced at Gonggong Cui, who was following behind him, and Gonggong Cui stepped forward with a rosewood box and said respectfully to Zhou: "Your Highness knows that Mrs. loves peonies, and it happens that there is a famous peony of Meng, Song and Yuan Dynasty hidden in the library, so I asked the slave to bring it to Mrs. as a birthday gift." ”

As soon as Gonggong Cui's words came out, not only Zhou's, but also the people in the courtyard were surprised, although Zhou's heart was also shocked, but she couldn't tolerate her hesitation, and thanked her again: "The courtiers thanked Your Highness." ”

As he spoke, he took the red sandalwood box from Gonggong Cui with both hands, and said respectfully to Xiao Yan: "Please also invite Your Highness to enter one." ”

Zhou leaned sideways and spoke respectfully, Xiao Yan nodded, raised his feet and walked inside.

With Xiao Yan, the crown prince, here, everyone didn't dare to sit down, and they all stood aside respectfully.

A maid stepped forward with a teacup, and Grandpa Cui took it and handed it to Xiao Yan.

The atmosphere in the room became a little solemn, and Xiao Yan drank tea by himself, as if he didn't notice the pressure brought to everyone by his arrival.

After a few sips, Xiao Yan spoke: "Being alone here is a little restrained for Madame." He put down the teacup in his hand and glanced at Fu Xuzhi who was standing there: "It's better for Xu Zhi to accompany Gu to your study to sit down." ”

Xiao Yan said, then stood up and nodded at Zhou: "Madame doesn't have to worry about Lonely, Xu Zhi has been Lone's companion since he was a child, and Mrs. and Lone's mother are also old friends, and they can be regarded as half an elder Lonely." ”

Zhou hurriedly said that he didn't dare, and saw Xiao Yan walking outside with his feet raised, while Fu Xuzhi and Grandpa Cui followed behind him.

Xiao Yan, the crown prince, left, and the atmosphere in the room eased a little.

Duchess Rong Guo Tan was the first to smile and said: "If you want to say that you are decent or sister, who would have thought that the prince would be able to come here in person, not to mention that he also gave the famous peony of Meng Song and Yuan, I have only heard of that painting, and I haven't been able to take a look at it yet." When my sister is free one day, I will come to the door to take a look through my sister's light. ”

Tan's opening was flattered by all the ladies one by one.

At this time, everyone was shocked in their hearts, after all, everyone in the capital knew that the prince had a cold temperament and was difficult to befriend, and he rarely moved around with the foreign Cheng'en Mansion. Now that the Zhou family's birthday prince can come in person and give a birthday gift, it is really unimaginable.

What is even more surprising is that the prince mentioned the past relationship between the Zhou family and the former queen when he left, and said that when the Zhou family was half an elder, whether it was a scene or not, the prince really gave enough face to the Zhou family, the Duchess of Anguo, which made people envious in their hearts.

There are really not many people in this capital who can get this kind of dignity!

For everyone's flattery and envy, Zhou only said gently: "It's just that Xu Zhi followed His Highness when he urinated, and His Highness was willing to give me some face." ”

Before her words fell, there was another humane: "I heard that this time the prince was ordered to escort Enshi's coffin out of Beijing, and your second son also followed all the way. ”

The smile between Zhou's eyebrows and eyes was a little more: "This is also his duty as a courtier." ”

After Zhou finished speaking, he changed the topic and talked about other things.

After all, the prince is a prince and has a noble status, and it is difficult for them to talk about the prince.

Everyone also knew the severity, so they also moved away from the topic and talked about something else.

Towards noon, a feast was set up in the courtyard, and everyone sat next to each other, and a total of six tables were set.

During the banquet, Xie Ji saw that although Fu Qionghua and Zhou sat at the same table, but because they had no rank, they only sat at the end, and several ladies naturally snubbed her a little during the chat, and Zhou, who was a sister-in-law, was afraid that she would want to say a few words to her in a timely manner, but she did not make everyone enthusiastic about Fu Qionghua, the aunt and grandmother of the Anguo Mansion.

After a few times like this, Fu Qionghua's face was a little bad, but it didn't come out on the spot because of the occasion.

If Xie Ji didn't know his identity, he was afraid that he would feel uncomfortable when he saw this scene at this time, and felt that the Xie family was a small family, and his mother was really low married when she married into the Xie family, and now she has to suffer this kind of grievance.

can live a new life, Xie Ji only felt relieved when he looked at this scene.

In particular, she knew that what made Fu Qionghua most uncomfortable was not the neglect and contempt of these ladies and girls, but Fu Xuzhi's filial piety to Zhou's mother, and she felt more and more relieved in her heart.

She didn't miss the complicated emotions that flashed in Fu Qionghua's eyes when she saw the cloisonné enamel peony bonsai that Fu Xuzhi gave to Zhou, as well as the appearance of clenching the veil tightly and even trembling slightly.

Seeing his son so filial to the Zhou family, how could this scene not be dazzling in Fu Qionghua's eyes, if it was possible at that time, Fu Qionghua was afraid that he would want to step forward and break the bonsai.

Xie Ji smiled in her heart, stretched out her hand to grab a piece of snack, but when she raised her eyes, she saw that the eldest grandmother Shen's eyes seemed to be a little red, but she pretended to look at the scenery outside, and quickly wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and then turned around and talked with someone laughing.

Xie Ji didn't make a sound, as if she hadn't seen anything, she lowered her head and ate the snacks in the bowl.

She couldn't guess why the Shen family was like this, the birthday gift sent by Fu Xuzhi at the birthday banquet this day had already suppressed Fu He's head, and then the prince Xiao Yan arrived, not only gave a birthday gift, but also valued Fu Xuzhi's companion very much, and asked Fu Xuzhi to accompany him to the study to talk before leaving.

This scene, in the eyes of the Shen family, is that Fu Xuzhi crushed the death of her husband Fu He, where can she feel good in her heart.

If Fu Qionghua hadn't swapped her and Fu Xuzhi back then, the Shen family would probably not have such a predicament at this time. She only needs to worry about her husband's body/son, and think of a way to make herself pregnant, after all, if there is only one son in the long house, the position of the son of the world will definitely fall to Fu Hezhi.

Thinking of the respective endings of the Shen family and Fu Hezhi in the previous life, Xie Ji couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed in his heart.

......

Kado-in

Old Madam Wei heard that the crown prince Xiao Yan personally came to the mansion to congratulate the Zhou family on his birthday, and also gave a true painting of Meng Song Yuan's peony, after being shocked, she said with a little emotion: "It's still my daughter-in-law here who is blessed, my old wife has been the old lady of the Anguo Mansion for so many years, and I haven't seen when His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has given me such dignity." ”

Mama Dong listened to the old lady's words, and she didn't know what the old lady thought in her heart, so she only smiled and flattered: "In the final analysis, it is still our Anguo Mansion, which is the blessing of the second young master of our family, and the prince thinks that it is because of the merit of the second young master who followed out of Beijing to escort the coffin of the prince's teacher back to his ancestral hometown, that he gave our mansion such a great dignity." Otherwise, the eldest lady celebrates her birthday every year, and she has never seen the prince come in person before, so it can be seen that it is not because of the eldest lady. ”

Mrs. Wei picked up the teacup in her hand and took a sip gently: "Maybe yes, back then, the first queen and the Zhou family had been handkerchiefs since childhood, but after the first queen went, although the prince valued our Anguo Mansion, he rarely mentioned the friendship between the Zhou family and the first queen." This time I suddenly mentioned it, thinking that I was thinking about the first queen in my heart. ”

After Mrs. Wei finished speaking, she didn't continue to speak, but only ordered: "You ask the kitchen to make something good, don't let Xu Zhi slack off His Highness." ”

After speaking, she spoke again: "Speaking of which, when His Highness arrived at the mansion, I should have gone to see him in person, but His Highness did not summon him, and my wife rushed to go without making His Highness unhappy, which caused Xu Zhi." ”

Mama Dong listened and answered: "Old lady, don't worry, our second young master grew up urinating with His Royal Highness, and His Royal Highness's preferences and second young masters know where they can not be taken care of." is a little inconsiderate, according to the relationship between the second young master and His Royal Highness, I think His Royal Highness will not blame him. ”

Hearing Mama Dong say this, Mrs. Wei showed a little smug on her face: "That's it, where is the relationship between Xu Zhi and His Royal Highness that others can compare, if it wasn't for Xu Zhi risking the danger to rescue His Highness from the fire, where would there be His Highness now." ”

Old Madam Wei lowered her voice and said, "Speaking of which, our Anguo Mansion has a life-saving grace for His Royal Highness, where can other nobles compare to this affection?" ”

Mama Dong didn't dare to accept this, the old lady had been the old lady of the Anguo Mansion for so many years, and she was a little less jealous in her heart, and she dared to say anything to save her life. Even if this is true, if these words accidentally reach the ears of the prince, the prince doesn't know what to think?

Although the prince and the second young master have had a friendship since childhood, the prince is the king, and the old lady's words are really too much.

Not daring to ask the old lady to say disrespectful words again, Mama Dong hurriedly changed the topic and said with a smile: "Jing'an Courtyard must be lively at this time, and the old lady won't go to see it?" ”

Old Madam Wei glared at her angrily: "What are you talking about, where is there a mother-in-law who puts down her body to see her daughter-in-law?" Besides, I'm old, and I can't stand the noise of people, and when they disperse, the eldest daughter-in-law will come to greet me. ”

She didn't know what she thought, she frowned slightly, and said: "I don't know if she took good care of Qionghua, although Qionghua is the aunt and grandmother of our Anguo Mansion, but she married into the Xie family and became the wife of the Xie family, so she will inevitably be looked down upon." She is a sister-in-law, but she can't let Qionghua be bullied by those people. ”

Mama Dong shook her head and said: "Where will it be, when my aunt and grandmother are not married, the eldest lady will let my aunt and grandmother everywhere, and besides, the eldest lady knows that you value your aunt and grandmother, how can you not protect your aunt and grandmother?" ”

Old Madam Wei nodded and said, "The Zhou family is a good one, and she was the first to see the signs of Qionghua and Xie Shaochuan, and came back to tell me, because of this, Qionghua also had a quarrel with her sister-in-law." ”

"Alas, no matter whether she is sincere or false as a sister-in-law, even if it is because of me, an old woman, she should protect Qionghua."

......

After a short time, the banquet in Jing'an Courtyard was dispersed, and Zhou sent off the guests, and after a short rest, he came to the Zhanglan Courtyard where the old lady lived with the second wife Wei, Fu Qionghua and the girls.

Mrs. Wei called her over and asked about the situation at the banquet, and the family was lively and lively, and they talked again.

After more than an hour, seeing that Mrs. Wei was a little tired, everyone withdrew from the house.

Xie Ji also took Qingdai to the side of the Biyu Courtyard where she lived.

Halfway through, she saw that there was not a single maid on the road, and before she had time to be strange, she saw Grandpa Cui standing not far away wearing a blue brocade dress and a white beard.

Xie Ji's heart tightened, and before she could react, Father-in-law Cui stepped forward and arched his hand and said, "Second Miss Xie, my Royal Highness is in front, ask the girl to come over." ”

Seeing that Xie Ji was nervous, Gonggong Cui said again: "Don't worry, girl, Your Highness said that you want to enjoy the plum blossoms in this garden alone, the road has been cleared, no one dares to come here, and the girl doesn't have to worry about being seen." ”

Cui Gonggong said, and made a gesture of please.

The day before yesterday, they got the incense and asked someone to make the incense overnight and serve it to His Highness, but although the incense alleviated His Highness's head disease a little, it was not as good as when he met this Xie Er girl in Fu'an Temple that day.

Lu Yuanzheng guessed that only Miss Xie could calm His Highness's emotions and alleviate His Highness's head disease.

Although they were surprised and puzzled, if this was the case, the appearance of this Second Miss Xie would be a happy event for His Royal Highness.

Today, His Royal Highness personally came to the Anguo Mansion to congratulate the Zhou family on his birthday, and he took this opportunity to meet with this Second Miss Xie to confirm that this Second Miss Xie can really alleviate His Royal Highness's head disease.

Xie Ji couldn't refuse, so she could only follow Gonggong Cui forward.