Xu Chunjun was invited to the Yongxian County Prince's Mansion. Jiang Nuan sent a letter the day before and asked her to meet at the intersection of Changshou Street early tomorrow morning so that they could go there together.
On the second day, after breakfast, walking around the Hou Mansion, and taking care of important matters, Xu Chunjun got in the car and went out.
Jiang Nuan was impatient and had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Xu Chunjun, he raised the car curtain to greet him.
When Xu Chunjun saw Jiang Qing was also in the car, he nodded and smiled in return.
When we arrived at the Prince's Mansion, there was already a maid waiting at the door. She took Xu Chunjun and others inside and took them all the way to Xianle Tower.
Xu Chunjun knew at a glance that this was a special place for listening to plays in the mansion. County Lord Mingxiu was sitting in the open hall on the south side, across a pool of clear water, opposite a three-story stage with an arched bridge in the middle, very Jiangnan style.
It makes people feel refreshed and comfortable, it is indeed a good place.
Zeng Nian sat on a special chair and greeted with a smile: "Come and sit down quickly. I'm not good at greeting guests. Ah Ci prepared these."
There is an Eight Immortals table in the open hall, on which eight or nine kinds of rare fruits are displayed, plus eight or nine kinds of exquisite snacks.
Except that there are no seats at the back, there are six chairs on the other three sides, three on the south side and one on the east and west sides. There is a playlist for the opera in front of each seat.
The Su embroidery chair cloth and tablecloth are a complete set, embroidered with two butterflies entwining peonies, and the tassels are decorated with glass beads.
Sisters Xu Chunjun and Jiang Nuan took their seats and sat down. Zeng Ci asked them to sit next to him, but Xu Chunjun and Jiang Nuan both refused and sat on the seats on the east and west sides. Jiang Qing sat down next to Zeng Ci and said:
"I can sit here so I can serve the county master."
Zeng Ci smiled and said: "How can we work for the guests? Miss Jiang seems to have grown taller!"
While talking, Zeng Ci and Cen Yunchu came over, and Xu Chunjun and others stood up to greet them.
"Yunchu is here, come and sit down quickly." Zeng Nian called Cen Yunchu over, "You girl, why are you here just now?"
This is the second time Xu Chunjun has seen Miss Cen, and she is still amazed.
Her clothes and jewelry are very elegant, without complicated makeup, and the colors are not bright, but they can bring out the beauty of her body.
When Xu Chunjun saw her, an old poem flashed through his mind - "You will know that flowers are more beautiful when they are very pale."
Zeng Ci also sat down, and the maid came up to pour tea.
"Let's talk first and then watch the show." Zeng Nian greeted everyone, "Try some of our dim sum. I don't know what your tastes are. If there is anything you particularly like, please tell me. I'll come back next time.
Tell them to get ready."
"My sister always thinks of a few of you these days and says thank you very much that day." Zeng Ci, like her sister, has no airs and is very comfortable getting along with her. "Although I am saying thank you today, it also means that I come and go often.
Don't come only after we invite you, that would be too intrusive."
Before anyone else could say anything, Jiang Qing hurriedly said: "I am the youngest here. I rely on my sisters to get close to the two county heads. If you don't dislike me, I will come here more often in the future."
Sister Zeng Nian nodded in agreement, and everyone smiled and said nothing. Only Cen Yunchu snorted coldly. She had never looked at Jiang Qing, and she did not hide her contempt at this time.
Jiang Qing just pretended that she couldn't see her. She just wanted to get on the line with the county prince's palace. It didn't matter what others thought.
"Miss Jiang, have you found out what happened to your maid?" Zeng Ci asked.
Liu'er's murder alarmed many officials and family members who were drinking tea that day, so almost everyone in the capital knew about it.
Jiang Qing hurriedly replied: "No, even though people from the Yamen came several times, they still have no clue."
"It's so pitiful. Has the person been buried?" Zeng Nian asked Jiang Nuan.
"The funeral affairs have been taken care of." Jiang Nuan reluctantly twitched the corners of her lips. She was still feeling heavy when she mentioned Liu'er.
Zeng Nian couldn't help but reached out and patted the back of her hand.
Then the maid came over and asked for instructions: "The opera singers are getting ready backstage. What kind of opera do you want to hear, masters?"
Zeng Nian then said: "Miss Xu, please click on it first!"
Xu Chunjun declined with a smile: "I rarely listen to operas on weekdays, and I really don't know how to order. Ask someone else to order. I'll listen to the ready-made ones."
"Everyone needs to order something, Miss Xu, you're welcome." Zeng Ci handed the opera list to Xu Chunjun, "so that they can dress up in advance."
Xu Chunjun couldn't resist, so he ordered the play "Avalokitesvara Tests Xuanzang".
The first thing Cen Yun ordered was "Green Screen".
Jiang Nuan likes martial arts dramas and ordered "Lu Zhishen's Trouble in Mount Wutai".
Jiang Qing reminded her in a low voice: "Sister, we are all a girl's family, and the two county heads are extremely noble, so it's better not to order these noisy dramas!"
"The noise is just an appearance. This drama is so fun to watch!" Cen Yunchu held a teacup with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "Second Miss Jiang only looks at people in terms of their superiority, not their eldership."
The implication is that Jiang Qing does not respect Jiang Nuan.
Jiang Qing's face turned red and white, but it was hard to get angry. After all, this was the county prince's palace.
Cen Yunchu had no scruples, but she couldn't.
Fortunately, the Zeng sisters quickly came to the rescue and changed the subject.
Xu Chunjun said in her heart that Cen Yunchu was really a sharp-edged person. Her temperament could easily offend others.
It's fine if nothing happens, but if something happens, too many people will be hurt.
However, Xu Chunjun admired Jiang Qing because she quickly calmed down and started talking and laughing again.
Xu Chunjun looked at the unconscious Jiang Nuan and couldn't help but worry for her.
After a while, the actors dressed up and went on stage. The music came through the water, and it was indeed more beautiful.
"It's so cool in the yard. It's really a good place to listen to music and cool off." Jiang Qing couldn't help but praise.
"This is my first time inviting this opera troupe, and it's okay for those who listen to rap." Zeng Nian said with a smile.
At this time, the person pretending to be Guanyin came on stage, dressed in white with a red mole on his eyebrows.
Everyone couldn't help but admire: "What a beautiful appearance!"
"His stage name is Yu Lingchun, and he is a master at playing Guanyin. Even among young actors today, he is one of the best. I heard it once in the palace, so I know it," Zeng Nian said.
Jiang Nuan couldn't help but sigh: "I'm afraid he was reincarnated as a job. Compared with him, I look like a fake woman."
Everyone was amused by her, except Xu Chunjun who stared at the stage intently.
At this moment, her mind was wandering and she was no longer focused on the drama. Everyone thought she was absorbed in listening and didn't care.
After several operas were sung, it was time to sit down for dinner.
Everyone stood up, and the maid pushed Zeng Nian to go first.
Xu Chunjun called out to Jiang Nuan in a low voice.
Because Jiang Nuan and Jiang Qing went out together today, the two sisters only brought one maid with them.
Following Jiang Nuan is the bell.
"What's wrong with Sister Xu?" Jiang Nuan didn't know why.
"Ah Nuan, Bell Ding, let's leave a little later. Follow me to the back of the stage to have a look." Xu Chunjun said.
She wanted to verify something, and it couldn't wait.
