Ning Wei nodded, "Yes, sir, when I went to Fengle Building for business, I heard from Manager Duanmu that we were preparing to go to express our condolences. Since my brother is back, we should quickly change our clothes and go to express our condolences together."
Ning Yu nodded in agreement, "Okay, I'll change my clothes and come back. By the way, my cousin will also go to express condolences."
When Mingyuan and his party arrived at the Qi Mansion, they saw that the Qi Mansion was also completely white. Mrs. Yu's eldest son, Qi Xiangchang, led some men to kneel outside the mansion to greet relatives and friends who came to express their condolences.
Qi Xiangchang is Jiang Xingyu's uncle and the father of his cousin Qi Haining. He is now serving as a secretary in the Imperial College.
Mrs. Qian and others got out of the car and walked towards Qi Xiangchang.
Qi Xiangchang and his son Qi Haifeng kowtowed, "Hello, Mrs. Qian."
Mrs. Qian clasped her hands together and said, "My condolences to Mr. Qi!"
Qi Xiang bowed and thanked her, then looked at Mrs. Jiang and asked, "Excuse me, who is this? What should I call this junior?"
Mrs. Qian was about to introduce her, but Mrs. Jiang replied first: "Old lady Jiang Yiqing is a layman. I was fortunate enough to meet Mrs. Yu at Baoen Temple.
Today I learned that the old lady passed away, so I came here to offer incense to the old lady. This is the old lady's son Wei Yuan, and I am here with the old lady today."
Wei Yuan stepped forward and bowed to Qi Xiangchang, "My condolences, Sir Qi!"
When Qi Xiangchang returned to his hometown, he was there. He bowed gratefully and returned the gift, "Thank you both very much. Everyone, please come in."
A servant came over and said, "Master, people from Prime Minister Li's Mansion have come to express their condolences."
Qi Xiangchang bowed to Mrs. Qian, Mrs. Jiang and others, and said apologetically: "Everyone, please come inside. People from Prime Minister Li's Mansion have arrived. I have to go and say hello, so I won't send you in."
Haifeng, lead the two old ladies in."
Mrs. Qian nodded, "We are relatives and can be considered a family. Qi Siye doesn't need to worry about us. You can go and do your work."
Qi Xiang long arched his hands and turned to go to work.
Qi Haifeng bowed to everyone and said, "Mrs. Qian, Mrs. Jiang, everyone, please come in."
The group had just walked a short distance when they met Zhao Yongkai who was walking out of the mansion.
When Zhao Yongkai saw Mrs. Qian and others, he hurriedly bowed to greet him, and then said to Qi Haifeng, "Brother, go and get busy. I'll lead Mrs. Qian and the others in."
Qi Haifeng said a few polite words, turned around and walked out of the gate.
"Ah Wei, you're here!" Jiang Xingyu, with red and swollen eyes, sobbed and ran towards Ning Wei, interrupting what Zhao Yongkai wanted to say next.
Ning Wei stretched out her arms and hugged Jiang Xingyu, comforting her in a low voice: "Xingyu, you have to show your condolences!"
Jiang Xingyu wrapped his arms around Ning Wei's waist, buried his head in Ning Wei's neck and sobbed: "A Wei, from now on, I don't have a grandmother anymore. My grandmother will never smile at me again. I'm going back to Qi Mansion.
I can no longer act like a spoiled child in grandma's arms. Ah Wei, I feel so sad."
Ning Wei gently patted Jiang Xingyu's shoulder and comforted her with warm words: "Well, I understand that losing a loved one will make your heart hurt. The pain is so suffocating that it makes you powerless.
However, Zhangzhu, you have to show your condolences. The old lady loves you so much, and she definitely doesn’t want to see you so sad, so let’s be strong. Okay?”
Jiang Xingyu hugged Ning Wei and cried even more sadly: "Ah Wei, obviously, obviously you were fine yesterday.
When my brother and I came back, my grandmother was awake. I told her that my brother got the first place in the exam. She smiled and smiled very happily.
In the evening, my grandmother talked to me for a long time, you know?
Grandma hasn't spoken for several days. I thought...I thought grandma was getting better. But...grandma left."
Ning Wei was thinking about how to comfort Jiang Xingyu when a thin voice from the right reached his ears.
"Awei, please help Zhangzhu. She hasn't slept a wink since yesterday. She has been crying since grandma left. Her eyes are swollen into cherries. If she cries again, she will go blind from crying."
Jiang Xingchang stood beside Ning Wei, lowered his head and whispered to Ning Wei.
Ning Wei raised her head and looked at Jiang Xingchang, who looked at her for help.
Ning Wei nodded and gave Jiang Xingchang a reassuring look.
Jiang Xingchang moved his lips towards Ning Wei, "Thank you very much!"
Ning Wei shook his head slightly, then looked sideways at Jiang Xingyu in his arms. He said softly: "Zhangzhu, take me to change the incense sticks for the old lady first, and then we can find a place to talk, okay?
"
Jiang Xingyu straightened up and said, "Okay, I'll take you there. Where are the old lady and the others?"
Jiang Xingyu didn't see Mrs. Qian and others and asked.
Ning Wei looked forward, "Cousin and Fourth Brother Jiang took them over."
Jiang Xingyu took Ning Wei to the old lady's mourning hall. On the way, Jiang Xingyu said to Ning Wei: "Awei, grandma said a lot to me yesterday."
Ning Wei turned her head to look at Jiang Xingyu and saw that she was crying again. She raised her hand and gently pressed the tears on her face, "What did you say? The old lady wants you to be well, right?"
Jiang Xingyu nodded, "Yes, she wants me to go sightseeing with him after marrying into Prince Jin's palace. He said that she is old and can no longer walk, and she wants me to see the great mountains and rivers of Daliang for her."
Ning Wei's heart tightened. Mrs. Yu wanted Jiang Xingyu to stay away from the court and away from party strife with the King of Jin.
Jiang Xingyu smiled bitterly and said, "I know that my grandmother doesn't want me to marry into the royal family. She is worried that the King of Jin will get involved in party disputes.
Grandma also knows that the prince treats me well. If I miss him, it will be difficult to find someone who is so kind to me in the world.
Therefore, grandma wants me and the prince to stay away."
Ning Wei suddenly realized that in the previous life, Jiang Xingyu traveled with the King of Jin, which was Mrs. Yu's wish.
"Ah Wei, come here and offer incense to Mrs. Yu." Mrs. Qian saw Ning Wei coming over in a daze and waved to her.
Ning Wei came back to her senses, stepped forward to receive the incense sticks, and bowed in salute.
After the ceremony, Ning Wei turned around and saw Jiang Xingyu leading her grandmother and the others to the side hall, while Mrs. Qi was standing aside waiting for her.
"Ah Wei, let's go, let's go to the side hall to rest and have a cup of tea." Mrs. Qi greeted Ning Wei.
Ning Wei nodded, "Okay."
Ning Wei fell behind Mrs. Qi and followed Mrs. Qi to the side hall.
"Awei, you and Zhangzhu are on good terms, can you stay with Zhangzhu today?
My aunt was worried that her eyes would be damaged from crying. Zhangzhu’s eyes were injured when she was a child.
What about that? I want you to talk to her. I don’t know..."
Before Mrs. Qi could finish her words, Ning Wei leaned forward and said, "Auntie, okay, I'll tell grandma later and I'll keep the palm beads for you today."
Mrs. Qi thanked you: "Ah Wei, thank you. I will go with you to tell the old lady later."
Ning Wei smiled and said, "Aunt Qi, you are too polite."
Entering the side hall, Ning Wei saw that the hall was full of people. He was looking at where his grandmother and the others were sitting when Mrs. Qi said, "Ah Wei, come with me. Mrs. Qian and the others are sitting on the right."
Ning Wei looked over and saw her grandmother and great-aunt sitting under the window on the right, talking to her cousin Mrs. Liu.
The two of them had just taken two steps when a servant came over and said, "Auntie, the female relatives of Prime Minister Li are here. Madam, please go over and help greet them."
Mrs. Qi said to Ning Wei: "Ah Wei, you go over first and I'll go take a look."
Ning Wei nodded, "Aunt Liu, go and do your business and don't worry about me."
After Mrs. Qi left, Ning Wei walked over to Mrs. Qian and greeted Mrs. Liu first, "Cousin."
Mrs. Liu raised her head to look at Ning Wei, stood up and came over to greet her, and whispered: "Wei'er, I haven't seen you for a few days. You seem to have grown taller again. Ayu, come to greet Sister Wei."
Only then did Ning Wei realize that there was a twelve or three-year-old girl sitting next to her cousin.
"Hello, sister Wei, I am Xu Guanyu. In the past two days, I often hear my mother mention my sister."
Ning Wei stretched out her hand to hold Xu Guanyu's hand and smiled slightly, "Hello Ayu, when did you return to Beijing?"
Xu Guanyu said: "I arrived the day before yesterday."
Mrs. Liu pulled Ning Wei to sit down and said, "I originally wanted to wait for Guanjie Qiuyan to come back, hold a small banquet at home, invite your family over, and introduce Ayu and Brother Ying to you."
Ning Wei smiled, looked at Xu Guanyu, and asked with concern: "Are you tired from the long journey?"
When Xu Guanyu saw Ning Wei's smile, she couldn't help but be stunned, and sincerely praised: "It's so beautiful!"
After saying that, I felt that I had lost my composure again, and quickly shook my head, "Fortunately, maybe I just want to return home. I just hope to get to the capital as soon as possible and see my mother-in-law as soon as possible. I don't feel tired at all."
Mrs. Liu looked at her daughter dotingly and complained to Ning Wei: "The tenth day of August is her grandfather's birthday.
She and her little brother celebrated the old man’s birthday and set out in a hurry on November 1. They traveled day and night along the way. The normal one-month trip took them more than 20 days to arrive.”
Xu Guanyu said coquettishly: "How long has it been since my daughter saw my grandma? Who told her to be separated from her for so long this time?"
Mrs. Liu smiled at Xu Guanyu and said, "You still have the nerve to say, how old are you? Are you still clinging to grandma all day long?"
Xu Guanyu curled her lips and said: "You are my grandma's daughter no matter how old you are, what's wrong with sticking to my grandma?"
"Oh, isn't this Ayu? Has she grown so tall?" A voice suddenly sounded.
Ning Wei raised her head and looked over, and saw a middle-aged woman coming this way. The woman's hair was neatly combed, and she had a jade hairpin inserted into her hair. Her slightly fat figure made her silk clothes bulge.
Ning Wei narrowed her eyes slightly, how could Mrs. Liu, the young lady of Dali Temple, know Ayu...
Thinking of this, a light flashed in Ning Wei's mind, Mrs. Liu?
Ning Wei turned back to look at her cousin. Yes, this was her cousin's half-sister Liu Qiaomei, who is now the wife of Ye Jingyuan, the young minister of Dali Temple.
When Liu Qiaoan saw Liu Qiaomei, the smile on her face instantly faded. She turned to Xu Guanyu and said, "Ayu, sit down next to my great-aunt and talk to my great-aunt."
Xu Guanyu rolled her eyes at Liu Qiaomei, stood up and sat next to Mrs. Qian.
When Liu Qiaomei saw Xu Guanyu's eyes, she was not angry. She turned around and said to the woman behind her: "Yu'er, hurry up and pay homage to your aunt."
Ye Zhanyu looked well-behaved and stepped forward to greet Liu Qiaoanfu.
Ning Wei glanced at Ye Zhanyu and had the impression that Ye Zhanyu and Yang Xinye from the Yang family were cousins.
By the way, these cousins seem to be very fond of Brother Jiang.
In the last life, the two of them seemed to have fallen out because of this matter.
Ning Wei glanced at Liu Qiaomei, who was smiling and greeting her cousin, with a flattering look on her face. Was she asking for something from her cousin?
Ning Wei sat on the edge, sipping tea, and listened to Liu Qiaomei's words.
"Sister, we haven't seen each other for many years, right? How long have you been back in Beijing? Why don't you hold a party? You don't even come to the house to walk around. Alas!"
After Liu Qiaomei finished speaking, she let out a long sigh, looking extremely helpless.
Liu Qiaoan said calmly: "My master is busy with official duties and is away from home all day long. How can he have time to hold a banquet? Besides, our relationship is just like that, there is no need to move around."
Liu Qiaoan replied very directly, without caring about the crowd in the hall, and replied angrily to Liu Qiaomei.
Although Liu Qiaoan's voice was not loud, the neighbors could still hear it clearly.
After hearing this, Liu Qiaomei straightened up in embarrassment. She looked around and saw that the people around her were talking to each other and no one was paying attention. She felt relieved.
Then he smiled apologetically and said: "Sister is also a bit too angry. After all these years, does the eldest sister still hold grudges about those old sesame seeds and rotten millet things?
Sister, why are you doing this? My father and mother have both passed away many years ago, so we are the only blood relatives in this world."
Liu Qiaoan stopped answering with a cold face and just drank tea silently.
Liu Qiaomei saw that Liu Qiaoan was silent and thought she had heard it. Then she leaned towards Liu Qiaoan and whispered: "Sister, I remember that you have a good relationship with the Qi family?"
Liu Qiaoan leaned back, looked at Liu Qiaomei warily, and asked, "What other evil ideas are you having?"
Liu Qiaomei looked at Liu Qiao'an, pretending to be angry and said, "What's a crooked idea? You didn't even listen to me, so you just said it was a crooked idea."
Liu Qiao'an ignored Liu Qiaomei's anger and said coldly: "What's the matter? You tell me."
Liu Qiaomei looked around, then leaned towards Liu Qiaoan, and whispered: "What, I have something, I want to ask my sister for help."
Liu Qiao looked at Liu Qiaomei calmly. After a while, he looked at Ye Zhanyu who was beside Liu Qiaomei. He frowned slightly and asked, "Have you got the idea of Shiro Jiangjia?"
Liu Qiaomei's eyes brightened after hearing Liu Qiao'an's words, "We haven't seen each other for many years. Sister is still a sister. She is so sharp! For so many years, she has not obeyed anyone but my sister."
Liu Qiaomei is so flattering.
Liu Qiaoan looked at Liu Qiaomei coldly.
Liu Qiaomei felt a little uncomfortable when Liu Qiaoan looked at her, so she stopped her flattery.
When Liu Qiaomei stopped, Liu Qiaoan said calmly: "I can't help with this matter."
Liu Qiaomei smiled flatteringly and said: "Sister, please don't, you have watched Yu'er grow up too. Can you bear to see her not having a good home? Ever since she was a child, Yu'er has liked you the most. Every time she sees you, she falls in love with you.
laugh."
In front of the child, Liu Qiao'an could not say anything that would hurt the child's heart, so he stopped answering Liu Qiaomei's words.
Liu Qiaomei saw that Liu Qiaoan's expression softened, and then said: "Sister, you don't need to do anything about this. I know that fate is a matter of marriage.
However, fate is a very wonderful thing. If you don’t try it, no one will know it? Right?
Maybe, Yu'er and Jiang Jiashiro are a match made in heaven! Sister, do you think so?"
Liu Qiaoan didn't want to hear her waste words and asked, "What do you want me to do?"
Liu Qiaomei said with a sweet smile: "I don't want my sister to do anything. I just want my sister to explore Mrs. Qi's words and see if there is any possibility of a good marriage between our house and Jiang's house."
