Pei Yunu got up early and specially ordered the kitchen to kill a lamb for Huaiyu and the others and stew a pot of mutton. In the morning, the mutton soup was paired with sesame cakes, which was a perfect match.
The soup is fresh and delicious.
The three of them couldn't sleep well last night. Each of them had two large bowls of mutton soup, and then ate several biscuits. They ate deliciously and went to court.
Just as I was about to go out, a visitor came to visit me early in the morning.
Xu Jingzong's wife Pei, her son Xu Ang, Xu Yu, Xu Ming, Xu Gao, Xu Jing, and several daughters came to visit her. They didn't send any message in advance, which was a bit abrupt.
"Yesterday, Zhongshu's disciples issued an order that my family, Alang, will be called back to the imperial court to serve as Shizhong and also to study the history of the country." When she said this, Mrs. Pei was very excited.
Xu Jingzong was very unlucky last year. Other emperors in Qiandi and his old departments were rising through the ranks, but Xu Jingzong was demoted from General Secretary to Military Supervisor and then to Xunyang County. He was demoted thousands of miles away.
For more than a year, they had stayed in the capital, but they had also felt the harshness of the world, and there were few cars and horses in front of the door. However, when Wu Huaiyu was in Beijing, he often sent people to give gifts during the New Year, and even after leaving the capital, he did not forget the four seasons gifts.
Now it is the Golden Palace that helps her husband return to the court.
Not only did he come back, he was promoted to an important position all of a sudden.
Yesterday, after the decree was issued, the front of the Xu family became lively again, and many people came to congratulate and give gifts. This made Mrs. Pei very emotional.
So I didn't care about being rude this morning, so I took my children with me and bought many gifts to express my gratitude.
"Sister-in-law, why are you so polite? Our two families are well connected. Brother Xu is extremely talented. If I can help, I will definitely help."
Mrs. Pei asked her children to come and thank Huaiyu.
Mrs. Pei comes from a famous family in Hedong. She is only in her early thirties. She is very beautiful and has a special temperament. Even the maid Yu next to her is also young and beautiful.
Her biological children, as well as those born from concubines, all grew up well.
His eldest son Xu Ang spoke quite well, and even took out a few poems he had written and asked Huaiyu to correct them. Pei smiled and said that he and his second son Xu Jing would worship Huaiyu as their disciples. The two brothers
The eldest son was talented in literature and could even write poems at a young age, while the second son was relatively tall and tall, but was good at riding and shooting. It is said that he could hit a target at a hundred steps at a young age.
Huaiyu remembered that Xu Jingzong had many children in history. He was quite lecherous, and all his wives and concubines were extremely beautiful. His children were good-looking, but they neglected their education. Pei died early, so later the eldest son ended up with his father's concubine.
The Shi Yu family had an affair, and then Xu Jingzong angrily reported his son and exiled him to Lingnan.
The second son later took the path of a military general and became General You Yulin. He was also brother-in-law with one of Qin Qiong's sons. They both married the granddaughter of Yu Chigong. Xu Jingzong's daughters all married some powerful people, but
Because Xu Jingzong loved money, for high betrothal gifts, he married his daughter to the son of Lingnan Feng Ang, who was looked down upon by the famous gentry, and the son of Duke Qian Jiulong, who was a royal slave.
"Okay, come over when you are free." Huaiyu did not refuse Xu Ang and Xu Jing to accept him as their teacher.
Mrs. Pei was very excited. Wu Huaiyu was not only his favorite now, but his talent was indeed famous all over the world. His sons would benefit greatly from worshiping him as their teacher.
In happiness, Mrs. Pei pushed the beautiful maid Yu next to her and said that she wanted to give it to Huaiyu. Among the gifts she prepared today, in addition to money and silk, there were also horses and slaves.
"This servant is still pretty and young. Please take her into your care, Duke Yi."
Huaiyu somewhat suspected that this maid was the Yu family that Xu Jingzong and his father later fought over. It is said that her real surname was Pei, and she was a slave born in the Pei family. You cannot take a slave as a concubine.
Xu Jingzong then asked her to change her surname to Yu and forge an identity as a concubine. But who knew that his eldest son Xu Ang also liked the Yu family and had secretly had an affair with her for a long time. Even if Xu Jingzong took her as his concubine, the two did not break up and gave the old man Xu wore a green hat, which made Lao Xu kill him in pain, even if his son was already a prince and had a bright future, he would not show mercy.
The current Yu family is still surnamed Pei, and she is still a bit immature, but she is indeed naturally beautiful. She has apricot eyes, goose face, fair skin, black hair, especially a thin waist, long legs, and two small dimples on her face.
Huaiyu specially observed Xu Ang's reaction and found that when the boy heard that his mother was going to give away Mrs. Pei, his expression was obviously a bit unnatural.
Judging from the age difference between the two of them, they are both in their teens. Could it be that this boy has already begun to have an affair with his mother's personal maid? Start?
After all, it is not a good thing for a son to have an affair with his mother's personal maid. Generally, aristocratic families will not allow it. Although most of them will arrange some maids for their children in advance, they are also carefully selected and will never directly transfer the mother to the maid. A personal maid gave it to my son.
Huaiyu didn't want to wade into this muddy water.
But Mr. Pei insisted on keeping the girl, even with a hint of pleading, which made Huaiyu more and more convinced.
Perhaps he felt Huaiyu's gaze going back and forth between Xu Ang and the maid Xingnu, and thought he might have noticed something, so he said, "This maid is fourteen this year, and she is still a young girl."
Huaiyu looked at Xu Ang and asked with a smile, "I wonder what Dalang wants?"
Xu Ang looked at his mother and then at Pei Xingnu. Although he felt a little reluctant to give up, he was still young after all. In the end, he had to obey his mother's wishes, "Our Xu family is grateful to Duke Yi Guo for his help. Xingnu is a good girl. Please invite Yi Guo." I will treat you kindly from now on."
Huaiyu said, "Won't Dalang stay?"
Xu Ang shook his head,
Pei Xingnu's eyes were a little disappointed. Maybe the two of them had just fallen in love for the first time, or maybe the so-called love was just that the young but smart Pei Xingnu wanted to hook up with the eldest son. After all, she was just a domestic slave. If If she can be favored by the eldest son, she can at least become a concubine in the future.
Now the eldest lady wants to give her away, and the eldest man has no intention of keeping her, which inevitably makes her feel disappointed and even shocked.
But this emotion did not last. Her eyes quickly and quietly fell on Yi Guogong Wu Huaiyu. He was young, handsome, talented, and in a high position. He was a favorite of the emperor. Undoubtedly, this twenty-year-old Duke Yi He is more attractive and has a higher status than the teenage Xu Ang.
This is a bit of a blessing in disguise.
As a result, in the end, Pei Xingnu was no longer disappointed, but instead felt a little happy, and took the initiative to step forward and bow to Huaiyu.
"In this case, it's better to be respectful than to obey. Thank you, sister-in-law."
Huaiyu asked Pei Yunu to come over and bring Pei Xingnu into the house, and he would follow her from now on. As for her status, she was just Wu Huaiyu's maid for the time being.
Mrs. Pei asked Xu Ang and Xu Jing to come forward and salute Huaiyu and call him teacher. He also said that when Xu Jingzong came back, he would formally become his teacher.
The Xu family in Gaoyang and the Pei family in Hedong are two famous families. Xu Jingzong has made a comeback this time. It can be predicted that Xu Jingzong will be successful based on the background of these two families.
