On this night, a banquet was specially held in the Zhao Mansion to welcome Zhao Xiyan.
Uncle Zhao Yuanren, who is 40 years old this year, is three years older than Zhao Yuanming.
All the boys in the Zhao family are good-looking. Zhao Yuanren is not as handsome and elegant as Zhao Yuanming, but he still has good features and a dignified appearance. As a high-ranking official of the third rank, he has a certain civil official demeanor.
"Yue Yaer has met uncle in the lobby." Zhao Xiyan smiled and stepped forward to greet him.
Zhao Yuanren smiled happily, stretched out his hand to help Zhao Xiyan up and said, "Yueyaer, get up quickly." Then he smiled and praised, "She has a beautiful orchid heart and unparalleled beauty! She is indeed the pearl of our Zhao family."
Zhao Xiyan pursed her lips and smiled: "Uncle loves me, so he thinks I'm fine with everything."
Then he went to greet his eldest cousin and his second cousin.
My eldest cousin, Zhao Jiawei, is twenty this year, fair and elegant, and studying in the Imperial College. He will also die this autumn.
Second cousin Zhao Jiahe is eighteen years old and has not yet passed the scholar examination. Now he is studying hard in an academy.
The Zhao family is a scholarly family. Both men and women are educated at the age of five. After the age of eight, the men go to family schools or academies to study, while the women study piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting in the boudoir, and women in the Zhao family learn cooking skills.
After getting hairpins, there are a lot of people coming to ask for marriage.
It is no exaggeration to say that if a family has a girl, hundreds of families would like her.
Zhao Jiahe took a look at his beautiful cousin with a stunning appearance, and thought that the Prince of Beihai was really taking advantage of him. Otherwise, with his beauty and intelligence, even the favorite concubine in the palace could do this.
Zhao Xiyan glanced at her second cousin, smiled slightly and said, "Second cousin hasn't met the crown prince yet! In a few days, when he has time to leave the palace, he will come to the Zhao Mansion."
Looking at those clear black eyes, Zhao Jiahe suddenly felt guilty, as if his fleeting thoughts had been glimpsed: "When the time comes, I must get close to my future brother-in-law."
Zhao Xiyan smiled slightly and looked away.
…
That night, Zhao Xiyan slept fairly well.
Xu Jing had entered the palace, and it was like stepping into a whirlpool. She couldn't help herself and couldn't get out of the palace. It was useless for her to be anxious and anxious. She could only calm down and wait patiently.
After having breakfast, I greeted my eldest aunt and came back to pack my luggage. Behind me was a chirping seventh cousin, Zhao Queyu.
"Sixth cousin, there are a lot of brightly colored clothes here."
"Wow! Why so many gems!"
"There are also several boxes of pearls here, which are big and round, and there are even pink ones."
There is no little girl who doesn’t love clothes and jewelry. Zhao Queyu’s eyes immediately lit up after seeing it, and his face was full of joy and joy.
Zhao Xiyan smiled and said: "These are all sent by the prince. Just pick some if you like."
Zhao Queyu shook his head repeatedly: "No, no. This is a gift from my future brother-in-law. How can I take it?"
Zhao Queyu was well taught. He was innocent but sensible.
Zhao Xiyan loved her little cousin very much. She smiled and took a gold hairpin and inserted it into Zhao Queyu's hair: "This gold hairpin is mine, and I give it to you to wear."
Just take my cousin's things.
Zhao Queyu thanked him with a smile, and then ordered the maids around him to bring his favorite set of jade chessboard pieces and give them to Zhao Xiyan as a return gift.
Spending half a day together, the two sisters quickly became familiar with each other and talked about almost everything... mainly Zhao Queyu, who kept talking with his small mouth.
"Miss," Yuhan came over with a smile, holding two greeting cards in his hand: "The concierge received four greeting cards, all for Miss."
Four greeting cards?
Zhao Queyu blurted out: "Sixth cousin comes to the capital for the first time, who will send a greeting card?"
Zhao Xiyan knew it well and reached out to take the post.
The second post was sent by the Minister of Rites. Xu Jing’s eldest sister Xu Fang married the eldest son of the Minister of Rites twelve years ago.
The second one was sent by Wu Anbo's Mansion, and was signed to Mrs. Wu Anbo's Crown Prince...that is, Xu Jing's second sister Xu Zhi.
The third post was actually sent by Mrs. Murong. Murong Shen's biological mother died early, and Murong Yao remarried his sister-in-law. Now Mrs. Murong is Murong Shen's direct aunt.
Murong Shen's marriage proposal to the Zhao family failed, and he was determined not to marry the Gao family. Murong Yao was very angry, and Mrs. Murong naturally wanted to come and see what kind of "witch" it was that had fascinated her stepson.
Zhao Xiyan smiled, took out the post and threw it away.
"Aren't you going to write a reply?" Zhao Queyu was very curious, but he restrained himself from looking around.
Zhao Xiyan said calmly: "No need to reply, I don't want to meet the Murong family."
When the sixth cousin's eyes were cold, it was quite scary.
Zhao Queyu stuck out his tongue and stopped talking too much.
The last greeting card is even more interesting.
"The eldest lady of the Gao family." Zhao Xiyan seemed to have remembered something and twitched her lips. Then she got up and went to the study to write a reply. She politely found a reason to decline.
Of course I want to see Xu Fang and Xu Zhi.
It was really inappropriate for her, a new sister-in-law, to wait for her aunts to come to her door. She should take the initiative to see her eldest aunt and second aunt.
Zhao Xiyan wrote a reply and had it sent out immediately.
…
The Office of the Minister of Rites.
Xu Fang couldn't help but smile after reading the reply.
This Miss Zhao Liu is very polite and has excellent handwriting.
Xu Fang called her personal maid and told her, "Go to Zhu's house to deliver a message, saying that I will go to Zhao's house in the afternoon."
Xu Zhifu's family name is Zhu. The Mansion of the Minister of Rites and the Mansion of Wu Anbo are not far apart. It only takes half an hour to go back and forth. The maid who delivered the letter came back soon.
The two sisters, who had been married far away for many years, agreed on a time, left separately, and arrived at the Zhao Mansion together.
Mrs. Sun was startled. While she was busy going out to greet him, she hurriedly sent someone to call Zhao Xiyan.
Zhao Xiyan and Xu Jing have decided to get married, and Xu Fang and Xu Zhi are Zhao Xiyan's future aunts. The most difficult relationship in the world is between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and aunt-in-law.
Sun was afraid that Xu Fang and Xu Zhi were here to be picky and mean, and she was even more worried that Zhao Xiyan was young and shy and would not be able to deal with it.
Fortunately, Mrs. Sun's worries were in vain.
Dressed in a light purple skirt, Zhao Xiyan came with a smile on her face. Her skin was as white as jade, her black hair was as black as ink, and her eyebrows were as beautiful as a painting.
Xu Fang, who was over thirty years old, was overjoyed and held Zhao Xiyan's hand affectionately: "Every time Chunsheng writes a letter, he always mentions you. My eldest sister and I often discuss privately what kind of girl can make people happy."
Chunsheng is so in love with her. When we see her today, even I will fall in love at first sight."
Xu Fang has a hearty smile, is quick to talk, and is very amiable.
In comparison, Xu Zhi, the wife of Prince Wu Anbo, was much more reserved, with a kind and thoughtful attitude.
No wonder.
After all, it was the first time we met and we were not familiar with each other.
Mrs. Wu Anbo was frail and sick, and Xu Zhi had been in charge of Zhongfu for several years. She was shrewd, capable and powerful. After a few words of greeting, Xu Zhi smiled and said: "Chunsheng entered the palace yesterday, and we haven't seen him yet. I know you are also here in the capital.
My eldest sister and I are very happy."
"You and Chunsheng are engaged, and you will be the future Crown Princess of Beihai Prince. It would be better to live in Beihai Prince's Mansion directly."
