In March, after the first spring rain, the weather became somewhat warm.
In Cheng Jiaoniang's small study, Chen Danniang put down the pen in her hand.
She rubbed her nose and looked at Cheng Jiaoniang and Chen Shiba Niang who were still writing seriously on the opposite side. After a moment of hesitation, she tiptoed out with her skirt in hand.
The small yard still has the wet smell of spring mud, and there is a layer of green grass in the flowerbed on the ground.
Chen Danniang took a deep breath.
"Nineteenth Mother." The maid was sitting on the porch of the house making socks. When she saw her coming out, she got up and asked, "Have you finished writing?"
Chen Danniang walked over and sat down on another floor mat, looking at the yard and letting out a breath.
"I wrote one," she said, waving her wrist, "I just came here after doing my homework at home."
He pouted and felt aggrieved.
I can't play when I come, but I have to practice calligraphy. I knew I wouldn't come.
"Nineteenth Niang is still young, just write one. After another cup of tea, Niangzi and Eighteenth Niang will be finished and ready to play with you." The maid said, putting down her needle and thread, "I'll bring you some snacks."
Is it good to eat? My wife made it yesterday."
Chen Danniang clapped her hands and said yes, then watched the maid get up and bring the plate from the room.
Yellow, white, black, square, round and rhombus-shaped ones are scattered on several plates. They are soft, glutinous and sweet.
"Wow." Chen Danniang said, reaching out to take the silver spoon handed by the maid, she said nothing more and started eating happily.
By the time Chen Shiba Niang and Cheng Jiao Niang came out from practicing calligraphy, Chen Danniang had almost finished the plate.
"Nineteenth lady, you can't eat." The maid snatched the plate and said, "Snacks cannot be used as meals."
"Good sister, let me have another one." Chen Danniang begged, holding up a spoon.
"Danniang, don't be rude." Chen Shiba Niang said hurriedly.
"Sister, Mrs. Cheng's snacks are very good." Chen Danniang pulled her eyes and said brightly.
"I know." Chen Shiba Niang smiled.
Mrs. Chen's encounter with Cheng Jiaoniang while taking Chen Danniang on the road has become a story that is often mentioned in family conversations. Of course, the details of the incident include the fact that Chen Danniang ate her red bean cake.
Although she is young, Chen Danniang's tutor will not let her be greedy. Moreover, the Chen family is not a family that lacks food and clothing. Since it is so unforgettable, it must be something delicious that she has never seen or eaten before.
As Chen Shiba Niang spoke, she looked at the tray held by the maid aside. There were only two bamboo tubes left on the tray.
"This is a corn millet." The maid saw her gaze and answered with a smile.
"Yeah, it's delicious. There are dates and chestnuts in it." Chen Danniang said hurriedly.
Here Cheng Jiaoniang put down the water bowl in her hand.
"Madam, are you going out?" the maid hurriedly threw away the snacks and asked.
This is Cheng Jiaoniang's habit these days. After breakfast every day, she practices calligraphy with Chen Shiba Niang, then goes out to Yudaiqiao House, and comes back after dinner.
After hearing this, Chen Danniang stopped worrying about eating and stood up.
"Sister Cheng, come and play at my house," she said.
"Let's wait another day." Cheng Jiaoniang said.
"Then why don't I invite you to go out to play some other time?" Chen Shiba said.
While talking to a few people, they walked out.
"Now that spring is warm in March, it's a good time for an outing." Chen Shiba Niang continued.
"Yes, yes, sister Cheng, let's go out and play together." Chen Danniang pulled Cheng Jiaoniang's sleeve and said with her head raised.
Cheng Jiaoniang nodded.
"Okay." she said.
Outside the second door, the Chen family's carriage has arrived, but the Cheng family's carriage has not.
"Madam, because the madam and ladies have all gone out today, so..." a servant woman said uneasily.
"All carriages are gone?" the maid asked with raised eyebrows.
"Only those servants and girls sit..." the servant said.
"Then take my seat." Chen Shiba Niang said hurriedly, "I will take you wherever you want to go."
"Okay." Cheng Jiaoniang said, nodding slightly to thank her.
It seems that spring has arrived in the blink of an eye. The streets are bright and bright, and more and more men are passing by wearing hairpins.
"Madam, you can't get through the front, so let's go another way."
said the coachman.
The maid who opened the curtain to look at the street scene outside quickly looked forward, and sure enough she saw a crowd of people surging in front of her.
"Oh, I forgot." She suddenly said, looking back at Cheng Jiaoniang, "Madam, the results are released today."
Cheng Jiaoniang also looked outside.
"We haven't even reached the Imperial College yet, and there are already so many people here?" Chen Shiba Niang asked.
The maid turned back and smiled.
"Ms. Chen doesn't know that there will be people occupying seats in the middle of the night, and this street will be crowded with people." She covered her mouth and smiled.
Chen Shiba Niang couldn't help but look outside, and sure enough she saw a dark crowd rushing towards this street, with cheers and shouts coming from time to time, and occasionally crying.
The maid jumped out of the carriage, looked around, and told the coachman where to go.
"Banqin is very familiar with the capital." Chen Shiba Niang said, looking at the maid outside.
"She has lived here for many years," Cheng Jiaoniang said.
"Hey, sister, have you lived here for many years?" Chen Danniang asked in confusion.
"No." Cheng Jiaoniang said, looking outside.
Chen Shiba Niang stopped Chen Danniang who was about to speak any more. Following Cheng Jiao Niang's gaze, she saw people coming and going, and a young man stood beside Ban Qin.
"What a coincidence, we met again." Han Yuanchao said with a smile.
"Mr. Han, have you come to see the list?" the maid also said with a smile, with a somewhat cordial and respectful expression.
The lady has spent so much thought on this husband, which shows that it must be very important to the lady.
Han Yuanchao nodded.
"However, we have to do it again in three years." He smiled.
"Mr. Han, don't be discouraged." The maid comforted him.
Han Yuanchao nodded.
"Don't be discouraged. I'm not someone with extraordinary talents. How could I hit the mark at the first try?" he said with a smile.
Seeing that he was not too obviously depressed, the maid was relieved.
Han Yuanchao looked at the carriage.
"My ladies and I are going out," the maid said hurriedly. After a moment of hesitation, she saw that there was no sign in the car that Cheng Jiaoniang wanted to see Mr. Han, so she made no move.
Han Yuan took a step aside.
"I will be leaving the capital in the near future. It is fate that we met in the capital, so let's say goodbye." He said, while giving a salute, "Please ask my sister and the princess to bring gifts."
The maid returned the favor.
Han Yuanchao nodded with a smile, turned around and walked away, and his companions waiting on the side hurriedly followed.
"Mr." The maid hurriedly shouted.
Han Yuan stopped a few steps away and turned around.
"When will the husband leave?" the maid couldn't help but ask.
"In three to five days." Han Yuanchao said, cupped his hands, turned around and strode away.
"Hey, I wonder if the person in that car is the woman who wants to catch her husband." The companion laughed.
Han Yuanchao looked back and saw that the maid and the carriage had turned into an alley and lost sight of them. He shook his head and smiled.
I don't know whether he was laughing at his companion's words or at the misunderstanding he had when the maid came to the store.
"Now I don't have to worry about it." He said, extending his hand to scan himself, "No one will catch a scholar who has failed."
Everyone laughed, but the laughter was a bit lonely.
"That carriage." A companion said suddenly, but hesitated.
"How about the carriage?" Others looked at him and asked.
"It seems to be from Chen Shao and Prime Minister Chen's family." The companion hesitated and said.
Mr. Chen?
Everyone present looked surprised and couldn't help but look back. Naturally, the carriage was no longer visible.
"Ah, yes, I also remembered it. I thought that emblem seemed a bit familiar..."
Voices sounded one after another.
Everyone's eyes immediately turned to Han Yuanchao, who also looked surprised.
Chen family?
"In the Yuan Dynasty, you almost became the son-in-law of Mr. Chen's family..." a companion murmured.
Han Yuanchao came back to his senses and cheered.
"Don't talk nonsense!" he said, "It's nothing!"
The companions ignored it, and this little episode dispelled everyone's depression, and they started laughing.
On another street, a group of people also stopped and looked at the crowd that was obviously rushing in one direction.
"Further forward, we will reach the Imperial College. There are people watching the announcement of the results on the street. They must have been blocked by this time. It is not easy to disperse." The two leaders said in a low voice, turning the horse's head.
People and horses with bright ceremonial guards gathered around a carriage.
"Your Majesty, you can't go this way to the Imperial Academy. We have to take a detour." The two of them reported back.
"Let's take a detour." The male voice in the car said.
The guard took the order to turn the carriage and horses, and before moving forward, the curtain of the carriage was suddenly lifted.
"Wait a minute." The young man who showed his expression said.
Everyone was stunned and stood still.
Prince Jin'an looked aside and saw that this was a stone bridge crossing the river. Because the results were released today, all the excitement in the capital rushed to the Imperial College, so the usually bustling bridge became deserted.
A carriage stopped in front of a house at the end of the bridge, and three maids were helping two women and a girl get out of the carriage.
Seeing one of the women, Prince Jin'an's eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Now that you're here, come in and sit down." Cheng Jiaoniang turned around and said.
It was extremely rare to get an invitation from this woman, so Chen Shiba Niang and Chen Danniang naturally agreed.
The three of them were just about to take a step when they heard the sound of horse hooves.
"Hey, whose carriage is blocking the road!" a man shouted in a rough voice.
Because carriages were always coming in and out and they were not walking outside, the two women had their faces uncovered. This shout made them subconsciously look up.
The women's descriptions are revealed to outsiders.
"Hey, can you walk?" The servant of the Chen family shouted with raised eyebrows, pointing to the broad street, "How could you hit the car forcefully?"
The man on horseback snorted and squinted at the emblem hanging on the car.
"I just can't stand people like you who are so powerful." He muttered and patted him over.
"It's really baffling!" the maid said, supporting Cheng Jiaoniang, "Madam, let's go in."
Watching the women filing in, the carriage was driven in and the courtyard door was closed.
Prince Jin'an looked away.
"Prince, this is the carriage of Chen Shao's family." A guard stepped forward and whispered.
"I know." Prince Jin'an said, lowering the car curtain, "Let's go."
The guard waved his hand and the carriage and horse continued to move forward.
Inside the shaking car, a smile appeared on the young man's face.
I know.
Chen Su, Chen Shiba Niang.
It's hard to forget such an ugly person.
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Recommended: Works: Splendid and Fragrant
Author: ghost sleepwalking
Introduction: Zhang Hanqiu’s journey from an ordinary person to a prophet (to be continued)
