Chen Afu returned to Tangyuan and gave some instructions to Xue Dagui, Zeng Laotou, Luo Yuan and others. Luo Yuan was especially given a lot of instructions. Because all the masters were going to the prefecture, Luo Guanshi would also go, so Luo Yuan became the general person in charge here.

In the afternoon, Old Man Lin and his son from Wangshan Village came, and Chen Afu gave them instructions again.

On the second day, which was July 2, in order to get to the city before noon, Chu Hanyan and Xiao Xuanxuan both got up at chenshi. Xiao Xuanxuan was grumpy and cried a lot.

This time, not only people went to the city, but also all the animals' homes. When they heard that they were going on a long journey, Qiqi, Huihui, and Zhuifeng's family were so excited that they kept following their little master, fearing that the master would change his mind and leave them at home.

Chu Hanyan didn't see Jin Yanzi, so she asked Dabao, "Brother, Jin Bao hasn't come back yet. What if he comes back and can't find us?"

Dabao said, "Grandma and grandpa are still at home, and Uncle Luo is also here. They will send Jinbao to find us."

Chu Hanyan felt relieved after hearing this.

Chen Ming and Wang Shi also brought A Lu over early in the morning, and also brought some gifts for Wang Cheng and Chen Shi. Chen Agui also brought some gifts for Chen Shi.

This time, the farmhand Wang Laowu was also brought along.

Because Wang Laowu was good at farming and was willing to use his brain, he was favored by Chen Afu, so he was specially put in charge of growing his own special cucumbers. This time he was brought to the General's Mansion and asked to open a small plot of land in the mansion to grow that kind of cucumbers.

Chen Afu took Dabao, Chu Hanyan, Xiao Lixuan and Nanny Wei in a carriage and arrived at the city gate of Dingzhou Prefecture at noon.

Yang, the chief steward of the General's Mansion, personally greeted them at the city gate. When they arrived at the General's Mansion, all the stewards who were respected stood at the gate to greet them. They went to the main courtyard first, and Yang, the steward, brought the trained servant Xiao Luzi to kowtow to Chen Afu.

Xiao Luzi is nine years old today. He is a handsome and smart child.

Chen Ahfu rewarded him with a purse filled with silver ingots and said, "You must serve your cousin Master Baoger attentively in the future."

Xiao Luzi kowtowed to Dabao again, and Dabao rewarded him.

In addition, Sanquan, a servant who served Alu, and two little maids, Lancao and Lanhua, also came to kowtow to Chen Afu and Alu, and the two masters rewarded them with a purse each. This was the person Chu Lingxuan had sent a letter back to the mansion in the morning, asking General Manager Yang and Inner Court Manager Luo Ma to find.

Chen Afu also asked Manager Yang to clean up Mr. Liao's residence and not to neglect him.

Afterwards, Chen Afu asked his servants to take Chu Hanyan, Qiqi, and Huihui to Yuetaoxuan, Dabao and Zhuifeng's family to Chaohuayuan, Alu to Guiyuan in the outer courtyard, and Xiao Lixuan to the west wing of the main courtyard. After washing up, he asked them to come to the main courtyard for lunch.

He also asked Xia Yue and Nanny Li, the servants who lived in the city, to go home and rest for two days.

After getting up at noon, Chen Afu sorted out the gifts from the first and second wives to Chen Shi's family and Wang Cheng's family. He also sorted out the gifts he gave to their two families and to Chen Shiying's family, and had them delivered to these three families.

Then he led Qingfeng and Xiaohuang to Guiyuan in the front yard where A Lu lived.

Qingfeng said that Guiyuan was a three-story courtyard. Mr. Liao lived in the main room of the second courtyard, the lecture hall was in the east wing, and A-Lu lived in the back room of the third courtyard. They entered through the back door of the courtyard, and A-Lu was sitting in the study reading a book.

When he saw his sister coming, he quickly got up and took his sister's hand.

Chen Afu asked, "Are you used to it?" Seeing A Lu nodded, she continued, "This is my sister's home, and it is also your home. If you need anything, tell my sister or the housekeeper. If the servants don't listen to you, tell my sister." She seldom lived here and didn't know the people here very well. She was still afraid that someone would make A Lu angry.

As soon as she finished speaking, Sanquan, Lancao and Lanhua were so scared that they knelt on the ground and said, "I dare not."

Chen Afu nodded and asked them to stand up.

There are three main rooms in the back room, which are used as bedrooms, living rooms and study rooms. The furniture is well-arranged, and there are many books, pens, inkstones and washbasins in the bookcases.

There are two osmanthus trees and several clumps of green bamboo in the yard. It is quiet and peaceful, which is quite nice.

After the tour, Chen Afu took A Lu's hand and went to Chaohuayuan where Dabao lived.

She just wanted to let the servants see how much she, as an elder sister, loved her younger brother.

Chaohua Courtyard is very close to Yuetaoxuan where Chu Hanyan lives, and there is only a flower path between the two courtyards.

Dabao has already gotten up, and the laughter of him and Zhuifeng's family can be heard from the yard.

Chen Ahfu was very happy. The child had gotten used to living alone and was not as clingy as before. Although he still often tried to get close to Chu Lingxuan in front of her, he was no longer as hostile to her.

As they were about to go up the steps to the gatehouse, A-Lu said considerately, "Be careful, sister."

The layout of Chaohuayuan is similar to that of Yuetaoxuan, with corridors on all four sides, three main rooms and two side rooms, and many banana trees and sycamore trees planted in the yard.

When Dabao saw his mother coming, he took Chen Afu's other hand and went into the house.

Chen Afu looked at the three main rooms and was very satisfied with their layout.

After observing for a while, he went to Miss Chu's Yuetaoxuan and took them back to the main courtyard.

In the evening, several children were playing with Qiqi, Huihui, and Zhuifeng's family on the lawn in the main courtyard. The pomegranate tree was like a big umbrella that shielded them from the afterglow of the setting sun. The laughter hovered in the air, making the usually silent inner courtyard of the General's Mansion lively.

Li Xuan liked the small fruits on the tree and pointed at them. Huihui flew up to the branch and pecked one for him and dropped it.

Old Master Chu sat in the corridor and watched them with a smile. Every night, the old man would come to the West Wing restaurant here for dinner. This was also the time for the family to reunite.

Chen Ahfu was also sitting in the corridor, sewing something for Chu Lingxuan. She would sometimes look up at the children and smile, and sometimes look down at the work in her hands.

Before Chu Lingxuan even walked into the main courtyard, he heard the chirping of children, two birds, and the barking of dogs. His heart was extremely soft, and he really hoped that this would happen every day, so that he could see his wife, children, and grandfather as soon as he got home. Of course, it would be even better if he could see his parents every day.

Seeing Chu Lingxuan coming back, Chu Hanyan ran to greet her father again. Even the shy little Li Xuan went to greet him. Dabao stood up and saluted Chu Lingxuan like a little adult.

After he washed up and changed into casual clothes, everyone went to the west wing to eat.

In the evening, Chu Lingxuan told Chen Afu that Fu Lei, the third son of General Fu, would marry on July 6th, and they would go to the wedding banquet. Even if Dabao didn't come to the city this time, Chen Afu would make a special trip. After all, General Fu was their matchmaker, and the one that the Ninth Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince tried their best to win. In addition, Chen Afu was asked to prepare for a family dinner on the tenth, inviting General Fu's eldest son Fu Zhen and several of his good friends and family, as well as Chen Shiying's family, to come and play for a day. When she came here, she had to deal with the noble ladies of Dingzhou Prefecture.