Zhang Zhaoci said, "That's easy. If the old lady agrees, can the Marquis stubbornly disagree? That would be unfilial of him, and I'm not afraid of that."

Zhang's eldest brother said, "Zhaoci, you're already in your thirties. Can you not think about things so simply and crudely? We can handle the problem in a gentler way. There's no need to do anything that offends people. You should think carefully about how to say it properly."

The group had already passed through the hanging flower gate and arrived at the front of a magnificent-looking courtyard in the backyard.

The scenery in the courtyard was quite nice. Xu Bai listened to the conversation of the group while looking at the surrounding scenery. Every corner of the courtyard was well-designed, and there were plants everywhere that looked like they were growing well. Xu Bai recognized several of them as medicinal herbs. The Zhang family was a family of doctors, so he guessed that every plant in this courtyard could be used as medicine.

Zhang Zhaoci stood at the entrance of the courtyard, looking at the somewhat dilapidated gate. There used to be a plaque above the courtyard, but it had been taken down.

The eldest brother of the Zhang family held Xu Bai in his arms and stood with Zhang Zhaoci in front of the courtyard gate. He said, "Your grandfather started your education in this courtyard back then. All of us brothers were also taught by our grandfather in this courtyard. It's just a pity that among us brothers, only you have inherited our grandfather's mantle."

Zhang Zhaoci said with some pride, "I am my grandfather's favorite grandchild. My grandfather always told me not to think that I can't inherit the family's medical skills just because I am a girl. Whether it is a boy or a girl, as long as they can carry on the Zhang family's medical skills, they are good sons and grandsons of the Zhang family. When you all come back, see which of the younger generation in the family is willing to learn medical skills, and send them to me. I guarantee that I will teach them well."

The eldest brother of the Zhang family said with a smile, "That's great! Our Zhang family has quite a few medical skills, but learning medicine isn't something you can master just by reading a few medical books. You still need a master to guide you."

Zhang Zhaoci proudly said, "That's right. I dare say that I am now the best doctor in our Great Liang, and I am also the most outstanding military doctor in Great Liang."

The eldest brother of the Zhang family said, "You're not interested in anything else, but if I tell you this, I guarantee you'll be able to start an argument with someone."

Zhang Zhaoci said, "I'm not interested in anything else either. Okay, brother, let's not talk about this for now. I'll go and see the courtyard where I used to live. How is the osmanthus tree in the courtyard? I haven't seen that tree for many years. Sometimes I even dream about it."

The eldest brother of the Zhang family said with a smile, "Of course it's still there. We clean our yard regularly. Everything in your yard is still the same as before. Let's go take a look."

Zhang Zhaoci's courtyard was not far from the mansion's garden. There was a two-story building in the courtyard. The first floor was where Zhang Zhaoci studied and made medicine, and the second floor was where Zhang Zhaoci slept. The osmanthus tree that Zhang Zhaoci mentioned was planted in front of the building. Over the years, it had been growing silently in this courtyard. Its branches were thick and its canopy was already taller than the second floor.

The osmanthus flowers have already finished blooming. Zhang Zhaoci looked at the sturdy osmanthus tree and said, "This tree was planted by my grandfather and me back then. I was only a few years old at the time, and it's been more than 30 years. Sometimes I think that we humans are not even as good as a tree. This tree just stands here, exposed to the wind and sun. Apart from looking a bit thicker, you can't see anything special about it. But people are different. As we grow up, we slowly grow old and then return to dust."

Xu Di tugged at Zhang Zhaoci's sleeve and said, "Mother, what's wrong with you? Why are you making such a comment? Your words are making me, a child who has just begun my life, feel uneasy."

Zhang Zhaoci sighed and said with a smile, "It's nothing, I was just thinking about my deceased grandfather. Alright, if you'd like, let's go upstairs and take a look."

Xu Zhi was very interested. She had never been to her maternal grandparents' home before, and this was her first time. Not to mention Xu Zhi, even Xu Di was visiting for the first time. The two of them were very interested, and after the servants opened the door, they ran upstairs to the second floor.

After spending the day at the Zhang family's residence, seeing that it was getting late, they took a carriage back to the Yongning Marquis's residence.

Life in the Marquis's mansion was actually quite uneventful. Zhang Zhaoci lived in the back courtyard with Xu Zhi and Xu Di, while Xu Di lived in the front courtyard. The Zhang family quickly sent people over. Xu Di lived in a three-room courtyard in the front. The courtyard was a single-courtyard house, with three main rooms and east and west wing rooms. The older man sent by the eldest brother of the Zhang family was someone trained by the Zhang family to be a steward or manager. He was only there to help Zhang Zhaoci take care of Xu Di's daily life and also to help look after Zhang Zhaoci and the others. After all, since Zhang Zhaoci and the others were now living in the back courtyard of the Marquis's mansion, it wouldn't be very appropriate for them not to have someone walking around outside on a daily basis.

In the front courtyard, there was a maidservant, two pageboys, and a steward. In the back courtyard, there were four maidservants and four rough-working old women. Now that Zhang Zhaoci's courtyard was much larger, Xu Zhi was placed in the back courtyard, and two more maidservants were sent there. Granny Lu was placed in the east wing of the front courtyard. The west wing was later converted into a small kitchen by Zhang Zhaoci himself. After returning, the small kitchen was renovated, and it was still possible to cook simple meals there on weekdays.

After more than half a month of busy work, everything was finally settled, and she had already changed into padded clothes. Zhang Zhaoci usually spent her days reading and writing with her two children in the mansion, and taking them to pay their respects to the old lady. She didn't visit the Marquis's wife very often. As for Concubine Zhu, Zhang Zhaoci had never visited her. Zhang Zhaoci looked down on Concubine Zhu's suicidal attitude. She visited her a few times when she first got married, but never went again after that.

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