Two days later, Qin Che sent someone to deliver a letter to announce the good news. Qin's grandmother, Wu, gave birth to a daughter in mid-March. Both the baby and the girl were safe. The child was named Qin Tong, or Tongjie'er.
Chai and Xu Lanyin were both delighted and hurriedly prepared gifts. Xu Lanzhou was due to return to Ningzhou the next day to take the military examination, so they asked him to bring the gifts along. Chai had originally intended to accompany Xu Lanzhou to Ningzhou, but since Xu Lanyin and her son had arrived in the capital, she asked Lu to bring someone to accompany him back.
In a blink of an eye, it was the tenth day of the fourth lunar month. Xu Lanyin invited Chai Zixiao and Min Jia to come to Xu's house to play. At noon, Yinuo personally cooked for them and made sour plum soup.
I had originally wanted to invite Li, Ma, and Chai Jingjing, but Chai stopped me. The daughter-in-law of a large family doesn't have the freedom to visit other people casually.
After lunch, at the request of several children, Xu Lanyin took them to Xinyu Teahouse and asked Mother Qian to take Zhao Mingxi with them.
Today was a day off, and the teahouse was packed, so I took them to the backyard to play. Zhao Mingxi, who had been sleeping, woke up and looked around with eyes as big as black grapes, looking very curious.
In the backyard, two tables were also playing chess under the flower stand: Prince Consort Chai and his grandson Chai Jun, along with Old Grand Tutor Zhou and the Fourth Prince Liu Zhaohou. They were all playing Western chess, but the old ones played against the old ones, and the young ones against the young ones.
When Liu Zhaohou saw Xu Lanyin, he stopped playing chess, stood up and said with a smile, "Sister Xu, long time no see. I missed you so much."
Liu Zhaohou has grown a lot taller and his facial features have also grown, but his eyes have not changed, they are still clear and bright, and his smile is curved like a crescent moon.
He said that no one took the other men's words to heart, and everyone present automatically chose not to hear them.
He was about to pull Xu Lanyin's sleeve, but Chai Jun, who followed him, calmly stuffed a piece of cake into his hand.
Xu Lanyin was also extremely happy to meet this old acquaintance.
Xu Lanyin knelt down for him and said with a smile, "Mr. Liu, what a coincidence."
It is not appropriate to call Liu Zhaohou the Fourth Prince outside.
Liu Zhaohou said innocently, "It's not a coincidence. I heard from my cousin Chai that you were in the capital, so I came here specifically to see if I could run into you. I heard from Xiao Xingxing that the fried milk you make is really delicious, and I want to try it too." He then said admiringly, "Sister Xu is so capable. You can fry thin milk into cakes."
Xu Lanyin wanted to get along well with him now, so she smiled and said, "Okay, I'll ask someone to see if there's any milk or goat's milk in the kitchen, and then I'll make it for you here."
The lunch provided by the teahouse kitchen is snacks and some noodles, which should include milk and other things.
She went over and knelt down to pay her respects to Prince Consort Chai and Old Grand Tutor Zhou. Although she had not been to the Zhou residence, Zhao Wu had already sent the generous gifts.
Old Master Zhou smiled and said, "I've heard from Lan Zhou and Xiao Niuniu that your cooking is delicious, so I'll shamelessly try it tonight."
Prince Consort Chai stroked his beard and smiled, "I'm not boasting, but my granddaughter is very clever and skillful. She can handle both the living room and the kitchen, and she's also a very good chess player."
Xu Lanyin could only smile and say, "As long as Lord Zhou doesn't mind, I'll have someone buy some ingredients and invite Master Liu, the old Grand Tutor, my grandfather, and my cousin to dinner here tonight."
As they were chatting and laughing, they heard Liu Zhaohou's startled voice, "Is this Sister Xu's son? How come he looks so much like me? Even more like me than my brother's two sons. Could he be my son?"
This startled everyone, and they couldn't pretend they hadn't heard it. Chai Jun quickly said, "Mr. Liu, please be careful with your words. How could my little nephew look so much like you?"
Liu Zhaohou was unwilling to do so. He bent his legs and aligned himself with Liu Mingxi in Qian Mama's arms. He imitated Liu Mingxi by staring with his eyes wide open and pouting his lips. He opened his mouth slightly and said, "Cousin, if you don't believe me, just take a look and see if we look alike."
Chai Jun was also a little confused at first glance. Ignoring the rather different facial shapes and eyebrows, they did look somewhat alike, especially the eyes and mouth.
Xu Lanting, Xu Lanyue, and Min Jia were all unhappy and said in unison, "Xixi is not your son. We were all at home when my eldest sister (my aunt Xu) gave birth to Xixi."
Liu Zhaohou didn't listen to what the children said, and said, "He looks like me. I like him more than I like Sister Xu. I want to give him a gift." As he said that, he took out a top-quality jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Zhao Mingxi.
Zhao Mingxi also seemed to like Liu Zhaohou very much. He chuckled a few times and put the jade pendant in his mouth to chew on it. A silver thread flowed down the corner of his mouth. When he smiled, his round eyes curved again.
When Liu Zhaohou saw this, he also smiled with his eyes curved, letting these people see.
The two pairs of curved eyes look even more alike.
Old Master Zhou looked at Zhao Mingxi and thought of Liu Zhaohou's childhood. He looked so smart back then, but who would have thought he would grow up like this? The old man's heart softened, and he laughed a few times, saying kindly, "Xiao Si, there are millions of people in this world, and many look alike. You can't say that just because someone looks like you, they are your son."
Liu Zhaohou nodded like a good boy and said "Oh".
Prince Chai also said, "My great-grandson not only looks a bit like Xiao Si, but also looks a bit like my great-grandson."
Everyone looked at Zhao Mingxi and Chai Zixiao again. They did look a bit alike, even more alike than Zhao Mingxi looked like his uncle and aunt. The awkward atmosphere was finally resolved.
Xu Lanyin asked someone to bring out two small tables for the children to play at, and she took Zhangqi into the kitchen.
There was still half a basin of milk left in the kitchen. Xu Lanyin asked the shopping cart to buy some ingredients. She would make a few side dishes and then ask someone to go to the restaurant to buy a few main dishes.
As the weather gradually darkened, the tea drinkers in the teahouse left one after another and lit up all the lanterns under the porch in the backyard, illuminating the yard.
Xu Lanyin made fried milk, pineapple pancakes, squirrel fish, family portrait, and shrimp ball soup. She also bought braised pork, roast goose, anchovies and other dishes at the restaurant, and also bought some wine.
The banquet was set up in the side room in the backyard, as Xu Lanyin did not allow the smell of wine or meat to be allowed in the teahouse.
Liu Zhaohou, Old Master Zhou, Prince Consort Chai, and Chai Jun were drinking at one table. Xu Lanyin was sitting at another table with her children, and Wang Sanni was standing behind them serving them.
The fried milk, squirrel fish and pineapple pancakes made by Xu Lan were very popular, especially among Liu Zhaohou and several children who had a sweet tooth, and they kept saying how delicious they were.
Liu Zhaohou turned his head and said to Xu Lanyin at the other table, "Sister Xu, my father and grandmother are going to find a wife for me. They asked me what kind of wife I like. When I go back to the palace, I will tell them that I like someone like Sister Xu and ask them to find someone who is similar to Sister Xu. In the future, I hope my wife will give me a son like Xiao Xixi."
How can you tease your young wife like this?
Xu Lan blushed with embarrassment and didn't know what to say to this silly child.
Prince Consort Zi said, "Little Four, don't say that. Others will misunderstand if they hear it."
Liu Zhaohou pouted and said, "You all think I'm a fool, but I'm not. I just want them to find it, not to snatch Sister Xu as my wife."
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