When Jiang rushed back to Danbo Zhai, it was already dark.

Xu Sizhun was waiting for her: "Why did you take so long?" He handed her a hand warmer, "It's so cold outside, and you didn't bring one with you. What if you catch a cold?"

Yuan Baozhu's family, who was following behind Jiang, exchanged glances with Jiang's personal maid Baozhu. Both of them saw joy and relief in each other's eyes.

Since the engagement, Xu Sizhun often visited Jiang Bo every New Year. Every time when talking about Xu Sizhun, Jiang Bo's wife said that he was pure and honest. After talking about him for a long time, there was no new words. Jiang Song's wife couldn't help but mutter in her heart: He only said honesty, and nothing else. Could it be that this child is a little dull? She couldn't help but feel a little worried. Before getting married, Jiang Song's wife also specifically instructed Yuan Baozhu's family: "Young people are ignorant, you have to persuade them... The son-in-law doesn't talk much, so let the young lady say a few more words..."

But I never thought that the son-in-law was a man of few words, but when he met the young lady, he had endless things to say. In addition, he was kind and gentle to others, and was gentle and considerate to the young lady, and the two of them were in harmony, which made the accompanying maid who came with him breathe a sigh of relief.

"When you go to deliver something to your grandmother and mother, how can you bring a hand warmer?" Jiang looked at her husband, whose eyes were shining with joy. "Next time I will wear more clothes before going out." Then she said, "When I went to Fifth Aunt's place, I happened to meet Xin Jieer who was showing her needlework to Fifth Aunt. When she heard that I was here to deliver incense, she opened the box immediately." She held the hand warmer and walked slowly into the inner room with Xu Sizhun shoulder to shoulder. "I gave her rose fragrance and she liked it very much. She said it smelled much better than the perfumed lotion they made at home and asked me if I had a recipe."

"Did you give it to her?" Xu Sizhun looked at his wife with a smile. He felt that her smile was as peaceful as moonlight, which made him like it very much.

"How can I have a recipe?" Jiang smiled, "My mother made incense because I came to your house that year and told her that your incense was good. Mother then found an ancient recipe and made it at home, which took her two or three years to succeed. I started to help her, but it never worked and I lost my patience. Now that I think about it, I should learn from mother, so that when my second sister wants it, I won't be able to give it to her. However, I told my second sister that I will write a letter to Anle when I get back and ask mother to send me the recipe."

As they were talking, the two of them had already reached the big kang by the window, and Xu Sizun helped Jiang sit down on the edge of the kang.

"When I went to my second aunt's place, she was working on an arithmetic problem. I was going to leave quietly, but Sister Jiexiang insisted on reporting to my second aunt, and she kept me for tea." As Jiang was talking, Biluo brought the tea over with a smile. Xu Sizun put the tea Biluo handed to him in front of Jiang, and then he took a sip of the tea Biluo handed over, and continued to listen to Jiang carefully. "She told me about the incense again. That's why I came back late."

"Second aunt is also very good at making incense." Xu Sizhun smiled, "In the early years, the incense in our house was made by second aunt. In the past two years, second aunt has become fascinated with stargazing and has made less. By the way, did second aunt tell you about her stargazing? Last time when sixth brother went there, second aunt asked sixth brother about the seven stars of the Vermillion Bird. Sixth brother was too impatient to listen to this and wanted to run away. Second aunt used a set of 'flowing water wheels' to coax sixth brother, and sixth brother stayed obediently!"

"'Flowing water wheel'?" Jiang was very interested. "What do you mean by 'flowing water wheel'?"

Xu Sizhun explained: "It is a wooden carriage, about one foot high and two feet long. There is a bucket on the carriage. Pour water into the bucket, and the carriage can move by itself..."

"Ah, Second Aunt can also do this!" Jiang's eyes widened, "Can Second Aunt show me, so that I can see it for myself!" As she said that, she pulled Xu Sizun's sleeve.

Xu Sizhun only felt that his heart was floating gently like the sleeve.

"Second Aunt may look a little strict, but she's actually very kind to people." He smiled, "It's too late today, I'll go with you early tomorrow morning!"

Jiang was a little hesitant: "Doesn't my husband have to go to class tomorrow?"

"It's okay." Xu Sizhun said hurriedly, "I'll just ask Mr. Zhao for leave later."

"This, this is not good!" Jiang said anxiously, "If my father-in-law and mother-in-law knew about this..."

Xu Sizhun smiled and said, "With such good snow, even if I don't ask for leave, Mr. Zhao might still take a day off and invite three or five friends to enjoy the snow."

Jiang was very surprised.

Although her father was the headmaster of the academy, he still attended classes. He never came in late or left early, let alone giving students a day off to enjoy the snow!

Just as he was about to say something, Yuan Baozhu's wife at the side coughed softly and reminded him softly, "Fourth Young Master, Fourth Young Madam, it's getting late. We have to go to the Madam's place. It would be bad if we keep the Madam and the Lady waiting."

"Look at me, I forgot about this." Jiang hurriedly followed Yuan Baozhu's family to change clothes.

Yuan Baozhu's wife whispered, "Fourth Young Madam, the roads are ten miles apart, and the customs are different. Not to mention Le'an and Yanjing. How could the teacher hide the fact that he wanted to give his students a holiday from the Marquis and his wife? The Marquis and his wife kept silent, obviously agreeing tacitly. You are new here, so it's better not to rush to speak about some things. Otherwise, you will make the Fourth Young Master unhappy and ruin the relationship between husband and wife."

Jiang nodded slightly, and went to the old lady's place with Xu Sizhun. The next day, they went to the second lady's place together.

The door of the Second Madam's study was tightly closed. Jie Xiang smiled and said, "I'll report to the Second Madam right away!"

This time, Jiang held Jiexiang's hand tightly and said, "Sister Jiexiang, if someone had treated my father like this when he was studying, he would have lost his temper. I don't want to make my second aunt angry!"

Seeing her sincerity, Jiexiang thought that Mr. Jiang was also a scholar and she had seen a lot, so she would not blame the second lady for being rude. She stopped insisting and smiled and served the cedar tea made by the second lady to entertain the guests. Jiang saw that the tea was quite special and asked Jiexiang about it. Xu Sizun was originally accompanying Jiang to play, and seeing that she was happy, he naturally followed her. The two sat at the second lady's place for more than half an hour. Jiang already knew how the cedar tea was made, so she stood up and said goodbye to Jiexiang.

Xu Sizhun instructed Jiexiang: "When Second Aunt is free, please let us know. We will come to visit then."

"Husband, let's come back when you are on your day off!" Before Jiexiang could respond, Jiang smiled gently and said, "Looking at Second Aunt's attitude, I'm afraid she won't be free for a while."

"The fourth young lady's guess was really accurate." Jiexiang couldn't help but say sincerely, "This arithmetic scripture is quite a big book!"

"Then we'll come during our day off." Xu Sizhun readily followed the advice and went back to the house chatting and laughing with Jiang.

When the second lady came out for dinner, Jiexiang told her the purpose of Xu Sizun and Jiang's visit.

"Take out the 'flowing water wheel' and put it in the banquet room!" said the Second Lady, "If they come again, just show it to them." After that, she pondered for a moment and added, "This Jiang is not bad. She knows how to persuade Zhun'er to study. But..." The Second Lady paused here and pointed to a bowl of mushroom soup on the table, "This is good. Let me make another bowl tomorrow." She changed the subject lightly.

When Xu Sizhun was on leave, they didn't come - it was almost the New Year, there were many things to do at home, Xiang was pregnant again, and Shiyi Niang asked Jiang to learn how to handle household chores. Jiang also learned at home, but it was not as complicated as Xu's family, and the rules of the two families were different. Jiang didn't dare to be careless, and she was fully alert. Sometimes she would discuss with Yuan Baozhu's family when she returned to the house. How could she dare to go to see the waterwheel at this time?

"Then let's wait until Daddy comes back." Xu Sizhun comforted Jiang, "Dad is back, and my sixth brother will come back with him. Mother will definitely rest for two days. You will be free then."

She couldn't just stay at home because her mother-in-law was busy with Uncle Six's affairs, right? But thinking of her husband's good intentions...

"We'll talk about it when the time comes!" She said tactfully, "I don't know what mother's plan is."

Xu Sizhun nodded, thinking that his wife's words made sense.

On the day of Laba porridge, Xu Lingyi and Jing'er rushed back.

"Is Baoding fun?" Eleventh Lady hugged her son, who seemed to have grown taller, and kissed him hard on the face twice. Only then did she feel relieved.

Jing'er chuckled.

Xu Lingyi patted his son on the shoulder and said, "Go back to the house and wash up. We will go to grandma's house to drink Laba porridge."

Jing'er returned to the house smiling happily, surrounded by a large group of maids and wives.

Xu Lingyi opened his arms and hugged Shiyi Niang tightly, and kissed her hard on the face twice.

"Oh my!" Eleventh Lady glanced at the maidservant in the room and said, "What are you crazy about?"

The maids all looked at each other, smiled and retreated.

"You cherish him, and I cherish you!" Xu Lingyi did not let go, smiled and kissed her cheek twice.

Eleventh Lady's face turned slightly red.

"My Lord, why don't you go and wash up!" She struggled, "Mother has been waiting for you to come back every day, and now I am afraid that she has received the news. If you don't go now, Zhihong might come to urge you to come back."

Xu Lingyi looked into her eyes steadily: "Help me wash it." His mellow voice lowered a few notes, and had a hint of ambiguity.

Eleventh Lady turned her head to the side and said "hmm" softly, her face as rosy as a rosy glow.

Xu Lingyi laughed softly and carried her into the bathroom.

* * * * * *

The lady waited for a long time but her son didn't come to greet her. She became anxious: "Why hasn't he come yet?" She got up from the kang to check.

"Look how anxious you are." Mother Du smiled and walked forward to support the lady. "The Marquis has just come in, so he must at least wash up, right? Besides, Zhihong has already gone to urge him, so just wait patiently!" She was also wondering in her heart why it took so long.

The lady had no choice but to sit down again, feeling empty inside, and repeatedly asked the jade tablet: "Is the Laba porridge ready?"

"Don't worry!" Yuban said with a smile, "It's been kept warm in the kitchen. You can eat it as soon as the Marquis comes."

"It's winter, and you've just come back from outside," the lady muttered, "It's not warm enough, it should be warmer."

"I'll go tell the kitchen right away." Yuban responded, turned around and walked out.

The curtain was suddenly opened, and a red figure rushed in.

"Grandma, Grandma, I'm back!"

The clear and loud voice, the sound of footsteps, full of energy, who else could it be but Jing'er!

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Make up for the extra update on August 27th!

O(∩_∩)O~