Chapter 678 Walking (Part 1)
"Sow a hundred grains, and the fields will be full of crops." Xu Lingyi put down the brush in his hand, looked at the cursive script on the rice paper with satisfaction, and smiled and asked Shiyi Niang beside him, "What do you think of calling it 'Ting'?"
The word "庭" here means upright and straight. The word "碩" at the end also implies "many".
"Okay!" Eleventh Lady nodded slightly: "This is a good name!"
On September 26, Jiang gave birth to her eldest son smoothly.
Xu Lingyi is giving him a name.
Xu Lingyi listened, took another piece of rice paper, and wrote the word "庭" (courtyard) in neat calligraphy. He called Denghua in and said, "Send it to the fourth young master!"
Because Jiang gave birth to a legitimate grandson, everyone in the mansion received rewards. Everyone was very happy!
Denghua smiled and replied "yes", and hurried to Xu Sizhen.
Xu Lingyi discussed things with Shiyi Niang: "After Ting'er's third-day baptism ceremony is over, I will go out."
Eleventh Lady was stunned: "Aren't you waiting for Ting'er's full-month gift?"
"No more waiting!" Xu Lingyi said, "It will be too late if we wait for his full-moon ceremony."
"Where is the Lord going?"
"Take the route from Xuantong to Jiayuguan."
Jiayuguan is a military stronghold, and Xu Lingyi has visited these places on his recent trips. With Xu Lingyi's experience, he would visit these places where he fought and won glory when he was young, and relive his high-spirited years. Shiyi Niang can understand this very well.
"My Lord, be careful," she warned, "bring more guards and escorts. It's a remote place, and it would be troublesome if something happened."
"No problem." Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "I will do the same as last time, traveling by post road and staying at the post station." After hesitating for a moment, he said, "I think I should let Jian Ge'er go with me this time." He added, "Opportunities like this are rare, let him go and see for himself."
In ancient times, transportation was not as developed as it is today, and it was very difficult to go out. Some people never left the area where they lived for their entire lives. Opportunities like this are indeed rare.
Eleventh Lady naturally agreed.
Xu Lingyi instructed her: "During the days when we are not at home, you and Manager Bai should discuss tidying up Qingyin Residence in the outer courtyard. Add what needs to be added and renovate what needs to be renovated. After the New Year, move his things over."
In this way, Jiangeer really became independent from her arms.
Eleventh Lady felt uncomfortable just thinking about it.
Thinking of the time when Xu Sijian had a rash, the Third Lady kept him for another year. Eleventh Lady thought that the Third Lady was too spoiled by children. When it was her turn, she finally understood the Third Lady's feelings.
"I see."
Qingyinju is a relatively large courtyard in the outer courtyard, with four entrances and three exits. The west waist of the west side of the mansion is only about twenty meters away from it, making it very convenient to enter and exit.
In the afternoon, Eleventh Lady took Amber to see the yard.
The wooden windows in the yard were all in good condition, but they were carelessly cleaned and were covered in dust. Also, no one had lived there for a long time, so it felt empty and even a little desolate.
"Let's plant some flowers and trees first," Amber said with a smile, "then tomorrow when spring comes, the yard will be lively. This house will also be full of life."
"Are you worried that it won't be lively when he moves in?" Eleventh Lady laughed, "Let alone other things, I'm afraid that this yard won't be able to accommodate all his birds and dogs."
Amber covered her sleeves and smiled after hearing this.
The lady knew about this but frowned: "You left without waiting for Ting'er's full-month gift... Chinese New Year is almost here, why not go after the New Year!"
Now, the lady's greatest pleasure is to visit Sun Ting's son.
"It's fun to go to Jiayuguan in winter," Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "but it won't be fun in spring."
Seeing that her son insisted, the lady said nothing more.
However, there was a commotion over there with the Fifth Lady.
"I want to go, too. I want to go, too." Chen Ge'er followed his mother around, "Jin Ge'er has been with them several times, but I've never been out once."
The Fifth Lady has been busy arranging a marriage for Xin Jie'er these days, and she hasn't held Cheng Ge'er in her arms or taught him to read for some time.
"Mother Shi, take the Seventh Young Master out." She was extremely worried.
Xu Lingkuan thought his daughter was still young, but the Fifth Lady was afraid of delaying the marriage. The two of them had some disagreements about this matter, and none of the relatives were very satisfactory. Either the family was not rich enough, or the mother-in-law was too young, or the male lead was not good-looking... She was thinking about whether to ask Eleventh Lady to help inquire about it. One more person means one more way!
Chen Geer held the table and refused to move: "I'm going, I'm going... If you don't agree, I'll tell my grandfather."
The Fifth Lady was in a great headache: "Your Fourth Uncle is going to Jiayuguan, not Jiangnan. That place is full of wind and sand, and there are many Hu people. Be careful that someone will steal your things and sell them."
Chen Ge'er was unmoved: "If Chen Ge'er can go, I can go too."
"Your fourth uncle already has a hard time taking care of Jiange'er, there's no way he can take care of another one."
"Why don't I just bring my grandfather's guards with me?"
The mother and son were talking with their faces flushed when Xu Lingkuan came back.
"Fourth brother is going to Jiayuguan!" He was very excited, even more excited than Chen Ge'er, "I wanted to go there that year. But mother wouldn't let me, so I didn't go!" Then he picked up Chen Ge'er and said, "Let's go and talk to your fourth uncle, and we'll go together!"
Chen Ge'er jumped up and shouted.
The Fifth Lady, on the other hand, didn't care anymore - with her husband following her, there was nothing to worry about.
The lady herself selected an auspicious day, and the two brothers took their two sons, Jing'er and Shen'er, out of Yanjing City.
Xu Sizhen was in charge of the affairs of the outer courtyard. Eleventh Lady was busy decorating the house for Jiange'er, attending the banquet for the Wanshou Festival, sending New Year gifts, and buying New Year's goods. Fifth Lady was busy looking for a husband for Xinjie'er. The old lady went to see Ting'er with a smile every day, and sometimes she would keep Yingying, who came to pay her respects, to play for half a day. The days soon arrived in December.
Xu Lingkuan and Chen Ge'er came back. Xu Lingyi and Jian Ge'er were not there.
"Fan Weigang left my fourth brother in Xuantong." Xu Lingkuan said awkwardly, "I still have work to do, so I brought my son back first."
"They are not going home for the New Year," Eleventh Lady was very surprised.
"It looks like he can't come back." Xu Lingkuan smiled at Shiyi Niang embarrassedly.
"This fourth brother, not only was he not at home for Ting's full-month and hundred-day celebrations, he even spent the New Year away from home." The old lady was a little unhappy, "Why don't you persuade your fourth brother?"
"I did persuade him!" Xu Lingyi cried out in injustice, "Why would my fourth brother listen to me?"
The lady said nothing more and called Xu Sizhen in. "I'm counting on you to take care of all the family affairs." After thinking for a while, she said, "If you don't understand, ask your mother."
Xu Sizhen replied "yes" respectfully, feeling that he had a great responsibility. He was worried about gains and losses, and would ask Shiyi Niang for even the smallest things, fearing that he might make mistakes. Shiyi Niang, however, was thinking about Prince Yong. While Xu Sizhen was asking her questions, she called in General Manager Bai and asked, "It's almost the New Year. Did the Marquis have any special instructions for you to do when he left?"
"No!" Chief Steward Bai was also thinking about this matter. "Everyone else is fine, but I don't know what to give as a New Year's gift to Prince Yong's Mansion!"
Eleventh Lady's gaze fell on Xu Sizhen.
Xu Sizhen knew that Prince Yong wanted to borrow money. He thought for a moment and said, "How about we send some banknotes quietly?"
Shiyi Niang nodded slightly. She asked Manager Bai, "Please prepare two thousand taels of silver in banknotes for me."
Manager Bai understood and said, "I'll go get it ready right away."
Eleventh Lady said to Xu Sizhen in a subtle way: "I will bring it to Princess Yong when I go to deliver the New Year's gift to Prince Yong's Mansion."
Xu Sizhen nodded. When he got home that night, he quietly told Jiang about it.
The child was being fed by the wet nurse. Jiang, who had given birth, had almost recovered. She was a little worried after hearing this: "Since the father-in-law didn't leave any instructions when he left, will we get too close to Prince Yong's Mansion? What if we are implicated by Prince Yong?"
"No, that won't happen." Xu Sizhen had never thought about this problem. He felt that since they were relatives, they had to take care of each other. The family didn't lack this little money, and the gifts were sent by his mother. He never thought there was anything wrong. But then he thought that if it weren't for Jiang's persuasion a few days ago, he wouldn't have been forgiven by his father so quickly. He felt that his wife's words made sense. He couldn't help but hesitate.
Jiang said this briefly, and seeing that Xu Sizhen was a little undecided, she began to think carefully.
If Prince Yong behaved honestly as his prince, and the crown prince ascended the throne, he would naturally be the most noble person. Having a good relationship with him would only bring benefits and no disadvantages. But if Prince Yong had any idea...
Moreover, the eunuch had not given any special instructions regarding sending silver to Prince Yong's mansion.
Jiang thought about it and felt scared: "Don't worry. I will write a letter to father and see what he says." She gave Xu Sizhen some advice.
Xu Sizhen nodded.
A few days later, Jiang Bai's wife sent her maid to the inner room to talk privately, under the pretext of visiting her child.
"Your father and your uncle both mean the same thing. They want you to stay away from the one in the palace and the one outside the palace. The emperor is at the peak of his power and has a long time to live. It is obviously inappropriate to do anything at this time."
Jiang told Xu Sizhen this and asked him to pass the message to Shiyi Niang: "Mother is in the inner courtyard, and father is not at home. Things in the temple are changing rapidly, so it is better to be careful."
"Your Highness and Prince Yong are uncle and nephew. If you don't ask for money, then forget it. But since you have asked for money, and your father wants to pay off his debts, and it's almost the end of the year, we have to go. We can't take out the extra money, and this one or two thousand taels of silver can be saved from anywhere. Even if the emperor knew, I'm sure he wouldn't say anything!"
Xu Sizhen thought about it and it made sense. He went back and told Jiang.
Jiang smiled bitterly: "Should I go to the Crown Prince's place as well? I heard that the Crown Princess and my mother-in-law have a close personal relationship. Now that something like this has happened, I must tell the Crown Princess about it!"
Xu Sinian reminded Shiyi Niang tactfully.
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "I have already been to the Crown Princess' place."
Privately, he said to Amber, "The Jiang family has put a lot of thought into Jiang Shi."
Amber didn't dare to comment, and talked about the letter from Yuhang: "My cousin left on the Lantern Festival, so she will arrive at the end of February. You see, my cousin is here, where is the best place to stay?"
Post a draft first.
Added update on September 9th!
PS: I have been a bit busy these past two days, and I only have time to write after get off work. Today's update will be postponed to around 21:00. Thank you for your understanding!