Marquis Pingxi looked at the woman kneeling before him. She was slender, with a straight back and a humble smile on her face. She looked like an ordinary noblewoman.
Marquis Pingxi did not think that such a girl was an ordinary person.
After kowtowing, Xu Zhi smiled and said, "Uncle, may you be well. Xu Shi and my sister kowtow to pay our respects to you."
Marquis Pingxi quickly said, "Please rise, please rise."
Looking at the scene before her, the old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi felt both happy and sad. She was happy that Zheng Boyuan had married such a good girl, but sad that Zheng Boyuan was now a member of the second wife's family and would have no further connection with her, the first wife's family.
The old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi naturally knew that the old lady of the Marquis of Yongning was no ordinary person. Could the child she raised be an ordinary person? Moreover, this girl lived with her parents and brothers in Hexi. It was said that this girl had personally experienced the Battle of Hexi, which had severely damaged the Northern Di cavalry.
The old lady smiled as she looked at Xu Zhi and Zheng Yuanyuan. When the two of them stood up from the prayer mat, she said, "Come to your great-aunt's side. Your great-aunt has been looking forward to seeing you for many days."
Zheng Yuanyuan felt that her great-aunt seemed kinder than when she was her grandmother, and she wondered if it was because she was no longer her granddaughter.
Zheng Yuanyuan was preoccupied with her own affairs when she heard the old lady of Pingxi Marquis call her to come closer. She casually moved closer and sat down next to the old lady.
Xu Zhi saw Zheng Yuanyuan's actions but didn't say anything. She simply sat down in the chair opposite the Marquis of Pingxi.
The old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi said, "You must be tired from your journey. Come to your great-aunt's place tonight, and I'll have the kitchen prepare something delicious for you."
Zheng Yuanyuan looked at Xu Zhi, and Xu Zhi smiled and said, "Grandma, we won't be having dinner here tonight. In a couple of days, I'll bring Yuan'er to have dinner with you. We just got back, and there are a lot of things going on at home that we need to take care of."
Upon hearing this, the old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi nodded and said, "That's right. Your aunt took your brother and sister to worship Buddha outside the city today and won't be back until the day after tomorrow. It's not too late to come over for dinner after your aunt returns."
After sitting for a while, seeing that it was getting late, Xu Zhi got up to say goodbye and took Zheng Yuanyuan back to her own courtyard.
Zhao Mama, sent by the old lady of Yongning Marquis, is still waiting at home. Xu Zhi can't wait until tomorrow, so she wants to hurry home, see the old lady properly, and have a meal with her.
After returning from the Marquis of Pingxi's residence, Zheng Yuanyuan was feeling rather unwell. Knowing that Xu Zhi was going back to her parents' home, she said to Xu Zhi, "Sister-in-law, I'm really too lazy to move, so I won't go back with you. Once I'm feeling better, I'll definitely accompany you back to your parents' home."
Xu Zhi had no choice but to instruct her family to take good care of Zheng Yuanyuan before heading to the Yongning Marquis's residence with her personal attendants.
After entering the city, Granny Lu went to the Yongning Marquis's residence. By the time Xu Zhi arrived, Granny Lu had already washed up and changed her clothes in the old lady's courtyard.
When the old lady saw Xu Zhi, she didn't wait for Xu Zhi to kneel down. She stepped forward and pulled Xu Zhi up, saying, "Good child, good child, there's no need for such formalities at home. Come, let your grandmother take a look at you first."
Xu Zhi had changed to a married woman's hairstyle and had grown taller. The old lady felt more and more heartbroken as she looked at her. Her child was so young and had already gotten married. She couldn't help but hug Xu Zhi and cry.
Xu Zhi quickly coaxed the old lady to sit down and said, "Grandmother, look at me, I'm doing just fine. Let me tell you, I've been in charge of the household since I got married, and it's really great."
The old lady didn't let her sisters come over because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold back her tears and it wouldn't look good in front of the children. Several daughters of the family had already married out, and the old lady had never cried when others came back. She couldn't possibly cry like this in front of everyone when it came to Xu Zhi's house.
Xu Zhi wiped away the old lady's tears and said, "Before I came back, I went to kowtow to the old lady of the Pingxi Marquis's mansion. Grandmother, let me tell you a secret, even though they are Zheng Boyuan and Zheng Yuanyuan's biological grandmother and father, they are not my proper elders. I just kowtowed to them." Xu Zhi covered her mouth and chuckled as she finished speaking.
The old lady knew that Xu Zhi was just trying to comfort her. She snatched the handkerchief from Xu Zhi's hand, which was used to wipe her tears, and said, "How can you talk like that? Aren't they your proper elders? Although you are the second branch of the family, you have never separated from the Pingxi Marquis's Mansion. They claim to be a marquis's mansion, but go ask them whose name is written on the imperial edict. It's Zheng Rong's name from the second branch. Without your second branch, where would the Pingxi Marquis's Mansion come from?"
Xu Zhi said, "Grandmother, my husband said that those are things created by our ancestors, and he will earn an imperial title for me through his own abilities in the future. We don't care about the title of Marquis of Pingxi."
The old lady said, "It's good to have ambition, but you can't be soft when it's time to take the benefits. You two are all alone in that mansion. If you don't rely on the Marquis of Pingxi, who else can you rely on? Let me tell you, if you suffer any grievances in the backyard, don't keep them to yourself. Don't look for anyone else, just go to the Marquis of Pingxi's mansion. Let's see if he will take care of you."
Xu Zhi said, "Okay, I'll remember what Grandma said."
The old lady said, "It's getting late, let's eat quickly, you still have to go back after you eat."
Xu Zhi quickly agreed, saying, "Then I'll go back first, and tomorrow I'll bring my aunt to kowtow to my grandmother."
The old lady said, "Alright, your grandmother will be waiting for you at home."
Dinner was prepared in the kitchen in the old lady's courtyard. It wasn't dinner time yet, but the old lady specifically instructed that many of Xu Zhi's favorite dishes be prepared. Just as the food was set on the table, the Marquis arrived.
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