They didn't come out until after noon, and I didn't see them again after that. Ye Chen returned to Qiuchen Court alone. "Where are my grandfather and the others?" Chen Qiu couldn't help but ask when he saw Ye Chen coming back alone.
"They've all gone to work. I asked them to investigate something. Chinese New Year is coming soon, and I want to close the investigation on Chinese New Year's Day. They should be very busy these few days."
"Is there anything I can help with?" Chen Qiu saw that everyone was busy and wondered if he could help within his ability.
"You have enough to take care of the interpersonal relationships in the mansion and the preparations for the New Year. You also have to take care of An An. You are already very tired. I don't want you to work too hard." Chen Qiu didn't ask any more questions. After all, Ye Chen had to close the net before the New Year. Such a short time was really a bit rushed. If he didn't want to let any fish slip through the net, he had to be extra careful.
"Well, I will take good care of the house and won't let you worry. Just go ahead and do it." This seems to be the most important thing for Chen Qiu now.
The next day was the Little New Year. Because Ye Chen and Shen Qiu were not there, the Ye Mansion had been closed to visitors. Starting from today, the Ye Mansion began to send gifts to various mansions. Ye Chen asked Shen Qiu to send gifts to all the mansions of officials in Kyoto City, including those with sixth and seventh rank officials, and the imperial merchant Gu family, which was Gu Ruojin's maiden family.
For a while, the people in Kyoto were unsure of what the emperor's favorite duke was thinking. Almost everyone wanted to make friends with the Ye family, but some were a little impatient, while others didn't understand why. After all, for a family of Ye's status, it was a bit unexpected to give gifts to some minor officials of the sixth or seventh rank.
All these gifts were sent out from the Ye Mansion together on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. By the afternoon, the Ye Mansion was completely different from before. Since the beginning of winter, the Ye Mansion has always been very deserted, but from that afternoon on, the door of the Ye Mansion has never been closed. Before one wave of people left, another wave came.
Ye Chen asked Chen Qiu to pay special attention to the gift from Chen Qingyun's family, which was Gu Ruojin's return gift. Now Gu Ruojin was Chen Qingyun's step-wife. According to the memory of the previous life, Gu Ruojin was from Luojiazhuang. This time the Ye Mansion was plotted against by Luojiazhuang, and the Ye Mansion took the initiative to send gifts, then Gu Ruojin, as a member of Luojiazhuang, would not remain indifferent.
Gu Ruojin didn't come on the first day, and Gu Ruojin still didn't come on the second day, which means that the gifts sent to the Chen family have never been returned.
It doesn’t matter whether you return the gift or not, what matters is the attitude.
Although Chen Qingyun is now the Left Prime Minister, he has received many gifts when entering the Chen Mansion, not less than the one from the Ye Mansion. However, there is no reason to ignore the gift of reciprocity, not to mention that it is a gift from the Ye Mansion.
In this capital city, the Ye Mansion's gift should be second only to the emperor's reward, right? After all, the Great Yin Kingdom has no princes since the Three Kings Rebellion, and the only founding hero left is Old Duke Ye.
"The Chen family still hasn't returned the gift. Maybe our gift isn't significant enough." Chen Qiu helped Ye Chen wash up while chatting with him about the gift.
"Let's wait a little longer. The news we received has been confirmed again and again. Gu Ruojin and the Gu family are indeed from Luojiazhuang. Maybe they are also guessing my intentions." Ye Chen put down his handkerchief and turned to help Chen Qiu.
At the beginning of the investigation, Ye Chen asked someone to confirm Gu Ruojin's identity. He was afraid that there might be confusion in the memories of his previous life, so he asked someone to confirm it as soon as possible. On Gu Ruojin's left arm, there was indeed a white plum mark that indicated that he was from Luojiazhuang.
Gu Ruojin was the first person who made Ye Chen understand the love between men and women. Naturally, she held a different weight in Ye Chen's heart. Although he no longer had that kind of love for her, she was still someone he had loved. When he realized that Gu Ruojin was from Luojiazhuang, Ye Chen didn't believe it for a moment.
After the confirmation, Ye Chen couldn't explain his feelings. He hadn't expected that he and Gu Ruojin would reach this point. At most, they were strangers in this life, but he hadn't expected that they would become such sworn enemies, or even enemies. Luojiazhuang attacked his son, and Ye Chen would not be soft-hearted. So, did Gu Ruojin know about this, or was she involved? This was very important to Ye Chen.
If Gu Ruojin knew nothing, then Ye Chen might feel the same as before, that they were just former friends. If Gu Ruojin knew about this or was even involved in it, it might not be so easy for Ye Chen to get over it, because if that was the case, Ye Chen's youth would become a joke, and his previous life would become an absolute joke.
Chen Qiu knew that Gu Ruojin meant something different to Ye Chen. It had nothing to do with love, but rather with her own short youth.
"Leave it to me. I estimate it will be around tomorrow. It's time to come. If you don't come soon, it will be too obvious." He might have forgotten because he was busy for a day or two. After all, they are a big family with many people.
If they haven't come yet, that must be another reason. For such a big family, after receiving gifts, the head of the family will have people compile a booklet according to the closeness of the relationship, the status and importance of the gift giver. No matter which relationship is based on, the Ye family will not be left behind. Regardless of the status of the Ye Mansion or the relationship between Ye Chen and Chen Qingyun, the Ye Mansion will not be left behind. After all, the two of them together toppled the powerful official Yan Qinglian, and that was how Chen Qingyun got the position of Left Prime Minister.
Sure enough, just after breakfast the next day, someone came to report, "Madam, Master, people from the Gu and Chen families are here."
"Oh? Coming together? Who are they?" Ye Chen and Shen Qiu looked at each other. This was going to be interesting.
"It doesn't look like it, because they came from two directions, but arrived at the gate of the mansion at the same time. Are they Madam Chen and Madam Gu?" said the visitor.
"Oh, it's even more interesting. If my memory serves me right, the Gu Mansion and the Chen Mansion are in the same direction to the Ye Mansion. This is a bit deliberate." Ye Chen handed An An in his arms to Chen Qiu and teased him again, "Please invite them to the living room. Madam will be here soon."
"yes"
"Do you want me to wait before going over?" Chen Qiu put the cloak on An An. An An could now stand up by holding someone's hand. Three days had passed and the remaining poison in An An's body had been cleared out. However, An An still looked a little listless after the serious illness.
"Let's send An An to grandma first. After that, I need to go to the palace. You can see me out first." Ye Chen did not answer Chen Qiu's words, but just said what to do next.
When traveling between the various mansions, gifts given by men are passed back and forth by men, and gifts given by women are passed back and forth by women. This time the gift was sent by the Ye Mansion, but the recipient was a woman, so only Chen Qiu had to go and receive the guest.
After sending An An to Madam Xiao, Chen Qiu sent Ye Chen out the door before walking towards the living room in the inner courtyard. "Sorry, I'm late. I apologize to both of you." Chen Qiu walked in and bowed to Gu Ruojin and Gu Ruojin's stepmother, now Madam Gu, with a smile.
When the two saw Chen Qiu saluting them, they hurriedly stood up to return the greeting. Chen Qiu was saluting them with a blessing salute, while they were saluting them with a solemn salute used for a lady of noble appointment.
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