When the old lady said this, everyone present looked at her sideways.
Xue Qin thought it was a miracle that his grandmother was willing to see Zheng Xiu and Xue Shao, but he didn't expect that she would let Zheng Xiu visit him often. The whole capital knew that the old lady of the Duke of Qing's Mansion had been indifferent to worldly affairs for many years. Even when his grandfather was still alive, it was as difficult as ascending to heaven to see his grandmother.
Zheng Xiu responded and waved to Xue Shao, who reluctantly said goodbye to the old lady, and the two followed Xue Qin out of the small Buddhist hall.
Xue Qin was puzzled, but he didn't say much. He sent Zheng Xiu and Xue Shao to the door of Haoye Hall and went back to the front yard.
As soon as Zheng Xiu stepped into Haoye Hall, Minghui came to greet her and said, "Madam, why didn't you tell me when you went out? I'll follow you to serve you and the second young master."
Zheng Xiu was not used to having people follow her, so she didn't think of this. She said, "It was just a trip to the small Buddhist temple. The prince took us there, so I didn't think of calling you."
Minghui didn't know that the old lady had received them, and she thought they just went to the door of the small Buddhist temple to kowtow to the old lady.
"Lunch is ready. Madam, do you want to have it now or later?"
Zheng Xiu glanced at Xue Shao. She herself was not very hungry, but she guessed that he should be hungry, so she asked Minghui to set the meal.
Minghui, Fenkudzu and Baizhu brought the meal to the table soon.
Four dishes and one soup. The four dishes were deer-carrot duck, pigeon with broad belly, bamboo shoots, fern, and fresh mushrooms. The soup was radish and pork rib soup, with a handful of green and tender scallions sprinkled on top.
The ingredients were fairly common, and the cooking skills were better than Zheng Xiu's. Even the radishes and cucumbers on the plate were carved with patterns.
Ming Hui served them the rice, saying, "The prince did not send a message to Hao Yetang in advance. We only found out in the morning that the madam and the second young master were coming back, so we had to prepare these in a hurry."
Xue Qin had naturally sent a message to the Duke of Qing's mansion, but the news did not reach Hao Yetang. The three of them urged the cook to prepare the meal in the morning. If they hadn't been there to watch, I'm afraid there would be no such dishes.
Zheng Xiu enjoyed the meal and didn't know the current problems of Hao Yetang, so she didn't say much.
After lunch, Zheng Xiu and Xue Zhi had been traveling for such a long time and felt sleepy, so they prepared to take a nap together.
Although Xue Shao said that he wanted to live in Zheng Xiu's main house, Minghui thought that he was older and not the mistress's biological son, so they probably wouldn't sleep together, so she packed up the gauze closet.
Xue Shao, however, rarely showed his affection and wanted to sleep with Zheng Xiu.
Zheng Xiu let him do it and asked Minghui to bring hot water. They washed their faces, changed into pajamas in the closet, and got on the bed. The maids retreated to the outer room.
Xue Shao lay down on the bed, but did not fall asleep immediately. He was very happy and talked to Zheng Xiu.
"Grandma is very kind. She even held my hand. She looked at me more than my elder brother."
Zheng Xiu half sat up and pulled the quilt for him. "Grandma misses you, so she should take a good look at you."
Xue Shao said with a beaming face: "Grandma also knows my mother. I don't know what kind of person my mother is. Dad never mentioned my mother to me..." As he was talking, he remembered that Zheng Xiu was his "mother" now, so he hurriedly explained: "I, I'm not saying that it's not good now, I'm just curious..." With Zheng Xiu as his mother, he already felt very satisfied.
Zheng Xiu nodded in understanding, "Yes, I understand. A'shao has never seen his mother, so it's normal for him to miss her and be curious." Then she tapped his little nose again, "Okay, go to sleep, there's no need to explain anything, I won't be jealous."
Xue Shao giggled, rubbed his face on the satin pillow, and closed his eyes contentedly.
Seeing that he fell asleep, Zheng Xiu lay down.
She didn't know how long she had slept. Zheng Xiu was half asleep, but she didn't feel too heavy. She opened her eyelids a little and saw a child kneeling on the edge of the bed, staring at her without blinking.
She was startled and sat up immediately. The child didn't expect her to sit up suddenly, and didn't dodge, so their heads bumped into each other.
The child cried out "ouch", leaned back, and was about to fall off the bed.
Zheng Xiu was quick to pick him up.
The child lay in Zheng Xiu's arms, rubbing his aching forehead.
Zheng Xiu asked quickly, "Are you okay?"
He snorted and said impatiently, "You adults, when something happens, you will ask 'Are you okay?' 'Is it okay?'... Come and let someone bump into you to see if you are okay."
This little adult-like tone made Zheng Xiu laugh, "Why are you lying on the edge of the bed? If you hadn't scared me, how could I have sat up and bumped into you."
This was the truth, but the child didn't want to listen to her explanation, "I'm going to tell my mother that you bullied me." Then he jumped off the bed.
He was wearing a duck-faced fur, a light blue fundraising cross-collared robe, lilac pants, and a necklace with eight-treasure necklaces around his neck. He had a round face, red lips, white teeth, and a lovely face, vaguely resembling the Xue family.
Zheng Xiu hurriedly asked, "You must be Brother Mian, right? I heard the prince often mention you, but he never said you were a kid who loved to tell tales."
Xue Mian stopped walking, turned around and asked him, "Does my elder brother often mention me?"
On the way here, Xue Qin did often mention his naughty brother. Zheng Xiu nodded and said, "Yes, the prince said you are the cutest and most sensible one, and that no one in the mansion doesn't like you." Xue Qin grinned
, "Of course, my mother said I was the boy beside Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva who came down to earth."
They made a noise, and while they were talking, Xue Shao was also disturbed by the noise. He woke up, sat up in a daze and asked, "Mom, what's the matter?"
Xue Mian stuck out his tongue at him again, "You have no shame. You are so old and still sleep with your mother."
Xue Shao blushed and asked him, "Who are you?"
Xue Mian supported his waist with his hands, "This is my home, why am I asking who you are?"
Zheng Xiu was afraid that the two children would really quarrel, so she hurriedly said, "A Shao, this is Mian'er. Your eldest brother often mentioned him on the way here. Don't you remember him?"
Xue Shao naturally remembered. He also remembered that his mother had reminded him at that time that he should get along well with Xue Mian in the future.
Zheng Xiu smiled at Xue Mian again and said, "A Shao is older than you. Logically, you should call him 'Second Brother'."
Xue Mian snorted again, "I only have an older brother. Where did the second brother come from?!"
He was also angry in his heart. He was originally the second child in the family, but suddenly he became the third child.
With such a little devil around, Zheng Xiu thought she couldn't take a nap, so she got up from the bed, sat on the dressing table and tied her hair into a bun.
Xue Shao and Xue Mian, one sitting on the bed and the other standing beside the bed, just stared at each other, neither of them willing to speak first.
Zheng Xiu could only smile bitterly and asked them, "Can you stare at each other somewhere else? I need to change my clothes."
Xue Shao got off the bed and went to the outer room, and Xue Mian followed him.
Zheng Xiu called Minghui in.
Minghui brought hot water to wash her face.
After washing up, Zheng Xiu asked, "Where are the two children? Are they being looked after?"
Ming Hui said, "Fen Ge and Bai Zhu are being looked after. Madam, don't worry."
Zheng Xiu had already put away her smile and asked her, "Why did the Third Young Master come into the room when A Shao and I were taking a nap?"
Ming Hui lowered her head and said in embarrassment, "The Third Young Master has never had any taboos in the mansion. Even to the princess, he can come and go freely. I had already stopped him, but the Third Young Master insisted on coming in, and I was afraid of disturbing the Madam and the Second Young Master, so I did not dare to stop him."
No taboos? Zheng Xiu sneered, looked at Ming Hui and said, "The princess is the mother of the third young master, so naturally she has no taboos towards him. But it's different here. You should know this in your heart. This happened once today, and it's over. If it happens again..."
Ming Hui hurriedly said, "I know I was wrong. Madam, please calm down."
Zheng Xiu changed to her usual expression and smiled softly, "I'm not angry either, you go and do your work first."
Ming Hui responded and left. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead again. She felt that the second wife spoke softly, but her expression changed too quickly, making it hard to understand.
As for Zheng Xiu, she was just pretending to scold Minghui so that she would learn a lesson. Since Minghui had admitted her mistake, there was no need for her to continue scolding her. Naturally, she did not expect that in the eyes of others, she would be a moody and unpredictable person. But even if she knew, she would not think it was a big deal. After all, it is better to be intimidating than to be considered weak and vulnerable. Especially in a place like the Duke of Qing's Mansion.
Zheng Xiu changed into a casual soft silver silk lily skirt. When she went outside, she saw Xue Shao in his pajamas still quarreling with Xue Mian. The two stood opposite each other with red eyes and refused to blink. Fen Ge and Bai Zhu tried to persuade them for a long time, but the two refused to move.
Zheng Xiu had a headache again, and kindly advised Xue Shao: "A Shao, come and change your clothes. What are you doing standing there?"
Xue Shao hesitated for a moment, but still went to the inner room obediently.
Xue Mian immediately clapped his hands and laughed: "You lost, you lost!"
Xue Shao said without turning his head: "When did I tell you about the written test?"
Xue Mian was so angry that he couldn't laugh immediately, and shouted: "Xue Shao, why are you so shameless?!"
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