Chapter 101 Chapter 101 and beyond...
The post said that she was invited to attend the flower viewing banquet hosted by the wife of Marquis Anyang, not to make snacks, but to attend the banquet.
Lin Qiuran looked again and confirmed that it was indeed for the banquet.
The banquet was scheduled for five days later. After reading the post, Lin Qiuran understood a little bit. Although she didn't know about the big and small things happening in the capital, it didn't mean that others didn't know about the Xiao family's affairs.
The Anyang Marquis's mansion had many servants, so they naturally knew how to find out. Xiao Xun had returned, entered the palace and the mansion several times, and since she was close to the emperor, it wasn't surprising that someone was watching her, and it wasn't surprising that someone was passing her a note.
Lin Qiuran looked at the signatures of other posts. There were all kinds of names, including those of a baron, a marquis, and a minister. They invited her to appreciate flowers, write poems, appreciate paintings, and drink tea.
She wasn't used to it, but she clearly understood that these invitations were meant for Xiao Xun. She was going to the banquet, and if she made a fool of herself during the meal, it would also be Xiao Xun's fault.
The new nobles in the court are extraordinary.
If she wasn't good, others would probably say Xiao Xun, saying that the Xiao family came from a small town, and that Xiao Xun's wife was ignorant of etiquette and unpresentable. Xiao Xun was a warrior who only knew how to fight. Even Tangyuan would be talked about and looked down upon when she went out.
No one would even remember that their family had lived this way for generations before them.
Lin Qiuran fumbled with the post and couldn't help but sigh that the old lady of Anyang Marquis' Mansion had helped her a lot. If Madam Qin hadn't been there to mediate, she would have gone to people's homes to cook. Even though she felt that there was no high or low in making money, and whoever made money would still look down on others for not knowing where it came from, others would look down on them.
While Lin Qiuran was reading the post, Xiao Xun and Tangyuan had already folded the quilt. Lin Qiuran looked at the father and son with a complicated expression.
Xiao Xun also looked over here several times.
Lin Qiuran was still in deep thought. The decoration of Jinding Building had not been completed yet. She originally planned to open a branch in the capital, but Xiao Xun became an official in the court, so Lin Qiuran could no longer rely on the power of others, let alone Xiao Xun's power.
Not to mention anything else, officials should avoid corruption and forming cliques for personal gain.
Even if she wanted to cook, she had to go less often, and she couldn't let anyone know. If word got out, Jindinglou would probably become famous, and Dingyuanbo Mansion would also become famous. As a family, Lin Qiuran couldn't help but take these things into consideration.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We should learn how the ladies of the aristocratic families in the capital behave. Madam Qin once said that when speaking and doing things, one should be reserved and keep three points to oneself, and these are no exception.
Lin Qiuran sighed in her heart, but Jinding Tower was her hard work, otherwise she would not have stayed in Yu'an when the refugees entered the city.
Lin Qiuran looked at these posts and could only sigh in his heart, without feeling dissatisfied or unfair.
Everything has its pros and cons. Right now, you just need to be careful when cooking. There are other ways. There are still Lin Chun, Lin Ying and his apprentice. Lin Qiuran can still teach others.
Besides, she told others that she liked these things and never charged any money.
Lin Qiuran could only hope for the best. She had only been to the restaurant sporadically over the past few years, and her mind was focused on investing in her business. She could take her time in the capital, researching new dishes, and when the family moved in, she probably wouldn't have to worry about it as much.
Life is getting better and better, and Jindinglou will also get better and better. She can't have more and more worries. Originally, she also wanted someone to cook, so she could have some free time.
Lin Qiuran felt much more cheerful, and then he looked at the post again, and called Xiao Xun over. Xiao Xun took Tang Yuan down and asked, "What's wrong?"
Lin Qiuran said, "The Anyang Marquis' Mansion sent me an invitation to a flower viewing banquet. Is it possible for me to go?"
If they don't get along, it would be bad for her to go.
Xiao Xun pondered for a moment and said, "Go."
Lin Qiuran took out the others and asked Xiao Xun to pick out the ones that could go. However, the others were all declining in the mansion. They probably asked Lin Qiuran to go there to ask for something. It would be difficult to deal with them if he went, so it would be best not to go.
Lin Qiuran put the post away and saw that Xiao Xun hadn't left yet. She said, "Tangyuan is still waiting."
Xiao Xun didn't expect that there were still these things to deal with. He said, "Thank you for your hard work."
He just glanced over here a few times and saw Lin Qiuran staring at these things in a daze, and occasionally looked unhappy.
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "It's not that hard. You work outside and I take care of the housework at home. It's all my responsibility. Go take Tangyuan out to play."
Five days later, the family had not yet moved, so they could make some new clothes in the next few days. The old styles were out of date, and they had plenty of material.
Lin Qiuran wrote a reply and asked the servant to deliver it to Anyang Marquis's residence. Then he called Lin Ming over and told him some things. Since they were short of manpower, they would hire someone to move into the residence in the next few days, instead of waiting until after the move.
After giving the instructions, the maid from Shou'an Hall came over and said, "Madam, the old lady said that the snow outside is too thick to walk, so you can eat breakfast by yourself."
Lin Qiuran nodded, and when the father and son had almost finished practicing, he invited them in for dinner.
Tang Yuan was sweating, and Lin Qiuran wiped his sweat. Tang Yuan looked left and right, "Why didn't Grandma come?"
Lin Qiuran said, "The roads are slippery due to the snow, so it's inconvenient to come over. Just eat in your own yard. If you miss your grandmother, ask her at noon. We can go to Shou'an Hall to eat with her."
Tangyuan's eyes lit up, "Okay, okay."
He looked up at Lin Qiuran and said, "Can we have preserved vegetables and pork with mustard greens for lunch? And make those shell buns? I'm craving that."
Tangyuan had never been to the beach, but he had received a gift from Xu Yuanheng. The food looked like a shell, so it was called shell bun.
Lin Qiuran rubbed his head and said, "Of course you can, but you have to eat breakfast first. You can't be thinking about lunch before you have breakfast."
Breakfast includes porridge, egg pancakes, and some delicious steamed snacks. You can eat whatever you like. Of course, with so many options, it would be bad if you don’t like any of them.
The glutinous rice balls tasted delicious. Xiao Xun had a dietary restriction and couldn't eat shrimp, so he ate pork buns and drank porridge.
He eats very quickly.
Lin Qiuran is a chef and likes to savor food slowly. Gradually, he developed the habit of chewing slowly. Xiao Xun eats fast, which is not good for his stomach.
She said to Xiao Xun, "If it's nothing important, eat slowly and stay with Tangyuan for a while."
Xiao Xun nodded, he remembered this.
After dinner, Lin Qiuran took Tangyuan and Xiao Xun to Shou'an Hall.
Xiao Xun has nothing to do today, so Lin Qiuran plans to go to the new house in the morning and ask about Sun's place.
Sun wanted Lin Qiuran and Xiao Xun to spend more time together and cultivate their relationship, so she didn't go with them. She even pulled Tangyuan and bent down to coax her, "Tangyuan and grandma are playing at home. Look at the thick snow outside. It's so cold to go out."
Sun thought that if Lin Qiuran could give the Xiao family a grandson or granddaughter, it would be a good omen and good things would come in pairs. She would disturb them less, even if she would be a little lonely. Sun felt it was worth it.
When Sun Shi first learned that Lin Qiuran was pregnant, she was very happy and thought everything was fine. Now she thought Tang Yuan was good, but the family was large and powerful, with thousands of acres of land and so many assets, and there was only Tang Yuan. What would happen if Tang Yuan became like Xiao Xun in the future and was not always at home?
As the saying goes, more children means more blessings. Sun had never mentioned this to Lin Qiuran and Xiao Xun, but they were still young, so having a few more children would not be too many.
Tangyuan is now sticking to the two of them and even sleeping together at night. This is not acceptable.
Tang Yuan blinked and took a step back. Lin Qiuran bent down and asked Tang Yuan, "Would you like to stay at home with your grandmother?"
Tang Yuan said in embarrassment: "Mom, I still want to go to the new house to take a look. I can come back and stay with grandma."
Lin Qiuran said, "That's fine, Mom. Tangyuan, come out with us. The snow hasn't melted yet, so don't go out. We'll come over for lunch."
Sun forced a smile and said, "That's fine, but don't be too late. It's cold outside and you'll freeze."
Lin Qiuran nodded, and the three of them went to the new mansion.
Dingyuan Bo's Mansion was located in the north of the city, some distance from their home. The three of them went there in a horse-drawn carriage, the axles creaking as they pressed against the snow.
Tang Yuan sat between Lin Qiuran and Xiao Xun, listening to the sound of snow. "The snow is screaming because it's being pressed down. Mom, this sound is different from the sound of the road."
Xiao Xun smiled, and Lin Qiuran said, "If I press on you, your screams will be different too."
Tangyuan also smiled. When they got out of the alley, there was no snow on the streets. They had all been shoveled clean. The roads were wide and flat, and there were people shoveling snow on the side of the street. The further north they went, the cleaner the streets were. The shoveled snow was neatly piled under the trees, as if there had never been any snow.
Seeing the tree wearing a thick quilt, Tangyuan couldn't help but ask, "Mom, snow is cold. So, will the tree be warm or cold wearing a quilt made of snow?"
Lin Qiuran was almost fooled by him.
Lin Qiuran looked at him. Tangyuan was seriously considering this question. He wore a tiger hat when he went out. It was warm at home, and he dressed warmly when he went out to play. So his face was clean, without frostbite or chapped, and looked chubby and cute.
Lin Qiuran said, "Perhaps it's warm for trees. There's an old saying that says auspicious snow indicates a good harvest. It means the heavier the snow, the better the harvest will be next year."
Before Tang Yuan could say anything or ask why, Lin Qiuran said, "Your grandfather knows a lot about farming. When he comes to the capital, you can ask him. Don't just talk to me, talk to your father too, otherwise he will be sad."
Xiao Xun was slightly stunned. He had learned this tactic in military books before. It was called "diverting trouble away."
Xiao Xun smiled helplessly and held Tang Yuan on his lap, not wanting him to bother Lin Qiuran. "We'll be there soon. You can go choose a yard later..."
Lin Qiuran finally had some free time.
When they arrived at the Anyuan Marquis's Mansion, the carriage slowly stopped at the door. After getting off, Lin Qiuran first looked at the door plaque. The four large characters were majestic, and the stone lions on both sides held pearls in their mouths, showing their majesty.
It's all done.
Lin Ming used his key to open the door. There were no servants in the mansion, so no one was sweeping the snow. The door opened, revealing the scene inside. The mansion was covered in thick snow. From a distance, the courtyards looked like they were spread out in rows, and the front yard was quite spacious.
The house that Lin Qiuran bought covers an area of more than ten acres, and the land deed that was delivered to him stated that it covered twenty acres. With a few more acres of land, the house seemed spacious everywhere.
There were many trees and shrubs in the front yard, but they were all covered in snow, and the whiteness made it look much larger than the Xiao family's.
Lin Qiuran asked Lin Ming and the maid to watch over Tang Yuan to prevent him from getting lost. He walked around and watched. The people from the Ministry of Rites had told Xiao Xun that if he had any dissatisfaction or missing anything, he could bring it up with them.
Lin Qiuran looked at it this way, without any dissatisfaction. The long corridor was clear of snow, so she went to walk around. Looking up, she knew this mansion must have been lived in by someone else, and she didn't know how many people had lived there. But Lin Xia found out that the previous owner had moved out a few months ago after his house was ransacked.
But the murals on the eaves have been repainted, and the fairies flying and the heavenly palaces are all lifelike.
Lin Qiuran smiled and touched the pillar again. The pillar was red. There were cracks and paint peeling in several places in the house, but this one was newly painted and had dried completely.
I just awarded it, but it must have been repaired a long time ago.
Lin Qiuran walked along the corridor and came to a small garden. The red plum blossoms in the garden were blooming beautifully and vigorously, like a ball of fire. The garden was not small, and it took Lin Qiuran a long time to get out.
There is a small pavilion after the garden, and next to the pavilion is a four-story building for viewing the scenery. Lin Qiuran took a closer look and found that it had also been renovated.
There was a small pond on one side of the garden, frozen solid, so it was probably not flowing water. Beyond this, there were several moon-shaped gates connected by a series of archways, and every step you took reflected the waxing and waning of the moon.
Lin Qiuran thought this was clever and beautiful, but it also took up a lot of space. If the house wasn't big enough, it wouldn't be possible to do this.
After passing through the moon-shaped gate, Lin Qiuran arrived at a courtyard. There was also a small garden in the courtyard, but it was much smaller. There were many trees and houses in the courtyard.
Lin Qiuran found a room and pushed the door open. Although she had thought that someone had cleaned the place beforehand and she would definitely not see the room full of dust and cobwebs when she entered, she did not expect it to be like this.
The furniture in the room had already been arranged. There were two armchairs opposite the door, and calligraphy and paintings were placed on the wall. Behind the armchairs and the table was an empty treasure cabinet.
Going to the inner room, there were beds, cabinets, tables and chairs. There was a Luohan bed by the window and a chaise longue in front of the screen. They had all been wiped clean. Lin Qiuran touched them and found no dust.
The more she looked at it, the more satisfied she was. It had everything she needed, and she wondered if other courtyards were like this.
Lin Qiuran thought this reward was wonderful, but upon closer inspection, he realized that the emperor was unpredictable and living with him was like living with a tiger. Now that he had been rewarded with so many things, even if he had given the title deed, he couldn't buy or sell it, he could only live there for the sake of appearance.
If you make a mistake in the future, the house will be taken back.
She couldn't help but think of the saying, it's easy to conquer an empire but hard to keep it.
Lin Qiuran touched the furniture and found it was made of fine wood. Although the house was old, the furniture was new. After a few glances, she came out and closed the door.
After going out, I saw Tangyuan and Xiao Xun playing hide-and-seek at the moon cave gate.
Xiao Xun had to deliberately fail to catch the boy, and then quickly catch him after failing. He even had to use his brain when playing with his son.
Lin Qiuran stood on the steps, looking at the father and son with a smile on his face, "Stop playing, go look somewhere else, we should go back."
It’s so big, I’ll have to wait until I move in to take a closer look.
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