Chapter 158: First Visit to Uncle's House
“Haha, I win!”
While Xiao Yeyang was distracted, Daohua quickly moved his chess piece, put her own on it, and then clapped and shouted happily.
Xiao Yeyang came back to his senses, took a look at the chessboard, and was suddenly speechless.
This guy doesn't even know how to cheat. He could tell at a glance that his chess piece had been moved.
Fortunately, he thought she was smart just now. Well, he was overthinking it.
When Daohua saw Xiao Yeyang staring at her, she suddenly felt guilty and quickly moved the chess pieces around like she was trying to cover her ears and steal a bell.
At this moment, even Yan Wenxiu who was standing by was too embarrassed to watch.
Isn't this just a case of trying to cover up one's own guilt?
“I win!”
Xiao Yeyang looked at Daohua, who was stubbornly insisting on saying she had won, and shook his head. He replied perfunctorily, "You won."
Daohua was a little unhappy: "Why do I feel that what you said is so insincere?"
Xiao Yeyang: "Then what do you think I should do to show my sincerity? Give me a prize?"
Daohua's eyes suddenly lit up.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Yeyang snorted unhappily: "Speaking of giving prizes, you've lost to me so many times, and I haven't seen you give me one. Do you still want mine?"
Daohua smiled awkwardly and muttered, "You asked it yourself."
Just then, Defu walked in with a smile: "Master, dinner is ready."
Xiao Yeyang stood up and saw Daohua sitting still. He smiled and said, "You really want a lucky draw? Then think about it carefully. What do you want? Tell me when you've figured it out. Now, let's go eat."
Daohua shook her head: "Forget it, I'm not that shameless. If I ask for a prize for winning against you once, I will have to pay back more. No, I don't want it." After saying that, she strode out of the study.
Xiao Yeyang glanced at Yan Wenxiu, smiled and shook his head: "Your sister does whatever she wants." Having said that, he went to chase after the person without waiting for Yan Wenxiu to say anything.
Yan Wenxiu, who was left behind, could only look at Defu silently, and then followed helplessly.
After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room to talk.
Li Xingnian traveled all over the country, had broad knowledge and was eloquent. He told stories one after another, which made Daohua and the others listen with great interest.
It was not until 9 p.m. that everyone returned to their rooms to rest, feeling unsatisfied.
In the side hall.
Both nephews had already taken off their clothes and were ready to go to bed, but Li Xingnian was still excited and couldn't sleep.
"Uncle, go to bed quickly. We have to travel tomorrow." Yan Wenkai muttered, then pulled up the quilt and fell into a deep sleep.
Yan Wenxiu looked at his uncle with some helplessness, his eyes still shining.
My uncle was in such good spirits. Even though he was tired after touring the palace for most of the day, he was still full of energy.
Seeing Yan Wenxiu sitting there waiting for him, Li Xingnian immediately said, "Go to sleep quickly. Your uncle will sit for a while and take a good look at the palace and its bedrooms." Perhaps this was the only time in his life that he would live in a palace, so he had to take a good look.
Hearing this, Yan Wenxiu didn't say much, because he was really sleepy, so he didn't continue to accompany her.
Daohua lived in another side hall. She was so tired that day that she fell into a deep sleep after lying on the bed for a while.
The next morning, Daohua woke up to the sound of Wang Maner and others talking.
"Man'er, who was that just now?"
Daohua put on her clothes and saw Wang Maner walking in with a bright red feather satin cloak.
"It's Eunuch Defu. He brought a cloak, saying it's for the girl to keep warm." As he said that, Wang Man'er handed the cloak to Daohua to see.
Daohua touched the smooth satin of the cloak and the fluffy white fur edging, frowned and said, "Why is Xiao Yeyang giving me gifts again? I feel embarrassed to take them."
Although she always reciprocated the gift, she always felt like she was taking advantage of him.
Wang Man'er thought Daohua was unhappy with her accepting the gift, so she quickly explained, "I tried to refuse it just now, but Eunuch Defu insisted, and I couldn't argue with him."
Daohua thought for a moment, clothes weren't expensive, and her friends would give them away, so she didn't dwell on the issue: "Let's wash up."
When going out, Daohua looked at the cloak, thought about it, and put it on.
Given Xiao Yeyang's personality, she would probably be unhappy if she didn't wear it.
Sure enough, when they arrived at the main hall, Xiao Yeyang saw Daohua wearing the cloak he had given her, and the corners of his mouth immediately curled up.
Yan Wenkai's eyes lit up: "Big sister, why haven't I seen you wear this cloak before? It looks really nice."
Daohua smiled and said, "I think it looks nice too. It's warm too."
Hearing Daohua say this, Xiao Yeyang became even happier.
Yan Wenxiu took a look and said nothing.
He knew that his elder sister had given the young prince a prescription for a medicinal bath.
The value of that prescription should be quite high. Dong Yuanxuan even asked him about it indirectly.
It’s nothing for the young prince to give a cloak in return.
After breakfast, everyone talked with Xiao Yeyang for a while before getting up and leaving.
"Xiao Yeyang, if you're bored during the academy holidays, come to my house with my three brothers and play!"
When leaving, Daohua said this to Xiao Yeyang.
Xiao Yeyang nodded and asked Defu to send the few people out of the palace.
When Defu came back, Xiao Yeyang was looking at another food box that Daohua brought. The box was full of pastries with various animal patterns.
"With so many cakes, Miss Yan is planning to eat them until the end of the first lunar month, right?"
Xiao Yeyang smiled and said, "Daohua treats me like a pig." As he said that, he picked up a pig's head date paste cake and stuffed it into his mouth.
He doesn't like sweets and has no interest in various pastries, but he does like pastries made from rice flowers.
It was hard for that guy to send over a full food box. He saw that the maid next to her could hardly lift it.
"Grandpa is going to read!"
After signaling Defu to put away the pastries, Xiao Yeyang went to the study.
"Uncle, how long will it take us to reach the provincial capital?"
Yan Wenkai was a little restless on the boat and asked questions from time to time.
Li Xingnian looked at the sky and said, "We'll be there by noon. Don't wander around, or you might get seasick."
Daohua smiled and took over the conversation: "Uncle, don't worry, Fourth Brother is in good health and won't get seasick."
Li Xingnian glanced at his nephew who was as strong as a calf and stopped talking.
Looking at Daohua standing on the deck, enjoying the scenery on the river, Li Xingnian sat down next to Yan Wenxiu and said, "That cloak on Daohua seems to be a gift from the young prince. Is it okay to just take it?"
Yan Wenxiu shook his head: "It's okay, didn't my elder sister come over and give me something?"
Hearing this, the corner of Li Xingnian's mouth twitched.
Just the two food boxes sent by my niece?
Well, the interactions between children should not be too utilitarian and too concerned about gains and losses like those between adults.
Yan Wenxiu thought for a moment and said to Li Xingnian, "Uncle, it's best not to tell anyone about our stay at the palace this time. We've already attracted a lot of attention due to our close relationship with the young prince. If anyone knew we stayed at the palace, I'm afraid it would cause trouble."
Li Xingnian nodded, patted Yan Wenxiu on the shoulder, and said with relief: "You have grown up so fast, and now you are more and more thoughtful. Don't worry, your uncle knows the limits."
At four quarters past three in the afternoon (two o'clock in the afternoon), Daohua and his companions finally arrived at Li's house.
"Why did you arrive so late?"
As soon as Li Xingnian and the other three walked into the gate, his two aunts and several cousins who had received the news came out to greet them.
"Wenxiu, Wenkai, Daohua, meet your two aunts."
Yan Wenxiu and his younger brother and sister-in-law quickly bowed.
Eldest aunt Fan immediately helped the girl up, then took Daohua's hand and took a closer look. "This must be Yiyi, right? Oh, how come she's so pretty? Her second aunt, come over and take a look at this child. Isn't she prettier than my younger sister was when she was young?"
A gentle-looking woman came forward and looked at Daohua with a smile: "Indeed, my little sister's daughter really outshines herself."
The two aunts of the Li family, one is cheerful and bright, the other is gentle and quiet. Both are well maintained and look to be in their early thirties.
"Alright, alright, are there any aunts like you? You've made the child feel embarrassed."
Li Xingnian smiled and said, "If you have anything to say, let's go back to the house and talk."
Fan immediately smiled and said, "Look at me, I'm so happy that I don't know which way is east, west, or north." As she said that, she took Daohua's hand and signaled her son to invite Wenxiu and his brother into the house.
Daohua was a little overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of her aunt, so she could only do whatever she said and be as obedient as possible.
Later, the two cousins of the Li family gathered together and secretly looked at Daohua and the other two.
Li Zixin from the eldest wife's family whispered, "Didn't mother always say that although my uncle is an official, his family is poor and lives a very tight life? But look at what cousin Yiyi is wearing, every piece of it isn't first-rate, fine stuff."
Li Zixuan from the second house nodded. "Yes, I've seen the cloak that cousin Yiyi is wearing from afar. It's said to be feather satin used as tribute. And the pearl flowers on her head are so beautiful. I've never seen them in any of the shops in the capital."
Li Zixin once again glanced at Daohua, who was walking in front of her. "Before, my mother said that my cousin Yiyi grew up in the countryside and might be outdone by the concubines. Now look at me, it's pure nonsense."
(End of this chapter)
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