Dou Zhao went to class, and his grandmother smiled and welcomed Ji Shi into the house. Elegant words and feelings first published.

  Ji let Hong Gu find a few pots of flowers and grass that are suitable for placing in the hall and guest room: "It doesn't matter if it's a rare species or not, as long as it looks good!"

  Hong Gu smiled and nodded in agreement.

  Ji's family led his grandmother to sit down beside a stone table under the grape arbor in the backyard.

  "I've come to find you." She told her grandmother about Mrs. Wu's visit, "The Wu family is simple and honest, with a steady property. Mr. and Mrs. Wu are also down-to-earth people. What's rare is that Wu Shan has been treating Shou Nainai with kindness for so many years, consistently. Mrs. Wu came to ask in person, showing great sincerity. I think this marriage is not bad. If you also think it's good, I'm thinking of asking Shou Nainai's aunt to come back and take a look at the person, and then we can settle the marriage."

  When Grandma knew the intention of Ji's family, she had already smiled with her eyes narrowed into a slit. At this time, Ji asked, and she nodded repeatedly: "Of course, we want to invite Shougu's aunt back to see the child. Her aunt is a discerning person who won't be wrong about people." She also said, "Wu Shan, this child has grown up under our care, if Shougu marries him, she won't suffer any loss."

  "I think so too," said Ji with a smile. "However, don't tell Shougu about it for now, we still don't know if her uncle agrees or not."

  "I know, I know." Grandma smiled and said, just seeing Hong Gu directing a few rough servants to move in several pots of flowers, hurriedly saying, "If someone else asks, I'll say you're here to move flowers and grasses."

  Ji smiled and said: "You and I are on the same page."

  Dong Zhaoming trusted his grandmother the most. Naturally, he wouldn't let anyone get close to her. When he heard that Ji's family had moved a few pots of flowers and trees, he foolishly asked: "Is it enough? If not, let them come again."

  Wu Shan was paying attention to his mother at all times, knowing that Yu Er Nai had gone to see the second mistress. He was overjoyed. As soon as his mother returned to the guest room, he busied himself pouring tea and water, massaging her legs and fanning her, which made Wu Ya remark: "Uninvited enthusiasm is either deceitful or thieving. Brother must be wanting something from Mother again! Mother, you can't be too biased. Whatever brother has, I also want!"

  A few words made Wu Shan laugh out loud.

  Mrs. Wu was furious, pointing at her daughter's forehead: "What are you yelling about? What do you mean by saying that if your brother has something, you want it too? You're so big now, why are you still acting like a naive little kid? In the future, when your sister-in-law comes into our family, will you speak to her like this too?"

  "With a sister-in-law, I wouldn't dare speak to my brother like this!" Wu Ya said with a pout. "Isn't it that there isn't even a sister-in-law yet?" As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly widened her eyes, "Mother, could it be that Brother is going to marry a sister-in-law?" Then she shouted loudly, "No way, no way! If Brother marries a sister-in-law, she must be someone I like. Otherwise, what if she doesn't let me return to my mother's home?"

  "This is getting more and more outrageous!" Mrs. Wu pretended to be angry and slapped her daughter.

  Wu Ya was so frightened that she shrank her shoulders.

  The people in the house burst out laughing.

  Yu Niang in Second Mistress's place smiled somewhat awkwardly.

  “…At the beginning, you all knew what happened. The second lady of the house sighed and pulled her hand. "As for Shou Gu's marriage, I'm afraid our Duan family can't make the decision either. If someone else came to propose, I would suspect that they were after Shou Gu's dowry. But since it's the Wu family who proposed, not to mention Mr. Wu's character, just based on the relationship between our two families, this is also a very good match, and I'm happy to see it happen. However, now...the Zhao family is guarding us like thieves, if we still intervene in Shou Gu's marriage, I'm afraid that later on...” The second lady of the house shook her head helplessly at this point.

  Grandma Jade didn't know?

  That is half of Xi Duan's property.

  If Mrs. Wu didn't mention it, then so be it. But now Mrs. Wu has clearly taken a liking to Du Zhao. It seems like they're going to fight over him after all.

  She was unwilling to give up and said, "Then what should I do?" She threw the ball to the madam, with a very worried look, saying, "I didn't know better before, and I already promised Auntie... I have to make this right somehow."

  The second lady looked at Yu Erniang's seemingly innocent expression, her anger burning.

  I don't know what to say?

  I'm afraid it's already been decided long ago?

  I thought Wu's family was quite good at first, but it turned out to be a hypocritical and deceitful one!

  Want to marry Du Zhao? That depends on how many ounces and taels your Wu family has!

  Now that one has made a move, I'm afraid several others will be thinking of doing the same.

  It's better to think of ways to make early preparations and prevent problems from arising.

  Now that I've fallen out with Yu Er Nainai, it's like beating the grass to scare away the snakes. I'm afraid I'll offend the other few families too, and when they gang up on me, I may not be able to hold my own.

  The second lady thought of this, took a deep breath, and her smile became several degrees warmer. "You don't have to rush either, it's just a matter of talking about marriage, it can't be settled in just a few rounds, can it? Moreover, the Wan family is in Kyoto, and Zhao's uncle is in the northwest, so it's even more impossible to rush." She paused for a moment, "Fortunately, Mr. Ou is not someone else, your seventh uncle also knows him, I'll write a letter to your seventh uncle first, and wait for his consent before discussing with Zhao's uncle. As you are both the daughter-in-law of the Duan family and the aunt of the Ou family, you should explain it well to Mrs. Ou on that side, don't offend relatives."

  This is exactly what Yu Er Nai Nai came for.

  She smiled and thanked him, then went to give Mrs. Wu a reply.

  The second mistress's face sank as she called for Dou Shi-bang to come over.

  "She told Dou Shi-bang about Wu's family asking to marry Dou Zhao, 'If he thinks this marriage is feasible, it's not too late for us to discuss with Lao Qi.'"

  Dou Shi Bang listened to his mother's tone and didn't think much of the Wu family, he couldn't help but say: "I think that young Wu Xian is learned beyond his years, and is cautious, clever and adaptable in his actions...he's someone who can achieve great things..."

  "What's the use of that?" The second lady sighed, "By the time he has the ability to help Yuanji, Yuanji and Wang Xingyi will have already won or lost."

  Dong Shi Bang was silent.

  The second lady ordered him: "You send a personal person to deliver the letter, if someone asks, just say that the letter is for Qián Yīzi of Kyoto, and put another envelope outside the original one with Wang Yuan's name on it."

  Dòu Shì Bǎng yīng nuò.

  Yu Er Nai Nai did as Yu Tai Fu Ren had thought, sending someone to keep an eye on the letter being sent to Kyoto, and only when they saw with their own eyes the envelope with the five words "Dou Yuan Wan's personal seal" did they put their mind at ease.

  On the other side, Ji Shi entrusted a partner of Ji Shi's shop to send a letter to Zhao Si.

  But as the parties involved, Du Zhao and Wu Shan were unaware of the strange things that happened to them - Du Zhao had been following Song Weimin to learn piano in recent days. Gong Shang Jue Yu. Recognized her big head like a Dou. Wu Shan was delighted with the spring breeze, seeing anyone with a smile on his face, taking advantage of the remaining few days of leisure, went to Baoding Prefecture with Du Zhengde and others, and brought back a big red piano ribbon with a auspicious knot for Du Zhao.

  Song Yan's mouth twitched slightly as he followed Du Zhao and studied the guqin with Song Weimin. He turned his face away.

  Indeed somewhat flashy, but Wu Shan doesn't mind.

  In his bosom, he had a large red silk pouch with a small golden hairpin in the shape of an intertwined heart, which seemed to be burning like flames, making his chest feel hot.

  That's what he wanted to give to Dou Zhao.

  Dòu Zhāo held the big red qín suì. She looked at Wū Shàn, who was standing in front of her with a silly smile on his face, and then looked at Dòu Dé Chāng, who had accompanied Wū Shàn but stood far away outside the waterside pavilion like a wooden stake, his head covered in misty rain. She felt as if something had happened, and everyone knew about it except for her.

  She handed the bright red qin tail to Bie Suxin, who was serving beside her, and smiled at Wu Shan to thank him.

  A young servant came running from afar.

  "Twelfth Young Master, Fourth Miss," he said, wiping his sweat, "Sixth Madam is telling you to hurry back. The cousin of the Ji family has arrived."

  Everyone in the pavilion was stunned.

  "Who is this Young Master Ji?" Duan Dechang asked bewilderedly, "There are over twenty people in the Ji family who are of my generation!"

  The young servant wiped his sweat: "It's the sixteenth young master of the Ji family."

  Dong Dechang was startled: "What? Is Ji Yong here? When did he come? And who came with him?" He looked like he had run into a creditor.

  Now it's Dou Xiang and Wu Shan's turn to be curious.

  "What's wrong?" Wu Shan asked him: "Do you have a feud with this Ji Yong?"

  "No!" Du Dechang grimaced, as if in pain, "I've just long admired your great name."

  Dong Zhao said: "Do I have to go too? Did Sixth Aunt ask me to go as well?"

  The young servant nodded repeatedly: "That's what the sixth lady said."

  Dòu Zhāo gazed at Dòu Déchāng.

  Du Dechang dragged his feet and hesitated, looking like he didn't want to go back.

  Dong Zhao felt something was off and solemnly asked: "What's going on?"

  "It's all right, it's all right," said Du Dechang, straightening his back. "Let's hurry up and get there, lest we keep our guests waiting." His expression was like that of Jing Ke when he stabbed at the King of Qin, with a tragic grandeur that would not return.

  Wu Shan didn't say a word and exchanged a glance with Dou Zhao: "I'll go with you."

  Dòu Zhāo nodded, but Dòu Déchāng repeatedly said "no need" and told Wū Shàn: "You've just returned and haven't gone to pay respects to your aunt yet. You should go back and see your aunt first, we'll gather again later."

  Wu Shan looked at Dou Zhao for a moment, then pulled Dou Dechang aside and said in a low voice: "Tell me honestly, do you owe that Ji Yong money? I still have 400 taels of silver at home, if you need to use it, take it first, not enough I'll think of another way."

  "No, really not!" Du Dechang said with a mixture of laughter and tears, "Since I won that fight against that bastard surnamed He last time, I gave away the iron rooster I raised. You know this, I couldn't possibly go back on my word, you should believe me."

  Wu Shan was skeptical: "I believe you about the cockfighting. But why are you afraid of Ji Yong?"

  Dòu Déchāng's face changed slightly: "I'm not afraid of Jì Yǒng, I just don't like seeing this person."

  Wu Shan was about to say something when Dou Zhao, who was eavesdropping on the side, coughed softly.

  Even if they are close friends, each person has their own secrets that they don't want to reveal.

  "She smiled and said: 'Twelfth brother, wait for me a moment, I'll go change into another set of clothes and return to the mansion with you.'"

  Dòu Déchāng nodded, but his eyebrows were tightly furrowed into a "川" shape.

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  When I was writing this chapter, I always felt that something was off. Then I repeatedly looked at Chapter 83 and revised some of the dialogue, making it smoother. Only then did I start writing Chapter 84. It's a bit late, sorry!

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