Chapter 168 It’s snowing, and the outside is quiet and the inside is busy
Sheng Hong felt that something was strange at home recently.

Ever since Wang Ruofu said that she would cut off all contact with Wang Ruoyu that day, she seemed like a completely different person!
Now it's not only rare that people give me the cold shoulder.

Even at Shou'an Hall.

He also went there very diligently, and got up early from time to time to pay his respects, without uttering a single complaint.

When Sheng Hong asked Wang Ruofu why she was so attentive to Old Madam Sheng all of a sudden, Wang Ruofu's answer made Sheng Hong even more confused -

"I was ignorant before and didn't understand the old man's intentions. Now I understand, so from today on, I must be more respectful and filial."

Sheng Hong just found it unbelievable.

How come his temper, which hadn't changed for so many years, changed in just such a short period of time?
Sheng Hong was puzzled.

Fortunately, this is a rare good thing, and Sheng Hong is happy to see it.

This is Hualan.

During the few days she stayed at home, she successfully bribed her three younger sisters with some hairpin jewelry.

Then, on the afternoon of the day when Yang Wenyuan came to the Sheng family to study, he returned to the Marquis' Mansion with Yang Wenyuan.

Looking at the carriage gradually leaving the Pingyang Marquis' Mansion, the three girls who came out to see it off had different expressions.

There was a look of melancholy on Molan's face.

After all, I don't want to find such a good "sucker".

In addition, most of the headdresses given by Hualan were taken away by her mother Lin Qinshuang, so she was not very happy.

Minglan and Rulan looked at each other, and their pretty faces simultaneously showed the relief of having "survived the disaster".

Although Hualan was generous in giving things, neither Minglan nor Rulan were interested in these material possessions.

And corresponding to her generosity in giving gifts, Hualan is also very strict with their studies!

In particular, he was holding the "Imperial Sword" of Old Lady Sheng and Wang Ruofu in his hands.

This made the two girls miserable.

I just want to slack off, what's wrong with me!

Now, as the elder sister left, the two of them suddenly felt that the sky was much clearer.

Just now.

Under the gloomy sky, snowflakes fell again.

"It's snowing again!" someone in the crowd said.

……

"It's snowing." In the Pingyang Marquis Mansion, Yang Wenyuan looked at the falling snowflakes and said slowly.

Now that it's snowing, the renovation of the mansion can be completed.

After all, this was just a cover-up.

The mansion itself has people cleaning it on a daily basis, and people are organized to maintain it every once in a while, so there is nothing that needs repair.

Now that it's snowing, the temperature outside will continue to drop, and this matter can be settled.

Moreover, Wang Ruo had already received the money for the sponsored firewood, and even had a lot of surplus.

Wang Ruoyu: All the money I lent was for you!

Happiness is yours, I have nothing.

Snowflakes fall one by one, and days pass one by one.

The snowfall this year was just as Yang Wenyuan had expected. Except for the occasional three to five-day break, the rest of the time it was a world of dancing snowflakes.

Even though the streets were cleaned every day by the Street Department, except for the market towns where wealthy families lived and the main streets that had been cleared to a narrow section that was only wide enough for horse-drawn carriages to pass through, other places could not be cleaned in time and thick snow began to pile up.

The snow gradually began to reach above the knees.

A snowy landscape!
Because this winter is particularly cold, there is a biting cold wind as soon as you leave the house.

So during these days, the interactions between families began to gradually decrease.

Even Yang Rujin, who loved to play, rarely visited the Marquis' Mansion.

Every household closed their doors and began to stay at home, not going out of the house.

The street was just a muddy path and thick snow on both sides.

But this naturally has nothing to do with the students of Shengjia Academy.

Although it is the coldest time of the year, they still maintain their junior high school day school life with a break every five days.

Even Princess Pingning.

The Lady of the Duke of Qi, who had doted on Qi Heng since he was a child, did not stop Qi Heng from studying in the winter because of the cold weather.

That makes sense, after all, they were all riding in their own carriages.

The carriage was padded with blankets and fox furs, and with a heater installed, it was hard to catch a cold.

It's not like he's a groom out there facing the wind and snow.

Horseman: Thank you host for arranging the five-day winter driving tour!

However, Princess Pingning was not completely reassured, and she also took a lot of other measures.

Although the Qi family's power was declining, it was still one of the most powerful families in the Zhou Dynasty in terms of wealth.

Princess Pingning was worried that the Sheng family's school would not be warm in the winter and would be easy to be affected by evil winds. Not only did she specially invite the Buddhist temples and Taoist temples outside the city, to which the Qi family offered incense and money every year, to come to the Sheng family to investigate the feng shui of the school, she even took advantage of the two-day break to renovate the school at her own expense and added many items, making the Sheng family's school comparable to the Qi family's study.

Even though Sheng Hong wanted to refute Princess Pingning's unruly behavior, he didn't know how to start.

After all, the current Princess Pingning was not someone that a mere fifth-rank official like him could question, so he could only bear with it.

At the same time, comfort yourself in your heart:
After all, it’s for my family, my children will benefit from it, and I don’t have to spend any money on it!
Jiying Lane.

Sheng family.

"Shut up!"

Changqing drove the Yang family's carriage to a stop at the door.

After placing the horse stool, Yang Wenyuan was the first to lift the curtain and walk out.

Then a Su Yi came out, and with the help of Yang Wenyuan, Hua Lan, who was wearing a long cloak and fox fur, also came down.

I feel depressed being alone at home in winter.

When Yang Wenyuan came to the Sheng family to study, he naturally brought Hualan with him.

After entering the Sheng family, the couple went their separate ways.

Yang Wenyuan went to study in a private school, while Hualan went to Shou'an Hall with a high-spirited look on her face.

Looking at Hua Lan's quickly departing back, Yang Wenyuan shook his head and laughed.

Since returning home yesterday, Hualan has been muttering something like "I stumbled today, I must win it back tomorrow."

Yang Wenyuan found out after asking.

It turned out that Hualan lost to Minglan and Rulan when she was playing mahjong during the day!
There were few things to do to relieve boredom at that time, so the girls and elders of the Sheng family gathered in a room. There was nothing else to do except playing cards and chatting to relieve boredom.

We can't just chat the whole winter, can we?
Even two days will dry up the saliva.

As the saying goes, a little gambling brings joy.

Therefore, mahjong is naturally the first choice for the women in the backyard.

And over at the school.

Because of the preparations for the spring imperial examination, Master Zhuang had to focus on the five young men in the school who were about to take the examination, and he did not pay as much attention to the three girls as before. Everything he said was about the imperial examination.

Thinking about the cold weather now and the fact that my three daughters have been attending classes for a long time and are now auditors, and the three daughters in my family are all about to reach marriageable age, it is just right for them to learn needlework in this winter.

Sheng Hong simply wanted the girls not to go, but to wait until next year when the weather was warmer before attending classes in the private school.

But he also left a message, that it was up to the girls to decide whether to study or do needlework. In fact, Sheng Hong wanted the girls to just not go to the private school, so as not to disturb the students at home from studying.

However, as soon as this idea began to take shape, it was opposed by Old Lady Sheng and Lin Qinshuang.

The two of them had their own considerations in mind and naturally disagreed with Sheng Hong's decision.

Even Qi Heng, who was always upright and peaceful, said a few words when chatting with Changbai.

Under pressure from all sides, Sheng Hong had no choice but to put this matter on hold indefinitely.

As for where the girls will go...

The people of Da Zhou have always liked to compromise.

The three girls attended classes in the morning and learned needlework in the afternoon.

The three girls each had their own place to go.

Where is Minglan?

Although she could go to Wei Shuyi in Mu Cang Zhai for advice, and Wei Shuyi was an excellent needleworker, she was still seriously injured when growing banyan trees, so she had to stay in bed in the winter.

He himself does not have enough energy, and mostly asks Xiaodie to take care of Changrong. How can he have the energy to teach Minglan needlework?
So Minglan continued to stay with Old Lady Sheng, and was taught needlework by Madam Fang.

As for Xiaodie, she was found by Wei Shuyi in early autumn.

At that time, Wei Shuyi gradually gained Sheng Hong's favor, so he took the opportunity to propose that Xiaodie return to the Sheng family to take care of him.

Sheng Hong happened to be arranging Hualan's marriage, and had gained the flattery and "admiration" of the sickly beauty Wei Shuyi. He was in high spirits, and thinking of the hardships Wei Shuyi had experienced in the previous winter, he thought about it for a moment and agreed.

At the same time, Sheng Hong also roughly understood in his heart that Xiaodie was probably wrongly accused of hiding the charcoal, otherwise Wei Shuyi would not have wanted to recruit the maid named Xiaodie back into the family.

And the messenger of the Lord was probably his beloved Shuang'er.

Back then, Sheng Hong believed what Lin Qinshuang said because he was partial to her.

Now that Wei Shuyi had squeezed into his mind, Sheng Hong couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied with what Lin Qinshuang had done.

But that’s all in the past.

Sheng Hong didn't want to cause trouble to Lin Qinshuang about this matter. After all, he was just driving away a maid and couldn't do anything to Lin Qinshuang.

As for the rest, Sheng Hong no longer planned to think about it.

The past is the past, Sheng Hong just wants to live well in the present.

And when the Sheng family found Xiaodie.

She was doing menial work such as washing and mending, but she had kept the silver bracelet that Wei Shuyi had left her and had not pawned it.

When the master and servant who had been separated for many years met again, it was naturally a tear-jerking scene.

And like orchid.

Because Wang Ruofu and Old Madam Sheng became closer and closer and often went to Shou'an Hall to talk, when she learned needlework in the afternoon, she did not follow Mama Liu, but learned from Mama Fang together with Minglan.

Molan did not receive such treatment.

She could only go back to her own Linqi Pavilion and be with Lin Qinshuang, doing needlework while feeling envious and jealous.

There are five people from three generations in Shou'an Hall, and it is not enough for them to just talk and learn needlework.

So the two little ones couldn't sit still, one went to persuade the old lady, and the other went to instigate Wang Ruofu, and finally they pulled Hualan to the table together and formed a mahjong table.

The three adults and the two children got together and took turns to give each other advice.

This is why Hualan was so angry.

If the two adults lose, they lose.

But you two little ones, with my mahjong experience at the Yang family and in the madams' circle, couldn't actually beat me?
So after fulfilling some of Yang Wenyuan's requests last night, Hua Lan successfully obtained the true scriptures.

Let’s prepare to avenge our previous shame today!
But of course there is no free time in the morning because the girls all have to study.

Therefore, Hualan's "revenge plan" would have to wait until noon when Minglan and Rulan got out of school. Moreover, if her needlework was not finished, she would still have no free time.

I can only hope that the two little ones didn’t slack off last night, otherwise Hualan’s revenge plan will have to be postponed for another day.

Shengjia Book School.

When Yang Wenyuan walked into the house, he immediately felt a wave of heat coming towards him.

In view of Princess Pingning's wealth, the school also installed floor heating, which was heated in advance.

Yang Wenyuan looked up.

inside the house.

The scholar Zhuang, who was sitting at the top, was lying on his side on a valuable blanket in front of the desk, pounding his head with one hand and shaking it from time to time.

Apparently, the house that was as warm as spring in this winter made an old man like Zhuang Xuejiu drowsy. He was taking a nap while his students were not all here yet.

On the seat below.

The sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law of the Sheng family have all arrived.

Minglan and Rulan huddled together and chattered in low voices, occasionally glancing at Zhuang Xuejiu in front of them, and seeing that no one noticed, they continued to talk happily in low voices.

I wonder if he was reviewing the glorious performance of the two yesterday?
Chang Feng was also resting his head and dozing off.

I don’t know if I was too tired last night.

Changbai sat upright at the table, holding the textbook and reading silently.

Molan, who was not far away, was also holding a textbook, but she didn't read. Instead, she looked towards the entrance.

When he saw that the person coming was Yang Wenyuan, he looked a little embarrassed and lowered his head hurriedly. After Yang Wenyuan left, he raised his head and looked around again.

Not long after, Gu Tingye and Qi Heng arrived almost at the same time.

Seeing this, Molan quickly straightened her clothes, sat up straight, and imitated Changbai, reading silently in a low voice.

Gu Tingye went and sat down in his seat.

There was still some redness on his face and his breathing was heavier than usual. He must have come here after doing morning exercises at home.

The first thing Qi Heng did when he entered the room was to look up at the women.

As there was no screen blocking his view through the door, he could see clearly what was happening over there with the women.

at the same time.

Minglan, who was talking to Rulan, and Molan, who was "studying hard", both looked towards the door at the same time.

When their eyes met, they all nodded shyly and greeted each other, then lowered their heads silently.

When Qi Heng saw the person he loved looking at him, he suddenly felt enlightened and immediately responded with a smile. For a moment, he couldn't help but stood there and started grinning foolishly.

"Cough cough!"

Zhuang Xuejiu stood up at some point, coughed lightly, and said calmly:

"Since we are all here, let's each take out yesterday's homework."

Upon hearing this, Qi Heng smiled awkwardly at Mr. Zhuang and quickly returned to his seat.

Molan looked pleased and put down the book in her hand.

Minglan immediately restrained her expression and busied herself helping Rulan turn around and sit down.

While everyone was taking their homework and books out of the study box, Master Zhuang ordered the maid to open the doors and windows around the school, which instantly lifted the spirits of everyone in the room.

"Isn't it just right to study on this cold day?" Zhuang Xuejiu was a little dissatisfied.

But since the host Sheng Hong had no objection, Zhuang Xuejiu was helpless.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Xuejiu looked at the heaters that suddenly appeared in the four corners of the room.

"I just opened the window and there was a heater..."

Needless to say, this was the work of Princess Pingning.

(End of this chapter)