In less than two days, Mrs. Hu came again with Hu Jie to pay a visit.

  This time it was early in the morning and they talked for half of the morning.

  "Do you still remember the old lady of Yong Xi Hou Fu?" asked Mrs. Hu with a smile to Song Dang'er, "The other day when I went to pay my respects, she mentioned you and Seventh Miss. She said that the miss who was born in the same year, month and day as our family's Jie'er is indeed someone with a destined connection. If we have time tomorrow, shall we go visit her?"

  Song Pan'er narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment.

  She is not familiar with the Hu family.

  That year, Old Lady Hu's birthday banquet was because Eldest Sister was ill, so she let Song Tuan'er take Gu Jinzhi there.

  Then, Gu Jinzi splashed a face of tea water on Hu Jie.

  People from Hu's family went to accuse Gu's family, and Madame asked Song Tuan'er to say a few words to Gu Jin.

  Song Pan'er was furious and said that the child of the Hu family was rude first.

  The lady saw she was about to get angry, so she stopped talking and comforted her with a few kind words.

  Then, I remembered the Yong Xi Hou Fu with hatred in my heart.

  After that, it never happened again.

  The Hu family has never invited her either.

  Then he went to Jiangnan.

  "Old lady has a good memory." Song Pan'er said, "I'm afraid she remembers the time when my sister and Miss Hu got into a fight?"

  Mrs. Hu felt unwell for a while.

  Song Paner is indeed calculating everywhere.

  "My two kids at home can't be left alone for a moment. How would I have time to go out and stroll around?" Song Pantou said again, "You help me greet the old lady."

  Then he smiled and said, "You haven't seen those two kids of mine yet, have you?"

  Mrs. Hu smiled awkwardly and said no.

  She hasn't given gifts yet.

  Song Pan'er had the maid call for the wet nurse and bring out both Yu'ge'r and Jin'ge'r to show to Madame Hu.

  Little brother Xi is very cute, more than two months old, he's already a bit chubby, with plump cheeks that seem to be about to fall off. Little brother Yi cries and fusses all day, eats little, and remains thin, looking not even half as good as brother Xi.

  Mrs. Hu praised them and took out two small pouches from her bag, giving one to each of the children.

  Jian Song Pan'er was still thinking about past events and didn't want to get up for the Hu family, so Mrs. Hu had no choice but to bid farewell and leave.

  Before leaving, Song Pan'er politely said: "Come and sit down often. We've been in Yanling Prefecture for five or six years, our relationship is not ordinary. I'm not feeling well, I dare not go out, if I catch a cold it's over. When spring arrives and it warms up, I'll come to your place again."

  There was some affection at first.

  Ever since Hu Jie fell ill, Mrs. Hu has exhausted all her good impressions.

  Song Pan'er is now just superficially affectionate towards her, how could Mrs. Hu not know?

  "She smiled and said: 'Then don't think I'm bothering you. From now on, I'll be coming here often.'"

  "I like it even more." Song Xuaner smiled.

  After seeing off Mrs. Hu and Hu Jie, Song Pan'er played with the children for a while. Feeling tired herself, she went back to her room to take a short nap of two hours.

  She didn't tell Gu Jinzhi about this either.

  Madam Hu couldn't persuade Song Pan'er, so the next day she went to the Yongxi Hou Mansion and tactfully conveyed Song Pan'er's message: "She's eager to come, but her body isn't well. At her age, having twins has taken a great toll on her. She says that even a slight chill outside leaves her feeling weak all over, so it's not suitable for her to move around now. Please forgive her, Old Madam. When spring arrives and the weather warms up, she'll come to pay her respects."

  Mrs. Hu had always been clever in front of Old Lady Hu and Madame Hu, whether this was true or false, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo from the Yong Xi Marquis's household didn't think deeply about it.

  "Thank you for your hard work. Why don't you stay and have dinner with us today? Just now, someone brought in a wild pheasant from outside..."

  Mrs. Hu declined.

  The lady of Yong Xi Hou was genuinely reluctant to let her go.

  In the end, she had no choice but to stay and have a meal with Old Lady Hu and Mrs. Hu before returning home.

  Compared with Yong Xi Hou Fu, compared with the house where Song Pan'er lives now, the Hu family's courtyard in Beijing is really cramped and pitiful.

  It's just a small siheyuan, with about ten rooms in the front and back, sons, daughters, Hu Ze Yu couple, and a house full of servants and maids, crowded to the point where you can't even turn around.

  "......Zhuo'er should also get married soon." Madam Hu sighed and said to Hu Ze Yu, "When the time comes for the daughter-in-law to enter our household, this courtyard is so small, what can we do? We really shouldn't have come back from Yanling Fu."

  Their house in Yangling Mansion was not considered top-notch, but it was spacious and had a good atmosphere.

  Now back in Beijing, this house is narrow and small, everywhere inferior to others.

  "Don't think so far ahead!" Hu Zeyi laughed and said, "Zhuo still doesn't have any achievements. Once he makes a name for himself, naturally what should be his will be his."

  Hu Ze Yu still had some land and savings in his hands. If his son really wanted to get married, he could afford to buy another big house.

  It's just not necessary now, so I don't want to waste this money.

  Hu Zhuo failed in this year's imperial examination and didn't even pass as a xiucai.

  He studied hard and his homework was solid, often praised by the teacher. Every time Hu Ze Yu tested Hu Zhuo, Hu Zhuo's answers were brilliant, and for a scholar like him, it was almost a sure thing to pass with flying colors.

  But just before the exam, the child caught a cold and had a fever.

  He was still burning when he got on the exam venue, didn't know what was going on, and fainted as soon as he left the exam venue.

  Whenever Hu Ze thought about it, he felt that Hu Zhuo was unlucky and his heart ached with every thought.

  Whenever Hu Zhuo was mentioned, Mrs. Hu would also fall silent.

  It's not that Zhuo didn't work hard, it's just that God didn't want to help...

  ——*——*——*——

  When Mrs. Hu left the Yongxi Hou Mansion, she smiled and said to the old lady: "Really want to get along with Song's family, I'm not at ease in my heart. It is said that she is extremely jealous and does not care about her dignity..."

  She said Song Pan'er is a shrewish woman from the streets.

  The old lady thought for a moment and didn't say anything.

  "Ah, yes... that Seventh Miss who splashed hot tea on Bi'er's face is also not someone you'd want to associate with."

  "You mind how you get along with them!" Old Lady Hu said to her daughter-in-law with a smile. "The Empress Dowager likes them, so flatter them a bit and maintain some relationship. What's wrong with that? I heard that Seventh Miss has excellent medical skills, maybe we'll need her in the future. Lay down more roads, and there will always be a way to go."

  In those years, Master Hou looked down on the young masters of East Street, saying that they were from lowly families and only knew how to fawn and flatter.

  I said that the child would speak and have a good eye for the future, so I gave him a few taels of silver to help. He was grateful. Now, isn't it true that he has become an official? His governance in Yanling Prefecture is even praised by the Emperor. It's said that Lord Hou's cousin recommended him with merit and also rewarded Lord Hou once.

  Dong Jie's Xiao Zi refers to Hu Ze Yu.

  Hu Zaiyu's father lived on Dong Street behind Yongxi Hou Mansion at that time.

  Madam Hu smiled: "You have a broad vision, how can the daughter-in-law compare? Otherwise, I'll personally send an invitation and invite the mother and daughter of the Gu family?"

  Madam Hu smiled and said slowly, "There's no need to lift them up like that! Nowadays, it's just the Empress Dowager who likes them. How many years can she like them for? After a few days, they'll fade away. Maybe they'll even be forgotten. They don't have any real background after all. If people from our family lower their heads to invite them, they won't know how heavy their own bones are! First, they become arrogant and think we're trying to curry favor with them..."

  Mrs. Hu hastily agreed.

  In the evening, Yong Xi Hou Hu Zehan returned from his morning court session.

  He came to pay his respects to the old lady, still with a face full of anger.

  Madam Hu asked him: "Who has offended Master Hou?"

  The old lady also looked worried.

  Yong Xi Hou said with a hateful tone: "Isn't it Gu Yanwu again! He's simply unreasonable!"

  "What's wrong with Minister Gu?" the old lady asked with a smile, "You are now also the Minister of Justice, making such a big fuss, the Emperor will say you're not steady."

  Yong Xi Hou took a big gulp of tea, calming down the anger in his heart before speaking in a measured tone. "The Magistrate of Shun Tian Fu has passed away and been buried. The Emperor asked me to recommend a new Magistrate. I originally suggested my own candidate to the Emperor, who seemed to agree. But this morning at court, the appointment was announced, and it turned out to be someone recommended by Gu Yan Tao!"

  Shuntian Prefecture is different from other provincial prefectures.

  The governor of Shuntian Prefecture was personally selected by the emperor, although it is difficult to become an official. However, achievements are easily seen by the emperor, and with a little merit, one can be promoted to enter the Six Ministries.

  This is an excellent springboard.

  The former governor was Xia Shoufu's man.

  Xia Shoufu does not know how many disciples he promoted into the Six Ministries through Shuntian Prefecture.

  Now Xia Shouyi is ill, and Guo Yanwei has not yet become the chief assistant, he began to secretly place his people in the court.

  Yong Xi Hou was the Minister of Justice, and Shun Tian Fu was originally promised to one of his own students.

  Now he not only loses face in front of his own students but also becomes a laughing stock among high-ranking officials.

  "I am at odds with the Gu family!" Duke Yong Xi shouted in anger.

  Then, his stomach started rumbling loudly.

  He hastily got up, apologized and went to the bathroom.

  The old lady was puzzled and looked at her daughter-in-law in surprise: "What's wrong with Master Hou?"

  Madam Hu sighed and said, "Yesterday, I drank outside and ate something unclean. Last night, I vomited once and got up twice. This morning before court, I said that at noon if nothing happens, I'll go to the imperial hospital to take medicine. I'm afraid it's not getting better yet..."

  Diarrhea is no big deal.

  The old lady's heart was put at ease: "Master Hou is almost forty years old, and he doesn't care about drinking outside. You should advise him to take better care of himself. If he really likes qin music, he can keep two musicians at home, what's the harm in that?"

  Madam Hu repeatedly said: "In the future, I will often advise Master Hou."

  The old lady nodded slightly.

  Listening to Yong Xi Hou's tone, there was another conflict with Gu Yanwu on court affairs.

  So, I'll have to put it off for now if three rooms of family members and daughters come to visit.

  Yong Xi Hou went to the toilet and didn't come back for half a day.

  Madam Hu thought of something and said to Old Madam, "That girl from East Street, I saw her the other day, she's becoming more and more attractive. My nephew from my mother's side is also at the age where he should be getting married, I was just thinking of asking you..."

  Old Lady Hu snorted coldly: "What's with the 'Ah Mao Ah Gou' nonsense? Are you also going to entrust your daughter to her maternal family? That Wei'er, I've been supporting her since she was a child. Now that this young master is an official and relies on the Marquis, I'm worried that our clan doesn't have any good-looking daughters to use. I want to use hers, but you're giving her to your maternal nephew, saying it's a match made in heaven."

  Mrs. Hu's face suddenly turned red, and she said in a low voice, "Yes."

  ——*——*——*——

  Sorry again for the delay, tonight's update will be on time.

  Thank you for luna_s and 熱戀^^'s reward

  Second update asking for pink tickets, muah!