Winters in Kyoto are cold, and by late October, water is already freezing into ice.

  The second daughter of the Liang family, Liang Youhui, posted a note to Shen Muqing on a cold and windy day, asking her to come home and play.

  Li held the large red sticker sprinkled with gold powder, smiling at Shen Muqing who was curled up on her own kang: "It's so cold today, you'd better not go. Wait until spring arrives and the weather warms up a bit, then invite Liang's daughter to go for an outing together!"

  How can this be?

  She met Liang Youhui for a reason.

  Besides, she has been gazed at by Du's expectant eyes every day during this period, and it really feels like sitting on pins and needles.

  Shen Mu Qing busily shook his head: "I think she's quite all right, since she posted a note for me, I'll go take a look!"

  Mr. Li thought for a moment, smiled and said: "Since you want to go, then go and have fun for a day!" He called Wang's mother over and personally instructed Shen Muqing on the etiquette of going out, what gifts to bring, what to wear that day, etc.

  Shen Mu Qing was so shocked that his tongue was tied.

  Mr. Li saw her and solemnly warned her: "The Liang family is also very particular in the Duke's house, you can't be careless!"

  Shen Mu Qing nodded repeatedly.

  Ms Li also instructed her many details.

  The next morning, Shen Muqing got dressed and went to pay his respects to Mrs. Li.

  Just after drinking the sweet and creamy milk tea, a little maid came in to report: "People from the Liang Mansion have come to take the young lady away."

  Shen Mu Qing finished drinking the lily and red date porridge in her bowl and was about to get off the kang.

  Li grabbed her: "Look at you, monkeying around... Since they're being so formal over there, we can't lose our manners either - Auntie Wang will invite them to have tea. What's the hurry?"

  Shen Muqing suddenly remembered that he didn't have to follow time.

  She smiled awkwardly.

  Mr. Li smiled and said, "Do you like the second daughter of the Liang family very much?"

  "She's a very sincere person!"

  Li nodded with a smile.

  After finishing breakfast, Mrs. Li had someone invite in the two mothers from the Liang family.

  The two men who came were surnamed Zhou and Wang, both in their forties, with jet-black hair combed neatly back, wearing celadon earrings, dressed in a dark green satin jacket, with a light dusting of powder on their faces, standing straight as a pen, looking very spirited.

  Two people greeted Li and Shen Muqing, Li let someone give a reward, said a few words of courtesy, and Wang's mother accompanied the two mothers to send Shen Muqing onto the carriage.

  The Liang family lived in a four-courtyard house on Tiantan Sweet Water Well Hutong, Nanxunfang, which was only separated from the imperial palace by a narrow street. It was bestowed upon them by Emperor Taizong of the Great Zhou Dynasty when the capital was established. The neighbors were all high-ranking officials, nobles and royal relatives. Ordinary families could not afford to live in this area, no matter how much money they had.

  Shen Muqing first went to pay her respects to Old Madam Liang.

  The old lady was over seventy years old, with a head full of silver hair, her face as rosy and delicate as an infant's, wearing a pink-bottomed five-clawed longevity dress, under the service of the maidservants, teasing the birds in the birdcage under the eaves.

  As soon as Shen Muqing walked in, the old lady handed over the thin green bamboo stick in her hand to a woman in her forties with a pearl hairpin and wearing a pink plain jacket.

  "This must be the young lady from the Shen family!" The old madam's eyes were filled with affection as she looked at Shen Muqing, "Our Young Master Hui has been praising you nonstop since he returned. Today, seeing you in person, our Young Master Hui wasn't exaggerating at all - you're truly a beautiful young woman like a flower!"

  The woman with the bamboo pole smiled and echoed Madame Tai: "Who says it isn't?"

  Shen Mu Qing hurriedly stepped forward and paid his respects.

  The old lady helped her up with her own hands, holding hers and said: "Look at this small hand, it's cold, hurry inside the house." As she spoke, she pulled her into the house.

  The old lady lived in a three-room house with one bright and two dark rooms. In the center of the main room, there was a twelve-leafed screen made of chicken-wing wood with an ivory-inlaid picture of farming scenes. In front of the screen stood a bed with a canopy made of purple sandalwood, surrounded by a railing inlaid with mother-of-pearl and characters for "ten thousand". On either side of the bed stood a pair of sheep-horn-shaped palace lamps. On either side of the bed were placed two rose chairs made of purple sandalwood, covered with half-new, half-old green satin cushions.

  The old lady pulled Shen Muqing to sit on the arhat bed, but Shen Muqing saw that there was no small table on the arhat bed and knew it was a single seat, so she didn't dare to sit down. After repeated excuses, she sat in the rose chair below the old lady's head. The forty-year-old woman stood behind the old lady.

  A little maid in green livery brought up tea.

  Following Shen Muqing, Qi Mama came forward and greeted Tai Furen before presenting Li's gift.

  The forty-year-old woman accepted Qi Mama's gift.

  Liu Mei, Zhu Qi, Ying Fen and Ming Xia also paid their respects to Tai Furen.

  Madam Tai asked anxiously about Li's illness, what medicine she usually took, and whether the cold weather had brought any changes to her condition. Shen Muqing respectfully replied to Madam Tai's words, thanking the Liang family for sending medicine.

  Everyone was talking when they heard a commotion outside.

  Shen Mu Qing looked up and saw Liang You Hui rushing in wearing a moon-white cloud-patterned embroidered jacket with a plain white skirt.

  "Mu Qing, you've arrived so quickly!" Her face was filled with joy that she couldn't conceal.

  Shen Muqing was infected by her emotions, and the solemnity and seriousness of seeing elders immediately became unimportant.

  She smiled at Liang Youhui.

  "You child, can't you learn from Shen Niang?" Old Lady Ta scolded Liang Youhui with a smile. "Look at Shen Niang, her manners are elegant and calm, her actions are dignified and composed, her demeanor is majestic..."

  Deeply moved and ashamed, I am covered in sweat.

  She had always been well-behaved in front of her elders, but she never thought that Madame would compare herself to Liang Youhui.

  Fortunately, Liang Youhui didn't mind at all, and smiled as she hugged Shen Muqing's shoulder: "So I want to be with Shen sister often, this way, I can also be elegant in demeanor, dignified in behavior, and gracious in manner like her!"

  Everyone in the house burst out laughing.

  Then a cold voice sternly said: "Don't you hurry up and pay respects to your grandmother."

  As soon as the noise subsided, a truly elegant and refined lady, Mrs. Feng, walked in with a dignified demeanor, while Liang Youhui, upon hearing her voice, immediately became obedient like Sun Dasheng who had been cast with a tight mantra, and respectfully paid his respects to Madame Feng, then stood by her side with his hands hanging down.

  Shen Mu Qing stood up and bent his knees to pay respects to Lady Feng.

  The woman in her forties standing behind Madame Tai also bent her knees and paid respects to Madame Feng, calling out "Madame".

  Feng nodded coldly at the woman, but showed a very kind and gentle smile to Shen Muqing: "Xiaohui is the youngest, spoiled by us, don't laugh, Shen!"

  Shen Mu Qing secretly found it strange, guessing the identity of the woman on one hand and responding to Feng Shi: "Liang sister is straightforward and naive, I am envious, what joke can be said."

  Old Lady listened and winked at Liang Youhui with a very cute expression.

  Shen Mu Qing immediately took a liking to the lady of the Liang household.

  Mrs. Feng greeted Mrs. Li and sat down in the rose chair opposite Shen Muqing, and the maids changed the tea again. Then Mrs. Feng asked Mrs. Li, "Has your medicine been used up? I was just going to send some winter clothes to Master Hou these days, if the medicine is not much left, it's just right to let someone bring some back."

  Shen Mu Qing thanked Feng Shi and bluntly asked her to help bring back some Tian Shan Snow Lotus.

  Feng nodded, and had just exchanged a few pleasantries with Shen Muqing when Liang Youhui, who was growing impatient, chimed in: "Mother, Grandmother must have already asked you all these things, right?" As she spoke, she also shook Madame Feng's arm. "You don't need to ask, I have something else to discuss with Shen!"

  Old Lady nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes. Who wants to accompany the elderly and talk, tired to death! Yu Ying, don't ask anymore, let the young ladies go shopping together."

  Feng's face darkened, while Liang Youhui revealed a triumphant smile.

  She smiled and winked at Shen Muqing.

  Shen Mu Qing strongly restrained her smile and lowered her eyelids - she was afraid that Feng Shi would see her smiling and think that she had lost her dignity in front of a younger generation.

  The house was silent for a long time. After a while, Shen Muqing finally heard Feng's slightly trembling voice: "Well, Shen Niang doesn't come often. Yu Hui, take Shen Niang to your room and sit down!"

  Is this a helpless compromise!

  Shen Mu Qing secretly smiled in her heart.

  Liang Youhui responded with a loud "yes" and hastily pulled Shen Muqing to give a quick greeting to Madame Fu and Mrs. Feng before rushing out.

  The courtyard of Liang's mansion is somewhat old-fashioned in its layout, but it has a simple and dignified beauty, with tall trees and an air of antiquity that is quite impressive.

  Shen Muqing looked around and asked, "Who is the lady behind Madame?"

  "Ah, it's Liu Niang!" exclaimed Liang Youhui with a smile.

  Shen Mu was taken aback and wanted to ask Liang Youhui: Is that the Liu aunt who gave birth to a son and daughter for the Liang family?

  Liáng Yòu Huì seemed to have seen through her thoughts and covered her mouth with a smile, saying: "She is the birth mother of my elder brother and sister."

  It seems that she doesn't match the beautiful aunt image in her mind at all! Her facial features, temperament, clothes, and grooming are all very ordinary. Shen Muqing even thought she was a respectable housekeeper of the Liang family.

  "Isn't it strange!" Liang Youhui laughed and said.

  "A bit!" Shen Muqing nodded very frankly.

  "Everyone who meets her for the first time is just like you!" Liang Youhui smiled and said, "However, she's a very good person, with a gentle temper, and both I and my grandmother like her very much."

  Since she can stay in this house for a long time, there must be something special about her.

  Shen Muqing didn't want to talk more about Liang Youhui's family affairs, so she changed the subject and chatted with her about the unusually cold weather recently.

  Before long, they arrived at Liang Youhui's residence.

  It was a small courtyard with two black lacquered doors, and a grape arbor at the entrance. Under the arbor were stone tables and stools. The main house had three rooms, with green glazed tiles on the roof and pillars, but the paint wasn't very bright. However, the colorful paintings were exquisite, and above the front door hung a pair of green silk curtains.

  Liang Youhui stood on the rock, pointing to the black-based silver plaque on the door frame: "Do you see this? This is the handwriting of the previous emperor, awarded to my great-great-grandfather, and it has been hanging here for almost 80 years, even older than my grandmother."

  "New Bamboo Half Cottage!"

  Liang Youhui nodded.

  "What does it mean? Why is there such an inscription?"

  (Sunday, unexpectedly asked to work overtime...... Fortunately, there is a computer in the office, otherwise I would have broken my promise...... Wooooo......)