The worst is the next cousin

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, Mao Xiaofei couldn't bear it anymore. He got up before dawn and tidied himself up.The robes on his body were just made, and they were all arranged by Steward Chen. The tailor came to measure them on the first day, and they were rushed out the next day, even the two brothers Boshan had considered.

It cannot be said that Mu Shen was not thoughtful.

But it's already the fourth day of the lunar new year, and Mu Canshang hasn't come back yet.Is this throwing him here to the sidelines or something? They didn't send anyone over to say anything.

Mao Xiaofei couldn't sit still anymore, Bo Shanxi and his two brothers went to his room to discuss, and agreed that Mu Canshang might have been detained in the house by the old general and his wife.

"Brother, don't blame me for being straightforward. In Shangqi, it's nothing new for a man to marry a man, but Qingxi doesn't have this rule. Either Mu Canshang didn't have the guts to tell his father when he went back, or he told him and was caught by his parents. Detained. You can't go to Mu's house rashly, you should ask someone first. Since the housekeeper was left by Mu Canshang, why not ask him first."

This makes sense, Uncle Chen was originally the person Mu Canshang left behind to take orders from him.

So Mao Xiaofei didn't say anything, and sent a boy to invite Uncle Chen to come over.

During the waiting time, Mao Xiaofei kept holding on to a teacup, staring at the blue and white flowers on the teacup in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking, with an ugly expression on his face.

"Brother, don't worry too much. It's only the fourth day of the first lunar month. Isn't the Chinese New Year at home going to the fifteenth? Maybe nothing happened, but his parents want to keep him for a few more days." Bo Shanxi said again.

Mao Xiaofei's face turned ashen.

He knew that he shouldn't think about those messy things, Mu Canshang was different from Yan Ningrong, Yan Ningrong never liked him from the beginning, and the two had no emotional communication.From the very beginning, he was a dispensable pawn for Yan Ningrong to get rid of the imperial court.But Mu Canshang is different, this is his own choice, they have lived and died together several times, the knife is not in vain, not to mention, Mu Canshang intends to get rid of him, there are too many opportunities along the way, there is no need to travel thousands of miles with great fanfare It was only when Qingxi brought him back to Qingxi that they said that they were not suitable.It doesn't make sense at all.

Uncle Chen came soon, Mao Xiaofei didn't ask him to sit down, and his face was deliberately stern.

"Uncle Chen."

When Mao Xiaofei was speaking, Housekeeper Chen raised his head slightly. He was thin and thin, and his face was thin, and he seemed indifferent when talking to anyone.

"What are your orders, sir?"

Mao Xiaofei didn't go around in circles with him: "When will your young master come back?"

"I don't know either." A trace of surprise flashed across Chen Butler's face, he never expected Mao Xiaofei to be so impatient and so direct.

"Then you just figure it out, when will you figure it out?" Mao Xiaofei's tone was not good, it's not that he wanted to show his prestige, he had also been a servant before, and he knew the trick of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.If you don't ask, no one will take the initiative to tell you. You can't ask too gently, otherwise no one will answer you.If it wasn't for the anxious wait, there was no news for so many days, the general's mansion is not like ordinary people, and the water is deep, if something happened to Mu's house.

Immediately Mao Xiaofei denied this idea, no matter how he was not his own, Enrong, half of the Mu family, still counted on this adopted son.

A gleam flashed in Chen Steward's eyes, he paused, and said, "I'll send someone to inquire immediately, and I'll call you back in the afternoon."

Seeing that his attitude is so good, he definitely can't say anything embarrassing. Mao Xiaofei's complexion improved a little, and he waved his hand: "Then you go and do it right away, and tell me immediately if there is any situation, Uncle Chen, I won't keep it from you, I don't know Mu How did the merchant tell you, but I followed him here to live with him, otherwise I wouldn’t have to follow him all the way. His business is my business. If there is any unexpected situation, we will definitely Let's deal with it together. Send someone to find out what's going on right away. When he left on New Year's Eve, he said that he would try to come back that night. After so many days, no one came to pass the message. I'm really worried. It's not polite. , Uncle Chen, please take care of me."

Butler Chen is older than Mao Xiaofei, since he is in charge of Mu Canshang's entire family, he must be trusted by Mu Canshang.After Mao Xiaofei said this, he let him go down after seeing his approval.

So Mao Xiaofei still held back that day, taking care of the children at Mu Canshang's house, and he didn't say anything to Fu Dong.After taking a nap, the child clamored to go out for a walk, and Mao Xiaofei, who was upset, thought about going out too, or he would really be bored.The advantage of a big house is that it is spacious to live in, and you feel comfortable in your heart. The disadvantage is that once the person you are talking to is not there, it will be terribly empty.In fact, Mao Xiaofei could tell that although the people in this mansion were respectful to him, most of them were still curious, probably wondering why their master brought a man back.

Moreover, Mao Xiaofei also regretted it a bit. Before Mu Canshang could say anything, he said that to Steward Chen.

But if you don't say that, Uncle Chen won't tell him if there is something important. After all, he is a "friend". For ordinary friends, what decision does the old general of the Mu family make? As a servant of the Mu family, he can Tell you an outsider? You can only let Steward Chen treat him as a suspected "insider".

Thinking so disturbedly, Mao Xiaofei carried Fu Dong to the backyard of the Mu Mansion, which was about to catch up with the imperial garden of Shangqi Palace.When I first became Princess Anyang, I was lucky enough to visit once.

In the backyard of Mu Canshang, there is a large lake with a pavilion on the lake and gardens at both ends, and the gardens are connected to each other.This layout is much more magnificent than the Anyang Palace, mainly because the Anyang Palace did not dig such a large lake.

A few boys were knocking on the ice by the lake with pennies, and some other maids were lying on the railing to watch, asking them, "How is it, is it frozen?"

"It's very strong, it can reach three feet, and it's okay if you all come down to play." One of the boys replied loudly. When the boy saw Mao Xiaofei, the one under his feet couldn't stand firmly, and he fell down on the ice with his buttocks. It swirled and slid forward for a long time.

Now everyone discovered Mao Xiaofei.

"My lord." The maidservants looked at each other, as if a little at a loss.

"What are you playing?" Mao Xiaofei walked over with Fu Dong in his arms.

"It snowed heavily a few days ago, and the young master wasn't there. I have nothing to do in the middle of the year. I want to go skating in the lake." The voice of the servant girl became smaller and smaller, and she kept her head down and dared not raise her head to look at people.

"What is skating? I want to do it too. Is it fun?" Fu Dong exclaimed happily, about to break free from Mao Xiaofei's arms.

"Well, I'm afraid I won't be able to play today, my little master. I need to wear special shoes for this ice play. How about playing with us after I make shoes for my little master?" A maid in a green skirt bent down and spoke softly to Fu Dong. say.

Fu Dong was a little dazed watching it. The maid explained it a second time before she came back to her senses. Although she was a little sleepy, she agreed to play again in a few days.

Mao Xiaofei hugged Fu Dong and asked him to watch the maidservants ice skating by the lake. They were all slender, obviously they often played this in winter, they were as light as a swallow on the ice, and their skirts were different from what they usually saw. Corresponding ribbons to the skirts hang down in various colors, and as the person moves, the ribbons also flutter high in the violently floating air, and for a while they are as light and nimble as a fairy.

Back in the room, Fu Dong called for someone to make skating shoes for him. Mao Xiaofei was so troubled by him that he had a headache, and just as he was about to go out to find someone, someone came to his door.

When he opened the door, it was the woman who helped coax the child in the afternoon, and Mao Xiaofei heaved a sigh of relief.

The maid gave a blessing and said she was here to measure Fu Dong.

Fu Dong was so happy that he almost jumped up and hugged the girl, scaring Mao Xiaofei to hold him down hard.The noise lasted until night, Mao Xiaofei couldn't concentrate on thinking about Mu Canshang all day long, until he coaxed Fu Dong to bed and fell asleep.

It's still early, before the arrival of Hai.

Mao Xiaofei went out and found someone to take him to Butler Chen.

Butler Chen lived in another courtyard, not far from the courtyard where the study was located.The boy was leading the way with a lantern in front, and the faint white light of the lantern could only illuminate a small area of ​​ground under his feet. The slightly shaking white light stayed on a door carved with two birds playing in spring, and the boy went to knock on the door.

Subtle light shines through the window paper.

After a while, I heard a noise in the room.

The boy turned his head and licked the corners of his lips towards Mao Xiaofei as a signal.

Mao Xiaofei waited patiently, and after a while, the door opened.

Seeing that it was Mao Xiaofei, Housekeeper Chen was surprised for a moment. His long robe was draped over his shoulders and was not fastened. He was obviously planning to go to bed.Because he was thin, when the door was opened and the wind passed, his robe seemed to bulge a little.

It was only then that Mao Xiaofei saw clearly that this Steward Chen was actually a very honest man.

The room did not have the fragrance of Mao Xiaofei's residence, the air was crisp and cold, and the window on the other side was not closed, allowing the cold wind to leak in.

If Mao Xiaofei chooses, he doesn't want a big man's residence to be incensed, but he is too embarrassed to drive away those girls who are used to it. It turns out that not all rooms in this house are incensed.

There is a small charcoal basin, but it is not silver charcoal, which is a little inferior.

The furnishings in the room are very simple, except for the bed and wardrobe, there is only a desk, a row of bookshelves, an account book spread out on the desk case, and the beads are half allocated.

"Uncle Chen is busy?" Mao Xiaofei found a low stool and sat down with his legs crossed, just like a porter.

"It's not too busy, I'm already planning to rest." Chen Butler said as he put away the ledger and put it into a pile of ledgers piled up beside him. The still wet wolf hair was cleaned and hung up on the pen holder, and the slender figure with the brush shook slightly.

"Did Uncle Chen send someone to inquire about it?" Seeing that Steward Chen didn't intend to bring it up, Mao Xiaofei took the initiative himself.

Chen Butler's hand paused, and when he let go, the second pen obviously shook more than before.Afterwards, Housekeeper Chen raised his head and looked directly at Mao Xiaofei: "The young master said that he has not been at home for the New Year in the past two years. After the year, the emperor will have a new order for him to lead the army. He may not be able to return home for several years, so let him stay for a few more days." .”

Mao Xiaofei nodded. It is very reasonable that the mother and child love each other deeply, but he continued to ask: "How many days?"

"We have to stay until after the Lantern Festival, and we can only come back after receiving His Majesty's decree." Steward Chen avoided Mao Xiaofei's sight.

Mao Xiaofei grumbled, rubbed his chin, stood up, and patted his robe in a numb manner: "The next day after the Lantern Festival, according to my menu, buy more vegetables, and I will make a table for him, so that He ate to his heart's content, and we also had a good reunion."

Butler Chen said yes with a light smile.

Mao Xiaofei walked to the door, Chen Butler followed him all the way, the door opened, and the wind swept in.

In an instant, Mao Xiaofei turned his head, and patted Steward Chen on the shoulder with a warm smile: "I'm here today, Uncle Chen, and we will have a meal together at that time. I think Mu Canshang also trusts Uncle Chen very much, and I'm afraid he will treat you as an elder on weekdays. You Don't work too hard, rest early, your body is important."

After Mao Xiaofei left, Steward Chen stood on the door for a while.

His slightly sunken eyes revealed deep fatigue, and he remembered what the servant said in the afternoon: "The young master received a family law, and he had a high fever last night, and he still hasn't woken up. Dare to ask again."

How difficult is it for a man to get married and live a life? Steward Chen didn't dare to think about it at all, but secretly said, Shangqi is really a magical country, and such a thing that violates the way of heaven dares to be done by the whole country. This battle is like It's God Bless Qingxi.

In the yard, the dry and thin branches that had lost all their leaves trembled in the wind. Steward Chen heaved a sigh of relief and closed the door.