Flowers in full bloom

Chapter 295: Lord Pei Returns to Beijing

Hua Lei looked at the people in the main room, feeling somewhat helpless. She took the teapot on the table and poured a refill of tea for each of them.

Rong Jin picked up the teacup and said, "Sister Hua, if any relatives of the Marquis' Mansion use the name of the Marquis' Mansion or my name to embarrass you in the future, you don't have to consider the face of the Marquis' Mansion and me. Just do what you should do. I will always stand by you."

Rong Jin's face was red. Hua Lei looked at Rong Jin and nodded.

Days passed one by one, and in early October, Lord Pei, who had not returned from Mobei for several years, finally sent back accurate news that he had arranged the handover of Mobei and would return to the capital in mid-October.

The Marquis's Mansion had anticipated this, so the servants had been repairing the house and cleaning up the dead corners. They even trimmed the flowers and trees in the courtyards, and the Songhe Courtyard was tidy and clean. Everyone in the Marquis' Mansion was happily waiting for Master Pei to come back.

The day before she came back, Hualei sent several carts of fresh vegetables from Yuanying Manor to the kitchen of the Marquis' Mansion, and also slaughtered some chickens, ducks, geese and pigs, which were also all sent to the Marquis' Mansion. The kitchen was even busier, with servants coming in and out doing various things.

On the day when Marquis Pei returned, Hualei and Zhenzhu arrived at Songhe Courtyard early to accompany Madam Pei. The wives and children of all the rooms also gathered at Songhe Courtyard. Even Madam Han, who had always been sick, was in high spirits today and looked very happy.

A group of people were waiting happily in Songhe Courtyard, but after entering the capital, Marquis Pei did not go directly back to the Marquisate, but went directly to the palace to meet Emperor Shengwu.

Because of the return of Marquis Pei, Rong Jin, Rong Jue and Xiao Yuan from the Imperial College also took leave early and returned to the Marquis' Mansion. The students of the clan school also left school early and gathered in Songhe Courtyard at this time.

When the time was almost up, Pei Rongjin led all the children of the Marquisate to the main gate to welcome Old Marquis Pei, and Xiaoyuan followed behind. The female family members also waited at the second gate.

When Lord Pei returned from the palace, it was already the beginning of the afternoon. When the servant at the door ran to the second gate, Hua Lei finally saw Lord Pei, whom she had communicated with through letters for three years but had never met in person.

At this time, Lord Pei had changed out of his third-rank official uniform with light purple tiger and leopard patterns and put on a second-rank official uniform with purple lion patterns. He also had a second-rank jade belt tied around his waist. He was tall, with a resolute face and a pair of piercing tiger eyes. However, there was a new scar on his left forehead, which should be the injury he suffered during the suppression of the Xiaowan tribe.

The women stepped aside to greet him. Lord Pei smiled and raised his hand to accept the invitations. He looked around with his tiger eyes and locked onto Hua Lei without anyone introducing him. He smiled and said, "Lei'er, you've grown up so much. That's great." He then told everyone, "Come in quickly. We're all family. No need to be polite." He led the way into Songhe Hall.

After entering the house, Lord Pei sat down at the first seat. The maids and servants had already brought him toiletries. Lord Pei washed his hands and face, and then directly ordered to start the meal, and other matters would be discussed after the meal. Indeed, after traveling for half a month, he went directly to the palace to see Emperor Shengwu as soon as he arrived in Shangjing City. At this time, Lord Pei was already exhausted and hungry.

Everyone happily ate dinner, and the maids and servants cleared away the dishes. Only then did Old Marquis Pei stand up and sit at the first seat in the main room, and all the descendants began to come forward to greet him one by one. The daughters-in-law of each room also came forward to greet him in a proper manner.

Marquis Pei agreed to each one, complimenting them from time to time, asking about their recent studies, and then presenting gifts to everyone. After all the descendants of the Marquis' Mansion had paid their respects, Hua Lei pulled Xiao Yuan forward to greet them.

Old Marquis Pei sat there, accepting the greetings from the two siblings. When Hualei stood up, he waved his hand, asked her to come forward, and handed a small wooden box on the right to Hualei, saying with a smile, "Lei'er, this is a gift from me. Take a look. Do you like it?"

Hualei took the wooden box and opened it. Wow, it was full of colorful gems, squeezed together in the wooden box. There were about fifty or sixty gems, big and small, in different shapes, and with dazzling colors.

"Part of this is the spoils I obtained when I sieged the Xiaowan tribe, and part of it is what I exchanged for rice wine and merchants. I collected the seven colors of the rainbow and gave them to you. Take a look. Do you like it? I think you can make a rainbow bracelet to wear. It must be very beautiful."

Old Lord Pei used his carrot-like fingers to pick up the gems and showed them to Hua Lei one by one.

"Grandfather Pei, this is too precious, isn't it? How can I accept it?" Hua Lei looked at Old Marquis Pei, and then glanced behind her involuntarily. When the grandchildren of the Marquisate came to pay their respects, Old Marquis Pei also gave them all kinds of gems, but each child was only given one or two gems. How come when it was her turn, she suddenly got a whole box of gems?

Also, isn't this old Marquis Pei the same as Pei Rongjin, who has no concrete concept of the value of money and things? This box of gems should be worth no less than 30,000 taels of silver. Just give it to yourself like this? Old Marquis Pei, didn't you see that your daughters-in-law and granddaughters all changed their faces?

However, Lord Pei seemed to not notice the expressions of others at all, and said to Hua Lei, "Lei'er, you are the first to contribute to the conquest of the Xiaowan tribe this time. You don't know that the down robes and chicken feather sleeping bags you sent were very useful. It was because of the down robes and sleeping bags you sent that Jingyang and Jingyuan were able to survive the severe cold of minus 20 degrees Celsius, and we were able to outflank the Xiaowan tribe."

As he spoke, he glanced at Madam Han who was sitting below him, and continued, "The promotion of our mansion this time, as well as the promotion of Jin'er's father and uncle, are all due to you. You are the lucky star of our mansion. Let alone this box of gifts, even if you want the moon in the sky, I will pick it for you."

The voice of Marquis Pei echoed in Songhe Courtyard, and all the daughters-in-law and granddaughters lowered their heads. Hualei sighed softly in her heart, Marquis Pei, although you are flattering me by doing this, I am under a lot of pressure. I just want to stay in the Marquis Mansion for another half a month and then move out. In the future, I will only visit the Marquis Mansion during the New Year and other festivals. I don't want to attract jealousy.

However, no matter how smart Hua Lei was or how mature her mind was, she could not defeat the old Marquis Pei who had returned from the battlefield.