Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Three Chapters in One
Early in the morning, a blue woolen carriage stopped at Wuque Lane, and soon a man and a woman got out of the carriage. The man was tall and looked very steady, while the woman looked young and beautiful. She had a sense of purity that other women did not have.
The man asked the woman doubtfully, "Are you sure it's here?"
"That's right, this is the address my second aunt gave me. Didn't you see it too?" the woman said affirmatively.
The man looked around and said, "This house looks like it has seven courtyards. It's not something that ordinary officials can afford to live in. The Zhou family is only a fifth-rank official."
Officials are very low-key and generally don't show off like nouveau riche. If they really live in a house like this, it means that the Zhou family is very rich.
Thinking of this, the man saw the doormen chatting idly, and hurried forward and said, "Hello, gentlemen. We want to find Jinniang from the sewing room. I wonder if we can ask her to come out and meet us?"
"Who? No one." The doorman was obviously too lazy to bother with some trivial matters.
The man had never been so angry before, but he still said patiently: "Jinniang is my sister, I will trouble you gentlemen again." After that, he took out twenty coins from his sleeve pocket: "This money will buy you a hot drink, and please let my sister come out for a while."
At this time, a doorman pointed the way and said, "You want to find someone from the sewing room? Go to the west corner door and ask the maids there to call your sister out."
So they went to the west corner gate again, and saw someone calling Jinniang.
At that time, Jinniang was helping Wu copy the Ksitigarbha Sutra, which was to be offered before the Buddha to ensure the safety and well-being of the newborn child, and to increase his fortune and longevity. Then, Zhen'er came over and said, "Sister Jinniang, my aunt said that your sister and brother-in-law are here, and she asked you to go out and meet them. They are at the west corner gate."
Sister and brother-in-law?
"I am the only daughter in our family. Where do I get sisters and brothers-in-law from?" Jinniang felt strange.
Then I heard Zhen'er say, "They came with a bag, saying that it was something your mother asked them to bring."
When Jinniang heard this, she thought it might be someone her parents had asked to bring something over, so she didn't want to send someone on a wasted trip. So she went to find Mrs. Hu to buy some food to take out. Mrs. Hu whispered, "You don't have to buy any. I have a crystal goose that I was going to prepare for Miss Yanhong. She doesn't have a good appetite, so you can take it."
These days, Mrs. Hu heard that Jinniang was teaching Si'er how to do needlework. Si'er was the one who served tea and water, made the beds and folded the quilts. Si'er was originally in the needlework room, and she didn't know how she had managed to please Jinniang. There is already a lot of work to do in the needlework room, and there is not much time to teach others, so Mrs. Hu needs to be more filial.
Otherwise, Jinniang would not accept money or gifts from her disciples, and would only come here occasionally to have a simple meal.
"No, I can't take it. I'll give you the money." Jinniang refused and wanted to give her the money, but Mrs. Hu refused to take it, so she had to accept it.
But to others, Mrs. Hu naturally told them that it was Jinniang who bought it.
When they walked quickly to the west corner gate, Jinniang saw the woman standing there, "Sister, why are you here?"
It turned out to be her cousin Rong Niang, who was the daughter of her eldest uncle. Her eldest uncle was a good student when he was young, and later worked as an accountant in a carriage shop. This eldest sister was an only child, and she was extremely beautiful. Her family background was much better than theirs, and she was doted on by her parents. Later, my great uncle was knocked down by someone and became paralyzed at home. Others paid a lot of money as compensation. It is said that my great aunt wanted to use the small house in Anlu as her dowry, but it did not affect her life at all.
The relationship between Rong Niang and her was very ordinary, mainly because the relationship between the sisters-in-law was not good, so the relationship between their children was also ordinary.
Now that Rong Niang has just come of age, the clothes she wears are actually made of ordinary material, but her face is like a peach blossom, and she is so beautiful that it really proves the saying that a beautiful person will look beautiful even if she is wearing a sack.
Rong Niang saw Jin Niang with her hair in a bun, golden lychee earrings, two silk flowers on her head, a light red jacket and a pearl pleated skirt. She was still as fat as before, but her clothes were much better than before. She smiled and said, "Your mother knew I was going to the capital, so she asked me to bring this for you."
After that, he introduced the man next to him: "This is your brother-in-law Feng Sheng."
"Brother-in-law." Jinniang glanced at the man beside Rongniang and nodded secretly. They seemed to be a perfect match.
She had no curiosity about Feng Sheng and just asked, "Sister, are my mother and aunt all well?"
Speaking of this, Rong Niang smiled bitterly and said, "Your parents are doing well now. They seem to be helping your uncle. My father died of illness last winter, and mother passed away after sending him off."
Oh my god, Jinniang knew that many words were already pale at this time, she said: "Sister, please accept my condolences. As the saying goes, after suffering comes happiness. Uncle and aunt have passed away, but now you still have your brother-in-law. You should live a good life in the future. The rest of your life will surely be peaceful and smooth."
Rong Niang nodded: "Look at me, let's not talk about this anymore, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm just working non-stop. By the way, this is a crystal goose. I brought it here specially for you. I don't know when your sister will get married, so I don't have time to give you a gift." Jinniang handed the rope holding the crystal goose to Rongniang.
Rong Niang declined for a long time before accepting it. She also said that Brother-in-law Feng was the principal of Zhao Taicheng's clinic, and that he had given up literature to pursue medicine. If Jin Niang had any problems, she could go to them. Jinniang also talked about her recent situation, but before she finished, Si'er came over and said that the eldest lady had looked for someone, so the two parted.
After coming out of Zhou's house, Rong Niang saw the crystal goose in her hand and couldn't help laughing: "I didn't expect that my second sister has become more polite after all these years. But I don't know what my aunt was thinking, sending her daughter here to be a slave, without freedom."
Feng Sheng had a different opinion: "Your sister has an average appearance and a humble family background, but she has such a good skill. Your second aunt has a long-term vision."
He had met Wei Xiong and Luo Yu'e before. The man was too honest, while the woman was pretentious and looked poor. It was strange that their daughter looked ordinary in appearance, but she was full of energy when she spoke.
Rong Niang smiled and said, "If you ask me, it's better for the family to be together than to be apart."
She originally had a harmonious family and lived a good life, but misfortune struck her. Fortunately, Feng Sheng married her. Feng Sheng was also a scholar, but later when his family became financially troubled, he turned to study medicine. He was really outstanding. He had already graduated at the age of 25 and was valued by Prime Minister Zhao. He went to the capital to work as a doctor, earning 35 strings of cash a month and even receiving dividends at the end of the year.
Her husband is good in every way except that he demands too much from her.
For example, now Feng Sheng said, "Mother Rong, I will be in the clinic from now on and will not be home all day. You are still young and can learn something. It is not easy to live in the capital, so we must find a home for our future children."
Rong Niang thought that he always wanted to make more progress.
But she likes to do things according to her own preferences, rather than having others force her to do things, just like her father who loved money too much and was eventually hit and killed. It's enough for her to have enough money and for people to be safe.
…
Jinniang rushed over to Jiang, who was frowning: "Why are you so late?"
"It's my fault." Jinniang quickly admitted her mistake.
Jiang knew the character of Jinniang in the sewing room. She was always diligent and hardworking. The clothes she made were very beautiful and took a lot of effort. So she coughed and said, "Forget it. I won't pursue this matter. I called you here this time because I have something for you to do."
"I don't know what it is. Just follow the eldest lady's instructions." Jinniang said.
Jiang smiled and said, "I want you to make a set of clothes for the second young lady as soon as possible. It's best to make it carefully so that she can stand out from the crowd when she wears it."
The second girl was not as pretty as her other sisters. Because of her willful and unruly temper, the servants often called her Rakshasa behind her back. But in front of someone's mother, everything is fine. Jinniang said: "The second young lady is naturally beautiful. I am just the icing on the cake. Please rest assured that I will do my best."
Jiang stood up and waved to her: "Someone sent me some fashionable brocade and satin. Which one do you think is more suitable?"
These are all top-quality silks and brocades that have not yet been put into storage. It is obvious that they were specially left by Jiang for the second young lady. Some things in this house can be hidden very well, but some secrets are known to everyone.
Jinniang smiled and said, "There is a poem by Wan Chu from the Tang Dynasty that says, 'The eyebrows are as beautiful as daylilies, and the red skirt is as beautiful as pomegranate flowers.' What do you think of a pomegranate flower skirt with twelve rips? Only pomegranate flowers should be embroidered on the cuffs of the white silk jacket. This way, the pomegranate skirt will look even more beautiful."
In fact, the blue satin skirt looks good too, but it doesn’t look good because the second girl’s skin is slightly yellow.
Jiang asked Jinniang to choose two pieces of jewels to be inlaid on her collar. Jinniang accepted them and put them in her purse, saying, "I will go downstairs right away."
"Well, go down." Jiang waved her hand.
Jinniang came back with the cloth and saw that the sewing room was very lively. She smiled and said, "What are you talking about? It's so lively."
Fang Qiaolian said, "We were just talking about your sister. She was very pretty."
"You have good taste. My cousin has been very beautiful since she was a child." Jinniang didn't mind this. Some people are born with good luck. They are born beautiful and marry well. They don't seem to have any worries. Look at her brother-in-law Feng, he is already a doctor at a young age and earns nearly 500 strings of cash a year.
Qin Shuang'er smiled and said, "You guys are following her, so aren't you just serving as a foil?"
Jinniang raised her eyebrows: "That's not necessarily true. When I was little, I was prettier than she was. My mother even said that I looked like a jade ball. But as I grew up, I gained a lot of weight. Now I am a jackdaw, and my sister is a phoenix."
After saying that, she opened the package sent by home and saw that what Luo had sent was a can of dried peaches. Jiangling is rich in yellow peaches, and she has always loved eating dried yellow peaches. This should be made by her mother. There was also a bag of salty and fragrant dried shrimps.
She had originally intended to share these local specialties with Qin Shuang'er, Fang Qiaolian and the others, but unexpectedly they all disliked them. Jinniang knew that they had been in the mansion for almost a year now, and their food, clothing and daily necessities were no longer what they used to be as little embroiderers.
In fact, Jinniang may not be smarter than others, but she has a strong ability to correct mistakes. When she realized that everyone's horizons have begun to rise this year, her previous communication methods may have become outdated.
She would start drawing during the day, and would copy the scriptures step by step at night. Clothes had to be embroidered and cut, so naturally she couldn't do it so quickly. However, she could copy the scriptures faster. After two days, she would take the time to give them to Mrs. Wu in the second room.
Wu was out of confinement and looked a little plump. Her brows, which used to be covered with sorrow, were now much more relaxed. When she saw the scripture Jinniang had sent her, she couldn't help but smile and said, "You are really good at embroidery and calligraphy. Madam Sun, give her a hundred taels of silver as a reward."
"Second Madam, that's not necessary. Six hundred coins are enough." Jinniang said hurriedly.
Mrs. Wu shook her head slightly: "It's not easy for you either. You are so busy just to save some money. Mother Sun, do as I say."
Jinniang received two taels of silver from Wu, and went back to give Master Qin a gift. The best scented tea leaves were too expensive, and she couldn't afford jewelry or head ornaments, so she had to think about making a bellyband for the child after the second girl's clothes were finished.
The classic work of Shu embroidery is the hibiscus and carp, which is also Mrs. Chen's specialty. However, the inspiration that Mrs. Jin now gets from Jinxiu Pavilion is to use small embellishments as the highlight of the show. The second girl's dress is a white silk jacket and a red pomegranate skirt. The highlight is the goldfish purse. The goldfish is not embroidered on the purse, but is directly made into a goldfish-style purse. The upper body of the goldfish is made of pomegranate red velvet, and the lower body of the fish is made of smokey gauze.
Jinniang wanted to embellish the lovely goldfish on shoes. She originally wanted to make a bellyband for Wu's son, but the bellyband was too big. If she embroidered too little, it would not look good, and if she embroidered too much, it would take too much time. It would be better to make a pair of shoes with goldfish.
Anyway, there is no need to sew soles for shoes for babies, so just make them soft and cute.
She put most of her energy into the work at hand, which was the foundation of her life. Therefore, she was slow to realize that Yanhong was pregnant. No wonder Mrs. Hu said that day that she couldn't even eat her favorite crystal goose.
Yanhong was originally a concubine, not even a mistress. She usually served the master like Luying, and had no real status. But now that she has an identity, things are different.
Jiang was actually very respectful to her. When Si'er came back with lunch at noon, he told Jinniang, "There was a commotion in the kitchen."
"What's going on?" Jinniang opened the food box, put a piece of meat into her bowl, and motioned for her to continue.
Si Er said, "Sister Yanhong is pregnant now, and she has severe morning sickness. The Madam specially asked the kitchen to cook for her, and Sister Hu cooked a few dishes for her. Unfortunately, the maid next to Miao Xiaoniang went there and also asked Sister Hu to cook for her. Sister Hu smiled and said that Sister Yanhong was ordered by the Madam, and Miao Xiaoniang's maid started to make a fuss, saying why didn't Miao Xiaoniang cook for her when she was pregnant, saying that the Madam was kept in the dark, and Sister Hu accepted Sister Yanhong's favor. The maid next to Sister Yanhong was also not convinced, and the two quarreled. One said that the other was taking advantage because she was pregnant, and the other said that she was a wild dog snatching food everywhere."
Jinniang pursed her lips: "When we quarrel, nothing good can be said."
"Yes, this is inevitable. Miao Xiaoniang now has a pair of children, and she is more confident." Although the fourth child is young, everyone knows what is going on in the house once they think about it.
It seemed that Jiang was too kind to Yanhong. When Jinniang went to visit Yanhong, she saw all kinds of supplements and silks on her table and couldn't help but take a second look.
Yanhong was wearing pajamas, her belly was not yet conceived, and there was no hair ornament on her hair. She just smiled and said, "I have been taking care of the baby recently, so I don't go out much. These are all sent by others."
"Sister, finally, all the hardships have come to an end." Jinniang said sincerely.
Yanhong stroked her belly and said to Jinniang, "It's all thanks to you that the clothes you made for me are so beautiful."
Jinniang said hurriedly: "This is nothing."
The two wanted to say a few more words when they heard someone shouting at the door: "Sister Yanhong, the eldest lady said that the eldest lady of the Jiang family is coming today, and she wants you to come over and have a drink."
How can a pregnant woman drink alcohol? Jinniang looked at Yanhong in confusion. Yanhong was a little embarrassed, but did not dare to refuse. She called someone in to serve her. Jinniang could not stay here anymore.
When Jiang's family came to such a grand occasion, Yanhong became the focus. Jiang praised her very much and asked her to sit down. Miao Xiaoniang and Lu Xiaoniang stood and served behind the curtain. She even said to Madam Jiang, "Sister-in-law, you don't know. A fortune teller told Yanhong the other day that she will bring good luck to the master this time. The master is so happy. I plan to assign another maid to serve her, and then I will make her my concubine."
The Miao girl felt very uncomfortable to hear these things. She had gone through great pains to give birth to a son, and she had not been happy for a few days when Yanhong took advantage of her.
But then I heard Madam Jiang say, "I think if Yanhong gives birth to a son, our two families can get married. Uncle San's daughter Zhai is three years old this year. As the saying goes, a girl who is three years older than her husband brings gold bricks."
Jiang covered her mouth and laughed: "I can't make the decision on this matter. Our master has to make the decision."
In fact, Yanhong felt that this was too much of a compliment. Although the eldest master would come to her from time to time, she was far from being extremely favored. However, being favored in the harem was the foundation of a person's survival, so no one would believe her even if she wanted to be low-key.
…
After returning from the main room, Miao Xiaoniang's face was so black that ink could drip out of it. She could not calm her anger even when looking at her son.
It was also said that Jinniang was making clothes for the second young lady. Qin Shuang'er mentioned it enviously, "Yesterday I went to the storehouse to get some material. It seemed to be brocade from Nanjing. It was so beautiful. It was all sent to Miss Yanhong. She is really rich. She is treated better than Miao Xiaoniang because she is pregnant."
"I think so too. That's because she is the eldest lady's person," said Fang Qiao Lian.
Qin Shuang'er was still dreaming about her sweet dream, while Jinniang was working desperately to make clothes. She flicked the light, yawned, and felt sad in her heart. If her guess was correct, Jiang was definitely deliberately using Yanhong to suppress Miao Xiaoniang, so that she could benefit from the fight between the two.
If it were someone else, even if she knew about it, she couldn't tell them on her own, as that would be openly opposing the Jiang family. However, Yanhong had helped her in the matter of the aunt's selection of a man, so Jinniang wanted to give them a reminder.
But how to remind her? Yanhong has ears, so this is a problem.
After finishing the work at hand, she checked it first, cut the threads, ironed it again, and asked Si'er to help check it again. Then she went to the main room to let Jiang see the clothes.
Jiang called the second girl over on the spot. After the second girl tried it on, she frowned and looked at Jinniang: "The top is too plain white, and the purse is too childish."
She saw that Jinniang made such a beautiful beaded dress for the older girl, and wondered why her own dress turned out like this.
Jinniang bit her lip. She couldn't say that you have a sallow complexion. That kind of bright red color would only look good on people with fair skin. So she had no choice but to say, "Second Miss is very talented. I think only when you wear a pomegranate skirt will you look even more elegant and graceful."
"Humph, you are just trying to fool me."
The second girl was very dissatisfied and said, "Your skirt is too long."
Jinniang explained: "Second Miss, this pomegranate skirt will look better if it is longer." She was speaking the truth. You have a short stature and only by lengthening your proportions can you appear taller.
The second girl looked at Jinniang in disbelief: "How dare you talk back--"
"Then how long do you think it is? I'll help you cut it shorter." Jinniang squatted down, ready to measure the length, but the second girl pushed her: "Get out of the way, stop touching it."
Jinniang fell backwards to the ground, feeling very humiliated. No one had ever humiliated her like this before. She made a living by her craft, and no matter where she went, everyone praised her. She didn't expect this to happen today. She had a tendency to tear incontinence, and although she was strong in her heart, she cried easily. Now she knelt down in tears.
Seeing her daughter in such a tantrum, Jiang said to Jinniang, "You go down first and call your Madam Chen over. Ask her to make another set of the dress."
"Yes." Jinniang stood up and went out biting her lip.
She didn't want to tell anyone else about how the second girl treated her, because if she did, everyone would know that she was embarrassed, and once the door was opened, everyone would find fault with her.
In fact, the second girl was not dissatisfied with the clothes. She was obviously dissatisfied with the fact that she was not wearing a beaded dress but just an ordinary dress, so she used needlework to make trouble.
Jiang had always loved her youngest daughter. Seeing her mistreat the servants, she felt relieved and taught her, "Jinniang is also a dedicated person. She has always had a unique vision. How can you control your servants in the future if you are so willful? Even though you are a servant, it is not right to be cruel and strong all the time."
In front of outsiders, Jiang would not lose face for her daughter, but in front of her daughter, she would still teach her a lesson.
The second girl pretended to admit her mistake: "My daughter knows, but the white coat is unlucky, so I was a little angry."
"Luying, I have a plate of snacks here. You can take it and give it to Jinniang." Jiang said calmly. She would still need Jinniang in the future.
However, the second girl couldn't help but say, "You made a beaded dress for the eldest sister, but only made clothes like this for your daughter. You are biased."
Jiang laughed out loud, thinking her daughter was so adorable, but she positioned her eldest and second daughters in completely different ways. The eldest daughter is the benchmark of the Zhou family. Her marriage is eye-catching. Her husband and she have carefully selected and finally found an extremely expensive marriage, but the two parties have not announced it yet.
She had already arranged her second daughter's marriage. Her second daughter was lively and straightforward, and could not endure hardship, nor was she as patient as her elder sister, so it would be most reassuring for her to marry into a relative's family. Especially He Sanlang, who is handsome, well-educated, the son of an official, and his sister is his daughter's mother-in-law, so there is no need to worry about the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law issue.
So she said to her daughter, "Don't lose your temper at home in the future. If the servants ruin your reputation and spread it outside, no one will dare to hire you. I have three pieces of gold here, take them and play with them."
"I understand, my daughter." The second girl felt relieved after getting the new toy given by her mother.
**
During dinner, Luying brought some snacks over. Jinniang accepted them with a warm expression, but her nails scratched her palm.
"Take these snacks and share them. I ate too much at night and now I really can't eat any more." Jinniang said to Si'er with a smile.
For those maids who eat from the same pot and only run errands and do rough work on weekdays, it is not easy to have snacks. Si'er still follows Jinniang, and Jinniang will give her some as a snack.
Si Er was very happy when he took it: "Sister Jin Niang still remembers me."
Qin Shuang'er, who was standing aside, had a half-smile on her face. She had many acquaintances and knew many people, so she knew very well that Wei Jinniang was being excluded. She had been flattering people all day long, and she really hit the horse's hoof.
Of course she hated Jinniang in her heart, but it was difficult to take revenge on her no matter how much she hated her. After all, Jinniang was the kind of person who would spill the water in the cup whenever she went out. And as long as she went out, Si'er would stay in the room, so it would be difficult for her to do anything, and she might even be killed like last time.
Jinniang turned a deaf ear to Qin Shuang'er's gloating. Chen Niang was ordered to make clothes for the second young lady. She was experienced and could tell at a glance that the second young lady was a person who only cared about vanity and wealth. She didn't care whether the clothes were suitable or not, as long as they were expensive. So Madam Chen quickly made a dress, with precious brocade all over, phoenix-head shoes, and the collar and neckline were directly painted with gold and printed with colors, but this dress was really not wearable for the second young lady.
Why? Jinniang knew very well who would wear an evening gown every day in her own living room.
Later, this picky girl still wore the clothes made for her by Jinniang and went to her grandparents' house. She heard that many people praised her for her beauty. Of course, Jinniang didn't know about this. She didn't like the second girl who had humiliated her, so she tried to have as little contact with her as possible.
Besides, she had other work to do. She made a pair of goldfish soft shoes for the second lady's son, and the second lady was very happy. But the second lady mentioned it when she paid her respects to the old lady. She also saved face for herself, saying that she saw that the second lady's clothes looked good on her, and wondered if she had asked Jinniang's embroiderer to make them.
So, this year, the eldest lady asked Jinniang to make a set of winter clothes for the old lady.
Jinniang would never take small setbacks to heart. She would usually overcome any setbacks she encountered. If one person said she was not good, she would have ten people say she was good. In this way, she would not care what that one person said.
"What doesn't defeat me will make me stronger." Jinniang clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and climbed the stairs. Unexpectedly, she saw Zhou Cunzhi, who was stunned. She immediately straightened her face, as if she had done nothing just now, and greeted solemnly: "Greetings to the Second Young Master."
Zhou Cunzhi seemed to have returned to normal, and raised his folding fan: "Well, get up."
There was a small episode in which Jinniang seemed to be in a better mood. After entering the room, she first greeted the old lady, then measured her own size, selected the material, and asked the old lady about her preferences. The old lady has been immersed in the inner palace for many years and is no longer in the age of fighting for power. Now is the time for her to enjoy her old age. Jinniang feels that although there are wrinkles on her face, they are all relaxed.
"Then I'll send it over when it's done." Jinniang said with a smile.
The old lady nodded: "Well, it's freezing cold, it's not easy for you either."
After saying that, he asked someone to give Jinniang a reward.
At this time, the aunt brought cousin Mei in to pay their respects. Jinniang waited for a while and wanted to talk to Shanjie, but she saw that Shanjie turned her head to one side and only talked to the servants or the people in the old lady's room, so Jinniang had to leave.
When she returned to the sewing room, she mentioned this to Fang Qiaolian, but Fang Qiaolian said, "I thought I was the only one who felt something was wrong, but it turns out she feels the same way about you."
Madam Chen listened nearby and couldn't help shaking her head: "She is afraid that others will think she was bought from outside and wants to be a maid in this mansion."
"But we didn't provoke her." It would be fine if the people in the sewing room treated her badly, but no one in the sewing room provokes her.
Jinniang knew that this was the so-called convert fanaticism.
Yes, Sister Shan is now being increasingly valued.
When she accompanied Mei Pan'er back, the aunt only let her in to serve, and said: "I heard that you are fourteen years old, and you will be a marriageable girl next year. You serve your cousin attentively, so you can set up a few tables next year and have fun."
Sister Shan said happily, "Thank you very much, Madam." She now completely regarded herself as an aunt and a cousin.
Mei Pan'er was reading a book nearby. She actually had her own personal maid, but her mother suddenly treated Shanjie very well, so she had no choice but to accept the arrangement.
She also said that Sister Shan's craftsmanship was good, and the handkerchief that the aunt had ordered had already been embroidered. Although she was not yet a top-class maid in terms of treatment, the actual work she did was already that of a top-class maid.
Therefore, when the aunt called her over to deliver the pickled duck feet and goose jerky to Mr. He, Shanjie did not suspect anything. The aunt will live in the mansion for a long time in the future, so it is normal to send some things to the relatives of the eldest lady. After all, all the supplies for the aunt are paid by the first wife.
Although the third son He was the eldest lady's nephew, the Zhou family did not treat the two sons He and Dou differently. They both lived in the study in front of the second young master Zhou Cun, and the three of them happened to discuss things together often.
Sister Shan and the servant of the third house were from the same hometown and had a good relationship with each other, so she quickly found out where Mr. He San lived.
However, Mr. He San is living in the home of his uncle and aunt. This is because his uncle is the secretary of the Privy Council. If he can pass the imperial examination, the success or failure of his selection as an official will almost depend on a word from his uncle. In addition, his mother has also talked to him about some important matters in his life. Sons of officials like them were different from the children of poor families. Most of those poor children would wait until they passed the imperial examination to get married, and some were even still unmarried in their thirties. However, sons of officials like them usually chose their wives before they came of age. His mother had hinted to him that she wanted him to marry his aunt's youngest daughter, the second lady of the Zhou family.
The day before yesterday, he went to his grandparents' house and saw his cousin. Although it was just a glimpse, he saw her in plain clothes and red skirt. Although her appearance was not particularly outstanding, she had a noble demeanor.
Just as he was thinking about it, he saw a servant outside the door saying, "Third Master, Madam Zhou sent a maid to bring you food."
Aunt Zhou? Mr. He San was quite good at reading people's expressions when he was outside. Almost all the servants in the Zhou family were snobbish. Mr. Dou next door had no money to reward them. Although he did not neglect them, he still heard a lot of gossip, so Mr. Dou had to pawn his own clothes to deal with them.
"Come in." said Mr. He San.
Shan Jie came in with a tray and blushed when she saw Mr. He San. The aunt said that she was a dowry maid, and if the young lady's marriage was settled, she would marry Mr. He San as well. Seeing that Mr. He San was very polite, she also received a reward and immediately reported it to her aunt when she returned.
"I have seen that Mr. He San is a kind person with a good temper."
The aunt smiled, she knew what to do. Although her second brother was an average official, he loved lively occasions and enjoyed drinking and socializing. He would even find people to drink with when he had nothing to do on weekdays.
So, when the master came to pay his respects on Tuesday, the brother and sister struck up a conversation, and the aunt smiled and said, "It's been cold these days, how is my sister-in-law?"
Although Mr. Zhou Er's eldest son passed away, he now has a younger one, just like a new bud sprouting from an old tree. When she asked, he just smiled and said, "Okay, all is well. Your sister-in-law also said that you didn't want to go over. When can you go over and talk to her?"
"I heard from my eldest brother that there are two promising scholars living in the first house now. I think they will win the imperial examination next year and have a bright future. Now it's the New Year and my eldest sister-in-law is very busy, so I have to go and be busy." The aunt knew that her second brother was a businessman and loved making friends, so she said just enough.
Sure enough, Master Zhou Er quickly invited the two scholars to come, and the aunt hurriedly called her daughter over as well. Mei Pan'er was prettier than Madam Zhou Er, delicate and beautiful, and with a little dressing up, she looked very graceful.
When Mr. He San was dragged out after drinking a lot, he saw a young girl walking on the corridor. When she passed by him, her handkerchief accidentally fell to the ground.
…
"This happened right under my nose. The girl's personal handkerchief was picked up by a servant, who then dressed her up and had a secret meeting with the men in the middle of the night." Jiang knew immediately that the man was trying to poach her daughter. If Wu hadn't told her that her nephew was very determined, the reputation of Zhou's daughter would have been affected if this continued.
Thinking of this, Jiang said to Luying, "Go and invite the master over."
Although their relationship was not as good as before, they were still the same when it came to their children's affairs. Jiang also had a lot of evidence. When the eldest master came, she said, "The lady first sent Pan'er's maid to deliver food, and then arranged for Pan'er to leave a handkerchief when she passed by the man late at night. Not only that, this morning, she sent the maid named Shanjie to deliver a purse with a love knot tied on it."
Without evidence, she did not dare to slander in front of Master Zhou, and said: "We have four daughters in our family, and she does not live in the main house. But at this time of marriage, if any bad words are spread, then all our daughters will be ruined."
Master Zhou snorted coldly: "Call the aunt and the girl over here."
"Master, you're afraid that the old lady will get suspicious if she finds out about this. Luying, just tell her that I have a new piece of material and ask her to come over." Jiang said.
The aunt came very quickly. Although she was not a widow and unemployed, she was short of money and would certainly not miss any opportunity to take advantage of someone. But she didn't expect that as soon as she came in, she would see her elder brother and sister-in-law sitting at the top with unfriendly eyes, and there was a maid kneeling below. Who else could it be but Shanjie?
Sister Shan had already been beaten with several boards, so she naturally confessed everything. Jiang Shi had to get the evidence before he could call her over.
The servants all left cleanly, and Jiang said, "Sister, this maid was going to deliver this thing to Mr. He's room this morning, but was caught. She said it was your order."
When Auntie saw the purse with the lotus embroidery, she looked at Sister Shan for a moment and said, "You girl, you have been dishonest before, and now you are using our name to ruin our reputation. You are deliberately seeking revenge." Then, she cried and said, "Sister-in-law, this is the person you gave me. I know you have a prejudice against me, but you can't wrongly accuse me like this, right?"
Jiang was so angry that she laughed: "It was you who wanted to go there again and again. How could I have given it to you?"
The aunt immediately caught on to the topic: "Yes, she served me unwillingly, so she framed me. Big brother, you have to make the decision for me..."
If she reacted a little slower, her aunt would interpret the affair as a quarrel between the aunt and the sister-in-law. Jiang sneered, "Well, if you don't admit this, then what about you letting Pan'er deliberately throw a handkerchief on the way my nephew passed by?"
"What handkerchief? Our Pan'er didn't even know where the handkerchief fell. She went to look for it yesterday. She is an innocent person, how can she let you slander her? Brother, if you don't believe me, just go and ask." The aunt had a plan in place.
Master Zhou looked at Jiang. Jiang had not expected this aunt to be so cunning. She said, "The aunt has a sharp tongue. She can even turn black into white."
Seeing her sister-in-law defeated, the aunt couldn't help but say, "Sister-in-law, the craftsmanship of this purse is not the craftsmanship of my daughter. It is clearly the little hoof of Shanjie who is thinking about love. Let sister-in-law take care of her."
"My aunt is right. I will punish this girl severely." Jiang seemed a little defeated.
The old lady turned the tables and glared at Sister Shan fiercely. Sister Shan said, "Master and Madam, these are all ordered by the old lady. I dare not hide them."
But the aunt went out leisurely.
Shan Jie was also beaten with ten boards on the charge of stealing and was kicked out. Jin Niang and the others in the sewing room were very shocked. They suddenly realized that Deng Xiao Niang was also kicked out on the charge of stealing. Often, people like this might have done something else.
When the aunt heard that Sister Shan was driven out, she was also relieved. She felt that she was invincible and was very proud of herself. When she was happy, she saw the old lady said to her: "I heard from your eldest brother that Master Mei was seriously ill and asked you to go back to take care of him. I also wanted to keep you, but your eldest brother is right. After all, a married woman should obey her husband."
It would have been fine if they had divorced amicably, but they didn't, so my daughter has become someone else's wife.
The aunt was stunned.
The old lady urged, "Your eldest brother said that the boat is urgently arranged, so he will let you go back tomorrow. Otherwise, the river will be frozen and you can't go by water. If you go by land, it will be too bumpy."
The next day, Jiang personally saw her aunt off early in the morning. Seeing that she had brought many boxes and crates, she said, "Sister will come again when the time comes. Just bring some clothes for changing."
It was only at this time that the aunt reacted. She thought she had won, but she had no idea that she was being tricked. Her sister-in-law wouldn't even let her take the boxes away, and it was even possible that her husband's serious illness was fake. She wanted to say more, but unfortunately she had already been helped onto the carriage.
The carriage left in the distance, raising a cloud of dust. Jiang waved her handkerchief and looked at everyone: "Let's go. What are you all doing here?"
Turning around, Jiang shook her head. This person was really smart. She thought she had done everything perfectly and that no one could find any fault with her. But the more this was the case, the more intolerable it became for Master Zhou.
She is just a little stupid, and there is still some hope for her, but she is too shrewd and calculating. The key point is that she is calculating against the Zhou family, his daughter. Even if he does not like his second daughter, he will not allow others to stir up trouble.
What's more, this is a marriage between the eldest daughter and the prime minister's family. How could he let anyone disrupt it? Not to mention a young lady, even if it was an old lady, he would not allow it. The aunt only thought about her daughter's future, but she didn't expect that the eldest master of the Zhou family also cared more about his daughter and his own future.
Jiang dared to bet that the aunt would never return to Bian Jing in her lifetime. Unfortunately, she probably didn't know it yet and thought she could just write letters and act coquettishly to the old lady in the future.
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