Fenghou

Chapter 1276 Bathing
"Didn't the lady give out rewards to everyone?" Chen Qingxiao asked.

"I just read it out. The specific reward money is a matter for the housekeeper and the accountant."

Lu Xiu smiled and said: "But I heard that a certain prince is going to give us a gift, so come and have a look."

"They are all native products of the countryside, quite wild and interesting."

Chen Qing brought over a big basket full of bamboo tableware, and said with a smile, "That's it, do you like it? It's not expensive, and it only cost three pennies in total."

All the girls got pretty eyes and gathered around them one after another. The plates, cups and bowls made of bamboo tubes are really interesting.

Lu Xiu smiled and said nothing. She bought a lot of these things when she was in Qinzhou, and later gave them to her servants when she moved. These bamboo wares are worth a few hundred coins at most, and my husband actually spent three pennies, hey!

When Lu Xiu turned her head, she saw Yao Mei and Yu Ying staring at the small chairs and tables. She couldn't help laughing and scolding: "You two are worthless, and you actually rob things with the little lady, send them back quickly, and then go to the study to light the brazier .”

Everyone arranged carriages and returned to their inner houses.

Chen Qing also went back to his study room. The study room was as warm as spring, and a pot of charcoal fire was burning very well. Yao Mei was making tea for Chen Qing. Seeing the master entering the room, she hurriedly stepped forward to take off his coat.

Chen Qing suddenly felt that she was quite tall, equivalent to about [-] meters in later generations, so he compared her head and said with a smile: "I have grown a lot taller!"

Yao Mei has been serving Chen Qing for a whole year, and she will be seventeen years old after the new year tomorrow. She has changed a lot this year, her youthful aura quickly faded, and her body gradually became plump and well-developed. Feminine feeling too.

Especially she is extremely beautiful, Chen Qing's few wives are not as good as her, so Chen Qing likes her a lot.

Yao Mei was a little embarrassed and said: "Madam said that I have reached my peak and will not grow any taller."

Chen Qing sat down and asked with a smile, "How much reward did you get today?"

"Madam gave me two hundred silver coins."

Chen Qing was slightly surprised, two hundred silver coins were worth a hundred guan, but the other maids were only [-] guan.

With a thought, Chen Qing understood that his wife regarded Yao Mei as a concubine.

Chen Qing beckoned to her, and Yao Mei walked up obediently, leaning on Chen Qing's lap shyly.

Chen Qing hugged her waist and asked in a low voice: "I heard Ah Ying say that you and Chunxi are not on good terms?"

"It was okay at first, but later she became more hostile to me, saying that I robbed her seat."

"Where are the other personal maids?"

"They all treat me coldly, but I don't care. Madam treats me very well, and Sister Ah Ying often takes me shopping."

"Do you know how much reward Chunxi and the others get?"

Yao Mei nodded, "I know! Madam also said that from next month, my monthly payment will increase to thirty guan."

"You are already in power, can they not be jealous?"

"I don't want to bear this false name!"

"What false name?" Chen Qing didn't understand all of a sudden.

Yao Mei bit her lip, she lowered her head, and whispered in Chen Qing's ear: "A flower can be broken when it blooms, don't wait until there are no flowers to break the branches."

Chen Qing's heart became hot, and he put his arms around the little beauty in his arms and smiled, "This year is New Year's Eve, and it is customary to take a bath, so you can take a bath with me today!"

The master takes care of the bath by himself, he gave special instructions today, of course Yao Mei understands what it means?She nodded shyly, "I'll go prepare the vat!"

At this moment, a small head poked its head in, scaring Yao Mei to stand up quickly, "Xue'er, what's wrong?"

"Sister Ah Mei, Mother said that everyone will take a bath in the afternoon to greet the new year, so you can come and wash with us."

Yao Mei looked back at Chen Qing helplessly, Chen Qing knew it well, this was his wife reminding him that it was not time to pick the flowers yet.

He could only smile wryly, "Go! Ah Ying will come and wait for me to take a bath later."

The afternoon of New Year's Eve is the time for every family to bathe and remove the old, wash their hair and bathe, put on new clothes, have a New Year's Eve dinner, and hold vigil at night to worship their ancestors.

In ancient times, bathing in winter was a big deal. It was not a big problem for rich and powerful families, but it was not easy for poor families. Fuel consumption was of course an important reason. One load of firewood was needed to boil water for a bath, which poor families could not afford. rise.

But this is not the main reason. The main reason is that it is cold in winter, and it is easy to catch a cold when taking a bath. You must know that in the era without antibiotics, once a cold turns into pneumonia, and there is no money to treat it, the body can resist it. If the body is weak, it will be fatal. worries.

But on New Year's Eve, you must take a bath. The room is warmed up, and the family takes turns to take a bath.

Chen Qing took a bath in the afternoon with Zhao Yingluo and his two sons, three-year-old Chen Yang and half-year-old Chen Lu. Chen Qing was lazily lying in the large tub, enjoying the bath Zhao Yingluo gave him. After massaging and shampooing, Chen Qing watched his two bare-bottomed sons toss happily in the water, and felt a sense of family happiness in his heart.

"Yingluo, how did your father take a bath?" Chen Qing asked, wrapping his arms around Zhao Yingluo's waist.

Zhao Yingluo patted Chen Qing's restless hands away and said, "He! He takes a luxurious bath, with hundreds of maids and concubines waiting on him. You can't imagine the kind of ostentation, paved with gold and jade, full of silk and silk, just a pool of water. I just used dozens of high-quality medicinal materials to cook it, and I heard from the imperial doctor that the water will cost thousands of dollars."

Chen Qing thought about something else, "Is it because the women who take care of the old man's bath don't wear clothes?"

"of course!"

Chen Qing yearned leisurely after hearing this, "This is the life of an emperor! Am I a bit too old-fashioned as King Yong?"

Zhao Yingluo covered her mouth with a smile and said, "It's a bit dirty, but we all like it, so it's better to be a little bit dirtier."

Chen Qing rolled his eyes and said with a smile: "The whole family will take a bath together next time! Don't we have a big pool?"

"That's a good idea!"

Zhao Yingluo pursed her lips and said with a smile: "These two little brats are fine, but Ji'er is a bit older, so I'm afraid it's inconvenient."

"That brat doesn't count, he washes it off himself."

Zhao Yingluo giggled and said, "Tomorrow, I will tell my eldest sister about the ambitions of officials, so that you can also enjoy the imperial ostentation. Our five sisters will wash with you, and we will add a bunch of little kids."

"Can't wait for the next time."

Chen Qing gave her a wink, Zhao Yingluo understood, immediately put down the curtain, wrapped herself in a big bath towel, called the two nurses waiting in the outer room, wrapped the two children in thick bath towels, and handed them to the two nurses. .

The nurse carried the baby away, Zhao Yingluo took off the bath towel, walked into the vat happily, and slipped into her husband's arms, she put her arms around Chen Qing's neck and smiled and said: "The servant girl is here to take a bath for the Lord Long Live! "

With the heart in hand, the two fell in love in the water, and the house was full of joy for a while.

In another large pool, Princess Lu Xiu and Zhao Qiaoyun took a bath together, and several maids washed their hair. On the other side of the pool, Yao Mei also soaked in the water, playing with two young ladies on a boat.

"Sister, the fruit is almost ripe!" Zhao Qiaoyun glanced at Yao Mei and said with a smile.

Lu Xiu sighed softly: "You said she is a girl from Datong in the north, why is her skin so white and delicate, and her appearance is so watery and beautiful, even more delicate than girls from the south of the Yangtze River? she."

"Let the prince take her into the room!"

"Wait a little longer, step by step, I'm going to arrange for her to be on duty at night."

Lu Xiu and Zhao Qiaoyun were talking in a low voice, but they didn't notice the two personal maids behind them, Chun Xi and Xia Huan. Although they were both naked, they were not qualified to enter the pool. They looked at the woman sitting in the hot pool Yao Mei, the eyes of the two were full of jealousy.

(End of this chapter)