The Golden Partridge of An Lingrong's Rebirth

chapter 2.maid

Aunt Xiao was very nimble, she found three courtyards, two carriages and servants the next day, and she obediently handed over the decision to An Lingrong.

After looking at it on the ground, and negotiating with the master's family, An Lingrong finally settled on a courtyard not far from the palace city.The main house is a scholar's house, easy to talk to, and the courtyard is also very chic and elegant, with bamboo shadows and flowing water. Although it is close to the main street, it is quiet in the middle of the noise, which makes people feel at ease.

The name is also elegant, called "Qingfengyuan".

With a wave of his hand, An Lingrong first paid a deposit of 50 taels for two months, and gave another [-] taels as collateral, and hired someone to move in on the same day.

The carriage and the boy, An Lingrong, chose one who looked smarter, and placed him in the outer courtyard. After thinking about it, he hired two thugs to be guards and lived in the outer courtyard together. 50 taels.

This move was 110 taels of silver, and Aunt Xiao's heart was bleeding, but she didn't dare to say a word, and honestly took her things and went to the West Wing.

After An Lingrong had arranged everything, he sat down and rested for a while.

Her current body is weak, not comparable to those years of convalescence in the palace. She is really a little tired from the busy schedule, but it is not time to rest yet.

In order to save money, Aunt Xiao took care of cleaning, cooking and other miscellaneous things at home: "Miss, this capital city is not as expensive as our Songyang after all, the cost is really high, and I can save the need to hire an old lady by taking care of these things. .”

An Lingrong didn't break through her thoughts, and nodded in agreement.

After lunch, An Lingrong took a nap, then called the servant to go out.

"Miss, where are you going?" Aunt Xiao hurriedly followed An Lingrong's footsteps.

An Lingrong glanced at her and said with a smile: "It's been a few days since I've been in Beijing, why don't you go for a stroll with me, Auntie?" After saying that, he got into the carriage.

Aunt Xiao felt apprehensive, and followed her into the carriage.

After getting in the car, she looked at An Lingrong who was sitting in the middle, pursed her lips, but did not speak after all.She always felt that the eldest lady seemed to be a different person, but she couldn't tell what was wrong, she just felt that when she looked over with a smile, it made people feel creepy.

Stop being possessed by a ghost, right?

Aunt Xiao trembled suddenly, but An Lingrong smiled softly: "What is Auntie thinking?"

"I didn't think about anything, I just felt that the eldest lady seemed different in recent days." Aunt Xiao laughed stiffly twice.

An Lingrong looked at her straight, with a smile on his lips, but his eyes were cold: "What does my aunt think I should be like?"

And again and again, this creepy feeling.

Aunt Xiao had goosebumps all over her body, and she didn't dare to say a word: "No, no, the eldest lady has grown up now, and after leaving home, naturally she has to think more, it's my concubine who is thinking wildly."

An Lingrong withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes and gently leaned against the car wall.

The carriage was stable and swayed a little, making people unable to help but relax. An Lingrong couldn't help but think of the carriage he found in a hurry on the day of the draft. The carriage bumped and swayed all the way, and he almost vomited out her breakfast At that time, I was still thinking about why people in the capital preferred carriages to sedan chairs, but now that I think about it, I feel that my own ideas back then were ridiculous.

Suddenly, the sound of messy footsteps came to An Lingrong's ears with a cry of pain, and he slightly opened the curtains, only to see seven or eight big men crowding around and punching and kicking two people, the two hugged each other, Constantly begging for mercy.

"You still dare to run? See if I don't kill you."

"Bah, shameless little hoof..."

It could be vaguely seen that there were two girls, one big and one small, the young one was protected by the big one, and they kept shouting "stop beating".

The people who passed by came and went, they all treated each other with cold eyes and indifference.

An Lingrong's heart moved slightly: "Stop."

The carriage stopped, and the movements of those people stopped together.

"I don't know what's the matter with this lady?" The one who stood up to speak seemed to be the leader, but his words were not polite at all, "If it's not important, it's better not to meddle in other people's business."

"This boss is from a dental shop?" An Lingrong's voice came through the curtain, with a trace of calm prestige, "Since they are in business, I will buy these two, please make a price." .”

The man was startled: "Miss has good eyesight, and Xiao is indeed an expert in dentistry." After a pause, he smiled again, "Since Miss wants to buy these two female slaves, the price is naturally easy to negotiate. I don't know how to write the young one in the contract. ?”

An Lingrong replied indifferently: "I am the daughter of the Prime Minister of Songyang County, you just write and sell it to the Prime Minister of Songyang County's family."

She is actually a lady from an official family. Although her official position is not very high, she is now at the feet of the emperor. She is supposed to be a beautiful girl waiting for election, so she can't be offended.

Ren Ya flashed his eyes, and immediately changed his expression: "Miss fell in love with these two girls, it is their blessing, one is thirty Wen, the other is fifty Wen, the bond is on the little one now, Miss Ruo If you agree, you will get both money and goods."

An Lingrong glanced at Aunt Xiao, who immediately understood, took out eighty copper plates from her bosom and strung them together, got off the car and gave them to Ren Ya.

The two dirty girls climbed into the carriage, and afterward, Aunt Xiao also got into the carriage with the slave bond and the sales contract.

"Miss, we have made an appointment to go to the government to pay taxes and file records tomorrow morning." Aunt Xiao handed the bond and sales contract to An Lingrong for review. That's it."

"Well, thank you for your hard work, Auntie." An Lingrong nodded.

Outside the carriage, Ren Ya said in a loud voice: "Miss, the name of my little one is San Sui Zi. If the family still needs to hire someone in the future, just go to the East Street and call Xiao San Zi, and someone will come to meet you."

This is pulling customers to do business.

An Lingrong was not annoyed, and agreed with a light smile, but after such a fuss, he didn't feel like going shopping anymore, so he went back home.

Back in Qingfengyuan, An Lingrong first asked Aunt Xiao to take the two maids down to wash up, then found two clothes that she didn't wear very much for them to change into, and then brought them to her after some grooming.

The older one is about fifteen, the younger one is only in his early ten years old, and they all look good.

"Do you have a name?" An Lingrong sat on the main seat and asked lazily.

"Miss Hui, slaves don't have names, and the tooth shop is only named by number. The slave ranks 21, and the slave sister ranks 27." The older one saluted in a dignified manner, while the younger one timidly hid behind her.

"From then on, your name will be Dill, and your sister's name will be Cardamom." An Lingrong looked at Aunt Xiao, "When you go to the government office tomorrow, please register your name by the way."

"Miss Xie gave the name." Dill knelt down holding the cardamom, and kowtowed three times to An Lingrong, "Miss today is very kind, Dill will never forget it."

An Lingrong got up, pulled her up personally, and said in a gentle voice: "Life is long, and there are always difficult times. Today, you and I are destined." I want to enter the palace for a draft, if I am lucky enough to be selected, the two of you will have to accompany me in the future, are you willing?"

Dill nodded without thinking, "I would like to go anywhere with Miss." She couldn't take her sister back to that dark place.

Cardamom followed suit and nodded: "Wherever my sister goes, I...servant will follow."

"Okay." An Lingrong nodded with satisfaction.

This trip is not completely fruitless.

"In this case, I want to test your abilities." An Lingrong asked Aunt Xiao to take out 30 taels of silver, "Dill, the clothes and jewelry I have to enter the palace to be selected have not yet arrived, so you take the money and go find it for me." some."

Dill received the money and said yes.

"As for cardamom, come in and tie my hair." An Lingrong got up and walked into the inner room.

Cardamom looked at Dill uneasily, who nodded at her, then turned and walked out the door.

Walking all the way to the main street, Dill thought for a while, walked into a store, then walked out quickly, changed another store, and so on, and finally settled in a store called "Treasure Pavilion".

Looking around, I did see a lot of good things, but Dill shopped around in advance and had already seen a lot of good things, so her face was calm and she didn't show timidity.

Seeing a guest, the shopkeeper hurriedly greeted him with a few compliments, and Dill explained his intentions by spoofing a few words with him.

Knowing that the clothes are ready to be selected, the shopkeeper knows that he has already received a lot of such orders recently, and he is already familiar with the process.

"Girl, it's only half a month before the audition. I'm afraid it's too late to tailor clothes at this time. Why don't you take a look at the ready-made clothes in the shop?" The shopkeeper took out a booklet and turned to one of the pages, "This 'Azure Misty Rain' 'If you wear it on your body, you will definitely be charming."

Dill glanced at the brochure in the shopkeeper's hand. The clothes are indeed beautiful, but the price is also very beautiful: "Is this one made of Shu brocade? The embroidery is indeed extraordinary. The embroiderer in the Guige is really skillful." 300 Two, it's really expensive.

The shopkeeper was taken aback for a moment, unexpectedly, the maid in front of him could see the material of this dress at a glance, and before he could react, Dill opened her mouth.

"I don't worry about the things in the noble house, but my lady is a low-key person, please ask the shopkeeper to recommend some clothes that are not very outstanding, but still exquisite." Dill said lightly, "The materials don't have to be too expensive. Just go up."

When the shopkeeper heard this, he immediately had a plan in his mind, and quickly turned to one of the pages of the brochure, "This 'Closed Moon' is ingenious, embroidered with silver silk, and decorated with floating brocade, which shows the flowing moonlight in the sun." Beauty, but this one is an orphan, I wonder how tall your lady is?"

Many ladies have taken a fancy to this dress in the past, but the size of the dress is too small, few people can wear it, so it has been shelved in the warehouse.

Dill recalled An Lingrong's figure: "Please take out the clothes, shopkeeper, let me have a look."

Dill looked at the clothes and nodded secretly: "Please trouble shopkeeper."

The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly.

The actual "closed moon" is more beautiful, low-key, introverted, unassuming, but still luxurious, the streamer shimmers slightly while walking, and the silvery white moonlight is embedded in the clothes as if it has been crushed.

Dill knew it would be suitable for An Lingrong just by looking at it. She nodded secretly, but said calmly, "What's the price of this one?"

"It's really a blessing if this dress can be worn to the talent show. 50 taels of silver, how about it?" The shopkeeper gestured.

Dill smiled, but said nothing.

The shopkeeper was a little uncertain: "Girl, this dress is the most fashionable material and pattern, 50 taels is already a good deal."

Dill sneered: "The shopkeeper actually lied to me. The clothes have obviously been in the warehouse for many years, and no one wants them, so they spread them out in front of me!"

What a girl!

The shopkeeper was taken aback by Dill's aura, and quickly explained: "Girl Mingjian, although this dress has been in the warehouse for two years, our Treasure Pavilion has always maintained it properly, and the material and pattern are not seen at all even now. Out of date. It’s just that the embroiderer who made this dress at that time has passed away, and no one has passed on the craftsmanship of twisting silk, so I can’t make a second one. The size of this ready-made dress is too small, so it hasn’t been sold yet. , it’s really not the backlog of inventory in the warehouse!”

"Whether the clothes are good or not, I know." Dill lowered her tone, "It's just that this is the clothes from the past two years after all. If someone with a heart sees it, they might laugh at my young lady."

The shopkeeper gritted his teeth: "45 taels, how about it?"

"25 taels." Dill smiled and bargained with the shopkeeper leisurely.

"25 taels is not enough to pay back the cost of this dress, 40 taels, no less." The shopkeeper raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, arguing with reason.

"27 taels."

"35 taels."

"28 taels."

"30 taels."

"Deal." Dill nodded with a smile, "Please tell the shopkeeper to wrap up the jewelry that matches this dress."

The shopkeeper almost spat out a mouthful of old blood: "Girl, you..."

"I know, such orphaned items are always presented with matching jewelry, so please don't lie to me." This is exactly the purpose of Dill's shopping in advance.

The shopkeeper nodded, and accepted the 30 taels with tears in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)