green bamboo dream

As the New Year approached, the mansion was obviously much busier. The stewards of various farms were busy delivering the annual farm rent and delivering all kinds of fruits and vegetables. The shops also packed up all kinds of New Year’s goods and rushed to deliver them. There were people coming and going in the concierge. The low ones are not even allowed to enter the door, and they have to leave after putting down their things and registering. ┗2326nbsp;┛

The stewards in the mansion are also so busy that they don't touch the ground, they walk at a trot.

Although it was still early, Yu Zhu had already taken some important matters to heart.For example, cleaning up the ancestral hall, wiping several cases of gold and silver offerings and the ancient bronze tripods on the platform, etc.

In addition, it is extremely cumbersome to clean and decorate. It seems easy to show a new look for the Chinese New Year in such a large mansion, but it is not easy inside. Red lanterns interlaced with glazed lamps are hung all over the place. During the day, it is festive, and at night, it is brightly lit, with brocade curtains... But compared to these trivial matters, the most troublesome thing is yet to come.

According to the rules, no matter whether the clan members are separated or not, they will come to the ancestral hall to worship their ancestors during the New Year's festival.This is also the once-a-year opportunity for the offshoots of the Cheng family to return to their home. Since a few days earlier, many people from the clan have come to the door one after another in advance, and they are all far away from each other, staying there without any pressure.

"... I have to eat ducks for three meals a day, and I need two ducks for each meal, one is roasted and the other is fried, but there is only one bone frame that the servant girl picked up... I will bet that if I go this time, I will eat ducks." If you search for the baggage, you will surely find at least five ducks." This was referring to an old clan uncle who had turned a few corners.

"...I go to the kitchen to ask for soup and snacks all day long, and I ordered bird's nest the other day, but at least the kitchen can still make it, but yesterday I was just clamoring for purple ganoderma and leopard fetus... and I even deducted two from my servants as gifts. Cai Xiaomaid ordered her to spend enough of the eldest lady's money, if she hadn't been persuaded, she would have called the tailor of Jinxiu Building to tailor her clothes." This is about a cousin girl named Yingxiu, who has a watch of three thousand. Li can barely touch the edge.

……

After listening to Mama Gan's complaints, Yu Zhu put down the pen in her hand, smiling a little weirdly, but they knew each other well, this kind of justifiable taking advantage is really sure that no one else can stop it.It's rare for relatives to come to visit. As the head of the family, you can't even bear to eat a few meals?It's still dignified Cheng Guogong's mansion, wouldn't it be embarrassing to say it out.

"Madam?" Gan's mother looked at Yuzhu expectantly, waiting for the master's order to give them a good shame.These servants of the world are usually dignified, but now they are ordered to do this and that by the poor and domineering of a few remote branches. Although they smile at each other because of their status as slaves, how can they be convinced in their hearts.

"Is it worth being so angry about such a big thing?" Yu Zhu said with a smile: "There are only a few days left, and it will be over after a while." This idea of ​​money can be used to buy peace.

Seeing that the mistress had spoken, even though she was not happy in her heart, Gan's mother had no choice but to promise to go on.

Hua Ruo was grinding ink for Yuzhu, and she didn't make a sound until Mama Gan came out of the room before she said, "Madam, why bother with those people, they can't be regarded as serious relatives at all, slaves and maids inquired so much that old ladies were not so polite in the past."

Yu Zhu changed a thin tube to paint vines, and Gu Kong glanced at her, "If you don't coax her, why don't you blow them out? Have you forgotten how Aunt Sun's nephew made a fuss?"

"Those people are just shameless. Seeing the old lady doesn't care about things, they are so courageous." Zaoyuan came in with a purple gold glaze sprinkle blue pot, and said angrily.If several rules were broken in the originally well-ordered yard, it would cause trouble for people.

"They may also be bullying me because I am young. I am not as good as the old lady. Even if I know it in my heart, I have to pretend not to know it. Otherwise, I will be happy for a while, but I will be in trouble later." After finishing the last stroke, Yu Zhu picked up the warm wet Wipe your hands with the handkerchief, "It's all my fault in the end. No matter what kind of reputation you have, it's always a bit bad to hear from the old lady."

Tilting his head, he said again: "Only this time, I don't want merit but no fault."

It's a pity that Yuzhu thought very well, but the reality is a bit cruel.

Originally, all the relatives were worried about the cold and cunning Mrs. Xie, so they restrained themselves and waited for a few days to find out the situation. The huge Duke's mansion was actually owned by that charming Second Wife who had been in the house for less than a year. No matter, I was immediately excited, and those with smarter minds observed for a few more days, seeing that the lady just opened her eyes and closed her eyes, so she let go of her courage, and her hands and feet began to become unclean.

Yu Zhu had many eyes and ears, and she knew exactly what they were doing, but she still watched with cold eyes, and couldn't help feeling a little mischievous in her heart.

After a few more days, more and more recent relatives gradually came to visit. When the old man saw the first and second masters, he would inevitably have to drink again.

It's a pity that when he got up from the hangover the next day and went to Guanglu Temple to receive the annual reward, he couldn't be happy.Opening the yellow cloth pocket of "Emperor En Yongxi", there is 1000 taels in it, which should be 200 taels of silver in the past, why has it changed so much now?

Although he was a bit confused about general affairs, he still had a clear head on important matters. He stopped drinking immediately and his brothers ignored him. He got into the sedan chair and hurried all the way to the mansion of his old friend Uncle Zhongqin.

"You have to think of a way." When he arrived at the mansion, he ran to Uncle Zhongqin's study with familiarity, and said impatiently when he caught someone: "What does the emperor mean by this, are the rumors true?"

Uncle Zhongqin is a skinny old man with a fairy air, he stroked his gray beard and smiled when he heard the words: "It's not that you don't know what's in your heart, why bother me to say it."

When the old man heard this, he stumbled and sighed, "The family is unfortunate... what about the future of the boss?"

"When I get old, I still have to be a princess daughter-in-law. If I could wake up with a smile in my dreams, you're not happy, tsk tsk. Besides, you didn't like the family background of your former eldest daughter-in-law the most. The status of a princess is the most honorable. Haha." Uncle Zhongqin took a sip of tea and leaned back on the chair comfortably.

"You old bastard, if you are still talking sarcasticly now, if you are so envious, I will immediately go to the palace to propose marriage for your youngest son." The old man patted the table irritably, threatening.

Uncle Zhongqin couldn't calm down anymore, he hurriedly smiled and said, "Don't, it's been so many years, why are you still so hot-tempered? It's not like you don't know about Kuan'er's shit, and you begged a princess to come back, Isn't this harmful." Seeing that the old friend's expression softened, he continued: "It was just a rumor at first, but now the annual rate has doubled five times, which shows the emperor's guilt... Don't worry, listen I'm done."

He stood up and took a few steps towards the flowing gold enamel brazier in the room, and finally his face became a little serious, "Since you have collected the money, the best way to find a wife for your boss is cut off ...Then let's think about how to deal with that Zhuyi princess."

"...How do I know." The old man sat down slumped, and said angrily, "Besides, who would dare not accept the reward money."

Turning around again, Uncle Zhongqin stopped in his tracks, squinted his muddy old eyes, his head was full of light, and he was no longer the old man just now, and said in a low voice: "Since this is already the case, you might as well be bolder, the left and right are just one It's just a princess who doesn't have anything to rely on, as long as you take the opportunity, it's not too difficult..."

……

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, Cheng Guogong’s mansion, which had changed door gods, couplets, and signs, was already crowded with various relatives and clansmen. I was about to froze, and I once again praised the ancestors who appointed the family separation rules. They were so wise. If they didn't separate the families, these piles of people wouldn't turn the house upside down.

When the time came, the old man led the clansmen to the ancestral hall.

The ancestral hall of the Duke's Mansion is located in another courtyard on the east side. There is a plaque "Cheng's Ancestral Hall" hanging on the five gates inside the black oil fence. I only went in once when I entered the ancestral tree after marriage. At that time, I was shocked by the densely packed tablets and didn't pay much attention to the decorations inside. It's a pity to think about it now. After all, female relatives can't enter and leave the ancestral hall at will, it's just for festivals. Bye, there are many rules.

The others all entered the ancestral hall, and stood in line according to the line from Neiyi Gate to the corridor of the main hall. There are five main halls, inner corridors and outer eaves, steps up and down, and there is no space left.

After the food was served, the old man held incense and bowed down, and everyone behind him knelt down, only the slight sound of clothes being blown by the wind and the crisp humming of jewelry and jade pendants were left in the air.

So solemn, after the ceremony, Yu Zhu helped Xie to get up, and she breathed a sigh of relief, the atmosphere just now made her dare not even take a loud breath.

After exiting the ancestral hall, Mrs. Xie and the old man were surrounded, and baskets of auspicious words were thrown out like free money.Xu Shi had to go through this once every year, and Mrs. Xie dealt with it very calmly, without the slightest bit of impatience.

Yu Zhu caught sight of the protruding silver chain and quickly winked at her.Yinlian smiled treacherously, and nodded viciously...

Since the worship of the ancestors is over, there is no reason to stay. Before dark, the Duke's Mansion returned to calm.

After Cheng Xunxun saw off the last group of guests, when he returned to his room, he saw Yuzhu beating the kang with unbearable laughter, and the big maids serving beside him also had smiles that couldn't be concealed.

"What's the matter?" Cheng Xunxun raised his eyebrows, she was always so lively, seeing her smile always made her feel better.

Yu Zhu waved her hand to let the maid go down, sat up straight by herself, poured a cup of tea from the kang table and handed it to Cheng Xunxun, with frowned eyes: "I tell you, you are not allowed to tell the old lady."

After getting the guarantee, Yu Zhu held back a smile and explained how she manipulated those relatives to steal things, how she found out where they hid things, and finally how she asked people to take all the stolen goods while there was no one in the house while worshiping. When I got back, I replaced it with pottery flowerpots of similar size, and increased or decreased the soil clods inside according to the weight. If the objects were too small, even the antique flowerpots used to fill the vases were omitted...

"Only the seven and a half roast ducks in the baggage of the shortest old uncle of the old clan did not move, and the ones that others happily carried back were not the original ones." Yu Zhu smiled: "Someone also found out and wandered around the gate of the mansion. For a long time, I wanted to ask for an explanation but didn’t dare to come in.” The girl raised her chin in an air, “I don’t want to suffer, when I was in the mansion, I responded to any request that was not too much, and the old lady gave back the red envelope, how can they do that? Stealing..."

Cheng Xunxun laughed, but seeing her shining eyes with a little cunning behind her, he didn't tell her that the pottery flower pots in the house were actually custom-made in Tao Town, and they were of different sizes, and the price was not as good as hers As cheap as imagined... (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to subscribe and reward. Your support is my biggest motivation.)

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