swear not to be concubine

Chapter 31

Jian Yan was thinking, maybe her current physique is not only high in affinity, it is easy to attract little girls, and it is estimated that she is also easy to attract love, and it is still rotten.

After breakfast, seeing the bright spring outside, she put down the mat she was embroidering.

The big red mat is stuffed with a layer of cotton that is not thick or thin, and a cluster of orchids are embroidered on each of the four corners. It is just right to make a mat for the lucky cat.

Yesterday Zhou Lin sent word that he had contacted a folk kiln and asked if they were making this lucky cat.The people in the folk kiln said that they could be burned after seeing the pattern, but only a few would not be burned, and at least a hundred of them would be burned. He thought that it would not take much to burn the hundred lucky cats. With two silver coins, he made his own decision and agreed. In a few days, the Lucky Cat will be baked, and then he will bring a few more to Jian Yan and ask her to give it away.

After listening to Zhou Lin's words, Jian Yan rushed to make the bright red cushion.Fortunately, it is finally done now, so we can take a rest.

Bai Wei brought tea over on a small tea tray, and saw Jian Yan sitting on the kang and beating her neck with her hands.

Embroidery is actually quite tiring.You have to hang your head all day long, and your eyes have to stare intently.When I was in Longxing Mansion before, because I thought that I had to have money to defend myself, and I had no way to make money, I could only embroider some small objects day and night and ask Zhou Lin to sell them.But now that there is a woolen thread shop and daily income, Jian Yan doesn't have much patience for embroidering these things, but it's just that she embroiders occasionally when she is in the mood.

Bai Wei put the teacup on the kang table beside Jian Yan's hand, and put the tea tray aside, then walked over, reaching out to help Jian Yan press her neck.

Jian Yan could only hum in comfort.

Bai Wei then laughed and said: "Young lady is not short of money now. I haven't seen her doing embroidering all day long. In such a fine weather, it's better to go out for a walk. It's good for your health."

Jian Yan squinted her eyes and said: "It's not that Brother Zhou said that the lucky cat is coming soon, so I rushed to make this mat. Because I thought that a smooth mat would not look good, so I simply embroidered it on the four corners. It’s nothing more than a bunch of orchids, otherwise who would bother to embroider these things? It’s better to read a book if you have the time.”

Mrs. Jian is willing to spend money on buying dresses and jewelry for Jian Yan, but she is not willing to spend a penny on buying books.Fortunately, Xu Miaoning and Xu Miaojin have all kinds of books there, just ask the two of them to borrow a few to read.

Two days ago, Jian Yan just borrowed a book from Xu Miaojin to read, thinking that she should return it, and seeing the spring flowers blooming outside, she simply went out for a walk, it would be good to relax her muscles and bones.

She said this to Bai Wei, and Bai Wei smiled and said: "That's not the way it should be. Girl, you just take Si Yue out for a walk, and the slaves keep the house to look after the house—beware that the wife will find the girl for something later, That little hoof of April doesn't know how to prevaricate."

Jian Yan picked up the book on the kang table next to her, rolled it up, stuffed it in her sleeve, and went out to call Si Yue, saying that she was going to sit with Miss Si for a while.

Si Yue was squatting bored under the crape myrtle tree watching the ants move, and immediately agreed clearly when she heard the words.

The master and servant walked along the shore.

In the past few days, the weather has been warmer, the willow branches have become greener, and the peach blossoms have also bloomed more brilliantly.Previously, it was only flower buds, and only half of the flowers were in bloom, but now they are all in bloom.

In April, a child with a heart, climbed down two soft willow branches, made a wreath, and pinched a few wild flowers on the side of the road, and inserted them on the wreath.The green leaves share the small yellow flowers, which is also very unique.

"I'll give this garland to Fourth Miss later," she said happily, "Do you think Fourth Miss would like it?"

Jian Yan thought, although Xu Miaojin looked like a grown-up on the surface, she was actually very childish on the inside, and she should like things like garlands.

So she nodded, and by the way, she praised Si Yue: "I never thought that your hands are so clever."

Siyue was very happy, and hurriedly said: "What is this? I can still make a small flower basket out of willow branches. Otherwise, I will make a small flower basket and put wild flowers in it. The fourth girl will definitely like it .”

After all, he stretched out his hand to break willow branches again.

Jian Yan hurriedly stopped her: "That's all. After all, this is someone else's house. If someone sees it, they might say something about us. Just send Jin'er a wreath."

Before he could say a word, he suddenly heard someone laughing behind him: "It's just a few willow branches, what's it worth? Young lady, you can pick them. If anyone dares to speak of you, let him come and answer me first."

Jian Yan turned around, and saw Xu Zhongze wearing a sapphire blue gauze and flowered gown, with a servant, holding a hanging fan in his hand, standing behind them, looking at them with a smile.

Jian Yan frowned.She didn't hear the footsteps. She thought it was she and Siyue talking excitedly just now, so she was careless and didn't notice it.

"Third Young Master." Jian Yan blessed Xu Zhongze, and didn't want to talk to him, so she said directly, "I still have to go to Fourth Miss's place, so I won't accompany you."

After all, he turned around and took April to leave.

But Xu Zhongze actually caught up with the first two steps and blocked her way.

With a swipe, the fan in his hand swung away, and a large and magnificent peony was tightly drawn on the snow-white rice paper, accompanied by two butterflies.

"Ms. Jane, why do you have to leave in such a hurry?" He waved the fan in his hand, and the wind lifted his temples, looking very chic.

It's a pity that she had a pair of swollen eyes, Jian Yan thought darkly in her heart, and they were one big and one small, would they cross their eyes when looking at things?
It's just that although she hated Xu Zhongze extremely, she was still at Xu's house after all, and she couldn't really slap him just because she wanted to slap him.So instead of being annoyed on her face, she had to say with a smile: "I have an appointment with Fourth Miss today, I'm afraid she'll be waiting impatiently. Please make way for Third Young Master."

Where will Xu Zhongze let it go?
When he saw Jian Yan for the first time that day, he loved her beauty very much in his heart. He just wanted to get closer to her, and the best thing was to let her be his concubine, and be with him every day. Wouldn't it be wonderful to face it?It's just that he has to go to school every day, and a group of friends have made appointments to play here today and there tomorrow, so he has no time to walk around the garden.After finally finding some free time, he wandered around the garden all day long, but he just didn't meet Jian Yan.He was as anxious as a cat's paw, but he couldn't force his way into the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard to meet her.It was rare that Mr. Today was not feeling well, the school was on holiday, he shrugged off a friend’s invitation to go horse racing outside the city, and started wandering in the garden after breakfast.

After wandering around like this for half a day, he didn't see any trace of the beautiful lady. He was very annoyed in his heart, and said that this morning was wasted again. If he knew this earlier, he might as well go out for a horse race outside the city.Just as she was about to take the servant girl out of the garden and find some place for entertainment, she suddenly saw Jian Yan coming out of the gate of Hexiangyuan with the servant girl.

When he saw her, he hurried forward, thinking that it would be good to have a few more words with her, so Jian Yan asked him to make way, how could he let her?

"Fourth sister is also bored all day long, and she is idle when she is idle. It is good to ask her to wait a little longer. Miss Jane, I have two words to tell you."

After all, he actually took a step forward.

Jian Yan took two steps back, the fake smile on her face was gone now, her face was gloomy and calm.

This Xu Zhongze is so desperate.Why, really looking at her, she is a weak girl who can't beat people?

She clenched her fists tightly with her hands in her sleeves, thinking about whether she would slap her directly in the face, or directly slap her, or slap her legs.

After thinking about it, she felt that hitting someone doesn't mean slapping her face, forget it, let's just give her a flirtatious kick.Anyway, it wouldn't really ruin his happiness in the next life, at most it would just make him suffer for a while.

On the other hand, April was as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

This Third Young Master Xu is obviously not a good guy.How can a man from a good family block the way of a girl like this?And still speak so blatantly?She wanted to go forward and reprimand her, what are you going to do?He said something like get out, but then he thought that after all, he was in the Xu family. After offending the third son of the Xu family, he was afraid that the girl would not have a good life in the Xu family, so he didn't dare to act rashly for a while.But it's really anxious to just watch her from the sidelines like this.

At this moment, she saw someone coming out of the gate of Ning Cui Xuan from a distance.

As soon as I saw it in April, I couldn't care less, so I hurriedly opened my throat and shouted: "Young Master, we are here."

But in fact, she didn't see that person's face clearly at all, she only knew that it was a man.It's just that she thought that the eldest son often came to the fourth girl's side, so eight or nine out of ten people who came out of the fourth girl's yard were him.

Xu Zhongze and Jian Yan were startled at the same time, they turned around and looked over together.

The reason why Xu Zhongze was taken aback was that his elder brother usually had a gentle face when facing them, but occasionally when he looked over, it was as if a cold knife was scraping flesh, and he didn't dare to look directly at them at all.What's more, it should be said that he was stopping Jian Yan from leaving after all, he couldn't imagine how his elder brother would deal with him if he knew about it.

The reason why Jian Yan was shocked was that she wanted to stay as far away from Xu Zhongxuan as she wanted, so she only came out to activities when Xu Zhongxuan was not at home, and waited until the day when he took a rest , she stayed in the house all day long.But tomorrow is Xu Zhongxuan's day to rest, why would he appear here now?
But when that person approached, both of them felt relieved.

A delicate and delicate young man with bright black pupils and long eyelashes, he smiled shyly and warmly. Where could it be Xu Zhongxuan, it was clearly Xu Zhongjing.

But no matter who it is, as long as there is an outsider, Jian Yan's crisis can be resolved.

So Si Yue was very clever and turned to Xu Zhongjing Fu, and called out: "Second Young Master."

Jian Yan immediately saluted him and called the Second Young Master.

Xu Zhongjing hurriedly returned a salute, not daring to look at Jian Yan, he just called Miss Jian, then turned his eyes away and asked Xu Zhongze: "Third Brother, are you here too?"

Xu Zhongze snorted with some displeasure in his nose.

It was hard for him to get along with Jian Yan alone, but before he could say a word, he was destroyed by Xu Zhongjing who came over.

So he replied indifferently: "Yes. What is Second Brother doing here?"

"I just went to visit my fourth sister, and I sat with her for a while," Xu Zhongjing replied, "Is the third brother also going to visit her?"

Xu Zhongze rolled his eyes.

He remembered what Jian Yan said just now, that she had made an appointment with Xu Miaojin and was going to find her.Coincidentally, then he can also go to Xu Miaojin, but it's just a little girl's film, and it won't hurt anything with her around.And if this girl is a talkative, going around the house to say that Jian Yan is talking and laughing with him, Jian Yan's reputation will deteriorate, maybe Mrs. Jian will have to give Jian Yan to him as a concubine. .

When Xu Zhongze thought of this, he was so happy that his heart blossomed immediately, and he hurriedly replied: "Yes, I am going to visit my fourth sister."

While speaking, he glanced at Jian Yan.

But seeing the light smile on Jian Yan's face, she looked extremely beautiful, like a hosta flower slowly blooming in the morning, he was a little shaken by seeing it for a moment.

But the smile on Jian Yan's face was not directed at him, but at Xu Zhongjing.

Hearing that Xu Zhongze said that he was going to visit Xu Miaojin, Jian Yan kept smiling, but she was thinking in her heart that if she didn't hurry up and take this opportunity to escape, then she would be a fool.

So she said to Xu Zhongjing: "A few days ago, I met Ling Tang in the garden and chatted for a while, and then I realized that she is very proficient in Buddhism. I read a Buddhist scripture these two days, and there are two sentences that are very I don’t understand, I don’t know if Lingtang is in the room right now? I take the liberty to interrupt and ask Lingtang how to explain the two Buddhist scriptures.”

Thinking about it, Xu Zhongjing seldom dealt with girls, because when Jian Yan was talking to him, he didn't dare to look at her directly, but just slightly lowered his eyes, looking at the single tassel of black silk sash tied on his bamboo blue straight skirt .But with a focused expression on his face, it was obvious that he was listening to Jian Yan seriously.

After Jian Yan finished speaking, he didn't raise his eyes to look at her, but said: "Mother is always in the house and rarely comes out. If Miss Jian has any doubts about the sentences in the Buddhist scriptures, you can go to her at any time. Find my mother. She is very fond of discussing Buddhist scriptures with others."

The smile on Jian Yan's face did not diminish, but she was thinking in her heart, in fact, she was impatient to discuss some Buddhist scriptures with someone.It's just that he wants to get rid of Xu Zhongze now, so he can only cling to Xu Zhongjing.But why is Xu Zhongjing not playing tricks?

So Jian Yan had no choice but to say directly: "It's just that I don't know the way to Lingtang courtyard. Is Second Young Master free now? If you are free, please lead the way."

After all, it was Shorty who saluted him again.

Xu Zhongjing hurriedly returned the salute, and said a word in his mouth, dare not dare.Then he made a gesture to invite Jian Yan to go forward, but Jian Yan waved her hand, just smiled and said: "The second young master invites you first. You go your way, and I will follow from a distance. "

So Xu Zhongjing led his servant to walk in front, and Jian Yan led Si Yue to follow behind.Even if the people in Xu's house saw it, they wouldn't be able to gossip about it.

But Xu Zhongze was dumbfounded.

How is this going?Didn't Jian Yan first say that she was going to Xu Miaojin's place?Why did you turn around and say you were going to Mrs. Yu?It turned out that when Xu Zhongjing asked him where he was going at the beginning, he said that he was going to visit his fourth sister in a foolish manner. If he chased after him, Xu Zhongjing would be suspicious, right?
This Jian Yan, a gentle and harmless person, could not be seen to be so cunning.

Xu Zhongze was so angry that he squeezed the folding fan tightly in his hand.

At this moment, the servant who was following him lowered his hands and asked, "Master, shall we go to Miss Si right now?"

"Fuck you dead head." Xu Zhongze slapped the boy's head with a fan, then turned around, angrily walked around to the other side of the pond.

On Jianyan's side, she followed Xu Zhongjing to the front yard all the time.When they got outside the courtyard where Mrs. Yu lived, Xu Zhongjing stood there, nodded to her, then took the servants and turned back to his own courtyard.

Si Yue was unavoidably curious, so she asked, "Why didn't the second son go into the yard with the girl to see his mother?"

"He did it to avoid suspicion," Jian Yan walked slowly while looking behind her cautiously. Seeing that Xu Zhongze hadn't followed, she let go of her heart and said, "He wants to see his mother naturally. It can be any time, but now I come to visit his mother, if he goes in with me, I'm afraid that someone who wants to see him will think about something and gossip about me."

Si Yue sighed: "So the second son was thinking about the girl's reputation."

On the one hand, he continued: "The second young master and the third young master are still two cousins. How come the second young master is so upright and knows that he cares about the girl's reputation, but the third young master is so wretched and doesn't think about the girl at all. reputation."

"The dragon has nine sons."

After Jian Yan finished speaking, she motioned for Si Yue to knock on the courtyard door.

A servant girl came over and opened the gate of the courtyard. Under Jian Yan's instruction, Si Yue blessed the maid, and then said: "Sister, please go and report to the wife, and tell Miss Jian to come to visit."

The rough servant girl turned around and turned back after a while, and respectfully turned to the side to invite Jian Yan to enter, saying: "Madam invites Miss Jian to enter."

Jian Yan nodded, and her eyes signaled to April.Si Yue understood, so she took out a handful of copper coins from her purse and stuffed them into the hand of the maid, and said with a smile: "It's not worth anything, just treat me to a cup of tea."

The servant girl happily accepted it, and the expression on her face became more respectful for a moment.

Because the cashmere shop is quite profitable, Jian Yan now has a lot of money on hand.She didn't think about having any big ambitions, but she just wanted to use the money to find a better living environment for herself.

Don't underestimate these maids who are rough envoys. As the saying goes, three people become tigers. Most of the gossip in a house comes from these maids. If you comfort them, there will be a lot.

Then Jian Yan brought Si Yue into Yu's yard.

It was the first time for her to visit Yu's place, and at first sight, the scale and decoration were much worse than those of Ji's in Hexiangyuan.

It's just a small courtyard, not much bigger than her Dongkua courtyard.On both sides of Shiziyong Road, there are several low holly trees with green leaves.There are some creeper vines on the white wall, with lush leaves.Where the wind passes, green waves sway from side to side.

The little maid in the corridor opened the curtain, and Jian Yan walked in with Si Yue bowing her head.

The Arhat bed in the middle of the room is not made of expensive hardwood, but ordinary elm wood.The seat cushions laid on it are also extremely simple, just the kind of cotton cloth printed on a blue background.

Mrs. Yu was wearing a light blue cloak, with indigo blue eyebrows embroidered with white treasure elephant flowers on the neckline, holding a string of rosary beads in her hand, and was sitting on the side of the arhat bed.

Seeing Jian Yan coming in, she bowed slightly, and said with a smile on her face: "Miss Jian is here?"

And Jian Yan bowed down, "I've seen my wife."

Mrs. Yu hurriedly asked the maid Ruilan who was standing beside her to help her up, and said, "Why are you so polite?"

At the same time, he beckoned Jian Yan to sit on Luohan's bed.

Seeing Mrs. Yu sitting on the right side of the kang table on the Arhat bed, Jian Yan refused to sit on the left side of the kang table. After repeated humility, she just picked the first four-year-old official hat chair on the right and sat down.

Mrs. Yu then ordered the little girl to serve tea and take the fruit box, while asking Jian Yan: "How is your mother recently? I accepted her post yesterday and invited me to enjoy the peach blossoms in Taoyuan tomorrow, but I hate that my legs and feet have always been bad." , In the past two days, I have suffered from pain again, and I will not be able to go tomorrow, which has failed your mother's kindness."

Jian Yan naturally knew that this was just Yu's excuse, but in reality she didn't want to go.But she just didn't know, instead she asked earnestly what was wrong with Yu's legs and feet, but the pain was important, did she ask a doctor or something.

Mrs. Yu also answered one by one, and after the two chatted a few words, a little maid served tea on a tea tray, brought a fruit box, and put it on the table next to Jian Yan.

Jian Yan saw that the tea cup was very plain, and when she lifted the lid, there was only sliced ​​plum tea inside.

She took a sip of the tea lightly, and saw a snack in the seven-compartment fruit box filled with lacquer and gold. The pattern on the top was like a snail. There were two kinds of pink and pure white, but it was a snail soaked in butter.

Jian Yan knew that the ghee puffed snails were made of cheese and cane sugar frosting, and it was somewhat similar to modern cream.This would be nothing in modern times, but ancient cheese is not easy to come by in the Central Plains, so the snails soaked in butter are very precious and high-grade.

Seeing Jian Yan staring at the buttered snails all the time, Rui Lan, who was standing beside her, wanted to show off, so she said with a smile: "Our son is the most filial. I know our wife loves this buttered snails the most. I ordered it yesterday." When I was studying, I rushed to the Guixiang Building in the capital, and bought this fried snail in butter to honor our wife. Cousin, try it, I’m afraid you haven’t eaten this before, have you?”

There was an unmistakable boast in his tone.

Jian Yan thought to herself, what is this?Have you ever eaten cream cake?Have you ever eaten egg tarts?You are asking this question with a sympathetic face like Bangzi, poor child, there is no TV in your country, right?There are no such tall buildings in your country, right?
I really want to pick up this ghee and soak snails to paste Ruilan's face.

But Jian Yan still had a smile on her face, echoed her words, and smiled at Yu Shi: "My wife is so lucky, the second son is actually so filial."

Yu Shi is always happy to hear others praise her son.But he was still modest: "As long as this child is studying hard and making progress, it makes me happier than buying me something to eat."

Jian Yan then comforted Mrs. Yu, saying that she heard from the maid that the second son's knowledge is very good, and that he will definitely be on the list in the autumn this year, and Mrs. Yu who said it straight has always had a slight smile on her face. meaning.

In the end, Jian Yan randomly picked up two sentences from Buddhist scriptures and asked Mrs. Yu how to explain them.After all, it was just this reason that he talked to Xu Zhongjing, if he didn't ask a few words, he was afraid that Xu Zhongjing would talk about it when he was gossiping with Mrs. Yu in the future, and it would reveal his truth.

Yu Shi was also patient, and explained the meaning of these two Buddhist scriptures to Jian Yan in detail.Jian Yan first acted like she was listening respectfully, and then acted like she had suddenly realized it, and complimented her cleverly and without any trace, and then saw that it was almost time for lunch, and guessed that there were more maids coming and going in the garden, and it was Xu Zhongze again. She was not afraid of blocking her on the road, so she got up and said goodbye to Mrs. Yu.

Yu Shi ordered Rui Lan to send Jian Yan off for her.After going out of the house, Si Yue followed Jian Yan's instructions, took a piece of broken silver from her purse and stuffed it into Rui Lan's hand, and then went with Jian Yan.

Here, Ruilan stuffed the broken silver into her purse without any trace, then turned around and opened the curtain to enter the room.

Yu Shi was leaning back against the pillow, closed her eyes, and slowly fiddled with the rosary in her hand.

She didn't open her eyes when she heard footsteps, but asked, "Is she gone?"

Ruilan replied respectfully: "Yes. The servant watched Miss Jane leave the courtyard."

Yu's next sentence was: "Kneel down."

The voice was extremely harsh.

With a plop, Ruilan's knees immediately softened and she knelt down.

She was terrified in her heart, not knowing what she had done wrong.Could it be that his wife found out that he just received money from Jian Yan outside?

"Ma'am, this servant doesn't dare anymore. I beg my wife to forgive this servant." She pleaded in a trembling voice, and then kowtowed heavily.

But I could only hear Mrs. Yu saying indifferently: "I told you to talk too much and show off. Jing'er bought me snails soaked in butter, why, you are so loud that the whole house knows, thinking that our mother and son have a lot of money in their hands." What's the matter?"

It was only then that Rui Lan knew that Yu Shi was blaming her for this incident.But I still breathed a sigh of relief in my heart, I just kowtowed and said: "This servant will never dare to say a word in the future. Please forgive me, madam."

Mrs. Yu didn't forgive her, but said: "You are the big maid serving me, so I will save some face for you, and I won't teach you to kneel in the yard, so that the little maid can see and laugh at you. That's all. , Just kneel in this room for half an hour, and have a long memory."

(End of this chapter)