swear not to be concubine

Chapter 67

When Nanny Zhu returned to Songhe Hall, Mrs. Wu was lying on the Arhat bed crookedly, smoking dry cigarettes.

Tobacco stems carved with twisted purple bamboo silk, agate cigarette holders, and cooked copper tobacco pots filled with gold-threaded tobacco.A little maid was standing beside her, reached out to take the lit paper eyebrows, and carefully lit the tobacco in the tobacco pot.

After the tobacco was lit, Wu Shi took two puffs and puffed out a puff of blue-gray smoke, and her face was immediately hidden under the layer of smoke, so that she couldn't see clearly.

Nanny Zhu took two steps forward, bowed her knees to Mrs. Wu, and called out: "Old lady."

Wu's eyes didn't open either, she just hummed lightly, and then asked slowly: "Have you sent them all?"

What she said was of course not only referring to the three supplements of ginseng, bird's nest and donkey-hide gelatin, but also Mingzhu.

Mother Zhu said with some embarrassment: "The eldest son took all the three boxes of supplements. But Mingzhu, the eldest son lost his temper a lot, and immediately forced the servant to bring Mingzhu back. The servant did not The only way is to bring Mingzhu back."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wu immediately opened her eyes, turned over and sat up, and asked with a worried expression, "He didn't accept it?"

As the saying goes, it is a gift from the elders, and it cannot be denied. Wu Shi thinks that she is also Xu Zhongxuan's nominal grandmother, but she sent a maid over there, and Xu Zhongxuan refused to accept it. It was not obvious that she was beaten. face?
Nanny Zhu also had a very ugly face, and said emphatically, "No way. The servant girl said at the time that this pearl was picked out by the old lady for a long time, and it was placed in the fourth girl's courtyard. He can take care of the fourth girl on weekdays, and secondly, when the eldest son Xiu Mu comes back, at least there must be a maid to take care of him, right? But after hearing this, the eldest son has no intention of thanking the old lady , on the contrary, he immediately put on a face, and only said to let the slaves go out. And the third girl and Miss Jian were also there at that time. Look at it, girl, what do you think?"

When Wu heard this, her face sank, and she was angry and ashamed at the same time.

Xu Miaoning is a junior, and Jian Yan is a relative. In front of these two people, Xu Zhongxuan still doesn't give her face like this. If it spreads, isn't she completely humiliated?How can I show the attitude of an elder in front of these people in the future?
And Mother Zhu, as if she was afraid that the world would not be chaotic, was still adding fuel and embellishment: "The thing about the cousin girl last time, the eldest son did a little badly. Besides, the cousin girl was blinded by lard for a while. After doing such a wrong thing, but after all, I have lived in the same house for so many years, and I can’t see him when I look up. Is it possible that I don’t have the slightest affection between cousins? The one who looks at the face of the Buddha, even if he doesn't look at the face of the cousin girl, then he should also look at the face of the old lady, you are the cousin girl's aunt, you kicked the cousin girl out of Xu's house, isn't it the same? Slapped your face so brightly? The maidservant still remembers the smug look on the face of the eldest lady that day. But the eldest son was so unfeeling, he didn't say a word of gossip when he came over, and he just took the day when the prisoner was interrogated in Dali Temple It was used to scare Xueliu, forcing her to tell all the truth, and then she said that she was going to drive the cousin back to the uncle. It seemed that he hated the cousin and you so much, and he eased it a little. There is no room for negotiation.”

When Mrs. Wu heard the words, she also sighed: "That's not how he said it. Speaking of which, he doesn't come to my Songhe Hall very often, but he did come that day, but who would have thought that after he came, he would call Sister Xuan in a few words? After being interrogated about his son's matter, he turned around and left at the end. He refused to stay for a quarter of an hour. It seemed that he came here specially to investigate that matter. It's just that he usually doesn't care about these things at home. How did you change your temper?"

Nanny Zhu suddenly felt something flash in her mind very quickly, she wanted to catch it but didn't, she just stood there thinking in a daze.

And Mrs. Wu still sighed there: "...It's just who made my life miserable. Although I gave birth to two sons, one was born with such a strange disease, and left at a young age. Although one became an official with the help of his ancestors, he has such a dull temper. He was originally a good official in Beijing, but he was relegated to other provinces to serve as a general judge. Leaving home The farthest is the second, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to go further in the official career. Two grandsons, one is not progressing, the whole day only knows how to fight cocks and horses, and the other is young, who knows when he will become a talent But which one can compare to that one? I can’t blame Da Fang for being so straight all these years, speaking and acting tough, and not paying attention to me at all..."

Before she could say a word, she suddenly heard Mammy Zhu call her in a strange tone: "Old lady."

Mrs. Wu was struggling with self-pity, when she suddenly heard Madam Zhu's cry, she frowned, and asked with some displeasure: "What's the matter?"

But seeing that Nanny Zhu's face had changed a little, she stammered and said, "Just now, when the slaves went to the fourth girl's place, the girl from Jian's family was also there."

"Didn't you tell me about this early in the morning?" Mrs. Wu didn't think of getting suspicious to other people, so she said casually, "The little girl from Jian's family and sister Jin are usually together You're having a good time, she's sick, it's also right for the girl from the Jian family to visit her."

Nanny Zhu hurriedly said: "Old lady, that's not what you said. Think about it carefully, why did Miss Biao make up such a story to frame Miss Jane's reputation? Is it possible? Is she too full to do nothing? Another day, the eldest son will come to you, and after interrogating Xueliu, he only said that he wanted to drive the cousin back to his uncle, and then left. Think about it, he Didn't they come just for this matter? But that day the eldest wife asked her servant girl to invite Miss Jian to confront Xue Liu, so why didn't Miss Jian come and the Eldest Young Master came?"

Because Mrs. Wu really felt that Wu Jingxuan had lost face that day, so she didn't want to see her afterwards, but ordered her maid to take her back to Tangli Garden.Early the next morning, Qi Sang, Xu Zhongxuan's attendant, came over, saying that he wanted to see Wu Jingxuan leave Xu's house with his own eyes so that he could go back and report to the eldest son, so the Wu family did not even meet Wu Jingxuan in private and ask her about it. What is the reason for doing that.

But now, as soon as Nanny Zhu said these words, Wu was a little stunned, but she still didn't react for a while, she just stared at Nanny Zhu with wide eyes, and asked, "What do you mean? "

Mammy Zhu is really anxious for this meeting, wishing she could break Wu's head and stuff all the things she thought about into her head.

"Old lady," she didn't care much at this point, and said directly, "I'm afraid that the eldest son is interested in the little girl of the Jane family. Otherwise, why would he defend her so much that day? Why don't you let her come over to confront Xueliu in person, and still face the cousin girl like that? Could it be that he resented the cousin girl for doing such a detrimental thing to Miss Jane behind her back, that's why he was so cruel that he must Drive the cousin girl back to her uncle. The cousin girl must have found out that the eldest son is interested in the girl of the Jian family early in the morning, so she made up such a story to frame the reputation of the girl Jane, so that the eldest son I can't be with Miss Jane in the end."

Wu was dumbfounded and didn't react for a while.After a while, she asked Nanny Zhu: "But when I asked you that day, you only said that the girl from Jian's family was young, and she was ten years younger than Brother Xuan. Brother Xuan couldn't look down on her any more. Yes, why did you take a fancy to this meeting?"

There is a sense of blame in the words.

After hearing this, Mammy Zhu was angry and ashamed at the same time. She just thought in her heart, can I tell you directly that what I said that day was just to ease your heart, so she felt ashamed. Opening his face, he only said: "It's because the servant didn't think carefully. How could he know that the eldest son would really like Miss Jian."

Wu thought about it for a while, then sighed: "I can't blame him for taking a fancy to Miss Jian. Although Miss Jian is young, she is dignified and polite to people, and she behaves well. Good looking."

"No matter how good it is, she's just a merchant's daughter," Zhu Nanny said on the side, "I can only be a concubine for the eldest son."

After a pause, she asked again: "The old lady doesn't have any intention of resenting the eldest son or the eldest son in her heart? Then the eldest lady is arrogant when she sees you, and she only says that you don't know how to housekeeper, you are a good one The Xu family managed such a mess for you, and it has been reduced to the current situation where you have to rely on cutting the expenses of each house to live. What are you talking about, where did the profits from the shops and farms of the Xu family go? Didn't it mean that you filled your pockets and went to the second and fifth rooms behind your back, but you cut down the various expenses in her big room. These words are no longer ear-piercing. Normally, the slaves are afraid of your anger, so they don't I dare not imitate you. And Eldest Young Master, today, in front of Miss San and Miss Jian, I don’t want to show you face like this. I’m afraid everyone in the house will say tomorrow that you stuffed Eldest Young Master with a maid, But the Eldest Young Master didn't accept him, and immediately forced him to bring the maid back."

Mrs. Wu is actually a very ordinary person.She has selfish intentions, and will suppress the eldest wife who is not her own, and favor the second and fifth families of her own.She is also ambitious, and always thinks that Xu Zhongxuan is a third-rank member of the imperial court, so she thinks of a way to place someone of her own beside Xu Zhongxuan, so as to benefit herself to the greatest extent.It's just that she is not very smart, and she wants to save face, so she is often hindered by Qin Shi's snarky and violent, and she can only be pissed off by Qin Shi in the end.Moreover, she is also soft-hearted, and she can't bear the slightest provocation from others.

For example, when Xu Zhongxuan pushed Wu Jingxuan away from Xu Zhai, in front of Xu Miaoning and Jian Yan, he rejected the two things that she wanted to send Mingzhu to him without saving her face. I was angry and felt ashamed, but I didn't think about it. At most, I just sulked for two days and passed.But as soon as Nanny Zhu's words teased her, she immediately felt an unknown fire in her heart, which only burned her heart and lungs to the point of resentment towards Qin Shi and Xu Zhongxuan. gas.

So she asked Nanny Zhu: "According to you, but is there any way to slap Qin and Brother Xuan in the face?"

Mammy Zhu thought about it for a while, and then said: "At the eldest lady's place, the servant girl can't think of any way for the time being. But the servant girl has a way to add trouble to the eldest son."

Wu's mind is now full of thoughts about how to make Qin and Xu Zhongxuan feel ashamed, so when she heard what Nanny Zhu said, she hurriedly asked, "What do you think?"

Nanny Zhu then said: "Don't you, Eldest Young Master, like Miss Jane? Let's make a mistake, and it's not as good as he wants."

"But Brother Xuan's marriage is beyond my control," Wu said with a troubled look on his face, "Let's not say that he has a very strong idea, but that he still has Qin's aunt after all." , where can it be my turn to say something?"

Nanny Zhu laughed and said, "Although you are not in charge of the eldest son's marriage, Miss Jian's slaves think that you can intervene."

Mrs. Wu hurriedly asked: "How can I say this? There are times when I can't get involved in the marriages of our brothers from the Xu family, but her Jian family is a family with a foreign surname, and I can still get involved in one or two things?"

"Think about it, old lady. Although the Jian family is rich and wealthy, the scholars, farmers, businessmen, and businessmen are not very popular. If they can be worthy of a son of an official family? Then Mrs. Jian will be unhappy? I'm afraid it's just wishful thinking. Besides, you are not in charge of the eldest son's marriage, but what about the second and third sons? The third son is your own grandson. Although the second son is not your grandson, the third master is long gone The third wife is a widow, and her temperament is extremely gentle and submissive in daily life. After all, you are in charge of the Xu family now, so she can't rely on you to live? If you say something, how dare she not obey? "

Mrs. Wu, who only said a few words, smiled all over her face, and said repeatedly: "Very, very true. If Miss Jian married the second or third child, Brother Xuan will have to call her younger brother and sister when he sees her in the future. I'm afraid this feeling in his heart will be very uncomfortable. This blockage will be greatly improved."

After thinking about it, Yin frowned again and said, "Even though Brother Ze is just a concubine, he is still my own grandson. I still want to tell him about a lady from an official family. As you said, Miss Jian is also my grandson." It's just a merchant's daughter, and it won't help Ze Ge'er. Forget it, let's say it to Jing Ge'er in the third room."

Yin and Nanny Zhu discussed when it would be better to bring up this matter with Mrs. Jian and Mrs. Yu.Madam Zhu means that the wife of Du Shanyi's family, that is, Su Huiniang, posted a post a few days ago, saying that a safe dip was held at the Jade Emperor Temple outside the city on the Dragon Boat Festival, and that she invited our whole family. Wife and brothers and sisters are all going to the theater?We simply invited Mrs. Jane and Miss Jane to go with us.At that time, everyone will gather together to talk and laugh. If you find a suitable time to mention this, it is best when the eldest son is also present. Mrs. Jane will definitely be overjoyed, and the third wife will not. It's so rebellious, won't this be the case by then?At that time, the eldest son must have felt extremely uncomfortable, but he could only be dumb and eat Coptis chinensis, and he couldn't say anything.

As long as Mrs. Wu thinks that this matter will cause some trouble to Xu Zhongxuan, she will just think that this is a good way, and it will be so decided.So she immediately sent a servant girl to tell Mrs. Jian about going to the Jade Emperor Temple together on the Dragon Boat Festival. After hearing this, Mrs. Jian learned that not only people from the Xu family and the Du family would go there that day Going to the theater, and there are other powerful families who will join in the fun, so what is there not to like?She wished she could bring Jian Yan to meet more dignitaries.After all, although it is good for Jian Yan to be Xu Zhongxuan's concubine, what if she can meet someone more powerful?At that time, Xu Zhongxuan would not have enough to watch.

So Mrs. Jian immediately agreed to this matter, and sent Pearl to tell Jian Yan about this matter, so that she could prepare well.

Jian Yan is still sitting on the kang and sulking herself. When Pearl said this, how could she not know Mrs. Jian's intentions?So he became more and more angry with himself.

Mrs. Jian is eager to sell her right away. She still has the mind to think about the love between her children, but she is not clear about it?

She was annoyed for a whole day, but in the evening after dinner, Bai Wei came in to report that Qingzhu had arrived.

When Jian Yan heard it, she felt that the green bamboo must have been sent by Xu Zhongxuan, so she just felt a headache.

It's just that I don't want to see you, but in my heart I also want to know what Xu Zhongxuan sent Qingzhu to do, so after a lot of thinking, he finally sighed and told Bai Wei: "Let her come in."

Qingzhu came over with a painting as a gift.

Jian Yan stretched out her hand and opened the drawing paper, only to see lotus leaves and lotus flowers and two koi fish painted on the paper.

The green lotus leaves and delicate lotus flowers on the paper do not seem to be paintings, but fresh lotus leaves and lotus flowers picked from the lake and pasted on the paper.The two koi were even more lively, as if they would wag their tails and swim out of the paper in the next moment.

He was thinking about what he said in the gazebo at noon earlier.

Let him draw a picture of lotus leaves and flowers, and then let her embroider it.

Qingzhu said from the side again: "The eldest son said, if there is something wrong with this painting, please ask Miss Jian to point it out, and he will correct it immediately."

Jian Yan just lowered her head, pursed her lips and looked at the painting without saying a word.After a while, she just raised her head and said, "There's nothing wrong with it, so be it."

After that, he started to slowly roll up the drawing paper.

When Qingzhu saw it, she couldn't say anything more, so she bowed to her and turned around to leave the door.

After she returned to Ning Cui Xuan, Xu Zhongxuan was sitting in an armchair in the open room waiting for her.

Seeing Qingzhu lift the curtain and come in, he hurriedly asked: "What did Miss Jian say when she saw that painting?"

Qingzhu reported the truth: "Miss Jian didn't say anything."

Because he told Xu Zhongxuan everything about going to Jian Yan's in detail.After hearing this, Xu Zhongxuan was speechless for a while.

In fact, at first he wanted to draw lotus leaves and lotus flowers, playing with two mandarin ducks at the bottom of the water, but later he thought that he was angry when Jian Yan left, so he didn't dare to draw mandarin ducks, just because Jane Yan would be even angrier when she saw it, so she only drew two koi.Now Qing Zhu said that after Jian Yan saw his painting, she just had a cold face and didn't say a word, and she couldn't help but feel very disturbed.

Ever since Jian Yan turned around and walked away, he had been thinking here all afternoon.

At first, he only thought that she was angry after hearing Nanny Zhu's words and knowing that Mrs. Wu wanted to force a maid for him. He was secretly happy, but thought that Jian Yan was jealous It means that at least it shows that she still has him in her heart.But later he broke up and crumbled the few words she said word by word, and then carefully considered her annoyed appearance at that time, but it seemed that it was not the same thing.

She seemed to be annoyed with herself.But why should she annoy herself?
Xu Zhongxuan couldn't understand it.In the end, he could only wave his hands to make Qing Zhu retreat, while he sat there with his hands on his forehead and continued to think.

After thinking about it, he thought of another thing to go on.

That is, Jian Yan's temper is actually not small.Thinking of the way she got angry before, with a calm face and sneering words, every word she uttered could push people against the wall, and there was no way out, so he couldn't answer even if he was covered in mouths Come out half a word.

The Jade Emperor Temple is located on the hillside of a mountain in the suburbs.The temple is famous for two reasons.One is that every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, there will be a safety dip in the temple, and the momentum is spectacular.After playing the safety dip, the first-class opera troupe will be invited to sing operas for three days and three nights in the open space of the temple, which is very lively.In addition, more than ten acres of gardenias are planted in an open garden behind the temple. When the flowers bloom, they look like snow, and the fragrance smells hundreds of miles away, which is very spectacular.Therefore, every year at the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, those famous ladies and women from aristocratic families in Beijing will come here to watch operas and enjoy flowers.

Early in the morning, there were already crowds of cars and horses in front of the Xu family's gate.

Originally, Feng Shi, Yu Shi and others were also unwilling to go.They haven't seen any play, so why don't they go to the Jade Emperor Temple to watch a play under such a scorching sun?But he couldn't stand Wu's forceful order, so in the end he could only go.But Qin Shi ignored Wu Shi's order and still couldn't say it, and Wu Shi didn't force her.As for the brothers and sisters, if they are not studying in the school all day long, they will finally be able to come out to play once, or if they seldom go out at home all day long, they would like to go out to play and stroll around. In the end even Xu Miaojin said he would go.

Same as last time, Jian Yan sat in a car with Xu Miaoning and Xu Miaojin, and outside the car was still Xu Zhongxuan who was riding a horse.So Jian Yan learned to be a good boy this time, she didn't lift the curtain of the car all the way, she was just honest, keeping her eyes on her nose and heart, sitting in the car without squinting, just pretending she didn't know at all There is such a person out there.

(End of this chapter)