Value peace

Chapter 21

The Qiuxi Festival is coming soon, and before that, something big or small happened in the Gu residence.

Huanling was discovered by Nanny Song in his wife's house because he stole an inkstone from Master Gu, and his wife killed him at the discretion of the wife.Hengyue Moxiang and other girls were all called by Nanny Song to the outer courtyard to observe the torture. After returning, everyone was pale and trembling for several days before returning to some normalcy.

Gu Xiyan didn't know about it when the execution was carried out, and only heard about it afterwards.

Duanniang was very worried, and discussed with Gu Xiyan: "Should I return the book while I'm at it or..."

Gu Xiyan's eyes were a little sad, and she pondered: "Is Huanling the only one who stole something?"

Duanniang wondered: "Of course he's the only one, and he's a bit too courageous."

Gu Xiyan said, "There is no need to return the book."

Duanniang was puzzled, but Gu Xiyan stared blankly at the luxuriant tree outside the window and became dazed, with a preoccupied look.Duanniang thought: That's right, Huanling is dead, if there is anything, just push it on him.

Everyone was admonished to speak and act more cautiously than before, the room was often quiet, and the atmosphere of the Qiuxi Festival seemed to have been affected to some extent.

The day before the Qiuxi Festival, Nanny Song came to invite Gu Xiyan, saying that Mrs. Gu called her for something important.When I arrived at Mrs. Gu's room, it turned out that it was to give gifts for the Qiuxi Festival: "Although it is said that there is no formal apprenticeship, you still have to go to Aunt Cui's place in person. I have prepared things for you. Let Nanny Song accompany you." you go."

Gu Xiyan nodded her head one by one, and went to Cui Baoyi's place with Nanny Song.

Cui Baoyi's place was already full of gifts, and it seemed that Gu Xiyan and the others were not the only ones who thought of giving Cui Baoyi a boxing gift on the Qiuxi Festival.

Gu Xiyan sat with Cui Baoyi symbolically for a while and then left. Cui Baoyi didn't keep them any longer and asked a middle-aged woman named Wu Nanny to send them out.While walking on the avenue in the courtyard, someone led two young girls to meet him.The girl walking in front has a beautiful face, her hair is blue like a crow, her face is like spring flowers, her eyes are like autumn water, she has a long and slender figure, she is wearing a light green silk gown, her expression is elegant and refined, like a narcissus blooming alone in a corner The woman who followed her was a head shorter than her, wearing a pink robe and a long gown, carrying a small bamboo basket with a cover in her hand, and she couldn't see what was in it.She is weak and slender, with a peach face and apricot cheeks. Although she is not as good as the girl walking in front, she is still a beauty with pale muscles and snowy appearance.

When Nanny Wu saw the two girls from a distance, she stopped, bowed her head respectfully and gave way sideways, but Gu Xiyan looked at them with a smile.

The tall girl sensed Gu Xiyan's gaze, she couldn't help but stopped in front of them, and said with a smile: "What a beautiful girl, isn't it just a girl from which family?" Although the tone of the speech was kind, it was faintly revealing. With a sense of superiority.

Nanny Wu immediately stepped forward and replied obsequiously: "In terms of Miss Shuyue, she is the second girl of the Gu family. She just came back from Shuzhou, and she will come to Mr. Cui's class after the Spring Festival."

The girl named Shuyue nodded arrogantly towards Gu Xiyan, then walked away in a hurry.

Nanny Song asked curiously, "Whose girl is this?"

Nanny Wu led them out while explaining with a smile: "It's Miss Fang's personal maid."

Gu Xiyan smiled.

It's really the seventh-rank official of the prime minister's concierge. A personal maid of the Fang family can treat the minister's daughter like this, which shows the flames in the temple!

The two returned to Mrs. Gu to reply, and from a distance, they saw a few maids standing cautiously in the small garden.

Seeing this, Nanny Song's expression changed, and she said to Gu Xiyan, "I'll take the girl back to Wuyuan. Madam, I'll go and answer."

Gu Xiyan smiled: "Then I will trouble Mommy."

Nanny Song absently nodded to Gu Xiyan, then quickly ran towards the group of maids and nanny, Gu Xiyan took the opportunity to hide behind a big tree that hugged the roadside.As soon as Nanny Song left, a middle-aged woman who was about the same age as Nanny Song walked out of the group, and the two walked to the side alone and talked in a low voice.

Gu Xiyan trotted all the way back to Wuyuan, she called out Mo Ju: "Go and see the garden."

Mo Ju responded and left.

Gu Xiyan waited anxiously in the room, unable to read the book anymore.

Finally, Mo Ju came, Gu Xiyan pulled her to close the door, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Mo Ju's face was pale, and she murmured: "I don't know what happened, the garden guards refused to say anything. I only know that Nanny Song was beaten to death by the master and thrown in the middle of the flower garden, and the doctor is not allowed to be called." ..."

Gu Xiyan took a deep breath, lowered her head and thought deeply: "Go to investigate again, and report back in time if there is anything."

In the evening, news came from the garden guard that Nanny Song Meizhi had died.

Gu Xiyan felt a chill in her heart, and asked Mo Ju, "Have you reported to the official yet?"

Mo Ju wondered: "If a servant dies, and he is the son of my wife's natal family, what kind of official should I report to?"

Gu Xiyan stared at Mo Ju quietly, unable to say a word for a while.

She tossed and turned without sleep.

On the second day of Qiuxi Festival, Gu Xiyan got up early in the morning and went to the garden to pay her respects to Madam Gu.

The thin mist shrouded the garden like a veil, the flowers in the flowerbed stood quietly, waiting to bloom, and unknown birds chirped and flew around the flowerbed, playing with each other and singing softly. Full of vitality.And all the people in the garden guarded their faces, with a cautious look as if they were facing an enemy, creating a tense and depressing atmosphere less than five steps away from the flower garden, guarding the garden. Clearly divided into two worlds.

Mrs. Gu had already woken up, her hair was combed meticulously, her face was expressionless, but her brows and eyes, which usually looked graceful, looked so dull at this moment.The person who waited beside her had been replaced by Mother Tian who Gu Xiyan saw in the Baosha.

Gu Xiyan offered tea to her according to the rules, and Mrs. Gu put all her energy into dealing with her: "You go back first, let Aunt Duan accompany you out for a walk in the evening, the Lantern Festival in Shengjing has been very lively in the past two years. "

Gu Xiyan listened to her orders more obediently than usual, but Liu Er's solemn voice came from outside the door: "Madam, the fragrance of trees in the master's room is here."

Before Liu'er's voice fell, the atmosphere in the room immediately became a little tense.

Gu Xiyan lowered her head and pretended to drink tea, but secretly peeped at Mrs. Gu's expression.

Mrs. Gu lowered her eyelids, and she had a flat image of closing her eyes and resting her mind, but the hand holding the teacup was shaking gently like sifting sugar, revealing her mood at the moment.She said calmly and lowly: "Please come in!"

Liu'er responded, and after a while, the fragrance of trees came in through the curtain.

The fragrance of the tree is also gone. The first time Gu Xiyan saw him, her round face was pale and pale, her eyes shining like jewels were dull, and her whole person was as spiritless as a frost-beaten eggplant. .

As soon as he came in, he respectfully knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Mrs. Gu, and said softly: "The master asked the younger one to come and tell the madam, and said that today is the Qiuxi Festival. The master wants to treat guests in Jinyuan, and the madam arranged one time."

As soon as Shuxiang finished speaking, Mrs. Gu opened her eyes suddenly, her eyes were filled with peace and tranquility, a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and the hand holding the teacup did not shake anymore, as if she had returned to her usual gentleness Generous.She said softly, "Master, I can bring you the list of guests."

Shu Xiang hastily pulled out a few pieces of paper from her sleeve and handed them over.

Nurse Tian next to her stepped forward to catch the paper, and Mrs. Gu said softly, "Got it."

When Shuxiang heard this, she stood up as if she had been pardoned, said "Then I'm going", and ran away in a hurry.

Mrs. Gu lowered her head and asked softly, "Who can you invite?"

Nanny Tian opened the paper and read: "Shao Min, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Fang Shaofeng, the left servant of the Ministry of Industry, Lei Zhen, the right servant of the Ministry of Punishment, and Li Xuanwen, the left deputy governor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate."

Mrs. Gu listened quietly without raising her head: "You follow the rules and prepare!"

Grandma Tian answered "Yes" softly, and then tiptoed down.

Gu Xiyan took the opportunity to say goodbye.

Madam Gu looked up at her.

At this moment, Gu Xiyan noticed that Mrs. Gu's face had a look of burnout, as if she was ten years older.

Coming out of the guard garden, she heard someone crying softly by the woods.

Gu Xiyan sighed and left quietly.

The night came soon, and the Gu family gathered all the servants together as usual, and then Master Gu and Mrs. Gu gave them red envelopes together, leaving behind a few old and steady nuns, and the others ate. You can go out to play after dinner.Gu Xiyan is a girl in the mansion, so naturally she couldn't participate in the red envelope distribution ceremony, only to hear Mo Ju come back and sigh: "I'm still worried that I won't be able to go out for fun this year, who knew that Madam and Master are so affectionate, we also got red envelopes ..."

Gu Xiyan felt cold again.

Her house is full of little girls. According to the rules, Aunt Duan should stay on duty at night, but Talang volunteered to be on duty at night: "Aunt Duan hasn't been back to Shengjing for several years. Accompany, let's go out and have fun. I am a quiet person, so I will stay and guard the house."

Hengyue rolled her eyes and said, "I'm the oldest in this house, so I'll guard the house. You can go out with the second girl."

Duanniang said with a smile: "You all go to play, this year I will guard the house, and next year you will take turns one by one."

Hengyue said: "Then how can it be done, the second girl must have someone safe to accompany her..."

Duanniang said with a smile: "You don't have to worry, I invited Madam Zhao to accompany the girl to go shopping today."

Gu Xiyan lived in a family from a young age, and every year during holiday gatherings, she would spend most of her time in the kitchen before meals helping to cook, and most of the time after meals in the kitchen helping to clean up the dishes. Working, being in a noisy and bustling environment every day... She developed a temperament that she doesn't like to join in the fun.She smiled and said: "How about this, you all go out to play, and I will guard the house at home..."

Of course everyone is against it.

Who dares to let their leader be on duty and go to rest by himself?

Gu Xiyan made an excuse: "I still have books that I haven't finished reading, and I'm going to Aunt Cui's place tomorrow, even if I go out to play, I don't have the intention. You go, don't say in front of people that I'm just at home..."

No matter what Gu Xiyan said, Duanniang just didn't agree with Gu Xiyan's approach, and in the end, Mammy Zhao came over and thought of a compromise, "I'll stay at home with the girl, and you all go out to play", and then an agreement was reached .

(End of this chapter)