Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 895 Entering People
Cao Mansion, Wutong Garden, East Chamber.

Tian was sitting on the edge of the kang, Niuniu and Tianhui were sitting on the stools next to her, all three looked at Chuyu.

"Sister-in-law Tian, ​​the two Zuozhu brothers are growing up. A few days ago, the master said that the children should be sorted. There must always be someone waiting around here. Taking advantage of today's entry, my sister-in-law will also pick a few little girls and train them for a few years. , just in time to order from now on." Chu Yu said with a smile.

When Tian heard the words, she hurriedly said: "What the wife said is true."

Although there is no shortage of waiters in her yard now, and Zuo Zhu and Zuo Cheng also have maids and old mothers to wait on them, but except for the little walnut mother and daughter, they are all born in the Cao family.

After all, it is not the Cao family. When the children grow up, they will always set up another family.When the time comes, it will be difficult for Cao's family to have children, so naturally they will have to train some people first.

The belongings left by the Ning family have been turned over several times in the past few years, and now Cao Yong has placed them in the name of Zuo Zhu and Zuo Cheng.

Because they are still young, there are still many years before they get married and have children, so Cao Yong is not in a hurry to buy real estate for them.However, Cao Yong had already prepared the money to buy a house for their brothers.

As a adoptive father, he always wanted to do something for the two children.

Tianhui and Niu Niu were a bit curious, Niu Niu asked: "Sister-in-law, how big is a little girl, is there one as big as Niu Niu?"

Chu Yu replied with a smile: "This time I will mainly recruit the little girls, who are not far from you."

After hearing this, Niu Niu's eyes lit up.

She was raised by Sister Lianqiu, surrounded by maids from the banyan courtyard.Banyan Courtyard is well staffed, there are six maids, two second class, four third class, and the youngest is a few years older than Niu Niu.

Seeing this, Chu Yu couldn't help regretting that she was late.

Because the Banyan Courtyard is considered a guest house, and has a different status in the mansion, it is not easy for Chu Yu to interfere in the internal affairs there.Sisters Lianqiu and Xiqiu have limited knowledge, they hold all the money in their hands, and praise Niuniu's dowry, but they can't think of training the little maid.

Niu Niu will always get married, so let her get married alone?

"Watch carefully, and pick eight out soon." Chu Yu said to Niuniu.

"Eight, give them all to me? There are more people than mother and aunt?" Niu Niu was a little puzzled, looking at Chu Yu and asked.

Not only Niuniu was surprised, but even Tian was surprised when he heard "eight".

Immediately thinking that Niu Niu is already 11 years old this year, and will be the age to leave the cabinet in three or four years, and understands Chu Yu's intentions.

Before the aunts and grandmothers of the Cao family left the pavilion, they were served by four big maids and four young maids.

Although Niu Niu's status is not as good as theirs, she still needs to pick a few more people, but spend a few more money, enter once, buy a few more, and then slowly look at the character.

"You pick eight first, train them for half a month, then pick two to send to your mother and aunt, then pick two to send to the old lady and me, and keep four for yourself. It's Niuniu who helps herself to train with us. Human, okay?" Chu Yu thought for a while and replied.

This is because the rooms in the Banyan Courtyard are limited, and it is too crowded for eight little girls to enter, and there are not so many errands.In addition, Niuniu is still a child, and I don't know if she can treat a good person.

In this way, if the people around Niuniu are shameless, before Niuniu leaves the pavilion, give her the four around everyone, and there is no need to pick someone temporarily.

She knew that in her husband's heart, Mr. Zhuang was treated like a father, and Niuniu, a junior junior sister, was treated like her own sister, so she was willing to plan for her.

Niu Niu has no aunt and aunt, and no relatives in Beijing. She has two half-sisters, and she can't be counted on if she lives far away.

"Okay, okay, sister-in-law, that's it. Niuniu appointed them to teach them to understand the rules and serve people well." Niuniu said with a beaming smile.

Everyone talked lively, and Tianhui looked on, showing some curiosity.

Seeing this, Tian was a little strange.She thought that since Chuyu brought both Niuniu and Tianhui with her, Tianhui was also responsible for this appointment.

Unexpectedly, he only told her and Niuniu, nothing about Tianhui.

After thinking about it, Tianhui is only eight years old after all, and she is not very sensible, how can she manage people?

But she didn't know that Chu Yu was also planning to let her daughter choose someone, but not from outsiders, but from within the family.

When the eldest aunt of the Cao family and the second aunt left the cabinet, they were all married as maidservants, and they had children.Even if there were concubines, they would not dare to turn the world around; like Cao Jia's side, the four personal maids became the housekeeper's wife, the arms of the housekeeper.

There was only the third aunt of the Cao family, because when she went north, the big maids around her pointed at others, and there were only a few young maids. Later, she bought four dowries from outside, causing a lot of troubles, which made people worry.

Learning from the past, how could Chuyu arrange a little maid outside for her daughter?
Entering people today is mainly for the boys and girls in the mansion.

At this moment, Le Chun came in and reported, "Ma'am, Cao Fang's family brought people over..."

The eight maids that Chu Yu married in the early years married one after another, and now the big maids in Wutong Garden are ranked according to the word "le", spring, summer, autumn, winter, green, red, blue, and purple.

Le Chun and Le Xia were the heads of the maidservants, and Le Xia brought Le Qing and they went to the Rehe courtyard in April. This Le Chun replaced Xi Yun and Xi Cai in the early years and became Chu Yu's right-hand man.

Chu Yu nodded and said, "Ask her to bring someone in."

After a short while, I saw Cao Fang's family come in, followed by two rows of little girls, all of whom were pleasing to the eye, dressed in clean blue gowns, with braids, the youngest were seven or eight years old, and the older ones were twelve or three years old.

After entering the room, these little girls stood in two rows neatly, with low eyebrows and pleasing eyes, looking very well-behaved.

Seeing this, Chu Yu secretly nodded in her heart,
It seems that Ren Yazi has already taught the rules, and he has been cleaned up neatly.

This kind of people who are in the house business know that the big family attaches great importance to rules and cleanliness.

"Ma'am, Mrs. Ma knew that my wife was going to come in, so she sent forty girls over. There are 20 of them here, and there are [-] more waiting in the yard." Cao Fang's family bowed.

Chu Yu nodded, and Tian made the choice first.How can the Tian family be willing to overwhelm the host?Naturally refused.Niu Niu is also a crystal heart, she only said that she would choose last.

Seeing this, Chu Yu had no choice but to raise her head, motioning for Le Chun to come forward.

"Is there anyone who is good at needlework? Step forward." Le Chun had already received Chu Yu's explanation, and asked.

This girl from a poor family has been studying female celebrity since she was a child. When Le Chun asked each other, half of the little girls took a step forward.

Le Chun stepped forward and asked them to stretch out their hands. When they saw thin calluses on their index fingers, they nodded; if there were no calluses, or thick calluses, they asked them to go back.

There were six people left, Chu Yu nodded to Le Chun, Le Chun called them out of line and stood aside.

Then Le Chun asked who could cook, who could read, who took care of children at home, and picked out six more.

12 people, you can pick enough.

Chu Yu said to Le Chun, "Take me to Madam Liu to learn sewing."

Le Chun leaned over to agree, and led the twelve little girls down.Chu Yu asked Cao Yuan's family to bring in all the little girls from outside, and let the Tian family choose someone.

Tian thought that he was different from Cao's family and couldn't compare to such wealth.Cao's family chooses capable maidservants, and it is even more impossible for her to pick good-looking maids.

She looked at those twelve or thirteen-year-olds who could be used immediately.She also followed Chu Yu's example and asked who knew how to sew, who knew how to cook, etc., and picked four of them who were tall and slender, and looked strong and capable.

Cao Fang's family was nearby, seeing how picky his wife and Grandma Tian were, they couldn't help raising their arms and rubbing their eyes.

Could it be that my eyes are dazzled and I can't tell the difference between beauty and ugliness?
Why are the few little girls she looked good at just now left?
Although Chu Yu asked Tian to pick more, Tian was only willing to pick four.

She thought that it would be enough to wait until the day she really moved out, then sell two servants and a few little girls.After all, they are in the Cao Mansion now, so it's not easy to replace them with their own people.

In addition, she loves the monthly money.After all, this girl was bought by her own mother and son, so it's not easy to call Cao's house out of the moon again.

Seeing that she was determined, Chuyu stopped persuading her and looked at Niuniu with a smile.

There are 28 little girls left standing in three rows.

Niuniu got up, pulled Tianhui and the two girls, and the two little girls bit their ears several times.

Afterwards, the two walked forward hand in hand, starting from the first little girl in the first row, and asked questions one by one.

"What do you love to do?"

"What do you like to eat?"

When these little girls answered tremblingly, Tianhui picked up her glasses, raised her head, and took a good look.

Chu Yu and Tian Shi looked at each other, but they couldn't laugh out loud.

The little girl's answers were all kinds of things, from needlework, to collecting herbs in the mountains, to fishing and catching shrimps, everything that children know, they can almost say everything.

When a little girl said that she likes to eat "rock sugar bird's nest", Chu Yu took a second look.

This food is not something that ordinary people can eat, and looking at this little girl, she really looks a bit good, she has a demure attitude at a young age.

Niuniu led Tianhui around twice, and ordered a few people to come out.These are big and small, some are beautiful, and some are mediocre.

Chu Yu looked at them, feeling a little confused, not knowing why Niu Niu picked them.

There were still two people left, Niu Niu looked at these people again, and picked out two more, together with the previous ones, they made up eight.

The little girl who loves to eat "rock sugar bird's nest" is no longer among them.

Cao Fang's family took the rest of the little girls down, and she had to go to the front yard to hand over the deeds of the 24 little girls to Mrs. Ma.

The eight people Niu Niu picked, Chu Yu sent them to the banyan courtyard first, and then asked Niu Niu and Tianhui, "It's for eating and playing, are you two specially picking those naughty people?" Girl, so I can play with you?"

Tianhui just laughed, and Niuniu pouted and said, "My sister-in-law wronged people. I learned from my sister-in-law when I asked what I love to do. Half of them want to show filial piety to the elders, so we can't pick some lazy girls out. Ask What do you like to eat? I heard from my mother and aunt that the food in our house is good, and we never treat the servants harshly. When the servants are full, they are all grateful for the kindness of the master. After they enter the house, they work as maids; , have any status. If you feel that the maid’s food is not as good as in the past, you won’t miss our family’s food.”

With such insights at such a young age, Chu Yu couldn't help sighing in his heart.

Compared with the fourth sister and fifth son in the East Mansion, she looks more like a girl from the Cao family.

"Then why do you let Tianhui look at each other one by one?" Tian asked puzzled.

In a word, everyone looked at Tianhui.

Tianhui wrinkled her little nose when she heard this, and said, "Ruixiang has lost her teeth, it's so ugly..." Before she finished speaking, she immediately stretched out her arms and covered her mouth with a fleshy little slap.

Ruixiang is the eldest granddaughter of the housekeeper Cao Yuan, and she is the same as her. Although she doesn't work in the mansion, she often plays with Tianhui.Two masters and servants changed their teeth together, and lost two front teeth, which caused Tianhui to "result in hatred"...

Everyone was chatting and laughing, when a maid from Lanyuan came over to spread the word that it was the old lady who invited the wife to come over.

Niuniu was excited at the moment, greeted Chuyu, and took Tianhui and the two to the Banyan Courtyard.

Chu Yu brought Le Chun to Lan Yuan.

When Cao Yong came back from the Prince's Mansion in Chunjun, he was also at his mother's side.

It turned out that Zhao An and his wife, who had been envoys to Suzhou a few years ago, came back and brought the news that Uncle Li and Taijun Gao had come to Beijing.

According to etiquette, when Li Xu and Gao Taijun entered the capital, Cao Yong should go to the pier to greet them.They arrived in Beijing ahead of schedule, and Mrs. Li wished she could take her son and daughter-in-law to visit the old mother immediately.

But it's getting late today, Li's meaning is to send Cao Yong to pay his respects first, and she and his wife will go there tomorrow morning.

Cao Yong also meant the same thing, chatting with his mother and wife for a few words, and then went out again.

Inside Dongzhimen, Li's house.

Li Xu had already showered and changed, and put on homely clothes.The head steward, Qian Zhongrui, led people to send Wen Taijun's coffin to the temple, and now he is back to deal with Li Xu.

Because the Dragon Boat Festival was coming soon, and the burial was too rushed, Li Xu chose a date in the middle of May, so Wen's coffin was parked in the temple first.

Even so, in Li's house, everyone did not wear white filial piety, and they all changed into plain clothes.The red lanterns outside the door have already been pasted with green paper,
Hearing that the servants of Cao's family have gone back, Li Xu nodded and wondered when Cao Yong would arrive.

Originally, he also advised Gao Taijun to go directly to Cao's mansion. Gao Taijun's intention was to finish Wen Taijun's funeral before going there, so as not to wear a filial piety to go to other people's house, which would be taboo.

What the old lady said is also reasonable, but the "other family" is not the neighbor's house, but the daughter's house, and now the uncle is gone, and the grandson is in charge of the house.

However, Li Xu listened to it, but it was useful.

As for Mrs. Li's desire to accept Mr. Gao as a filial piety, he is [-] percent willing.In order not to lose the dignity of the Li family, he prepared half a boat for the items Gao Taijun used daily.

There are also the maids and mother-in-law who are waiting on her, Xiangyu's clothes and jewelry, before Li Xu enters Beijing, let Wang prepare them carefully.

Wang was annoyed, this posture didn't look like an old lady visiting relatives, but like sending a daughter into the palace.But Xiangyu is her own granddaughter, so she cherishes her somewhat.

Gao Taijun used a lot of Wen Taijun's old things to make up the money; Xiangyu paid 20 taels of gold from the account, bought gold collars, bracelets, etc., and thought about leaving it for her as a dowry in the future .

Mrs. Gao thinks of others when she sees things, and she only thinks of her nephew, nephew and daughter-in-law, and doesn't think about anything else.

The old man didn't expect much from Cao's life.

After all, in the eyes of the world, she is the daughter-in-law of the Li family, and she is not from the same family as the Cao family...

(End of this chapter)