The Book of Raising Children by Houmen

Chapter 13
Xu Xian quietly raised her head and glanced at Zhao Jing, but saw that she still had the same expression as usual, as if she ignored the words of the other two women.The women behind her wanted to persuade the two of them, but because Zhao Jing's expression did not change, they didn't want to make a sound.

For a while, everyone bypassed the rockery, and the women who were gossiping about their master saw someone coming out suddenly, their faces turned green with fright, they held the broom in their hands, lowered their heads and pretended to be serious about sweeping snow.

Zhao Jing's footsteps stopped suddenly, and the women's movements froze immediately, thinking that Zhao Jing was going to make trouble, but she heard her speak unhurriedly: "The empress dowager also likes to enjoy the snow, this kind of Every day, the eunuchs in the palace will come out to sweep snow at midnight, and if the snow on the ground still stains the shoes at dawn, then the working eunuchs will be rewarded."

Hearing these words, the women who followed Zhao Jing gasped a few breaths, but Xu Xian was young, how could she understand this, so she couldn't help asking curiously: "What kind of reward do you get?"

Zhao Jing smiled, her usually serious face seemed to brighten a bit, she turned to Xu Xian and said, "Of course it's a reward."

Xu Xian's eyes widened in fright, she lowered her head and didn't dare to speak anymore, the women were even more frightened into a cold sweat, when she looked down, she saw that Zhao Jing's feet were wearing the treasure-face pattern custom-made in the palace There are some traces of moisture on the upper of the cloud-toed brocade shoes.

Zhao Jing didn't go on talking, but pointed to a plum grove not far away, and said to Xu Xian: "Sister Xian, go and pick some plum blossoms, and give them to the old lady to put in her room as an offering."

Xu Xian has never given anything to the old lady since she was a child. First, she has no money, and second, she can't do well.When Mrs. Xu was on her birthday last year, she managed to find a decent piece of satin and sewed a pair of socks for the old lady. Who knew that when she was giving it away, an extra embroidery needle came out of it, and the old lady sewed it in front of her Mian'er threw the sock away, and gave himself a hard lesson.

Thinking of these things, Xu Xian was still full of grievances. She twisted the veil in her hand and said timidly: "The old lady doesn't like what I gave you."

Seeing Xu Xian's discouraged look, Zhao Jing secretly sighed in her heart. This deep-rooted fear cannot be changed overnight, but if things go on like this, Xu Xian's future may only end in a sad ending. .

"Go and pick a branch you like. I'll give it to the old lady. Don't tell her it was you who broke it." Zhao Jing changed her strategy and still looked at Xu Xian. Xu Xian breathed a sigh of relief. In front of the wintersweet flower, I picked a branch with lush flowers, and the branches were folded off vigorously.

Snowflakes were sprinkled on the branches of wintersweet, and the fragrance was tangy. The girl who was originally beautiful held the branches in her hands, and she became more and more charming.The women usually don't take a good look at Xu Xian, but today they suddenly looked up, and they felt that her eyebrows were frowning, her bones were thin, and she had a good skin, she really looked like her The appearance of the uncle back then.

Zhao Jing led Xu Xian to the door of Songhe Hall, the old woman who had reported the letter went in first to answer, and the two entered the Hanging Flower Gate, and Han's mother beside the old lady came out to welcome her.

"Young lady came really early today. The old lady also said that there are many things going on in the palace. Maybe the young lady will be late for a while."

Only when Mother Han finished speaking, Zhao Jing said slowly: "The palace is a place where rules are followed, and I am also a person who follows the rules. Since I have promised to come at the beginning of the day, I will naturally not miss the time."

Mother Han knew that Zhao Jing always spoke and acted with a bit of awe, seeing her saying that, she couldn't say anything, so she winked and asked the little maid to pull the curtain, and led Zhao Jing in, but when she turned around, she saw Xu Xian's hand. Holding a branch of plum blossoms in full bloom, she followed behind Zhao Jing.

"Why did the second girl think of picking a plum blossom?" Han's mother was suspicious, so she asked, but Sun Yu'e happened to support the old lady, and when she came out of the side hall, she looked up and saw the plum blossom in Xu Xian's hand.

The old lady's heart throbbed suddenly, and she couldn't help asking, "Did you fold this flower?"

Xu Xian was startled, and hurriedly lowered her head, the wintersweet flower she held in her hand was like a hot potato, not knowing what to do.It turns out that the uncle who went to the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion loved wintersweet flowers when he was young. He also found people to buy all kinds of plum blossoms in the garden. Every winter, he always folded a house full of plum blossoms for offerings. Now, the old lady never lacks these things in her room.

But since he died, the wintersweet flower never entered the old lady's house again.Zhao Jing didn't know the reason for this, but she asked Xu Xian to break the plum blossoms today, but it had other deep meanings.

"I asked her to break it." Seeing that Xu Xian couldn't answer her frightened words, she had to speak for her.She has always been able to observe words and expressions, and she also found that the old lady looked at Xu Xian in a different way than before. In the past, old lady Xu was unwilling to see Xu Xian, and when she had no choice but to look at her, she always looked down on her. Be patient, but at this moment, Mrs. Xu looked at her with an unspeakable feeling.

(End of this chapter)