Ordinary clear day

Chapter 172
Shuning asked Suxin to pack two packs of household clothes, planning to go back to the capital after noon.Although she hasn't lived in Fangshan Bieyuan for a long time, that Nanny Cui should arrive at the Earl's Mansion today. Remembering her mother's order, she had better behave herself.

She said to Xiao Liu: "Auntie used to take two maids with her when she went out. If something happens, she doesn't even have any of them. In the future, she should take a few more people out. What do you want to eat on weekdays? , you can tell the general manager, if someone disrespects you, don't be polite."

Xiao Liu said with a smile: "Don't worry, I know all of this, you just have to learn the rules in the mansion, take care of yourself, and I will send you a letter if something happens."

Shu Ning nodded, and said to Xiao Bao: "Brother Bao is ten years old this year, and he is no longer a child. From now on, he has to take good care of his mother, study hard and practice martial arts. When you get older, you can enter We are going to Hongqi's official school. Don't let your mother worry about it."

Xiao Bao nodded solemnly and said: "Sister, don't worry, I'm already a man, and I will be filial to my mother." When Xiao Liu heard her son say this, she patted his head lovingly.

Shu Ning instructed the people who usually served their mother and child before turning to Chang Gui and the new deputy manager Gu Quansheng.

When Zhang Bao appointed Gu Quansheng as the deputy manager yesterday, she watched Chang Gui's expression from the side. She didn't see any dissatisfaction, but she was a little bit uneasy.Thinking about how he had served in Sanfang for many years, he finally got the position of director of a certain hospital. Gu Quansheng had only been here for two or three months, and half of his authority was distributed to him, so he felt a little uncomfortable.However, Gu Quansheng is indeed talented, and he is not disliked by others. In addition, he was born in an official family. Even if he is now reduced to an official slave, Chang Gui still admires him, so he didn't say anything.

Shu Ning was a little worried. Although Chang Gui was reliable and honest, Qiao Yun was a bit unwilling to be left behind. If they felt dissatisfied and secretly dragged Gu Quansheng back, no one would be able to suppress the situation for a while.The property in Bieyuan is the foundation of their family. If something goes wrong, not to mention that the parents are not at ease in their positions, the two brothers and sisters in Beijing will also be in trouble.

So she came up with an idea and said to Changgui: "Brother is going to get married in less than two months, and there will be someone to wait in the new house by then. Brother Changgui, please choose more people with good hands and feet. Then pick a few clever and honest girls from among the little girls and servants, teach them the rules, and it will be useful after the sister-in-law passes through the door. Just be more careful, the sister-in-law is the daughter of the general's mansion, and she must marry a few people to come over. Don't lose face to our family."

Chang Gui hurriedly agreed, thinking that he couldn't help but start to think about it, this job is not difficult, if it is done well, it will definitely show its face, and it can't help showing a bit of joy on the face.He quietly glanced at Gu Quansheng, and felt that he really didn't need to worry too much about this person. In this winter, there was nothing to do in several properties. When the spring came, he had to discuss with himself first what he wanted to do. ?

But Shu Ning also thought of this, so she said to Gu Quansheng: "Gu Guanshi, although winter is the off-season for farming, I still need you to ask more knowledgeable old people about the fields, forests and lotus ponds at home, the compost that should be composted, and the seedlings that should be composted." The seedlings should be protected from the cold, and those water conservancy facilities should be inspected by someone, and what should be repaired and what should be added."

Gu Quansheng bowed in response, and Shuning said again: "There has been little rain in the past few years. I remember that the water conservancy projects that Ama built before were all to prevent drought, but no one knows what God thinks, so we should do something to prevent flooding. Preparation is the key. I remember that when the lotus pond was being built that year, Ama asked people to dig the silt from the river and transport it into the pond to plant lotus roots. Does the small river become wider and deeper? If you have time, you can ask people to use sand Let’s build the embankment with stones, and we should give priority to asking our family’s tenant farmers and nearby villagers to do it.”

In fact, after the mud was dug, Zhang Bao had already asked people to build a simple river embankment. In addition, the river bed was deep and the water flow was not strong. In fact, there was no need to build a sand and stone embankment for the time being.Shu Ning said this because firstly, she wanted to increase income for the tenants during the slack season, and secondly, she wanted Gu Quansheng to have a job to do so that others would not dare to trouble him.

But this kind of big project can't go beyond Changgui, the director of another hospital, so she asked Changgui to supervise the expenditure of money, so as not to make him feel unbalanced again.

After explaining these things, it was almost noon, Shu Ning hurriedly ate a simple lunch, and then took the carriage back to Beijing.Before leaving, she told Kou'er to take good care of the packed boxes, and if she delivered a letter from Beijing, she had to send the things back to the mansion immediately.

During the two hours on the road, she thought a lot.This Nanny Cui doesn't sound like someone easy to fool, I'm afraid she can't beat Nanny He.Now that my parents are not at home, and the person is sent by my grandmother, even if my brother wants to stop him, he still has to worry about the face of his grandfather's family. .She doesn't want to suffer like Wanning, so it's better to be obedient, and it's not completely useless to learn more things.Even if she has learned it, whether it will show up or not is all in her mind.

If she studied hard, but her performance was still mediocre, and she didn't show any flaws, the Tong family must have no way to do it, right?She doesn't have to be clumsy in order to be ordinary in the draft, she can be nondescript, as long as she doesn't draw attention to herself.Therefore, it is also necessary to be familiar with palace rules and etiquette. Who doesn't learn this nowadays?People with poor etiquette will stand out, right?
Shu Ning thought about it carefully for a long time in the carriage, Su Xin watched her face change from side to side, she called softly, but seeing no response, she kept her mouth shut after thinking about it, only gave her a strange look from time to time, but Shuning didn't realize it.

Back at the Earl's Mansion, it was almost evening, Shu Ning went to see her uncles, aunts, uncles and aunts first, told her parents about her appointment, and after listening to some lectures, she went back to Huai Yuan, and then saw Duan Ning He was standing at the gate of the courtyard to greet him.

Hearing that his parents and younger brother were on their way safely, and that everything in Fangshan Bieyuan was fine, Duanning nodded lightly, and said, "Mother Cui has arrived and is waiting for you in the room. Sister, you...be careful, I will take care of you tonight." I'm going to move to live somewhere else, so you should be more careful." Shuning was shocked, and hurriedly asked what was going on.

It turned out that after Mother Cui came and asked about the situation, she advised Duanning to move to another place, because he was already an adult man, and he lived in the same courtyard with his younger sister, which was not suitable. She also said: "The young master is 14 years old. It's time to move out, Tong's family has such rules, unexpectedly, the family here doesn't pay attention to these things."

In fact, when Duanning was 14 years old, his parents, younger siblings were all in Guangzhou, and he lived alone in Huaiyuan, so he didn't need to move out.After returning to Beijing, because of the family separation and filial piety, it is not easy to make large-scale construction projects.Then there was Fangshan Bieyuan, and their family would live in Fangshan for seven or eight months a year. Duanning lived in Huaiyuan the most, so it was postponed until it was time to marry a wife before making other arrangements. courtyard.

Although Duanning was unwilling, but because Nanny Cui was sent by his grandmother and accompanied by the butler of Tong's family, he reluctantly agreed because he couldn't save face too much.Originally they were going to live in the study outside, but Ermo went to inspect the progress of the new yard's construction, and tidied up a side room for Duanning to live in.

After listening to her brother's explanation, Shuning realized what was going on.Duanning said to her: "Although I have to go to work during the day and don't live in Huaiyuan at night, I will not ignore my sister's affairs. If you have any grievances, you must tell me. Your Majesty calls her a nanny, but he will never see her sister being bullied!"

Shuning smiled and nodded, and then followed Duanning into the house to meet that Nanny Cui.

But this nanny was a little different from what she had imagined.She looks to be in her 50s or 60s, tall and thin, wearing a worn-out robe, with a silver hairpin on her head and two silver pendants on her ears. Apart from that, she has no jewelry at all. , It's just that the whole body is well-groomed and tidy, which makes people feel a little good.She has an ordinary appearance, thin eyebrows and fine eyes, with a calm expression, but no expression. Her mouth is slightly pursed, but not in a straight line, but slightly bent at a seemingly invisible angle, which makes people feel that it is not too cold.

She speaks slowly, in a low voice, but she enunciates clearly, and her meaning is clear.Different from the mothers who taught Fangning in the past with fierce faces and fierce attitudes, and Mother He who was mean in words and deeds, this Mother Cui gave people a kind and easy-talking feeling at first, but in fact she was a A person who won't change easily once he has made up his mind, and he is very patient.

Shuning had heard her mother introduce this nanny.She was originally an old person in the palace of the late Empress Xiaokangzhang, but she was not a close servant, but an ordinary court lady.When Empress Xiaokangzhang, Tong Jia, passed away, the four servants of the palace, except for one maid who committed suicide too simply, was solemnly collected and buried with her, the other three were stopped, given gold and silver, and returned home .Only one of them obeyed the orders of their parents and married a small military officer to fill in the house. The other two were invited by Tong Guowei's family early to worship at home, and they were responsible for teaching Tong's daughter.However, Nanny Cui and other ordinary court ladies did not leave the palace until they were 30 years old.

Nanny Cui was born in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, entered the palace at the age of 13, and left the palace at the age of 30. She lived in the palace for 17 years.She is familiar with the etiquette in the palace, and she also knows a lot of taboos.After she left the palace that year, she had made a plan not to marry for the rest of her life, but she did not expect that she would be picked up by Tong's side branch along with two other companions soon, and she would also become a nun.Although she is not as respected as those former servants, she has taught the girls to do needlework for many years to learn the rules, plus she is upright and rigorous, and the juniors will obediently bow their heads when they see her.

After talking with her for a while, Shu Ning knew that she was not an easy person to deal with, but since she made up her mind on the way, she didn't have any resistance at all, she just asked her if she could move to Fangshan Living there, the place is quiet and spacious, and there is no need to worry about being disturbed.

But Mother Cui categorically vetoed it: "Young lady is confused. If I think about coming to the Empress Dowager's palace, I will send someone to visit some girls. Wouldn't it be inconvenient if the girls are not in the mansion? What's more, the courtyard is big, just for practice. The young master has already moved out, so no one will bother you."

Shuning had no choice but to respond in a low voice.In fact, this is what she came up with, if she could avoid the envoys in the palace, she would be easy to manipulate, and, living in Fangshan, there are her own family inside and out, no matter how capable Aunt Cui is, what can she do?The Tong family couldn't do anything in Beijing, so they couldn't support her.But obviously, this wishful thinking is not going to work now.It seems that I can send someone to deliver a letter to Kou'er tomorrow, asking her to bring those boxes of luggage. At the same time, I can also take out the things that were originally packed in the room and put them away.

Before Shuning could finish regretting secretly, Nanny Cui started to act.She asked to know what Shuning had learned on weekdays.Because she doesn't know a few words, she doesn't pay much attention to piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and only pays attention to the needlework, cooking skills and housekeeping that Shuning has learned.She said: "Speaking of which, it's not too early now, it's time for dinner, I wonder if the girl can make some small dishes by herself for the old man to taste?"

Duan Ning was a little annoyed when she heard it, although her younger sister usually cooks, but she is already very tired after driving for a long time today, is there anything I can't talk about tomorrow?
He also brought up the same question, but Madam Cui was noncommittal, and only said that the young master should go back to his room after dark.Duanning tightly pursed his lips and sat still with a stern face. In the end, Shuning persuaded him a few words before leaving.

Sending her brother off, Shu Ning squinted her eyes, turned her head, and said with a smile: "I don't know what kind of food Mama likes to eat? What kind of food doesn't she like to eat? Tell me, so I can know." Cui Momo only said that She is good at cooking a few dishes, Shuning smiled, and really cooked four small dishes in the small kitchen.

Nanny Cui only took a bite of each dish, and then stopped eating, saying: "The girl's cooking is not bad, and I don't need to learn anymore. I heard that you often wash your hands and make soup, but then Within half a year, the girl should not go into the kitchen again, so as not to make her hands rough."

hand?Shuning looked at her two hands, they were thin and tender, how could they be thick?
Cui Momo said: "When looking at women in the palace, they always look at their hands first. No matter how good the skin is, if the hands are rough, they will not be blessed after all. So girls should pay attention to taking care of their hands."

Next, she asked Shuning to sit down to eat, and then she sat aside and watched.Shu Ning was very uncomfortable eating, but fortunately, she had steamed a few snacks in the small kitchen and ate them, so she made it through.After eating, I looked at Nanny Cui's expression, and felt that she was expressionless.

Then, Nanny Cui asked to watch the girl's needlework, Shu Ning embroidered a few flowers in front of her, and sewed half of a small gown, only to give a soft "um", and then said nothing.

After Shuning managed to get away, took a bath and rested, Madam Cui sent someone to invite her again.Reluctantly, she put on her cotton robe and went to the next room, listening to Madam Cui announcing the training schedule.

Starting tomorrow, she will recite various rules, precautions, and things taught to her by Nanny Cui every morning, practice etiquette in the afternoon, and practice female reds in the evening. Various maintenance and care work.

Mammy Cui also invited Ermo here and handed her a list of things to buy.Ermo had already received instructions from Mrs. Tong, and she had to follow the arrangements of this nanny, so she just looked at Shuning with some worry, and then went to find her husband--he needs to approve the money for external purchases. Row.

Shu Ning glanced at the list, saw that there were dozens of kinds of medicinal materials, a lot of needlework, and pearl powder and honey, and guessed that most of them were for beauty and skin care.Just as she was thinking about it, she heard Nanny Cui calling her. She turned her head and saw that there were two pairs of flowerpot bottoms in front of her. The soles were three inches high.

She couldn't help but gasp.

(Happy Double Ninth Festival everyone~~~)

(End of this chapter)