Xu Xuzhi

Chapter 69 Beiling Villa
Ten more days passed like this, and it was already the mid-autumn season in Fengtian.

Tomorrow happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, plus the following Sunday, Feng Jiu could take two days off, but Ning Zheng still didn't come back, and said on the phone that he had gone to Heilongjiang for inspection.

The people in charge of the cultural department of the Nanjing government are all foreigners. When formulating statutory holidays, they must say that they "obey the Western calendar." The direct consequence of overcorrection is that since last year, the policy of "no holidays are allowed in the old calendar" has been officially implemented. The most grand and grand Spring Festival in China cannot be spared, let alone the mere Mid-Autumn Festival.

People all over the country complained. After all, there are still a small number of Chinese people who have been westernized to the point of rigidity and lack of understanding. So they live their lives in private, and the market still produces seasonal products according to the seasons, which makes the Nanjing government embarrassed.

After the change of banner in the Northeast, the cultural administration department of the Fengtian government, after careful evaluation, agreed that this practice was inappropriate and decided to ignore it. The traditional holidays and the old calendar of public holidays were still followed within the three northeastern provinces.

But even so, none of the men in Shuai's mansion were in the mansion: not only Ning Zheng, but even Ning Cheng and Hong Si of his adult grandchildren were not in Fengtian, but were working in Grandpa.

Feng Jiu took Wu Ma and Qiu Sheng back to the Shuai Mansion.It just happened that the Fifth Madam sent someone to inform her that Mrs. Ning was going to worship the sacred tree in Zhaoling tomorrow, and stopped by this place called "Natural Sanatorium". It will take more than ten years for streptomycin of tuberculosis to be isolated, and there is no ideal treatment method at present; all places have to build sanatoriums in the forest one after another, trying to use its rich and clean air to help patients recover.

People in Ningfu also talk about the discoloration of tuberculosis, so they strictly follow Dr. Huang’s orders. Needless to say, they take in nutrients from food and often bask in the sun. Going to a place with fresh air will also help strengthen immunity, so it has always been considered Beiling, which has pleasant air and raises people, has long been a popular destination for sports.What's more, in Zhaoling in this season, all kinds of trees gradually change color and are so beautiful that it is good to relax.

Feng Jiu naturally agreed.

Shuaifu's car team dispatched three cars, carrying Mrs. Ning, sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, Feng Jiu and four concubines, and drove into Zhaoling unimpeded all the way, then traveled westward for more than ten kilometers, and finally arrived at a pine forest stop.

Feng Jiu hurried down to help Mrs. Ning, they walked in slowly, and they didn't stop until they saw a tall and broad old tree.This ancient pine has lush branches and leaves, and many branches are covered with red silk. When the breeze blows, the pine waves burst, and the pine needles tremble slightly. The red silk pendulum brings the unique fragrance of the pine forest.

Feng Jiu shrugged her nose, she has always loved Ningzheng Lavender's sweet rosin, and the smell of pine forest is quite similar to this fragrance.

This so-called "sacred tree" is an ancient Chinese pine tree more than [-] years old. It is located in the north-east of the "red wall" of the Zhaoling Mausoleum. It is about two feet high and has a huge crown. Six branches grow together , almost equal in length.This kind of ancient tree is the only one among the thousands of ancient trees in Zhaoling Mausoleum, and because it has six branches, it has always been regarded as an auspicious omen, so it has always been the first choice for Fengtian people to seek the blessing of gods since ancient times. It's even worse than those temples with flourishing incense.

A group of female relatives prayed silently, wondering what kind of dreams they all wished to come true.

After paying homage to the sacred tree, everyone could see that the old lady was a bit tired: after all, after the old man's sad death, the old lady was still heartbroken and her body was not as strong as before.

Mrs. Shou then suggested that everyone go to the villa to rest for a while. Fengjiu hesitated for a while, and then persuaded her, so the group got into the car again, turned around and drove back. After a few minutes, they arrived at a place covered by a dense maple forest. in front of the building.

There is a slope-shaped driveway on the big steps in front of the building, and the driver drove up along it.

The housekeeper of the Beiling Villa was appointed by Hong Fu, named Bao Xilai, a middle-aged man with a short stature and a loyal face. He heard the roar of the car engine, and greeted him graciously.

At first glance, this villa has been repaired for a few years: three-story brick-concrete structure, red tiles on the slope top, vat brick walls, and huge Roman columns. It is a typical Renaissance style. The two-story guest building is on the left, and the The three-storey main building, the protruding part in front is the bowl-covered dome, which looks quite beautiful, and there are dozens of rooms, large and small.

Just at this moment, a few barks of "Wow, woof" came from the small garden at the back of the villa, and then, a small, slender woman appeared in front of her eyes, holding a leather dog leash in her hand, A lively and mischievous snow-white pug dog followed closely behind him. There were several silver bells hanging under his stubby neck, which were jingling cheerfully. It looked like he had just returned from a walk with the dog.

She was grinning, turned her head to talk to the puppy from time to time, and suddenly noticed a few pairs of women's shoes on the ground in front of her, then looked up, and suddenly saw several luxuriously dressed women covering three generations of old, middle-aged and young, With a low cry, he stood abruptly.

This girl is extremely young, with a snow-white oval face, diamond-shaped red lips, a pair of misty eyes, good looks, and a pitiful look all over her body.

The first time Feng Jiu saw this woman, she was sure of her identity, and a word suddenly popped up in her heart, "I feel sorry for you, let alone an old slave?"——

Princess Nankang, Mrs. Huanwen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty heard that her husband had secretly hid the younger sister of Li Shi of the Shu Kingdom as a concubine. She was so aggressive that she brought people over to kill the subjugated slave and the spoils of war, but when she saw this man, she had no fear and just "slowly tied her hair". When the country is ruined and the family is dying, I only hope for a quick death. When I was a beautiful concubine, I couldn't help saying this "famous sentence through the ages" with great admiration.

She suddenly found it funny: If Ning Zheng, who was only 24 years old, knew that she was called an old slave by herself, how would she feel?

Feng Jiu felt indecisive in her heart for a while, but she turned her head and quickly cleared her mind: it had nothing to do with the possible embarrassing situation of this woman, in fact, she naturally rejected such a girl: being raised by a feminist mother and the recognized "big woman" Tang Fenglin Tang Fengjiu, who respects independence, is different from the traditional Chinese aesthetics from body to heart. The girl in front of her looks like she is looking for favor and love. She doesn't say she hates it, but she likes it anyway. It is out of the question.

Fengjiu sensed her own thoughts, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart: She has tried her best to be objective and fair, but as a mortal, she still tends to judge and label strangers when she meets her. This problem needs to be corrected.

She quietly observed Mrs. Ning and Mrs. Shou at the side: Mrs. Ning was as stable as Mount Tai, and she couldn't see the slightest difference, as if this eye-catching woman didn't catch her eyes at all, but Mrs. Shou had a faint look on her face dislike.

Feng Jiu understood in his heart: Although they are concubines, every concubine of the old handsome has passed the Ming road, that is to say, they all reported to the old lady, hired a Ming matchmaker, and a small sedan chair was carried in from the side door .

No matter which era, it is unacceptable for a woman to elope with others: "If you hire, you will be a wife and then you will be a concubine."

"Wen Jun walks away at night, elopes Xiangru", the tragic ending of this brave woman is well known, not to mention if it weren't for Zhuo Wenjun's large private money, would Sima Xiangru, a snobbish ghost, show his true colors from the very beginning? Hard to say.

Knowing that she can't do it, it's a kind of self-deprecation, and even this kind of perception will come from her lover who is not only not grateful, but more and more neglected and neglected over time.

In the current situation, it is difficult for others to talk, so Feng Jiu can only end in person.

She had no choice but to clear her throat and smile gently, "Miss Yang Si?"

The Beiling Villa was Ning Zheng's wedding gift to him, and he was of course the veritable owner, even though this uninvited woman had already lived in it.

This little girl is also smart, she has already guessed which one among this group of women is Madam Ning Zheng according to her age and appearance, she forced herself to calm down with a panicked look on her face, and said obediently: " Hello old lady, hello ladies," then turned to Feng Jiu, and greeted in a low voice: "Hello, sister."

As soon as these words came out, not to mention Feng Jiu frowned, Mrs. Ning's complexion darkened, sisters-in-law and second sister-in-law's eyes narrowed, and even the originally dull-faced Seventh Concubine showed displeasure.

It's not a big deal for women to be called an older sister when they socialize on weekdays, but in this situation, the word has a different meaning.

Feng Jiusi took a closer look, and the whole person was enlightened. It seems that the women in the family have already known the existence of this person, and they are not in a hurry. I'm afraid it's courage to come.

Feng Jiu is grateful and funny at the same time, is he so fragile in his daily life, is it worthy of everyone's support?
How did Feng Jiu know that in the past few years since she was married, everyone in the Ning family was very satisfied with her, and they had long regarded her as one of their own, so how could they have no preference; and considering that she was young and had never encountered such a thing, I'm afraid she will be wronged.

However, some of them have different ideas, such as the fifth concubine Mrs. Taishou who is exquisite and heart-loving...

Feng Jiu took a step forward, and smiled softly, "Don't dare to do it, you should call me Mrs. Ning San."

She didn't introduce other women in the family to this ignorant or too knowledgeable Yang Si, she just smiled and looked at her again, and then walked in with the old lady as if she didn't exist.

The other female relatives also looked at her one by one with deep eyes, and walked past her with their shoulders straight and their heads held high, without any intention of talking to her.

Just like Yang Zhidi was exposed to the sun under the steps, Bao Xilai, who stood there for a while, stared at her with a smile on his face, and hurriedly followed a large group of female relatives to serve her.

She was left alone, standing there feeling lost, the autumn wind blowing through her braids, bringing strands of coolness; the sensible lapdog stopped barking a long time ago, obediently fell at his feet, and looked at her sympathetically the master.

Under Bao Xilai's attentive leadership, Feng Jiu and his party walked up and down the master building. Mrs. Ning liked this place very much and decided to live there that day.

Of course the others followed suit.The old lady rejected Feng Jiu's plan to give up the master room, and lived in the second bedroom, and the others also refused with a smile—who would live in the master room of the villa that Ning San specially built for his wife without a wink? Woolen cloth?
Last year, the old man led everyone to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. I can still vividly remember that this year, things will be different.

It's not bad to change the place for the festival.

Feng Jiu ordered Bao Xilai to call the commander's mansion to transfer all the things prepared for the Mid-Autumn Festival moon appreciation; and then send all the children at home.

In the evening, a large family of children and young children gathered in the spacious hall. They had just worshiped the moon in the courtyard and ate moon cakes. They came in and began to talk about the past and the present, recalling the memories of so many children The allusions accumulated since childhood made the room full of laughter; occasionally when the old man was mentioned, tears were shed together.

Hearing Feng Jiu's idea, the living room was not lit, only the bright and clear moonlight poured in, as bright as day.

After a while, the second sister-in-law, who was good at playing the piano, sat in front of the huge red-brown Steinway teak grand piano by the window, and played Mendelssohn's "Songs Without Words" and Brahms' "Fantasia" in sequence... …The soothing music made everyone feel relaxed and happy. Even Mrs. Ning, who didn't understand Western music, and the noisy children were listening quietly.

Yang Si quietly walked from the guest room of the guest building to the living room of the main building through the corridor, and stood silently outside the door, trying to listen to the intimate chats among "his" relatives inside. She noticed that the sweet voice was always Occupying a dominant position, hearing her lively and witty initiating the conversation, cleverly changing from one to the other, and hearing the love and care for her revealed in other people's words, unconsciously, she is already full of envy: in life There has never been a moment when I feel more alone than I am at this moment. Except for the puppy that my elder brother found, no creature here is willing to get close to her.

Bao Xilai and the two servants following behind him each held a huge black lacquer round fruit plate, came out from the kitchen at the back, and were planning to personally deliver it to the masters who seldom come here. A variety of seasonal fruits: emerald green, bright red, tender yellow, and brilliant purple intertwined, with the shiny black fruit plate as the background, there is a breathtaking beauty.

As soon as he turned the long corridor, he saw the lonely figure of Yang Zhidi standing outside the living room door. Here, except for occasionally coming here to accompany the distinguished guests, he never gave her a wink; once he stayed here, he only rested in the master room, and when it was time to go to bed, Bao Xilai personally locked the side door of the master building , completely isolated from the passage of the guest building.

This young unmarried lady who can be regarded as born in everyone does not continue to study, and does not marry well. She has no matchmaker and no employment. She is so frivolous and careless. She really deserves to be raised by her aunt; ?what is this?
Bring shame on yourself.

In the afternoon of the second day, the women and children of the Ning Mansion returned home happily.

Before getting into the car, Feng Jiu turned around and looked at the wedding gift, feeling a little touched in her heart: Although she was too lazy to give any opinions and suggestions at the beginning, the decoration style that Ning Zheng decided on just tickled her own itch Place - everything is just right, it seems that he has controlled his preferences very accurately.

Feng Jiu was not very happy about being seen through by the person next to his pillow.

And the big photo opposite the four-poster bed in the bedroom surprised her even more.

She never knew that they had been photographed like this before, and the person who took the photo didn't think of anything other than Zhi Changsheng who was there at the time.

Ning Zheng like that has actually been seen countless times when she was by her side, but it seems that only when she is frozen in the photo, until the moment becomes eternal, can she have to admit that Ning Zheng has an unmistakable affection for herself.

Bao Xilai and other servants busily sent the hosts to the car: Even if they only stayed for one night, there are a lot of things that women and children will follow when they travel, such as personal clothes, children's food, toys, beauty and skin care products, etc. It still makes the follow-up things seem quite cumbersome.

Everyone was busy, so no one noticed that Yang Zhidi, who had been quiet for the past two days and did not come out to be annoying, was like a wisp of smoke floating across the space between the two distinct main guest buildings. In the veranda, Bird quietly entered the master bedroom suite on the second floor. After a moment of silence, she stretched out her hand and pushed it, and the door opened. As she expected, the door was finally unlocked at this hectic moment.

She pushed open the door and stepped in hastily, then quickly turned around and closed it gently. Then, she folded her arms unconsciously, and began to unscrupulously look at the living room, which was directly connected to the bedroom and was transparent from north to south.

This is a room mainly in American country style, because in autumn, the room is full of beige, khaki, caramel, brown red, pea green and other colors. These warm and friendly earth colors cover the long and short Covers on sofas, rocking chair cushions, bedspreads, curtains, rugs, even lampshades.

Striped and embroidered goose down cushions in various sizes can be found throughout the living room, providing natural comfort and style.

She turned her gaze to the bedroom inside, hesitated for a moment, then walked forward, and gently pushed open the bright yellow huanghuali wooden door.

In fact, the guests who can enter the master bedroom of any family should be relatives and friends who are very close, and it must be because of visiting a doctor or other unavoidable reasons. , but everyone just sat in the living room for a while and watched it, and no one entered the bedroom.

As soon as she entered, her eyes were immediately attracted by a large color photo on the wall facing the big bed.

It is only [-] now, and it will take two years before Kodak's color film comes out. All color photos are colorized by photographers by hand. Although the color tone is not realistic enough, the effect is quite amazing.

This photo looks like it was taken a few years ago.Ning Zheng was wearing the stone blue military uniform before the reformation. He was tall and straight like a pine tree, and he was unmatchedly handsome. What Zheng took off and put on for her was his amazingly beautiful wife, Tang Fengjiu, with a big braid of oily pine, with a red string woven into the braid, and a round pearl at the end of the braid. Eyes closed, eyelashes fanned, as if asleep.

Ning Zheng moved his hands back and passed through the bend of her legs, but what hurt the most was Ning Zheng's gaze when he turned his head to look at Tang Fengjiu. He slightly pursed his lips, his focused gaze was as deep as the sea, it was unmistakable Affectionate, eye-catching, shocking...

When we met on the first day of the lunar new year the day before yesterday, Tang Fengjiu's beauty really shocked her. Even though the rumors about her in the social circles in the Beijing and Tianjin areas have never stopped, and there are many exaggerated words in it, the description of her beauty and aura is beyond words. Real people know, it's not as good as eleven.

Her beauty, without aggression, can be said to be suitable for all ages, making people feel comfortable at a glance.

That day she was wearing a brocade gown the color of southern red agate. The front and back of her body were covered with cranes embroidered with white feathers and black tails and scarlet crowns. Trembling slightly, lifelike and lifelike; only a string of translucent white giant clams inlaid with southern red beads hangs on the chest, which echoes the cranes all over the body and the color of the long gown. Lingxiu and extravagance reached the extreme.

However, Yang Si quickly recovered from his frustration: What does it matter?No matter how delicious the food is, no matter how beautiful and outstanding the wife is, there will be a day when I get tired of eating and watching, otherwise how would my mother get into the Yang family?Haven't they both been two years?long enough.

Besides, how could such an outstanding man have only one woman?His father, his own father, how many of the men who have the status of Beidou in China today are not surrounded by wives and concubines?

Although at first she was shocked and painful that her father actually published her in the newspaper and kicked her out of the house, but she quickly explained to herself that even if her father did not make such a decision, she had identified Ning Zheng and was confident that she would be seen in his eyes .Even if he doesn't take himself seriously now, it's okay, eventually he will notice himself, as long as he is infatuated.

Besides, I'm not greedy, I just want to own a small part of him, and that's enough.

She calmed down, walked to the large four-poster bed, looked at the rose-gray linen sheets, finally lay down steadily, and took a few deep breaths, but it was a pity that it was not his special suit that entered her lungs. Not sweet, but a fresh, light fruity aroma similar to lemon-orange.

She wrinkled her nose, and was no longer obsessed with smelling the breath of her sweetheart. She began to roll several times from the side of the bed to the other side, and then calmly got up: sooner or later, she would lie down with her sweetheart On this big bed in this bedroom.

She stroked her slightly messy hair and walked out slowly.

(End of this chapter)