clothing incense

Chapter 9
Episode 009

Mrs. Shizi's jokes about Dong Yuan made everyone in the room laugh.

Dong Yuan also lightly pursed his lips and smiled, but did not answer.Only when she was alone in front of the old lady and the old Hou Ye would she say a few witty words. The whole family, aunts and sisters were present, and Dong Yuan was quiet and shy.

Being slick and slick is easy to attract people's envy, especially if she is so loved by the old lady.

It's never wrong to be calm and restrained.

"Sister Yuan is filial, but you laugh at me!" The third wife, Mrs. Jiang, laughed loudly and helped Dong Yuan out of the siege.Among the family's sisters-in-law, the third wife, Mrs. Jiang, is the most pungent.She speaks sharply, acts decisively, and has a straightforward personality, which is very popular with the old lady.

The third master Xue Zifeng loves elegant romances, plays the guqin well, recites poems and paints in a rich and colorful style, and is quite famous.He called himself Xueyue Layman, and calligraphy was worth a fortune in the market.But in the era of imperial examinations, stereotyped essays were needed to get into an official career, but he didn't like these.

He was very poor in the scientific examination, and he won the Juren at the age of 30.

The family does not need him to be named Guangzong Yaozu on the gold list, and the old Hou Ye never demanded the third master's studies.

Later, the third master simply set fire to the Four Books and Five Classics, and traveled southward with his personal servants. He traveled for three years, and often sent letters back to report his safety.

But he didn't mention when he would return to Shengjing.

In June of this year, Xue Dongyao, the sixth daughter of the third bedroom, left the court and married the eldest son of Zhen Shangshu, the Ministry of Rites.After the third master received the letter, he sent someone to send two blood-colored corals from Nanwan Kingdom, which are five feet high and two feet long, which are rare in the world.The third master also said that he exchanged a splash-ink landscape painting from the prince of Nanwan Kingdom for Xue Dongyao's dowry.

This kind of dowry is hard to come by, the old Hou Ye is very satisfied, the faces of the third wife and Xue Dongyao are radiant, and he doesn't care that the third lady can't make it in time for the wedding, it will be managed by the eldest son, and the sixth lady of the Xue family will marry Zhen Lang with a ten-mile red dowry.

Everyone was talking and laughing, the sacrifice of the Laba Festival was over, and the men also went to Rongde Pavilion one after another to accompany the old Hou Ye and the old lady to eat Laba porridge and celebrate the Laba Festival.

Just after serving the Laba porridge rewarded by the palace, Chief Manager Ge Da of the outer courtyard came in with two servants, carrying a food box in his hand, and said with a smile: "The Laba porridge just sent by the Shengchang Houfu."

Shengchang Hou Mansion is the family home of Concubine Sheng.

Because Concubine Sheng and Concubine Xue have the same status, they have been fighting each other and hating each other since they entered the Prince's Mansion; Xue and Sheng are even more afraid of being jealous by the emperor, and have never communicated.

Why did their family suddenly send Laba porridge?
The female members of the Xue family were a little confused.

Not long after General Manager Ge went out, he came in again: "This is from Xiao Guofu..."

Xiao Guofu is the queen's natal family and the residence of Taifu Xiao.

Now, everyone was talking in low voices, and the flower hall was noisy.

"When the first emperor was around, he always had scruples about his relatives, so our family didn't communicate with each other. Now the new emperor Jian Zuo, who was originally an in-law, should be more affectionate, so he walked around. Our family's porridge is also sent to Xiao Guofu and Shengchang Houfu. Go." Seeing everyone muttering in low voices, Old Hou Ye said loudly with a smile.

General Manager Ge Da is.

The room fell silent.

Dong Yuan's thoughts turned slightly.She knows all the people who have close contacts with the Xue family.If one wants to gain a foothold in this society, the interpersonal network is very important. Who are the good families, what is their background, what are their preferences and taboos?

Xiao Guo Mansion and Shengchang Hou Mansion did not have a deep relationship with the Xue family, and they had never received Laba porridge from their families in previous years.What happened this year?
Not only Dong Yuan, but also the women had different expressions, and they all secretly speculated in their hearts.

It must have something to do with the court.

But what happened to the court recently?

When women inquired about government affairs in the court, it would be presumptuous for women to overstep, so the women in the inner house of Xue's mansion kept to themselves and ignored them, so Dong Yuan had no way of inquiring about them.She was even more afraid to extend her influence to the outer courtyard. If the old lady knew and suspected her motives, there might be gaps in the relationship cultivated over the years.

Once there is a gap, it may not be able to make up for it with a hundred times of effort.

Love not only needs to pay, but also needs opportunities.

At that time, Dong Yuan was able to be liked by the old lady, in addition to her piety, forbearance, courtesy and sophistication, and the old lady's most beloved granddaughter Xue Dongting, the fourth daughter of the Xue family, just got married. He happened to replace Xue Dongting and became the most favored grandmother in front of her.

Such an opportunity requires the right time and place, and it will be difficult to find such a coincidence in the future.

And emotion is a strange thing. If you like this person, her playfulness and cuteness are ignorant of the world; if you have doubts in your heart, it is deliberate and artificial.

Dong Yuan didn't dare to do something wrong that he would regret too much, and kept his current grace with dignity.

But her heart seemed to be clustered with flames, burning her, making her sleepless and restless.

Where was her jade pendant thrown, or was it picked up by the "eunuch" yesterday?

Thinking about it, her eyes fell on Xue Ziming, the fifth master who was wearing a crescent-colored hangchou fur coat, and her heart moved slightly.Her father also goes to court every day, and he should be clear about the big and small affairs of the court, right?

The whole family had a reunion meal, and then sat down around the old lady's Xici room, chatting about the family affairs.

Looking at the house full of children and grandchildren, the old Hou Ye raised his brows and eyes.

He held his three-year-old great-grandson Xue Hanjia in his arms and asked him if this year's porridge was good.

Xue Hanjia is the eldest son of Xue Huajing, the eldest son of the long house, and the fourth generation of Xue Huajing's lineage.The powder-carved and jade-carved Jia Geer is lively and sensible, and everyone in the family likes it.

He blinked his big eyes as clear as autumn water and looked at Old Master Xue, and said in a childlike voice, "Great-grandfather, porridge is delicious."

The childlike innocence and witticism made everyone laugh.

In the arms of the old lady, Xue Fengrui, eight-year-old Xue Huajing's daughter-in-law, was snuggled up.Compared with Dong Yuan and their sisters, Xue Fengrui lived a relaxed and happy life. She was still an ignorant child at the age of eight. When her great-grandfather asked her younger brother, she rushed to answer: "Great-grandfather, this year's porridge is very sweet..."

Grandma Hang gave her a quick wink, and said softly, "Sister Rui, great-grandfather asked your brother." That is to say, don't intervene without your lord asking.

Mrs. Xue was already laughing, and pinched Xue Fengrui's cheeks: "This year's porridge put cheese in it, only our sister Rui ate it." The voice was full of kindness.

Everyone echoed and praised Xue Fengrui for being smart, covering up what Grandma said.

After talking, the steward of the outer court said that the son had a guest and asked him to go out; then the chief steward, Ge Taoxiang, came in again and said that Duke Xiao had come to visit Master Xue.

After Shi Ziye and Xue Lao Hou Ye left, the fourth master, fifth master, uncle, fourth master and fifth master all retreated under the pretext of having something to do in the outer courtyard.

Only women and children were left in the room, and the atmosphere became relaxed and cheerful.

The old lady left them for dinner again.

After dinner, everyone knew the old lady's habit of taking a nap at noon, so they didn't dare to stay for a long time.

Dong Yuan followed the Fifth Madam, the tenth miss Xue Dongwan, the eleventh miss Xue Dongshu, the twelfth miss Xue Donglin, and the sixth master Xue Huayi to the fifth madam's courtyard.

The aunts are waiting to greet Mrs. Fifth.

The fifth lady sat on the big pit facing the window in the banquet room of Dongci Room, let Xue Dongyuan and Xue Donglin sit on her head, the 12-year-old sixth master Xue Huayi was in her arms, Xue Dongwan and Xue Dongshu sat in turn on the golden silk nanmu on the kang On the grand teacher's chair covered with the burden of the elastic ink chair, several aunts bestowed brocade, and sat down along the kang.

After saying a few words, Fifth Master came back from the outside.

The Fifth Madam ordered Dong Yuan and the others to disperse separately, and did not give them a chance to speak in front of the Fifth Master, but called the Tenth Miss Xue Dongwan: "Miss Wan, stand still, I have something to say..."

Xue Dongwan's biological mother Aunt He's eyes were ecstatic.

Eleventh Miss Xue Dongshu, who lives with Xue Dongwan in the Taoju Pavilion, has a slight uneasiness that cannot be detected.

The fifth master kept Xue Donglin and Xue Huayi, and the others withdrew.

As soon as he left the courtyard, Fifth Aunt Zhang pursed her lips and smiled, and said to Xue Dongyuan in a low voice: "The fifth master really loves the child, every time he eats at Madam's place, he always let sister Lin and brother Yi accompany him. The father gave birth to a filial son, and the fifth master has no scruples..."

This is implying that Dong Yuan, although she is a prostitute, but in the heart of the fifth master, she has the same status as an aunt and concubine.

Is it to sow discord?

Dong Yuan pretended not to understand, and softly smiled softly: "Father is busy with affairs in court, so it's rare for him to eat at Mother's place, so naturally he wants to have his children around his knees."

Aunt Zhang was awarded to Xue Ziming by Mr. Pei, the head of the Hanlin Academy the year before last. She is only 19 years old this year. She is bright and charming. Fifth Madam is always on guard against her.

Could it be that she wants to draw herself into the same camp with her by sowing dissension to fight against the fifth lady?
Dong Yuan was funny.

No matter how powerful Fifth Madam is, so what?The big maid and the mother in charge of Shicui Pavilion used the monthly rules from the old lady's house, and had nothing to do with the fifth lady.

Aunt Zhang wanted to say something, but Xue Dongshu, the Eleventh Miss, pulled Dong Yuan: "Ninth Sister, I heard that the precious inkstone in grandfather's study room rewarded you, but is it true?"

Dong Yuan nodded, thanking her for interrupting Aunt Zhang's words.

"I happen to be fine. I went to Ninth Sister's to ask for a good cup of tea and pay my respects to that precious inkstone." Xue Dongshu smiled coquettishly, and took Dong Yuan's arm and went to Shicui Pavilion.

Green bamboos are planted all around Dongyuan's Shicui Pavilion, bypassing the two corridors, there is a large peach forest, and there is an exquisite small building in the southwest corner of the peach forest, which is the Taolan Pavilion where Xue Dongwan and Xue Dongshu live.

"I made plum blossom cakes, sister eleven will help me to taste how it tastes." Dong Yuan also smiled at Xue Dongshu affectionately, greeted several aunts, and returned to Shicui Pavilion.

Xue Dongshu's biological mother, Second Aunt, had a slight smile in the corner of her eyes, and then saw Third Aunt and Fourth Aunt behind her, and asked, "Why don't you see Sister Yan and Sister Xian today?"

Miss Thirteen Xue Dongyan is eight years old this year and was born to Yuan Shi, the third aunt of the fifth room; Xue Dongxian, the fourteenth lady, is five years old and was born to the fourth aunt Song of the fifth room.

Hearing the second aunt's question, the third aunt said in a flat tone: "I caught the wind and cold, and even infected sister Xian..."

The eldest aunt He gave birth to the tenth lady Xue Dongwan, and the second aunt Kong gave birth to the eleventh lady Xue Dongshu. Both of them were dowry maids of the late wife Han.The third concubine and the fourth concubine are the dowry maids of the fifth wife Yang.Four people and two camps have always been incompatible.

Seeing that the third aunt's tone was flat, the second aunt didn't mind too much, she smiled, followed the aunt, and went back to her own residence.

Over there, Xue Dongshu was talking to Dong Yuan, but always seemed absent-minded.

When I arrived at Shicui Pavilion, Xue Dongshu smiled and said: "I just remembered that I promised to help my third aunt make a pair of shoes a few days ago, and I sent them the day after the Laba Festival, and the border decorations have not been embroidered. I will come to bother Jiujie another day." .”

She didn't know her well at first, and when she said that she was going to the Shicui Pavilion, she was also interrupting Aunt Zhang's rambling gossip for Dong Yuan. Naturally, Dong Yuan would not force her to stay, so she smiled and asked her to go back slowly. She is still melting these days. Snow, slippery road.

Xue Dongshu said yes, supported by her big maid, Furong, and went back to the Taolang Pavilion.

In the middle of the night that day, there was a lot of noise at the Taoyuan Pavilion.

Dong Yuan was also awakened, and looked at the chiming clock on the wall, it was only the third quarter of the lunar calendar.She put on her fur jacket and got up, asked Ju Xiang to hold the lamp, and then told the little maid to go to the Taoyu Pavilion to see the situation.

The little maid came back, trembling with fright: "Miss Nine, Miss Ten is gone."

(End of this chapter)