pretty lady in disguise

Chapter 63

The autumn wind is getting cooler day by day, and the monthly money is paid again without knowing it.

Ayu has saved 14 taels of silver.

Putting away the money, Ah Yu walked to the window and sat down, staring outside in a daze.

Today's servants are on holiday, Dangui and the others are back.Last time, Dangui said that her redemption money was 20 taels, and the family had already saved some money. As long as she didn't waste money indiscriminately in the past few months, she could go home and reunite with her family in the twelfth lunar month.Dangui also said that her parents arranged a marriage for her, and she will go to see her when she returns home this time. If it goes well, she will get married next spring.

Osmanthus is so happy.

What about her?

She worked as a maid in the Zhan Mansion, and Zhan Huaichun didn't ask her to sign any contract of prostitution. He let her be a maid as an admission, but she didn't understand at first, she would do whatever he asked her to do. Later, she understood, and she was willing to give He acted as a servant girl to repay his kindness for taking care of her.It's just that he hasn't moved back for a long time, what kind of maid is she?
Ayu felt a little aggrieved.

After admiring the moon that night, the two only met once in a hurry. He left angrily and only showed her his back. She didn't even know why he was angry.She waited anxiously in the yard, and when the ten-day period came, he still hadn't come back.Chang'an never came to look for her, she was puzzled, but she didn't dare to inquire about Zhan Huaichun.

A few days ago, Shen Tang said goodbye to her, because the young master wanted to send her back to Luoyang in person, and propose marriage to his aunts and aunts by the way.Shen Tang smiled so happily, he couldn't help laughing when he told her to ignore Zhan Huaichun's bad temper, A Yu felt sour after hearing that, she couldn't see anyone, how could she care?
Maybe it's because the young master hasn't come back yet, and Zhan Huaichun is in charge of the family business, so he doesn't have time to come here?After all, he has nothing serious to do to find her, and Chang'an can still serve him when it comes to basic necessities of life.

If he didn't come back, she would live quietly as usual, eating three meals a day with other maids, and returning to the house to tease peas or read a book after eating.There were a few nights when I couldn't sleep, I was thinking wildly in my mind, wondering if I really made him angry somewhere, and I couldn't think of a clue after racking my brain.Sometimes when she thinks about it, her head hurts and her chest feels uncomfortable. She puts on her coat and sits up, meditates and recites scriptures, and gradually her mind calms down.

But she really wanted to know what happened to Zhan Huaichun, even though she had done nothing wrong, Ayu still vaguely felt that he was angry with her.

At dusk, Dangui Danxia came back.

Danxia doesn't like talking very much, so Dangui ran over to find her, and the two returned to the servant's room together.Dangui was afraid that Zhan Huaichun would not dare to stay in the main courtyard, but he didn't know that Zhan Huaichun hadn't been here for a long time.

"Ayu, I saw that person." Dangui smiled and heated up the boiled sticks brought home, and handed them to Ayu. She sat beside her and held her chin and said to her.

The sticks were fragrant and tender, and Ayu asked curiously while eating, "How is he?"

Dangui was a little shy: "There are three brothers in his family, he is the eldest, he looks pretty good, a bit dark, silly. Well, we talked for a while through the curtain, and he asked me how much money I needed for the ransom. Give me some. But we are not married yet, how can I spend his money, besides, I have already agreed with the housekeeper that I will not leave until the end of winter."

A Yu looked at her enviously: "That man is so kind to you, he must like you very much, and wants to marry you soon."

Dangui smiled shyly, her fair face was red, and she looked much better than usual.

Ayu is really happy for Dangui.

The Double Ninth Festival was approaching, Zhan Zhihan returned from Luoyang, and almost no time after he entered the plum garden, the news spread that the young master married his cousin girl in November.

The servants talked about it, but not many people were surprised. After all, as long as Shen Tang came over in the past, Shen Tang took care of the inner courtyard of the Zhan family.

It was only two months before Zhan Zhihan got married, and the Zhan Mansion was about to start preparations now.

Dangui Danxia is in charge of cleaning the Evergreen Garden. The outside has to be cleaned every morning and evening, and the upper room is cleaned a little every day and five days a day. They also had to tidy up every day, and the two of them became busy all of a sudden.This day happened to coincide with Danxia's menstrual event, and she begged Ayu to do half-day homework for her during lunch, and Ayu readily agreed.She often does this in the nunnery, and her movements are not much slower than Dangui.

"Ayu, what has the young master been up to lately? You haven't been here for almost a month, right?" Dangui asked curiously while tidying up the bookshelves in the study.Dust is easy to fall on the bookshelf. When you pick up the book, you can see the dust contrast. You have to wipe the bottom thoroughly with a dry cloth.

"I don't know." Ayu said sullenly as he wiped the other row with his back to Dangui.

Dangui looked back at her: "Think about it carefully? The young master likes you so much, he will definitely not ignore you for no reason."

A Yu stopped talking, she really thought about it, thought about it so many nights, but she didn't know.Besides, does Zhan Huaichun really like her?Would you like someone to treat her like this?Maybe he just likes it for a while and doesn't like it for a while. It's better this way. He keeps ignoring her, so she doesn't have to worry about being his aunt.

"Ayu, you... ah!"

Suddenly there was the sound of collision and exclamation behind him, followed by the crisp sound of porcelain smashing, Ayu's heart skipped a beat, and when he turned around, he saw Dangui standing in front of Duobao Pavilion with a pale face, one hand still stretched forward. On the clean bluestone floor, the Ding kiln white porcelain flower and bird tray that Zhan Huaichun brought back from the capital has been smashed to pieces.

"Ayu, Ayu, I didn't mean it. Just now, Pea was standing behind me. I didn't know. I almost stepped on it and ran to the side and bumped into it... Ayu, I really didn't mean it!" Trembling, looking at the ground and then at Ayu, tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't speak fluently.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, the young master is reasonable, as long as we explain clearly, he won't be angry, Dangui, don't cry." She kept crying, relying on Ayu's support to stop, Ayu wanted to help her to Sit on the chair so that she can clean up the floor and comfort her after work.

Dangui couldn't move at all, so she fell to the ground and covered her face and cried bitterly: "You don't know, Ayu, there are no cheap things in the young master's house, and the housekeepers have repeatedly told us to be careful when we break something, or we will have to pay for it." If you are punished, even if you sell me, I won’t be able to pay for it... Ayu, I’m afraid, the young master will definitely not let me go out if he finds out..."

She was crying heartbroken, and Ah Yu was not so sure, "You, you didn't mean it, the young master probably won't let you go, right?"

"Why not? I'm just a maid sweeping the floor. If I break something, I have to pay for it. You think the young master treats me like you..." At this point, Dangui suddenly stopped, staring at Ayu closely, his eyes gradually drifting away. Feeling hopeful, he quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve, grabbed Ayu's hand and said, "Ayu, help me, can you just say that you broke things? Ayu, listen to me, if you It's Danxia, ​​I will never ask you to replace me, but you are different from us, the young master probably doesn't remember my name, but he likes you, he treats you so well, no matter how many things you break, he won't It's your fault!"

A Yu was stunned, and couldn't help looking at the tray.No matter how expensive the tray is, it is not as expensive as the jewelry that Zhan Huaichun gave her. Zhan Huaichun gave her those things, so you shouldn't be angry with her for a tray, right?However, the things were obviously broken by Dangui, wouldn't she be lying to deceive Zhan Huaichun?Also, Zhan Huaichun hasn't come back for a long time, she is not sure if he is angry with her, if he is, Ayu is afraid of Zhan Huaichun who is angry, not much less afraid than Dangui's...

She hesitated, Dangui's tears became more and more fierce, she covered her mouth and changed to kneeling, as if she was going to kowtow to Ayu.Ayu was taken aback, and hurriedly stopped her. The osmanthus could not be knocked down no matter how hard she knocked, she threw herself on Ayu and cried: "Ayu, I really can't help it, please help me once, I will return it to you." In three months, he can redeem himself and go out, he is still waiting to marry me, I don't want to stay here as a maid for the rest of my life, Ayu, please, I beg you..."

"Dangui, don't cry, I, I..."

"What are you doing?" A cold voice suddenly came from the door asking, the two maids were trembling with fright, and looked up hastily.

The housekeeper Lao Wang had already walked in, glanced at Dangui, and finally fell on Dangui: "Did you break the things?" There are only a few maidservants living in the house. As a housekeeper, of course he has to come over from time to time to make inspections.

In the eyes of the servants, Lao Wang's majesty is not inferior to the two young masters, Dangui didn't dare to look at him at all, knelt down and lowered his head, his body shook like chaff.

"Are you dumb? I asked if you broke the thing?" The little maid cried and cried. Lao Wang was impatient when he heard it. Now he knew he was afraid. What did he do so early?
Dangui tilted her head to look at Ayu, her eyes were blurred with tears, and her hand was about to pinch into the back of Ayu's hand.

A Yu couldn't bear it, bit her lip, bowed her head and said, "I don't blame the osmanthus, I broke it."

"You really broke it?" Lao Wang looked at A Yu in surprise, and before A Yu could reply, he reminded him: "Our family has a rule that if a servant breaks a valuable item with his hands and feet, he must hit it with a wooden board." , You have to lose money after the fight, and if you can’t afford it, change it to a death contract, and life and death marriage are all up to the owner of the Zhan family.” Anyone with a discerning eye can see the truth, but there is nothing he can do if someone is stupid and wants to take the blame.

Ayu looked at Dangui, who was suppressing the sobs beside him, and didn't hesitate for too long: "...Yes."

Dangui is going home and getting married, she is so happy, A Yu doesn't want her to go back.If Zhan Huaichun really wanted to be punished, she had no family members and no one who wanted to marry her, no one would be sad for her whether she was beaten and punished or worked as a servant girl in the Zhan Mansion for the rest of her life.Anyway, she was originally an orphan, and she was supposed to spend her whole life in a nunnery, but now, she just changed to a different place.Perhaps it was the Buddha who blamed her for being weak-hearted and unwilling to give her the happiness a girl deserves?
A Yu held Dangui's hand with his backhand, silently comforting her.

Lao Wang looked at her and ordered the two of them to clean up the ground first, and he went to Wanbaotang to find Zhan Huaichun.

Zhan Huaichun was looking over the account, after Chang'an asked for instructions, he invited Old Wang in.

"What's the matter?" Zhan Huaichun didn't raise his head.

"Second young master, just now when this old servant went to inspect Evergreen Garden, he found that a servant girl broke the tray of the Ding kiln in your study." Lao Wang said respectfully.

"You look at the disposal." Zhan Huaichun still didn't look up, but frowned, he liked that tray quite a bit, it's a pity.

His voice was cold, and his appearance without raising his head was so resembling Zhan Zhihan, the old Wang lowered his head even lower, and said after a moment of silence: "Second young master, actually when this old slave entered, Ayu and Dangui were inside. Although Ayu admits that she broke it, but the old slave always feels that there is something wrong with it, should the second young master ask himself? Or punish Ayu directly?"

Zhan Huaichun stopped turning the page, and finally raised his head.

Finally, he stood up.

After a cup of tea, he had already sat in the main room of Evergreen Garden, "Go and call Ayu and the two cleaning maids over."

Chang'an left in anxiety.

Zhan Huaichun sat on the chair, and slowly looked around the room, all she could see was her slender figure, either sitting or standing, smiling sweetly.

He closed his eyes.

Don't want to think about it.

There were footsteps approaching outside, with different degrees of severity. Zhan Huaichun waited quietly. When the footsteps stopped in front of him, he opened his eyes naturally as if he had rested enough. His cold eyes swept over the three people in front of him one by one, and finally Turning his head to hold the teacup, he said concisely: "Kneel down."

Dangui Danxia knelt down almost immediately.

Ayu slowed down a step.She didn't know if it was because she was not used to kneeling, or because of the man in front whose cheeks were obviously thinner, or because he looked at her with almost the same indifferent gaze as the young master.She stood there blankly, and finally knelt down when the man frowned and looked at her again.

"Who should clean the room today?" Zhan Huaichun asked coldly.

"It's a servant girl." Dangui Danxia spoke at the same time, her voice trembling, Danxia felt guilty, and explained one more sentence: "Your servant girl, my servant girl is not feeling well, please take Ayu's place..."

"Are you uncomfortable? Tell the housekeeper? Ayu is the maidservant of Changqingyuan. Why do you order her? Leave her post without permission, take her out, and beat her up." Zhan Huaichun interrupted her mercilessly, and said to Chang'an .

When Zhan Huaichun came from Wanbaotang, he had ordered someone to prepare a board, Chang An knew that he was really angry, so he rushed to help Danxia who fell to the ground.This one is also bold, just bullying Ah Yu's pure kindness, change to someone who is more powerful, how dare she speak?Even if it hurts to death, I have to work.

Ayu couldn't bear it, and hurriedly pleaded for Danxia: "Young master, I don't blame Danxia for this matter, I took the initiative to help!"

Zhan Huaichun didn't even look at her, A Yu wanted to beg again, but Chang An gently bumped her with his knee, shook his head to signal her to shut up, and then rudely helped Danxia out.

The bench was placed directly opposite the main room, and you could see it when you turned your head. Danxia was forcibly pushed on the bench. When Chang'an said a word, the two servants on the left and right waved the board.The muffled sound of bang bang and Danxia's miserable cry came to my ears.

As early as when Danxia was pressed on it, Ayu walked on her knees and moved in front of Zhan Huaichun, crying and begging him not to hit him, but Zhan Huaichun remained indifferent.When the fight started later, Ayu cried so hard that she couldn't speak, but the ten boards were actually played very fast, and Danxia was soon mixed in by the two of them, lying on the ground dying, with blood on her buttocks.

"Do you know your mistake?" Zhan Huaichun looked outside the door.

"Young maidservant, I got it wrong..." Dan Xia answered with a gasp, her complexion pale, and blood came out from her lips.

"Take it."

In a blink of an eye, only Zhan Huaichun's master and servant and two maids were left in the main room.

Zhan Huaichun glanced at Dangui who lowered his head and trembled, and looked at Ayu: "You broke that tray?"

Since she only wanted to be a maid, he fulfilled her.Why would such a maid plead with him?She doesn't like him, she has someone else in her heart, so why should she rely on his liking for her to beg him to forgive him?He always thought she was stupid, but she was actually a little smart, but she thought of people too simply.Treating each other sincerely may not be able to return sincerity, if she treats him cruelly, like others treat her.He wants to teach her now, no one will always treat someone well without asking for anything in return, if she doesn't like him, he will take care of him, as for her, I believe that after today, she will not be fooled by others in the future Take advantage of it.

"Yes..." A Yu answered with a sob, her eyes blurred with tears.

Zhan Huaichun sneered, and turned his head to look at the teacup: "That tray is worth 80 taels of silver, and you can get eight of them... Forget it, go outside and get ten trays first."

As soon as the voice fell, all three people in the room looked up at him.

Dangui clutched Ayu's arm nervously, Ayu stared blankly at the strange man in front of him, while Chang'an begged, "Master?"

"I'll let you take her out." Zhan Huaichun repeated calmly.

Changan had no choice but to bite the bullet and go to help Ayu.

Before he could meet her, Ah Yu stood up by herself, turned and walked out.surprise what?Didn't she expect to be punished when she decided to help Dangui?Danxia has been beaten, she is just a maid, why is it strange that he beat her?

She walked down the steps slowly, and walked towards the bench that Danxia just lay down on.

"Ayu..." Dangui's lips trembled. Seeing that Ayu was about to walk to the bench, she turned her head abruptly, wanting to intercede with Zhan Huaichun, but she didn't want to meet a pair of extremely cold eyes, as if she wanted to kill her.Osmanthus osmanthus felt cold all over her body, she hurriedly lowered her head.She dare not, dare not admit it, if she admits it, she will be beaten too, probably more than Danxia.She's going home, she's getting married, she can't have an accident, really can't...

She couldn't open her mouth, because Ah Yu was lying on the bench outside.

Zhan Huaichun strode out, stood in front of the door and looked at her: "Ayu, let me ask one last time, did you break it?"

Danxia was suffering, she interceded for Danxia, ​​now she was about to be beaten because of Dangui, but Dangui didn't say a word, couldn't she see it?Some people just don't deserve to be taken seriously!

"it's me."

A Yu looked at the ground which was only two or three feet away from him, and said calmly.

In the past, he was kind to her. The master was not like the master, and the maid was not like a maid. Sometimes she liked it, but sometimes she felt uneasy.

It's all right now, after a beating, she can be sure that he really doesn't have her in his heart, and then she doesn't have to think about it, and she doesn't have to be afraid anymore.

The man seemed to say something, but she didn't hear clearly.

Something hit him, it didn't hurt very much, but something went down from the corner of his eye and turned into a blurred circle.

She was really just a servant girl, she just waited on him from the mountain to Zhanfu.He is happy, he treats her well, eats with her, plays with her and laughs with her.He was angry, glared at her, scolded her for teasing her, and now hit her again.His liking and tenderness are actually a kind of teasing, because when he treats her well first, she will feel even more uncomfortable when he treats her badly.

In the past, the senior sisters said she was stupid, and she admitted that she was stupid on the surface, but she didn't like to listen very much in her heart.Only now did she realize that she was really stupid to actually believe him.So before he started talking about beating her, she was actually a little bit reckless, right?pity……

How many times have you hit it?
It seems to hurt a little.

"Ayu, Master can't teach you much. If you feel wronged and hurt in the future, you should recite the scriptures and don't think about those mundane things. This way you will feel better."

A Yu closed his eyes, clasped the bench tightly with both hands, and made intermittent noises.

"Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, practicing deep prajnaparamita. Seeing that the five aggregates are empty, saving all suffering..."

The board stopped suddenly, the servant hurriedly retreated, Zhan Huaichun knelt down in front of the bench trembling, and what he heard was her almost ethereal voice.

"Ayu, stop reading, I was wrong, I know I was wrong..."

The man held her barely warm hand and cried bitterly.

She was stupid, and he was also stupid. He obviously decided to calm down. Seeing her gritted her teeth and endured it, and seeing her silent, he still felt pain.

(End of this chapter)