The Concubine's Survival Manual

Chapter 103

I knew that if I came to the door today, I would definitely meet the fourth young lady of Xu's family, but even the seventh lady did not expect that she would come so fast, and from the tone of her voice, she was actually waiting outside for the fourth lady to get off the sedan chair.

The capital city is no different than Suzhou. Winter has already entered in November, and it has snowed a few days ago. The weaker female family members have already put on big woolen clothes. It is naturally not an easy task to wait outside in such weather.

It seems that the Fourth Young Madam is also a ruthless person.Speaking of making amends, in terms of sincerity, it is indeed impeccable.

Seventh Lady got out of the sedan chair calmly, with a smile on her face, "Where is the fourth young lady talking..." She was going to salute the long-known fourth young lady.

The Xu family has a large population, there are seven or eight males alone, but there are fewer daughters, not comparable to the Li family, with more than ten sons and more than ten daughters.Xu Fengjia was the sixth among her sons, with five elder brothers on top. One young man died, and one died in battle. Only the eldest, fourth and fifth young masters have survived to this day.There is a full seven-year age gap between the fifth young master Xu Yujing and Xu Fengjia, and the eldest young master Xu Yufei is already over the age of this year.It's just that Xu Fengjia got married early, and her elder brothers got married later, and the age difference between the sisters-in-law is not too big. The fourth young lady, Mrs. Mo, is only 20 years old this year, but she is only three years older than the fifth lady.

She was born in a famous family in the capital, the granddaughter of Uncle Liaoyuan, and she is also related to Mrs. Ni - Mrs. Ni is her aunt. Ordinary people are different.Duke Ping led troops to fight in successive years. Before Xu Fengjia grew up, father and son fought in battle. They were all under the command of a few concubine brothers. Over the years, they all carried military merits. The fourth young master himself had the honor of deputy thousand , and they are all actually typed out, no more than Enyin's vain job, in fact, it is useless.Therefore, the nobleness on the face of the Fourth Young Madam has not been reduced because of being a concubine's wife.

She waited for Qinianzifu to get down, and then she bent down to support her, "Hey, we are all of the same generation, so how can we be so polite." But she spoke the northern mandarin with a subtle accent of the capital. "That day at Tongzhou Wharf, I was the one who offended my in-laws because I had no eyes. I turned around and testified, ouch, I was ashamed! I hid in the temple that night, saying it was Qingxiu, but in fact it was not Qingxiu, I was simply shy! It's not that I heard that my in-laws and my in-laws sisters came to visit me today, so I rushed back to make amends in person..."

As he spoke, he was about to salute to Seventh Lady, "I offended my in-laws by acting recklessly that day!"

Seventh Lady hurriedly stepped forward to support her with her own hands, but she didn't use any strength, and Fourth Young Madam stood up by herself, which surprised Seventh Lady.

The eyes of the two met, and they were both a little embarrassed. Seventh Lady pursed her lips slightly and smiled. "A few trivial things, why bother..."

Fourth Young Madam also laughed, held hands and breathed, "It's so cold that I can't straighten my tongue!"

While giving way to Qin Niangzi, the two walked side by side to Mrs. Tai's residence.

The Duke of Pingguo’s mansion is a century-old dignitary, and the house is no smaller than Baifang Garden. Seventh Lady just changed the sedan chair in the car hall near the side door. The part of the way she came in was actually just the second door from the side door. The door of the house was so deep. It can be seen.Fourth Young Madam took Seventh Lady through the main courtyard in person again—but there was no one there, and through the glass window, one could faintly see that the golden brick floor inside was still bright, but the Duobao Pavilion was empty, as if it had already disappeared. It has been uninhabited for many years.

"Since my mother-in-law went to Qingpingyuan to recuperate, she lived there for seven or eight years, and my father-in-law lived in Menghuaxuan again, so this main courtyard has become deserted." Fourth Young Madam looked at Seventh Lady, and explained to her with a smile, He led her into the small garden of Xu's family through the double doors at the back of the main courtyard, "It's rare for us to get a small collection of brocades, and we all walk around in the garden."

I just took one more look at the main room, and the Fourth Young Madam explained, it can be seen that this person is a smart person who knows how to read eyebrows... Judging from his style, dress, and conversation, he is more than just an ordinary concubine wife, Jiangnan The first-class wives of princes and princes are nothing more than this.

Qin Niangzi didn't dare to neglect, as she walked, she looked at this capable and generous fourth young lady nonchalantly.

This is a typical northern girl. She is tall and bright, and there is a sense of boldness between her brows. It was surrounded by a fire, and sparks splashed out when you raised your eyebrows.It's just that Qin Niangzi felt that after all, the sparks still carried a little bit of coolness.

The fourth young lady was also looking at Qin Niangzi, from the pearly head in her hair to the golden cloud shoes on the soles of her feet, she looked back and forth three or four times, her eyes flickered again and again, but she restrained herself and didn't say a word.

The two were quiet for a while, and when they entered Xu's garden Xiaocuijin through the garden gate, Mrs. Fourth Young Lady introduced a rockery in front of the garden gate to Qiniangzi, "This is a strange stone from Taihu Lake that I found specially. A stone is a mountain—thanks to a rockery blocking it, otherwise, once you enter the door, you can have a panoramic view of everything, and it would be meaningless."

There is no better garden in the world than Suzhou. Although Baifang Garden is not the only best garden in Suzhou, the residence of the governor of Jiangnan is above the standard.In the Yang family, if there is a stone that does not come from Taihu Lake, it is a rarity.Qin Niangzi just glanced at the strange stone, then smiled casually, "It must have taken a lot of effort to transport it from Taihu Lake to the capital."

Liang's mother just laughed, "Seventh Lady, I think it looks very similar to the big rock next to the Eight Immortals in our Suzhou home!"

Seventh Lady and Fourth Young Madam coincidentally glanced at Mama Liang.

But they all know each other.

The family members of my natal family have always been distinguished guests. If they are all rich and powerful families, it is only natural for the two sides to compete in private.Although the natal family wants to do everything possible to show their toughness, the in-laws are also keen to express their wealth. In fact, to put it bluntly, the natal family just wants to emphasize the dignity of the daughter, but the in-laws want to explain that the daughter-in-law married into their own family. The blessings cultivated in the previous life.

Over the years, such fighting openly and secretly has become a routine.When in-laws come to the door, most of them want to fight for wealth secretly: if you have Taihu stone, I will have Lingbi stone; if you have Tianhuang stone, I will have chicken blood stone; When visiting for the first time, the in-laws will definitely find ways to defeat the arrogance of the natal family.

Of course, if the eldest wife came to the door, the situation would be different. The mistresses of the two families are sisters, and they have always been in harmony with each other, so no one would mention the fight for wealth.But Seventh Lady said she was a concubine daughter, but she was not a concubine daughter. She was said to be a concubine daughter, but she was a descendant of a concubine in the genealogy. Her status was embarrassing. With the arrogance of the Xu family, she might not be willing to treat her as a concubine daughter. Fourth Young Madam From the moment they met, it can be said that they weighed Qin Niangzi's weight.

It's no wonder that the eldest lady was so nervous. She not only picked clothes for her herself, but also gave Qin Niangzi a pair of red gold pearls inlaid with more than a hundred pearls, the most even, made by the magistrate of Hepu county last year. Wearing the ancestral Hetian jade bracelet... is nothing more than to tell the Xu family: even half of the prostitutes, our Yang family has such a precious life, and it goes without saying that the fifth lady is decent.

It's just that the dowry of the fifth lady has already overwhelmed the sisters-in-law. Whether the sisters-in-law can be convinced is still a matter of discussion. I'm afraid that these three young wives will also frustrate themselves if they go to the banquet today. It's hard to know how to suppress Wu Niangzi from this aspect.

Although etiquette and customs are also heavy in Jiangnan, after entering Beijing, Qin Niangzi felt that more content was stuffed into the already tight etiquette, which even made her feel overwhelmed.Even though the elder was promoted again, and had almost reached the highest point of civil servants, she owed a chief assistant not to conquer, but she felt that being the daughter of a elder in the capital was far less comfortable than being the daughter of a governor in the south of the Yangtze River.

I don't know how the pampered fifth lady survived her life as a bride. The Elder Master had the intention of suing for illness in May this year, but the transfer order was only issued in July and August. During these two months, only Afraid that she would be offended.

Although she was emotional in her heart, Qin Niangzi was also used to seeing the world, the characters who were killed in the bloody storm, Liang Mama lost the topic, she naturally knew how to pick it up, "Hey, what's the same, the precious ones are not stones, they are sent to Beijing. How could the Fourth Young Madam see such a stone in her eyes?"

She and the fourth young lady looked at each other and smiled, but the seventh lady smiled sincerely, but in the fourth young lady's smile, there were traces of fakeness.

Bypassing the rocky rockery of Taihu Lake, Mrs. Ni’s daily life of Leshan Residence is in front of her eyes. This small pavilion with three rooms inside and outside is located on the central axis, which faintly means to suppress Xiao Cuijin. Seventh Lady can’t help thinking Frowning: Mrs. Xu should have lived in such a house.

Fourth Young Madam rushed a few steps, "Miss Yang Qin, pay attention to the steps—" she said as she took the lead to enter the room. Naturally, there was a neatly dressed and handsome maidservant who pulled up the cotton curtain for Qin Mistress.

The two maids are not allowed to enter Leshan Residence, so naturally someone took them down to treat them. Mother Liang and Mother Tai accompanied Seventh Lady into the porch, took off their cloaks, and patted the dust on their bodies. Beiping was very dusty, and they walked all the way. Come, it is inevitable that I will bring some dust on my body.

After only a short while, there was already a roar of laughter in the room, and the fourth young lady lifted the crystal curtain and came out with a smile, and pulled Qiniangzi into the room.

"Grandmother, please let me go," she half-jokingly pushed Qiniangzi to an old man with white beard and hair and silver hair, "Even the younger sister of the Yang family said that there are many masters in the family, and there is no Compete with me seriously!"

It will climb up the pole!

Seventh Lady gave Fourth Young Madam a look with a half-smile, then straightened her expression, landed on her knees, and bowed to Madam Tai. "Little girl Yang Shanheng pays a visit to Mrs. Tai."

Mrs. Ni is wearing a peacock satin skirt that shines blue. Although she is old, she is not at all inferior to young people. She is stable and rich. From her clothes to her appearance, she looks like an old birthday star who has come down from a New Year painting. The forehead is not raised, but the beaming face does not give way to the person in the painting.

She was originally sitting cross-legged on the kang, but now she put down her feet, half bent her body and said softly, "Oh? So this is the seventh lady of the Yang family. She has been famous for a long time. Come on, raise your head and let the old man take a closer look. .”

Qin Niangzi's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, there were countless thoughts passing by, but she didn't reveal anything on her face, she just raised her head with a slight smile, and naturally let this old grandmother look at herself.

Mrs. Ni's eyes are still very sharp, not like the old people who are usually faint. She looked at Qin Niangzi carefully for a few times, and saw that Qin Niang's back felt a little cold, so she smiled slightly and praised faintly, " Really good character."

Then she leaned on the pillow again, turned her head and scolded the fourth young lady, "Seventh lady is polite to you, it is polite. Do you take it seriously? Wait for the master in-law to come later, and then apologize in person, otherwise, I will Never give up!"

She didn't give the Fourth Young Madam any face at all.

But according to the eldest wife, the letter from the fifth lady repeatedly mentioned that Mrs. Tai usually dotes on the fourth and fifth young wives the most.

The two mothers beside Mrs. Ni stepped forward to help Qin Niangzi up, and then led her to salute with the three young wives.

The eldest wife, Mrs. Han, can be regarded as the oldest among her sisters-in-law. She looks 27 or [-] years old. Although she looks ordinary, she has a fair complexion and a gentle demeanor, which is very friendly.The fourth young lady, Mrs. Mo, naturally smiled, and met the seventh lady affectionately, and then led her to meet the fifth young lady, Mrs. Zhang.

Seventh Lady couldn't help but pay attention to the young lady.

She is not ignorant of the situation in the Duke of Pingguo's mansion. The fifth lady often wrote letters home after she got married. According to her introduction in the letter, although Mrs. Ni is usually close to the fourth young master, the most beloved one is still by her side since she was a child. The fifth young master who was raised.The fifth young lady she mentioned for the fifth young master is superior to other sister-in-laws in terms of origin. This young lady was born in the Zhang family in Henan Province, which itself has a history of more than 500 years. The genealogy can be traced back to the Tang and Song dynasties. The famous family, my own branch is even more confident, and has been in contact with the dignitaries in Beijing and China for many years. Speaking of which, Mrs. Wu is still the distant niece of the Queen Mother Niu...

Fifth Young Madam herself also has a virtuous and chaste face. She was born with slender eyebrows and eyes, and once she was shaped like a quail, she looked even more like a beauty from an ancient painting of the Song Dynasty. A painting, no matter how beautiful it is, is not alive.

They are all people who are rolling in the brocade, so they are naturally polite to each other, there are calculations and considerations, and no one will put it on the face, they have met each other, and Mrs. Tai did not leave Qin Niangzi to say a few words, He smiled and told the young lady, "Ms. Han took Miss Yang to Qingpingyuan and Mingde Hall to meet my wife and Mrs. Shizi."

Mrs. Ni called Mrs. Xu and Wu Niangzi, so she used a more distant title.

Although it is not unreasonable, judging from the lines of Wu Niangzi's words, I am afraid...

Han Shifu agreed, turned around and said to Qin Niangzi with a smile, "Young lady of the Yang family will follow me."

Wu Niangzi once mentioned that although Han's father is a well-known figure in Beijing, she herself has been accompanying her grandfather in her hometown in Shanxi, and her accent was revealed in her words just now.

Seventh Lady immediately noticed that Fourth Young Madam exchanged glances with Fifth Young Madam, and Fourth Young Madam pursed her lips slightly and laughed.

The aristocratic ladies in Beijing love to exclude heresy, and it is difficult for an official wife who can't speak northern Mandarin to break into the top social circle.

Even Mrs. Ni frowned slightly, but she didn't like it, but she was caught by Qin Niangzi, so she quickly restrained herself.

The scheming Mrs. Tai, the frail but careless Mrs. Guogong, the sister-in-law who has different thoughts and different backers--the backers are very hard...the inner courtyard of the Pingguo Mansion is really filled with too many great masters. up.

Seventh Lady couldn't help but feel a headache for Fifth Lady: Can this fifth lady handle such a complicated situation?
Although I have never written a letter back to complain, but just looking at Mrs. Tai's sharp eyes and the behavior of the fourth and fifth young wives, I know that in the protracted war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the Xu family, Mrs. Ni has not fallen behind at least for now. downwind.

Living in Xiao Cuijin's main house, Leshan Residence, brought up his grandson by his side, and found a very good marriage. When the in-laws came to the door, they never praised Wu Niangzi, and when they mentioned Mrs. Xu, they spoke in a distant tone as if Mentioning outsiders—even though Wu Niangzi didn't mention a word, the signs are so obvious that if Qi Niangzi still can't see that the relationship between Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Ni is cold, she really has come out for nothing.

Speaking of the young lady, she can be considered the eldest daughter-in-law, but there is a local accent in the words, and the two sister-in-laws are like this. The little girl who grew up in Jiangnan Water Village, Wu Niangzi, is also a sister-in-law, so she can balance these two differences. Easy sister-in-law?
She glanced at Mrs. Ni again.

Mrs. Ni was also looking at Qinianzi thoughtfully.

Her gaze was still the same, it couldn't be called hot or cold, but it gave Qiniang a chill down her spine.

Or intuition, she always felt that Mrs. Ni didn't like her very much.

(End of this chapter)