The Concubine's Survival Manual

Chapter 220

When Seventh Lady came out to eat, Xu Fengjia had been waiting for half a day. When she saw her, she complained impatiently, "Why did it take me so long to come out? I almost went in and arrested her myself."

"It's because the two mothers have something important to do, otherwise, why would they come to hurt you on purpose." Seventh Lady sat down at the table with a smile, and took the initiative to pick up a chopstick to stew three dishes for him, begging for mercy, "Okay, Are you going to nag me, or are you going to eat?"

Xu Fengjia fell silent, and took a bite of the steamed bun as if venting her anger.Qin Niangzi showed a slight smile, and took a mouthful of rice delicately.

The two of them, one from the south and the other from the north, have very different tastes. Ever since the two reconciled, Qin Niangzi searched carefully, and finally hired a famous chef from Lu sent with a lot of money to cook pasta and stew for Xu Fengjia, and she ate Jiangnan side dishes by herself. , Although eating at the same table, there is no need to accommodate each other's tastes.On the other hand, Xu Fengjia had eaten Jiangnan's home-cooked food for several months, and he also tasted it. He often ordered a few small dishes. If he hadn't been diligent in beating his body, his waistline would have gradually grown in the past few months.

The two of them had dinner, and Qin Niangzi asked Li Xia to give a few words in a low voice as if nothing had happened, then frantically picked up a book to read, Xu Fengjia also found some novels to read, and read from the top of the page while reading. Peek at Seventh Lady's face.

Qin Niangzi couldn't help laughing for a while, "Why, the two mothers just came to talk to me, and it's rare for you to be so anxious."

Xu Fengjia pressed down the book and straightened up, counting with her fingers. "Tomorrow I will accompany the emperor to Nanyuan. I have to go out early in the morning. I don't know when I will return. If I come back after dinner, I will not know until the day after tomorrow. You are here again—"

He looked expectantly at Seventh Lady who remained silent.

Although this person is sometimes scheming, but sometimes he is really childish.

"The rules are set by you, young master," Seventh Lady couldn't help feeling a little complacent. "What did you say about me then? Now it's this virtue again—you're not ashamed, I'm going to be ashamed for you!"

Xu Fengjia snorted, but actually resisted not being intimate with Seventh Lady on this matter. He put down his script and asked Seventh Lady, "When Mr. Zhong came this afternoon, how was your health?"

Seventh Lady wished Xu Fengjia could continue to pester her, so she moved her eyes away from Xu Fengjia's gaze, and murmured, "Just say everything is fine."

Mr. Xu's sharp eyes fixed on Qin Niangzi immediately, "Did you ask about boxing?"

Alas, this person never knew how to be sympathetic to others, nor did he know how to let himself go properly.

Qin Niangzi turned a pale face, and said angrily, "Seeing me dodging like this, do you still need to ask? Mr. Zhong said that my vitality has stabilized a bit in the past few months, and I can continue to use this set of punches. Hit down."

Xu Fengjia suddenly burst out laughing. "Looking at you like this, I knew that this set of punches must be effective!"

Qin Niangzi picked up the book and wanted to throw him away, "What are you proud of, it's just a set of punches. If you learn it, it's just right to beat you."

"Flower punches and embroidered legs, you can beat me up." Xu Fengjia snorted, "Even if I use all my strength, it's just a tickle for me."

Qiniangzi gave him a blank look, and kicked him in the air, but Xu Fengjia grabbed her foot in mid-air and scratched Qiniangzi's soles.

The two were arguing, and Zhong Yuan suddenly smiled outside the secret door between Xici Room and Xisan Room, "Young Madam, Li Xia asked me to send a message in, saying that everything is done, and the things that should be given away Also sent to the alley."

Seventh Lady suddenly smiled, showing her happiness rarely, and she said loudly, "Okay, it's really hard for you, go back and rest."

Xu Fengjia gave her a puzzled look, wanted to ask something, but restrained herself from asking.Qin Niangzi thought that his patience was only for the sake of protecting herself, and her heart softened, so she leaned into Xu Fengjia's ear and smiled, "Actually, although this matter is only good for us, I didn't use much effort. It's just going with the flow. It's just housework—"

He told Xu Fengjia about the fact that the two mothers wanted to scheme against Wu Xun's family and drag her down together.

Xu Fengjia's eyes brightened when he heard that, he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it forcefully, and said, "It's fine if you know, it's getting late now, let's go to rest, you can do something before going to sleep."

Seventh Lady pursed her lips and smiled, lowered her head and did not speak, she just stood up and stretched, and walked towards the bed first.

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Waking up early the next morning, Mrs. Xu took Yu An and the others, got into the car and went out one by one.Seventh Lady naturally ordered everyone to go out, and then went back to Mingde Hall to deal with family affairs.He also called Wu Xun's family and Cai Le's family to come in and said, "The accounts of all places must also be summed up to make a large account of income and expenditure, and a pair of bottom accounts. Anyway, it is according to the rules of previous years. Do whatever you want."

According to the rules of the Xu family in previous years, although it is convenient for the female accountants to be dispatched by grandmas and wives, their ability to settle accounts will not be too strong. In the end of the year, there will be a lot of work, and there are often insufficient manpower. Two stewards are used.Cai Le's family asked Seventh Lady, "Which big accountant do you want to borrow this year?"

Qin Niangzi said casually, "Whoever he is, it's fine whoever borrowed it in previous years, and remember to enter the file - Lei Xianqing's family usually has a lot of contact with people outside, you can just name one."

Lei Xianqing's family didn't dare to be negligent, thought for a moment, and said his name.

Qin Niangzi also worked hard on these accountants. She knew that this accountant was the most fair and strict person.Knowing that Lei Xianqing's family wanted to save her, and it was the first year he took office this year, it was important to be more important so that he could show prestige to the family's subordinates, so he recommended this one.

Those in the upper ranks always have to use some scheming, it is impossible for the subordinates to just flatter them and show their intentions.Qin Niangzi nodded noncommittally, as if it was a deal.After thinking about it, he told Wu Xun's family, "We still need to investigate more quickly. This year is young and there are many family affairs. Finish the inventory earlier to free up manpower. There are other things to do."

Naturally, Wu Xun's family agreed with Su Rong, and the matter was settled like this.

After a while, someone came to report again, "The annual gift from Yang Ge's hometown has arrived, and there is also a gift for the young lady."

In the twelfth lunar month, there is a custom in the capital to give food and drinks to aunts and grandmothers, and Qin Niangzi did not expect that the eldest wife would remember to give her gifts this year.After dismissing all the mothers, she went back to Xici Room and asked Li Xia with a smile, "It's rare for Madam to think about it this year, what did you bring me here?"

When Li Xia showed her, they were some homely food and drink, the rarest thing was the salted fish made by Bai Lu's mother's family, and the rose fermented bean curd made by Qi Yiniang herself.There are also a few small clothes that are worn next to the flesh, and a few pairs of shoes made for Shiro and Goro. They are exquisitely stitched, but they are Jing embroidery.

In terms of value, this batch of gifts is not comparable to the ponytail on Qin Niangzi's little finger, but the caring and thoughtfulness revealed is not comparable to any expensive jewelry.Seventh Lady stared blankly at the jar of rose fermented bean curd, and smiled after a while, "Ruiyun is really hardworking, and I don't know how I found out that I like this."

Intentional or unintentional, it is fully reflected in such details. The eldest wife and Qiniangzi have lived together for more than ten years, and I am afraid that they do not know that Qiniangzi loves to eat rose fermented bean curd.

Zhong Yuan came in and saw it, and sighed, "Our Fourth Young Mistress is considerate and considerate. It's a pity that the wife is difficult to take care of... Fourth Young Mistress is also rubbed by her day and night."

Seventh Lady couldn't help frowning slightly, she mused and didn't speak.

In the afternoon, the second lady sent someone to send some food to the Yang family, most of which were good candies made on her own farm, and some children's playthings, and sent a name card to the seventh lady, bringing He said, "This is our young master's enlightenment mentor, because the young master is going to go to a private school now, and he has just resigned from the library to live in Nancheng. Our wife said that the husband is very good, very kind, and will not be overly doting Students. If the Young Madam thinks well, just use this sticker to invite them to the door. We have already said hello in advance."

After the new year, Shiro and Goro have reached the age of Kaimeng.Qin Niangzi has already prepared a small yard in the outer courtyard, and plans to arrange for the children to study after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

After appreciating the mother sent by Er Niangzi, I chatted a few gossips with her, people from the palace: Concubine Xu and Liu Niangzi rewarded some palace decorations and delicate playthings, and they were all worthless things.Of course, Qin Niangzi received a lot of money.

The eunuch who was sent out to deliver the decree paid a special greeting to Qin Niangzi, and took out two brocade boxes to send her off. "This is a wish from the people in the palace. Please don't dislike it, Young Madam."

The servants in the palace have always had their eyes above their heads, even for the face of the Xu family, they will not put on airs.But this servant was too polite to Seventh Lady.

Seventh Lady didn't dare to be negligent, she stood up and thanked the eunuch, then asked with a smile, "Are the two ladies all right in the palace?"

The waiter Zhang narrowed his eyes with a smile. "It's all good, all is good, as you know, Concubine Ning is in the palace now, but—"

He gave a thumbs up.

Ever since Jiao Ge retired from his old age and returned to his hometown in October, the Elder Master's reputation has become stronger for a while, especially Liu Niangzi has been favored again. In the past few months, although it is not frequent to sleep with him, the emperor once or twice a month When they are interested, they usually summon Liu Niangzi to serve in Qianqing Palace.This momentum is different from the previous ones, and the concubine often called her to talk, and the queen frequently praised her. Although she was not as good as Concubine Niu Shu in terms of status, she had the intention of fighting against her.

Seventh Lady smiled knowingly, sent Zhang's servant away, and when she turned around and opened the box to look, Feng Jin gave her a small and exquisite jade ornament and a short note, thanking her for the few small clothes she made for Mrs. Feng, At the same time, he conveyed Feng Ling's concern, and asked Qin Niangzi to come to Feng's house as a guest when she was free to go out.

Even the eunuch gave a pair of embroidered pieces—even though he didn't say it explicitly, just by looking at the handwriting, Qin Niangzi knew that it was Jiu Yiniang's work back then.

This one-foot-sized Dou Fang is embroidered with a picture of hundreds of sons and thousands of grandchildren. Although it has been around for a long time, the colors are bright and the colors are bold. time made.

Qin Niangzi stared at this pair of fights, and suddenly, all the past came up.

She went out of the third room in the west, walked to the innermost hut in the west wing of Mingde hall, found the key from her waist, opened the lock, pushed the door and entered.

This room, similar to the quiet room in the east wing, also displays a small incense table with a small portrait of Jiu Yiniang hanging on it. Seventh Lady often comes to offer incense to Jiu Yiniang when she is free.

Seventh Lady stood in front of the incense table, staring at Jiu Yiniang's little portrait motionless, in a daze for a long time.

Many past events will be buried in the bottom of my heart little by little as time goes by. If the false balance is maintained for too long, some people will actually take it seriously.

The death of Wu Niangzi was like this, so why not the death of Jiu Yiniang?

She used to think that revenge was a very simple matter, and it seemed that the eldest wife was the only one who harmed Jiu Yiniang.But when the clues became clear, the grievances of the past were involved in the people who cared about her and loved her now, did she also get discouraged because of this?

Is it also because of this that he is afraid to bring up the past again, so as not to disturb his life?

If it was the eunuch who repeatedly failed Jiu Yiniang's wishes, if it was Huang Xiuniang who betrayed Jiu Yiniang to the eldest wife, if it was the deceased uncle of the Feng family who forced Jiu Yiniang to the point where she had to be a concubine If it was the Elder Master who carried Brother Nine into the yard of the Eldest Wife, implying that she would keep her son and leave her mother...then who did the harm to her, or was it everyone who contributed to the tragedy of her life? .

She immediately thought of Jiu Yiniang's catchphrase.

"A person's life is also fate."

But even looking at the small portrait of Jiu Yiniang, the voice in her head was still clear, but Qiniangzi was shocked to find that she could no longer clearly describe and draw Jiu Yiniang's face in her heart.

She is still like this, but what about Brother Jiu?

Will the last trace of Jiu Yiniang's existence in the world disappear with her forgetting?
And her life, is it the same as what she said, "As long as you and Brother Jiu can grow up safely, I will die in peace."

Can she rest in peace?
Qin Niangzi pressed her lower abdomen with her hand.

Maternal love is a feeling that she has never understood. She was abandoned in front of the orphanage in her previous life, and even though she possessed it for a short time in her later life, she still can't understand why Jiu Yiniang still doesn't complain and still thinks hard in such a situation. Pave the way for her, and would rather she not take revenge.

She used to be very unhappy, and she didn't have any desire for childbirth at all. As long as she thought about the dangers she might encounter during childbirth and the multiple precautions that must be taken before and after childbirth, she felt that one thing more is worse than one thing less. In the future, she can adopt a bastard and treat her well He is enough.

But now, she gradually understands that the significance of having offspring is far greater than all the dangers she may encounter. She has never been exempt, and she still wants to have an offspring.

It was only at this time that she realized that what the eldest wife did to Jiu Yiniang had such a profound impact on her life... and she was too exhausted to even think about revenge.

She already had too many things to do, she wanted to recuperate her body, she wanted to find out the mystery of the fifth lady's case, she wanted to secure her position as the mistress, and suppress the fifth young lady to the point where she could no longer threaten her.She has so many things to do, so much that even Qin Niangzi is exhausted physically and mentally.

Seventh Lady let out a long sigh.

She closed her eyes, lowered her head and buried her face in her hands wearily.

After a long time, she raised her head and left the room silently.

Things always have to be done one by one.No matter what, she can do it, and she will get a satisfactory result.

After entering the Xici Room, she called Li Xia to give instructions in a low voice. "When the two gentlemen go south in the next year, you ask them to take a letter and a message from me, go to Yuhang, and chat with Huang Xiuniang. Just say that I have no intention of pursuing the past, sir. It's not easy. , I can understand. It’s just that as a child, some things must be made clear. If you want to go back to Beijing, sir, don’t worry about me because I’m here. If you don’t want to, please send me a letter and say something Tell me about the past."

(End of this chapter)