concubine leisurely

Chapter 10

"The old lady's dinner is useless, are you hungry?" Nanny Lu was holding a white porcelain bowl filled with golden shredded jujube porridge.

"I'm not hungry, let's put it down." The old lady Meng was not in the mood.

She was so angry that she didn't have dinner tonight, but Meng Lai acted like she didn't know, and came in to talk straight about Youran.

I don't want to eat anymore.

Seeing that old lady Meng's complexion was not good, Nanny Lu didn't dare to say more, and just stood aside.

Old lady Meng went to bed, but she didn't sleep, she just sat there blankly.

"Old lady, take a rest earlier." Seeing that old lady Meng had been sitting alone on the bed for a long time, Madam Lu couldn't help persuading her.

The old lady Meng sat on the six-post canopy bed carved with huanghuali carvings and surrounded by the door, without any sleepiness, she shook and sighed, "Where can I sleep?"

Nanny Lu is the personal maid who served Mrs. Meng from a young age. She married Lu Quan, the head of the Meng family, after her dowry, and she also had children. Old lady Meng didn't have a caring person to serve her in the capital, so she still followed her.

Nanny Lu is a good person with a down-to-earth heart, and she treats people well to the end. She has been loyal to the old lady for decades, but she is also a real person. She often doesn't understand what the old lady does, especially today.

The second master is a filial person. The second wife was born as a concubine of the Hou family. She was a bit delicate, but she never lost manners in front of the old lady. The best courtyard, all kinds of yellow rosewood furniture in the house, all kinds of valuable ornaments, four seasons clothes and jewelry are all top-quality, and there is nothing to say about the meals, all kinds of exquisite dishes in the north and south are written with water signs. eat.

There are two nurses, four big maids, eight young maids, and a maid who serves as rough envoys. The old lady's life can be said to be very smooth, even if the fifth girl doesn't listen to the old lady. Said, that's still a child, pink and tender, and his small appearance is really painful, can't he just teach him slowly?This grandparent, is the old lady really angry?

"Master has read the books of sages and sages, and he is an official and has obtained the law. The old lady can enjoy the rest of her life. Wouldn't it be great to play with her grandchildren in her free time?" Nanny Lu explained with a smile.

Old lady Meng smiled wryly, "You don't understand."

Mrs. Meng loves her eldest son and her youngest son, but she only ignores her second son who is caught in the middle.The second child was the least favored and disobedient since he was a child, but when he grows up, the second child is the most promising one among the three brothers.

Tan Hualang from Yushu Linfeng married the prostitute of the Hou family and has a bright future. This second son is beyond her control.

The most beloved youngest son has passed away. The eldest son, Meng Yun, was a magistrate of Qipin County in a remote small county. He is a crab without legs, Dafang's family does not rely on the boss's salary, but relies on Tai'an's Zhuangzi to collect farm rent to live.

Can you be tight these days?

"I don't know what kind of life Brother Kuan and Sister Wei are living." Mrs. Meng was worried for a while.

Nanny Lu was a little stunned. It was difficult for the grandpa to have an heir. Brother Kuan was born in the fifth year of marriage. Brother Kuan was born with Brother Xuan of the second room, only a few months older than Brother Xuan, and now he is twenty Sister Wei seems to be about the same age as the third girl Yanran. Aren't Brother Kuan and Sister Wei following the old master and wife in office?How can life be worse if you follow your own parents?

"It must be good for brothers and sisters to follow their parents." Lu Nanny said truthfully.

The old lady Meng shook her head, "The boss's salary is meager, and Zhuangzi in Tai'an is not old enough. I'm afraid Brother Kuan and sister Wei will not eat well and dress well. Well, if the boss's life can be like that of the second child, then I will not worried."

Most of the bosses are filial and obey their own words. If it happened today, if it was the boss who saw that he was angry, he would have knelt down and kowtowed and begged his mother to appease his anger.
"Brother Kuan is a good boy who is smart and sensible, but unfortunately there is no good teacher in that remote place. He is only a scholar now. If he can go to the capital to worship under a famous teacher, is he afraid that he will not be selected as a scholar?" Old lady Meng said to her grandson. Beloved, she was also very happy when Meng Zhengxuan won the exam two years ago, but it was still a pity that Meng Zhengkuan did not win the exam together. In her opinion, Meng Zhengkuan is the eldest grandson of Meng's family, and he is the best. There are famous teachers to teach.

"The eldest girl's wedding is coming soon. At that time, the eldest wife will bring her brothers and sisters. The old lady should get close to her grandchildren." Lu Nanny said with a smile.

The old lady Meng had a smile on her face, "That's right, they should be here soon."

"When Brother Kuan marries a wife, the old lady will wait to have a great-grandson." Nanny Lu teased.

The old lady Meng frowned and said, "The Meng family's family rule is not good. It must be that men can marry after they are [-], and women can only marry after they are old."

"I heard that the family rules of the Ningjin Ji family are even more strange. It actually stipulates that men in the clan should marry at thirty and women at twenty. Is it true?" Mother Lu felt that the marriage age of the Meng family was different. Still quite reasonable.

The old lady Meng nodded and smiled sarcastically, Ning Jinji?Isn't Zhong's mother from the Ji family of Ningjin?What kind of aristocratic family, what kind of poems and etiquette heirs to the family, which scares people to death, isn't it actually the same thing?The wife of the Marquis of Ji'an also didn't see anything good.

"It's true, the man can still get a wife at the age of 30, and the woman can marry at the age of 20?" Mother Lu asked with great interest.You must know that many women marry soon after Jiji, and at the age of 20, they are really old girls.

"Yes, I can, both men and women of the Ningjinji clan don't have to worry about getting married." Although the old lady Meng was not convinced, she couldn't help but admit the fact.

The fact is that there are many women who want to marry into the Ningjinji family.The first two generations of Patriarchs of the Ning, Jin and Ji Clans were all high-ranking ministers, and the Shilin people were highly regarded, with peaches and plums all over the world; they both had only one wife for life, did not have concubines, did not accept houses, and were clean and self-sufficient. With such integrity and such a prominent family, the men in the family are naturally very popular, not to mention that a 30-year-old man is in his prime, his temperament has been established, his achievements have been established, and he is a good match.

Ning Jinji's daughter is also doing well, but without him, her parents are from famous families, and her daughter is well-bred. 20 years old is not too old, most of the noble girls in the capital are married later.

Whose delicate daughter is willing to marry at the age of fourteen or fifteen?Still growing up!
"When the eldest wife arrives at the mansion, the old lady and the eldest wife should have a good relationship and choose a wife for Brother Kuan carefully." Lu Nanny suggested enthusiastically.

"Brother Kuan's daughter-in-law is the eldest grandson, so you have to pick and choose carefully." Speaking of her grandson, Mrs. Meng was very interested.

"Brother Xuan has reached his age, so why didn't the second master and the second wife show him his wife?" Seeing that the old lady Meng's mood improved and her gossip flared up, Nanny Lu finally asked the question she had been curious about.

The old lady Meng's face darkened, "Brother Xuan is just like his father, he won't marry until he wins Jinshi."

The second child was so stubborn when he was young. When the second child was just selected for the Juren, no matter how many good people came to marry him, the second child was unwilling. He had to wait until he was awarded a Jinshi.

Not only won, but also the third place in the first class.

It is also the glory of the Meng family.

It would be great if it was the boss, with a Tanhua son who is obedient to him.

The second child is not disobedient, it's just that he has too many ideas.

Mrs. Pian Meng agrees with him in everything.

Thinking of how Meng Lai had just married Zhong Shi, old lady Meng gritted her teeth with hatred.When Mrs. Zhong entered the door, she was dressed in red makeup, and her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were all overshadowed. When Mrs. Zhong got a little angry, she met the warning eyes of Mrs. Meng.

He wanted to leave Mrs. Zhong to serve her parents-in-law, and let the girl accompany Meng Lai back to Beijing, but was scolded by the old Mrs. Meng, "Leave the daughter-in-law to serve her parents-in-law, and the son returns to Beijing alone. Where are the heirs?"

"Take the girl to serve my son." Old lady Meng muttered weakly.

"Can a girl have children? The Meng family rule is forty and no children can take concubines. I think you don't pay attention to my Meng family rules." The old lady Meng walked away.

At that moment, old lady Meng really would rather not have a husband, because without a husband, she can act like a mother-in-law.But she has a husband, so she can only listen to her husband, watching Zhong's face happily follow her second child back to the capital.

Now, without a husband, finally no one is pressing on her head anymore.

"Where did the second child go?" Mrs. Meng asked.

Nanny Lu hesitated, "Master must have returned to the main room."

The husband and wife separated for three years. Meng Lai took his concubine and concubine to take up the post. The Zhong family stayed in the capital to serve her mother-in-law and raise their children.

The old lady Meng frowned, Auntie Ding had been separated for three years, she should go and see, but forget it, a mother can't take care of her son's affairs.

If you want to manage it, you may not be able to manage it.

Nanny Lu lit benzoin and helped old lady Meng to sleep.

"Master is back." The little girl guarding the door reported.

Zhong hurriedly got up to greet him, seeing Menglai's peaceful expression, he was relieved.

"I've wronged my wife about the fifth girl." Meng Lai said gently.

Zhong quickly laughed and said, "Don't say that, there is nothing to be wronged."

Meng Lai explained, "I know I'm a bit spoiled by the fifth girl, but I'm just a lost daughter. I..." Zhong hurriedly took Meng Lai's words, "It's only natural. After the fifth girl fell into the water, she lost her body. You have to take good care of her. No matter what is important to learn, we have to wait until the child is healthy."

That day, she took Xin Ranyue back to her natal home. During that time, she went back to her natal home too many times. Speaking of which, she was not guilty.

What mother said is right, no matter how favored she is, she is just a concubine daughter, and she will only be raised for a few years, and it will only cost her a dowry in the future, so why lose her husband's favor because of caring about her.

Meng Lai gently embraced her in his arms and kissed her lightly, "Good wife."

Zhong's face was red and her heart was hot, and she collapsed limply in her husband's arms.

Waking up early the next day, Mrs. Zhong helped Meng Lai get dressed with a shy face. Last night, the two of them were tender and lingering in the middle of the night. It was not until exhausted that Meng Lai hugged her and fell asleep. I haven't called myself like this before, and I haven't called myself so... okay.

The rippling spring on Zhong's face and the blurred smile on the corner of his mouth were seen by everyone, and Aunt Ding was filled with jealousy. The master stayed in the main room for the past few days and nights when he returned home, and she rushed over early every morning to serve his wife. , I wanted to take the opportunity to meet the master, and I wanted to tell the master what I had saved for three years, but I either couldn't see her, or I did, but the master didn't even look at her.What should I do?Aunt Ding thought about it.

Aunt Du and Aunt Huang breathed a sigh of relief, the wife is happy, and their life will be easier.

(End of this chapter)