in spring

Chapter 13 Maybe There's Another Way
Now that she has made a decision, Chunying also begins to think about preparations.

The Marquis Mansion wants to pick a girl, the housekeepers’ acquaintance is a test, entrusting favors is a test, and the master’s wishes are a test, but there is one more important point, that is, you must have a certain ability yourself.Otherwise, the one who doesn't know how to be a female star becomes a sewing girl, the one who doesn't know how to count becomes an accountant, and the one who is colorblind becomes responsible for clothes and jewelry... all of these will lead to big problems.

Lu's mother has experience as a second-class maid, so it is a good way to learn from her. Sister Qiuyu can also get a lot of information, so what Chunying has to do is to work hard to practice female red.

She has embroidered a lot recently, and gradually discovered a strange phenomenon.For example, when embroidering a flower, she obviously thinks that the next stitch should fall somewhere so that the lines of the colored thread will be dense, but there is always a feeling in her mind that she should go a little further to the side.When she really did it according to her intuition, she realized that the effect was much stronger than the original one, and the embroidery surface was more beautiful.

She suspects that this body's memory is also at work.

Anyway, that's not a bad thing.From then on, she followed her intuition completely, and as a result, her embroidery skills improved greatly.

When learning tailoring from Mama Lu, there were new problems.

Originally, Chunying felt that she had a mother who opened a tailor shop and helped her in the shop, so she knew a little bit, so she was quite confident.But as soon as she saw the current mother Lu pulling the cloth and measuring it with her hands, she could immediately use scissors to cut out the required pieces of clothing, and stitched them with flying needles. In less than a day, she sewed up the little brother's new clothes .There is no need to draw lines, rulers, or body measurements at all. People only need to look at you with a pair of eyes, and then they will know the size.

Chunying suffered another major blow, and was laughed at twice by Lu's mother for the unevenness and crookedness of the sutures, so she put away her confidence in frustration and learned to sew straight lines honestly.

She has some basics, so she learned fairly quickly, and she started making handkerchiefs not long after.Lu's mother can barely accept her progress, and then she can't stop thinking about Chun'er, who was an outstanding actress in the past.Chunying can only listen to the sound with the left ear and the right ear, so as not to suffer another mental blow.

Just as she was progressing from sewing handkerchiefs to simple small cloth bags, Aunt Lu Ziyu came.

Aunt Lu came to bid farewell, and spring was about to begin, and her husband was going back to the village, so she had to follow him.

Lu's mother was very reluctant to pull her and talked for a long time, then sighed: "Now that you leave, we don't know when we will see each other again."

Aunt Lu patted her hand silently: "Maybe I will come again during the Mid-Autumn Festival. If someone returns home, I will also ask him to send a letter." Her eyes were red, and she turned her head quickly, seeing Chunying Leaning against the door to see them, she smiled and said, "Silly girl, what are you doing standing there?" She took out a small cloth bag and said, "This is for you. Your mother said you want it. What are you planning to do?" what?"

Chunying blinked, a little confused, but when Aunt Lu opened the cloth bag and revealed the books inside, she couldn't help being surprised and delighted: "This is..."

Mother Lu wiped the corners of her eyes and gave her a look: "Didn't you say you wanted to find books a few days ago? Where do I have that kind of thing? Luckily, Aunt Lu is here. Take it! I don't know what you want books for!"

Chunying wanted to read a book, it was something that happened not long ago, she wanted to know which dynasty and that period it was in, but the Lu family didn't have such a thing, and Lu's mother just dealt with it casually at that time, Chunying had already I gave up, I didn't expect to get what I wanted now.

She happily took the book and flipped through it, but was stunned.This is not the history book she wanted, nor is it a three-character classic with hundreds of surnames, but it is a Datong calendar. Looking at the years, months, days, heavenly stems and earthly branches in it, there are also words "Hai Gong Li Ming" and "Shen Gong Li Ming" that don't know their meanings. ", what day is auspicious for traveling, what day is not suitable for marriage... This is clearly a winning book!

Chunying was a little frustrated, but flipping to the back, she found that there were many pictures in the book, including the farming process, historical allusions, customs, etiquette, etc., and she was a little pleasantly surprised.Although the history books are not as useful as the history books, it may be easier to have such a "hodgepodge".

So she thanked Aunt Lu with a smile, and Aunt Lu waved her hand indifferently: "It's nothing, my family buys a copy every year, it's an old thing that was used a few years ago, and I don't know if you need it or not." It’s just that you can’t read, so what are you doing watching this?”

Chunying froze, and said with a dry smile, "I've been looking at the paintings in it for fun, and I've wanted a copy for a long time."

Mother Lu said at the side: "Since she was ill, she has become weird. Fortunately, she is smarter than before, and she is willing to help with the work. Otherwise, I don't know how to worry." After finishing speaking, she stared. The daughter glanced at her: "What are you still doing here? Hurry up and pick vegetables!"

Chunying shrank her head, put the almanac back beside her pillow, and rushed to the kitchen to work.When she finished her work and returned to the house, she saw Mother Lu and Aunt Lu sitting on the edge of the kang, the former patted his sleeping son gently, and the two were talking in a low voice.She didn't make a sound to interrupt, and returned to her position to continue practicing female red.

The conversation between Mama Lu and Aunt Lu came intermittently:
"...Is there a letter? Master Hou really sent a message?!"

"Although I haven't given you a letter of approval, it's pretty close. We'll be able to get things done within a year." Aunt Lu looked at her friend, "Red carp, what I said last time, have you discussed it with your man? How is it going?" ?”

Lu's mother hesitated: "We feel that we have no idea. He has worked on the gate for more than 20 years and is familiar with everything. ,and also……"

Aunt Lu pushed her resentfully: "What a fool! In our house, the affairs of the two gates are controlled by those few families. Except for them, no one with a different surname has ever been in charge. Your man It is safe and stable there, let alone just working for more than 20 years, even if you work for 40 or [-] years, you don’t even think about getting ahead! Besides, your man is too honest, you don’t know , when there is credit, it is not his turn, and if there is a crime, isn't he a ready-made scapegoat?!"

Lu's mother forced a smile: "Where is it so bad... He often returns with rewards from others..."

"It's just a fraction, why don't you think about how much others have gained?!" Aunt Lu glared at her and said, "I meant it out of good intentions. If it weren't for the fact that we have been friends since we were young, and the head of our family wanted to find an honest helper, I wouldn't have either." I will open my mouth."

Mother Lu remained silent.Chunying was attracted by their topic, and listened quietly.

Aunt Lu continued to persuade: "Are you worried that when you come to the village, your life will not be as comfortable as in the capital? Let me tell you the truth, the village is deserted and not as prosperous as the capital, but no one is in charge of it. It's the same thing. Besides, our Zhuangzi is big, with one or two hundred households and thirty hectares of land, all of which are sacrificial fields! To put it a taboo, even if there are unworthy descendants in the Hou's mansion in the future, the whole mansion will suffer , and it won’t fall on us. Throughout the year, except for sending filial piety back home on a few big festivals, and paying homage to the top, at other times, we live more comfortably than ordinary rich lords!”

Lu's mother was a little moved, but still hesitated: "Although it is so, it is a big deal after all. Even if he really went, we still have a child in the house."

Aunt Lu stroked her forehead: "My dear girl, why are you so confused? What's the matter if you've been separated for a year or two? You've been working in the village for a few years, and the boss likes it, and maybe they'll let your family go. At that time, your sister Qiu was called Xiangfu!"

Mother Lu smiled and just said: "This is too much..." Then Chunying interrupted: "Auntie, can you make it clearer?!" She rushed over excitedly, her heart pounding jump straight.

Aunt Lu glanced at her in surprise, then smiled at Mama Lu: "Look, even your second daughter is more caring than you." Mama Lu scolded Chunying: "You little hoof, what does this have to do with you? Go back and do your work!"

Chunying didn't pay attention to her words, and just asked Aunt Lu: "Auntie, you just said that the superiors might let our family out, is that true? What do you want my father to do?"

Aunt Lu smiled and said, "It's just that you are in charge of the estate, just like your Uncle Lu. However, several generations of the Lu family have managed the estate of the Hou Mansion, and they have some face in front of the master. We need to get rid of our family's nationality and sign another contract, so that even if something happens in the future, our family can take care of Zhuangzi for a long time." She turned to Mama Lu again: "When this is done, the mansion will take care of Zhuangzi as usual. If you send a family to have a child, your family has been old for several lifetimes. It may not be impossible to spend some money to manage it. When you go to the village and work hard, I will let our head of the family give you a few credits. Not enough? If you are blessed, it will take only a few years of hard work to make it through."

Lu's mother asked anxiously: "Will there be any hindrance to Manager Lu? If you offend others because of this..."

"What kind of hindrance will this cause?" Aunt Lu said, "We're really looking forward to it! Anyway, we're going to send someone there, and if we send someone we can't get along with, we'll be left alone! It's better for our two families to be together. If you really can't let go of Sister Qiu, when you settle down in the village, you can find a way to let Sister Qiu leave the house due to illness, so the family can be reunited?"

What Lu's mother wanted to say, Chunying once again took the lead: "Auntie, can this really happen? If my father goes to work in the village for a few years, will the mansion really let him go?"

"As long as you are promoted to a senior manager, you will have a chance to let them go." Aunt Lu smiled, "Nowadays, there are managers in several properties in the mansion, and the most respectable ones will leave their citizenship with our family this year. I also heard what you, Uncle Lu, said. Although I don’t know what Master Hou’s plan is, but if you can get rid of this body, your children will not have to suffer anymore. You and Uncle Lu have also saved some money in the past few years. With a few acres of land, there is nothing left to ask for in this life."

Lu's mother lowered her voice: "You are not afraid... Your family has been doing it for a few lifetimes..."

Aunt Lu smiled: "Others may be worried, what are we afraid of? Could it be a little money and let this good opportunity go for nothing? I don't want my grandson and great-grandson to blame me in the future."

The two of them continued to whisper, but Chunying was in no mood to listen anymore, her mind was full of Aunt Lu's words just now.

She was willing to compromise before and entered the mansion as a maid, just to be free and earn some money in the future, but her family is still a slave.Originally, she wanted to go out and find a way to redeem her family, but now she has a better way.If my father really became the steward as Aunt Lu said, the whole family would be free in a few years.

She seems to have found a brighter way out.

(Cover...what do you think?)

(End of this chapter)