in spring

Chapter 16

Chunying hurriedly asked, "Sister Hongyu? What's wrong with you?"

Hongyu paused, then turned her head, tears still glistening on her face.She didn't answer, just turned back and cried blankly.Chunying was about to ask again, but heard a courtyard door not far away bang open, and an elderly man of half a hundred came out.

The old man was dressed similarly to other servants, but he had an extra silk armor. His face was ruddy, and he should be living a good life, but his facial features with thin eyes and thin lips gave people a harsh feeling.As soon as he came out and saw Hongyu, he put on a stern face: "Hurry up and get out?! Crying in front of my house, people saw it, you don't think it's embarrassing, I still want to see people!" He glanced at Chunying, His mouth moved, and he turned his head and walked back.

"Father!" Hongyu rushed over and cried, "Let me see my mother, at least let me know how she is sick, please!" She knelt on the ground and hugged the old man's leg , begging bitterly, but the old man looked around in panic, then looked at Chunying, kicked her away, muttering: "I don't have a daughter like you." He walked quickly into the door, and there was another bang closed.Hongyu threw herself on the door and kept shouting: "Father! Let me in! Let me see mother! Father! Please!" But the door never opened again, and her father kept calling out behind the door. She "go back".

Chunying was very angry when she saw it, and hurried to help Hongyu who was out of breath from crying: "Sister Hongyu, sister Hongyu, are you okay?" She stared at the door again.

Hongyu was so weak from crying that she almost leaned on Chunying. Chunying struggled to support her and walked slowly to the tree so that she could rest against the trunk.Gradually, Hongyu calmed down, but she still looked heartbroken, and muttered in her mouth: "Why... I am your daughter..." Seeing that Chunying's eyes were red, she persuaded in a low voice: "Don't be sad. Since he is so unfeeling, why do you beg him?" Hongyu was in a daze, as if she didn't hear what she said.

A courtyard door not far ahead opened, and an old woman walked out.Chunying recognized her as Aunt Zhou from the yard next door, and hurriedly greeted her.Aunt Zhou walked over with her eyes narrowed and stroking, and asked in a trembling voice, "Is it Hongyu?"

"Grandma..." Hongyu recognized Aunt Zhou, threw herself into her arms excitedly, and burst into tears again.

Aunt Zhou stroked Mo Hongyu's face with tears in her eyes, and sighed: "My good boy, I know you have been wronged, so don't argue with those people. You hate the poor and love the rich! You don't even care about your wife, you must die!" She cursed at the courtyard wall, and then said to Chunying: "Good Chun'er, you are a kind-hearted child, Mrs. Zhou will remember." She touched Chunying's head, and put her arms around Hongyu Walking back, he whispered comfortingly all the way into the gate of his own courtyard.

The door of Hongyu's house was never opened. On the contrary, a few women from nearby houses were peeping. Seeing Chunying's gaze turned, she quickly shrank her head.

Chunying curled her lips, she roughly guessed what was going on, Hongyu's father actually hated his daughter to such an extent that he refused to let her in even when his wife was sick, it was really heartless.She stared at the door in disgust, and then strode home.

After entering the house, she noticed that her mother was sitting at the table in a daze. There were two teacups on the table. It seemed that a visitor had come, so she asked casually, "Who is here?" come out.

Mother Lu was awakened by her, and only said: "Your aunt Ma came to sit down." Then she asked her daughter: "How is your father eating?"

"It's okay." Chunying recounted the experience of delivering meals, and then asked her mother, "Who is that Master Wan Er? It seems that many people hate him."

Lu's mother sneered: "It's just a guy who can't get on the stage. Just because he married Mr. Wang's goddaughter, he thought he could dominate. Hmph, his son-in-law is not so arrogant! He doesn't know how to restrain himself when doing things. Can he eat that place by himself?"

Chunying raised her eyebrows, thinking that since Wan Er is not a long-term powerful person, it is good to treat him at a respectful distance in the future, and there is no need to curry favor with him.

She told about the encounter with Hongyu on the road, and said: "I didn't know Aunt Zhou was her aunt, and her father is too cruel."

Mother Lu took out the food left for her daughter and put it on the table: "He has been thinking about climbing high branches all day long. If it wasn't for Hongyu's poor looks, I'm afraid he would still..." After a pause, he glanced at his daughter and changed his mind. : "When the Xu family was proud that day, he begged his grandpa to sue his grandma for cheating on this family. Once the Xu family was defeated, he turned his face and wanted to change his daughter to Mrs. Wu's stupid son. When parents do this In fact, his reputation can be regarded as bad. He also has a daughter, who is also a good one, but it is a pity that he has been involved. Now who dares to come to propose marriage? Fortunately, she is working in the mansion, and I can only ask the master for mercy in the future. "

Chunying ate while listening, and occasionally echoed a few words. Mother Lu felt that she spoke very frankly today, so she simply told all the grievances and grievances of those families.Only then did Chunying know that not only Aunt Zhou was Hongyu's aunt, but also that one of Hongyu's aunts married into the Lu family, and the son she gave birth to was her second cousin.Among the domestic servants who have served for generations in the Hou's mansion, there are a dozen or so families with the oldest qualifications, and they are all married to each other.Seriously, three of the four families in the same hospital are relatives of theirs.

Chunying had never seen the second uncle mentioned by Lu's mother.Speaking of which, only Lu Yougui and this cousin Lu Chongjun are left in the old Lu family.However, unlike Lu Yougui who has been hanging around the gate for many years, the second uncle of the Lu family is clever and capable. He has been on foreign business since he was a teenager, and now he works under the young master. I heard that he only took a trip in the twelfth lunar month. Jiangnan, just came back two days ago.

As soon as Chunying heard her mother say that the second uncle had quite a lot of savings, her heart became active, and she hurriedly asked: "Since the second uncle is capable and works outside, should there be a way to find a good job for dad? Is the second uncle in charge?" ?”

"Not really..." Lu's mother thought for a while, "But there are not many people in the mansion on foreign business, so he is pretty good." After a pause, she stared at her daughter and said, "Aren't you giving up yet? Your father Didn’t you say everything last night? He doesn’t want to go.”

"Father just doesn't want to go to Aunt Lu's Zhuangzi, but he didn't say that he doesn't want to find other jobs." Chunying sat closer to her mother, "If you say that Dad is afraid of being framed when he is in his early years, but Second Uncle has been doing this for so many years. Didn’t he come here safely? It can be seen that the Lu family can’t be a good job. Doesn’t mother want dad to come out? If he can be released, our family can live freely, and my brother won’t have to serve others in the future.” She knew My mother loves my younger brother the most, so I said this specially. Sure enough, Mother Lu's expression hesitated, and she hurriedly hit the iron while the iron was hot: "Even if you don't want to let it go, Dad has a good job, and the monthly money can be increased, and our family will be more prosperous. Poor little tiger who is over a year old and hasn't worn new clothes yet, and doesn't dare to burn more charcoal when he sleeps at night. His small body is as cold as ice..."

Chunying's words were exaggerated, but they really touched Lu's loving mother's heart, and she immediately felt distressed: "You are right, if your family has more money, your brother will be able to live better, your eldest sister There is no need to be so frugal inside." She immediately decided to try her best to persuade her husband to find another better job even if he did not accept the recommendation from the Lu family.

Chunying felt relieved, she was feeling proud, Leng might as well hear someone shouting outside the door: "Fellow of the Lu family, come out for me! Tell me clearly today!" But it was an unfamiliar female voice with a very uncomfortable tone You're being polite, she frowned.

Mother Lu was also a little annoyed, so she pushed the door open immediately and went out, only to see a woman in her 40s standing by the courtyard door. I have nothing to say to you!" Unintentionally glanced, saw that Mrs. Wu was followed by two daughters-in-law, one of them timidly belonged to the neighbor Ma's, and had a premonition that something was wrong.

Sure enough, Mrs. Wu scolded: "Did the Lu family come to see you? She asked your family to accept the errand of Wanping Zhuangzi? Let me tell you! Our head of the family has already accepted that errand, and the second young master and Mr. Wang have sent it." In other words, you two should die as soon as possible!"

Lu's mother was so angry that she fell headlong and barely gritted her good teeth. She gave the Ma family a look, secretly regretting that she should not have revealed this to the other party.The Ma family blessed him with a face full of shame, and said embarrassingly: "Sister-in-law Lu, I didn't mean it, I just casually mentioned it while chatting with my sister-in-law..."

Chunying frowned and looked at her mother worriedly.In fact, my parents have already made a decision, and they don't plan to accept this job. My mother just changed her mind just now, and now she suddenly makes such a decision, what should I do?

Lu's mother was only mediocre about this matter at first, but now she has heard the opponent's words, but she has aroused her enthusiasm: "Oh, I didn't know that Mrs. Wu was so well-informed. When did this happen? You have already made up your mind. Don't talk big, you want to deceive people?"

"You're the one who wants to lie!" Mrs. Wu stared back, unwilling to show weakness, "Anyway, we are in charge of this job, so you go and cool off as soon as possible! No matter who calls you, don't answer!"

Mother Lu put her hips on her hips, raised her head and said, "Since it belongs to your family, what are you going to say in front of me? Why don't you go back as soon as possible and ask for more rewards?"

Stepping on the threshold, Mrs. Wu raised her head even higher: "Since you are jealous of our family, you should send your daughter up too. I'm afraid you won't be able to please the men if you don't have good looks, so you can only go home and cry!"

Chunying's eyes widened when she heard this, and Lu's mother was even more annoyed. When she picked up a wooden barrel and threw it at it, Mrs. Wu dodged and went out, cursing dirtyly. Hurriedly coming to stop her, Mama Lu refused to let go, and gave Mrs. Wu a slap on the forehead. The pain made the latter yell like a pig: "Killer—come quickly—" The people nearby gathered around to watch, It blocked the entire back street.

Seeing this, Chunying hurriedly stepped forward to hold her mother, and said in a low voice, "Be careful if things get serious, she will beat you up!" Mother Lu was taken aback, and her movements slowed down, and the Ma family quickly snatched away the wood bucket.

Seeing that Mother Lu had no weapon in her hand, Mrs. Wu became proud, raised her neck and shouted, "Hit me, hit me, I've lived for dozens of years, and I've never been angry like this. You beat me to death as soon as possible." , and then go to the second young master to reason!"

Mother Lu was a bit timid when she heard that, Chunying saw that Mrs. Wu was smug and wanted to scold again, so she said coldly: "Ma'am, don't say a few words, the second young master is a person who does great things, even if he No matter how much you spoil your sister, there is no reason to care about trivial matters such as quarreling between servants and wives. It's really a big mess, and you have nothing to do!"

Mrs. Wu blushed, and turned to scold Chunying: "Little hoof, I'm talking to your old lady, what kind of onion are you, you dare to interrupt? Do you understand the rules?!"

Chunying sneered and said: "I don't know the rules, so does my aunt know? I only know that all errands are decided by the master, and whoever is assigned to them is the one who assigns them, but I don't know that the aunt is the one who decides. No one else is allowed to do any errand you want, even the master’s family is not allowed to speak.”

Mrs. Wu scolded: "Nonsense! When did I say such a thing?!"

"Didn't you say just now that this errand belongs to your family, and you want us to cool off as soon as possible, no matter who is calling, you are not allowed to answer? Even the master is not allowed to answer, everyone here can hear clearly."

Mrs. Wu looked around and saw everyone whispering, she panicked.She is arrogant, has a bad mouth, and is naturally unpopular, and immediately someone snickers and applauds secretly.She was even more flustered.

Seeing this, the Ma family smiled and said: "Hey, what's wrong with the girl Chun'er today? Her mouth is much smarter. But you shouldn't say this, it's a taboo, it's not good for people to hear it."

Chunying glanced at her indifferently: "How can it be bad? I'm just talking according to the rules, so it's wrong to follow the rules?"

Ma's face was embarrassing, and Lu's mother was proud: "Of course it's right to obey the rules. Only those who don't follow the rules will have the cheek to proclaim how decent their daughters are all day long. It's a pity...the seriousness doesn't even make money for the aunt. go up."

Mrs. Wu's face was so red that it could bleed, and she was about to rush over with her teeth and claws, but was stopped by everyone.Chunying quickly turned back to the gate of the courtyard, picked up a broom, and decided that even if she really staged a martial arts performance, she couldn't suffer.Lu's mother had already rolled up her sleeves and assumed a defensive posture.The scene became tense for a moment.

"Stop it all!" A loud shout stopped everyone's movements, and the street was completely silent.Chunying stepped out of the door and saw that it was a woman wearing dark blue satin lambskin trimmed with bijia, with a few gold hairpins on her head, which was quite luxurious.Everyone seemed to be very afraid of her. Those who peeked from the corners hurriedly hid in the door, while others saluted respectfully and called her "Aunt Xu".

That Aunt Xu came over, glanced at Mama Lu coldly, then turned to Mrs. Wu, a trace of disgust flashed in her eyes: "What's going on?! There was a fight on the street?!"

(I don’t know if this counts as dog blood...)
(End of this chapter)