in spring

Chapter 210
Manru grabbed her sleeves and said in a trembling voice: "What am I doing..." Biting her lower lip, she forced a smile, a little flattering, "Sister Chun'er is also working at the banquet today? You're busy, why are you here?"

Chunying looked her up and down a few times, and found that the clothes she was wearing were similar to her own. They were all light pink shirts, green skirts and green waistcoats distributed by the public for tonight's wedding banquet, but the colors were slightly different and the materials were also poor. Wait, you can't see it unless you look carefully.Her hairstyle is also the same as that of the other maids, only the big red silk flowers on her hair are very different from the pink pile of yarn flowers in Gongzhong's hair.

Chunying murmured, guessing that she must be tricky to appear here, so she said lightly: "There are a lot of maids and housekeepers at the banquet tonight, and there is a detailed division of labor for each of them. I don't know. How did you get here, but if someone finds out about you, not only will you not be able to please yourself, but even the person who let you in will suffer!"

Manru lowered her head with a pale face, and said in a low voice: "My sister misunderstood, I was assigned to work in a serious manner, and I didn't sneak in under someone else's name." The job of keeping the stove in the waiter.

Chunying was dubious, she remembered that she didn't see Manru at the banquet just now: "Oh? I remember you were sick, right? And you are the first-class girl in front of the third young master, so you can't do this kind of miscellaneous work no matter what On you? Which mother is so ungrateful?"

Manru shrank her neck slightly: "My injury has healed a long time ago. The third young master was sympathetic and asked me to rest at home for a few more days, but I thought, there is a wedding in the mansion tonight, and there is no one to help me. I am free anyway. It's idle, and I should share my master's worries." On the surface, she was submissive, but in her heart she hated: that so-called errand could not even show her face in front of the master's house, if it weren't for those housekeepers who believed that she had lost her power , and would not bully her to this extent, actually assigning her the job of a little girl!She must seize this rare opportunity no matter what, and fight for it!

She raised her head and looked at Chunying again, feeling that this former sister next door has always been soft-hearted. Although she once turned against her, she doesn't look like she is about to explode now. Think of a way to coax Chunying away.

Chunying looked at her with her head half down, her eyes rolling wildly, and her heart felt crooked.Since Manru said that she came in with an errand, she didn't need to worry about it. She was going to fight for the top position in the Marquis's mansion, and she was about to leave, so why bother?After thinking for a while, he said: "Since you have an errand, go back to work." After a pause, "Which courtyard is that girl from just now? If you leave without saying hello, even if it's just for a while, you will be punished. If you burn your hand, just tell the lady in charge, and at most you will be reprimanded. Why don’t you remind her? This is not at all like what the gentle and virtuous sister Manru would do.” Without looking at Manru's face, she left alone.

Not too far away, Chunying saw a daughter-in-law rushing towards her with a lantern in her hand. Seeing Manru from afar, she scolded, "What are you doing here?! The water in the teapot is almost boiled dry." , you are nowhere to be seen, if something goes wrong, can you bear it?! There is not much tea left at the banquet, why don’t you hurry up and send it over?! You are not called to enjoy the blessings! You think you are still The former deputy lady?!"

Manru apologized in a low voice, and repeatedly promised to go back immediately, but the daughter-in-law scolded a few times, and then left in a hurry.Manru breathed a sigh of relief, looked up, and saw a sneering smile on Chunying's lips, and her face turned pale again.

Chunying didn't have time to chat with her, so she just said lightly: "Go back to the tea room, you are too careless, since you are going to come out, why didn't you turn off the stove first, or move the teapot away? I really want to go crazy, Something is going to happen, even if you have the face, you won't be able to get away!" After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave.

Manru's mind quickly flashed the scene of her being discovered because of leaving her post without authorization. Only Chunying knew the whole story. If she files a complaint...

Chunying turned back to the corridor, and was about to go back to the banquet, but suddenly heard the wind behind her, she hurriedly hid to the side, but someone grabbed her left arm tightly.She was annoyed in her heart, and said coldly: "What are you doing?!"

Manru begged with a blank face: "My good sister, please don't tell anyone, please!"

"Who has time to take care of your business? Let go!"

"No, you must promise me! You will never tell anyone what happened tonight!"

Chunying shook her off impatiently, and said angrily: "You think too highly of yourself, don't you? Do you think everyone treats you like a green onion?! Why should I mention you when I have nothing to do?! Do you have time to do this kind of thing here? It's meaningless, it's better to go back to work earlier, lest you find out that there is no tea at the banquet, and you don't see you when you come down to ask people, and even if I don't say anything, you won't be able to please!"

A trace of hesitation flashed across Manru's face, but she immediately grabbed Chunying's arm and continued to beg: "I'll go back right away, but you must promise me, don't tell anyone what happened just now..."

"Just ask a few people about this kind of thing, and you can find out. What's the use of you begging me?" Chunying glanced at her, "Isn't that girl and that daughter-in-law an insider? Why do you want to shut everyone up and just pester me? It’s common for people with duties everywhere to go away and goof off for a while, and if people know about it, but they are scolded a few times, what are you afraid of?”

Manru clenched her lower lip, her eyelashes trembled, and she shed tears: "I'm afraid... This is my mother's job... I begged many people to come in for her... If it is called If people find out, my mother's errand will not be guaranteed, and I will never be able to turn over again..."

Chunying frowned: "Aunt Cui is doing her job well, why are you bothering? I really don't understand, you have already become a first-class girl, you are outstanding in everything, and you will have good results in the future. What else are you not satisfied with?!" From all over the Hou family, most of the first-class girls will ask about their own wishes when they get married, and if they have a good relationship with their master, they can even try to marry out and marry into a wealthy family. It is not uncommon to be a young mistress.Chunying felt that Manru was just out of her mind, not that she shouldn't climb up the ladder, but why did she try to be his concubine while offending her boss? !

When Manru heard the words, the sadness on her face was even more aggravated: "You only know that I have become a first-class girl, how do you know my grievances? Before today, I couldn't even enter the second door... the women said , it was the order from the third young master... I can't see my wife, and the third young master didn't let go, and I got a first-class status for nothing, in fact, I'm not even as good as a little girl..."

Chunying took two steps away in disgust: "It's alright, alright, don't cry, there is a wedding banquet in the mansion today, and people see it, and it's another scolding, and you will implicate me! You can blame me for your own sins." Who got it?"

Manru stopped crying, but lowered her head aggrievedly: "I know you blamed me... I was wrong about the previous things, but that can't be completely blamed on me?! When I didn't enter the mansion, I just thought I came in. It's promising, but after I came in, I realized that it was still far away... If you don't try your best to climb up, you will be bullied, and my mother will be looked down upon... Chunying, you are also a girl, why? Don't you understand my suffering?"

"There are too many girls in this mansion, who has no problems? Who has no parents?" Chunying glanced at her, then quickly looked away, "I didn't say you shouldn't climb up, but every step you take, It’s too much to just trample on a person, not even paying attention to human life? I’ve seen other girls who were brought up by widowed mothers like you, and their family background is not good, but they are positive and uplifting, and they get everything they want. I like you personally, but I haven't done anything bad, so much better than you! Since you have decided to play tricks, don't expect everyone to like you!" Seeing Shi'er coming this way from a distance, he hurriedly said: "I don't care about your business, go back to the waiter!" Then he walked towards Shi'er, joking and talking, and Manru was gone when he turned around.

Back at the banquet, Chunying got busy again, took a breath occasionally, and looked around quietly, seeing that Manru was not there, she was relieved, and suddenly saw a female guest frowning at an empty teacup, and hurriedly picked up the teapot and poured it.

Next to it is the guest table, An Shi is talking to a lady of an official next to her, Chunying remembers that the lady is the wife of a servant, she is on good terms with An Shi, and she will come to the mansion every couple of months for a visit guest.In front of the mistress of the Hou Mansion, Chunying didn't dare to make a fuss, after pouring the tea, she bowed respectfully and quietly.

Mrs. An was listening to Mrs. Shi Lang talking about the famous ladies in Beijing, and she listened very carefully. The lady introduced a few, and then asked curiously: "Why are you asking this? Today, your family has added another lady." Daughter-in-law, only the young master is left, didn't you say that you are already engaged to the young lady of the Huo family?"

An Shi said: "Where did you hear the rumors? The Huo family's niece has already promised the Gu family, and she is the Erjia biography of Jinke. I was worried about his son's marriage when I saw that my son was growing up. The old lady is old and doesn't have time to take care of these trivial matters, so I can only rely on me, the mother, to take care of it myself."

Mrs. Shi Lang asked with a smile: "Er Jia Chuanlu? His surname is Gu? I just vaguely heard that he is here today too, isn't he? It is said that he is a handsome young man. The granddaughter of the family is very lucky."

A trace of disapproval flashed in An's eyes, and he smiled lightly: "I think the family background is a bit poor, but the Huo family is not as prosperous as it used to be, and this marriage was arranged by her father before his death, so I can't say much. .”

The servant's wife smiled, and turned her gaze to Fan Xiru again: "Actually, that one... is also very good. I heard that she is a beauty. I saw her today, and she looks really good! And she looks very lucky. , I heard that no one has been allowed yet?"

An's face was a little uncomfortable: "I'm afraid that people's eyes are too high, and they may not be able to see our small family. I thought she would enter the palace. She is not so lucky."

The servant's wife took a sip of wine and glanced at her: "Why are you so sour? The Fan family is a famous family, and there are some high-minded people, but they may not despise you. Didn't the young lady of the Fan family marry into your family back then? What's more, I heard that the Fan family is about to take control of the Nanyang Fleet, and when the time comes, they will be equal to your family, and in terms of reputation, I'm afraid they will be even better!"

An's heart moved: "Nanyang Fleet? How do you say that?"

Mrs. Minister's wife gave her a meaningful look, and then glanced around, An Shi knew that it was not a good time to speak, so she held back and said with a smile: "The sweet-scented osmanthus in our house is blooming, it's okay to see, How about I invite you to drink tea and enjoy the flowers one day?" Mrs. Minister's wife replied with a smile: "It's so kind."

Anshi smiled, lowered her head to drink tea, felt that the tea was cold again, turned her head to ask someone to add hot water, but a girl brought a bowl of tea on a small tray, and said in a low voice, "Madam, please have some tea." Anshi was a little surprised when she heard this: "Aren't you Manru? Why are you here?"

Manru's nose was sore, she held back quickly, and said with a smile: "This servant is here to serve the wife. This is ginseng tea that has just been brewed, and it is ready to drink. My wife can relieve the hangover and fatigue after drinking it."

The servant's wife said with a smile: "Yo, you are a sweet girl, but you have good things, how can you forget me?"

Although An Shi was surprised, she was still very happy: "If you want to eat, I will give it to you, and just ask her to make a bowl."

Chunying came in with a pot of hot tea from outside the door, and was about to pour it for the guests, when she caught a glimpse of Manru standing next to An's, frowning, and only glanced at the housekeeper with a bad expression on her side, then pretended to be As if nothing had happened, he poured tea at other tables.

Suddenly there was a loud noise from somewhere outside, which frightened the hall into silence, followed by men's cursing, dissuading sounds, and the shattering of cups and bowls. An Shi was startled and angry, and hurriedly got up and asked the housekeeper, "" what happened?!"

The lady housekeeper didn't know, so she hurriedly went out to ask, and then there was another sound of beating and scolding, and there was chaos. Then, suddenly someone shouted: "It's gone!" Everyone panicked immediately.

Chunying ran to the window to have a look, and sure enough, she saw a faint red light in the sky not far away, and suddenly thought, isn't that the direction of the tea room?Turning around hurriedly, she saw Manru's face was as white as paper.

(End of this chapter)