in spring

Chapter 33 Be Vigilant and Resist Sugar-Coated Cannonballs

Huanhuaxuan's life is better than expected.

The clothes and jewelry I wear are all issued by the public. If I have money, I can also buy or make other ones.Facial hair oil is uniformly distributed every month. Chunying didn't catch up with it this month, and only used the hair oil she brought from home, but the facial powder was useless at all.She looked at other people's clothes with cold eyes, and found that she thought her sister Qiuyu and Manru were already dressed gorgeously when they came home, but compared with the others in Huanhuaxuan, they were nothing at all.

Among the two first-class big girls, Mei Xiang's style is more simple, but the clothes are made of good things that the master has rewarded. A hairpin that is plain and clean is also embedded with a white and moist jade bead. It is a valuable item; Lan Xiang likes to dress up more, with a lace gold flower ornament on her head, and two pink gemstones dangling on her earrings, which are the size of peanut kernels.

The second-class girls also wear gold and silver, and paint, because they are worried about dressing up too gorgeously to hinder the eyes of the old ladies and ladies, or to be watched by the older sisters. For example, a unique gilt hairpin is hidden in the hair, looming, or fresh patterns are embroidered on the sleeves, neckline and the corners of the sweat towel, and the color matching of the dress is also trying to move closer to the elegant direction. As for the effect, it is another matter. It's the same thing.

Chunying was in the ranks of the little girls, because she came late, the things she got were "leftovers" from others, but in her eyes they were already very good.According to what Shi'er said, besides the two sets of clothes made by the public quarters for the third-class little girls, there are also clothes worn by the above "sisters" who don't want them. What credit has been made, and there are new clothes and jewelry to receive.Last year, Shi'er got a pair of two-weight gold bracelets because of a piece of good news. She was very happy, but some other little girl joked that the bracelets were "heavy and tacky", and the design was from the year before last.

The newcomer, Yan Zhi, was arranged by Lan Xiang as a second-class maid, but the old lady made it clear that the four beauties would all enjoy the treatment of a first-class maid.She was originally a girl from a good family from outside. Although her family was not very rich, she was well-known in the local area. The clothes and jewelry she brought were not as good as those used by little girls like Chunying, except for the ones she wore from the palace. Since then, Qing'er and the others have been secretly making jokes.The sound of the wind reached her ears, and she herself was impatient, and had to quarrel with other maids several times a day, but the third young master always spoke for her, Qing'er was so angry that she jumped up and down, looking for her as soon as she turned her head. The little girls vented their anger.

But Chunying looked at it coldly, the little girls probably didn't take Qing'er seriously, they naturally bowed their heads respectfully to be taught in front of the face, and turned around, playing and making trouble, full of interest Discuss the dishes that will be made in the kitchen today, what new dim sums are there, and so on.Chunying turned her head carefully to look at Qing'er, who was bluish-faced, and secretly smiled.

Speaking of food, the treatment of the maids is also very good.The big girls can order food, and the second-class ones will order in turn, or eat the leftovers from the third young master, which are all delicious dishes.The little girls have a fixed ration of two meat, one vegetable and one soup for two meals a day. The meat is chicken and duck in rotation. Fish is rarely eaten because it tastes too fishy and will leave a bad smell on people.In addition, there is a snack every other day.

I don’t know if it’s because of the habit of eating meat. When Chunying lamented that it’s rare to be able to eat all the meat, a few little girls complained that the kitchen stewed too much meat. Ask the kitchen to make stir-fried bean sprouts.

Chun Ying saw that they left their less than half-eaten food and left, for some reason, she suddenly felt a bit itchy at the root of her teeth.

Huanhuaxuan accommodation conditions are also very good.Three of the little girls live in one room, two of the second-class girls live in one room, and the older girls have their own bedrooms, and the latter two live in the backyard.There is a public bathroom in the front and back yards - of course, they are all used by the maids and women, and the third young master has his own private toilet - the bedding is also good, I heard that every three years, the public toilet Will make new quilts for the maids.

After Chunying learned this information, she couldn't help but sigh.The conditions here are so good, no wonder everyone wants to squeeze in.However, is it true that all the maids in the Hou's mansion are treated so well?This will cost a lot of money, right?How many industries does Houfu have?How much can you earn per year?She remembered that her father and mother had mentioned that the Lu family had been in the Hou Mansion since her grandfather's grandfather, so it must have been one or two hundred years, right?Usually, it is difficult to maintain the dignity of the past when a rich and noble family is passed down to the third generation. Does it really matter if the Hou Mansion is so extravagant?

Chunying thought of Jia's mansion in "Dream of Red Mansions". It lost power and ransacked the house. People died and sold.She couldn't help shivering, and once again strengthened her determination to redeem herself.She has been wearing it for more than half a year, except that the second young master is very perverted, she has never heard of any illegal acts in the Hou's mansion, and the eldest lady is also a prince and concubine, so there should be no problems within a few years.She just needs to find a way to get away with her family during this period.In the future, even if something happens to the Hou Mansion, it has nothing to do with her!

Looking back at those little girls who are still arguing about whose hairpin is unique and whose gauze flowers are beautiful, Chunying's mood is a bit complicated.They are actually quite innocent, after all, it is the master of the Hou Mansion who has a luxurious style, which makes them develop the bad habit of being fussy and wasteful.But haven't they ever thought that most of the maids will leave the mansion after they reach adulthood, or marry as servants, or marry out? By that time, how will they, who are used to a luxurious life, adapt to the poverty of the outside world? ?
Thinking of this, Chunying secretly told herself to be more vigilant, and never be hit by the sugar-coated shells of the Hou Mansion, forgetting her original intention of wanting to be free.

"Why are you in a daze!" A pair of slender hands knocked on the table in front of her angrily, Chunying finally came to her senses, and when she looked up and saw it was Qing'er, she became annoyed: "What's the matter?!"

"You actually asked me what's the matter?!" Qing'er sneered, "I didn't let you come into the courtyard for free. Go to work!"

Chunying glanced at her, took the last mouthful of rice from the bowl, put the bowl and chopsticks back into the cutlery basket, washed her hands and mouth, picked up the broom, and walked out in front of her.Qing'er stared for a long time, but didn't receive any response. She ground her teeth and turned to scold the other little girls: "What are you doing just sitting there? Go to work!"

She had served the third young master together with Mei Lan, Ju Zhu Sixiang since she was a child. Since the latter moved to Huanhuaxuan, she has grown up day by day. But nothing bad.Both Juxiang and Zhuxiang had an accident, and after being kicked out of the mansion in disguise, she thought that she was the No. 1 second-class maid. past her?Unexpectedly, Man Ru, who was promoted by his wife first, and Yan Zhi, who was airborne by Concubine Jing, although people didn't say it clearly, they had already ranked her behind these two in their hearts, and now even the new little girl didn't care She put it in her eyes, how could she swallow this breath? !In any case, she had to find a way to get back the lost prestige.

Chunying didn't know anything about Qing'er's thoughts, she just thought she was annoying, so she just finished lunch, and the autumn sun was still quite strong, what kind of work do you do at this time?

Speaking of her work, she mainly cleans the corridor on one side of the inner courtyard, which is about twenty meters long, including the railings on the corridor.However, someone else took care of the doors and windows on the side, so it was not her responsibility.

According to the usual practice, she gets up at dawn every morning, sweeps the ground with a broom, and then wipes it back and forth with a dry or damp cloth according to the weather conditions until the ground is spotless.This work must be completed as soon as possible. The third young master greets his grandmother and parents every morning at [-]:[-] and must ensure that he does not see any dust when he walks through this corridor.After he leaves, she can start to clean the railing, and wipe it carefully with a cloth.

At the beginning, she murmured in her heart, would it be too exaggerated for twelve little girls and four women to share the sanitation work in these two small courtyards?After doing it, I found that it was not an exaggeration at all.After finishing the set, she went there for half a day, and in the evening, she had to sweep the floor again.

She thought about using a mop instead, which would save some effort and not have to bend her waist so hard, but Lan Xiang refuted it. The reason was that using a mop is not as clean as a rag, and it is too far from the ground. Even if there is something on the ground, it will invisible.

Chunying had no choice but to continue mopping the floor with a cloth. Fortunately, Shi'er was with her, so it wasn't boring.

Shi'er was responsible for the doors and windows in her corridor.Although ice cracks are considered simple, it is not easy to wipe each wooden frame every day.Shi'er herself was very satisfied, she said with a smile: "This job is very easy, you didn't see the old lady and the little girl in the wife's room, the doors and windows they cleaned were tiring! Last time I went to the wife's courtyard Finding Xiaoying and Xiaotao to play with, but they dragged them to wipe the windows with ruyi patterns together. It took a lot of effort. I heard that the windows on the old lady's side were carved with the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, so two people are needed every time. Wipe it for half a day!"

Chunying was speechless when she heard it, and looked back at the ground and railings she was in charge of, and felt that she was actually happier.I don't know what kind of work the eldest sister Qiuyu does in the old lady's house?God bless her, she doesn't need to wipe the window of the Eight Immortals.

After the work is done, there is still some free time. The lively little girl can visit other yards, or find an excuse to play in the garden, such as claiming that a certain sister ordered her to pick some flowers and put them in vases Category.Those who are calmer will mostly stay in the room and do needlework.They can apply to the big girl in charge, receive materials and needles, and finish the work assigned by the superiors, and the remaining threads and cloth belong to themselves.

Chunying was very happy at first, although her needlework was still mediocre, she would improve as she practiced a lot. When she learned how to embroider, she would use those good materials to make pouches and sachets, and send them home to her mother for sale. , it should be worth some money, right?But soon she was splashed with cold water.

It turned out that besides doing the needlework on the bright side, the little girls also had to help the first and second-class maids and sisters with private work, such as clothes and shoes. After finishing these, there was no time for other things.Moreover, the transfer of goods between the inner courtyard and the outside is very strict. Even if you make something in Huanhuaxuan, you can only take it back home. If it is light, if it hits hard, maybe it will be boarded.

Huanhuaxuan is in charge of Mei Xianglanxiang. They have always been respectable in the mansion, and they have high demands on everyone in the Xuanzhong. easy.Not to mention that the room where the little girl in the front yard lives is not locked, anyone who wants to enter can enter.

Chunying gritted her teeth and took a few shoe uppers thrown by Qing'er, and went back to her room to do it.

She should have known earlier that even if the material life is good, a maid is still a maid, and there is no way she can have any human rights or privacy... She must resolutely raise her vigilance, resist the temptation of sugar-coated bullets, and keep in mind her goal of pursuing freedom!
(In PK, brazenly ask for pink...)
(End of this chapter)