in spring

Chapter 338
Chun Ying was taken aback for a moment, and then she realized that she couldn't help but smile.

Cui Manru?Since she left the capital, she hardly thought of this person.It doesn't matter whether the other party is good or bad in Hou Mansion, what does it matter to her?She is too busy making money, starting a family, and taking care of her husband and children, so how can she have time to worry about Cui Manru?
She smiled: "I don't know who it is. If you don't tell me, I will almost forget her. So she is still in the Hou's mansion? Before I left the East mansion, she was already very depressed, and she actually held on." So many years? Speaking of which, she is not an aunt, is she? At that time we were called Miss Cui."

Shi'er snickered: "Who says it's not? Back then she was just a roommate, but her mother talked outside all day, calling her daughter 'our aunt and grandma'. It's not a joke! But it's her Fortunately, the second young master was going to be let go of another post that year, and the second young mistress could not leave Beijing. There was no capable person around him to manage the inner courtyard, so the wife pointed her out, because she was afraid that she would not look good when interacting with other officials' family members. So I promoted her to be my aunt. On the day my wife spoke, her mother cried loudly at the door of the house in front of everyone when she heard the news, and she fell ill within two days, and now she is half dead, but she is just suffering."

Chunying opened her mouth: "No way? That would be too bad. Her family doesn't have any reliable relatives and friends. Cui Manru will take office with the second young master. Doesn't it mean that no one will take care of her?" She didn't die of illness, so it was her fate. Big.

Shi'er sneered: "Are you still worrying about her? Cui Manru has become an aunt, and she has people to fawn on her. Are there not many people in the neighbors who come to take care of her mother? It's just that she doesn't live up to it, and the second young master has been in office for less than three years. I sent her back within a month, and I didn't say why, but there are rumors in the mansion that her face was swollen from the beating, and she looked like a pig's head. Someone asked the entourage who sent her back in private She said that she stopped the second young master from accepting newcomers, and offended the aunt of the Shangguan family. The second young master was annoyed that she was ignorant, so he sent her back. Later, the old lady selected two girls from the house and sent them to Shandong to serve , and nothing happened. Everyone said that Cui Manru herself was useless. People in the back street saw that she had lost power, so they stopped coming to take care of her mother. Although Cui Manru was still an aunt in name, but now she was thrown into the Serving the second young lady in the backyard, I heard that she is beaten and scolded every day, she is worse than a girl! As long as the second young lady does not leave the yard and does not make trouble, the superior will not care what she does in the yard. We used to eat that Slut Cui suffered a loss, and they all clapped their hands in secret, telling her to harm others! Now is the reward of the world!"

Chun Ying sighed: "Although it sounds miserable, but I really can't generate any sympathy. Think about those people who were killed by her overtly and secretly..." Even she was almost plotted by Cui Manru.She tried her best to flatter his wife, An Shi, and desperately wanted to be the young master's aunt, but when she finally got her wish, it was far from her original plan, and now she is being humiliated to the end.In fact, if you think about the situation of Meixiang, Shaoyao, Shi'er and others, you can know that with her former status in front of the wife and the third young master, she can be a big girl in An An's capacity, whether she is married to the housekeeper, servant or It is extremely easy to ask for grace to let her go, and the third young master will not hate her to the extent that she did later, and maybe he will protect her intentionally.It is because her obsession with being an aunt is too deep, and she does not hesitate to frame others in order to achieve her goal, but her means are not high enough, so she has fallen to this point today.

Shi'er curled her lips: "It's not just those who were killed by her?! All the people in the Hou family were scolded, beaten, demoted, dismissed, lost money, and lost face because of her." , Even if I use both hands and feet, I can't count them all! Even if she coaxed a few women and daughters-in-law to work for her back then, now she has tossed away all of them."

After a pause, she covered her mouth with a smile and said in a low voice: "The little girl next to her was severely underpaid by her. Sometimes she would give us some snacks and jewelry, and that girl would tell us about her. Do you think she is in Shandong? Why did she annoy the second young master? She really lost her head. Seeing that someone sent two beautiful maids to the second young master, she sent them back under the name of wife and second young mistress, and advised the second young master to cultivate his character. The second young master's Shangguan has a concubine's birthday, and everyone wants to give gifts, but she only prepared a small gift, but she has the cheek to go to the grandmother of the main house to curry favor, causing the second young master to be teased by his colleagues. The second young master scolded her She also said that you should be frugal in housekeeping, that the concubine is a good person and should not be close to her, she is sent by the old lady to share the worries of the second young master, and she wants to take care of the housework for him. What a mess , how could the second young master not be annoyed?!"

Chunying couldn't help but laugh.In fact, objectively speaking, Cui Manru's approach to these two matters can't be regarded as wrong, why would she send a beautiful maid here if she has nothing to do?Naturally, if there is something to ask for, and the favored concubine of the Shangguan is favored, if the gift is too generous, it will easily offend the family.Listening to what she said, it is also just and strict.It's a pity that her identity is wrong. If she is a regular wife, she can't be more correct in saying those words and doing those things, but she is a concubine!A wife can show virtuousness, while a concubine... To put it bluntly, it is a role to coax a man to be happy so that he can stay.

Chunying shook her head and said: "Does she want to be virtuous, so that the old lady and wife know that she is capable? But why did she make old mistakes again?" Offended the master!
Shi'er smiled and said: "Isn't it? She made this mistake when she was serving the third young master, and she hasn't realized it yet! She probably wants someone to send a message back to the mansion, so that the old lady and the wife know how virtuous she is." , I thought that I would be able to secure the position of my aunt. It’s so ridiculous! Is that what she should say? Does she think of herself as the main house grandmother?! Even if she is a aunt, she is still a concubine, so she should keep her role as a concubine You still have the face to say that he is not a good person, but in my opinion, no matter how bad he is, he is better than her!"

Chunying felt both funny and funny. After thinking about it, she came to a conclusion: "She is a fool after all. If she wants to be filial to her mother, want to get ahead, or want to climb the ladder, there is nothing wrong with it. But there are many ways. You don't have to think hard To catch up with the young master. Even if you really want to catch up with the young master, you have to find out the young master's mind first, and find out who is the right one! You have high eyes and low hands, put the cart before the horse, care about one thing and lose sight of another, too cruel-hearted, but not high enough means, and make people see when you do bad things , it’s no wonder she ended up like this. After all, it’s because she doesn’t know herself.” In fact, she is not the only girl who wants to be an aunt in the Hou Mansion and Dong Mansion?Why don't you see other people being so unlucky?She thought she was a little clever, so she played tricks secretly, but she didn't know that sometimes the more she did, the more mistakes she made.She may have overestimated her abilities.

Shi'er looked at the sky outside the window, smiled and pushed Chunying: "Aren't you going to the Hou's mansion? It's almost midnight (ten o'clock in the morning), go quickly, maybe you can catch up with a dinner .You bring your son here some other day, and we'll have a good chat for another day!"

Chunying was chatting excitedly, how could she be willing to leave?He said: "Who cares about his family's dinner? It's so easy for me to come here. I still have a lot of things to do tomorrow and the next day. How can I know when I will be free? Why don't you treat me to a meal? I'll wait until after noon." You can go. The third young mistress may have to do housework before noon, and I will sit for nothing when I go."

Shi'er gave her a white look: "Am I really too stingy to treat you to a meal? Of course there is a reason!" She covered her mouth and leaned closer and whispered: "It's true that before noon is the time for housework. Originally, the third young lady It started at the second quarter of Maozheng (06:30 in the morning), and at the beginning of Sichu ([-]:[-] in the morning), it was almost done. But now the wife wants to intervene in the management, and those women in charge who want to ask for money must Running at both ends, at this time of the day, only [-]% or [-]% of the work is done. You go over now, just in time for the tail, and after a while, you should go to the people in the second young lady's yard to beg for things. That's it, the things in the courtyard are always accounted for separately." She winked her eyes: "There is only one person in the courtyard who will take care of this kind of thing, can't you guess who it is?"

Could it be Cui Manru?

Chunying raised her eyebrows, and Shi'er's eyes clearly indicated that she guessed right: "You didn't suffer less from her back then. Although I have talked about her situation for a long time, you still need to see it with your own eyes before you can understand it in your heart." Chang Kuai. You are different from me, the third young lady invited you here through a post, you must ask her to bow her head in front of you, so that she can speak for our old sisters!"

Chunying smiled, and said helplessly: "Well, I really don't care." She really has no interest in paying attention to a loser.

Shi'er gave her a sideways glance, got up simply, changed the Beijing satin jacket, and put on a light blue muslin one, and took off two ornaments on his head, and came over to hold Chunying's hand: "I'll accompany you! I must see this scene with my own eyes before I am reconciled!" When she was in the Hou Mansion for a day, she couldn't ask the "aunt" of the Hou Mansion to salute her. Now that she has the opportunity to take advantage of the wind, of course she can't miss it!

Chunying had no choice but to agree, and the two came to the courtyard together. Shi'er felt that she had brought too few people and was not enough for ostentation, so she wanted to lend her one of her maids.Chunying couldn't laugh or cry: "Do you think others can't recognize me? If someone finds out, what will they think of me? Two people are enough, and I'm not some official grandma, please calm down!" Shi'er had no choice but to hold back. .

Get on the carriage again, turn out of the back street, and come to the main entrance of the Hou Mansion.Chang's mother got ten'er's advice, jumped out of the car first, sent the greeting card to the concierge, and said that it was the third young lady who sent the invitation card.The porter didn't dare to be negligent, and hurriedly opened the side door next to him to let the carriage in.

Chunying got out of the car only after reaching the second gate.Shi'er took a step forward and greeted a daughter-in-law on the second door: "Long time no see, how are you doing? I have a guest today. Who do you think this is?"

Chunying looked at the daughter-in-law carefully, and found that it was actually Xianger, a colleague from Huanhuaxuan, she hurriedly said with a smile: "So you were transferred to the second door. It's been a long time. How have you been all these years?"

When Xiang'er saw her, he was also surprised: "Chunying? How could it be you? You came back to pay your respects? Oh, look at this posture, your identity is different?"

Chunying just smiled, and Shi'er said: "Now she is also a grandma from a rich family. Her husband's family runs a big business and has contacts with many dignitaries in Beijing. The third young lady specially posted a post to invite her to have tea , I don’t know if the matter is over right now? You should report it quickly.”

Although Xiang'er was happy, she couldn't believe it. Chunying gave Xiaoxiang a wink, and Xiaoxiang sent the post knowingly.Xiang'er recognized that it was Fan Xiru's own handwriting, so she didn't dare to be negligent, and hurriedly said: "You guys wait a moment, I'll report it right away." Shi'er stopped her: "What's the hurry? There are guests coming to the door on weekdays, don't you also call me?" People waiting outside the second door? Naturally, they have to go to the flower hall to serve tea first." Xiang'er was embarrassed: "I'm sorry, I'm in a daze. I'll ask someone to lead the way right away!" After finishing speaking, he called someone The mother-in-law came: "This is the third young lady's guest, I want to go inside to inform, you quickly invite people to the flower hall to serve tea."

The woman left after hearing Xiang'er's confession, and glanced lazily at Chunying, feeling a little familiar, and vaguely remembered that she was a servant girl who used to work in the mansion, and said in her heart: "It's just a girl who married out and returned to the mansion to pay her respects." Daughter-in-law, do you deserve to say that you are a guest?" Then he said in a nonchalant way: "There is a guest in the flower hall today, I'm sorry, but you can wait here for a while, if there is free time, it will pass you on."

Chunying smiled slightly, glanced at Xiaoxiang, Xiaoxiang stepped forward and said: "Mother, just now that sister clearly asked you to invite our grandma to the flower hall. What do you mean by hanging her here? Could it be that the flower hall of the Hou Mansion Can only accommodate one guest? Or is that guest shameful?"

The old woman was annoyed, and scolded: "Where did you come from, the little girl? You have sharp teeth, and you dare to act wild without even looking at where this place is?! I don't know where your master's grandma is, I only know this There are only two grandmas in the house!"

Chunying frowned and sneered slightly.Xiaoxiang had a good temper at first, and she was a little angry. When I was about to say more, Shi'er spoke first: "Who am I? So it's Mama Lin? Your old man was an errand in the outer courtyard. You just came to the second gate. It's inevitable that you don't know the rules. It's just that this is a bit exaggerated. Although there are only two grandmas in this mansion, if the grandmas of other families come to the door, can they not be called grandmas? If this word spreads, others will laugh at us. The servants of the Hou's Mansion don't even know the etiquette! If you don't know the rules, don't ask for trouble. Aren't there still a few mothers in the house? Which one has no errands, come to pick up the errands? Bar?"

The old woman became angry with embarrassment: "Which card are you? Do you dare to talk against me?!" Shi'er sneered: "I am not the card, but you are a little stronger! The lady in charge here Which one is it?! Where are you slacking off? Let your subordinates spray dung everywhere!"

Several women and daughters-in-law who were waiting for errands nearby surrounded them, and one of the more decently dressed daughters-in-law stepped forward and said with a smile: "Hey, I don't know who it is, it turned out to be the sister-in-law of the Mu family. Don't bother with this old man. She lost money playing cards, and she was upset, so she acted wildly here." Shi'er sneered, "I don't have the time to argue with her, but now I've lost face to the Houfu in front of the guests. If you don't intervene, the superiors will blame you, and everyone can't escape!" The daughter-in-law hurriedly apologized to Chunying with a smile, and Chunying put on a magnanimous look, waved her hands to show that she didn't care, and then smiled and asked: " Now in broad daylight, the family members in the house started playing cards?"

The daughter-in-law froze, smiled dryly and dared not answer.Fortunately, Xiang'er came back at this time, still following the railings.

Diaolan was very excited when he saw Chunying, he stepped forward to salute attentively and said, "Grandma is looking forward to your coming! Grandma Hu, please come inside!"

Chunying's heart skipped a beat: she changed her mouth and didn't call her sister anymore.But naturally she would not take the initiative to lower her status, so she put on the airs of a young mistress from a wealthy family, and nodded with a smile: "How is your grandma?"

Shi'er raised his head, glanced at the woman just now, snorted coldly, and followed Chunying in, and when he was far away, he took advantage of the railing in front of him and was unprepared, and whispered to Chunying: "That woman just now The mother-in-law belongs to the wife." Chunying nodded, but she was shaking her head in her heart.

It wasn't Huanhuaxuan that Dialan took them to, but the small courtyard that the second wife of Dongfu used when she was in charge.Chunying knew that Fan Xiru's family should be here as well.Sure enough, as soon as he entered the gate of the courtyard, he saw several daughters-in-law who had received the pair of cards and hadn't left, talking quietly in the corridor.She frowned slightly, and sighed helplessly: Forget it, as long as the other party doesn't go too far, she won't be serious with them.

As soon as the Diaolan announced the announcement outside the door, Fan Xiru kept calling "Please hurry up", and then took the initiative to greet her: "Sister-in-law is finally here, Xiru has been looking forward to it for a long time! Please come in and sit down. Draw a screen and watch tea!" A girl He responded with a smile on his face.

Chunying smiled and wanted to salute, but Fan Xiru hurriedly stopped her: "No way, if the godmother finds out, I will definitely say that I don't understand etiquette. I should have saluted my sister-in-law."

It's only been two days, and her attitude has changed too much.Chunying was puzzled, and said with a smile: "No matter what the princess says, I don't dare to take it too seriously, so don't be too polite, it will ruin my life." Fan Xiru hurriedly responded with a smile, and kissed Warmly helped Chunying enter the door, and waved to the wives: "Go down, I have a guest today, you come back later." Everyone bowed their heads and retreated.

Just as he was about to enter the door, he heard footsteps coming. When he reached the gate of the courtyard, he took two steps faster, and then a slightly hoarse voice sounded: "Third Young Mistress, Third Young Mistress! Please wait a moment!"

Chunying looked back, just in time to see the flash of excitement on Shi'er's face, and she knew it in her heart.Looking at the person who came, she looked like a third-class daughter-in-law in that attire and attire, but when the other person raised her head, she couldn't believe the haggard face that looked like a middle-aged woman.

This person...is really the youthful and beautiful Cui Manru?

(End of this chapter)