The Red Mansion is so charming

Chapter 197
In a blink of an eye, the weather gradually warmed up. Although there were still some small snowflakes from time to time, there was hope of spring after all. On a whim, Jia Mu held a winter feast in the Grand View Garden before the winter snow had completely melted. The small household asked the women on the stove in the kitchen to cook the ingredients that are common on the dining table of ordinary people, and also taught the girls at home to understand what housekeeping is.

Mrs. Wang didn't take it seriously, she understood that it was the old lady thinking of a way to teach Lin Daiyu how to take care of household affairs.Sure enough, before the order was issued half a day later, the old lady called together the family again, and singled out Lin Daiyu from among these girls, saying that she was asked to organize the banquet this time.Mrs. Xing was not stupid, she saw a few clues, she salivated on Jia Mu's flattery on her face, she had to add a second girl to welcome the spring.Naturally, the Wang family does not want to be in a lower position, so Tanchun should also be counted.

In this way, a good winter feast has become a three-legged situation.Mrs. Wang was strong, and she wanted to take over the kitchen errands to Tanchun, but it was a pity that Mother Jia was determined to create momentum for Daiyu, so she first paid 200 taels of silver for Daiyu to preside over the purchase.Mrs. Wang immediately lost her temper when she saw it. Although she likes Tanchun, there is still Aunt Zhao who is an eyesore. If Wang is asked to support the little girls with 30 taels, that’s all. That is absolutely impossible.

Tanchun had no choice but to take charge of the errands that came to the banquet that day. Although he was decent, he could not show his great ability after all.

The second girl, Yingchun, is in charge of changing clothes and settling down of all the wives.This task was the most trivial but also the least pleasing. After Mother Jia gave it to Yingchun, Mrs. Xing cursed bitterly in her room for half an hour.

On this day, Xiuyan came to add makeup to Xue Baochai at the order of Mrs. Lu. The old house of the Xue family has been messed up by those bold slaves all these years. I leased a yard near Rong Street, with about [-] houses and a single courtyard, which is quiet and quiet, and it is convenient to go out. It is only a cup of tea to come to Rongguo Mansion.

Xiuyan went to Xue Baochai's place first, then turned back half a street to see Lin Daiyu.The two sisters naturally had a lot to talk about when they met. Daiyu smiled and showed Xiuyan the ingredients list: "Sister, let me have a look. Are these dishes still good? For the concubine and the wives who often walk around, I am afraid that I will be poor and lose the face of the old lady."

Xiuyan took it over and took a look. It was really home-cooked ingredients, such as: tofu, radish, bean sprouts, etc. Unfortunately, the quantity was not much, and fish still occupied the main place.Xiuyan lowered her head and thought for a while: "The old lady probably wants everyone to see your ability to manage the family. I heard that the old concubine likes to be a matchmaker very much, and her in-laws are all over the capital. What's the matter. You were born rich, but you can manage your family diligently and frugally, and it will be of no harm to you if it is passed on to the ears of the elders."

Xiuyan had to sigh: Sure enough, the ginger is still old and spicy.

She and her mother were only thinking about how to make up for Daiyu's dowry. When she married, she could stand upright in front of her husband and sister-in-law, but Jia's mother was thinking about building momentum for Daiyu.

Xiuyan pinched the list and pointed to two of them and added some suggestions, and Daiyu really accepted it with pleasure.Seeing her elation, Xiuyan still cruelly poured cold water on her: "You take care of everything yourself, the second wife in their house does not see you as an eyesore for a day or two, this time you suppressed Tanchun again, Mrs. Wang You will not be happy. Be careful that she trips you up behind your back."

Zijuan and Xueyan couldn't help but change their expressions, and they hurriedly asked Xiuyan what to do.Xiuyan smiled faintly: "Naturally, it's better to be prepared with both hands. When I go back, I will turn to Yipinlou on the way. His family's Beijing dishes are very authentic, and these nobles' families also like it very much. On the day of the banquet, I will ask them to cook it." Well, things are waiting outside, and if there is an accident, you can play it by ear."

The two sisters discussed back and forth, and when they were talking about the beginning of the rise, the little maid outside came to report, saying that Aunt Zhao had come to greet Miss Lin.

Xiuyan thought of Xiren's methods of talking about Aunt Zhao, so she couldn't help saying coldly: "What is she here for?"

Daiyu didn't know about it, so she explained: "I must have come to pay my respects to the old lady. I am here just as a favor. After all, she is also the biological mother of the third girl. I don't want to see her."

Daiyu was just about to order Zijuan to lead people in, but Xiuyan stopped Zijuan's movement: "Let's say that Miss Lin just drank ginger soup and fell asleep sweating. If there is nothing serious about Aunt Zhao, come back tomorrow." It's the same."

Zijuan looked at Daiyu in bewilderment, and seeing Daiyu nodding, Zijuan went out suspiciously.Not long after, Zijuan entered the room dumbfounded: "This Aunt Zhao said that it doesn't matter if the girl sees her or not, and it's the same when Miss Xing sees her."

Xiuyan sneered, and slowly stood up: "I've heard about Aunt Zhao's name earlier, why not ask me to meet her for a while today, what kind of tricks does she have?" Daiyu didn't understand what kind of medicine her sister was selling in the gourd, and she had doubts in her heart. He sent Xiuyan out of the main hall.

At this moment, Aunt Zhao was hiding her head and hiding beside a pillar in the porch to avoid the wind. She wanted to break into the inner room several times, but the little maid guarding the door refused to let her in.

"I advise my aunt not to make trouble here. Our girl just drank some sweaty ginger soup. If you go in like this and bring in some evil wind, the girl will feel uncomfortable, and we will all be unlucky!" The little maid didn't even look at it. Aunt Zhao was so angry that Aunt Zhao wanted to scold.

The two were looking at each other like cross-eyed, when the curtain was raised, Zijuan showed half of his head, and then most of his body.Aunt Zhao quickly rubbed her hands: "Miss Xing is probably looking for me!" She wanted to push the little maid in with one hand, but Zijuan stopped her with a smile: "Don't worry, Aunt Zhao, Miss Xing asked Auntie to go to the next room for a while." Sit down, she'll be here later."

Aunt Zhao had something to ask for, so she had to wait patiently in the cold and damp wing room. Her personal maid, Xiao Jixiang, was very impatient and kept grinding the embroidered shoe soles at the door. She, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside to the inside.

Aunt Zhao was overjoyed, and when Xing Xiuyan came to see her, she saw her own daughter Tanchun rushing in.

Tanchun grabbed Aunt Zhao's wrist and pulled it out, almost rudely.

Aunt Zhao wailed again and again, Tanchun was so angry that she turned her head and covered Aunt Zhao's mouth with the other hand: "Auntie should have a limit to her mischief, what slave do you see here, the master girl? You steal chickens and dogs all day long, scorpion and scorpion Ting ting, you can make people look down on you with lowly tricks!"

Aunt Zhao's expression was startled, and her face was full of disbelief: "I'm not annoyed when others say I'm a slave, but why are you so ruthless? Didn't you, the master girl, crawl out of my intestines too! I'm thick-skinned Who is it that you came to beg Miss Xing's family? I don't want you to have a good future, could it be wrong!"

Tanchun became furious, and simply threw away Aunt Zhao and cried: "Why is it not your fault? Your fault is that you shouldn't have given birth to me back then, and made me live like this!"

The two of them were standing in a corner of the wing room. During the competition, neither of them would accept the other. Aunt Zhao was crying loudly, while Tanchun was choking up softly there.

Xiuyan walked in the door with a smile, "What is this for, a good mother and daughter, when they must have made enemies."

Tanchun sneered: "What is the eldest cousin talking about? My mother is the serious second wife of the Jia family!"

Xiuyan winks at Meilian, the latter understands, side by side with Zijuan, force her to go out of the wing.Aunt Zhao rolled her eyes, fell down on the cold kang and wept, complaining non-stop: "Miss Xing, look, this is the good daughter I raised. I was devoted to her, but it turned out to be chilling."

Xiuyan smiled and leaned against the hollow partition in the room: "Aren't Aunt Zhao's actions also chilling?"

Aunt Zhao was vigilant, but her face was full of puzzlement: "I don't understand Miss Xing's words."

"You are really joking. I think the smartest woman in Rongguo Mansion is Aunt Zhao. After all, there are not many people who can come up with such clever tricks as borrowing a knife to kill someone." Xiuyan chuckled lightly: "Madam Wang is She is self-confident but doesn't know it, she thinks that her whole heart is for Jia Baoyu, so she dislikes Daiyu all the time. Only Aunt Zhao can understand that if something happens to my sister, Baoyu will not be happy."

Aunt Zhao's face was gloomy, she trembled and dared not look at Xiuyan.

"Aunt Zhao doesn't need to be afraid, as long as you are willing to do something to me, whatever you beg me today, I will do to you!"

Aunt Zhao raised her head sharply, her eyes were bright, and her voice couldn't help but hurried: "Miss Xing, are you serious?"

"As long as Aunt Zhao doesn't open her mouth like a lion, I'm scared out of my wits!"

Aunt Zhao hurriedly got up from the edge of the kang, and Ai Ai said: "I just look at the several shops in Miss Xing's house, and they are the most challenging business. Brother Huan is not a student, and he wants to help his wife with housekeeping, but Mrs. I was afraid that he would ruin Rongguo Mansion's reputation if he was immature. So... I thought, how can I ask Miss Xing to give Brother Huan a chance, and also ask him to practice outside, so that he will know what a big world is in the future. "

Daringly, Aunt Zhao wants to use the Xing family's business as a place to practice.Xiuyan said indifferently: "I'm afraid my aunt won't bear to ask Brother Huan to go through that hardship."

Aunt Zhao didn't care. The shopkeepers in Mrs. Wang's private shop had better food and drink, and they had more face than the masters. Aunt Zhao was jealous and wanted to include her natal brothers, but Mrs. Wang It's just that oil and salt don't enter.Now I can seize the opportunity to make Xing Xiuyan let go. Even the master said that the Xing family's business is dozens of times larger than Mrs. Wang's private shop. If Brother Huan became the shopkeeper of one of them, what would he worry about in his life?
At that time, how can the master's colleagues use a method to transfer the Xing family's shop to Brother Huan's name, so that the two of them can live happily even if they don't rely on Jia's family.

It's all about human effort, Aunt Zhao doesn't believe it, but with her intelligence, she can convince the Xing family no matter what.

She hurriedly smiled and said, "Brother, it doesn't matter if you suffer a little bit, I just ask the girl to give you this chance."

Xiuyan couldn't agree, only if she agreed, Aunt Zhao would regret it and beg her in the future.But at this moment, she has other things to give to Aunt Zhao.

To deal with a woman like Wang, there is no need to do it yourself, Aunt Zhao is enough.

On the day of the winter feast, Mrs. Lu brought Xiuyan over early to help Daiyu, and everything went smoothly at first, the people at the stove were orderly, and there was no mess at all.Li Wan came over to look at it once, praised it again and again, and then went to the front to serve the old lady when he saw that there was nothing serious.Unexpectedly, just as Li Gongcai stepped out of the big kitchen, the soup stove over there suddenly caught fire, and something was burned, and the fire intensified.

Xiuyan was the closest, and when the flames sprang up, they just reached the corner of the skirt.Mio turned pale with shock, without even thinking about it, she took the nearby water basin where live fish were kept and poured it heavily on the girl.

The woman who was making soup was not so lucky. After a scream, everyone saw that half of the woman's body was on fire, spreading horribly from bottom to top.

There is no longer the smell of cooked food in the air, replaced by a pungent smell of burnt raw meat.

Xiuyan's expression was very bad, she took advantage of the time when everyone put on fire and got close to several stoves, and found that the surroundings of these nearby stoves were covered with a layer of unknown oil.Rubbing on the hand is disgusting.

"What's going on here!" Mrs. Wang stood at the door of the kitchen with a gloomy expression, as if she had just arrived.

Xiuyan sneered, her wet body was still dripping with water, and she smelled strongly of fish.

Mrs. Wang couldn't help covering her mouth and nose, and frowned, "Which play is Miss Xing singing?"

Yu Chuan'er hurriedly handed over a clean handkerchief from the opposite side, Xiuyan smiled lightly and brushed off her kindness: "Second wife, don't worry, it's the ladies on the stove who didn't pay attention."

Mrs. Wang didn't seem to smile at all, and stared at Xiuyan with sinister eyes: "I used to think that these people are well-behaved, and the housekeeper has never made such a big mistake in these years. Miss Xing doesn't know, our old lady is brave The smallest, I can't bear the slightest surprise."

As soon as she finished speaking, a little maid came running in, out of breath: "Second Madam, the old lady asked, what happened to that black smoke just now!"

Mrs. Wang replied impatiently: "Tell the old lady that the kitchen has run out of water, I will take care of it here, and ask the eldest grandma to follow her." The little maid looked at Daiyu and said, "Second wife is the old lady of Nan'an County. The concubine has arrived, what if she hears it?"

Mrs. Wang spat fiercely into the little girl's face: "Didn't you hear me? Why don't you tell the old lady!" The little girl got smart and ran out to complain.Mrs. Wang smiled weirdly at Xiuyan: "The Qiushuangzhai house with three maids is recently, Ms. Xing might as well go over and change clothes first. There are also many guests at home, so it's a bit distressing to be so drenched!"

Xiuyan didn't dare to leave Daiyu here alone, so she took Daiyu to go to Qiushuangzhai together.Who knew that Mrs. Wang held Daiyu's wrist tightly, and said to Xiuyan with a fake smile: "The old lady is looking for the eldest girl, and I will take her to show the old lady first. How worried she is."

Xiuyan left the mature and steady Mi Ying to Daiyu, while she led Meilian and a few maidservants, the mother-in-law who was born in front of her, to Qiushuangzhai in the wind.

(End of this chapter)