Peasant Girl Bookseller

Chapter 99
Mrs. Tong thought of this, and Mai Xiang naturally thought of this too, but she reacted very quickly. All she sent to Tong's house were wall shoes and a purse, not the small straw basket.

"Mrs. Tong, it's not as good as that little basket. I'll send a few to your shop in the future. It's great if you can sell it. If you can't sell it, you can keep it for others to play with. Just treat it as a novelty for the people in the city. , but these wall shoes, I really have a few pairs, give this girl."

After Mai Xiang finished speaking, she picked up her basket. It was made by Liu Huilan. She originally planned to go to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha if the time was early. It was a pity that the things Liu Huilan made could not be sold at Tong's shop. up.

But now Mai Xiang took it out for the Tong family's sake, just now the old lady gave Mai Xiang two taels of silver and a few pieces of clothing material, and Mai Xiang had to pay it back.

"Hey, let me have a look at this purse, what is it embroidered on?" The girl's eyes were attracted by several purses, and she picked up a purse to have a closer look.

"The children on this purse are called Fuwa. There are five in total. Their names are Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. Choose one if you like."

"It's such a cute doll, and the name is nice, what's the general name?"

"Fuwa, the blessing of blessing, the doll who sends blessings."

"You child, if you have such a good thing, don't even say that you will send us a few, Fuwa, the doll who sends blessings."

Mrs. Tong was happy when she heard this. She took a few purses and looked at them carefully one by one. This embroiderer was better than the one at her house, and she smiled and said: "Mai Xiang, you should hide it from me, this embroiderer Ordinary people can't make it, it's much better than what you send to the shop."

"Ma'am, you are so insightful. It is true that this is not embroidered by the same person. It was embroidered by my teacher. My teacher's life is difficult and she is usually busy. I find time to embroider some of this to make ends meet, so I sell it at the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Try my best." Help her sell it for a good price, but the ones I gave to my wife and the old lady were all embroidered by my teacher." Mai Xiang hurriedly explained a few words.

"Okay, I'm just teasing you, I'm making you anxious." Mrs. Tong smiled hurriedly.

"Ma'am, this set of Fuwa is for this girl. If the old lady and wife like it, I will send it next time." Mai Xiang said hurriedly.

She could tell that Mrs. Tong seemed to value this girl very much, and this girl really liked the purse.

When Mrs. Tong heard this, she was really happier, and said with a quick smile, "We, Wenwen, must keep these five lucky babies well. Let me borrow a good word, and I will be blessed."

When Mai Xiang heard this, she took a closer look at Wenwen. Wenwen seemed to understand the meaning of Mrs. Tong's words, and she lowered her head shyly under Mrs. Tong's teasing.

If Mai Xiang guessed correctly, this Wenwen should be Tong Liwen's default wife.

Mai Xiang knows that people in this era marry early and have children early. Tong Liwen is already fifteen this year. Next year at the latest, the Tong family should make an engagement for him, right?

"Mai Xiang is here to wish the girl her wish." Mai Xiang also replied with a smile, and was about to leave with a basket.

"Hey, don't leave yet, I haven't given you any money yet."

"I said it was for the girl. Thank you for your kindness. I will send that little basket with the door curtain in a few days."

"Success, then I'll give it to you some other day." The girl's mind was still on the fuwa.

"Cousin, do you still want these wall shoes?" Seeing that Mai Xiang was about to leave, Tong Liwen hurriedly asked, it was so hot outside, he didn't want Mai Xiang to go to the Reclining Buddha Temple for these pair of wall shoes.

"Yes, yes, why not?" Wenwen then took out all the shoes from the basket and counted them, there were six pairs in total.

"I want them all, take them back and give them away."

After hearing this, Tong Liwen opened his purse, and wanted to give Mai Xiang money, but he couldn't bear to take advantage of Mai Xiang.

"Master, can these pairs of wall shoes cost so much money?" Mai Xiang saw Tong Liwen handing over two pieces of silver, probably more than one or two, and hurriedly waved her hands.

"Don't you still have a purse? I'll take it for you." Tong Liwen put the money in Mai Xiang's hand.

"The purse is for this young lady."

"Give it to you and take it, it should be, you kid, you have nothing to do with us, take it. Here are some snacks and two packs of sauced meat, all made at home, you take it back, let Everyone in the family will try it," said Mrs. Tong.

"Thank you, madam. Every time I come here, my wife won't let me go empty-handed. I'm sorry."

"It's just a little thing, and it's not worth anything. When you're free in the future, come over a few more times and talk to me."

"Okay, sure." After Mai Xiang finished speaking, she hurriedly carried out her things with a basket in one hand and a bag in one hand.

"Mai Xiang, I'll let someone take you there." Tong Liwen looked at Mai Xiang's back and said suddenly.

"That's right, that's right, look how confused I was, I was so busy looking at you guys happy, I actually forgot, Mai Xiang is only ten years old, how can I carry these things so far?" Mrs. Tong said hurriedly.

As soon as she finished speaking, a woman beside her came to take Mai Xiang's things.

"Madam, don't bother, I'll just go to the street and find a donkey cart." Mai Xiang secretly annoyed that Tong Liwen didn't know how to avoid suspicion, and that Mrs. Tong would doubt how she would do business after she fell in love with her?
"I just said that you came from here again after being out of sight. Go, follow Nanny Wang." Mrs. Tong pushed Mai Xiang.

Mai Xiang just wanted to leave quickly, how dare she argue with them?
This time, Mai Xiang learned a little bit smarter, and directly let the carriage take her to Cao's house, just as Mai Xiang had something to ask Liu Huilan.

"It turned out that it was our Mai Xiang who came. Who did I think it was?" Liu Huilan hurriedly came out with the child in her arms when she saw the carriage entering the yard.

"Who does Mistress think it is?"

"Your husband went to pick up someone today. He said he wanted to pick up his cousin and his wife to stay for a few days. It's too hot in the city these days. Now that the conditions at home are better, I can show some filial piety."

"Cousin? Is that the Li family's cousin my wife mentioned last time?"

"Well, you have a pretty good memory." Liu Huilan rolled her eyes at Mai Xiang.

"By the way, Mrs. Li, is this cousin of the Li family very close to Mr.?"

Mai Xiang finds it strange that this Cao family clearly has a cousin on duty at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and has never seen Cao Xueqin walk around with them, so why would they suddenly want to pick up a cousin who turned a corner?

"The Cao family and the Li family have always been close. In addition to their in-law relationship, the two grandfathers are also Lord Kangxi's most trusted close ministers. They have always taken care of each other in the officialdom. This cousin of the Li family often lived in the Cao family when he was young. It is said that he was with Mr. His father was very good, and after Mr.'s father left, he took good care of him."

"Master, where is the cousin of the Li family?" Mai Xiang is still more concerned about the whereabouts of the suspected "Shi Xiangyun".

"I heard that my cousin begged for the grace of the master of the Fucha family, and sent someone to the south to look for it."

"Is this the only cousin in the Li family?" Mai Xiang was still puzzled. Since the cousin of the Li family has both parents, what happened to Shi Xiangyun in the book?There is also Lin Daiyu, who is said to have a prototype that can be verified. How many cousins ​​does Cao Xueqin have?

Upon hearing this, Liu Huilan sighed, her eyes turned red after a while, and she carried the child into the room.

"Master, I'm curious, just tell me, I promise not to tell anyone." Mai Xiang put down her things and chased after her.

"Son, you are still young, you don't know the seriousness of these things, and you don't understand when you tell them. When you grow up and want to know, my wife will tell you again, be obedient, ah."

"Then Mrs. told me, is the cousin of the Li family's boudoir always?" Mai Xiang continued to tease her.

"What's so curious about this, I'll tell you later." Liu Huilan didn't want to talk about this topic.

After hearing this, Mai Xiang had no choice but to stop asking. Maybe in a few days this aunt of the Li family will come, and she often comes to visit, so maybe she can find out something.

"Okay, mistress, let's talk about a serious matter. I think mistress should hire a woman to help with some rough work. How much should a woman's monthly salary be?"

"Well, with my current conditions, how can I afford to hire servants?" Liu Huilan still wanted to save some money to build the house earlier.

"Miss, I took a few jobs. I think it is better to make pendants or door curtains than embroidery. Embroidery is too eye-catching. If Mistress saves time and makes two more things, the cost of hiring a wife will come out." gone?"

"There is no place to live at home, and your husband has to write late every day." Liu Huilan still disagreed.

After hearing this, Mai Xiang had to give up. She wanted to find Liu Huilan a peasant woman who was similar to a part-time worker in the village, but she was afraid that the other party would learn Liu Huilan's needlework and take away Mai Xiang's business.

"Okay, don't worry about it. If the husband's uncle and aunt come, maybe they can help me. If this child is watched, I can free my hand."

After hearing this, Mai Xiang looked at Liu Huilan sadly, because she suddenly thought of a question, if this cousin of the Li family was found, who would Cao Xueqin want?
This Liu Huilan is in good health now, and the arrival of Mai Xiang has somewhat changed Cao Xueqin's life trajectory. At least, Cao's family is not poor now, they have enough food and clothing. They even bought a piece of land and planned to build a house.

And Liu Huilan is no longer the Liu Huilan she used to be. Under the influence of Mai Xiang, she has not only become healthy, but also smarter. She can earn money and live her life with calculations. The life of the Cao family will only get better and better. up.

If the cousin of the Li family came back at this time, wouldn't she be picking up a ready-made bargain?You know, when Cao Xueqin was most difficult and helpless, Liu Huilan was by his side all the time, and she even gave birth to such a lovely son. Under the current situation, can this Liu Huilan be willing to be a child?

When Mai Xiang was worrying and thinking wildly, Cao Xueqin's voice sounded outside.

"Hui Lan, Hui Lan, there is good news, good news." Cao Xueqin shouted as soon as she entered the courtyard, almost running into the house.

Seeing the excitement of her husband, Mai Xiang swept away the previous gloom and decadence, and hurriedly stood up excitedly.

(End of this chapter)