Daming Yinghua

Chapter 45 Mr. Tao

That night, Han Ximeng retreated from the women and maids in the yard, and sat down in front of the embroidery tent.

Zheng Haizhu briefly explained the incidents of Heming Tower, and confessed softly.

Han Ximeng raised his green fingers, which were fiddling with various silk threads, waved them a few times, and said gently and sincerely: "How could I accuse you of being stupid? You came out to help Naru Liuer today, which is the same as when you were on the boat and didn't leave me behind." Running for your life is the same heart. I myself have benefited from your heroic toughness, but when I look back, I don’t take it seriously when you want to save others. Isn’t this a double standard?"

"Double standard" is such a modern Internet term that Zheng Haizhu told Han Ximeng.

After crossing, she came to join this famous Jiangnan lady with a good reputation in official history, and intentionally instilled the vocabulary of modern people in future generations.

The essence of language is the precipitation of thinking. If a scholar subtly integrates your language habits, it often means that he or she has accepted your thoughts.

However, Han Ximeng, a lady who has been able to read and write since she was a child, has neither difficulty nor hesitation in understanding new things.

They are all regarded as imported languages ​​commonly used in Fujian's commercially developed coastal areas.

Zheng Haizhu's eyes were shining, and she smiled very comfortably: "Miss said so, I am happier than winning mountains of gold and silver."

Han Ximeng lowered his head and thought for a moment, and the expression of joy on his face became more intense: "The Xu family's fruit is like a orchid house, and the family is full of Xinying. Xu Hanlin paid for people to plant those sweet potatoes to prevent famine. The daughter-in-law of the Xu family is also a responsible person. Yes, with such a penetrating mind, how could she not know what happened today, she acted as the master and blocked a big punishment for you."

Zheng Haizhu earnestly said: "Azhu understands. Therefore, Azhu dared to speak more deeply to the young lady. Belief in native religions and foreign religions is the same as learning Chinese painting and Japanese painting. They may not necessarily be the rules and regulations for judging people's good and evil. The key still depends on what to do after you believe it and learn it.”

Han Ximeng nodded, got up and walked to another embroidery frame in the corner of the main room, and lifted the silk gauze covering it.

It was a piece of embroidery with a grand theme, and the master and servant didn't want to publicize it in the house before it was finished.

Han Ximeng carefully looked at the war scene deduced by the colored lines, and said slowly: "Yes, for example, those who believe in the earth religion originally came from poor backgrounds, but when they get together, they use the name of this male god or that female god, They looted everywhere and bullied the common people, and they were very vicious. As for Xu Hanlin and the others, they believed in foreign religions, so they did a lot of good deeds by digging out the hearts and lungs of the common people to worship the foreign gods as rumored outside. "

After resting, she turned her happy face again, and said wanly: "Second Brother Gu's mother didn't dislike my big feet, she even secretly told me that she envied me for my quick walk. Aunt Shen, who is in charge of the family, is also kind. Angry. My little aunt, she speaks a bit aggressively, but she doesn't seem to be a bad person, really bad people won't be as stupid as her."

Zheng Haizhu was expecting the hostess to turn to this topic, so he walked over and said to Han Ximeng seriously: "Miss, what kind of temperament are the grandmothers of the Gu family? When Madam sent me back to the mansion, she asked me, your young lady has acquired the appearance of a barbarian land, and she is learning to embroider, so show her the rarity when you turn around. She said that Miss San told them."

Han Ximeng turned around and looked at Zheng Haizhu in the candlelight of the glass lamp.

Azhuna's last sentence contained other meanings, showing a warning, how could Han Ximeng ignore it?

"Azhu, do you think Xiying speaks out?"

"Miss, she is not just a right and wrong person, she treats you with a smiley face. The Gu family is so good, but you are the one who married, not her. She doesn't want to admit that you and Mr. Gu are in perfect harmony, and she treats you like a fool." The only point of view of marriage is: My sister found this good marriage because the second aunt who is in charge of the family dotes on her."

"Azhu! You think of the little girl too much."

"Miss, she's old enough, she's not a little girl. I didn't come up with a smiling tiger out of nowhere, it's what I saw and heard that made me draw this conclusion."

Han Ximeng was speechless, and then sighed.

To her, Zheng Haizhu is not so much a maid as a companion.

This female companion often made unflattering voices, but Han Ximeng respected her a little more.

After pondering for a while, Han Ximeng said: "Sister Ah Ying is not bad in nature, but the situation of her parents has harmed her. Of course I know you won't lie, so I didn't let her see this embroidery pattern before it was painted, so as not to be surprised." At most, let her see me sketching those Japanese paintings of landscapes. There are many servants and women in the house, and it’s weird to hide it too much.”

Zheng Haizhu said: "Miss and the third young lady are siblings, and it is natural to be tolerant of her, which is also normal. But I am the servant of the young lady, and as a servant, I only care about the safety of the master and don't care about other things."

Han Ximeng chuckled: "I know, I know, you are my door god. Hey, but there is one thing, when it's just you and me, you don't want a servant or a servant. Not all of them are house slaves, but which owner have you ever seen opened an academy together with his long-term employer? Well, in your words, what is it called, partner? Ah Zhu, I really see you Once you have handed over your handkerchief, don’t continue to have sex with me.”

……

Two days later, at Shen Shi, Zheng Haizhu went to Huang's mansion to deliver the embroidery book to Mrs. Yao, and walked back for a while, when he suddenly heard someone behind him calling: "Miss Azhu."

It was actually Shi Yuelan, the stewardess of the saltworks who had served her on Daishan Island.

Shi Yuelan had a good impression of Zheng Haizhu at the beginning, but there was only one thing she couldn't understand: why this Miss A Zhu didn't follow him as a good man like Yan Da.

Shi Yuelan and her husband Old Tang talked about this matter, Old Tang joked that his mother-in-law was stupid, and said that there must be a richer marriage on land waiting for Miss Azhu, maybe it was the young master of the boss.It's not surprising that a woman from a scholarly family doesn't like Shanghai merchants.

But looking at it today, Zheng Haizhu is still dressed in a simple and simple way, without makeup on her face, and she walks vigorously with big strides. It is obvious that she is still a servant who goes out to do errands for her master. She does not look like a grandmother or aunt.

Shi Yuelan breathed a sigh of relief.It takes a long time for good things to happen, maybe after going round and round, Master Yan can still make a mandarin duck with Miss Azhu.

Zheng Haizhu was also very surprised to see Shi Yuelan, and asked her why she came ashore.

Yue Lan pulled her to the corner, and said softly: "Old Tang wants to take some silver for Yan Da's family to various bank accounts in the south of the Yangtze River, and I will follow. When Da Dao's family left the island, he told my two in-laws that whenever there is a chance, they must Come and have a look at Miss Azhu. Mr. Yan, he is always afraid that you will be wronged, Miss."

Yuelan emphasized the last sentence, but Zheng Haizhu said with a big grin: "I'm very good. My boss, from the grandparents to the ladies, are all good people. Brother Yan is worried about me, and I'm still worried about his business. Don't worry about it." My pen is etched in."

Yue Lan is a person with sense of proportion, and felt that Zheng Haizhu was not charming, so she stopped talking about the friendship of the head of the family, and said respectfully: "The Tang family's house on the other side of Nanhuizui is my own, the head of the house will go back The boat is going smoothly, if there are bonuses for Miss Ah Zhu to bring ashore, someone will come to ask Miss to show me."

Zheng Haizhu nodded seriously and said: "It's good to think about this section. Although we don't steal or rob, we rely on hard work and hard work to earn money, but I am a servant of the Jinshen's family after all. If I share the profit, how do I refer to the money, I have to calculate it carefully. By the way, Yue Lan, have you eaten dim sum? I will accompany you to eat two drawers of crab meat dumplings. It will not take time. I will just return to the Han Mansion in the first year of the year."

Shi Yuelan hurriedly said: "Miss's heart is accepted, but I still have an urgent matter. Do you still remember Mr. Shao who treated your wounds on the island? Alas, it is said that healers don't heal themselves. He is seriously ill after autumn. Unable to bear it, he came up with the idea of ​​Ye Luo returning to his roots, and begged us to take him back to Ningbo. He didn't want to die as soon as the boat landed this morning. Our countryman's rule is to recite sutras for him tonight, otherwise the wandering soul will be killed. Will become evil. Now, I have to find a Buddhist master."

Zheng Haizhu understood, pointed Yuelan to a few orthodox Buddhist temples in the east, and said goodbye to her.

……

The next day, Zheng Haizhu got Han Ximeng's sympathy, and took a boat to Yuehe on the grounds of matching silk thread, wanting to find out what happened to Ru Jiu'er after she was captured.

The doormen of Qingfeng Building knew Zheng Haizhu already, and now they got her five cents of silver again, so they flattered them and reported: "Miss Jiu'er has not been beaten these past few days, let alone looking for a place to die, and Mr. Tao invites her out to relax every day." , I went out early this morning."

Zheng Haizhu was a little relieved, and walked out of the alley.

Yuehe is located in a busy city, and Diwuyahang is also by the river.Zheng Haizhu found a young gentleman with a gentle face, and carefully inquired about the price of the leased yard in the northeast of the city.

Zheng Haizhu's imagined private school is to accept the children of small urban handicraftsmen and suburban farmers.

In order to get off to a smooth start in an era when girls' school education is zero, the private school has to play the banner of "setting up accounts and awarding women red" first, and pay attention to safety.When Zheng Haizhu asked Huang Zunsu before, Huang Zunsu also told her that the location of the school should be as far away as possible from the academies that teach art (that is, imperial examinations), and because of the crowds of female children, it is best to avoid the places where sergeants and young men gather.

To the south of Songjiang City are government schools and various private academies.There are school field barracks in the north, west and southeast.

Only the Northeast area is most suitable for temples, nunneries, gardens, landscapes, and not far from Gu's residence.

Zheng Haizhu consulted with the people in Wuya for a long time, and agreed to send him a silver coin to express his gratitude after giving him a letter of approval before the twelfth lunar month.

The Yaman pretended to decline and said: "In our line of business, if we don't make a deal, it's not easy to get the guest's money."

Zheng Haizhu got up and gave a blessing: "How could it take up half an hour for nothing?"

The tooth man took the money with a smile on his face, thinking that the daughter of the Zheng family of the Han family was as rumored, acting like a man, quite neat and generous.

Being a broker is the most thought-provoking job, and as soon as he thought about it, he went further and asked: "Miss Zheng, if your private school accepts girl dolls, can I send my little sister there?"

Zheng Haizhu smiled: "Of course you are welcome. You are so smart, your sister must be a good seed for brother Shi Xiao. It's a pity that you don't come out to study."

"Hey," Yaren waved his hands and smiled, "A girl's family, how dare you talk about reading and learning some high-quality needlework, and say that your in-law's family can do embroidery work well, and you will be lucky."

Zheng Haizhu didn't argue with him, just took a sip from the teacup, and saw that there were more visitors in the line, and said compassionately: "Let's go and get busy, young lady, take two sips of tea, moisten her throat, and then leave."

"Okay, okay, girl, do as you please, don't be polite."

Zheng Haizhu sat by the window, admiring the bustling portraits of men and women on the banks of the Moon River.

Not long after, she leaned out and called out, "Jiuer!"

Ru Jiu'er was getting off a boat with three oars and carved beams with the help of Mr. Tao.

Although Ru Jiu'er is not considered the top nobleman in the Songjiang Fireworks and Willow Alley, she is still a little bit of a heart. Slowed down.

But she was grateful for Zheng Haizhu's chivalry and concern, forced a smile and said: "Miss Zheng believes in me, Liuer is not stupid, even if she becomes a laughing stock this time, she won't let it go."

Zheng Haizhu took a deep breath, and said softly: "Life is like a boat sailing a river, whether the wind will flow smoothly or the water will be deep or shallow, there is no certainty. I am a self-made person who has given up marriage, but I also talk too much to persuade you." , don’t close your heart just because of this misstep, and swear that you will never fall in love again.”

"Miss Zheng is very right," Mr. Tao smiled and nodded, and then took a small cloth bag from the boy servant who followed, and handed it to Ru Jiuer, "Miss Jiuer, I will be here in a few days." If you want to leave Songjiang, there is nothing you can do to encourage it, so I will give these volumes of travel notes compiled by the grass-clothed Taoist to the girl."

"Taoist in grass clothes?" Zheng Haizhu's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Mr. Wang Wei from the old courtyard of Yingtian Mansion?"

Wang Wei was a famous courtesan in the south of the Yangtze River in the late Ming Dynasty, and her nickname was "Cao Yi Dao Ren".Wang Wei was good at poetry and prose, and had contacts with many literati, and his reputation was not inferior to that of Liu Rushi later.

In her last life, Zheng Haizhu graduated from the Ming and Qing History Institute of the Institute of History and Geography. Although she mainly wrote ancient puppet dramas to make a living, her knowledge is by no means limited to "Qinhuai Bayan".

Mr. Tao wondered, "Miss Zheng also knows her?"

"Well," Zheng Haizhu said naturally, "The Caoyi Daoist is just like Jiu'er, with beautiful poetry and prose. You talented people naturally know how to appreciate it, and we women who can read and write like it very much."

Mr. Tao raised his eyebrows.

This maidservant of the Han family not only has a bit of loyalty, but also can speak well. With a simple sentence, she praised both those present and those who were not present.

But it is also sincere, not sour.

When Ru Jiuer heard Zheng Haizhu comparing herself with the famous Wang Wei, she was in a sense of loss, and also warmed up a bit.

Then he thought that Mr. Tao, regardless of previous suspicions, even paid to invite him to swim in the river and discuss poetry, so as to save himself a lot of face in the industry, so Ru Jiuer said to Zheng Haizhu: "Sister Azhu, I ask you to do me a favor. Mr. Tao today I want to visit an old friend who lives in Jiulian Nunnery in the north of the city. I am really weak now and I can’t hold myself up anymore, can I ask Sister Azhu to guide Mr. Tao to go?”

Zheng Haizhu immediately understood that the old man should be a nun, and Mr. Tao is inconvenient to visit alone, so he looked at the sun and said cheerfully: "Okay, I'm going to take a boat back to Han's house, and I can be a guide for Mr. Tao." .”

(End of this chapter)