Ordinary clear day

Chapter 101 Shuiyue
On the first seven days of the funeral, the whole family went out of the city.Earl's Mansion has a nunnery in the western suburbs, called "Shuiyue Nunnery". It is said that the owner of the nunnery has some relationship with the mansion. Fang Ning once lived here for a while.

The old lady's coffin was temporarily parked in the nunnery, and when the time came, it was carried to the open space for cremation.After everyone cried bitterly, the ceremony was over. Some hurried back to the city, and some stayed to deal with the aftermath. The female relatives were welcomed to the nunnery for a short rest. .

Shu Ning was in the same room as the sisters. Originally, the two sisters-in-law were also together, but because they had to help her mother-in-law Nala's affairs, they couldn't rest.

Fang Ning is very familiar with this place, she knows every nun, and even took out the tea set in the cabinet by herself to make tea for her sisters.Looking at her actions, Shu Ning felt that she was more comfortable here than at home.

Wanning still looked listless, sniffing from time to time.Yuanning sat bored, occasionally flipping through the Buddhist scriptures at hand, and curled her lips in disdain when she saw Wanning's appearance.

Seeing Fang Ning bringing tea, Shu Ning hurriedly got up and said, "Big Sister, please sit down, we can drink it upside down by ourselves."

Fang Ning smiled lightly: "I'm used to living here, I know every plant and tree very well, and I can be regarded as half the master. There are few people here, and our maid didn't come with me. If I wait for someone to serve me, I'm afraid I'm dying of thirst and no one has come." She put the tea in Shuning's hands, and then took another cup for Wanning.

But Wanning turned her head away, and said listlessly: "Leave it alone, I don't want to drink." Shuning and Yuanning looked over at the same time, but Fangning put the cup in her hand indifferently, and walked to the futon on the other side of the room Sit down and read the scriptures.

After a while, perhaps feeling thirsty at last, Wanning took a sip from the cup and asked, "What kind of tea is this? Why is it so astringent?"

Shu Ning said: "It's not as good as at home, so what does it matter if the tea is poor? Naturally, there won't be too good things in a place where you become a monk." Wan Ning frowned, and put the teacup aside.

Yuanning couldn't get used to it, and said: "Second sister, the old lady has passed away now, and no one spoils you anymore, I advise you to restrain yourself." Wanning said displeased: "What time is it now, You are still thinking about these things." Yuanning raised her eyebrows: "You know what time it is now, do you still pick on others' tea?" Wanning argued: "I just said it casually, and I didn't mean it .It's you who want to pick on me all day long."

Yuan Ning sneered, and put the teacup in her hand on the table: "Sister also has good intentions, don't be ignorant of good people. No matter how much you pretend, you can't fool my eyes, so I advise you to restrain yourself. Don't show that frivolous look! Do you think you are still the old lady? The old lady is gone, and the uncles and aunts will not indulge you so much. "

Seeing the gloomy look on Wanning's face, she felt relieved: "It's a pity. Originally, the fifth elder brother looked at you differently. The Queen Mother also dotes on you. You still have two big backers. It's a pity that you don't know what to do. , being indifferent and rude to fifth elder brother hurts people's hearts. Even the queen mother loves her grandson very much, and can't understand you anymore. Such a big event happened in our family, and I haven't seen the queen mother or fifth elder brother come to see you. It can be seen that you fell out of favor."

She gloated, and the more she talked, the happier she was: "A few days ago, no matter how obedient and filial you were, what was the use? The old lady didn't listen to your advice, and drove away her nephew or those mages. If it weren't for you, there would be such a Zhang face, I'm afraid that her old man will not take you seriously."

Wanning turned pale with anger: "What nonsense are you talking about? How could the old lady not love me? You are clearly jealous. Besides, the queen mother and the fifth elder brother are both worshiping Buddha in Mount Wutai. It is normal not to come to our house!" She finished speaking Feeling a little regretful, he quickly shut up.

Yuanning smiled: "It turns out that you care about it too. However, it's useless for you to care. When the Queen Mother returns to the palace, there will naturally be other girls to please her. After you finish your filial piety, who else will?" Remember you? You don’t even care about Fifth Elder Brother, who will win the draft in the future.”

Wanning bit her lip: "I have my own ideas, you don't need to worry about them!"

Yuanning raised her chin and said, "Okay, my sister will wait and see."

Her voice was unknowingly too loud, which attracted the attention of the people outside the room.Shu Ning glanced at the whispers of the little nuns outside the door, and then said: "Fourth sister, the old lady's ceremony has just finished, so be careful what you say, what's the point of letting people hear you?"

Yuan Ning sat down when she heard the words, and said: "Sister Xie San reminded me, my sister gave you face today, so let's stop here. Speaking of which, among the sisters, you are the only one who looks like a sister. Be pleasing to the eye."

Shu Ning was a little dumbfounded, so she said, "Thank you, Fourth Sister, for your kindness." Then she bowed her head and drank tea.

She felt a little strange, although Yuanning used to often sneer at Wanning, but she had never been so arrogant like today, and her parents' actions became more and more weird, as if they were a bit reckless, what made them have What about such confidence?

After a while, the little nun in the nunnery came to invite them to have a vegetarian meal.Shu Ning was a little surprised when she saw the nunnery master for the first time in the main hall.This teacher is about fifty years old, with a dignified and gentle face, it can be seen that she must have been a beauty when she was young.Her demeanor is elegant and graceful, and Nala and other sisters-in-law treat each other with respect, and she is neither humble nor overbearing, which makes people feel good about her instantly.

The other two accompanying teachers, the older one is over 60 years old, the younger one is nearly [-] years old, both of them are good-looking and well-behaved people, but they are a bit withdrawn. went.

Shu Ning was a little suspicious, she didn't know what the background of these mistresses was, so she asked her mother in the carriage on the way back.Tong Shi said: "Emma can't tell. Some people say they are the concubines of the old man when he was young, and some say they are the cousins ​​of the old lady's natal family, but they are not sure. I heard that the old lady once A password is passed, no one is allowed to talk about their origins, and they just allocate some money and food every month. This matter is related to the privacy of the older generation, so you better ignore it as a child."

Shuning agreed, and kept the question in her heart.

The following days passed peacefully, and Mrs. Tong was busy helping Mrs. Nala to organize the housework. Although she was a little busy, she felt much more relaxed than before.

Unknowingly, the relationship between the eldest room and the third room is getting better and better. Although the fourth room seems to be ignorant of world affairs, the three sisters-in-law still get along well.Only the second room always avoids her, and Suo Chuo Luo always has a bad face when he sees people, so Nala doesn't care about her.

One day at noon, after Shu Ning took a nap, she remembered that she had promised Xian Ning to make cakes for him a few days ago, but she was delayed because of the old lady's affairs, so let's make it first while she is free.

The weather is so hot, let's just make horseshoe cake.Shu Ning went into the small kitchen, found water chestnut powder, mixed it with water, then soaked some red beans, put it in a bowl and steamed it in the pot.While waiting, she suddenly heard a quarrel coming from outside, she listened carefully, but it was Cuilian and Xiao Liu's girl who had quarreled, Shu Ning couldn't help frowning.

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Cuilian was very unhappy.The day after the old lady passed away, she packed her luggage and moved to Huaiyuan.Because she cried and said that she dared not go against the old lady's last wish, Tong kept her with a half-smile, but said that she was busy and "temporarily" arranged for her to live with other maids. house, we will make another arrangement in a few days.

The rough envoy who shared the room with her got up early every day to clean the yard, but snored loudly at night, so no one wanted to share the room with her.Cuilian was going to watch the spirit during the day, but she couldn't sleep well at night, so she suffocated and went to Ermo to ask for a room transfer, but Ermo said, "How can I take care of these small things now? You don't see that my wife is so busy." Are you about to fall ill? You have just been promoted from the second-class girl position, and it has only been a few months, and you have become delicate? Wait a few more days."

Cuilian had no choice but to swallow her anger, but after a few days, she felt something was wrong.Let alone serving Zhang Bao now, she didn't even have an errand in Tong's house.After the old lady's funeral, she could only do some chores, which was far from what she had expected.She tried every means to be good-looking in front of Zhang Bao, but someone always hindered her. Finally, she had a chance to be alone with Zhang Bao, but he just poured a cup of tea, and he paid her out.

Even so, Cuilian could barely bear it. After all, several seniors with the prefix "Cui" worked hard to earn their titles. This is the time to test her ability.But what made her angry was that no one in this courtyard treated her as an aunt, and Xiao Liu's status showed no sign of being shaken.

She didn't understand, this Aunt Liu, married and gave birth to a son, she didn't know what kind of good luck she had, so she became the third master.It's clear that the third master doesn't dote on her. I've been here for so many days, but I haven't seen him spend the night in her room.Why does everyone still respect her so much?On a hot day, I worked outside under the sun for a long time, and I didn't even have a cup of tea when I returned home. Not to mention that Aunt Liu had someone to wait on her, and Mrs. Tong even specially ordered me to bring summer soup.

How unreasonable!She is obviously the same as her (she thought), and she was bestowed by the old lady herself, so to speak, she is more noble than Liu, so why should she serve her? !The most hateful thing is that she has a virtuous look all day long, knowing that she is the newcomer of the third master, and she has no temper at all. Wouldn't she be jealous?

With such thoughts in Cuilian's mind, she became angry and deliberately refused to deliver the soup, and when the maid who waited on Xiao Liu came to remind her, she even said some ironic words with a stick in her arms.That girl was as honest as her master, not as quick as Cuilian, and couldn't compete with her, so angry and impatient, she almost burst into tears.

When Shu Ning walked out of the small kitchen, she happened to hear Cui Lian talking towards Xiao Liu's room intentionally or unintentionally: "...I advise my aunt to move a little bit, don't think that you are a serious wife, you are just Like me, why ask me to wait on you, advise you to be brighter, and see who your aunt is..."

When she saw Shuning coming out, she stopped her mouth and said with a smile on her face: "Oh, why is the third girl in the kitchen? If you want anything to eat, just tell the subordinates to do it, why do you do it yourself? Nothing will tarnish your identity .”

Shu Ning said indifferently: "So you still know what an identity is? What are you doing yelling here? You can say those words to the master?"

Cuilian's complexion changed a little: "The third girl, why do you say that? A concubine..." "She is the second-bedroom aunt who married into the family seriously. She is not the master, so are you?"

Cuilian blushed, her mouth trembled for a long time before she said: "I am the person who is close to the old lady." Shuning glanced at her: "It is because you are the person who served the old lady that I am so tolerant to you." , If other people say such things to my aunt, my mother-in-law will call out without saying a word. So I advise you, don't think that my aunt is kind and easy to bully, and just talk nonsense here, which really insults the reputation of the old lady. "

She turned around and walked back to the small kitchen, calling out to the girl, "Come in and get the summer heat soup." Cuilian was left alone, her face turned red and white, and she had to endure the strange eyes of passers-by.

Afterwards, Shuning told Tong Shi about this, and said, "This woman is really annoying, Er Niang, when can we let her go?"

Tong said with a faint smile: "Silly boy, the old lady kindly sent someone to serve us. How could we go against her old lady's wishes? But you did a good job today. The old lady always follows the etiquette and treats the difference between master and servant. It is very important. If the people she trains violate the rules set by her old man during her lifetime, of course we have to teach them well."

Shuning blinked and smiled knowingly.

In the following days, Cuilian became more and more sad.In the past, food and clothing were not bad, but now the quantity and quality are much worse.There is only one dish and one soup for the meals, and there are more vegetarians and less meat.The monthly money she just received was the same as that of Fenguan and other little girls. Even a new girl like Suxin received more money than her.

She was not convinced, and argued with the Lin family on Thursday, who was in charge of the monthly money, but was refuted by the other party: "It is recorded in the booklet in the house that you are a second-class maid, and the monthly money is the same amount. Suxin is already the big girl in front of the girl." Yes, naturally I get more than you."

Cuilian was left speechless by what she said.She was originally in the old lady's yard, and she was just a full-time cleaning girl, because some big girls matched people, some were transferred away, those who were kicked out were kicked out, and the old lady had no one to call her. It was pleasant to see her, Those who have just been promoted, the monthly money has been raised earlier, but the booklet in the mansion still maintains the original record for some reason.She thought it was okay, but at this time she suffered a disadvantage.

She felt very wronged, and wanted to find an opportunity to cry to Zhang Bao, and seduce her by the way, but Zhang Bao asked her to go to Tong Shi in a serious manner.Tong Shi was very talkative, and immediately paid her a tael of silver from her monthly money.But even so, it's just the monthly money of the big girl, she is the future aunt.

She complained about this to Tong Shi, but Tong Shi said with a surprised face: "What do you mean? The old lady clearly said that she transferred you here to serve us, and she didn't say that she wanted you to be a concubine?"

Cuilian's face turned cold at that time: "Third wife is confused, what is the old lady calling me here for? You have no shortage of maids in your yard, so naturally you want the master to take me into the room."

But Tong's face was straight: "You are so confused. At that time, the old master passed away only a hundred days ago, and our family was still observing filial piety. How could the old lady ask her son to take a concubine? She is the most polite person. Could it be Will you do such a thing that violates the etiquette? It is clear that you have ulterior motives, so you borrow the name of the old lady. If it gets out, others will think that the old lady does not follow the etiquette!"

Cuilian was stunned, unable to say anything.

(End of this chapter)