Ordinary clear day

Chapter 137 An Zhi
Shuning stopped and listened carefully to who was talking.

A young boy's voice was heard saying: "Brother Wang has asked me several times, but we have never met him before. We just heard that it seems to be a nephew from my wife's natal family who came to rest when he was sick." "Yes. That's right, we are just in charge of watching the forest here, how do we know so many things about the master's house?" It was the voice of another boy.

Shu Ning recognized that it was the voices of Niu Xiaosi and Wang Yishui, the servants who were in charge of guarding the edge of the forest.Both of these two were born in the family, and they were always smart and reliable, so they were specially arranged here by Mrs. Tong. One was in charge of Linyuan Pavilion, and the other was responsible for preventing others from going through the forest to Zhenxia Pavilion.As for that "Brother Wang", she couldn't tell who it was, so she took a few steps forward quietly.

The "Brother Wang" said again: "Don't bother me, are you so easy to deceive by looking at me? If it is really my wife's nephew who is here to recuperate, is it worth coming every other month or two? Everyone is in private As for the rumor, it is said that it is a nobleman from Beijing. Brother, I just want to know, and I won’t talk about it indiscriminately, so why are you hiding it from me?"

It seems that this person seems to regard Tongying and the fourth elder brother as one person.Shu Ning continued to listen, only to hear that Niu Xiaosi said: "Brother Wang, you can't talk nonsense, why would some noble person come to us? Besides, why didn't we hear anyone say anything?"

"Well, you stinky little four, will you talk back? If it's not a noble person in the capital, is it worth asking our girl to deliver food every day? Could it be that you have some ideas..."

Hearing this, Shuning's heart sank, and she went out: "Who is yelling here?" The "Brother Wang" was startled, and quickly stood aside with his hands down.Seeing that it was Shuning, Niu Xiaosi and Wang Yishui also saluted.

Shu Ning took a few glances at that "Brother Wang", and felt that although he looked familiar, he didn't recognize who it was, so she asked, "Which courtyard are you from? How did you come here?"

That "Brother Wang" didn't dare to speak, so Niu Xiaosi replied for him: "Miss, this is the young master's attendant Wang Gui, who has always been serving in the outer courtyard, so the lady doesn't recognize him."

Wang Gui?Shu Ning thought about it carefully, and remembered that he was the son of Wang Ruibao and his wife, and the grandson of Wang Momo, the old lady's companion during her lifetime. Back then, their family was sent to serve in the third bedroom. Wang Ruibao and his wife went south to Guangdong, but because of carelessness As a result, Tong's premature birth was driven back to the capital.It is said that since then, the two of them have only worked as a small steward in the mansion. Although the son is still working by Duanning's side, he has not been very favored.Duanning didn't bring him with him when he returned to Beijing this time.This person's position is not clear, it's better to be careful.

Wang Guiben was a little scared, but when he saw that the master was only a teenage girl, he thought it would be easy to coax, so he became more courageous: "Ms., it was the manager in front who asked the younger one to pick some flowers, saying it was a foreigner." The vase in the study needs to be used. It was just a few jokes with the two little brothers."

This was obviously nonsense, even Wang Yishui, who was bowing his head beside him, couldn't help but roll his eyes.Shu Ning sneered and said: "Someone does the work in the study outside. I didn't know that people who go out with men have to take care of picking flowers? Besides, if you want to pick flowers, there are no flowers in front of you? What are you doing in the woods? Even the fruits are not available now." Received it, don’t tell me that you want to break a tree branch and go back.”

Wang Gui choked and couldn't speak.Shu Ning stared at him coldly, thinking that this person became suspicious, whether he knew the truth or not, if he spread the word, it might cause trouble.She pondered for a moment, then said: "I don't care what you do in the garden, but it's best not to get too close to the Pillow Xia Pavilion. The guests there are sick. If you rush in rashly, if you get sick, don't blame the master." You are cruel." In order to increase her credibility, she gave Wang Gui a hard look.

Wang Gui shuddered, and asked tremblingly, "Since the man is sick, isn't the girl afraid of going there every day?" "Of course not." Shuning smiled, "That disease won't infect me." Wang Gui After hesitating for a moment, he asked again, "Could it be... smallpox? Or chickenpox?"

Shuning didn't answer, but told Niu Xiaosi and Wang Yishui to keep watch and not allow anyone to pass by, so she walked away with the basket, leaving only Wang Gui standing there, with a changing expression on her face.After a while, he asked the two boys in a low voice: "I never heard that the girl had smallpox or chickenpox?" Niu and Wang looked at each other and said in unison, "How do you know?" Niu Xiaosi laughed. : "Brother Wang, even if my brothers and sisters had these things when they were young, we don't know about them later, anyway, stop asking nonsense, if you offend the master, what good will you get?"

========================== I am the dividing line of the conversion scene ===================== ======
Shuning didn't care what Wang Gui said later, she went to find Chang Gui as soon as she left the garden, and asked him to pay close attention to Wang Gui's actions, and report back immediately if there was anything wrong.

After taking a nap for half an hour, she got up and started to practice calligraphy and painting.She practiced until the second quarter of Shen Shi, when she was planning to rest for a while, she heard the maids report: "Girl, the Zhou family sent two women to pay their respects, and the master asked the girl to see you."

Shu Ning hurriedly washed her hands and went to the flower hall. There were already two middle-aged maids waiting there, and Mrs. Liu was talking to them.She recognized one of them as Madam Feng, Mrs. Zhou's companion, and said happily: "Mama Feng, I haven't seen you for many years, are you okay?"

Feng's mother smiled and saluted: "Ms. Shu, I'm fine. Today, I was ordered by my wife to pay my respects to my wife, girl and aunt. I heard that my wife and the young master have gone out. What a coincidence."

Shu Ning said: "We haven't seen each other for so many years, Er Niang and I have always wanted to visit Aunt Zhou and Sister Zhou, but we always had such concerns, and it was so far away, so we never went to visit. It's great that mom can come, please take a seat."

After sitting down and serving tea, Mrs. Liu said to Shuning: "I heard from my wife that the Zhou family has always been on good terms with our family. It's rare for these two mothers to come from afar. Come to two clean rooms, invite them to stay for one night, and entertain them well in the evening." Shu Ning said: "This is as it should be, please worry about it, Auntie." Mama Feng and Mama Feng thanked each other quickly, Xiao Liu smiled Nod.

Shu Ning asked about the situation of the Zhou family, and Madam Feng said: "Master is still in good health, and the affairs in the yamen are going well, but I had a cough a while ago, and after taking medicine for two days, it is already gone. Madam, on the other hand, came all the way from Anhui I hurried over here, I was so tired that I couldn’t bear it, I’ve been sick for a few days, and now I’m calling for a doctor.”

Shu Ning hurriedly asked if it was important, Feng's mother said: "The doctor said that he was just tired and caught the wind and cold. It's not a problem, as long as he rests for a month or two. Now that the young lady is waiting by Madam's side every day, it must be nothing serious. Madam Now I can eat some porridge and side dishes, but my spirit is not very good and I get dizzy easily."

Shu Ning thought for a while, and said to Xiao Liu: "It seems that our family still has some medicinal materials, maybe we can use them, why don't you give some to Aunt Zhou?" What kind of medicine did you get, mother Feng told the housekeeper later, take some back, it is better than the ones bought outside."

Feng's mother hurriedly smiled and said: "Thank you so much. We came here to deliver something. I didn't think that the things hadn't been delivered yet, so I took the things from the girl and my aunt first."

Shu Ning asked: "What are you giving? Sister Zhou has any new books?"

Another servant woman hurriedly took out a bundle, Feng Ma took it over and opened it and said, "There are really two or three new books, and some needles and threads of different colors, all made by the young lady. I said please don't dislike them. There are also some pills, yes The wife of the family said she wanted it when she wrote back. Our wife wanted to deliver it herself, but she was still ill, so we had to send it."

Shu Ning happily accepted it, took a look at it, and was also very happy to see that it was a collection of travel notes and essays that she had never seen before.She asked about Zhou Yinlan's recent situation.

Mother Feng said with a smile: "Thank you Miss Shu for thinking about it. Our lady is doing well. When I was in Anhui, I read and wrote every day, played the piano and played chess, and learned needlework from my wife at night. After arriving in Baoding, I took care of my wife every day. , and learned to take care of the household affairs, everyone praises her for being smart and capable. Ms. Shu and my aunt probably don't know yet, our lady may be out of the cabinet next spring."

Shu Ning was taken aback at first, but then she thought that Zhou Yinlan was about 17 years old, and it was reasonable to get married, so she asked which family it was, Mother Feng smiled, and another servant woman said: "It's the family in the capital." , is Fan Hanlin's son, his name is Anzhi, and I heard that he is one of the most talented people in Beijing."

Shu Ning was silent, Fan Anzhi...couldn't be the emperor's illegitimate son, could he?Could it be another poet fairy?
She hesitated, and asked a question: "This Mr. Fan, is he good at poetry?"

Feng Ma said: "Of course I will, but I heard that the Fan family has been a master of classics and history for generations. They are rigorous in their studies, and the young master of the Fan family is also extremely talented. Everyone says that he and our young lady are a natural match."

Shuning lowered her head to drink her tea, thinking that it wasn't another one who wore it, it was just a coincidence.

Xiao Liu saw that there was some silence, so she asked how the Zhou family was married to the Hanlin in the capital in Anhui.Madam Feng said: "Mrs. Fan's family and Mrs. Fan are both from Shandong. The year before last, Mrs. Ma took the young lady to visit relatives in her hometown. They happened to meet each other, and they got in touch with each other. Later, Mrs. Fan saw that Mr. Fan has a good personality, so she went I have arranged a marriage for Miss. I originally planned to have it at the end of this year, but Young Master Fan will take the imperial examination this year, so it will be postponed until next spring. A few days ago, the Fan family sent a letter from the capital, saying that his young master won the imperial examination. When the spring is over next year, we will pick up our young lady to pass through the door."

Xiao Liu congratulated with a smile: "Maybe there will be double happiness at that time. This is really a gratifying thing." Feng's mother and another servant stood up and saluted, and said: "Grandma Cheng, good luck! Word."

Then they chatted some gossip, some daughters-in-law came back and said that they had prepared a place to stay for the two mothers, and Shuning let them go down.

Back in her yard, Shu Ning opened the package that Zhou Yinlan sent, felt a few new books and a few delicate embroidered handkerchiefs, sighed, and hoped that Fan Anzhi was a good man worthy of Zhou Yinlan, who could give her Bring a lifetime of happiness.

She was dazed for a while, then found a duan inkstone, and a hollowed-out magpie climbing plum and bamboo inkstone, added two pieces of good ink, and wrapped them in a big handkerchief. After thinking about it, she added two purses, He ordered Dongqing to be sent to Mama Feng's room as a return gift for Zhou Yinlan.

The two mothers of Feng were entertained by Zhang Bao's family, and got a few medicinal materials that were very useful to Mrs. Zhou, as well as a large package of gifts in return. They also received a lot of benefits. up.

Shuning continued to help with housework and delivered meals to Tong Ying three times a day.Now she doesn't deliberately make things difficult for him anymore, she often cooks some refreshing and delicious dishes for him by herself, and even specially made soup for nourishing her body a few times.

Although Tong Ying felt a little strange, but he was not a masochist, he thought that the little girl probably found out with conscience, so she happily accepted her kindness, and praised her every time, although the words of praise often made Shu Ning unable to bear it He secretly rolled his eyes.

On the third day after the Double Ninth Festival, Mrs. Tong and Duanning came back.

As soon as Duanning heard about Tongying, he immediately rushed to Zhenxia Pavilion, which surprised Tongying.The two reunited after a long absence, and both were a little excited. After calming down, Duanning blamed Tong Ying for being missing for so long, but he didn't even have a letter.

He said: "You don't know how anxious our friends are. Although your family didn't spread the news, we can't hide it. Every day, people go to the Prince Jane's mansion in the capital to inquire, which makes your mansion The housekeeper here ran away when he saw us. As for Fengtian, a few old friends were also in a hurry. I heard that your Ama’s hair was a few gray. We all thought something happened to you, since you are fine Yes, why don't you ask someone to bring a letter home?"

Tongying smiled, but remained silent. Seeing this, Duanning felt that her sister was also there, and it might be inconvenient to say some things, so she changed the subject: "Speaking of which, why do you look so bad? I saw you just now, and I I was shocked, how did you become so thin?"

Shu Ning interjected from the side: "Brother, he is already doing well now. In the first few days when he came here, his complexion was even worse than now. It's a pity that Brother Tong Ying refused to take a good rest, otherwise he would have recovered earlier."

After hearing this, Duan Ning was a little angry, and said to Tong Ying, "What my sister said is true? How can you ruin your body like this?"

Tong Ying smiled bitterly and said: "I also know that this is not good, but there is no way. What I am doing now is very important, and I hope to finish it as soon as possible, but I only have one person, so I have to rush."

Duanning asked what was the matter and if he could help.Tong Ying hesitated for a while, then said: "Come in with me, I will tell you everything."

(Zhou Yinlan's fiance didn't have this name originally, but it's not bad, isn't it? ^_^ )

(End of this chapter)