Biography of Concubine Shujia

Chapter 5

The old lady and her confidant Nanny Sun carefully calculated the details of how to marry the Chen family in the next year, and the eldest lady also invited her confidants to carefully arrange the upcoming sacrificial stove.

This is a major matter in the mansion, no matter how much they fight with the other houses on weekdays, the Elder Master and the Old Madam will turn a blind eye, if something goes wrong with the sacrificial stove, they will not have to be housekeepers.

The busy days are passing by quickly, and the meaning of the year is getting stronger and stronger.

On the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, the day of resigning from the stove, Yunqiwei's mansion was very lively.Early in the morning, the big kitchen in the mansion started to work, preparing all kinds of tools and food needed for the stove.At the hour of You, the sun was setting. Du Xianzhu, the current head of the Du family, looked at the sky, arranged his clothes, and prepared to sacrifice to the stove.

Shi Niang secretly looked at the heads of the Du family in the crowd.As the officiant of the Du family, the Elder Master is impeccable in terms of appearance, temperament and demeanor.His words and deeds all represent the whole Du family, and he has indeed done what he deserves.

The undegraded Xijue from his father Lao Yun Qiwei can illustrate this son's ability.Du Xuexian took off his green fifth-grade court clothes today, and wore a crescent-colored robe with wide sleeves and a wide body, taking advantage of his tall stature.The quality of the robe was very good, it looked elegant and expensive, and a cluster of bamboo was embroidered with blue silk thread on the corner of the robe, which coincided with the name of the elder.

The elder looked at him in his 30s, with clear eyes and thick eyebrows slanted into his temples. His whole face looked very handsome, but his eyes gave people a sense of insight through vicissitudes of life. He was the helm of a family capable of becoming great.

Shi Niang turned her eyes and saw Du Xianlan, the second master of the Du family standing silently behind the eldest master.The second master was the magistrate of Taoyang County at that time. He served for three years and passed the assessment every year. He thought that he would make a move when the three-year assessment expired in the near future, and his promotion was just around the corner.

Compared with the eldest brother who is the eldest son who is decisive and decisive, this son is calm and peaceful, which is a help to both the family and the eldest brother.Master Du Er was wearing a blue long gown with small orchids embroidered with silver thread on it, and the solemn expression on his face made him more dignified and polite.He followed the elder brother and glanced at him, making people trust for no reason.

Behind the second master is a man in a purple brocade robe. The man has a lazy expression, which is different from the seriousness of the elder master and the second master. He looks warm.The nimble eyes, the light flashing through the eyelashes from time to time, make people feel that this person must be extraordinary.

Bouncing off the dust that did not exist on the brocade robe, the man smiled provocatively at the elder, and when the elder was about to glance at him, he lowered his head and did not move, only staring at the raindrops embroidered with gold thread on his brocade robe .The man is Du Xianyu, the current third master of the fourth-rank Yunyang magistrate of the Du Mansion.

Unlike the eldest master who is decisive and capable, and the second master who is calm and peaceful, the third master is known as the "Silver Fox" in official circles. Purpose.

The cunning of politicians, the third master has learned a lot.Although being the highest official in the Du family, the third master did not seek benefits for any brothers, nephews and nephews in the family.As one of the most powerful people, the suggestions he put forward are often not suitable for the development strategy formulated by the Grand Master for the family.

So on the surface, the third master is the person who has the most say in the Du family other than the elder master. In reality, the elder master's biggest request for this outstanding younger brother is not to bring disaster to the family.

The uncle, the second uncle and the third uncle each have their own characteristics. On the other hand, looking back at Du Xianxue, the fourth master of the father, ten mothers had to sigh with emotion the law of "nine sons of the dragon god, but different sons".

It's not that Shi Niang has a crush on her father, Du Xianxue, the fourth master of the Du family, is definitely not bad in appearance, even better than her three elder brothers.He is also wearing a light-colored robe, but the robe is embroidered with large calendula flowers, giving people a sense of luxury and luxury.He can attract people's attention for no reason, but he looks like he doesn't know what's going on, which makes people feel helpless.

Ten Niang secretly observed around, and found that the uncle, the second uncle and the third uncle, including the grandmother, saw that their father's clothes and expressions were all looking like they wanted to teach him a lesson.Shi Niang expressed deep sympathy for her grandmother and uncle who had to worry about the state of her son/brother when she was old, and at the same time felt a little guilty.

If Shi Niang hadn't caused father to miss his mother, father would not have thought of the trivial matter of mother's liking for calendula.However, Shi Niang didn't regret making her father miss her deceased mother. She had to give the side wife a blow so that she would be temporarily unable to fight with her and give herself time to carry out her own plan.

Although the son doesn't say anything about the father's faults, in Shi Niang's view, the father is very good to his children, but he has been raised to be a bit ignorant, leading everyone's sons and scholars to be innocent, and there is a state of not knowing the dangers of the world.

Shi Niang didn't know what the family thought of her father.As the youngest son of the virtuous generation, the fourth master is only 30 years old.After winning the concubine, the Du family used a lot of contacts to clear up the relationship and let him stay in the capital.Just to let him not make mistakes under the eyes of the elder, and just be a wealthy idler with fame and fame.

The family knew his character well. Although the fourth master who had served in the Imperial Academy for many years did not make a big mistake, the annual appraisal was only for the top middle school, and the family would not spend more energy and money to push him.Not surprisingly, the fourth master can reach the top five grades in his life.A man who can't even take care of the backyard is embarrassing.

Shi Niang doesn't know the family's evaluation of her father, but she knows that his father's temperament is actually not suitable for officialdom, and he is too hesitant and soft.From the mother alone, it can be seen that her character is flawed.In fact, the father is not affectionate and unforgettable to the mother.For a person who can't even protect his wife and daughter, it is too difficult for people to trust him.

Shi Niang can understand the hardships of her mother back then, and grace is not unimportant, but after all, no heirs are as reliable.Since the father loves the mother, he shouldn't let the side wife take pride in her favor, and she can't even give the mother the most basic respect.

Even because of his incompetence, he gave Mrs. the side the opportunity to murder his own son because of his son's demeanor.The victim's original wife suffered physical injuries and even died prematurely due to childbirth.Although the mother's early death was caused by the fight between wives and concubines in the backyard because of inferior skills, this tragedy was not caused indirectly by the father.

After my mother passed away, my father kept filial piety for his mother for a year, and he ignored himself, forcing himself to the point where he had to ask himself to go out to make trouble.

Not to mention that after staying for a full year, the side wife immediately took control of the father's backyard, and the father did not miss his mother as much as he imagined.

For two years, my mother invited her to her former residence, Tianranju, but she didn't see him stepping into it.I started to divorce from the bottom, and my father, as I expected, was dissatisfied with his wife and son.Don't you know, if he has affection and respect for his mother, how can the son of his wife be disrespectful to his aunt.There is a saying that the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam is crooked.It is vividly reflected in Shi Niang, a concubine elder brother.

While Shi Niang was thinking, Elder Du had already led the men of the Du family into the kitchen on the other side.

Behind the gentlemen, there are men from each house.

Among the younger generation, the third young master, Du Zitian, followed closely behind him were the eldest young master Du Ziqing and the sixth young master, Du Ziyun. Naturally, those who followed them were the concubines from each family.

Du Ziqing is the elder, but as the eldest grandson of Du Zitian, his status is naturally higher than that of the second wife's eldest son, so the first one is Du Zitian, the eldest grandson of the Du family.The Eldest Young Master and the Third Young Master have a good relationship, and they didn't turn against each other because of the private disagreement between the eldest wife and the second wife.The two looked at each other and entered the kitchen, followed by the Sixth Young Master.

The remaining young masters from each room entered in turn under the leadership of the second young master Du Zifeng.They are both concubines, but the second young master is from the eldest wife, and he and the seventh young master Du Zhijun, who is also from the fourth wife, have the highest status among the concubines.And because the seventh young master is young and the fourth wife has no sons, the situation of the seventh young master is much better than that of the second young master.

The second young master already felt the oppression from his younger brother, the third young master, but what could he do as a bastard.Let's not mention the second young master's thoughts in this spare time.

After the male family entered, the old lady straightened his clothes and led the female family members to stand respectfully outside the kitchen.The old lady is respected, and behind her are the eldest lady and other elders.The leader of the third generation is the eldest young master's wife, Feng Shi. She is the second wife's niece and the only daughter-in-law. It is not an exaggeration for her to be at the top of the three generations.

The ten wives are at the bottom of the list, but the daughters of the Du family are not respected by concubines and concubines like the males, but are only ranked by order.Behind Shi Niang is the family's servants and maidservants, and they also lined up one by one, standing in the courtyard and waiting.

"The sacrifice to the stove begins!" With the housekeeper's shout, everyone in the Du family bowed respectfully.

I saw the leader, the elder, respectfully offering incense and worshiping the Stove Lord who was set up in the altar on the stove wall.Behind him, men, women and children of the Du family followed him in turn to salute.There is a nanmu square table in front of the shrine, and on the table are offerings such as sesame candies, candied melons, dumplings, and candied melons made of caramel and noodles, as well as fine wine to honor the Stove Lord.

After the whole family finished saluting, Mr. Du stepped forward, respectfully picked up the caramel on the square table, and carefully painted it around the mouth of the Stove Lord on the statue, and said while painting: "Speak more good words, and talk more bad words." Don’t say anything.” Following his voice, the whole family sang softly together, “Say more good things, but don’t say bad things”.

The old man picked up the jug on the table and slowly poured it on the ground. After three cups, he put down the jug.The second master took a step forward, took out the statue from the shrine, and handed it over to the grand master.

The elder held the statue and walked out of the kitchen first.The rest of the Du family followed closely and came to the yard. Sesame stalks and pine branches had been piled up in the yard, and the paper horse and fodder were also prepared. The third master lit the torch and lit the statue of the Stove Lord.

Then the second master, the third master and the fourth master also set fire to the sesame straw, pine branches and paper horse fodder in turn.For a while, the yard was brightly lit, and the family kowtowed around the fire, praying while burning, "This year is the 23rd, and I will send the Kitchen God to the west. There are strong horses and fodder, and the journey will be safe and sound. The sugar melons offered are sweet and sweet. Please speak well to the Jade Emperor."

After the burning is completed, the Stove Lord is considered to be sent away.

The elder got up first to help the old lady, and the servants got up one by one, and the group of people walked towards Yunran in a mighty way.

(End of this chapter)