Foster son and husband

Chapter 8
Meiniang was so drunk that she didn't wake up until noon the next day.

Feeling the smell of alcohol still on her body, Cuixi had asked her maid to make fragrant soup, and Meiniang soaked in the fragrant soup for a long time, then she put on a pink brocade brocade peony flower mid-length jacket, and a pomegranate red eight-panel skirt, Exquisitely handcrafted and elegant jade tassels hang down from the hem to the hem of the skirt, swaying with her steps, she has a slender figure, graceful and graceful, and the clothes are tailored very well, any less will be tighter, and more will be tighter. Kuan, the so-called natural beauty is hard to give up on. Qin Meiniang used to be very good at dressing herself up. From the fabric to the style of the clothes, she required exquisiteness and elegance, without any ambiguity.

After being ill for a long time, these clothes have not been worn for a long time, but there is no musty smell, and they are still fresh and fragrant. Meiniang is a little puzzled, Cuisi smiled and said:
"Grandma, don't worry. Last night, when grandma was drunk and fell asleep, the servants took out the clothes grandma used to wear, washed them, carefully ironed them, dried them carefully on the smoker cage, hung them up to dry, and waited. After smelling the scent of roses that grandma likes, I put it in the cupboard... After grandma gave birth to brother Heng, she didn't buy any jewelry or clothes, and there were not many good clothes to wear. These few sets were still the same as the previous seven... ..."

Wang Mama and Cuixi on the side suddenly coughed loudly, Meiniang looked at them strangely, Cui Lian hurriedly said:
"Oh! Mom and Cuixi sat for a long time last night, maybe they caught the cold? Hurry up and add some clothes, so you don't get really sick and give it to grandma!"

Ms. Wang laughed and said, "Yes, yes, it's so cold today, I really can't sit for a long time...Grandma's clothes used to be neatly hung in the closet, and they were all washed and tidied last night, and they are still in order." Qi hang back, Trish, you remember to do this!"

Taking advantage of Mei Niang's inattention, Ms. Wang glared at Cuisi, who lowered her head and replied, "Yes!"

Cheng'er, the little girl who was sent to the kitchen to cook a bowl of fish porridge, came in, holding a long and big food box in both hands, and said with a smile:
"Grandma, let's eat it while it's hot. Today we have sturgeon soup, pearl rice, and a shredded bamboo chicken... There are so many dishes!"

Cui Lian hurriedly took the food box in her hand, and scolded: "Little hoof, I told you to cook fish porridge, but you brought the rice, and it took so long!"

Mei Niang was hungry, she didn't like porridge in her previous life, so she hurriedly said: "I always get tired of eating porridge, I want to eat!"

The 11-year-old Cheng'er is wearing a double-clawed bun, with a red satin ribbon wrapped around the bun, and a strand of soft hair hanging from each ear. She is very delicate and cute. She tilted her head to look at Cui Lian, and said with a smile:

"Sister Cui Lian, it's not that I don't obey my sister's words. I also cook fish porridge. It's Chunyue from the wife's room who came to bring the stew for the wife. Seeing that the cooks ignored me, they scolded me." They said a few words, saying that the grandma dared to neglect her food, she didn't want to live anymore! Sister Chunyue said that the grandma must be hungry after being drunk for a day, and she couldn't afford it. Teach them how to cook a few good dishes, so I waited until now."

Cuisi was next to him and heard that the people in the kitchen made a show of face to the people in Tsinghua University. Annoyed, she pulled Cheng'er over and asked:

"Who is it? That Mrs. Liang again? Last time Xing'er went for a long time and couldn't get a bowl of porridge back. If you hadn't met Sister Chunyue this time, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to come back! You'll have to wait for Cuixi and I to overturn their table , is willing to honestly cook for our Tsinghua University!"

Cheng'er said: "They are really busy today! I heard that the second grandma came back and said that she was exhausted at her mother's house in Baifu and couldn't eat, so she wanted porridge. She drank white rice porridge and sesame oil for pickles. After frying, the shredded meat should be cut as thin as a hair, and there are several side dishes whose names I can't remember... The eldest wife and the second wife have not been going to Jinhuatang for dinner these two days, so they have to eat separately. Opening a table, the second master has guests again, and the banquet is held at Qi Sizhai, and the third master and third grandmother also want to have a table of good food and wine... The most important thing is Jinhua hall, there are rare customers, and they cook more than 50 dishes for one meal at noon. Not sure how much it will take at night..."

Mei Niang pretended to watch Cui Lian lay out the food, but her ears paid attention to Cheng'er's words, and she thought to herself: My darling, it's really hard to queue up for a meal to be a grandma!With this big family, each room has its own table, how many people are there in the kitchen?
Cui Lian arranged the dishes. In addition to a bowl of steaming catfish porridge, there was a casserole of rice, a chopped bamboo shredded chicken, served with five or six dishes of side dishes, and a stew pot of sturgeon soup. Chenger said it was Chunyue My elder sister scooped it up in the soup pot herself. The fish soup was boiled and ready to be sent to the second wife.

Mei Niang picked up the spoon and took a sip of the sturgeon soup, wow!That pure deliciousness is really beyond the taste of modern times!
He tasted the catfish porridge again, it was also very sweet and delicious, so he handed it to Cheng'er, and said: "Take this to the nanny, and feed it to Brother Heng while it's hot, be careful to pick the thorns!"

Cheng'er went out with fish porridge, and Mei Niang asked Mama Wang: "Isn't Lord Hou coming? Do you want to wait for him to eat?"

Mama Wang hesitated for a moment, and said, "Don't wait, Master Hou probably won't come... Grandma used to be in poor health, and her diet was different from Master Hou's. Grandma always had porridge, and Master Hou loved to eat meat. Because I am busy with official business, I come and go in a hurry, so I mostly eat at the East Garden... This Tsinghua Garden is the place where Lord Hou lived since he was a child. It was rebuilt after he got married, and the grandma lived in the main house. The wisteria flower stand and the holly tree are on the left. At the back of the Yuedong Gate, there is the East Wing Room where Master Hou works and studies, also known as the East Garden. There are more than ten rooms scattered here and there. There is a living room, a study room and a bedroom. A few girls and women are all serving the waiter over there."

Mei Niang drank the soup, took Cui Liansheng's half bowl of rice, and ate slowly while asking Mama Wang something.

"I saw the pool rockery in front of our main house. There are two rows of houses. That is also our Tsinghua University? Who lives there?"

Mama Wang, Cuixi, Cuisi, and Cuilian looked at each other, and Cuisi said, "Oh, grandma probably forgot all about it, so mother just finished talking!"

Mei Niang picked up a chicken leg and ate it, and said, "Take it easy, I don't mind if I remember it, but I can't remember it. If I ask you, you have to explain it clearly to me. It's better than keeping me in the dark." I don't even understand!"

Ms. Wang cleared her throat and said, "The two rows of houses grandma mentioned lived in Aunt Yi and Concubine Xiu. When Lord Hou came back from the frontier, grandma gave birth to her brother before the full moon, so the old lady took the initiative to provide the house. Ruyi and Xiuer, the two used to serve the old lady together, and they were like sisters. Later, Ruyi became pregnant, and both of them carried their aunt. Unfortunately, Aunt Yi accidentally slipped her baby a few days ago, and she was very sad. Until now, I still can't get out of bed, Auntie Xiu has been with her all the time, Lord Hou allows them to stay in the room, and come out when Auntie Yi is well."

Meiniang choked for a moment, Cuixi hurriedly brought her some tea, and Meiniang said, "Bring me warm water."

Cui Lian came up to serve her soup: "It's better to drink fish soup, this nourishes the body, it's still hot!"

Mei Niang shook her head: "I drank a bowl, that's enough. Leave some for each of you to drink a few sips. It's hard work. If you want to make up, let's make up together. Come, sit down, fortunately, there are only you by my side. People in his family don't have to be restrained in speaking and doing things."

Cui Lian Cui Si just looked at her stupidly, refusing to sit down.

Mei Niang said: "What's the matter? Do you want me to pull you into the table? Well, I'll serve you soup!"

Cuixi handed a bowl of warm water to Mei Niang, and said with red eyes: "Grandma, what did you say? We married grandma with us, and we only wanted to serve grandma well. I never thought grandma would... I thought it was too much." Afterwards, it was the fate of being sent to a village in the countryside by this mansion. Unexpectedly, grandma woke up again. We were too happy to be happy. We are willing to burn incense and worship Buddha for the rest of our lives. As long as grandma is good, we will be fine. Sit and eat together!"

Mama Wang also wiped her eyes with her sleeve: "There is absolutely no reason for this, grandma should not embarrass the slaves!"

Mei Niang put down her chopsticks: "I wanted to eat a bowl, but if you are like this, I can't eat any more."

Mother Wang panicked: "Grandma eats more, so that her body will become stronger!"

"Then sit down, and when the food gets cold, you won't be able to eat any of it!" Mei Niang picked up her chopsticks again, "Don't be rude to me, and tell you: I have died once, and I don't intend to be like before. You have to live in a different way! You have been with me these days, suffered hardships, and suffered grievances. I remember in my heart that you are like my natal relatives, who take care of me in everything, and I can't treat you poorly!"

At Mei Niang's insistence, Ms. Wang had no choice but to sit on the side, and the three maids sat side by side. The master and servants ate quietly. He took a small chicken leg for Mama Wang, took a small plate, put two big chicken legs on it, and said with a smile, "Give this to Cheng'er, she's cute and cute!"

Mama Wang said: "When grandma got married, apart from the old slave and Cui Xi Cui Si Cui Lian who accompanied her, the mansion bought two other ten-year-old girls as dowry. They were taught by these three big girls, Cheng'er and Ping'er, They are all sensible and hard-working, and there are so many things to do around them when they are running errands outside."

Mei Niang nodded: "Mom, tell me directly, is our Qin family lower than this Hou's family? My dowry must not be much!"

Mother Wang lowered her head and sighed slightly: Not only are there not many, although the Qin family has been officials for generations, they all served as Qingshui officials. Ren Shang retired from illness, and his family was in decline, so he managed to book a marriage for the uncle. She was the daughter of a small family, and before she got married, the old man died of illness.Meiniang's filial piety for her father has expired, and at the invitation of a rich friend, they go on a boat trip together on the lake. Marquis Weiyuan takes a fancy to him, and because he doesn't abandon Meiniang's poor family, he asks the emperor to marry him.When she got married, apart from a little extravagance, one woman and five girls, there was no other dowry property at all. The old ladies and ladies looked at her with indifference and disgust, just like looking at a beggar girl.However, Master Hou couldn't protect her, married her in, and went to the frontier to fight. She was extremely inferior and lonely in Hou's mansion, and she spoke lightly and dared not show her face in everything.

Mei Niang looked at the woman who wanted to lower her head to the table in front of her, forced a smile, and said: "It's nothing, I believe it will be fine in the future, I will try not to make you feel sad!"

(End of this chapter)