Concubine Biography

Chapter 23

The New Year is coming soon, and Xiao Fangzi sent new clothes for the New Year early.

"This is a new dress made for Madam. The pattern is chosen by Madam herself. The fringe on the corners is made of high-quality fox fur. Madam, take a look. If there is anything you don't like, please send it back for correction."

Fu'er nodded, tried on new clothes under Erchun's service, thought for a while and asked Xiao Fangzi, "Aren't you going back to the capital?"

Xiao Fangzi replied from outside the screen, "I won't be able to go back this year. I've already filed the papers to plead guilty, and the emperor has allowed me to stay here for the New Year this year."

Isn't it just the two of them celebrating the New Year this year?
Fu'er thought for a while and asked, "Will the people in the outer garden stay for the New Year or go home individually?"

Xiao Fangzi smiled, "Everyone will stay in Suyuan for the New Year this year, do you have any arrangements for Madam?"

"Just asking, there's no arrangement." No matter if it's the palace or Suyuan, Xiao Qinzi and Xiao Fangzi who are beside Li Jiarong have always arranged for matters big and small. She has no qualifications and is happy not to worry about them.

Xiao Fangzi curled his lips, "Madam, if you have any ideas, you can tell the slave, and the slave will definitely do it."

Fu'er tried on the clothes, ordered Chunmei to put them away, and took down the screen. Seeing Xiao Fangzi's simple and honest smile, she couldn't help laughing, "It's just that there are too few people and it will feel deserted during the New Year. It's not like going up and down in the garden." Let’s celebrate the New Year’s Eve together.”

Xiao Fangzi replied with a smile, "It's easy. If I turn around, I will accept it. If the master agrees, it would be a good thing for the whole family to have fun together."

Fu'er sat on the kang, drank a cup of hot jujube tea, squinted her eyes comfortably and said, "I just mentioned it casually, if it's troublesome, forget it, don't disturb the quietness of the master."

Xiao Fangzi said with a smile, "The rest of the day is fine, but every year on the first day of the new year there must be a lot of excitement. That's my big day."

Chunmei interjected from the side, "What kind of big day is it for the Lord? Could it be the king who wrote a letter at the beginning of the new year?"

Fu'er thought of one thing, and she had an idea, "Is it the birthday of the master?"

Xiao Fangzi nodded again and again, "Madam is smart."

Li Jiarong's birthday is actually the first day of the Lunar New Year, but it's really...

Chunlan giggled and glanced at Chunmei, "Sister, you must have missed something."

Chunmei blushed and spat at her, "I just said it casually."

Xiao Fangzi said to Fu'er with a smile, "Master doesn't like to let people know, it's a slave talking too much today, please Madam and two elder sisters take good care of them, don't spread the word."

Fu'er nodded, "Since Grandpa doesn't like it, let's just celebrate the New Year."

Xiao Fangzi pointed to the clothes, "Does Madam still like the clothes?"

Fu'er nodded, "The clothes are fine, I'm sorry for your trouble."

"It doesn't matter. If there is nothing else, the servant will leave first." After Xiao Fangzi left, Chunmei went to Fu'er and said, "Ma'am, if you don't know, it's fine. Now that you know, Ma'am, don't you have to?" Prepare some gifts for grandpa?"

Chunlan said from the side, "Didn't Xiao Fangzi say that I don't like people to know about it? Let's just listen to Madam and just treat it as Chinese New Year."

Chunmei shot her a sideways look, "What do you know? Xiao Fangzi just said that we are not allowed to publicize it, but he didn't say that we are not allowed to celebrate for the Lord. If the Lord really taboos this matter, Xiao Fangzi will not speak up. Besides, Xiao Fangzi is someone who is close to Master, and he understands Master's thoughts best, so he can say it out of course because he wants us to celebrate Grandpa, when will you silly girl be more sensible?"

Chunlan giggled and made a face, but didn't refute.

Chunmei's words made sense, Fu'er thought about it seriously, "Why don't you make a pouch for your grandfather?"

Seeing what Chunmei wanted to say, Fu'er explained, "It's only a few days before Chinese New Year, maybe there are other things to be busy with. Making a meticulous purse doesn't take much time and can show your heart, so let's do it , Make a purse for the Lord."

After Fu'er finished speaking, she asked Chunmei and Chunlan to prepare needlework and carefully sew the purse.

The 31st day of the new year is approaching, and the flavor of the new year is getting stronger and stronger. Fuer misses her family in the capital more and more deeply. She can only pass the time by sewing purses, and she can also dilute her feelings for her relatives miss.

On the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, Xiao Fangzi hurried over.

"Ma'am, I have your letter."

Fu'er was stunned for a moment, and with a shake of her hand, the tip of the needle immediately pierced into her fingertips, and bright red blood quickly oozed out.

"Is there a letter from me?" Fu'er asked in disbelief.

Xiao Fangzi put his faith in it with a smile, "Ma'am, look, isn't it your letter?"

Fu'er took the letter tremblingly, and the envelope was written in a font familiar to her father Chen Zheng. "Hurry up, reward!" Fu'er was too excited to speak, she threw away the sewing basket in her arms, and couldn't wait to open the letter.

Sure enough, it was written by Chen Zheng, saying that everything in the family is fine, Zhu's arranged a marriage for Chen Lu'er, she is a scholar, and the rest is fine, but the family is poorer, and she asked carefully about Fu'er's going south. Life, tell her to be safe and take good care of Li Jiarong.

Fu'er read the letter back and forth several times, carefully rereading every word over and over again, Chunlan thoughtfully took the pen and paper, Fu'er laid out the paper excitedly, and as soon as she picked up the pen, she burst into tears It came down with a click.

After crying for a while and cleaning her face again, Fu'er calmed down her surging emotions a little bit before writing again to reply.

Xiao Fangzi has been waiting outside, and he can clearly hear Fu'er's movements inside, and it is still difficult to calm down in his heart.

Grandpa even used the spies' channels to send private messages for the Chen family!Although Chen Zheng also sent a secret letter to the master, it is the first time that he has not separated public and private affairs like this.

Hope Lord is just as he said, just doing it smoothly, but now that the big thing has not been accomplished, everything has to be done carefully.

After receiving Fu'er's reply, Xiao Fangzi said respectfully, "Ma'am, the New Year is approaching now, and I'm afraid this letter will not be sent until after a year."

Fu'er nodded, "No matter what time it is, just ask Eunuch to send it out as soon as possible."

Xiao Fangzi saluted, "Yes, the little one will be sent to the station today."

"Thank you, Father-in-law." Fu'er thanked Xiao Fangzi, and sat on the heated kang, carefully reading the letter in her hand again.

On the eve of the New Year's Eve, the garden had already taken on a new look, and everyone looked happy. Fu'er changed into new clothes early in the morning.Not long after, a little girl came to pass the message, "Today I invited the theater troupe, and the master invited my wife to the Caotai."

Caotai is a special place in Suyuan for listening to operas. The name is simple but clear.Fu'er tidied up and took Erchun to the Caotai.

As soon as Fu'er arrived at Caotai, she heard a familiar voice, "Ma'am!"

Cao Xiaoman had already arrived, Fu'er walked over quickly, the two greeted each other, and held hands intimately, Fu'er whispered to Cao Xiaoman, "Sister, wait for me, I'll go and say hello to my grandfather."

Cao Xiaoman nodded, pointed to the other end and said, "I heard from my husband that the people who are here today are all familiar and close people. Our female relatives are sitting here and there will probably be two wives. They are coming soon, don't you?" If you want to go, there are all men there, so it’s not appropriate.”

Cao Xiaoman hadn't finished speaking when Xiao Fangzi came over. Seeing Fu'er, Xiao Fangzi smiled and saluted, "Master asked the servants to come and tell Madam that this garden is full of New Year's celebrations regardless of status, and Madam can do whatever she wants. play."

Fu'er's heart warmed, and she nodded at Xiao Fangzi, "Understood, thank you for me, Lord."

Cao Xiaoman covered his mouth and chuckled, "You can't see it on the surface, but the prince is really a knowledgeable person."

Fu'er shot Cao Xiaoman a look, "My sister will make fun of me."

After a while, two wives came again, very young, one was Zhang and the other was Qian.The four met the ceremony, the other three were regular wives, only Fu'er was a concubine, Fu'er didn't care, and naturally invited the two wives to sit down.

Cao Xiaoman took advantage of the time to whisper to Fu'er, "The husband of the Zhang family is a first-class guard under the prince, and the guards in the outer garden are all under her husband's care. We often see her in the outer garden. She is a very kind lady. But the Qian family Husband is a counselor next to the prince, his eyes are higher than the top, and he doesn't have much contact with us on weekdays, but he is closer to the local magistrates and wives."

Fu'er nodded, since she is inviting everyone to Suyuan today, although she can't be regarded as the hostess, she can be regarded as half the master, no matter how others are, she must entertain them well.

As expected, Mrs. Zhang was as gentle and kind as Cao Xiaoman said, and her relationship with Cao Xiaoman seemed to be very close.Qian's face was gentle, but there was disdain in his eyes.

Fu'er was not annoyed, as the play just started, so she listened to the play quietly with everyone, paying attention to their needs from time to time.

After watching the play, everyone moved to the Qingying Pavilion for dinner. Fu'er and other female relatives were naturally welcomed to Chunhuaxuan. After dinner and tea, a girl came to report.

"The fireworks are going to go off soon, ladies please move."

The place to watch the fireworks is located in the leisure hall, which is located in a higher place, which is very suitable for watching fireworks.

When Fu'er arrived, he found that the Leisure Pavilion had been divided into several small rooms. In the room where Fu'er came in, there were only Li Jiarong, Yao Junsheng and Han Ze.

"The two ladies are here." Xiao Fangzi hastily stepped forward to greet her.

Fu'er nodded, and walked quickly to Li Jiarong to salute, "Master."

Li Jiarong's cheeks were slightly red, and his breathing was very heavy with alcohol, he snorted lightly and did not answer.Fu'er greeted Yao Junsheng and Han Ze slightly, and they both returned.

Han Ze looked at Fu'er and Li Jiarong, then at Cao Xiaoman and Yao Junsheng, touched his nose and said awkwardly, "This won't work, I have to marry a wife this year."

Yao Junsheng stepped forward to help Cao Xiaoman sit beside him, and brought hot tea to her with his own hands. Hearing this, he nodded repeatedly, "You should calm down."

Li Jiarong was leaning against the window, holding a flagon in his hand, Fu'er took the cloak in Xiao Fangzi's hand, stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, stretched his arms, barely reaching his neck, for him Put on the cloak.

It was the first time she saw a foreigner, she was really embarrassed, she was about to go back first to accuse Li Jiarong, when she heard Li Jiarong snorted in a drunken voice, "Junsheng, can you take what he said seriously? Tomorrow morning, he will definitely refuse to admit it."

Han Ze laughed loudly, "You still understand me."

Li Jiarong snorted coldly, turned around, turned his back to them and dragged Fu'er into his arms, wrapping Fu'er tightly in his cloak.

"..."

Bang!
"What?" The fireworks had already exploded in the sky, covering Fu'er's exclamation and Li Jiarong's words. Fu'er raised her head and asked Li Jiarong loudly, the sound of fireworks in her ears was loud.

Hush!Seeing Li Jiarong make a gesture, Fu'er picked up the flagon and leaned against the window and drank it. Looking up at the gorgeous fireworks in the sky, her eyes were blurred and her expression was lonely.

Fu'er was dumbfounded, this was the first time she saw Li Jiarong showing such an expression, confused and lonely, with a mocking smile on the corner of her mouth.

After many years, Fu'er still didn't know what Li Jiarong said to her.

(End of this chapter)