in spring

Chapter 270 Goodbye
When Zhou Nian came to visit the Fourth Young Master Li Dun, Chun Ying was working at Song Yi Yuan.Because the meeting was held in the study outside, she couldn't go there, she was thinking about it in her heart, and she didn't dare to show it on the face, but she carefully put the spring clothes into the cabinet, and taught the little girls how to wear clothes. Folding, how to store fragmentary accessories, etc., and the summer clothes have already been taken out and put in the cabinet for common clothes.

Before lunch, the Fourth Young Master returned to the courtyard and reported the meeting to his grandmother and mother.The second wife, Zhuo Shi, also handed over the affairs of the Hou Mansion to the second lady, Yijun, and came back early on the pretext of something happening at home.Chunying took the tea tray from the girl in charge of tea, served tea to the old ladies, young masters and young ladies herself, and listened to what the fourth young master had to say.

The fourth young master, Li Dun, was an honest boy. He recounted his conversations with Zhou Nian one by one in a serious manner, and then said: "My grandson thinks that he is very knowledgeable. A student who has been studying for many years has a lot of pitfalls in his chest. If there is any deficiency, there is only one point. I see that although he can recite the Four Books and Five Classics, he is not very proficient in explaining them. He is very good at rhyming poems. He is very familiar with the important affairs of the court and the law. After talking with him, my grandson felt that his eyes were brightened, and some of the principles of human relations taught by Mr. Tu in the past can be understood even if he didn't understand them at first."

Chunying secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Hearing the tone of the Fourth Young Master, Zhou Nian's eligibility to accompany him should be fine, right?Anyway, the fourth young master is going to study the Four Books and Five Classics, neither of them are familiar with or proficient in it, so they can study together.Although Zhou Nian is quite good in the Hou Mansion, but the people in the foreign study there are too noisy, he has not been able to rehabilitate for a long time, he might be angry!The fourth young master is a good boy, he will never be popular, and the new teacher has a lot of background, maybe seeing that Zhou Nian is smart but has a hard life, he might be able to help him a little.

Thinking of this, Chunying suddenly had a thought: Lord Hou suddenly recommended Zhou Nian as the fourth young master's companion, could it be because of this idea?After all, Zhou Nian is much older than the Fourth Young Master, so I usually look for someone of the same age as my companion, right?
After listening to the grandson's words, the second old lady pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly: "In that case, it's all right. As long as you're not naughty, when you get along, you can benefit from each other, and that's the benefit of reading with you." Then he continued I was a little relieved: "I also saw this kid when I was young. He was smart and smart. I heard that his homework was often compared to Brother Chang. It is pitiful to be in this situation now, but he still does not forget to study and make progress. It is really rare. The Zhou family has been scholarly for generations. , It really is good!"

Zhuo had a different opinion, and asked his son, "You said he looks like a student who has studied for more than [-] years, so he must be quite young, right?" He turned to look at Chunying again.

Chunying knew that she was asking herself, and quickly replied: "I don't know the exact age of Mr. Zhou, but when I was eleven or twelve years old, I followed the order of the third young master to clean his house. At that time, he seemed at least Seventeen or eighteen years old, must be 23 or [-] years old now?"

The second old lady nodded: "I reckon it's about the same. He is the same age as Brother Chang, but a few months younger than Brother Chang."

Zhuo said: "So, he is at least seven or eight years older than Brother Dun! Which family's companion is so old? It looks like a long-term follower! He is the son of an old friend after all, although something bad happened at home. , but Hou Ye still treats him like a nephew, and if outsiders see us using the son of an old friend as a slave, wouldn’t it mean that we are making trouble? Xueshi Liu is a gentleman of high moral character, and he will definitely feel displeased when he sees it.”

Chunying was anxious, but held back her words.The fourth young master Li Dun said beside him: "I also don't think he is like a companion... It's good to make friends." He turned to Chunying and asked: "Didn't it mean that his case was almost rehabilitated? Does my sister know? Why didn't it work?"

Chunying couldn't answer that: "The details, I don't know about the maidservants. At the turn of summer and autumn last year, I heard that his family's case was going well. Later, there were several major events. The second young lady came in, Miss Huo's cousin got married , The slave girl's family went to the village again, and when the news came from Beijing, his family's case had been dismissed. Our subordinates don't know the details, and it's not easy to inquire after the slave girl returns to Beijing." Even if you ask She couldn't find any inside information. She was able to know so many things back then, thanks to the third young master's report.

Others can still do it, Zhuo Shi understood it first.After Chunying's family was driven to the village, the Zhou family's case was dismissed, which shows that it is impossible for Chunying to know more.She thought about it a few more times, and remembered that on the day when the second daughter-in-law of the Xifu, Mrs. Liang, entered the house, her brother set fire to the Hou's mansion and made a big fuss. Afterwards, the emperor revoked his reputation. Could it be that the Liang family held a grudge because of this and wanted to borrow Zhou The family case hit Xifu?She had already sent someone over there today to inquire about some news, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt that this possibility was very high.

Thinking about it this way, Zhuo Shi was even more unhappy.Zhou Nian, no matter how good he is, has already been involved in court battles. If he were to be his son's accompanying student and accompany him to study at Liu Xueshi's mansion, wouldn't his family and Liu Xueshi be involved as well? go in?Maybe Xueshi Liu will annoy his son because of this.

It's just that the second old lady obviously wanted to take care of the old man's son, and she also had the face of Lord Hou. Zhuo couldn't explain it clearly, so she said: "The Zhou family's case is a bit unclear, and I don't know what the future outcome will be. It’s better to respect that child as a slave, besides, he’s too old to be Brother Dun’s companion, so we should find someone else?”

The second old lady was noncommittal: "Your uncle has already recommended someone, and you have already accepted, and he can't find any faults. If you don't stay, how do you reply?"

Zhuo originally wanted to say to stay in the study outside to do his old job, but after thinking about it, her husband is an official in a border town, and his status is sensitive, so it is not appropriate to leave such a person in the study outside, so he said: "Let's delay for a while, wait for the wife After I've figured out a way to arrange it, it won't be too late for him to come over."

Although the second old lady felt that this was not good, but it was related to the future of the whole family, so she stopped talking.The fourth young master felt a little regretful, but when his mother said something, he also felt that it made sense, so he kept silent.

Chunying watched from the side, and couldn't help but feel anxious for Zhou Nian, but she also knew that a girl had no position to speak out about this kind of thing, so she could only comfort herself: Even if Zhou Nian was not good enough in the East Mansion, he could live a good life in the Hou Mansion .

After a while, the fourth young lady Yajun entered the door with joy, and immediately felt that there was something wrong with the atmosphere in the room, so she hurriedly restrained her joy, and respectfully greeted her grandmother and mother, and said hello to her brother.

Zhuo asked her: "What's so happy?" She quickly replied: "Jiu Ru entrusted someone to send a letter, she and her sister came out of the cabinet on the same day, and they are going to have a banquet at the newly opened Xifulou nearby. Please invite us to have a drink." Wedding wine!"

Chunying immediately realized, isn't that Shi'er's sister?That means the two sisters set up wine together?

Zhuo frowned and said: "Your girl is married, you see, for the sake of many years of love, it's okay to go to congratulate her, but why don't you put wine at the man's house? Set up a banquet in the restaurant outside, how can your girl's family get rid of her head?" Show your face?!"

The excitement on Miss Si's face disappeared immediately: "Is it really not possible...their sisters are all married to the family in the house and have children, and they are not outsiders, so they must know the rules..." Looking at her mother's expression, she also Knowing that it was impossible, I had no choice but to settle for the next best thing, "Then I'll just go to Wang's house and talk to her, and let Shuangxi and the others accompany me..."

Zhuo's expression softened a bit: "That's all right, I just ordered the mother-in-law and the little girls to follow closely, and when the time comes, the scene will be cleared, so that no one will run into me."

The fourth lady bowed her head, and the second old lady said with a smile: "What your mother said is right, and there is nothing to be reluctant to part with. If you really want to see Jiuru, just pass it in after the happy event. It's not like she's married. Those who don't come in anymore can still work in the inner courtyard as a wife, right?" Fourth Miss just laughed.

Chunying hurriedly seized the opportunity to interject: "Old lady, I want to ask you for a favor. That Jiuru's sister, Shi'er, grew up with me when she was a child, and worked as an errand at the same place. Later, she went to Zhuangzi together. , the relationship is different from others. Originally, the servant thought that when she got married, the servant would serve the old lady, so she could not be sent to her. Now it is a rare opportunity to ask the old lady to give the servant a face, so that the servant also Can you go and say hi?"

The second old lady smiled: "Then you go with the fourth lady. When you come back, tell me what's new at the banquet." Chunying was overjoyed and hurriedly agreed.

The sisters of the Wang family came from the courtyard of the Wang family in the back street. The Hei family had their own house, and the wood steward also got two wing rooms for the youngest son in the back street. They were refurbished and prepared to receive the bride.It's just that no matter the Wang family, the Hei family or the Mu family, there is not enough space to accommodate all the guests who come to congratulate him. In addition, several families want to be more decent. When they combined, they booked a restaurant in the back street to specially receive them. Friends and colleagues who came to congratulate you.

Chunying followed Miss Fourth, riding in a car with Shuangxi, the eldest girl in her house, accompanied by four wives, four daughter-in-laws, and four young girls, and six male servants followed the car. It took half a day to arrive at Wang's courtyard.Those who followed the car drove away all the men in the courtyard, leaving only a few respectable female relatives of the Wang family, and then asked the fourth lady to get out of the car, said a few words to Aunt Wang, and she went into the house with her Looking for nine such as.After Chunying got off the car, she looked left and right, and only recognized the Second Aunt Wang. She exchanged some pleasantries before entering Shi'er's room.

Shi'er was dressed in bright red, with golden flowers, pearls and emeralds on his head. It was the first time in his life that he was dressed up so gorgeously, and his face was covered with makeup, Chunying almost couldn't recognize her.She was overjoyed when she saw Chunying: "I thought you couldn't come! How do you say that?"

Chunying smiled and took her hand: "Fortunately, you and your elder sister got married on the same day. The fourth lady came to congratulate me, so I brazenly begged for grace and followed. Let me see, ah, the bride is indeed the most beautiful of!"

Shi'er was blushed by her words: "What nonsense are you talking..." The two laughed and laughed, and Shi'er said: "Tell me quickly, how is your life in Dongfu?"

Chunying was about to speak, but Second Aunt Wang came in and said: "The time is coming, I heard the sound of drums outside, put on your hijab!" Chunying and Shi'er listened carefully, and they heard the sound of drums gradually entering, and couldn't help but Much regret.Chun Ying secretly complained that the people around Miss Si were too ostentatious and spent too much time when going out. She was afraid that she would not have time to talk to Shi'er in detail, so she hurriedly said, "It's important, come to me later, we have plenty of time to talk." And took the embroidered red hijab to Shi'er.

Shi'er nodded, and took the hijab: "Thank you for coming to congratulate me today, we will meet later, let's have a good talk." At this time, Aunt Wang led the two women in: "Hurry up, sit upright. Yes! The sedan chair will be here soon!" And Xiang Chunying accompanied him: "I'm really neglecting you today, don't be angry with my niece, it's also a good idea to have a glass of water and wine in the front yard. Miss Si is leaving soon, and my niece wants to Don't rush over to serve?" Chunying had no choice but to squeeze Shi'er's hand again, bowed to everyone, and went out.

The mother-in-law who was following the car rushed over and said, "Miss Ying, the sedan chair is coming. Miss needs to leave immediately. Let's hurry up too." The son got into the car.

A row of carts and carts left the Wang family compound, but they happened to be blocked by the wedding procession.It was the bridal sedan chair of the Hei family who came, and I heard it was a lady from the East Mansion, so she hurriedly ordered everyone to make way, but the back street is not wide at all, where can so many people, cars and horses be accommodated?But it's too unlucky to turn around on the sedan chair.There are people on the side of the road who also have children, and hurriedly opened the door to welcome the fourth lady's car to drive in.Fourth Miss was very embarrassed, so she signaled her group to turn to avoid it.

So the group of them turned around and headed towards the end of the street, and the sedan chair of the Hei family came to the gate of the Wang family smoothly.The matchmaker who welcomed the bride and the groom from the Hei family all rushed to pay their respects to Miss Fourth, and someone reported to the Wang family so that the bride could get ready.Chunying's car stopped in the middle of the road. She thought that this was a back street, so she couldn't help but lift the curtain to see how long it would take for the Hei family to stop talking.

A familiar figure came into her sight, she hurriedly looked up, saw Zhou Nian walking on the side of the street, paused for a while, then continued walking.He seemed to have lost a lot of weight, and his whole body was filled with gloom and melancholy. He thought he was not doing well.

Chunying couldn't help feeling sad.

(End of this chapter)