in spring

Chapter 288
Chunying put her hands in front of her to breathe for warmth, and then tightened her waistcoat tightly.This is a gift from the second old lady. The sauce purple silk surface and the sheepskin lining with a bucket of pearls are rare warm clothes in this winter. Because it was originally made for the second old lady, the materials are very particular. On the body, I just feel light and warm.Thanks to it, although she was wearing a thick padded jacket, she was still flexible in her movements.

Chunying was about to go to the west front yard.Now that it has entered the twelfth lunar month, managers of villages and shops under the name of Dongfu have come to offer offerings one after another, and Daxing Lijiazhuang is no exception.Since Wang Da and Zhao San were successively transferred to other villages, only the Zeng family and his father were left to take care of Lijiazhuang.Chunying didn't know whether her father would come, but just now the people on the second door quietly reported that it was her father who came, so she found a free time and ran out.The second old lady just took a rest. The old man loves to take a nap, and he won't wake up at any hour. She doesn't have to worry that the second old lady will find her, let alone Qiuyan and Bailing.

"Sister Chunying!" A soft call came from the front left, Chunying stopped, turned her head to look, and then smiled: "Little Lotus? What are you doing running out in the cold weather? But Miss Four has something to call you manage?"

Little Lianhua stood under the tree timidly, with her arms folded, with a bit of shame on her face.

Chunying looked at it strangely, so she walked over: "Are you here to look for me?" She reached out and touched the cotton-padded jacket on her body, "It's too thin, be careful of freezing. The medicine I asked someone to deliver a while ago, you Got it?"

Little Lianhua's eyes were red: "Thank you sister, I sent the medicine home yesterday, my mother told me to come and thank my sister. If it wasn't for my sister, I would still be doing heavy work in the big kitchen of the Hou Mansion. Can it be as relaxed and decent as it is now?"

Little Lianhua was originally one of the little girls that Huo Yi used when she was in the Marquis Mansion, and she got along very well with Chunying. An's angered Chunying and other maids who had served Huo Zhu because of the Huo family's property. Chunying and Shi'er were sent to the village, and everyone else was sent to work hard. Little Lianhua was assigned to wash dishes in the big kitchen, and she was exhausted every day.Most of these maids and women are born in the family, and the seven aunts and eight aunts can always get a little relationship with the housekeepers of the Hou Mansion. After finishing an errand, only Xiaolianhua and Yinhuan stayed where they were because they had no one to turn to.Chunying knew about their situation from Shi'er, and she gained a firm foothold in Dongfu. After measuring her ability, she took Shi'er to persuade Aunt Xu and took advantage of the opportunity of Dongfu to recruit newcomers. , and asked them to come over, Xiao Lianhua went to Miss Fourth's new courtyard to be a rough girl, and Yinhuan went to serve the aunt who had been ill for a long time.

Chunying thought of her old colleagues, and took care of them from time to time. Seeing Xiao Lianhua's distressed face, she knew that she must have asked for something, but she was embarrassed to say so, so she asked with a smile, "But the money for the medicine is not enough?"

Little Lianhua hurriedly waved her hands: "No, no, the monthly money was paid a few days ago, Miss Si also rewarded me with a few pieces of jewelry, it's enough to see a doctor and take medicine. I'm just... I'm just..." Twitching a bit, he said: " I went home yesterday... met Zigui and the others...they were not doing well, knowing that I was serving in the East Mansion, they were very envious, so they asked me to come back and ask my sister if I could...give it to them too... ’ Her voice was getting lower and lower, and finally she could hardly speak.

Chunying raised her eyebrows: "What are they doing now?"

"Zigui is doing rough work at Aunt Rong's place, Liu Lu...lost her job a month ago, and now she's at home. She was originally serving in the waiter..." Little Lianhua blushed suddenly, and secretly raised her eyes to look at Chunying, " They imagined that I was like Yinhuan, serving in the young master's lady or aunt's house..."

Chunying breathed on her hand, then asked again: "Does Yinhuan know you're here?"

"I know..." Little Lianhua lowered her head, "She told me not to tell my sister, and even scolded Zigui and Liulu, but... Zigui was often scolded by Aunt Rong, and Liulu's family still hoped that she would earn some money for her. Her brother's marriage...it's not easy for them...it's impossible to have a good job, if it's convenient for my sister, I can give it to them..."

It's not easy for anyone!Chunying sighed, and said: "At the beginning, I saw that you were having a hard time, so I helped you. I am not a big shot, but I took advantage of Aunt Xu's influence to make it happen. I am a girl, Getting people in over and over again, even if they have no selfish intentions, others will be suspicious, let alone sending them to the courtyard of the Young Master and Miss? Yinhuan is nothing, you can get your current position only because your wife has seen you in person before nodding. , Young Master, I can't get involved at all, and I don't want to get involved. Yinhuan has suffered a loss, and now he knows how to behave in the world, so he won't let you tell me. Think about it, this kind of thing is Can I do it?"

Little Lianhua lowered her head and blushed: "I'm sorry... sister... I just... think that we are sisters who used to work together... I also said that there were difficulties, but they said that I climbed a high branch and then There is no one in sight..."

Chunying shook her head: "Little Lianhua, you are kind-hearted, which is a good thing, but sometimes you act too softly, where did you climb high? It's just being a rough girl in the fourth lady's courtyard, and begging the fourth lady because of her temper. I like it, so I got one or two rewards. There are many girls like you in the two mansions. Zigui, Liu and Lu, were punished together at the beginning, but they left by themselves when they got a connection. I remember that Zigui and you were assigned Did you wash the dishes in the big kitchen? Did she ever think of you when she left?"

Little Lianhua's eyes were red again, and she choked up and said, "I was wrong... I shouldn't have spoken for them..."

Chunying took out her handkerchief to wipe away her tears: "You are a good person, so you can't bear to see others suffer. But no matter how hard they are, they can't go anywhere. Compared with Aunt Hua, Aunt Rong is already easier to serve, but He is picky about people, but he never hits people casually; those who have children who have lost their errands and stay at home mostly use connections to make money. Liu Lu's brother has hands and feet, so why does he rely on his sister to make money? It’s not about drinking. There are a lot of people who want to enter the East Mansion these days, and they’re trying to squeeze in because they’re talking about our master going back to Beijing for promotion, right?”

Little Lianhua thought for a while, and blushed: "I... I'll turn them down!" Chunying hurriedly stopped her: "What's the hurry? You can do your job with peace of mind. They are outside, and it's not that bad to ask for news. It's easy. Our East Mansion is not like the Hou's Mansion. You can let people in casually. When you see them next time when you go home, you just say that it's okay if you don't do it. They are outside, so you need to be careful that they are annoyed , find your house to vent your anger."

Little Lianhua glanced at Chunying gratefully, and nodded: "I see, thank you sister for reminding me." Chunying smiled: "Go back quickly, Miss Si must have something for you to do. I will talk to Yin when I am free on weekdays." Talking to Huan, she is more mature than you in these matters. I know that you have a guilty conscience when you enter the East Mansion. In fact, you are no worse than others. Don't think too much, spend more time with other girls. Let's play together and get used to it." Little Lianhua nodded with her lips pursed, and then walked away in three steps.

Chun Ying breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little headache.Since summer, she seems to have suddenly become a big shot in the East Mansion. The second wife is very fond of her, and often asks her to come around to help with the accounts or choose gifts for others. The second old lady has not expressed any objection, even Song Yi When newcomers enter the courtyard, she is the one to choose.She was a little vigilant in her heart, worried that if she was too popular, she would attract right and wrong, so she kept a low profile and humble, never being asked to do things by others, but unexpectedly, she was more trusted because of it.

To be honest, it's not impossible for her to do what little Lianhua asked for, but she doesn't want to do it.Back then, the situation of Little Lianhua and Yinhuan was really bad, and she wanted to add one or two familiar little girls to the East Mansion to help her, so she brought them in because she could trust their character.Unexpectedly, they were taken by the second wife instead, and each of them was assigned an errand.Now that she has taught a group of people, there is no need to recruit acquaintances. Besides, the two of them, Zigui and Liulu, are already a little sloppy, and their talents are mediocre. It is his own face.She has to resist the urge to meddle, and sometimes, kindness isn't for everyone.

Thinking that her father was still in the west front yard, she speeded up her steps, and when she reached the second gate, a woman came up to her with a smile: "Miss is here? Don't worry, we are still busy ahead, your father won't get it until a while later." null."

Chunying heaved a sigh of relief, thanked the woman, stuffed some money over, and asked her to get a pot of hot tea.The old woman went in a hurry, not only made tea, but also brought a small plate of salted broad beans, and added charcoal to the brazier. Seeing that Lu Yougui was coming this way, she gave up her small shelter from the wind , and asked if he wanted to bring a hand stove, and before Chunying could answer, he stuffed in his half-used cupronickel hand stove.

Chunying felt sorry, so she gave some money. Lu Da leaned on a cane and sat in the room, and then gave the woman a small piece of silver: "Sisters-in-law, let's drink a few liang of wine to warm up. Talk." The woman laughed even more happily, and hurriedly responded.

Chunying closed the door and looked back at her father's legs: "Father, have you been pretending?" Lu Yougui threw away his cane nonchalantly: "I don't pretend when there are no outsiders. It's okay! It's not troublesome at all, and I'm not lame. It’s just that I have leg wind, I’m getting old, and when I went to the south a few years ago, I got wet on the boat, and it’s cold in the countryside in winter, so I got sick.” He winked at his daughter: “I’m so Said, everyone believed it! Every time I went to your sister's house, I said I was going to the city to see a doctor, and they didn't know if I went or not."

Chunying smiled, and poured a cup of hot tea for her father to warm her hands: "It's been pretending for three or four months, and everyone who should know knows it. It's the twelfth lunar month now, why don't you take advantage of the Chinese New Year to be happy and let brother-in-law Come to ask for grace?"

Lu Yougui thought for a while, then shook his head: "It's not the time yet. The old Wang has been transferred away, and I have been in charge of the village's affairs. No matter how I pretend to be sick, the grandson surnamed Zeng Nagui refuses to take it. I’ve been watching that business lately. In fact, there are quite a few people doing this in the nearby Zhuangzi. Since the beginning of summer this year, our village has only earned more than 200 taels, which is far worse than before. In addition, my wife already knows To tell the truth, the amount of money falling into our hands is getting less and less. I persuaded him several times to accept it, but he refused. Now Lao Cao has left it alone, and Lao Wang and Zhao San have gone to other villages. If I If the errands are relieved, the farmer will have to change to a new manager. Zeng will definitely not be happy. If he is in a hurry, if he reveals the affairs of our family, it will be enough for us to drink a pot! We have to think of a safe plan It's a good idea."

Chunying frowned when she heard this: "Then what should I do? I don't understand why the wife appointed you as the head of the village? Obviously the Zeng family is the veteran, right? If you were the deputy, you might have escaped long ago!"

Lu Yougui smiled and took a sip of hot tea: "Same! As long as Lao Zeng and I are left alone, he won't let them go. Lao Wang avoided it. He and Zhao Laosan are doing well, and I'm at the front I met them and agreed to have a drink in the evening. I will try to mention it to them to see if there is any way to restrain Zeng."

Chunying lowered her head and thought about it, then sighed, it's all over, it's really frustrating that she can't get out with a kick at the door.Suddenly, she found a red scar on the lower part of her father's cheek, and she couldn't help being startled: "Are you injured?!" Leaning over to look, she was furious, "This...was from a whip? Who did it?!"

(End of this chapter)