Madam Hou

Chapter 29

Where there are women, there is gossip.

In August of the fifth year of Jinghui, three things were sung in Dayan Dynasty to Beijing: First, it is said that on the day of the second prince’s full moon, the Fourth Miss from Kang Guogong’s mansion sneaked into the palace with a brand name that she got from somewhere, and dressed as Chen The appearance of the concubine seduced the emperor in the back garden, but the emperor who was recognized kicked her hard and was still lying in bed with injuries; In the most famous brothel "Yihonglou" in the capital, they competed for the oiran "Little Dujuan". In the end, the second young master Jiang won the prince Rong's son with a slight advantage and embraced the beauty, but Mrs. Jiang became ill with anger; third, Fujian Battle Report, the vigorous three-year war against Japanese pirates, finally ended with General Su destroying the Japanese pirates' lair, and the Su family's army will return to Beijing triumphantly in a few days.During the anti-Japanese war, Lin Fengqi, the eldest son of the Marquis of Yongning, made a big splash. It is said that the elder son sacrificed his beauty and created a story of beautiful women saving heroes to seduce the daughter of the pirate leader to sneak into the pirate's nest and cooperate with General Su to finally defeat the pirates. You have made great achievements.

These three things, one good thing and two bad things, one is related to the Yongning Hou Mansion and the other is related to the Queen’s natal Kang Guogong Mansion, but these two bad things are related to the Kang Guogong Mansion. For this reason, Kang Guogong, who has been living in seclusion in Xishan with his eldest son, couldn't help but go down the mountain and return to Kang Guogong's mansion.It is said that Duke Kang did not even have time to take a sip of tea when he returned to the mansion. He first threw a teacup on the heads of his two sons with one hand, and then scolded his two sons in the study for two hours in full swing. .

When these rumors were flying all over the sky above the capital, Yin Niang was sitting in a small embroidery room in the Jingxiang Courtyard of Yongning Hou Mansion, holding an embroidery needle in her hand and fighting a plum blossom on a Shu brocade handkerchief.

Since returning from the palace, Mrs. Chen had talked with Mrs. Linhou that night, and the words were euphemistically repeated two or three times, expressing the meaning: I, a mother-in-law who has not yet settled down, have been so long-term It's not good to live with my son-in-law. For the sake of my daughter's reputation, I want to move out. Of course, I don't know where I live in the capital, so I want to ask my mother-in-law to help me find a cheap place in the capital. The transportation is convenient and the law and order environment is still good. Three houses. Of course, I paid for the house myself.Mother-in-law, look, can you do me this favor?

Mrs. Linhou really didn't want Mrs. Chen to move out, and the family didn't have a house or food, so it was nothing to raise two or three people for nothing.Ever since Yanniang entered the palace, Yanniang and Madam Lin Hou have had a certain relationship. Although the two still have a relationship of mutual dependence, Yanniang needs the Yongning Hou Mansion as a backer in the palace, and the Yongning Hou Mansion also needs to rely on each other. She wants to rely on Yanniang to improve her family's increasingly weak status, but there is always a difference between sincerity and insincerity. Mrs. Linhou still wants to take advantage of this time to use Mrs. Chen as a bond to repair her relationship with Yanniang.

Mrs. Lin Hou took Mrs. Chen's hand and tried hard to keep it, but in the end she couldn't resist Mrs. Chen's insistence. That night, Mrs. Lin Hou complained to Yuan Momo: "I don't know what you're trying to do. There is a house at home with a maid to serve, isn’t it more comfortable than moving out? But we have to move out in a hurry. People who don’t know think that our Yongning Hou Mansion is unwilling to entertain in-laws and deliberately kicks people out. What good reputation do we have? Besides, they came from the countryside after all, and they lacked the rules, so I'm afraid they went outside and made jokes and hurt our Hou Mansion."

Yuan Meme has always had a good impression of Mrs. Chen and Yinniang, and because Yinniang will have to go through the door to become the master of the Hou's mansion in the future, she comforted Mrs. Lin Hou with the purpose of building a good relationship. Madam didn't like it, although she didn't dare to say good things clearly, but she vaguely explained a few words for Madam Chen.

Mrs. Lin Hou was just complaining, she was unwilling to live in her house and she couldn’t be tied up to keep her from leaving, and Mrs. Lin Hou didn’t want to freeze the relationship, so she asked people to go to places around the capital to inquire about the house on the next day. .However, Mrs. Linhou also proposed that Yinniang will be the wife of the Shizi in the future to preside over the gift and socializing, and she must stay in the Hou's mansion to receive the education of the wife of the Shizi.Of course, she is also very reasonable. If Yiniang wants to go back to see Mrs. Chen during the break, she will allow her, or Mrs. Chen can come to see her daughter when she misses her.Madam Chen nodded in agreement.

But within three days, Mrs. Lin Hou found out that there was a qualified three-entry house in Yangjiao Hutong next to Maoer Hutong. The errand was assigned and the whole family had to go to the post together. The lady thought that she might not return to Beijing in the past few years, and she had to ask someone to take care of the house if she stayed here. Reset the industry.Because the lady was in a hurry to sell and the house was a bit old, Madam Lin Hou negotiated the price at 500 taels.

After paying the money and signing the deed, Mrs. Lin Hou called the craftsmen to redecorate it.In the first ten days of August, I checked the almanac and found a suitable date for moving. Madam Chen and Pingniang moved to Yangjiaoer Hutong. The servant girl called Ren Yazi to come over and bought eight maids. Some of these maids were young and some were big.

This was originally an easy job for Mrs. Lin Hou, but it made Mrs. Chen feel a little guilty and uneasy. She wanted to move out so stubbornly, and she was so careful and thoughtful in doing things, so she always felt ashamed.

After Mrs. Chen and Pingniang moved away, Mrs. Lin Hou began to teach Yinniang Mrs. Shizi's courses, and the morning, noon and evening courses were fully arranged.In the morning, together with the three young ladies from the Hou Mansion, I went to "The Rules for Women", "The Virtue of Women" and "Four Books of Women" with the female gentlemen. In the afternoon, I opened accounts, female celebrities and calligraphy for Yinniang alone. It's not that the three ladies in the Hou's Mansion don't need to learn this, but because the three ladies are all concubines, they are unlikely to marry the eldest son and grandson who support the family, and the standards required are different from Yinniang.Moreover, Miss Hou's education started from an early age, and she has learned almost everything she needs to learn, and she is not at the same level as Yin Niang's half-bucket level.In the evening, Mrs. Lin Hou personally came to teach her to host the Zhongfu and explain the taboos of the Hou family.

Mrs. Lin Hou invited her to teach her accounting, female red and calligraphy. Is it a man surnamed Li who is standing next to her at the moment, looking at her five fingers wrapped in white cloth, and said calmly: To become a qualified headed wife of the Hou Mansion, one must learn three things, first, settle accounts, second, female red, and third, calligraphy. Needless to say, the headed wife has to preside over the management of the middle donation housekeeper, and everything must be done with money. In business dealings, even if there is an accountant at home, you have to know yourself so that you will not be deceived by the people below. This female red is what you need to serve your uncle and aunt. No matter how precious things are, they are not as good as the clothes and shoes embroidered by yourself. Sending it to mother-in-law and sister-in-law is full of affection. If you want to get along well with mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, this female celebrity is indispensable. This calligraphy is just for social entertainment. It is said that reading characters is like reading people. Well done, when outsiders see you, they first have a good impression of you in their hearts. The second lady is very good at calculating accounts, no matter whether she is mentally or abacus, she can calculate smoothly. Although this calligraphy is not top-notch, it is barely enough. With this female celebrity, Second Miss should put more effort into her studies."

Mrs. Chen has no in-laws and sister-in-law to serve her since she married, and has never enjoyed the benefits brought by female celebrities. She has always been dispensable to female celebrities. Niang herself has the talent to study well, while Yinniang has been shadowed since she was accidentally pricked with a needle by the nanny who took care of her when she was a child. Mrs. Chen is also left to her. Anyway, after marriage, there will be maids to take care of her. It is enough for her to make clothes, shoes and socks, so there is no need to do it herself.Because of this, when Yin Niang grows up to 14 years old, the level of female red is only in being able to separate the red and white lines through needles and threads.

No matter what, Yinniang's journey to become a female celebrity is a long way to go.

After the second prince's full moon banquet, the news of General Su's success in fighting against the Japanese and the great meritorious service of Prince Yongning spread to the capital.

When Mrs. Lin Hou heard the news, she called Anida Buddha several times, her face was full of pride and honor.Even Lord Lin Hou, who has always been indifferent to his son-in-law, has a little more pride on his face. He seems to be blown up by a gust of wind wherever he goes. Looking at his son's luck, Lin Houye lamented that this son was not born in vain.

Although Yin Niang was locked up in the small courtyard to learn things, the news still reached her ears bit by bit.Yin Niang thought of the vague shadow that rolled down the mountain with her when she met the bandits that day, and then walked out of the mountain with her on her back, and she also had a small expectation in her heart.

On August [-]th, the Su family's army finally arrived outside the capital.The army was stationed outside the city. General Su Yun, Lieutenant Lin Fengqi, General Su's second son, Deputy Lieutenant Su Jin, and several other lieutenants led a team into the city to accept the emperor's appointment.

I heard that when the general entered the city that day, the streets of the capital were full of cheering people, many of whom were young girls waiting to be married.General Su was already past the age at which young girls can dream about because of his beard, so the girls turned their eyes to the young captain who had just done meritorious service, and all over the sky were flowers like scarves, handkerchiefs and purses. The end is a scene of a group of girls with red eyes.

In order to reward the meritorious soldiers, Emperor Jinghui gave meat wine and other food to the army stationed outside the city, and went to the gate of Chengtian to welcome the triumphant General Su and others.

After the words of praise and encouragement, the decree was issued immediately to reward General Su, who was promoted from the second-rank general of Zhenguo to the first-rank general of Fuguo, in charge of one army, and received a salary of 880 eight stones.Lieutenant Lin was promoted from Lieutenant Zhaoxin of the sixth rank to General Xuanwu of the fourth rank, receiving a salary of 250 shi.Su Jin, the second son of General Su, also rose from a sixth-rank lieutenant to a fifth-rank Ranger General.In addition, there are other rewards for those who have meritorious service, so I won't go into details one by one.After the award, the emperor also specially decreed to give everyone a seven-day holiday to go home and reunite with their families.

In the Marquis of Yongning, the whole family, young and old, had been sitting in the lobby waiting for the news. Yin Niang, as Shizi Lin's fiancée, also took a place in the corner of the hall and waited.By Xiangwu, Second Master Lin and Fourth Master Lin, who had already separated, had heard the news, and they each brought their wives to the Hou Mansion to congratulate them.

Mrs. Lin's second wife, Mrs. Liang, was the one who sent the bride price to Linping County. This time, Yinniang saw her for the first time after she arrived in the capital. Before that, she went to the home of her eldest daughter who was married to Yunnan to visit her newborn baby. Grandson, just came back yesterday.When Liang saw Yinniang, he took Yinniang's hand and said with a smile, "I haven't seen you for half a year, but Yinniang has grown taller and more beautiful." Then he asked her if she was used to living in the capital, and if she was invited Go to her house to play when you have time.

Yinniang saluted well and said yes, Yinniang has learned the rules for a few days, and she already has a faint demeanor of a lady in her actions and actions. Then he continued with a smile: "Sure enough, it's been three days since we've seen each other. Yin Niang has learned the rules better than our second girl."

Yin Niang pursed her lips and said with a smile: "Second Madam is making fun of me, I just learned a little superficial, how can I compare with Madam's sister."

Liang said: "I'm not making fun of you, you are smarter than my wife, and you can learn the rules quickly. After a while, you are afraid that you will be able to compare with most of the famous ladies in this capital."

Yin Niang continued to smile with her lips pursed, but she couldn't say anything.

Mrs. Liang has always been on good terms with Mrs. Linhou, so she should be more enthusiastic and talkative in the Hou's mansion, while Mrs. Guo, the fourth wife of Lin, has always had a mediocre relationship with Mrs. Linhou's mansion, so she doesn't talk much in the Hou's mansion. The Lord congratulated Mrs. Linhou, and because it was the first time meeting Yinniang, after Yinniang gave her a gift, she pulled out a silver hairpin inlaid with pearls and dripping water, which was of good quality, and gave it to Yinniang. Even if it's a meeting ceremony, it's over.

Of the people Mrs. Lin Hou sent out to inquire about the news, almost every half an hour, one person would come back to report where the eldest son went now, what actions he did right away, whether he touched his hair or wiped his face, Whether the expression is serious or joyful, and everything is in detail, he told Mrs. Lin Hou one by one in detail.

Waiting until Shen Shi, the last servant who went out to inquire finally came back, panting and pointing to the door, but he was panting so badly that he couldn't speak, and the anxious Mrs. Lin asked again and again: "What's the matter? Tell me quickly, I'm really anxious to death."

The servant finally breathed a sigh of relief, pointed out the door and said: "I'm back, the young master is back, the young master is almost at the door."

Mrs. Lin Hou exclaimed excitedly: "But it's true?" As she spoke, she pushed away the servant standing in front and walked out by herself.Lin Houye, Lin Erye, Lin Siye, Liang Shi, Guo Shi and others behind him also followed out.As soon as everyone reached the entrance of the hall, they heard the servant guarding the gate shout loudly: "The young master is back, the young master is back!" Then Lin Fengqi, who was wearing a suit of armor, flashed in from outside the gate.

Seeing her son whom she hadn't seen for more than a year, Mrs. Lin Hou finally couldn't help crying with red eyes, crying and saying: "Feng Qi, my son, you are finally back, I miss you so much."

Lin Fengqi walked up to Mrs. Lin Hou and Lord Lin Hou, and knelt down on his robes, and said to Mrs. Lin Hou and Mrs. Lin Hou, "Father, mother, the child is not filial, so parents are worried!"

Mrs. Lin Hou hurriedly stepped forward to help her son up: "Get up, get up, the floor is very hard, don't hurt your knees."

Lin Fengqi stood up with Mrs. Lin Hou's hand. Lin Hou looked at his son who was half a head taller than himself. This son had won the battle and became a fourth-rank General Xuanwu at a young age. He was proud for a while. Feeling extremely inflated, he patted his son's shoulder vigorously with one hand and said: "Good son, promising, just like you and me!"

Lin Fengqi's joyful expression at seeing his family froze in an instant. Does he look like his father?
Why does he have a feeling of being insulted by others, saying that his son never blames his father? In front of him, but he doesn't even know how to let his wife take care of common affairs.How could he be like him? Since childhood, no one has ever said that he is like his father.

Mrs. Lin Hou who was next to Lord Lin gave her husband a hard look, and said angrily, "Who wants to be like you." After speaking, she turned her head and said to her son, "Don't talk to your father, he always talks like you, It's so upside down, your second uncle and fourth uncle are here, go and say hello to your uncles and aunts."

Lin Fengqi nodded, and went to Erye Lin, Mrs. Liang, Mr. Lin, and Mrs. Guo to say hello one by one, leaving Lin Houye with a depressed expression behind him.Why can't his son be like him, it's only natural to be like Lao Tzu.

Second Master Lin looked at his nephew in front of him, patted Lin Fengqi on the shoulder, and said proudly: "Feng Qi, you are promising, Second Uncle is proud of you."

Mrs. Liang also echoed her husband and said with a smile: "Second Aunt is also proud of you!"

Fourth Master Lin is the son of the old Hou Ye's maidservant. He has always been the cowardly and inferior among the four brothers. When he saw his nephew, he cowardly said: "Fourth, congratulations to you, fourth uncle." There was no more content.Guo Shi also simply said: "Congratulations." Even if it's over.

After seeing his uncle and aunt, Lin Fengqi naturally saw Yinniang who was hiding behind the lord.

The little girl's stature has grown a lot compared to a few months ago, and she has grown a lot more beautiful. Her skin is fat and her eyelashes are like feathers. Under the two curved springs, there are still a little baby fat cheeks. She bowed her head Between them, revealing a slender neck like a lotus root.Lin Fengqi was about to say something, but at this moment, a person jumped onto his back and grabbed his shoulders with both hands.Before he could react, the monkey-like person on his back shouted excitedly: "Brother, you are finally back, I miss you!"

(End of this chapter)