Madam Hou

Chapter 3

The night is cold and heavy, it is autumn and winter.

There is no moon on the treetops and no stars in the sky, and the Yongning Hou Mansion is so quiet that not even a cricket is chirping. Such a night without poetic charm is really suitable for going to bed early.

The little maid standing at the door in the Congjing Courtyard just squinted her eyes and then slowly drooped her head. When her chin was about to hit her chest, she suddenly woke up and yawned sleepily. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Then there was candlelight coming in from the verandah at the gate of the courtyard, followed by two bright red lanterns.

Linglong and Cuizhu, the big maids beside Mrs. Lin Hou, held up a bright red lantern each, and walked behind Mrs. Lin Hou who came out with disheveled hair and only a coat, and followed Mrs. Lin Hou's footsteps in a hurry. Come over here.Most of the drowsiness in the little girl's head flew away immediately, she stood up straight and respectfully, and greeted Madam Linhou: "Hi Madam!"

Mrs. Lin Hou nodded and asked, "Is Yanniang asleep?"

"Yes. Madam wants to wake up Miss Yan, so I'll go and wake up Sister Caitao right now."

Because Yanniang is still a guest in the Yongning Hou Mansion, the maids at home, in order to distinguish Yanniang from the decent ladies in the Hou Mansion, it is not easy to call Miss Chen directly, which seems unfamiliar and disrespectful, so they make a compromise. She lost one word in her name and called her Miss Yan.

Mrs. Lin Hou waved her hand and said, "Don't wake her up when she's asleep. You call Caitao out."

The little maid hurriedly responded, walked to the door and knocked lightly three times, twice urgently and then slowly, which meant to let the maid on night duty in the inner room come out.After a while, a maidservant with a delicate face in a green bi-armour opened the door softly and asked the gatekeeper what was going on in a low voice. This was the maid Caitao.Caitao had just finished asking, then glanced across the courtyard, and saw Mrs. Lin Hou standing tall and dignified in the middle of the courtyard, she was startled, and hurriedly greeted her with blessings.

Mrs. Lin Hou glanced at her, then turned around and left the courtyard gate, Linglong gave Caitao a knowing wink, signaling her to follow.

In Tangrong Courtyard, the red candles on both sides were quietly burning on the candlesticks, the wicks made crackling sounds, and the flames rose higher and higher, illuminating the entire hall brightly.Linglong and Cuizhu got all the maids down, and they stood guard at the door, one on the left and the other on the right.

At the top of the hall, Mrs. Lin Hou was sitting on a couch covered with bright red and brocade matting, holding a Ru kiln filled white gaiwan in her left hand, and taking a sip of tea with the lid casually in her right hand. , put the tea bowl on the carved lacquer table on the left hand side of the couch.

Cai Tao stood at the bottom with lowered eyebrows, feeling uneasy.

Caitao is one of the three maids brought by Mrs. Lin Hou to serve Yan Niang, the other two are Caizhu and Caici, but Caizhu and Caici grew up in the mansion. They are all rigid, and there is a faint feeling of looking down on Yanniang, but Yanniang doesn't like it very much.Only Caitao has just been promoted from Chuang Tzu, and she can get along better with Yanniang. Sometimes the two of them can talk about flowers and plants for a whole day, so Yanniang is also closest to Caitao.

Mrs. Lin Hou drew several circles on the small table with her finger, and then she asked the painted pottery: "What does Yanniang usually do in the yard?"

But there are some questions that are asked knowingly. Since Yanniang was picked up, someone has reported Yanniang's daily schedule to Mrs. Linhou. This kind of supervision is not for doing anything, but the wife of the Houmen always likes everything. The feeling of being in control.

"When I'm in class, I learn the rules in the house, and after class, I do needlework, and sometimes I practice calligraphy."

"Has Second Young Master visited Yanniang?"

Cai Tao became even more apprehensive. There was always a feeling that Mrs. Lin Hou wanted to punish others and found a pit for her to jump into, but she didn't dare to lie.

"Yes, when Ms. Yan first came, the second young master climbed up to the wall to look at it. Later, when Ms. Yan found out, the second young master fell off the wall in fright, and then ran away without looking back. Talked."

"Have you sent anything? For example, jade pendants, hairpins, etc."

"The Second Young Master sent a kitten a few days ago."

"What kind of gift did Yan Niang return?"

"It's a pot of magnolia flowers picked from the flower room at home."

"No handkerchiefs, purses, etc?"

"No."

Mrs. Lin Hou sighed in her heart, she is a smart and cautious child.Although the marriage with the concubine is a matter of iron and steel, but the marriage has not been settled for a day, but it can be guarded against men and women.If the marriage fails like now, there will be no place where people will say that they are rude. I only gave a pot of flowers that day, and I picked them in his flower room. Who can say that she can't accept them privately? .

It's a pity that such a smart child has to be sent to the palace to be ruined by the Tian family.But then again, for such a smart child, his luck would not be light, if only the emperor would value him all the time.Although the Yongning Hou Mansion has not been defeated since the death of the old Hou Ye, Lin Hou Ye has no virtue or talent. No matter how hard she plans, the support of the family's worthless men can't stop the family from declining day by day.Although her eldest son is promising, he is still young and has not experienced it.

When Yanniang entered the palace, her mother's family was powerless, and she could only rely on the Marquis of Yongning. If she could win the emperor's favor and give birth to a prince, she would be able to rely on the Marquis of Yongning.It seems that the bond between Yanniang and Yongning Hou Mansion should be deepened.

Mrs. Lin Hou calculated carefully before continuing to say to Caitao: "Listen clearly, Niang Yan came to the mansion because I picked her up in order to repay her life-saving grace, and has nothing to do with the second young master."

Cai Tao was secretly a little surprised, although it was difficult to spread the word because she was not engaged, but the maid who served Yanniang in the Cong Jingyuan knew that Yanniang would be the Second Young Mistress in the future, so she had nothing to do with the Second Young Master.Although Cai Tao was surprised, but the quality of the servant girl made her expressionless, she just answered yes politely.

"If you let me know who has a long tongue in the house and says something unruly," Mrs. Lin Hou shot her eyes coldly: "Be careful with your tongue."

Cai Tao trembled in fright, knelt down and kowtowed: "I dare not."

This kind of look is too familiar, whenever Mrs. Linhou wants to deal with the unruly maids and aunts in the house, she will show this kind of look.

"Get up, take good care of Yanniang, and you will have your own future in the future."

"Yes."

"In the future, if the second young master sends something again, don't hand it over to Yanniang, just send it to me."

"Yes."

"Go back, lest Yanniang won't be able to find you when she wakes up."

Two days later, Eunuch Li invited Master Lin Hou to drink in Baoxiang Pavilion again.After the two exchanged a few words at the banquet, Eunuch Li said again: "Speaking of which, it will be the birthday of Concubine Shu in the palace in two days. The emperor told me a few days ago that the palace is too dull. , we should properly organize the birthday of the empress, and invite the wives from abroad, so as to make the palace lively and lively."

This time Lord Lin Hou finally had a clearer mind, and hurriedly echoed: "A few days ago, my wife told me that she hadn't entered the palace for a long time to greet the empress and concubine Shu, and she was about to bring Yanni into the palace to pay her respects. Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. It's just that my wife is afraid that Yanni will not know the rules and offend the nobles in the palace."

Director Li nodded in satisfaction, and said: "Let Madam bring it here, no matter whether it's the ladies or the emperor in the palace, they are not people with strict rules."

The two continued to drink a few more cups, and then went back to find their parents.

When I got back to Hou Mansion, I happened to see Yanniang coming out of Tangrong Courtyard.Yanniang stepped forward to pay respects to Master Lin, her movements were smooth and flowing, her skirt was windy, her ring was silent, her standard was natural, she seemed to have the demeanor of a noble lady in Beijing.

Lin Houye took a good look at Yanniang, willow-leaf eyebrows, oval face, fat skin, Chu Gong waist, she is really a beauty.It wasn't until the servant behind him coughed to remind him that Lord Lin looked away and said, "It's Yanniang, have you had dinner yet?"

"I've used it, I used it with my wife just now."

"Oh, then go get busy."

"Yes."

Yanniang really didn't like the way Lord Lin looked at her, as if she was a commodity that had been sold for a high price, her eyes were shining brightly.

Speaking of which, people in the mansion treat her strangely these days. Although everyone behaves extremely naturally, she is born sensitive and can still feel it.For example, Caitao, her best maidservant, seems to be avoiding her recently, and doesn't like to approach her anymore. Even if she serves her, her eyes are twinkling.

Another example is Mrs. Lin Hou, who has been so attentive to her these days.Of course, it's not that Mrs. Lin Hou doesn't take care of her normally, but it's always separated by a floor, but these days, Mrs. Lin Hou not only often calls her to eat in her yard, but also asks people from the sewing room at home to come to her. Tailoring the clothes, it is said that a very precious organdy will be used to make clothes for her. In addition, people from Zhencuifang will be called to make jewelry for her. Usually, I will hold her hand from time to time and feel emotional, saying Some: "Yan Niang is really smart and sensible, she is really likable, I have always wanted a daughter like you, but it is a pity that I have been ill since I gave birth to my third son. If I To have a daughter like you, I would not give anything in exchange."

Another example is Yu Mo, who taught her. In the past, he usually told her about the affairs in the back house, but these days he only talked about secret affairs of the palace, and he also liked to analyze the temperament of the ladies in the palace.

For example, all the maids in her yard, except for the painted pottery, colored Zhu, and colored porcelain, were inexplicably charged by Mrs. Lin Hou for not serving them well just because the tea in her room was cold one day and did not change. It's useless even if she begs for mercy.

All the signs are unusual, but she doesn't trust the maids around her, and it's not easy to instruct them to inquire.Later, I thought, the worst thing is that the Hou Mansion regretted that she didn't want her to marry and she went back to Linping County. It's nothing special, not to mention that she found so many Zhuchai jewelry in the Hou Mansion, it was considered a trip to the capital. Once, there is nothing wrong with it.

(End of this chapter)