Madam Hou

Chapter 31

Spring is wet and autumn is dry. Since autumn, it has never rained in Beijing.Who would have thought that in the evening today, there would be a misty autumn rain rustling.

After getting off the Yamen, Lin Fengqi went back to Fu'an Hutong, because he felt that the rain was not too heavy while riding a horse, so he didn't take an umbrella.When the horses were dismounted in Yongning Hou Mansion, the gatekeeper immediately came up and led the horses to the stable to feed them.The servant Han Bai who followed behind him also got off his horse quickly, opened his umbrella and followed behind Lin Fengqi.

Lin Fengqi stepped through the gate and entered the mansion, heading in the direction of Mu Detang.When I walked to the Plum Blossom Forest, which must be passed in the direction of Mude Hall, I saw a girl in a blue dress standing at the intersection from the Plum Blossom Forest to Jingxiangyuan.The girl held a small green umbrella in her hand, and she didn't bring a maid by her side. Standing under the tall plum blossom tree, the girl's frail figure was even more set off.

After getting closer, Lin Fengqi saw clearly the girl's face, it was her underage fiancee.Lin Fengqi walked over and asked her, "What are you doing standing here, are you waiting for me?"

Yin Niang didn't speak, and from the Tang Sancai Lion Lotus Lantern on the roadside stone pillars, a scent of cedar resin was wafting, and a slightly red face was reflected in the jumping flames.The so-called looking at a beauty under the lamp, the more you look at it, the more beautiful it is. Lin Fengqi knew that Yinniang was beautiful, but looking at it under the lamp like this, she was even more beautiful than usual, and even had an indescribable charm.

The autumn rain gradually stopped, and the autumn wind blew through the plum trees, making a soft rustling sound.

Lin Fengqi watched Yinniang close the umbrella, holding the umbrella in one hand, and reaching out for something in the sleeve with the other hand. After a while, she finally saw her take out a light purple gadget from inside, and then threw it to him.Lin Fengqi reached out to catch it, and watched Yinniang staring at him, she was blushing and shy, but she pretended to be fierce: "You take it, if you lose it, I won't give it to you later." I did." After speaking, he turned around and ran away in a hurry.

Lin Fengqi looked down at the thing in his hand, it turned out to be a pouch embroidered with rattan flowers, he squeezed it with his hands, and it seemed that there were eight or nine round things inside.Lin Fengqi looked at the ugliest purse in his hand that he had ever seen in history, lowered his head and couldn't help smiling and said in disgust: "It's so ugly." After speaking, he put the purse on his waist, and then turned around happily.

Just two steps away, he saw a few footsteps coming from a rockery by the side of the road. Lin Fengqi thought it was a maidservant arranging flowers and trees on weekdays, and didn't care at all, but a girl wearing a light red skirt suddenly emerged from the rockery. The comely girl came.After coming out, he stood on the side of the road and whispered to Lin Fengqi: "Young Master."

After seeing the girl's face clearly, Lin Fengqi asked in surprise, "Zhouer?"

"It's me, young master."

This person is Manager Lin and Nan Rong's daughter, Zhou Er.Zhou'er is two years younger than Lin Fengqi, and should be 16 years old this year. They are about the same age, and they also grew up playing together when they were young.And because Manager Lin's status in the Yongning Hou's Mansion is extraordinary, and Zhou'er did not enter the mansion to serve others, Lin Fengqi never treated her as a maid, but treated her like the three concubine sisters in the family.

Girls in Dayan marry between 67 and [-], and some families who are reluctant to marry their daughters early will keep their daughters until they are [-] or [-], or delay their marriage and marry late because of filial piety like Lin Fengxuan, but in general, [-] to [-] Fifteen married people are popular.When Lin Fengqi went to Fujian to fight against the Japanese, Zhou'er was already fourteen. At that time, I heard that Director Lin said that he wanted to tell her about marriage, but now she looks like a young girl, presumably she is not married yet.

Seeing that he was an acquaintance, Lin Fengqi slowed down his voice and asked, "Zhouer, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to wait for you on purpose. I haven't seen you since Eldest Young Master went to Fujian two years ago. Eldest Young Master has been back for so many days and is busy going out to socialize every day. I have no chance to see Eldest Young Master." .” There seemed to be a sense of grievance in the words, and there seemed to be some complaints.It's just a pity that the man's natural nerves are a bit rough, and he didn't hear the girl's grievances and complaints at all, as if he remembered it after being reminded by her, and then said: "It seems that we haven't seen each other for almost two years, how are you doing recently?" So, what about Lin Bo, last time his hand was injured, is it better now, and your mother, how is it now?"

"I'm fine, and so are my parents." There was a bit of frustration in her words, she obviously only mentioned him alone, but when he greeted her, he brought her parents along, she was really Very dissatisfied that he put her in the same position as her parents.When he lowered his head, he saw the ugly purse hanging on his waist again, and his eyes darkened.But after a while, he cheered up again and squeezed out a smile, and said to Lin Fengqi: "Young master, why is your purse embroidered like this, it's not good to wear it, I'm afraid it will hurt your face, it's me tomorrow Re-embroider a more attractive point, and replace yours, how do you like it?"

Lin Fengqi said: "How good is this, you are not a maid in our mansion, it's good that the embroiderers in our mansion can do these tasks, why bother you."

"Don't bother, don't bother, I found a pattern to embroider when I went back at night, and it will be ready tomorrow. What kind of pattern does the young master like, is it better to embroider with Baoxiang flowers or embroider some coil patterns?"

"Let's talk about it later. It's late today, so you should go back early. If you don't go back, Lin Bo will worry about you."

Seeing that it was getting late, Zhou'er really couldn't stay longer, so he said, "I'll go back first, Eldest Young Master. When the purse is ready, I'll bring it to you tomorrow."

Lin Fengqi waved his hands and said, "Go back, go back."

Zhou'er turned his head three times and finally left, Lin Fengqi followed and walked in the direction of Mu Detang, Han Bai behind him kept his eyes on him, and followed behind him step by step with an umbrella in his hand.

Mude Hall.

After freshening up, Lin Fengqi let Qing Wu beside him help him put on homely clothes.When she reached out to put on her sleeve, she accidentally hit Qingwu's chest with her hand, so she couldn't help looking over, but saw Qingwu's face was red and her head was lowered shyly, leaving a section of delicate skin on her neck.

Fangzhou, another servant girl of Mu Detang, was helping to organize the clothes that her master had just changed. When she touched the clothes, she saw a light purple purse hanging on the clothes. The stitches of the vines are uneven, Fangzhou can't help but wonder how the level of the embroiderer of the Hou's mansion has dropped to this point.Fangzhou just wanted to throw the purse away, but after thinking about it, she took the purse and asked Lin Fengqi, "Master, do you want this purse?"

Lin Fengqi looked up, and hurriedly said: "Yes, of course, you help me put it on the table."

"Yes."

After getting dressed, Lin Fengqi waved Qingwu and Fangzhou to walk to the table by himself in the afternoon, and took a look at the purse on the table.Holding the grains inside, I am really curious about what is inside.But the purse was sealed, and it was not easy to open.

Lin Fengqi was thinking hard about how to take out the contents without destroying the purse. At this moment, Mrs. Lin Hou's voice suddenly sounded outside: "Is the young master inside?"

Then came Qingwu's answering voice: "Yes."

Lin Fengqi hurriedly stuffed the purse back into his pocket, and then went out to meet Mrs. Lin Hou.

Mrs. Lin Hou stepped over the threshold, followed by Linglong who was holding a food box, and Qingwu and Fangzhou who followed her in.Seeing her son, Mrs. Lin Hou couldn't help complaining: "I heard that you came back riding a horse in the rain today, and you didn't pay attention to your body. What should you do if you catch a cold? It would be nice to come back by carriage."

Lin Fengqi couldn't help laughing and said: "Mother, you also think of me too weak, how can I catch a cold in such a little rain."

Mrs. Lin Hou walked to the square chair in the room and sat down, then said: "It's better to be cautious, if you are really sick, you will suffer, and you don't like to drink medicine. I asked someone to make ginger soup for you. Drink it to get rid of the cold."

Qingwu and Fangzhou helped Linglong take out the ginger soup from the food box, and brought it to Lin Fengqi.Lin Fengqi ignored his mother's kindness, took a bowl, drank the ginger soup in one gulp, and then handed the bowl back to Fangzhou.

Mrs. Lin Hou saw her son finished drinking the ginger soup, and then she talked about the purpose of coming tonight: "Zhu'er and Yu'er who were serving in your house, after you went to Fujian, because you don't know when you will come back, they both I'm getting older, so I'll match you up. Now there's no one in your room to serve you. I think Qingwu and Fangzhou should be promoted to serve you. Both of them are good-looking, and they are both 16 years old. This man You have to feel like it, and when Yinniang enters the door, she lifts up Auntie."

His own son hurts himself, Lin Fengqi is just at the age of youth, there is no one around him to take care of him, what if he gets sick.Besides, she knows these things best because she has been here. Yinniang is only 13 years old this year, and she will only be 14 years old when she gets married next year. She has not opened her eyes yet, so how could an older girl serve her comfortably? You can't wrong your son.

(End of this chapter)