Madam Hou

Chapter 83

"The nanny who fed me back then was surnamed Shi. On the Dragon Boat Festival when I was four years old, Mrs. Shi hugged me and asked me if I wanted to go outside to watch the dragon boat. I was young at that time, interested in everything, and I was very courageous. Clap your hands and applaud. Shi Shi dressed me up as a servant child, and carried me all the way out of the Hou Mansion. I fell asleep lying on Shi Shi's shoulder halfway, and when I woke up, I was already in the city. Outside, and Mrs. Shi is talking to a barbarian."

"Dayan's borders are open, and Hu people often come and go to do business. Hu merchants usually bring some rare items from their own country to Dayan to sell, and when they go back, they buy some items from Dayan at a low price, and bring them back to their home country to sell at a high price. There are also Hu merchants who will do some population business in private, such as bringing some of their own population to Dayan for sale, or bringing Dayan’s people back to their own country to sell to nobles as slaves. Dayan prohibits selling its own population to other countries. But businessmen value profits and cannot bear the drive of profit, and the court has repeatedly banned this kind of behavior. Now that I think about it, Shi Shi probably wanted to sell me to Hu merchants at the time, but later, I don’t know if Shi’s conscience discovered that he was handing me over to me. After giving it to Hu Shang, he snatched me back suddenly, and ran towards the city gate with me in his arms. Although I didn’t understand what happened at that time, I felt the danger and cried all the way to find Mother. Fortunately, the servant who came out to look for us later found us."

"Mother was so frightened by this incident that she tortured Shi Shi and asked who instigated it, but Shi Shi's mouth was tight, and she kept yelling that she was sorry for the young master and that she should die, and refused to say a word. Mother saw that she couldn't ask any more questions. What, let someone kill Shi Shi with a staff. Shi Shi is a widow, and she has a son who is about my size. He hadn’t appeared at Shi’s home a few days earlier, and when he was found, he was lying in a valley in the back mountain, covered in blood that had coagulated, and had no breath. An autopsy revealed that he fell to death Yes, the neighbors all said that they were afraid that the child ran to the back mountain alone because of his playfulness, so he accidentally fell to his death."

"At this point in the investigation of the matter, apart from knowing that Mrs. Shi had been to the aunt's yard a few days ago, all other clues have been broken. Even if Mrs. Shi went to the yard of the auntie, it was done in a fair manner. There is no proof at all. This matter is related to the eldest aunt."

"Mother is so disgusted by this that I will give the baby to the nanny or others to take care of, that is, the third brother who is just six months old. Every time I let the nanny feed the milk, I won't let her touch it again. After the first year is over, it will be broken." Mother, the nanny was sent away. Mother is afraid that the nanny will do some bad things to the little masters based on the trust of the young masters in her."

Yin Niang looked at Lin Fengqi who had a sad expression, thinking that he must have trusted his nanny very much when he was a child, otherwise he would not let the nanny almost succeed.Betrayed by someone he trusted, he must feel very uncomfortable.

Thinking of this, Yin Niang opened her hands, hugged her husband's neck, and patted his back lightly, as if comforting a wounded child, wanting to tell him: "Don't be sad, You still have me!"

Lin Fengqi was stunned by Yinniang's behavior for a moment, but soon curled up the corners of his mouth, smiled, and stretched out his hands to respond to Yinniang's comfort. The little sadness in his heart seemed to be gone with the wind with Yinniang's hug up.

Cai Zhu was still very efficient in handling affairs, but within a day, she had found out clearly about the matter between the three young masters and the Qin family in the Wang family's mansion.

Caizhu sat on a small bed under Yinniang, and reported to Yinniang what she had learned with great interest: "...The third young mistress of the Wang family is now five months pregnant. It's just that the fetus has not been very stable since she became pregnant. Mrs. Wang San is often depressed, and it is not conducive to raising a baby. I heard that she has seen red several times. Mrs. Wang is worried that her baby will not be born safely, so she has not said much about it. But usually she will Please ask Mrs. Qin to go over to the house to talk to the third young lady, and let her relieve the third young lady, this action is also a bit like listening to the fate of the world."

Yin Niang asked: "What about Mr. Wang San, what is his relationship with Mrs. Wang San?"

Caizhu shrugged and said: "You also know how their marriage came about. I heard that since they got married, the third son Wang stayed in the main courtyard except for the night of marriage, and basically did not enter the main courtyard at other times. It is said that Mrs. Wang San's child was conceived because Mr. Wang San was drunk at the time, and Mrs. Wang San coaxed him into the main courtyard while he was in a daze. I don't see that their relationship has eased, and the third son Wang is still cold to her. For this reason, Mrs. Wang told the third son Wang many times, and even punished him to kneel in the ancestral hall. What's the matter. Mrs. Wang talked too much, so the third son Wang didn't even enter the inner courtyard, and directly slept in the outer study, Mrs. Wang couldn't help it, so he had to go."

"Don't you think the Qin family has any objections to what the third son of Wang has done?"

"Why not? When Mrs. Qin went to visit Mrs. Wang San, she quarreled with the Wang family several times. Several times, she directly attacked Mr. Wang and scratched his face. In the first few times, Mrs. Wang Feeling ashamed in my heart, I let Mrs. Qin back. Mrs. Qin made a lot of trouble later, and Mrs. Wang was also a little angry. After all, the third son of Wang didn't take a concubine and didn't beat anyone. He just ignored his wife when she was pregnant. , this is a big mistake, it's Mrs. Wang San who can't see it, who can blame her."

Yin Niang then asked a few more questions, and after inquiring about what she wanted, she rewarded Cai Zhu with a hairpin and let him go down.

After Caizhu left, Yinniang continued to think about Qin Nuan, thinking that she used calculations to plot her friend's marriage back then, and felt that she was really abominable, but seeing her living such a life of being neglected now, she also felt that She is very poor.The person who got the sweetheart, but still can't warm his heart, and I don't know if she thought about the situation like this when she was planning, and I don't know if she regretted it.

Thinking of Sister Yun again, I don't know how she was doing in the nunnery, I heard that she didn't go back to the mansion during the Chinese New Year, and lived in the nunnery with the maids.

As the wife of the eldest son, socializing and entertaining are indispensable.Especially after the Spring Festival, many good friends need to move around. Yinniang either visits other people's homes with Mrs. Linhou every day, or is busy receiving other people's homes in her own home.This busy has been busy until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival. Yinniang asked people to hang lanterns on the trees in the garden of the Hou Mansion, and wrote riddles on the lanterns. She also asked people to set up two tables in the garden with various flavors on them. sweet dumpling.

The family ate glutinous rice balls in the garden, guessed the lanterns, and had a good night's trouble. At midnight, everyone dispersed back to their own yard.

Yinniang and Lin Fengqi went back to Mude Hall together. After they washed and washed, Lin Fengqi said to Qiuhuai next to him: "Go and bring the rabbit lamp I brought back today for your young mistress to see."

Qiuhuai went out after curtseying and blessing, and came back with a rabbit lantern after a while.The shape of the rabbit is delicate and cute, with one ear long and the other short. The candle in the rabbit lamp is still burning, and the candlelight radiates from the inside, making the whole rabbit bright.

Yin Niang asked in surprise, "Where did it come from? It's so beautiful."

Lin Fengqi said: "I saw it on the street when I came back, and I thought you would like it, so I bought it."

Yin Niang picked up the rabbit lamp and said: "It's better to hang it inside the house, it might be blown out by the wind if it's hung outside."

Lin Fengqi smiled and said: "You can hang it beside the bed." Then he leaned closer to Yinniang's ear, and continued in a soft voice: "Just let me take a look at Yinniang by using her light. He looks naked."

Yin Niang punched Lin Fengqi in the chest, and said angrily, "Why do you keep thinking about indecent things, you're really dead."

Lin Fengqi laughed and said, "I'm only bad to you alone!" After speaking, he picked up the person and ran to the bedside with the lamp on, then put the person on the bed, then really hung the lamp on the side of the bed, and waved his hand to let the person inside After the waiter went down, he kicked off his shoes and got on the bed together.

When they got up the next day, the two of them had had breakfast, Yin Niang sent Lin Fengqi out, and then went to Tangrong Courtyard.Mrs. Lin Hou is tolerant of her daughter-in-law, and she doesn't need her to set up rules sooner or later, but every morning, Yin Niang needs to go to Tangrong Yuan to learn housekeeping with Mrs. Lin Hou.

Just as Yin Niang walked into the gate of Tangrong Courtyard, she saw Mrs. Lin Hou sitting in the flower hall receiving a maid.The maid was over 50 years old, and seeing the clothes she was wearing, she didn't look like someone from the house. At this moment, she was smiling and talking to Mrs. Lin Hou, and Mrs. Lin Hou also had a smile on her face.

Seeing Yinniang coming in, Mrs. Linhou quickly called her over, and said: "It's Yinniang, come here quickly, I just have good news for you. Sister Xuan gave birth last night, and the baby is a big fat boy."

Yin Niang was surprised at first, and then happily asked: "But really?"

Mrs. Lin Hou said: "Of course it's true, can I still lie to you?" Then she pulled Yin Niang to sit beside her.

Yin Niang hugged Mrs. Lin Hou's arm and said, "Mother, I didn't mean that, I was just too happy for a while."

Seeing Yinniang, the maid smiled and said, "This is Mrs. Shizi. The servant is served by Mrs. Fu Shanhou. Last night, the fourth mistress in the mansion gave birth to a young master. Madam asked the servant to report to you and the eldest aunt." .”

Yin Niang nodded, and continued to ask: "How are sister Xuan and the young master, and the birth is going well?"

"The fourth grandma had a normal delivery. The young master came out one day after giving birth. The young master weighed seven catties when he was born. Both the fourth grandma and the young master are fine now."

Mrs. Linhou then asked a few more questions, and the maid answered them one by one. Later, seeing that the news had arrived, she said goodbye and went back to Fushan Marquis Mansion.

Feng Xuan was raised by Mrs. Lin Hou. Compared with other concubines and concubines, Mrs. Lin Hou has some feelings for her. In addition, Feng Xuan married her natal nephew. Hearing that Feng Xuan gave birth to a son, Lin Hou The lady is also very happy.

After the maidservant who reported the letter left, Mrs. Lin Hou ordered her servants to pack up some presents, and was going to take Yinniang to visit Fengxuan at the Marquis Mansion in Fushan.

The Marquis Mansion in Fushan is located in Liuye Hutong. The Marquis Mansion covers a vast area. There are two big unicorns standing outside the gate. A red lantern hangs on each side of the gate beam, and a guard guard stands on both sides of the gate.

When Yinniang and Mrs. Linhou arrived, there were already decent servants waiting outside the gate. When Yinniang and Mrs. Linhou got out of the car, they immediately came over to salute and then led them into the mansion.

After entering the gate, boarded the green horse-drawn carriage in the inner courtyard, and then arrived at the main courtyard where Fu Shanhou's wife, Mrs. Yushi, lived.When Yinniang and Mrs. Linhou arrived, Mrs. Yu was already waiting at the door.

Yu's family comes from Peng'anbo Mansion, and is the second daughter of the late Lin'an Princess.Princess Lin'an was the late emperor's cousin, and was favored by the late emperor because of her good looks. When Princess Lin'an was born, she was treated almost like a princess.The princess of Lin'an is in love with Jun Ma, and they have four sons and three daughters. It is said that the Yu family is the most similar to the princess of Lin'an.

At this time, Yushi was wearing a brocade haze red jacquard beanie and combed a Lingyun bun. She had a round face and fleshy cheeks, which looked like baby fat that hadn't degenerated, and there were a pair of dimples on both sides of her cheeks.The appearance does not look outstanding, but it makes people feel very comfortable, and it really makes people feel very blessed.

Mrs. Lin Hou stepped forward to give Yu Shi a blessing, and said, "Sister-in-law."

Mrs. Yu hurriedly helped Mrs. Linhou up, and said with a smile, "They are all from my own family, so why be so polite."

Yin Niang also went forward to salute Yu Shi: "Aunt."

Yushi also helped Yinniang up and said, "I haven't seen you for a long time, Yinniang is getting more and more beautiful the longer she grows."

Before getting married, Yinniang often came to Fushan Hou Mansion with Mrs. Linhou, and when she went to other houses with Mrs. Linhou to socialize, she would often see Yushi, so Yinniang was no stranger to Yushi.At this moment, hearing Yu Shi's praise, Yin Niang also smiled and said to Yu Shi: "Auntie seems to be getting more and more blessed."

Yushi laughed, raised her hand and tapped Yinniang's forehead, and said, "Your mouth is like honey, how can you be so flattering?"

Yu's appearance is not outstanding, but what she is most proud of in her life is this face that looks blessed. Because of this face, Yu has received unanimous praise and love from her father, brother and elders since she was a child. After getting married, her mother-in-law loves it so much She has several copies.What Yushi likes most in her life is when others praise her for being blessed.

Yin Niang continued: "Auntie has wronged me. I am telling the truth, but I am not flattering you."

Mrs. Yu laughed again, and said to Madam Lin Hou: "Yuyu, you have found a good daughter-in-law, look at her sweet mouth. If I have such a daughter-in-law, I would be willing to eat less than one meal a day." of."

Mrs. Lin Hou said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, don't envy me. This girl can watch the dishes and eat. In front of me, she is not as sweet as she is in front of you."

The three joked with each other for a while, and then entered the yard.While walking, Yu said: "The fourth daughter-in-law was exhausted yesterday, and then rested for a day, she should be awake now, I will take you to see her."

Fengxuan's yard is in Biquanyuan in the northwest of Fushan Marquis Mansion. When Yinniang, Mrs. Linhou and Mrs. Yu arrived, Fengxuan had just woken up and was being served by her maid to eat sesame oil chicken, sesame oil chicken The smell wafts from the room far away.There was a small wooden cot beside the head of the bed, and the newborn baby was lying on the cot, wrapped in thick swaddling clothes, only revealing a pair of eyes that hadn't opened yet.

Seeing them coming in, Feng Xuan quickly put down her chopsticks, held the maid's hand and wanted to get up to salute: "Mother, mother, sister-in-law, why are you here?"

Yu Shi quickly stepped up and pressed her down, and said: "Lie down, lie down, you are still confinement, be careful of the wind. You are all your own, why do you need so much courtesy?"

But Yinniang was stunned for a moment, when she got along with Fengxuan before she got married, because Fengxuan was old, Yinniang always called her sister Xuan, while Fengxuan directly called Yinniang her boudoir name.At this time, the identity changed, Fengxuan called Yinniang "sister-in-law", which made her unable to react for a while.

Feng Xuan smiled at Yushi and said, "Yes, mother-in-law."

Yu Shi nodded with a smile, cared a few words about Feng Xuan's body, looked at the baby lying on the crib, and then thought that Mrs. Lin Hou had something to say to Feng Xuan, so she said goodbye to Mrs. Lin Hou first. Leaving, leaving the space to Fengxuan, Mrs. Linhou and Yinniang.

After Mrs. Yu left, Mrs. Lin Hou sat beside Feng Xuan's bed, held Feng Xuan's hand, and asked with concern: "How does your body feel? Is there anything uncomfortable?"

Feng Xuan smiled and said: "Brother's birth is going well and he is in good health, so mother doesn't have to worry. Mother hasn't seen Brother yet, I'll let someone pick him up and show you." She said and ordered to be by the side The nanny who took care of the child picked up the child.

The nanny picked up the child, saluted Mrs. Linhou, and then put the child into Mrs. Linhou's arms.

Mrs. Lin Hou looked down at the child. Because it was a full-term delivery, the child's body did not look small. The child's skin was red, and the eyes had not been opened. The shadow of Feng Xuan could be vaguely seen on the appearance. More like a mother.

After seeing the child, Mrs. Lin Hou returned the child to the nanny, and then said to Feng Xuan: "This is very good, the first child is a son, and you can gain a firm foothold in your husband's house sooner. You are a lucky person." My child, I married into my uncle's family, so I have nothing to worry about you, even I have explained to your aunt."

Feng Xuan held Mrs. Lin Hou's hand, and said gratefully: "It's all the blessing my mother gave me."

Mrs. Lin Hou said: "Although I chose this husband's family for you, it is up to you to live well or badly, and you have to fight for your own blessings. Now that you have a son, if you take good care of your husband and teach your son, you will always have a happy life in the future." Good day for you."

"Yes, mother."

Mrs. Lin Hou nodded, looked around the room, but did not see anyone like Tong Fang, so she continued to ask: "During your pregnancy, who did you put in the room to serve?"

Feng Xuan said: "It turned out that it was Cui'er who was serving by my side. She was not served by me close to me, but I saw that she was good-looking and honest, so I turned her face off."

"Did you let her drink the soup?"

Feng Xuan nodded and said: "Because I didn't know whether the baby was a boy or a girl, I let her drink the soup."

Mrs. Lin Hou patted Feng Xuan's hand and said: "You are right to do this, don't let the girl give birth to your son just to pretend to be virtuous. Even if you give birth to a son now, don't rush to break the relationship The concubine's decoction, wait for you to have more children, or when your brothers are older, let them have a boy and a half girl, this will not only fulfill your virtuous reputation, but also prevent the concubine from threatening your birth Brother's status. When you are drinking medicine in the room, you have to be watched by others, lest they have any idea to pour the medicine down on purpose, even though the deed of prostitution is in your hands, life or death depends on you Meaning, but giving birth to them after you get pregnant will always give you a bad reputation, and it will easily damage your relationship with Brother Shi."

Feng Xuan nodded and said: "I know, mother."

Mrs. Lin Hou continued to ask: "Where is Brother Shi's aunt, is there anything to make things difficult for you?"

"Auntie is an honest and responsible person. She usually takes care of her mother-in-law in the main courtyard, and doesn't often come to our courtyard."

"After all, she is Brother Shi's own mother. If you are more filial to her, Brother Shi will only be grateful to you when he sees you. But you must also pay attention to your filial piety. Don't go past your decent mother-in-law."

"Yes, mother."

Mrs. Lin Hou nodded, then asked some other things, and imparted some experience in taking care of children.Seeing later, I have finished explaining everything that needs to be explained, because this is Madam Lin Hou's natal family, and Madam Lin Hou planned to visit her mother, Madam Tian Tai, so she left Yin Niang in the yard to continue talking to Feng Xuan, and she went out first. The yard went to find Mrs. Tian Tai.

(End of this chapter)