Madam Hou

Chapter 84

Yinniang took the baby from the nanny, weighed it in her hands, and said, "It's really light."

Fengxuan looked at the child in Yinniang's hands with a soft expression, and said: "It weighs seven catties after birth, which is not light compared to other newborn children. Not long ago, an aunt in Dafang gave birth to a child early, and only It weighs four catties and two taels, it looks like a sick and weak mouse, that's light, after two months of raising it, it still weighs less than eight catties."

Yin Niang looked at the little baby in her arms, it was small, its face was not as big as a slap, and said with emotion: "It's still light, such a small person doesn't know how to grow into an adult .”

Feng Xuan pursed her lips and smiled, and continued: "When you have a child with your elder brother and raise it by yourself, you will know how he grows into an adult."

"That will happen a long time later." Yin Niang didn't look forward to giving birth to her own child too much, she always felt that she was still a child, and it was really hard to imagine the situation of giving birth to her own child.Yin Niang then asked again: "Did you give my brother a name?"

"Not yet. This is the eldest son. Mr. Xiang wants to choose a name that is pleasant and meaningful. He thought about it all day last night, and he also thought of a few words, but he was not very satisfied."

Yin Niang nodded to express her understanding, held the baby for a while, and then returned the baby to the nanny.The two haven't seen each other for nearly half a year, and they both have a lot to say. After chatting for a while, Yinniang asked Fengxuan about her life: "How is life in my husband's house? How is Fourth Young Master treating you?"

Feng Xuan joked first: "You really look like a sister-in-law when you ask this question, it seems that you have adapted to your status very quickly." After the joke, she then replied: "I am doing well, and my husband respects me a lot. I am obedient to the maids and women in the inner courtyard. My aunt has always looked after my mother-in-law, and will not rely on my husband's biological mother to dictate the affairs of our house. The husband and the elder brother are also on good terms. My mother-in-law treats us like this Fang has always given a bit of decency, and now that I have a brother, there is nothing wrong with life."

Yin Niang nodded in her heart, she thought to herself, in this world, most women live in dire straits, compared to them, Feng Xuan's life is indeed not bad.Thinking about it this way, she felt that Feng Xuan really didn't need to worry about her life, so she changed the subject and started chatting about other things.

After a while, the maid beside Mrs. Tian came over to invite Yin Niang, and said: "Young Mistress, Mrs. Tai asked the maidservant to come over and ask you, but I have finished talking with the Fourth Young Mistress. If it is finished, please go to the upper courtyard to see her." Ma'am."

Yin Niang thanked the servant girl, and said: "Sister, please wait for me for a while, I will go with you to see my grandmother." Then she said goodbye to Feng Xuan, and followed the servant girl to the courtyard where Mrs. Tian lived.

Mrs. Tian Tai is over sixty years old, but due to proper maintenance, she looks like she is only in her 50s. She is full of energy and has a ruddy complexion. She is wearing a cotton jacket with five blessings and is talking to Mrs. Lin Hou who is sitting next to her. talking.

Yinniang went forward to salute Mrs. Lin Hou and Mrs. Tian Tai: "Mother, grandmother."

When Mrs. Tian saw Yin Niang, she smiled and said, "It's Brother Qi's daughter-in-law, come forward and let me have a look."

Yin Niang stepped forward, Mrs. Tian held her hand and looked around, said: "Well, she is a little taller than when she came last time, and she is also more beautiful." After speaking, she said to the maid beside her: "Go and get my pair of jade bracelets."

A servant girl moved a chair and put it down next to Yinniang, and Mrs. Tian asked Yinniang to sit down.Not long after that, the maid came out with a pineapple box with crabapple flowers painted on it. Mrs. Tian opened the box, and there was a pair of green jadeite bracelets in the middle. Good quality.

Mrs. Tian picked up the bracelet and put it on Yinniang's wrist. The blue jadeite bracelet set off her lotus root-like arm, making her skin fair and delicate.Mrs. Tian Tai nodded and said: "Well, this color bracelet looks good on you young people."

Mrs. Lin Hou quickly said: "Mother, this is the dowry given to you by your grandmother back then. They are young and don't know how to cherish it. Don't let them spoil all the good things."

Mrs. Tian waved her hand, stopped her daughter and said: "Hey, I'm too old to wear such bright things. If I don't give them to young people to wear, why should I put them in the coffin?" After finishing speaking, she said to Yin Niang : "Wear it well, this emerald nourishes people."

Yin Niang stood up, saluted Mrs. Tian Tai and thanked her: "Thank you, grandma."

Mrs. Tian patted Yinniang's hand and said with a smile, "Good boy." Then she asked Yinniang some questions such as "How is Brother Qi treating you?" After answering one by one, Mrs. Tian finally said: "Come and talk to me more in the future." Yin Niang also agreed with a smile.

Mrs. Tian Tai then talked with Mrs. Linhou for a while, and at noon, they had lunch at Fushan Houfu, and then Yinniang and Mrs. Linhou said goodbye to Mrs. Tiantai, Yushi and others, and returned to Yongninghoufu. .

The days passed slowly like this. After the second day of February, the dragon raised its head, the weather gradually warmed up, the winter snow melted, the earth slowly returned to spring, and the flowers and trees in front of the door and behind the house gradually sprouted new buds.

On this day, Yinniang saw that the weather was sunny and sunny, and the spring was beautiful, so after reporting to Mrs. Linhou, she took a few maidservants and went to Hanyun Temple to offer incense in a light car.

Hanyun Temple is full of incense, and when the weather is getting warmer, many young girls and women come here to play together, so there are many pilgrims.Yinniang took blue flowers and green vines to the main hall to worship the Buddha, added 50 taels of sesame oil money to the temple, then went out from the back door of Hanyun Temple, and detoured by a small path to the water not far from Hanyun Temple. Moon nunnery.

Compared with Hanyun Temple, which is full of incense, Shuiyue Nunnery is quiet and quiet. There are only five or six little Taoist nuns in the nunnery.Shuiyue Nunnery is different from Hanyun Temple, it only accepts some female guests who have lived here for a long time, and it is not open to pilgrims. Therefore, the gate of Shuiyue Nunnery is closed on weekdays.

Yinniang asked Qinghua to go forward and knock on the door. After a while, a Taoist girl came out to open the door. Seeing Yinniang and others standing outside the door, she clasped her hands together and saluted Yinniang: "Benefactor, what's the matter with you?"

Yin Niang also clasped her hands together in return, and then asked: "Master, I am Mrs. Chen, the wife of the Marquis of Yongning. I would like to meet Miss Jiang, who is cultivating here. Is it possible?"

The Taoist nun said: "The benefactor, please wait a moment. The poor nun asked Miss Jiang first."

Yin Niang said yes.Then the Taoist girl bowed and retreated to the back, and after a while, she came back again and said to Yin Niang: "Benefactor, please follow me."

The Taoist nun led Yinniang and others into a small courtyard behind Shuiyue Nunnery. At this moment, Sister Yun's maid, Yu'er, was already waiting at the door. Seeing Yinniang, she bowed to her and said, "Grandma Lin, our miss I've been looking forward to your coming for a long time, come in quickly." Then he led Yin Niang into the room and asked her to sit down.

Yin Niang carefully looked around the room.There are not many furnishings in the room. There is a square couch at the top against the wall. The couch is covered with yellow brocade mats, and a scripture is hung on the wall.There is a tea table on the left side of the square couch, and a bookshelf on the right side.There is also a pineapple wood table in the middle of the room, with tea sets and water cups on the table.Compared with Sister Yun's exquisite courtyard in Weibei Hou's mansion, this place is much simpler.

Yu'er went out and brought hot tea in, poured a cup of hot tea for Yin Niang, and said: "There is only bitter tea in the temple, grandma, you just drink it."

Yin Niang picked it up and took a sip, then frowned, this bitter tea was really bitter, like water soaked from dead branches, even after drinking the tea, the bitter taste still lingered on her tongue.Yin Niang had never had a worse tea than this one, and after taking a sip, she didn't want to touch it again.Putting down the teacup in her hand, Yin Niang asked Yu'er, "Where's your young lady?"

Yu'er said: "Miss went to read and listen to scriptures in Ci Shitai's room, Grandma, please wait for a while, Miss will be back soon."

Said Cao Cao Cao Cao arrived, just as Yu'er finished speaking, there were footsteps outside the house. Sister Yun took Xue'er across the threshold and entered the house. Seeing Yin Niang sitting in the house, she shouted happily: "Yin Niang Mother, you are here!"

Sister Yun was wearing plain clothes, with a simple bun on her head, and a few silver hairpins inserted. There was no extra decoration, and her body was a little thinner, but she seemed to be in good spirits.

Sister Yun went to sit next to Yinniang and continued to ask, "Have you been waiting for a long time?"

Yin Niang shook her head and said: "No, I just came here too." Then she took Sister Yun's hand and asked: "I see that you have calmed down a bit, are you okay here?"

Sister Yun smiled and said: "I'm fine, the mountain is clean, I read scriptures with my teacher every day, or copy scriptures, and when I get bored, I go to the back mountain for a walk. Your life is better. But you, now that you are someone else’s wife, how are you doing? How is your son treating you? I didn’t go when you got married, and I still feel a little regretful. By the way, I have a gift for you . " Saying that, she ordered Xue Er beside her to take out the gift.

Xueer bowed her knees and said yes, then entered the inner room, and after a while, she came out with a rectangular box in her hand.Sister Yun opened the box, and inside was a white porcelain Avalokitesvara.

Sister Yun took out Avalokitesvara and handed it to Yinniang, and said, "Look, I begged for this for you, and I also asked Master Nian Ci to consecrate it for you. Take it back and worship it sooner or later. I will definitely have a big fat son in the future."

Yin Niang was speechless for a moment, she stared at Guanyin of Songzi in a daze for a while, and then said: "I'm not ready yet, the matter of giving birth is not urgent."

"It's not for you to give birth now, start worshiping now, and give birth when you are about to give birth in the future, so as not to hold the Buddha's feet temporarily in the future, and the Bodhisattva will not bless you if he thinks you are not pious."

"...." What kind of theory is this.

Sister Yun continued: "Don't take this seriously. Although I have never been a wife, I also know that when a girl is married, she can only gain a foothold quickly after giving birth to a son."

(End of this chapter)