Beautiful woman

Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Marriage
A mole on the lip is a delicious mole, and you can taste many delicious foods.

Except her.

Qin Xiangxiang thought expressionlessly.

Wearing a half-new, narrow-sleeved short-sleeved jacket, she dropped the dumplings stuffed with eggs and shepherd's purse in the first rain of spring.

The fat and white dumpling ears quickly floated in the rolling water, exuding a very fragrant smell.

Qin Xiangxiang stared at Jiao Er expressionlessly, but the maid Hongxiu who was serving her father still came over with a smile and a small red lacquer plate: "Thank you for your hard work, madam."

That's right, these fat and white dumpling ears were cooked for her father Qin Guanlan.

Her father Qin Guanlan likes to eat wild vegetable dumplings in spring.It is also known as "the art of remembering the deceased wife".

And she, Qin Xiangxiang, was the daughter of her deceased wife, and she happened to be able to make egg and shepherd's purse dumplings.

Qin Xiangxiang picked up the dumpling ears with his claws and smiled at Hong Xiu: "Sorry for bothering Sister Hong Xiu."

As the eldest wife of the Qin family, she has to be so polite to the maid. It's not because Qin Xiangxiang is well-educated and considerate of her servants, but because of her status in the family, which is really embarrassing.

After all, Hongxiu's status may, no, be higher than hers.

She was only two years old when her mother died. How could she inherit her mother's craftsmanship?But I just tried my best to learn it.

Her mother had only been away for a year, and her father quickly married his stepmother Zhong.

Mrs. Zhong worked hard and gave birth to a pair of twins for her father, and then gave birth to two more sons.

After giving birth to three sons, Zhong’s status should be very strong.But Qin Guanlan was a suave and talented man. Although he did not take concubines, the two eldest girls Hongxiu and Tianxiang who served in his study were two thorns in Zhong's heart.

Zhong and Hongxiu Tianxiang secretly fight each other, and Qin Xiangxiang, the eldest daughter of the Qin family, becomes a marginalized person.

Fortunately, Qin Guanlan also likes to eat shepherd's purse dumplings, otherwise he would not remember that he has a daughter.

But I just remember it in the spring.After all, as a censor, Qin Guanlan was very busy. He was busy impeaching officials every day and was too lazy to take care of the affairs of the back house.

Qin Xiang wanted to take advantage of the spring to make requests to her father.

Qin Xiangxiang stuffed some money into Hongxiu: "Sister Hongxiu, tomorrow is the anniversary of my mother's death. I want to go to Baoxiang Temple to add money for fragrant oil to her longevity tablet. Could you please mention it to my father."

Qin Guanlan thought of shepherd's purse dumplings in spring, but he couldn't remember that the anniversary of his late wife's death was also in spring.

Every year Qin Xiangxiang would go to Baoxiang Temple to give her mother some money for sesame oil. As long as Hongxiu helped carry it, Qin Guanlan would give her a banknote worth two cents.

Hongxiu squeezed the money in her sleeves, and found it was quite a lot. This may have been saved by Qin Xiangxiang through frugality.No, the short jacket that the eldest lady is wearing is still from last year, and it is a bit narrow.

It was just a mention, but Hong Xiu, who was also a woman, agreed: "Madam, just don't worry, I will ask the little maid to send you the sesame oil money later."

Qin Xiangxiang sent Hongxiu away with a smile on his face.

Wearing a newly made goose-yellow spring shirt in Hongxiu, holding a red lacquered small plate, she walked gracefully in the twists and turns of the corridor. The spring rain was hazy, the beauty was picturesque, and the courtyard of the Qin Mansion, under Qin Guanlan's design, everything was so Be poetic.

The fire in the stove gradually weakened.

Qin Xiangxiang sat blankly on the small spoon and stuffed a handful of firewood into the stove.The spring day was still a bit cold, but the supply of charcoal fire had stopped long ago last month. If she felt cold, she would huddle in front of the stove to keep warm.

This is the courtyard where she lives, her own kitchen. No one comes here except Mother Xu who follows her.

When she was ten years old, Mrs. Zhong found an excuse to send her to live alone in this small courtyard. It has been seven years.

Although she was not ill-treated, the monthly schedule was followed, and the daily vegetables and fruits were cooked over the charcoal fire in the big kitchen. Two sets of clothes were made at four times of the year, and there were no jewelry. After all, her mother was gone, and her maternal grandfather's home was far away in the south of the Yangtze River. If you need to go out to meet guests, you don't need to dress up.Mrs. Zhong also said that the little girl is young, has good color, and looks good enough with two velvet flowers on her head.

Qin Xiangxiang took off the velvet flower that he had worn on his head for two years and gently rubbed it with his hands.

Mother Xu's daughter-in-law gave birth to a baby, and she went home to serve her daughter-in-law during the confinement period.Otherwise, she will definitely accompany A Niang on her death anniversary tomorrow.It doesn't matter if she goes by herself. Baoxiang Temple is in the capital. Every year she and Xu's mother go there on foot, so they are quite confident about the route.

She had already planned to buy a pair of shoes at a clothing store when she came back.She doesn't know how to make shoes, and Xu's mother is too old to make shoes.You can save on the clothes, but the soles of the shoes have been worn for three years and are already in disrepair.

Just when Qin Xiangxiang was thinking about saving money, her biological father Qin Guanlan was eating hot shepherd's purse dumplings.

Hongxiu took the opportunity to convey Qin Xiangxiang's request.

Qin Guanlan suddenly said: "Oh, tomorrow is her mother's death anniversary."

He casually ordered: "Hongxiu, please give her two taels of silver in silver notes."

Tianxiang smiled: "Master values ​​friendship."

Qin Guanlan stuffed a dumpling ear into Tianxiang: "Let's Tianxiang, it sounds nice to talk."

Hong Xiu pouted: "I want to eat too."

At this time, Qin Guanlan's chief attendant outside announced: "Master, Madam is here."

As soon as Mrs. Zhong entered the door, she saw Hong Xiu and Tian Xiang with their oily lips.

She felt disgusted in her heart, but she still maintained a decent smile on her face: "Master, someone from the Zhou family came and said that the second young master of the Zhou family is seriously ill and wants to get married as soon as possible."

When Qin Xiangxiang was 15 years old, Mrs. Zhong helped Qin Xiangxiang choose a marriage for the sake of her own reputation.He has a good family background and comes from a scholarly family, but his fiancé Zhou Xu is in poor health and has been taking medicine for many years. I heard that his hair has almost fallen out.

But the master told Zhou Xu's fortune and said that although Zhou Xu was lingering on the sickbed, he was expected to live a long life.

Qin Xiangxiang had no right to choose her husband. The day Zhong informed her was just a notice.

We met each other once. That day Zhou Xu was in good spirits and came to Qin's house as a guest. Qin Xiangxiang saw Zhou Xu's sparse hair and stooped body through the curtain.At that time, her sister Qin Wanwan looked at her closely.

Qin Xiangxiang didn't say anything, and didn't even change his expression. He only asked her to marry him to the Zhou family.Most of the newlyweds in the capital will marry later, and Qin Xiangxiang's request is very reasonable.

Both families agreed.

But unexpectedly, Zhou Xu suddenly became seriously ill.

Both families are already engaged, so it's not impossible to move the wedding date forward.

Qin Guanlan asked, "Has the Zhou family chosen an auspicious day?"

"It will be set ten days later, on the fifth day of February." Zhong said, "I'm just waiting for your nod."

After my daughter gets married, I'm afraid she won't be able to eat the shepherd's purse egg dumplings she made.Qin Guanlan felt a little regretful, but not much: "Tomorrow is her mother's death anniversary. When she comes back from Baoxiang Temple, I will tell her the news. She will definitely be very happy."

At dawn the next day, Qin Xiangxiang got up.

Fortunately, the weather cleared up, otherwise Qin Xiangxiang would have to squeeze out some money to hire a sedan chair.

When Qin Xiangxiang goes out, he always takes a side door, which is usually used by the servants.

Qin Xiangxiang was thin and dressed plainly. He walked quietly on the road and was extremely inconspicuous.

Someone was talking near the lush banana tree: "On the fifth day of February, the Zhou family married the eldest lady. Madam ordered us to prepare eight banquets, and the budget for each banquet should not exceed half a pound."

Others said: "The second young master of the Zhou family is seriously ill. Can he come to marry the eldest lady in person?"

The man disagreed: "I can't come in person, so I can just come with a big cock in my arms."

Qin Xiangxiang dug her nails into her palms tightly.

(End of this chapter)