Yijuan cloud

Chapter 31 Changing clothes for the general

In June, even the bitter cold land is unbearably hot during the day.

Passing the corridor from a distance, you can see two pomegranate flowers in the courtyard blooming like fire. The sunlight shines through the gaps between the trees on the floor tiles, like broken gold on the ground. The cornices soar into the sky, the sky is as blue as a wash, and when the wind blows, the ice The cool air in the basin is refreshing.

The maid at the door saw me coming and hurriedly opened the curtain for me.

I smiled and said thank you. The smile was still on my face after I entered the door. Without thinking, I looked up and saw Xianggui looking towards the door.

Xu Shi had just scolded someone, so she looked me up and down critically and urged: "Hurry up, wait and see, the ice is almost melting!"

I was happy in my heart, but I didn't know her as well, so I still smiled and said "yes", and walked quickly towards the depths of the hall. When I passed her, she turned to look at me arrogantly and doubtfully, as if my smile was Offending her.

I found a shady spot and put down the ice basin. When I walked out, Xianggui was still loudly instructing everyone to arrange the banquet. I took a few steps and wanted to leave the place while she was carrying her back.

Unexpectedly, she turned around suddenly, as if waiting for me, and said, "Is the ice ready?"

I said: "There are ten ice basins in total, placed throughout the hall."

After hearing this, she pointed her hand and said, "Go and wipe the floor with them."

I followed her fingers and looked back. There were two handymen kneeling there, scrubbing the floor tiles vigorously.

A rush of blood rushed to my head, and my thoughts turned around in my heart.

Today, a banquet was held at the house to celebrate General Fan's victory, and a lot of well-known people were invited. Manpower was tight, so we all helped with everything, but only the handymen were doing the work such as cleaning the floor tiles.

No matter how bad I am, I am still serving Prince Yi. Xianggui is clearly going to rub me down.

However, she was the maid in charge, and since ancient times, it has been said that a high-ranking official would crush someone to death. When I turned around reluctantly, I was able to respond calmly and went back to find a rag to wipe the floor.

Xianggui stayed in the hall for a while and then went out.

As soon as she left, the other two busboys knelt and crawled closer to me. One of the older busboys whispered: "How can a girl do this?"

Another young handyman followed and lowered his voice: "Have you offended Miss Xianggui? But no matter what, you should never ask a girl to clean the floor. Your hands are so delicate, how can they compare with us."

I buried my head in wiping the floor, knowing that they were half concerned and half gossiped. I didn't want to gossip, so I just said: "It's nothing, they are just slaves. Please wipe it quickly. Don't let the helper talk too much and the helper will do it slower."

Seeing that they couldn't find out anything, they dispersed.

When Prince Jing was entrusted with this place, he was extremely extravagant when he built the palace. The halls were all filled with gold bricks, and his knees became numb and painful after kneeling for a while.

It felt like it took a long time to wipe, but when I looked up, I saw that there was still a huge golden patch, which seemed to be endless.

When he lowered his head to wipe the floor again, the sweat on his forehead dripped down, condensing but not dispersing, like pearls.

I couldn't help but stunned.

I remember one year for my birthday, my father gave me a handful of pearls. After I thanked my father, I gave it to my maid Xiao Xia to put it away. I had to kneel on the ground to look for them. I was still young at that time, and I found one after another as if I were looking for treasures. I found it interesting, and I was actually happier than when I accepted the pearls.

In the end, all the beads were found, quite a few, but most of the good beads were broken. My father shook his head when he saw it, and my mother felt terribly distressed. Besides, Xiaoxia is my personal maid, and her work is unreliable. As the eldest daughter of the Lin family, I was not safe, so my mother ordered someone to beat Xiao Xia several times.

I could hear Xiaoxia's crying in the house.

But no matter how much I begged my mother, she wouldn't tell me to stop. She said, "The rules are the rules. If you make a mistake, you have to accept the punishment. This way you can remember it."

After that, I had a dream for several days. I dreamed that a bead was missing. My mother was angry and wanted to beat Xiaoxia again. So I lay on the ground looking for it, but I couldn't find it.

It turns out that this bead is here.

I smiled bitterly and raised my hand to wipe it off with a dirty rag.

All the people in the same room went to the front to serve, and Xianggui ordered me to stay in the room and sew clothes for a few boys.

I sat alone under the window and worked. It was extremely quiet. It was so quiet that I could hear the sound of needle points piercing the fabric, and my heart also calmed down.

Suddenly, I heard the faint sound of pipa playing. I looked up out of the window and saw that it was already time to turn on the lantern.

The gray-pink sunset on the horizon gradually turns to blue-grey. At this moment, guests should be arriving one after another.

I didn't light the lamp, put down what I was doing, and leaned against the window to enjoy the cool breeze. I just felt relaxed and clean.

The banquet at the house was nothing special, not to mention that perverted eunuch Tang Shou was there, but it was a pity that he could not see General Fan.

It wasn't until Xu Shi that I finished my work and no one came back. I stood up and felt hungry.

When I got to the kitchen, I saw that everyone was busy and couldn't spare any time. I didn't want to make any trouble, so I just took a piece of cake and walked back slowly.

As soon as I walked into the yard where I lived, I saw Linghua running over from the house in a hurry, holding my hand and walking into the house: "Duo'er, you're here, come in quickly." Her expression was solemn, showing a rare panic. , my heart sank, and I quickly asked her what happened.

Linghua pulled me and said as we walked: "General Fan wants to stay in the city for a short time, and the General has found a courtyard for him. Tonight, General Fan was the first to come and the first to leave. He just said he was going back. Everyone Unable to keep him, the prince sent him off in person. As he was talking, he learned that General Fan was going to stay in the city for a short time. The Commander-in-Chief found a courtyard for him, but there was no maid around to serve him, so he wanted to send someone there on the spot. General Fan first No, later he saw that he couldn't give in, so he said that it would be fine to find a little maid who was good at needlework and literate. The prince meant to call Sister Xianggui over. He panicked her and knelt down in a hurry and said that even though she could only read a few words, But when it comes to serving pen and ink, I am not as good as you, and I say that your acupuncture skills are very good, so I might as well ask you to go."

I quickly held Linghua's arm and stopped, asking, "You want me to go?"

Linghua looked at me sympathetically, sighed, and nodded: "Originally, after Sister Xianggui finished speaking, the prince raised his foot to kick her, but General Fan stopped him and said that Sister Xianggui was the prince's personal maid, and he must not do it. , I just need a little maid, King Yi agreed and asked me to come and pick you up."

After that, he hurriedly comforted me: "I see that General Fan is a decent man. He will eventually return to the military camp. How many days can he stay in the city? As the saying goes, the bridge will naturally be straight from the bow of the ship. If the place is changed, it may not be possible at first. If you don’t adapt, just be patient and the days will pass.”

In fact, I was very happy in my heart, but I couldn't show it on my face, and I couldn't tell Linghua that General Fan and I were old acquaintances, so I could only pretend to be calm.

But Linghua was more anxious than I was because he was afraid that I wouldn't want to go. These words of earnest explanation moved me even more.

Linghua is the most simple and honest person among the people I have met, but she makes me feel the most comforted and at ease. Like the evening breeze blowing on my face, all my intense and impetuous moods have been calmed down.

After simply packing a package, Linghua and I hurried out of the door.

The young man Zhuqing was waiting at the door, told Linghua to stop, and just led me towards the main gate of the house.

Two large lanterns hung at the door, illuminating a big black horse at the door with its shiny coat, and a familiar figure on the horse's back.

With just a quick glance, I lowered my head and could only see the moccasin boots on the gilded pedals in front of me. The corners of the light blue silk robe fluttered and trembled in the wind, like the beat of a light drum.

Immediately, his voice was low, revealing a bit of inhuman coldness: "Let's go!" He took the lead in riding forward.

"Girl, please get in the car." Feng Jian, the young man, walked up to me at some point.

He was not as cold as his master, he spoke to me with a warm smile, he just pretended not to know me and was very polite.

I blessed my body with him and bowed to Zhuqing.

When getting on the carriage, Zhu Qing said: "Your Majesty told me that my maid, Duo'er, must serve General Fan with all her heart and soul. She must not allow any mistakes. When she comes back after completing her errands, I will be generously rewarded."

I knelt down and bowed toward the door: "Duo'er will obey the prince's instructions."

The curtains on the carriage were hanging down, and occasionally a ray of light came through, making the interior of the carriage even more dim. My fingers that were holding on to the baggage gradually loosened, and joy gradually came over me.

Because I met Prince Yi at the Wangfu Lake last time, was scolded by Xianggui, and threw the flute. Except when I was on duty, I only stayed in the courtyard where I lived, and acted according to the rules. I was really depressed.

Although General Fan is a cold-faced young man, after several interactions, I found that he is actually a warm-hearted person. He can be regarded as a semi-acquaintance at any rate. Going to him is always more comfortable than at the palace.

Especially today, when I was rubbed with cinnamon during the day, I felt like I had escaped.

What's more, the reason why I came to the Great Wall was with a mission.

Cao Yingshan thought and hoped that there would be someone who could take care of General Fan, and that it would be a rare opportunity for me to serve him, which was what Cao Yingshan had in mind.

The carriage stopped, and Feng Jian opened the curtain, took my bundle, and helped me out of the carriage.

A black door was opened. It looked like the yard was not big, and there were a few guards standing at the door. General Fan was no longer there, so he thought he had entered first.

Feng Jian led him in, passed through the gate, and saw two rooms on each side. After passing through the corridor, there was a three-story building. The first floor was the slave room and kitchen, and there were stairs going up.

General Fan lived on the third floor. As soon as he walked out of the stairs, he unexpectedly saw a huge black shadow standing under the eaves. He was frightened and couldn't help but stop walking. Feng Jian, who was walking in front, noticed it and turned around to smile at me. Then he walked a few steps and whispered to the shadow of the person who was scaring people: "Sir, Miss Lin is here."

"I know." Fan Li said coldly, then entered the house with his hands behind his back.

Feng Jian waved to me, and I hurriedly followed him. After entering the house, I also lowered my eyes and saluted respectfully: "I have seen General Fan."

"Get up." Although Fan Li immediately asked me to get up, his tone was still extremely cold.

When I got up, I saw from the corner of my eye that he was pouring himself tea, so I stepped forward and poured him a cup of tea.

Feng Jian was very happy and said with a smile: "Master, I went to various places in the courtyard to explain the entrances." After saying that, he said to me, "Master's clothes are in the cabinet on the wall in the inner room, and the toiletries are in the outer room. There’s the Laurin girl.”

After Feng Jian went out, he gently closed the door, but a wisp of wind still slipped in, making the bead curtain rattle.

Suddenly I felt that the atmosphere was awkward, and General Fan was extremely cold and dull, so I went to get a towel. After taking a deep breath, I walked up to him and said warmly: "General, please wipe your hands."

He was startled for a moment, then reached out to take it, handed it to me again, and said in a deep voice, "Thank you."

"General, you are serious. This is your duty as a servant. It's getting late. Please change your clothes for me." After I said this seriously, I went to help him take off his shirt. He leaned back and stood upright again. He raised his arms stiffly.

(End of this chapter)