Ordinary clear day

Chapter 19 Golden Branch
Mrs. Tong has been worrying about the New Year ceremony since before the twelfth lunar month.What is better than previous years is that Zhang Bao has been promoted this year, and his salary has increased a lot. There are 200 taels, plus various subsidies, and the odds and ends of the filial piety of the subordinates, as well as the income that is customary in the yamen. A thousand taels.The daily food and clothing costs have been greatly improved, so the New Year gift sent to Beijing should not be too thin, but the production of Fengtian specialty spirit, which was very popular in the Earl's Mansion in Beijing in the past, has decreased this year, and the Tong family finally managed to get six jars. Gritting his teeth, he only kept two jars for his own New Year's Eve, and sent the other four jars to Beijing, and he also sent a letter explaining the reason why fine alcohol is so rare.

It's just that without good wine, other things must be more expensive.Although Zhang Baoyou proposed to send some local products such as corn and potatoes, but people in the Earl's Mansion might not like such things, so Tong had to find another way.In the end, she spent money to get a lot of wind sheep and wind pigs, and a pair of live sika deer, and bought a lot of high-quality sheepskins from the Mongolians, and a good tiger skin for 100 taels, which is filial piety. Father's.

This is already very rich, presumably Jingzhong should also be satisfied, but I have to think about what to give to my mother-in-law and sister-in-law.Seeing that it was still early, Mrs. Tong let go of her heart and concentrated on thinking about what to give to the female relatives.The nieces are all grown up this year, so I'm afraid I have to count their share as well.

But besides sending back the annual gift to Beijing, there are other things to be busy with.Tong also has to consider the New Year gift for her friends and her husband's colleagues in Fengtian City, as well as making new clothes for the whole family.In the past, money was always tight, so I had to take turns to make new clothes for the family. Zhang Bao and Duan Ning were the only ones, but the red clothes for myself and Shu Ning were made the year before last. Hands loose, make new ones for the whole family.

Mrs. Tong specially called Mrs. Liu, because she was old, and asked her to bring a helper to discuss making new clothes for her family.The styles of men's clothing are all ready-made, you only need to re-measure Duanning's figure.I have gained a little weight this year, and the weather is cold, so I just need to relax my waist.It's just that the daughter still has to ask her what style and color she likes, she has always been an idea.

When Shu Ning was called by Mrs. Tong to ask, she lost her mind.If it's the clothes of a big girl's family, she can also learn from the Qingzhuang dramas she has seen before. Just look at the styles of women's clothing inside.But now that I am still a little girl, where can I find reference?Fortunately, although the styles that are popular in Fengtian City today look a little earthy in her eyes, they are still pretty good-looking, so she suggested that she just follow suit, and chose the delicate pine color for the color.Unexpectedly, Mrs. Tong objected, she thought that red should be worn during the New Year's Eve, but Shuning couldn't help her, so she agreed to choose silver red, and ordered a purple vest.However, in order to appease her daughter, Tong finally agreed to make her a pine-colored spring dress in the future.

The official clothes have been negotiated, and I need to make some cloaks. Because of the heavy wind and snow this year, I will definitely use them when going out, and this kind of clothes can be used for several years.At this time, Shu Ning had an idea.She has been envious of the winter cloaks worn by the heroines in "Golden Branches and Jade" for a long time. She even bought a furry little purple cloak with a similar style. It was a bargain at 29 yuan, but with sleeves The design of the cloak was the same, and she had worn it almost every winter before she came here. She can't remember the style of the cloak in "Golden Branches and Jade", but she only remembers that the collar and cuffs have white furry trims, sleeves, satin face, and a few furry balls hanging from them.But she remembered the small cape she often wore at home, so she hurriedly found a pen and paper, drew a rough shape, explained it to Mrs. Tong and Mrs. Liu, and proposed to make furry borders and balls as well.

After Mrs. Tong understood it, she also became interested. Mrs. Liu praised "what a novel style", and agreed to do it.Mrs. Tong called her to stop, bowed her head to think for a while, and then ordered to make some more rouge silk noodles and some scarlet woven gold satin.This year's gifts for the sisters-in-law and nieces of the Earl's Mansion in the capital have been settled.

On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, three carts filled with wine, meat, live deer, several large bags of corn, potatoes, soybeans, and peanuts, plus a large carriage loaded with sheepskin and tiger skins, new-style cloaks, twelve satins and two boxes of purses, four carts Full of people, Changfu Ermo and his wife, Ma San'er and two hired coachmen drove out of Fengtian City and headed for the capital.

Shu Ning didn't get her new cloak until the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.Touching the smooth bright red satin, and the few fluffy white balls hanging from the front chest, cuffs and hem, she was very happy, thinking about something for several years, but she didn't know where to make it in modern times, so she could only wear 29 I have been addicted to the cheap goods for [-] yuan, and now I finally wear the real ones! ! !
Xiaotao was touching the new cloak, envious, and kept saying "it's so beautiful".Shu Ning ignored her, she was going to be a guest at Zhou's house tomorrow, so she would wear it to show off to her good friends!
It turned out that showing off was showing off the next day, but the new cloak was almost stripped off.Several young ladies from other families came to Zhou's house, all aged from 8 to 13 or 4 years old, and it was the time when they started to love beauty.Not only them, but also Mrs. Zhou and his two concubines were envious.Shu Ning had no choice but to take off the cloak for them to see clearly, so that they could find someone to do it.She would never wear it out before the Chinese New Year, otherwise the clothes would be robbed before the Chinese New Year.

In this era and place where there is no entertainment in the boudoir, a new and beautiful style of clothing quickly spread.When I go to the streets during the Chinese New Year, almost all the streets are covered with sleeved ponchos with fluffy balls, in various colors and patterned fabrics, so colorful and lively.

Ermo came back early this year, and arrived home on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month.When she talked about the Earl's Mansion in Beijing, the old man was pleased with the big tiger skin, and the grandmothers and young ladies who got the new cloak were also very happy. The new cloak with a brown background and embroidered gold surface specially made for his wife let her live in Beijing. During the party, she was in the limelight, and in great joy, she rewarded Mrs. Tong with a set of five pieces of gold jewelry that she cherished, and Mrs. Tong held the jewelry box and sighed for a long time, and couldn't help but shed tears.

Ermo brought other news.Tong's uncle, Tong Guowei, entered the upper study, her father was appointed servant of the Ministry of Industry, and her brother Wen'an was also appointed as a doctor of the Ministry of Households. Her natal family finally returned to the court.In the Earl's Mansion, Zhang Bao's second brother, Xing Bao, fell off his horse and was injured when he was competing with others. He had to retire from the army. It has been more than half a year at home, but I didn't tell Zhang Bao in the letter.

A month ago, the old man raised 1200 taels of silver in order to win his reputation, and entrusted his relationship with the army. Relying on the little credit Xingbao made in the army in the past, he donated a five-rank dragon guard for him to save some face.It's just that this position is a casual job, and it's just a good-looking job, so I only help with family affairs on weekdays, and I'm planning to find a way to add a channel for the family to make a fortune, so I'm entertaining guests everywhere.

There is also a gossip, which is circulated among the servants of the Earl's House, that Shu Ning's eldest cousin, Qing Ning, the eldest son of her uncle Jin Bao, has turned 15 years old, and the family is looking for a suitable marriage partner for him, Niu Hu The Lu family and the Zhaojia family each have a lady of the right age, one is a famous family for generations, and the other is a relative of a high-ranking official. The uncle and his wife are still hesitating and don't know which one to choose, but Qingning himself has taken a fancy to it. Concubine Min's own sister, Zhang Jia's, but this girl has an extraordinary family background, and there is a noble elder sister who is favored in the palace. I'm afraid Qingning won't be able to climb high, but he just doesn't give up, but the girl doesn't let him go on heart.

The whole family spent the New Year discussing all kinds of gossip.This year is better than before, not only the conditions in Shu Ning's house have improved, but even the poor people walking on the road look better. Many people take advantage of the New Year and go shopping in neat and clean clothes.After two years of successful trial planting of potatoes, corn and peanuts, Zhou Fucheng took the lead to promote planting methods to some farmers on the one hand, and on the other hand taught people to make many snacks made from these crops. There are quite a few stalls selling snacks, some selling peanut candy, some selling vermicelli soup, some selling boiled corn, and some selling potato cakes. Many people buy them, and even the poor will spend a couple of dollars , Buy some candies for my children to enjoy.

On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, Shu Ning wore all new clothes and brought Xiao Tao to the gate of Zhou's house.She and Zhou Yinlan had already made an appointment to go to the street today to buy various colored paper and paints for making Lantern Festival lanterns.Zhou Yinlan also wore a red cloak, and brought her maid Yinger with her two family members.The two little girls were both wearing bright red cloaks, neatly braided, and beautiful silk flowers. The lining was so messy, and they both had cute smiling faces. .

The two of them had just walked out of the paper and pen shop, and several maids and family members followed behind with several large bundles of things.At this moment, a fiery red figure floated past their eyes, and with the neighing of the horse, someone stopped the horse ahead.The two girls took a closer look, and it turned out to be the beautiful Miss Su, who hurriedly greeted her.

When Miss Su first met, she looked arrogant, but after getting along with her, she is actually a very straightforward person.She jumped off the horse and came over, saying hello: "Where are you going shopping? You can see the two streets so well, I'm tired of shopping." Then she turned to Shu Ning and said, "Ms. Zhang Bao's family is not very common. Come to my house to play more on weekdays." She pointed to the red cape with sleeves on her body, "I heard that it is a new style you came up with, and I like it when I saw it. It is much more convenient than the old style. It will be blown up by the wind, and it will make people's neck hurt, and wearing it is as cold as not wearing it." Shu Ning smiled and chatted with her, and she greeted her, turned around and rode away.

Zhou Yinlan looked at her receding figure and said enviously: "Sometimes I really admire this sister Su. I heard that her horsemanship is no worse than that of men. Although she looks difficult to get along with, she is actually a straightforward and kind person." Shu Ning nodded: "That's right, the last time I saw her meet a beggar with all limbs, I went up and scolded him for wanting to get something for nothing, and scolded him until he burst into tears of shame. She went to the street to beg for money because her mother was seriously ill and had no money to treat her, so she immediately gave him ten taels of silver and hired a doctor for him. Although she has a bad temper, she is a good person."

Just as he was talking, another rider came from behind, chasing Miss Su's back.Someone nearby was discussing privately: "Look, it's the brother-in-law of Prince Xian's son, and he's pestering the young lady again." "Isn't it? He's incapable of writing or martial arts, and he has the face to climb our Fengtian flower?" "Why can't it work? He still has Prince Xian as his backer, unlike you, ordinary people, just look at the flowers of Fengtian." "What's the matter? Don't you just look at it? Don't you?" Do you still dare to pick it?" "Stop arguing, what's the fuss about it? I heard that Miss Su has already betrothed the nobles in the capital, and the brother-in-law who is the prince's son can only watch."

……

(End of this chapter)