Passerby's daily life

Chapter 5 The Song Family ([-])

Ruan Susu touched the bellyband in her bosom, followed the maid into Zhao's mother's room, bowed her head and then remained silent, naturally she didn't see Zhao's complicated expression.

After a while, Mother Zhao sighed, got up and put Ruan Susula down on the window couch, and she was even more sad to see Susu cautiously dare not dare.

"Girl, remember, you are from Tong County in the suburbs of Beijing. Your father's name is Su Shicheng, a scholar, and your mother's name is Zhao Hehua. Your mother died of illness three years ago, and your father is not in good health. He also went this year. There is no one in the family. Hengchan doesn't have any uncles or elders, so he had to sell himself for a thin coffin to bury your father."

Hearing this, Ruan Susu suddenly looked up at Zhao's mother, what does this mean?
She clearly knew that she was the thirteenth girl of Li Guogong's mansion!

Mother Zhao stroked the top of Ruan Susu's head, and said softly: "Girl, don't be afraid, you have done a good job this month, no matter how hard it is in the future, it will never be worse than this."

Then he said: "Auntie Su is kind to me, and that's all I can do for the girl. Although I changed my identity and sold the deed to death, I am a private slave. I will ask the master to reward the deed of sale and go to the government. Renewing the household registration is a decent and good citizen, and you don’t have to be a slave for generations as an official slave, Miss Thirteen, forget about the past.”

Ruan Susu didn't care about the dignity of modern people at this time, and knelt down to kowtow to Mother Zhao.

Zhao's mother hurriedly pulled Susu up, "Good girl, you can't help it. Auntie Su has saved my life, but I can't save you from the sea of ​​suffering. I really feel ashamed!"

Ruan Susu didn't expect that Aunt Su would leave a way out for her daughter even if she went, so that she, a lonely soul, could enjoy the favor, and she couldn't stop crying for a while.

Zhao's mother hurriedly coaxed her: "Girl, don't cry, be careful that your eyes are swollen."

Then he told Susu about the Song family in detail.Although the Song family is not an official family now, they are real wealthy merchants. To put it inappropriately, the food and clothing in the palace may not be as expensive as the Song family.

Mrs. Song started as a salt merchant, and now the third generation is the general merchant among the salt merchants (salt merchants mainly include nest merchants, transport merchants, market merchants, and general merchants, among which the general merchants are the most powerful and have the closest relationship with the government). Business also involves all walks of life, and it is true that gold and silver are piled up in mountains.

Seeing that Ruan Susu listened seriously, Mother Zhao felt relieved. At first she was afraid that Miss Thirteen would be spoiled, so she wanted to sharpen her temper so that she would not lose her life in the future.

Unexpectedly, Ruan Susu really surprised Zhao's mother this month. She was neither noisy nor noisy, and could eat food no matter how unpalatable she was. I have to sigh, it is not easy to be a concubine in the gate of the mansion, and this patience alone is very rare.

That's good, at least one life can be saved.But looking at Susu's good looks, even though she was a little sallow due to malnutrition, she didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse.

Zhao's mother said again: "This time I heard that the Song family will let a group of maids of sufficient age to marry, and the inner courtyard will fill in some young maids. Although most of them will choose families to have children, they also want some from outside. The mothers in charge of the inner courtyard and I can talk to each other. It would be best if the girl can enter Mrs. Song's yard. Mrs. Song is the most kind, and the big maids around her are all hired outside as regular wives. The girl's good looks and temperament make the old lady happy, and it's just a matter of one sentence to get rid of your slave status."

Zhao's mother carefully warned Susu about some secret agents in the mansion, and asked Susu to recite her life experience several times.

The personal affairs on the deed of sale are all true. The little girl named Su He was ill and died of illness. Mother Zhao kept her heart in mind and didn't go to the government to get rid of her citizenship. Now it happens to be used by Su Su.

"Miss, remember, there will be no thirteenth girl from Liguo's mansion in the future, only Su Xiucai's daughter Su He." Ruan Susu nodded, the thirteenth girl from the Ruan family is long gone.

Early the next morning, the little girls packed up and got into the carriage, and they walked for almost half an hour before stopping.

After getting out of the car, I saw a clean back street, a few people, a high wall on the left, a corner door, and two young men who read texts. Mother Zhao seemed to be familiar with both of them, and said hello, "Long time no see." See you, how's it going?" Waited for some words before leading the little girls into the corner gate.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Su Su knew why Yangzhou was said to be the most wealthy in the world, and Emperor Qianlong lamented "the wealth of the salt merchants is great".You can get a glimpse of this garden just by looking at it.

Yangzhou gardens are well-known, and the Song family's garden is even more exquisite in the garden, named Shouzhi Garden. What Ruan Susu saw before walking a few steps was full of poetic charm.

Susu didn't dare to look too much, she only took a glance and then lowered her head to follow Mother Zhao. It was different from the big mansions in the capital, which had various ritual gates, two corner gates, and countless halls and corridors.There are various bluestone paths in Yangzhou gardens, which have a novelty of winding paths leading to secluded willows and dark flowers.

After walking for about a cup of tea, the boy who led the way pointed to a circular archway and said, "That's the inner courtyard, boy, bring it here, mother can go by herself, but these little girls have to wait here to hear the news."

Mother Zhao gave instructions to the little girls she had brought, and went into the circular arch by herself. After a while, the little girls chattered.

Da Ya pulled Susu and Taohua and said: "No wonder Mother Zhao said that the Song family is rich, and the place where they live is bigger and more beautiful than our richest landlord's house!" Taohua also nodded in agreement.

Susu snickered, no matter how rich the landlord is, he can't compare with the salt merchant!

"Stop talking, mother Zhao will be reprimanded when she comes back later." Susu whispered something, and the little girls calmed down.After seeing this rich and noble town, no one would want to be cut down before meeting the rightful owner. This journey has already made these little girls realize the truth.

After a while, Mother Zhao came over with a very well-dressed 30-year-old daughter-in-law in charge. Seeing that the little girls were quiet, a trace of satisfaction flashed in the eyes of the daughter-in-law, and a smile appeared on her face and said: "Sister Zhao still can't find any mistakes in her work."

Mother Zhao said with a smile: "When you pick someone from your mansion, you will bring the good ones." Then she said to a group of little maids: "This is Mother Xue who is next to Mrs. Song's family, and she is in charge of the maidservants in the mansion. "

Everyone greeted Xue's mother, Xue's mother saw that these little girls had good manners, and said: "The rules in the house, the new maids are selected by the old lady first, and then the three wives. Girls and young men do not accept new ones. Jin's little maid, whether you can enter Song's house or not depends entirely on your luck."

The little girls were lucky enough to enter the inner courtyard, and they saw the rockery, clear stream, water pavilions and pavilions, splendid flowers, verdant trees, and super hand corridors, where people come and go, so lively!

The big maids and the little maids are all dressed in red and green, and the clothes are made of fine cloth at the very least.

There are rules for the maids in Liguo's mansion to wear what kind of clothes. Most of the nobles and officials in the capital are like this, but the Song mansion is obviously different. I finally understand why Zhao's mother said that the Song family treats their servants generously. Look at these maids You can see it.

And the rules are not very strict. It can be seen that although the Song family is rich, they are just two generations of nouveau riche, but it is this kind of family that is good news for Susu.

Following mother Zhao and mother Xue wandering around for a cup of tea, they stopped in front of a courtyard. Ruan Susu had some memories of the original owner's knowledge, so she could naturally read.

There is a plaque in front of the gate of the courtyard, with the words "Suian Hall" written on it. Entering the courtyard, it is different from the majestic and magnificent buildings in the north.In the previous life, I only heard about the beauty of Su Yang's gardens, but it was only today that I opened my eyes.

There are already more than a dozen little girls between the ages of seven and eight to eleven or twelve standing in the courtyard, all of whom are born in the same family, some of them are well-dressed, and they even wear bracelets and beads, like a lady from a big family. It seems that the Song family There is plenty of oil and water.

Which courtyard among the children of the family will enter which courtyard has been decided long ago. The old lady doesn't care about these things.

The same is true for those who came outside, but just as Ruan Susu and the others stood up, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old maid came out of the room and said to the two who were looking at these little girls: "Sister Pearl, what about Qin, the old lady said I haven't seen Mama Zhao for a long time, please answer inside, and the little girls brought by Mama Zhao will also be brought in to have a look."

Mother Zhao knew that Mrs. Song must want to hear news from the capital.

Mother Zhao entered the house, greeted the old lady of the Song family, and hurriedly had a little maid move an embroidered pier for Mother Zhao to sit down.

The old lady of the Song family is not yet 50 years old this year, but she has suffered a lot when she was young and her body looks old, but she is kind-hearted and kind-hearted.

The matchmaker's news was very well-informed. Mother Zhao picked up what she could say and told it to Mrs. Song as if it was fun, and it took a long time before she asked the little girls to go in.

Mother Zhao saw that the little girls were standing upright, so she said to the old lady of the Song family: "I know that the old lady is the most kind and kind. She gives away porridge and hair clothes every year. I heard that many people give you the rank of longevity. If these girls can enter The Song family followed the old lady, it was a great fortune." The coaxing old lady smiled.

Then Mother Zhao asked the little girls to greet the old lady one by one.

The old lady saw Susu at a glance, called her to her, looked at her carefully, and said, "It's really beautiful, she doesn't look like a village girl."

Zhao's mother hurriedly said: "The old lady has sharp eyesight, this girl's father is a scholar, and he has learned a few words, it is also a pity." , what Ruan Susu said was loyalty and filial piety, which moved the heavens and the earth.

Ruan Susu thought of her own mother and father, she was so sad, her eyes were red for a while, but she straightened her back and didn't let tears fall, which made people feel distressed.

After hearing this, Mrs. Song thought of something, and said with emotion: "This girl is very suitable for my eyes, and she has a good character, so let me stay. The rare thing is that she can read, so I will make up for three." There is a shortage of waiting. Hu Po, please take care of me." That Hu Po is the big maid who called people in.

Zhao's mother didn't think that Su Su could directly fill the third-class vacancies by bypassing the rough envoy maid, so she hurriedly said: "The old lady is really kind-hearted, this girl can be regarded as falling into the nest of blessings."

Su Su was also winking, she knelt down and kowtowed to the old lady, she recognized the master, after that the old lady was really not interested in watching, so Mother Zhao took the rest of the little girls back.

(End of this chapter)