The Concubine's Survival Manual

Chapter 20

Seventh Lady couldn't help being startled.

It was too late to react for a while, just listening to the wind in my ear blankly.

There was a flower in front of her, and the world was spinning for a while, and when she regained her senses, Gui Hanchun was blocking her behind.The black and golden flower dress was on the tip of Qiniangzi's nose.

Seventh Lady couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.

She stepped back a little.

"Is Shimei alright?" Gui Hanchun took advantage of the situation and stepped forward, opening the distance between him and Seventh Lady.

But he didn't expect that the birdcage was shaking, and he was tall, and the birdcage was overturned on his shoulders, and the bird food and guano were scattered all over the ground.

Although Gui Hanchun reacted quickly and dodged away with a sway of his shoulders, Qin Niangzi was not so quick, and the eight Hunan embroidered skirts were splashed with a little bit of melon seeds.

"Oh." Gui Hanchun whispered in annoyance, "It's because I have taken care of my younger sister!"

He became a little embarrassed again, and his face was a little more springy, which made this young man even more attractive.

Qin Niangzi quickly shook her head and was polite to Gui Hanchun, "It's Xiaoqi who is reckless and has implicated Shixiong—Shixiong, please go first, turn the corner and go left to gather the Eight Immortals."

Gui Hanchun was still a little embarrassed.

He touched his nose and looked around again.

"I'll catch the bird back for Shimei!"

Without further ado, a decision was made.

After all, it was a domesticated bird. The lark didn't fly far away, and was standing on a rock in the rockery, pecking at its feathers.

Qiniangzi was about to be polite, when Gui Hanchun jumped onto the rockery with a flash of figure.

He is tall and slender, with long hands and long feet, and he moves quickly. He leaps up in the sun, his figure is light and vigorous, and Seventh Lady can't help but look at him for a while.

Seeing that Gui Hanchun aimed at the lark, his strike was as fast as lightning, and before the bird had time to dodge, he grabbed it in the palm of his hand, turned over and jumped off the rockery, walked into the corridor with a smile, and put the bird back The cage is closed.

"It's really reckless to offend Shimei!" He turned around and apologized earnestly to Seventh Lady, his face full of sincerity.

Seventh Lady had a fever on her face.

In the final analysis of this matter, it was because I was reckless and reckless, that I opened the birdcage...

"Where."

The two were polite again.

Qin Niangzi was also embarrassed to ask more about Xu Fengjia, so she showed Gui Hanchun the way and left, "There are other things..."

Gui Hanchun looked at Qin Niangzi's skirt.

The white silk embroidered with Xiang bamboo is stained with yellow spots, which is quite dazzling.

He smiled contentedly. "Senior sister, please help yourself!"

As he spoke, he turned the corner with big strides.

This Gui Er Shao's actions are really decisive and clean, like a cucumber bitten off in summer, it is clear and crisp, and it also has a special aftertaste.

Seventh Lady waited for him to turn out of sight before she lowered her face.

A few steps back to the rockery.

"Fifth Sister, you killed me!" She showed a rare childlike attitude, stomping her feet to blame Fifth Lady.

Fifth Lady and Sixth Lady couldn't move because of their laughter.

The two of them wanted to laugh again, but they also had to hold back their laughter, and they both held back tears from their eyes.

Fifth Lady wiped her tears while comforting Seventh Lady.

"Yes, yes, it's all wrong with Fifth Sister." She laughed again, leaning on Sixth Lady's body and trembling, "You made our Seventh Sister wronged, but let the young master of the Gui family have a hero to save the beauty." Chance!"

"Fifth Sister!" Seventh Lady wanted to slap Fifth Lady twice, "Isn't it all just to get news about your cousin!"

Liu Niangzi laughed and teased Qin Niangzi again, "Our seventh sister finally has this day! How did you laugh at your sisters in the past? This, this is simply a living retribution!"

Qin Niangzi stomped her feet resentfully, "I'll go back and change my skirt!"

Fifth Lady and Sixth Lady followed behind Seventh Lady while laughing.

Everyone entered the West Side Courtyard, Seventh Lady changed her skirts, but after all she ordered Bai Lu to serve tea.

"After all, Siyi Pavilion is also hot. Today's heat is so severe, I'm afraid Eighth Sister will not be able to come here. It's better to hide in the house and drink tea."

Fifth Lady and Sixth Lady were drinking tea, and looked at Seventh Lady and smiled.

Qin Niangzi was really annoyed by being laughed at.

Only then did she know how embarrassed and annoyed Liu Niangzi felt when she was being teased.

The marriage has not been written off at all, although it is still young, it is okay, but if it is spread, it will hurt the face of Qin Niangzi after all.

"If you dare to speak out, don't even want to hear about your cousin!" She threatened Wu Niangzi.

With Liu Niangzi's temperament, although she can make booing, her mouth must be very strict.

Fifth Lady had no choice but to press her lips together, trying her best to look serious.

"Okay, don't say it, don't say it, Xiao Qi has a thin skin, I know, I know."

Only then did Qiniangzi repeat Gui Hanchun's few words reluctantly.

She intentionally or unintentionally missed the matter of the left-hand saber technique.

Wu Niangzi was already worried when she heard this.

"I hope my cousin is safe and sound!" She clasped her hands together and shook them again, "Let's persuade mother to go to Hanshan Temple to offer incense. I want to pray for my cousin's safety!"

The fundus of the eyes is calm and pure.

It's not easy for Seventh Lady to tease Fifth Lady.

It could be seen that Wu Niangzi really cared about Xu Fengjia.

Maybe it's because she doesn't have a biological brother!Although Xu Fengjia is domineering, she has always taken good care of Fifth Lady.

"It's natural." She echoed. "I think my cousin is in the frontier, but he really suffered a lot..."

Unexpectedly, I became a little irritable.

If Xu Fengjia got hurt on his hand... Wouldn't Brother Nine miss him for the rest of his life?

The little sisters said a few more words, and Wu Niangzi started to fight Shuanglu.

Qin Niangzi was not interested, so she reasoned to watch the battle, looked at it, but went to bed and lay down, claiming to take a nap.

Tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, full of endless thoughts, when I closed my eyes, I thought of the bandage wrapped around Xu Fengjia's hand...

On the second day, I had a headache and fever, and couldn't eat, so I hurriedly took the Taipingzi prescribed by Quan Zhongbai to eat two pastes, and then stayed in bed to rest, and then gradually recovered.

When Wu Niangzi came to visit the doctor, she brought a small ivory birdcage.

There is a little lark in the cage, and the bird's head stretches and shrinks, which is really cute.

"Relieve your boredom!" Fifth Lady was very proud, she winked at Seventh Lady, "You have to feed it well!"

Lost the cage and ran away.

It's not easy for Qin Niangzi to return the bird - that's too hypocritical.

Had to hang the birdcage outside the house.

After a few days, I got used to listening to Bai Ling's graceful and clear singing.

When the eldest wife came to visit the west courtyard in person, she also stood under the eaves and teased the little lark.

"I used to think that your yard was too quiet, but with the addition of this bird, it has become lively."

The eldest lady looked in a good mood, with a smile on her brows and eyes.

"Mother!" Seventh Lady made a gesture to go down to the ground.

The eldest lady hurriedly stepped forward and pushed Qiniangzi back, "Silly boy, I just took the medicine, don't move around, lest I catch a cold again."

Can't help but sigh, "After all, your body is delicate, and you will catch cold in this hot summer..."

Seventh Lady showed embarrassment, "I'm causing trouble for Mother."

The eldest lady looked at Qin Niangzi lovingly, "Is this troublesome? Didn't that mother trouble you so much?"

The two mothers and daughters talked and laughed, and the harmony reached a very high level.

The corners of the eldest wife's eyes and brows were faintly beaming with joy.

When it was time to leave, I still couldn't help but reveal to Qin Niangzi, "Your father has already opened up the joints of my second uncle, and they will naturally take care of the family tree."

Seventh Lady was refreshed.

This is indeed genuinely good news.

"How much did it cost?" I couldn't help asking.

The eldest wife smiled, "Not much." She casually compared two fingers to Qin Niangzi.

"Two thousand?" Seventh Lady gasped.

"Twenty thousand!" The eldest lady laughed.

Then explain it to Seventh Lady.

"It's disgraceful to make a concubine a concubine, and to make a concubine a concubine. It's disgraceful to make a fuss. Although everyone understands it, the patriarch has to bear the risk... [-] can't be said to be less, but I'm afraid your second uncle thinks it's not enough. How much!"

Seventh Lady shook her head repeatedly and sighed, "This is too..." with a heartache on her face.

The old lady was very happy to see it.

In the end, it was Xiaoqi who was caring, and knew how to save money at a young age.

"It's all worth it." She comforted Seventh Lady, "You are young, so you don't know the power of the clan. If Brother Nine is just a bastard, he will inevitably be looked at everywhere in the clan in the future. After all, the three cousins ​​are separated from each other. ...Write it under my name, and you will have confidence in the clan in the future."

The aristocratic family has the most strict rules, and there are many elders in the family who rely on the old to sell the old, and there are a lot of bad rules, and there are countless gossips.The two households of the Yang family are so rich, if it is not written under the name of the eldest wife, in the future, if the ninth brother is a little weaker, after the eldest master passes away, there will never be fewer people who will bully the ninth brother overtly and secretly.

The eldest wife can afford to let go of it, and once she believed that Brother Nine had no second thoughts, she immediately promoted Brother Nine to be a son-in-law...

Suspicious people are like this, once they can gain her trust, everything will be easy to handle.

Step by step, step by step.

Seventh Lady genuinely expressed her gratitude, "Mother is really virtuous and virtuous, she can be called a model mistress..."

The eldest lady listened to her heart's content, covered her mouth and laughed.

"It's just." Qin Niangzi changed the topic and showed a worried look, "I'm afraid there will be someone obstructing..."

"You mean..." The eldest lady's expression changed.

Of course only Erfang was the one who would interfere with this kind of matter.

Even if Qin Niangzi hesitated to speak, it is not impossible for the eldest wife to guess.

"It shouldn't be possible." She also pondered. "Your second aunt has never been back to her hometown in the northwest. She entered the door in the capital. For many years, she was either in the capital or in Suzhou..."

Seventh Lady also understood what the eldest lady meant.

Ancient times are not modern, and information dissemination is inconvenient.If the second wife wanted to interfere with Da Fang's matter, she would have to send someone back to spread "rumors" and slander Brother Nine for being a concubine.

But the second wife has never lived in the Northwest, and she is not familiar with the head and geography, and the servants under her hand seldom walk with the family, so it may be difficult to find the land in Yangjiacun.

It's not as familiar as the second uncle of my family. I'm afraid that when the second wife's people find Yangjiacun, the ninth brother and the seventh lady have already finished the genealogy.

"That's right!" Seventh Lady's expression eased, "Mother thought carefully."

One mouthful of a soft and glutinous mother, screaming that the heart of the eldest wife almost melted.

"I still have to let Boss Niu pay more attention." She patted Mrs. Qin's hand, "Xiao Qi is much more careful--when you recover, follow me and learn from me! Take a look at more than ten I'm old, I have to learn these things!"

The eldest lady never asked these questions before.

Qin Niangzi had a filial piety with the eldest wife and loving daughter for a while.

After sending off the eldest wife, he leaned on the pillow and smiled to himself.

"It's really smooth step by step, step by step..."

She called Lixia again, "Come here."

Li Xia stepped forward with a respectful face.

"Didn't you say last time that Xiao Man, the new servant girl in Xi Ke Fang, is your cousin?" Seventh Lady smiled uncontrollably. "You, a cousin, should go check it out, so as not to let people gossip and say that we in the West Side Courtyard are arrogant!"

"Yes," Li Xia smiled knowingly, "After dinner, I'll go visit her."

Although the relationship between Xikefang and the main courtyard is cold, it is all the masters' business.

The subordinates have their own communication with the subordinates.

Before starting the first shift, Li Xia returned to the West Side Courtyard.

"I just said a few words to Xiao Man, and Shuang Jiang drank Xiao Man away." She repeated it to Qin Niangzi, "Standing at the bottom of the steps, pointing at Sang and scolding Huai, saying that Si Yiniang is a respectable concubine. It's not the turn of the people from the West Side Courtyard to show their prestige, but the second wife talked to our fourth aunt a lot in a pleasant manner when she was washing the dust for the second master of my family a few days ago! The fourth aunt didn't even respond to her!"

Seventh Lady's eyes lit up.

Clap your hands happily.

"It's wonderful!" She laughed, "Si Yiniang is indeed a capable person!"

Test Lixia again, "Do you understand the meaning?"

Li Xia smiled unhurriedly, with a simple and honest face.

"If a girl wants Lixia to understand, Lixia will understand. If a girl doesn't want Lixia to understand, Lixia will not understand."

Seventh Lady was taken aback.

He looked at Lixia and nodded meaningfully.

This girl has come out of experience.

#
The second uncle of my family was eager to return home, and he didn't care about going on the road after the Mid-Autumn Festival. He hurriedly picked up an auspicious day, packed his luggage, and followed Gui Hanchun's donkey team on the official road.

The eldest wife discussed with the elder for a long time, and in the end they still sent Manager Niu to go out.

It is one thing to create a genealogy for several children, and it is another thing to transport some inconvenient belongings back to the hometown for proper storage.

Both things have to be watched by a capable person, so that the two couples can rest assured.

In previous years, the second wife sent things directly to the first room, but this year she even sent a capable butler by her side, "This time the second room is much softer, so it's not good to bother the elder brother and sister-in-law all the time."

The eldest wife understood, and smiled to socialize, "Second Aunt is getting more and more sympathetic to us."

At the same time, he gave a few words to Boss Niu in detail.

What does Boss Niu not understand?
It was only September, and the housekeeper of the second room sent a letter: On the road, he was not acclimatized, vomiting and diarrhea, but the army couldn't wait for him to recover, so he was sent to Bengbu.

The eldest wife complained to Qin Niangzi in private, "You said there is no such person as your second aunt in the world! The eyeballs are stuck to the furniture of our eldest house, and I'm afraid they can't be pulled off!"

Seventh Lady laughed and worried, "I'm afraid Second Aunt's methods are more than that!"

"What else can she do?" The eldest wife didn't take it seriously, "Brother Jiu wrote it into the genealogy, and he is our family's legitimate son. How can there be any reason for letting the legitimate son ignore it and adopting nephew?"

Seventh Lady moved her mouth, but stopped talking.

The eldest lady's heart moved.

With Qin Niangzi's meticulousness, maybe she can really make some mistakes for her staff.

The first lady went back to Yuhang again... After all, she was a married daughter, and her husband's family was always more important in her heart.

"Just say what you want." She said with a pleasant face, "We don't play such nonsense between mother and daughter."

Seventh Lady lowered her head and made arrangements for Second Aunt in a soft voice.

"I feel that in the past few years, there have been many strange things in the mansion."

The eldest lady couldn't help but change her face.

Immediately thought of those few words of the first lady.

"Even if the third aunt is profound in Taoism, after doing so many rituals, she should be reborn, right? Not to mention Master Tongshou of Guanyin Mountain, and even the master of Hanshan Temple, we have troubled many times. Enshrining... Even if she has great grievances, she can't hold back the sacrifices and offerings of these masters over the years..."

"Of course Brother Nine's eating and drinking, we are careful, and Sister Lichun is taking care of it, there will be nothing wrong." Seventh Lady sighed again, "It's just this ghost thing, we have to guard against it... after all, it is I can’t explain things that I don’t understand!”

Seventh Lady is worried about Third Aunt!

I was afraid of offending myself, so I didn't dare to speak out.

The eldest lady squinted her eyes, thoughtful.

The first lady left these many temples, and invited many teams to secretly perform rituals for the third aunt... Just before she left, she went to Guanyin Mountain. The abbot, Master Tongshou, swore: "I have already sent people to reincarnation. If there are any more strange things, the old monk will come to see you."

These masters are all young and virtuous people, and if they are not very sure, they will definitely not lie.

Could it be... is it true that someone is secretly a man from the Yang family in Nightmare Town?
For a moment, I thought of what Shuxia said, about the death of Aunt Ba...

The eldest lady's face was deep, and she didn't speak for a long time.

Qin Niangzi suppressed her heartfelt smile, and cautiously added another sentence.

"However, it's all Xiaoqi's wild imagination, please don't take it to heart."

The slight worry and fear in the words vividly expressed Qin Niangzi's mood of worrying about gains and losses.

The eldest lady waved her hands, absently comforted Qin Niangzi a few words, and then went back to her own thoughts.

(End of this chapter)