The Concubine's Survival Manual

Chapter 44

After September, the Grand Master took some time off.

Every year when the autumn harvest comes, there will always be fighting between landlords and tenants. Last year, some tenants turned into bandits in a fit of anger, causing disturbances in most of the province. The hearts of the envoys are also hanging high, and they can't breathe a sigh of relief until late autumn after September.

Thinking about the past few months, the family has been troubled, and guests have come again.

The old man went to Taihu Lake to enjoy the autumn.

Mrs. Xu was very interested.

This is the first time for her to go to the south of the Yangtze River. Although she has been surrounded by many wives to go to several Buddhist temples in and around Suzhou city to offer incense, she has not yet visited the scenery of Taihu Lake.

The second lady was all about preparing the dowry, but she was afraid that if the eldest wife and the elder master were not at home, it would be difficult to entertain people from the Sun family, so she didn't go.The third lady also said that she would not go away from her illness... Everyone knew that she was afraid of Xu Fengjia.The fourth lady was really sick, she had a low fever since September, she seemed like she was about to send out beans, she didn't dare to blow the wind, and she didn't want to go, the eighth lady also had a cough, and even the second wife couldn't come.At the end of the junior generation, there were only a few children from the main courtyard, Liu Niangzi and Xu Fengjia.

Even so, there are a lot of pomp and circumstance.The ladies each took a maid with them, and took a small Cuiyu clean oil car, and the eldest wife took Brother Nine to sit in a sedan chair carried by four people. She thought it was too extravagant, just like the Elder Master and Eldest Wife, they changed to a red-topped sedan chair, but Xu Fengjia didn't sit in the sedan chair, but rode the good horse that Yang's family raised every day, and escorted her mother beside the sedan chair.There are also serving women, Zhang Luo's housekeeper, etc., who are full of three big carts and follow behind, shouting in front and hugging in back, and slowly go to Guangfu Town.

It happened that halfway there, I met the sedan chair of Li's family, the chief envoy of Jiangsu Province.

The two sides sent people to each other and exchanged messages, only to find out that it was Mrs. Li who went to Tongguanyin Temple to pray for blessings.The two happened to be on the same road.

Most of the rich families in Suzhou have their own Zen temples that they often visit.

It is said that Mrs. Li's legitimate son was begged in Tongguanyin Temple.

After listening to Lichun's return, the eldest wife understood.

"When you arrive in Guangfu Town, send someone to ask Mrs. Li if you want to go to Taihu Lake to enjoy the autumn together." She ordered with a smile.

Mrs. Li probably won't come if the Grand Master is here, but she must be polite.

From Mrs. Li, she thought of Mrs. Xu.

A while ago, Mrs. Xu just went to the banquet set by the female relatives with her company.

She asked for a favor these days, but Mrs. Xu didn't stop going out.

She has visited almost all the Buddhist temples in Suzhou, large and small...

What is it that Mrs. Xu is so concerned about.

The eldest lady couldn't help but focus her eyes slightly, recalling what she had seen and heard in the capital.

Immediately afterwards, Xu Fengjia's voice and Wu Niangzi's giggles were heard again.

She frowned slightly, then smiled again in a blink of an eye.

Feng Jia is naughty by nature, but he gets along well with Xiao Wu, although he dares to tease Second Lady, but he has never teased Xiao Wu...

At dusk, a group of people entered Guangfu Town, and the two families rested at the Tongguanyin Temple. At that time, the temple was full of maids and women, and the place was full of singing and singing.

Mama Liang smiled and went into the yard where Mrs. Li was staying. Not long after, she came back and reported to the eldest wife, "Mrs. Li thanked Mrs. for her kindness, and said that she will stay for a long time this time and eat carefully, so I won't disturb Mrs. Li." I'm with my concubine, and I will bring the twelve young masters to greet my wife and concubine tomorrow morning."

"Where can I say hello, this Mrs. Li is just being polite." The eldest lady said hurriedly.

Madam Xu just smiled.

He casually told Xu Fengjia who was beside him, "It's better to be outside than to be at home, so don't run around and just stay by my side."

Xu Fengjia lowered her face and responded lightly.

Mrs. Xu just glanced at Qiniangzi and smiled at her.

Seventh Lady felt a little cold in her heart.

She has always been afraid of this capable-looking Mrs. Xu's wife, as if she can't hide anything from her.

It seems that the several conflicts between Xu Fengjia and her were indeed not hidden from Mrs. Xu.

Although there was not much malice in Madam Xu's smile, Qin Niangzi couldn't help but be a little more careful.

In her capacity, if she inadvertently offends Mrs. Xu...

Seventh Lady didn't dare to think about it anymore.

The eldest wife did not notice these details.

"It would be great if the third sister could stay in Suzhou for the New Year." She felt a little regretful. "Our family's villa on Dengwei Mountain is surrounded by plum blossoms, which bloom from the twelfth lunar month to February! It's a pity that it's not the flowering season now, so it's a bit deserted to live in."

Mrs. Xu is also looking forward to it, "Everything in the capital is good, but every inch of land is expensive, and the residence is small, and there is no good place to go out if you usually want to go out for an outing."

The two talked about the trivial matters before leaving the cabinet.

The children were bored, and they asked out to play in twos and threes.Ninth Brother was all about going to play with the Twelfth Young Master of the Li family.

Seventh Lady couldn't help but quietly asked Bai Lu, "Is the Twelve Lang of the Li family born to the current Mrs. Li?"

Bai Lu nodded with a smile, "This Ren Xuxian gave birth to such a son, who looks like an eyeball, and he always takes it with him wherever he goes."

He whispered to Qin Niangzi again. "The Li family is different from ours. This wife doesn't care too much. There are several aunts in the house who are fighting fiercely. Mrs. Li also pretends not to know. When she has free time, she likes to take the young master out to live. She can go wherever she likes. Master Li rarely cares about her."

No wonder Mr. Li and Mr. Li got so close, but Mrs. Li rarely came to talk to Mrs. Li.

Seventh Lady was curious, "The first few wives also have sons?"

"Both, the original partner and two aunts are both studying in Shantang Academy now, and they also have a reputation for raising people." Bai Lu nodded.

Six Niangzi leaned over and listened to Bai Lu's gossip with a smile, and Bai Lu didn't try to avoid it.

Mrs. Li will come over tomorrow, of course Seventh Lady would like to know more about the situation of the Li family, "The first son of Xu Xiansheng's son is not in good health, and he depends on medicine to cultivate him. He is 13 years old, but this wife is good to him and always takes him by his side."

For a family like the Yang family, the population is considered simple.At that time, there were a battalion of female soldiers and countless children in every family of the feudal officials in the frontier. It was really rare for the Yang family to have only the ninth brother and a single seedling.

Liu Niangzi also smiled and said, "Eleventh Lang and Twelve Lang have both visited our house. Eleventh Lang's uncle is very friendly with Second Uncle in the capital, so my father also thinks highly of him."

There are often ambiguous relationships among the great families.

Seventh Lady nodded.

He saw Xu Fengjia leave the house and walk towards them slowly.

Her heart tightened, and she held Liu Niangzi's hand.

Six Lady also froze.

Bai Lu couldn't help being a little funny.

It's rare to see Qin Niangzi's attentive and alert look, and it's a little more human-like than her usual indifferent expression.

"Let's set foot in Dongkuayuan, let's go and pack our bags first." She said softly.

The sixth lady and the seventh lady held hands and entered the Dongkua courtyard where the women's relatives were under their feet.

Xu Fengjia watched them turn the corner with a half-smile.

It seems that although Yang Qi's face is tense, Yang Qi is still a little afraid of him in his heart.

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The Yang family occupied two yards, one big and one small, in the Tongguanyin Temple. The elder and the eldest wife rested in the main room of the big yard. The sixth lady and the seventh lady were arranged in the East Kua courtyard, and the ninth brother and the fifth lady lived in the West Kua courtyard. Mrs. Xu took Xu Fengjia to rest in the small courtyard, and some servants from the two families lived in the backyard together.

The old man had been chatting with the abbot in the temple all the time, and he went back to his house to have dinner with his family at dinner time, and went out after dinner, leaving a message asking the old lady not to wait for him.

The eldest wife couldn't help gritting her teeth secretly.

Seventh Lady didn't dare to stay for long.

The elder would rather talk with the abbot all night than stay in the same room with the eldest wife, which shows the estrangement between the two husband and wife.

For a husband and wife to come to this point, there must be entanglement...

The eldest wife must not be willing to be witnessed by the concubine's unhappiness now.

Seventh Lady gave Sixth Lady a wink.

Sixth Lady nodded knowingly, pulled Seventh Lady to stand up and said good night to the eldest lady.

The two little girls left the house.

The night in Guangfu Temple is much more sparse than that in the Yang family.

After all, at the foot of the mountain, there are not many high-rise buildings around. The vast, dark blue night sky is unreservedly upside down above the heads of the two little girls. The pale white Milky Way spans the sky, and the stars are densely packed, shining like the eyes of wild animals. He stared at them wordlessly.

Sixth Lady unconsciously took Seventh Lady's hand.

"I'll sleep with you! Seventh Sister."

The fear in her voice came through unreservedly.

Seventh Lady smiled slightly, feeling relaxed and happy.

She suddenly missed her life in Yangjia Village... Although it was poor, it was much more free than life in Suzhou.

The night sky in the northwest is wider and more sparse than that in the south of the Yangtze River.

"Silly girl, what are you afraid of." She smiled and held Liu Niangzi's hand, pointing to the night sky, "See that spoon?"

"Hmm." There was a hint of excitement in Liu Niangzi's voice, "Is that Big Dipper?"

"Yes, if the Big Dipper points to the east, it will be spring all over the world; if the Big Dipper points to the south, it will be summer all over the world..." Seventh Lady read to Sixth Lady.

Liu Niangzi giggled, looked up at the sky, almost tripped, "Seventh sister, do you still recognize stars?"

"A little bit." Seventh lady entered Dongkua courtyard while talking to her.

"You know so many things." Liu Niangzi praised frankly, and became excited again, "Show me more, the stars in Guangfu Temple are brighter than those at home."

At night in Suzhou, there are lights everywhere, so naturally it cannot be compared with the night sky of Guangfu Town.

Seventh Lady and Sixth Lady stood in the courtyard, and Seventh Lady pointed to Nandou to show Sixth Lady, "The Big Dipper is the master of death, and the South Dipper is the master of life."

The two little girls were laughing and joking, Bai Lu and Da Xue urged her several times before washing up and going to bed.

After all, the meditation room is a bit cramped, and the two little girls sleep in the same bed, so there is no place for the maid to stay overnight.

Liu Niangzi simply drove Bailu and Daxue to sleep in her room, "... let you have a relaxing night too!"

Bailu and Daxue had no choice but to push their boats along the way.

Liu Niangzi and Qi Niangzi lay side by side on the bed, both felt very fresh.

Sixth Lady asked Seventh Lady, "How are you doing in the main courtyard?"

In front of Sixth Lady, Seventh Lady is always very relaxed.

"Not bad." She replied with a smile.

Liu Niangzi was a little dissatisfied.

"How could it be good..." In the darkness, her tone lost its usual innocence and joy, revealing a heaviness that did not match her age.

Seventh Lady was speechless at once.

"Second sister and fifth sister have bad tempers, and my wife has that temper..." Sixth lady seemed to be talking to herself, and she seemed to be fighting for Seventh lady, "It's not easy to be a concubine of the Yang family."

Seventh Lady also sighed.

Infinite thoughts came to mind.

"After all, it's still rich and beautiful." She forced a smile, "Sixth sister, we can't just look up, sometimes we have to look down. Compared with Bailu and Daxue, aren't we much better?" ?”

Sixth Lady fell silent.

After a while, she said softly. "I really admire you!"

Seventh Lady laughed, "I have nothing to envy."

The second lady and the fifth lady should be the envy of the sixth lady.

"You never seem to be rude." Liu Niangzi's tone was filled with deep bitterness, "It's like a big sister... born to know how to do things and be a human being."

Seventh Lady was speechless for a moment.

If she didn't even have this level, wouldn't she have lived so many years in vain in her previous life?

But she could also understand Liu Niangzi's envy.

Being in the gate of the house, the most important thing is to be a human being... No one can offend a concubine like them who has no support, and no one can underestimate them.

She lives in the main courtyard, and what she sees is the face of the eldest wife. As long as she is careful in every step, she can always get by.

But Liu Niangzi doesn't rely on both sides, and she can't offend the main court, nor can she offend the fourth house.

Of course it was a tough day.

"It will be fine in the future." She had no choice but to comfort Liu Niangzi vaguely, "One day, you will also be the head of the house...you don't need to look at people's faces to live!"

Sixth Lady laughed lightly.

"I think so too." She said vigorously, "One day, I don't want to look at other people's faces anymore, I want others to come to see me, to see Qi Yiniang's face... Well, I can only hope for this day."

"There will be." Seventh Lady said firmly. "There will always be rewards for all hardships!"

Never lose hope in your heart.

Even if this wish is far away and ethereal, we must work hard to pursue it.

Seventh Lady comforted Sixth Lady again, "Look at Eldest Sister, she is also a concubine, but she married such a good family."

Liu Niangzi hummed lightly.

"I'm so envious of Big Sister!"

Seventh Lady also sighed.

Why doesn't she envy the first lady?

For the daughter of a high family mansion, regardless of whether she is a concubine or a concubine, marriage is always the bargaining chip of her parents.Most of the concubine girls like them are married into well-matched families, either as the concubine's first wife, or as the concubine's continuation.

Life is nothing more than passing through one door and entering another. The world behind the door is actually just as gloomy.Every day is nothing but fighting.

If you can marry into such a simple and plain family like the first lady, even if you don't have rich clothes and fine food, it will be a blessing from several lifetimes of cultivation!
Seventh Lady gradually became confused.

When she was about to fall asleep, she heard Liu Niangzi sigh softly.

"If you can turn into a star in the sky, you won't have so much trouble..."

Seventh Lady smiled in her dream.

I'm afraid Xingxiu's troubles are more serious than ordinary people.

There is no real carefree in the world, even if you are a big wife or a big man, you still have knots in your heart that you can't get rid of.

(End of this chapter)