"... There are seventeen concubines in total. They just refused to go to the prostitute's yard. Eight of them knelt down to beg the young lady." Huang pointed to the roster, "They are all written here. Can you read it, young lady?"
Wei Changying asked: "Are those who were born the best among them?"
"Two of the three most beautiful ones are here," Huang said. "One of them seems to be very timid. Tuanyue only took two steps forward and then followed the crowd."
Wei Changying said in a deep voice: "In that case, it would be better to add a few stern women to look after the courtyard where they live now, especially the two good-looking ones who kneel down... If you really are not willing to let people waste the gift of heaven, It’s just a matter of paying off his good looks. I will give him the right to a decent road without any grudges to bring blessings to my descendants. If I still don’t give up on my fourth brother..."
Huang said with a smile: "Don't worry, young lady. The courtyard where they live now is not a brothel with a specially raised wall. However, Mingpeitang has experienced wars many times, and the courtyard wall was built higher than ordinary courtyard walls. Even though these beauties were light, it was impossible for them to escape over the wall, not to mention that the maid had asked the mother-in-law to watch over them. Since it was they themselves who asked for the favor of not becoming domestic prostitutes, the young lady might promise to take care of them. Anyone who dares to deceive the Young Madam will be killed on the spot. There is no need to report to the Young Madam for permission... These words have also been told to the concubines. Anyone who offends is seeking death on his own. You can't blame us. .”
"Then let these people do this for now, and raise them like ordinary servants." It's just a group of beauties who are not worthy of too much attention. Wei Changying then ordered, "Also call the mother-in-law who guards them. Teach them some ordinary women's skills, so that they won't be rejected and unable to live in the future!"
Zhu Xian, who has grown much taller than at the beginning of last year, said with a smile: "I think those people are quite handsome, but they are not virtuous enough. I think those soldiers can't usually get wives, how can I dislike them?" ?”
"That's not necessarily the case." Wei Changying smiled and nodded her forehead and said, "What do you think is the purpose of marrying a wife for a small family? Propagating children is of course the top priority, but taking care of the housework is also important. What kind of family is this? There are no servants in this family, how can you expect to be taken care of inside and out when you marry into such a family?"
Zhu Xuan teased Zhu Xian and said, "It seems that those beauties are really beautiful. Do you even feel pity for them?"
"With the young lady and all the sisters watching here every day, who do those people matter?" Zhu Xian said with a smile, "That's it...sister, it's really annoying for you to pick on me."
Guard Chief Ying and Mr. Huang ignored the quarrels among the little maids and continued talking about business while taking advantage of the freest day in the first month: "These people will be kept waiting for the return of the main army to reward their subordinates or make great contributions to them." Soldiers, those who have been stationed on the border for many years, it is said that many of them have delayed their marriages due to poverty or war. If they make merit this time, they will be rewarded by the court. I will also give a dowry to these beauties when they get married. As long as the couple is of the same mind, life will be easy and good. Anyway, that's it... But the vacancy on the side of the maid really needs to be filled. Now that we are far away from the imperial capital, it seems that we can only use the Shen family to have children. .”
Huang mused: "Actually, having children in the Shen family is nothing, although it is not as easy as the young lady's dowry. However, the young lady is still considered as a member of the Shen family. Besides, who doesn't know how promising the future is for serving the young lady? I'm afraid that if the young lady reveals that she wants to select a personal maid, the sons of the family will take over her."
She lowered her voice, "Furthermore, the son of the family chosen was born and raised in Xiliang, so he has a better understanding of the situation in the clan and the inside story of everything. It will be of great benefit to the young lady to further control Mingpeitang!"
Zhu Xian and Zhu Xuan heard this and were too busy to quarrel quietly. They came up together and asked: "Want to choose a new close maid? What about the maids?"
"You are fourteen now, so you can barely take on the role of ambassador." The four Zhus grew up together with Wei Changying, and their affection is unusual for ordinary maids. Wei Changying has always been approachable to them, and she will be like a sister. Smiling, he touched their black buns and explained, "However, Xinmiao didn't bring her entourage, so Zhu Shi and Zhu Lan will definitely be used by her. When she returns to the imperial capital, I may also ask Zhu Shi, Zhu Lan Lan and I will serve together to fulfill our master's etiquette. Tuanyue and Xinyue are a bit dull, and my husband doesn't have any suitable maids, so I have to add more."
Huang said with a smile: "Besides, you have made up for the ambassador's maid. Aren't you also short of the little maid?"
Zhu Xian and Zhu Xuan were relieved when they heard that their positions as ambassadors had not been snatched away, but had been decided by default. Their anger turned into joy, and they began to care about their future colleagues: "But they didn't know that the Young Madam and Aunt Huang planned to choose who?"
"Isn't this still undecided? Why, do you have a suitable candidate?" Wei Zhang Ying asked with a smile.
The aunts like Wei Changying and Huang had their own ideas in choosing the personal ambassadors. Without them as two and a half ambassadors to dictate, they still had some sense of propriety. They shook their heads together and said sarcastically: "My maid. Then ask."
"You will know when the candidate is decided." Wei Changying warned again, "The next few days will be very busy, so don't spread the news yet, so as not to add to your busy schedule."
That's all for this day... From the third day of the lunar month, Wei Changying has been busy like a top, almost non-stop taking turns to visit various houses for New Year greetings and attend banquets on behalf of her husband.
It's just a perfunctory appearance. The key is that on a big day like the New Year, just dressing up every day requires getting up an hour earlier than usual. There are countless pearls and emeralds piled up on top, and the outfit is not much lighter than the dowry when I left the palace. After all, Wei Changying is young and has not been in Xiliang for a long time. Although she is considered a natural beauty with outstanding grace, but limited by her age and experience, she has not yet reached the level of Jingchai's sarong to impress the Manchu elders. situation.
Therefore, they could only dress up with pearls, jade and gold ornaments to embellish their elegance and nobility, so that no one would dare to look down upon them. However, the Huang family changed the method and asked the kitchen to prepare tonics for Wei Changying. During the Lantern Festival, Wei Changying I still lost weight obviously, which shows how hard I have been working in the past half month.
After the Lantern Festival, the New Year is over. According to the plan, Wei Changying will send the three ladies who came to Xiliang with her back. This is also something she wrote back to the imperial capital at the end of last year to take note of the three families.
However, things changed again, so Deng Wanwan settled down and Deng Zongqi returned to his duties in the twelfth month. She came to Xiliang to see with her own eyes whether her brother was okay. Now that she has seen it, Wei Changying wanted to send her back on the pretext of the bitter cold in Xiliang. Of course she would not refuse - she was a girl who had not left the court and had lived in someone else's house for a long time. Even if the hostess greeted her, she would be embarrassed.
What's more, Deng Zongqi also agreed that his sister should go back early. Firstly, Xiliang was indeed not as livable as the imperial capital, and secondly, he considered that it was time for Deng Wanwan to get married at his age. For the latter matter, Deng Zongqi had already entrusted his aunt, Concubine Deng, to the concubine, and asked the concubine to choose a candidate that Deng Wanwan would like... But Deng Wanwan was not in the imperial capital, and the concubine could not decide.
Deng Wanwan's background meant that she would certainly marry a member of the gentry family. These people were not afraid of not being able to find a wife. Deng Wanwan, from her talent and appearance to her family background and her father and brother, was not worthy of waiting for someone who was her equal. Deng Zongqi had to worry about his sister staying in Xiliang for a long time and delaying her youth.
Gu Rouzhang really didn't want to leave. In order to achieve this goal, she even gave up the face of the eldest daughter of the Gu family: What's the point of crying? They even resorted to such disgraceful means as rolling on the ground. However, Wei Changying was resolute and didn't care how much trouble she made. In one sentence, when Deng Wanwan returned, she must also return to the imperial capital.
Gu Rouzhang was so regretful that she couldn't express her regrets - if she had known this, she would not have delayed her visit to her brother earlier. Even though she left Xiliang City and the places where she was stationed were desolate, no one could control her when she was away from Wei Changying.
Besides, Wei Changying does not take responsibility, and there is no need to interfere with when she returns to the imperial capital. However, Gu Xinian also joined the battle now - the Wei army stepped out on the ice on the snowy night on New Year's Eve, almost using all the troops of Xiliang to capture the Di Renwang's tent!
According to the private agreement, as a reward for Shen Zangfeng's exclusive credit for the previous victory in Mu Xiuer's victory where Shen Zangfeng almost directly killed the Di people, no matter how great his contribution, Shen Zangfeng's credit this time will only be listed at the bottom. The bulk will be divided between Gu Yiran, Gu Xinian, and Deng Zongqi, and even Shen Youjia will make way for them.
Of course, how to divide the three people depends on their respective performances.
So at the moment, Gu Xi Nian is far away in Di people's territory, earning credit, and Gu Rouzhang also wants to go to the battle to watch the excitement. Maybe if she is lucky, she can kill one or two Di people with her own hands... But she tentatively made such a request once , Wei Changying smashed a rosewood table in front of her on the spot, and warned her coldly that if she dared to cause trouble to her eyes, which she was so busy with, she would beat Gu Rouzhang like this. It's like a table - there is Duanmu Xinmiao everywhere, and he is not afraid of beating Gu Rouzhang to death and not being able to explain to the Gu family.
If Gu Rouzhang didn't want to be sent back to the imperial capital because of impulsiveness, she could try... Gu Rouzhang silently recalled that Sister Wei had killed a thief with her own hands. If she can do it, uh... it's better for her to make a wise decision and be obedient.
Of the two people above, one will take the initiative to leave at the slightest hint, while the other will be stubborn and refuse to leave, but if they are tougher, there will be no problem. The trouble still lies in Duanmu Xinmiao - at the previous New Year's Eve banquet, Duanmu Xinmiao promised to diagnose and treat everyone's chronic diseases, so that everyone sought medical treatment one after another, disrupting the good New Year's Eve banquet.
Later, Wei Changying had to come forward to smooth things over, and Dai Duanmu Xinmiao suggested that everyone seek medical treatment in order after discussion. At that time, everyone agreed to this suggestion, and Duanmu Xinmiao also acquiesced.
At that time, Wei Changying had too many things to take care of and did not think about it in detail. Later he discovered a trouble: from the first day of the first lunar month after New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival, every family was very busy during this period. According to custom, this It is also not suitable for seeking medical advice.
So it wasn't until the day after the Lantern Festival that the New Year's Eve had passed and everything was as usual. The old lady who had been given a few injections by Duanmu Xinmiao to relieve her pain at the New Year's Eve banquet came to her door accompanied by her juniors. Wei Changying finally thought of it. This troublesome thing... According to the number of guests at the New Year's Eve banquet, there are already a lot of people.
If word of this incident spreads, I am afraid that people from all over Xiliang and even several nearby counties will rush here to seek medical treatment!
After all, Ji Qubing's medical skills are well-known throughout the country and he is recognized as the best in the world. He was just a descendant of Duanmu Xinmiao - the two masters and apprentices still stayed in the imperial capital all year round and had extremely deep relationships with the six clans in the country. They were not something ordinary people could call upon.
For example, the old lady who came to visit on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month was also the wife of an elder in the Shen family, and her status in the clan was not low. Mrs. Su would politely call her aunt when she saw her. Her juniors were also very filial. They even invited the imperial doctor here, but even so they did not invite Ji Qubing, Shen's wife. In the eyes of Mrs. Song, how could she compare with her son's life
... To make a digression, just because they calculated that Shen Zangfeng would leave Xiliang City, the elders who had already expressed their surrender prepared a beautiful concubine for Shen Zanghui. They had hidden evil intentions and had something to do with this matter. . Relying on his kindness, Rui Yutang insisted on occupying the most famous doctor in the country and refused to let him come to Xiliang. Over the years, many of the elders of the Shen family, either because of their own illness or as a sign of filial piety, believed that they were among the six clans in the country. , who also has some status in the clan, sent people to Fengzhou to discuss with Mrs. Song.
Of course, the result was that Mrs. Song rejected her without hesitation...
After losing face and not inviting Ji Qubing to relieve their pain, the elders were always a little unhappy with Ruiyu Hall. What's more, Wei Changying has such a close relationship with Mrs. Song and Wei Zhenghong, who would rather offend the elders of the Shen family than let him go, so it would be strange not to anger her.
This was Ji Qubing. In the eyes of Wenyu, he was just a doctor after all. If he could not be treated, he would still be in the way of Rui Yutang.
But his disciple Duanmu Xinmiao was a true daughter of the Jinxiu Hall, the former crown prince's sister, and she was young and beautiful and had yet to marry her - who would dare to hire her unless she was seriously ill? The world is not peaceful now. If such a delicate young lady is invited, something happens to her on the way or during treatment at home. Even if we are both members of the family, we will not be able to explain it to the Duanmu family.
Even though he was seriously ill and wanted to take the risk of inviting her, Duanmu Xinmiao studied medicine firstly out of interest, and secondly to protect his sister, the Queen Mother Cai, and his nephew, King Cai. It had nothing to do with saving lives and healing the wounded, and he was not willing to leave the imperial capital at all!
Therefore, for people who are not in the imperial capital, although the two masters and apprentices are famous, they are as unrealistic as the sun and moon in the sky.
Ji Qubing, who is now more famous and has better medical skills, and whose status in the Xinglin is as high as the sun, is far away in Fengzhou to diagnose and treat Wei Zhenghong; but the only successor he carefully cultivated, his status in the Xinglin can always be better than that of a bright moon. Duanmu Xinmiao unexpectedly arrived in Xiliang, and he was so approachable... Anyone who didn't seize this opportunity would be really stupid!
Now what Wei Changying has to face is such a situation: Duanmu Xinmiao is no longer unable to leave according to the opportunity, but the people who come to Xiliang from all directions to seek medical treatment have almost overwhelmed the inns in Xiliang City. They are all occupied! (To be continued)