Zhou Shaojin asked Fan Liushi to sit on the small stool beside her and said, "I still want my mother to serve me all the time! You and your son are always far apart. Even if you don't miss them, I still do! I think it's better for them to stay with you. The farmland in the village can only yield a few harvests, so it doesn't matter if we don't plant them!"
Mrs. Fan Liu was very touched.
The Second Young Miss cared about her like this, and it was worth it for her to have nursed the Second Young Miss!
"As long as the Second Miss still needs me, I will serve her." Fan Liu wiped her eyes and said, "But the few acres of land in our family were left by the child's father. It is the ancestral property and cannot be lost. I have no choice! Besides, it is still unclear whether the child's uncle will let him go out! How can I be willing to throw away watermelons to pick up sesame seeds? But if I don't keep these acres of land, how can I face the child's father in the underworld!"
There is some truth to this.
Zhou Shaojin thought about it and said, "Why don't you let Lu'er stay in your hometown, and Qi'er come with you to work for the Zhou family? Not only can we have less food rations, but we can also take care of you nearby. If the year is not good, Qi'er's monthly salary can more or less subsidize some of the household expenses, isn't it the best of both worlds!"
It's more than the best of both worlds.
All aspects have been taken into consideration. If this is the case, they will soon be able to live a good life!
Mrs. Fan Liu was very tempted, but thinking that the eldest daughter was the head of the family, she couldn't help but hesitate and said, "The servants in the Zhou family are all assigned their own duties. Qi'er is young, what can she do here? You can't just take the monthly salary without working, right? What rules will there be in the family then!"
As long as Zhou Shaojin agreed, other matters were not a big deal in her opinion. If her sister felt it was inappropriate, she could use her own private money to pay Fan Qi the remuneration, and then explain it to Ma Fushan and the others.
In short, she would not put Fan Liu in a difficult position.
"Then it's settled." She said, "I'll go talk to my sister later and ask Fan Qi to run errands for me for a while. I need someone to serve me anyway."
If he had just wanted to repay Fan Liu's kindness in his previous life, then when he said this, Zhou Shaojin suddenly felt that his idea was quite good.
Since she had to avoid her sister, she had to train a few of her own people. Fan Qi was a capable person in her previous life, and Mother Fan was her wet nurse and was loyal to her... There was no one more suitable than Fan Qi.
Zhou Shaojin urged Fan Liu: "Mom, go back and make arrangements at home and bring Fan Qi over."
Mrs. Fan Liu was still a little hesitant.
Shi Xiang came in and helped Zhou Shaojin change his clothes.
"Mom, hurry up." Zhou Shaojin said to Fan Liushi while combing her hair, "I still have to go copy scriptures for my grandmother."
Fan Liu gritted her teeth, stood up quickly, and said, "I'll go back right away and bring Qi'er to you."
If the eldest lady doesn't agree, the worst that can happen is that Qi'er won't need the monthly salary, and can save some of the money from her own mouth and work for the second lady for free. She can't let the second lady down.
Zhou Shaojin naturally didn't know what Fan Liu was thinking.
She went to Jiashutang with her sister.
Old Madam Guan was fiddling with a pot of evergreen. When she saw the sisters, she smiled and put down her scissors and said, "You're here. The weather is getting hotter and hotter. I asked Nanny Wang to ask Madam Zhou for some mulberry tea. Chujin, remember to bring some with you to Hanqiu Pavilion later. You and your aunt will each have a big cup."
Zhou Chujin responded with a smile, and waited for Mrs. Mian to come over and pay her respects to Old Madam Guan. Then the maid brought her some mulberry tea and went to Hanqiu Pavilion.
Zhou Shaojin was still copying scriptures in the inner room with the window open.
There was a gentle breeze, and when she looked up she could see her grandmother trimming evergreens under the eaves.
The "click-click-click" sound not only does not make people feel annoyed by being disturbed, but instead makes people feel calm and secure.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but smile slightly, and his pen fell on the paper more smoothly.
However, just as she finished copying a passage of scripture, a little maid came running in with a "thump thump thump" sound.
"Mrs. An, Mrs. An!" the little maid said breathlessly, "The old lady is coming!"
Zhou Shaojin's pen paused, and the ink drops formed a ball on the paper.
In the Cheng family, there is only one person who can be called "Old Lady".
Guo, the grandmother of Cheng Xu, the mother-in-law of Yuan, the mother of Cheng Jing, Cheng Wei and Cheng Chi, the wife of Cheng Xun, who was posthumously conferred the title of First-Rank Guanglu Doctor, and the old lady of the Cheng clan.
Old Madam Guan was a little surprised. She looked at the sun outside and asked, "Why is she here at this time?"
"I don't know." The little maid said nervously, "Looking at the old lady's appearance, it doesn't look like anything is wrong."
Old Madam Guan muttered a few words and told the little maid, "Please ask the old lady to go to the flower hall for tea. I'll go over after changing my clothes."
The little maid ran away again.
Si'er helped old lady Guan change her clothes.
However, Zhou Shaojin's hands and feet were cold, and he sat there for a long time without catching his breath.
The Jiashu Hall of the fourth house is next to the Hanbi Shanfang of the eldest house, and the Hanbi Shanfang is where Mrs. Guo lives as a widow.
In her previous life, she had only seen Madam Guo from a distance a few times, but she knew that Yuan, the youngest daughter of the cabinet, dared to argue with her husband Cheng Jing, but did not dare to speak loudly in front of her mother-in-law, Madam Guo. This was not only because of filial piety, because of the difference in status between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but also because Madam Dun could control Yuan and suppress her daughter-in-law, according to the private discussions of the maids in the fourth room.
The Yuan family came from a prominent family, and Mrs. Guo's family background was not bad either - her grandfather was the last top scholar of the previous dynasty, and served as the Grand Secretary of Yingwu Palace and the Minister of War. When Emperor Taizu attacked the capital, he was ordered to defend the city, and he died for his country after the city was broken. Mrs. Guo's grandmother and her husband fought together and jumped into the river with their four children. Only Mrs. Guo's father, Guo Yuansheng, was rescued by a loyal servant and survived. Later, Guo Yuansheng studied under the great scholar Gu Qinghong in Jiangnan. Although he was famous for his calligraphy and painting, he repeatedly declined the imperial favor and made a living by teaching in Shitou Lane in Jinling City. When he died of illness at the age of 45, he had many disciples and many famous people.
Yuan was highly respected by her husband Cheng Jing. Although she was very confident when she went out, she gave birth to two daughters in a row. She was over 30 years old before she had her only son, Cheng Xu, to continue the family line for the eldest house.
Not only did Mrs. Guo and Cheng Xun treat each other with respect throughout their lives, but when she was over 40, she gave birth to a young son, Cheng Chi. All three of their sons were successful in the imperial examinations, and the eldest son, Cheng Jing, was even ranked among the Nine Ministers. Not only did he expand the Cheng family, but he also made great contributions to raising children.
Yuan couldn't even speak straight in front of her mother-in-law.
Zhou Shaojin still remembered that when Yuan was humiliating her, no one could stop her. Suddenly, Mrs. Guo walked in. Yuan's voice stopped abruptly, and a trace of panic flashed in her eyes.
She still clearly remembered the nonchalant glance that Mrs. Guo gave her.
His eyes were full of disgust, contempt and indifference.
It was as if she was something lowly, and Mrs. Guo was praising her with just one look.
However, it was no wonder that Old Lady Guo looked down on her. A kind person is often bullied, and a kind horse is often ridden. She stood there so foolishly and let Yuan Shi throw dirty words at her. Not to mention someone as noble as Old Lady Guo, even the servants around Yuan Shi looked down on her, didn't they
Time seemed to have returned to that moment again.
Embarrassment, shame, uneasiness...intertwined in his heart, Zhou Shaojin wished he could sneak away.
She hunched her shoulders and lowered her head, as if that way others wouldn't notice her.
Who knew that Old Lady Guan called out to her, "Shao Jin, come with me to pay respects to the old lady later!"
"Me?" Zhou Shaojin was stunned.
What you fear will come true!
"Who else could it be if not you?" Old Lady Guan said teasingly, "How could such a pretty girl be locked up at home copying scriptures all day long? Of course I have to bring her out to show off to people who come!"
"No, no, no!" Zhou Shaojin shook his head repeatedly, "If Madam Guo wants to talk to you about something, it would be so inconvenient for me to be there!"
"What's the inconvenience? You are not a outsider!" Old Mrs. Guan laughed.
Zhou Shaojin hesitated and didn't want to go: "I still have some scriptures to copy!"
Old Lady Guan laughed and said, "How can you be so timid, kid? If you haven't met him, then you haven't met him. But if you have met him, you should at least go and ask him how he is!"
It would be rude to refuse again.
Zhou Shaojin comforted himself nervously: It's just a meeting... It shouldn't matter, right? In the previous life, before the accident, Mrs. Guo didn't even know who she was.
Thinking of this, she felt a little relieved.
Old Mrs. Guan looked at her clothes.
She wore a bleached plain jacket with silver hems, a grass green Xiang skirt with twelve honeysuckle patterns embroidered on it, her jet-black hair was tied up in a loose bun, and she only wore a pair of pearl earrings. She had slender fingers, curved eyebrows, and a respectful and gentle look, which was very comfortable and pleasing to the eye.
This is how girls should be!
Old Madam Guan was very satisfied and said, "You don't need to comb your hair again. This will do."
Si'er and others responded "yes" with a smile, and surrounded Old Lady Guan and Zhou Shaojin to go out to greet them.
Mrs. Guo was over sixty years old, with a head full of silver hair. She wore a lilac jacket with a phoenix-eye flower pattern, emerald earrings the size of lotus seeds dangling from her ears, and an emerald ring the size of a pigeon egg on her hand. Her face was stern and her aura was majestic, making the maids and old women around her, who were wearing gold and silver jewelry, look like rouge and powder, with their faces blurred.
Zhou Shaojin became nervous after just one look.
She lowered her eyelids and followed Mrs. Guan carefully.
Mrs. Guan smiled and walked forward, holding Mrs. Guo's hand, and said, "How come you have time to come to my place today? I heard that Xiao Jie'er is pregnant? I was just thinking of going to you to get the confirmation!"
Cheng Xu's eldest sister Cheng Zheng married Gu Xu, the son of Gu Shun, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy; Cheng Xiao, the second sister, married Cheng Xu's cousin Yuan Ming. Cheng Zheng already had two sons, but Cheng Xiao had been married for three years but there was no news. Yuan was very worried about this, and even the fourth room heard about it. The "Xiao Jie'er" mentioned by Mrs. Guan was Cheng Xu's second sister Cheng Xiao.
Mrs. Guo smiled when she heard this, and her expression softened. "I just got the news, too. Her mother-in-law was so happy that she sent us the news right after the diagnosis. Her mother is a little worried, so she plans to go to the temple tomorrow to burn some incense for her, hoping that she can have a safe birth."
"Don't worry, good people will be blessed by heaven. Xiao Jie'er will definitely get what she wants this time." After Mrs. Guan comforted Mrs. Guo for a few words, she waved to Zhou Shaojin, "Come, meet the old lady."
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Thank you everyone, "Jinling Chun" has made it to the girls' PK list on the homepage.
I haven’t posted anything for a long time, so I’m satisfied just to have a spot to promote my new article. The competition for rankings is too fierce, so it’s enough for us to just show our faces.
O(∩_∩)O~
Thank you all again.
※(To be continued)