As soon as Chu Jinyao entered the door, everyone's eyes immediately converged.
Chu Jinyao was taken aback, what happened? Why is everyone dressed like this? Could it be that there are guests coming today
Yesterday, when Chu Zhu returned to the house, Chu Jinyao wore new clothes to meet the guests. She was staying with Chu Jinxian in Madam Chu's warm pavilion to do needlework. Later, the seventh girl came. When she went out, the seventh girl was not careful. He bumped a cup of tea onto Chu Jinyao.
Really careless enough.
Even though Chu Jinyao had a thousand words, she had to change her clothes. When she came back, she was already late. Therefore, most people didn't see Chu Jinyao's newly cut skirt yesterday, but today she put on the cleaned skirt, and when people in the main hall saw it, their eyes flashed with amazement and surprise.
Chu Jinyao has been doing farm work since she was a child, and she is much more physically active than these young ladies, who are in good health and tall. She wears a wide-sleeved jacket with a cross-neck and a right ruffle on top, with large clusters of pink hibiscus embroidered on the cuffs, and a brocade horse-face skirt with purple clusters on a white background. The upper end is close to the skirt pleats, the lower end is a crisp, naturally falling ribbon, and the bottom is also decorated with tassel. The ribbon is a little darker than the purple of the skirt pattern, one piece is pressed against the other, and the tassel shakes gently when walking, like a peacock opening its screen. On the other hand, Chu Jinyao was tall and slender, wearing a short jacket and a horse-faced skirt, making her waist more slender and slim.
Mrs. Chu saw Chu Jinyao's dress, looked carefully, and said nothing. The old lady thought that although the fifth girl was the best looking, her rules were far inferior to the girls who grew up in the Hou residence, which is a pity. After seeing it, Chu Zhu couldn't help but ask, "Which embroidery workshop made this dress...?"
Chu Jinyao said, "It was cut by the maid." Chu Jinyao thought about it and didn't say it was herself. Otherwise, she would have to be questioned, and someone would come to her door in the future, what should she do
When Chu Zhu heard what the maid did, she nodded and said, "My sister-in-law has arranged for you a few skilled maids." This skirt is really beautiful.
Just now, Chu Jinmiao was still beautiful, and she was pressing the sisters, but as soon as Chu Jinyao came in, everyone's attention was drawn away. In terms of value, Chu Jinyao's dresses are naturally far inferior to Chu Jinmiao's, but they can't stand the tailoring of other people's clothes, and they are also innovative.
Chu Jinmiao was really about to die.
Especially Lin Xining, after Chu Jinyao came in, Chu Jinmiao was sure that Lin Xining's eyes lit up. Chu Jinmiao tugged at her handkerchief angrily, and sure enough, men are all virtuous, no matter what they say, they just like good colors!
Chu Jinmiao and Lin Xining were cousins since childhood, and Chu Zhu also liked Chu Jinmiao very much. When she was a child, Chu Zhu even laughed and joked with Zhao, saying that it happened that Chu Jinmiao and Lin Xining had a good time, so why not do it in the future? To happy foes. Mrs Zhao laughed at that time, but she remembered in her heart that when no one was there, Mrs Zhao secretly asked Chu Jinmiao.
At that time, Chu Jinmiao couldn't say why. She was naturally different to Lin Xining, but if she liked it so much that she didn't even marry a non-monarch, she couldn't be wrong. Chu Jinmiao and Lin Xining got along as close cousins in this way, and planned to go with the flow in the future and wait for it to change. Zhao's thought was the same. But now seeing Lin Xining turn to look at Chu Jinyao, Chu Jinmiao suddenly felt a strong sense of discomfort in her heart. Even if she didn't like Lin Xining, Lin Xining shouldn't look at other women in front of her. At the moment, Chu Jinmiao is more and more bound to win a companion.
Her status in the Marquis of Changxing was too embarrassing. Although the Zhao family still doted on her as always, what about the future? The Marquis of Changxing was becoming more and more indifferent to her, and the old lady was aloof and didn't care much about her granddaughter. The subordinates, relying on her not being the serious master of the Hou residence, gradually dared to relax her orders. Chu Jinmiao has been at the top for thirteen years, so she can swallow this breath. But if the palace is changed, it will be completely different, maybe she can still have great fortune.
When Madam Chu saw that everyone was there, she cleared her throat softly, and the lively Rong Ningtang immediately quieted down.
Today, the girls are wearing bright clothes by coincidence, although there is a reason for Chu Zhu's presence, but the root of it is actually the old lady.
Yesterday, the old lady learned that the palace was going to read for the county leader, so she decided to let her granddaughters dress up well, so as not to lose face. Although the old lady didn't say it clearly, there were different paths in the back house, and news quickly spread from Rongning Hall to the first, second, and third rooms. Yan shi listened to someone's suggestion that the girls should be more careful tomorrow. Although she didn't understand why, she deliberately dressed her two daughters well. When he arrived at Rongning Hall, Yan shi secretly said in his heart that sure enough, everyone who saw this came prepared.
Of all the people present, I am afraid that only Chu Jinyao went out without realizing it. She lives far away, has no news, and doesn't have her mother's advice like other girls, and as a result, she doesn't know anything. She looked at the clothes of the sisters today, and felt very strange. She was deliberately tricked by the seventh girl yesterday, so she dragged the big clothes until today, but why do other people do this
Now that the old lady has cleared her throat, it seems that there is a major announcement. Chu Jinyao understood that she might have missed something again. As for what she had missed, she would soon find out. She gathered her thoughts and listened carefully to what the old lady said next.
Mrs. Chu said slowly: "Your aunt came back from the Huailing County Prince's Mansion, one is to visit relatives, and the other is to have a big task to do. This matter is related to the future of many people, and it is even related to the future. The honor of the Marquis of Changxing, now, this important matter is about to fall on you."
Chu Jinyao was very puzzled, since it was a major matter related to the Hou Mansion, why did it fall on them? Chu Zhu was sitting next to the old lady, and when she heard this, she smiled and said, "It's also the mother-in-law and the princess who trusted me, so they entrusted this matter to me. The county owner of the palace is twelve years old this year. When I went to school, it was too boring for the county owner to go to school alone, and there were few girls in the house, and no one could talk to the county owner. Our Changxinghou House is one of the most respectable families in Taiyuan, and the girls are well behaved and harmonious. The palace is still relatives by marriage, so you know the bottom line, so the princess meant to pick two girls from our family and read them as companions to the county magistrate."
Chu Zhu's voice fell behind, she looked down proudly, and as expected, the girl and several sisters-in-law were all surprised. I live at home, and I go back and forth every day. These are the people I see, but after I go to the Prince’s Mansion, the people I come into contact with are completely different, and the Prince’s Mansion and the Marquis of Changxing are not far away, so it is very convenient to communicate with each other. never see you again. After thinking about it, the ladies all felt that this was a good thing and worth fighting for.
This is the most important part that Chu Zhu concealed. If the ladies knew that the county magistrate's study was to prepare for the election of the crown princess, they might be crazy. Obviously, there will not be only one concubine in the East Palace. After the county owner becomes the crown prince, what about Liang Di and Liangyuan? The county king and queen concubine chose companions for the county chief, and most of them also considered these. Women in the East Palace are indispensable, and the county owner is not a virtuous and tolerant person. Rather than being calculated by women from other families, it is better to arrange a few familiar ones from the beginning. When they join forces, at least they will have a partner in the future.
Of course, this is just the wishful thinking of the Prince's Mansion. Whether it can be selected now is still a matter of choice. It's just that the people in the palace of Huailing County are all eager to run for election, but they are dismissive of another possibility.
The eyes of the ladies were bright, and the girls turned their heads and whispered to the maids. Madam Chu looked at the audience, coughed and said, "Everything is quiet."
The girls suddenly stopped and looked up at the old lady.
Mrs. Chu took Chu Zhu's words and continued to play a black face: "Although the princess said that she wants to choose two girls from our family, but this is not accurate, so many people in Taiyuan, if there are suitable girls in other families, the princess will definitely Leave us and take something else. When a banquet is held at the palace of Huailing County in a few days, the princess will choose the most suitable two from among the many ladies, so you can't be complacent and slack. The county owner is twelve years old. It's to accompany the county head to study, and the age difference is not too big, so the eldest girl and the eighth girl don't have to participate."
The eldest girl Chu Jinxian stood up and bowed to the old lady to show her compliance. She is already seventeen, and she is still the eldest daughter of the family. She has a noble status. Even if she is of the right age, the old lady will not let Chu Jinxian go to read as a companion in other people's homes. It's not a princess reading, how can you work the eldest daughter? As for the eighth girl, Chu Jinzi, she is only six years old this year, of course it is impossible. Therefore, the suitable people are concentrated in the group of fifteen to twelve, and among them, Chu Jinyao and the twelve or three are the best.
Old Madam Chu paused and said, "I found two maids for you to come back, you can't be as loose as you used to be in the future, you have to follow the mammy to learn the rules every day, and don't fall in the face of our Changxing Houfu. . Do you understand?"
The girls all stood up, bowed their heads and replied, "My child understands."
The old lady asked the two maids to come out to meet the girls again. After a group of people greeted each other, the mammy took the girls away and went to teach the rules in a courtyard behind Rongning Hall.
The two maids, one surnamed Hua and the other Xing Deng, were extremely strict people. Mammy Hua teaches the rules of sitting and lying down, while Mammy Deng teaches painting and calligraphy and other talents. Madam Hua and the girls said, "The girls have just listened to it. Madam Chu asked us to teach the girls the rules. They all say that without rules, there is no circle, and the sage also preaches that the teachers are lazy. We are strict with the girls. For the sake of the girls, please forgive me."
"Don't dare." Chu Jinyao said softly among the sisters.
Madam Hua was very satisfied with the obedience of the girls of the Chu family, she reprimanded a few more words, and then asked the girls to demonstrate the invitation to An Li.
Invitation to An Li is the most basic and common etiquette in the Gaomen compound. The girls of the Chu family have grown up since childhood, and it has long been as natural as drinking water and eating. However, Mammy Hua was a mama released from the palace. She was very strict. She walked all the way and beat the girls on the waist, hands and other parts with a ruler.
"Keep your waist straight and don't lean forward."
"Squat down a little further, hold steady, don't shake."
"Hand!" Madam Hua slapped the back of Seventh Girl's hand with a jie-chi, and she dangled a pair of eyes and said unceremoniously, "Seventh Girl, I have reminded you several times, why is your hand always in the wrong place?"
The seventh girl is the second daughter of the second family. She is called Chu Jinjiao. With Yan's shrewd and protective temperament, the seventh girl has also been raised to be arrogant and lawless. Among the sisters, Chu Jinxian is the only one who can scold her, and the rest will not go. Provoke this messed-up devil. The seventh girl has always been competitive and always wants to be the best among her sisters. Now she was beaten and scolded in front of everyone by Huamao, and the seventh girl barely stood up and replied. Thinking of her future position as a companion to the palace, she managed to suppress her temper, and replied angrily, "I see."
Madam Hua glanced at the seventh girl expressionlessly and walked away. Next to the seventh girl is Chu Jinyao. When Chu Jinyao saw the mammy coming over, she secretly sweated, but she didn't expect that Hua mama stopped beside Chu Jinyao, looked up and down, but squeezed out a thin smile. : "The fifth girl did a good job. When you were a child, did you deliberately study with the grandma who was released from the palace?"
Chu Jinyao couldn't hide her surprise, that Hua Mama actually praised her? Chu Jinyao didn't have time to wonder if Mammy Hua had misunderstood, and quickly replied, "Mammy raised it up, but she never did."
The other sisters all showed dissatisfaction and disbelief, and Hua Ma raised her eyebrows and asked, "You didn't learn from the people in the palace?"
Mrs. Chu's maid was sent over to watch the girls, she saw this scene and stepped forward and said, "Mother doesn't know anything, the fifth girl was wrongly held when she was a child, and she has been raised outside for all these years. It's only been two months since I came back."
"Really?" Hua Hua was suspicious, "You only came back in the last two months? Then why did you perform a palace ceremony?"
Is she doing palace etiquette? Chu Jinyao was also surprised, she practiced whatever Qin Yi instructed her to do, and how did she know why it was Gong Li. Chu Jinyao pretended to think for a while, and finally frowned and shook his head: "I don't know either."
Madam Hua couldn't think of a reason, so she could only say: "Maybe you are hitting right. The etiquette in the palace looks the same as the outside, but the details are much more regular than the outside. The world's etiquette has already been The court is the head, and the mammy who teaches the rules cannot come out to teach the girls the rules without studying the etiquette of the court."
Chu Jinyao showed a posture of being taught and listened obediently. After Mother Hua left, she secretly released the breath that was in her heart.
When Hua Ma turned around, the seventh girl turned her head and glared at Chu Jinyao. Chu Jinyao squatted steadily on the ground, and in the corner of her eyes, she saw the seven girls swaying and being beaten by Jie Zhi, and she felt extremely relieved.
After a class, the others were more or less beaten by Jie Chi a few times. Only Chu Jinyao was unscathed, and even received praise from his mother. The seventh girl was standing next to Chu Jinyao, and the two were in stark contrast. After the class was over, Miss Seven's maid hurried over to help her young lady, and Miss Seven stood staggeringly upright with the help of the maid, and glared at Chu Jinyao angrily.
It doesn't hurt to be stared at, but the board on Miss Seven's palm is real. Chu Jinyao thought gloatingly, if you didn't do well by yourself, how could you blame the people next to you for being too upright? Yesterday, Miss Qi deliberately splashed water on her skirt, and Chu Jinyao was holding her breath. Today, seeing Miss Seven being corporally punished by her mama, it was a natural and unpleasant retribution.
Chu Jinyao went to the Rongning Hall to eat in comfort, even the soreness in her legs seemed to be nothing. She was used to doing farm work since she was a child. Although her legs were thin, her flesh was solid. Although she was a little sore with this level of exercise, Chu Jinyao really didn't care.
After dinner, many girls gathered around Old Madam Chu and acted coquettishly, saying that it was because of the pain in her legs and back. Seeing this, Madam Chu had no choice but to cancel the afternoon class.
You can't make a fat man in one bite, take your time.
Chu Jinyao felt that it didn't matter. Now everyone is sitting here with the old lady. It is difficult for her to leave, and it is difficult for her to find a chance to talk to Qin Yi. Chu Jinyao was thinking about how to take the time to ask Qin Yi why she said that she had studied palace rituals, and Qin Yi's voice sounded in a low voice.
"Chu Jinyao."
Chu Jinyao was startled, she looked around vigilantly, and then asked in a low voice, "There are so many people here, why are you talking suddenly?"
"It's too late to explain. You follow this kid from the Lin family, I have something to do."
When Chu Jinyao heard this, there was no more complaints. Qin Yi is facing a life-and-death crisis recently. Qin Yi said that if there is something, it must be a major event. Chu Jinyao chooses to trust Qin Yi without reservation. She said to Chu Jinxian that she was going out to change clothes, Chu Jinxian nodded: "Okay, remember to bring your maid. They are talking outside, so call the maid when you go out."
"Hey, good." Chu Jinyao replied with a full mouth, but when she was going out, she quietly slipped away.
What she has to do, she can't bring a maid.
When there was no one around, Chu Jinyao gasped slightly and asked Qin Yi, "Suddenly let me out, what's wrong?"
The author has something to say: Changxing Houfu internal chat group:
Chu Jinyao spoke in the group chat: Why are you dressed so solemnly today
Chu Jinxian: I grew up by my grandmother's side, and my grandmother's maid sent a message to dress decently.
Mrs. Erfang: There is a second-class maid in my yard. She is a family child, and her mother is the steward in the old lady's yard. After listening to her mother's words, this maid sent a message to me, saying that the old lady had instructed me to dress up the ladies the next day.
Mrs. Hou, Mrs. Zhao: I have been hosting China Feed for many years, and I have long since buried my way in the old lady's yard. It was my secret agent who sent me a letter, saying that my aunt and the old lady didn't know what they were talking about. , let tomorrow dress up to attend.
Chu Jinmiao: Hmph, the Zhao family sent someone to give me some advice at night, why, are you envious or not satisfied
The third daughter of the concubine in the big house: My aunt is favored, she reminded me.
Three Household Six Girls: I have my own way.
Chu Jinyao couldn't believe it: So you all knew in advance
All the girls: Yes, everyone knows it. do not you know
Chu Jinyao: ... (there is a saying in my heart ** I don't know if I should say it or not)