"It's a slave!"
Bi'er gritted her teeth and knelt down, "Yesterday, my servant saw that the third young master is cute, so he ate a piece of beef jerky for the third young master, please punish the old lady!"
Qiao Wei pulled her up: "I did it, why are you taking the blame for me? One person does things and one person is responsible. If you want to punish, just punish me. It has nothing to do with others!"
She spoke with confidence and confidence, and everyone wondered whether she was really not afraid of the Ji family's rules, or whether she didn't know what the Ji family's rules were.
The atmosphere became a little weird.
Mrs. Ji's expression was complicated: "Why do you give brother Liu some beef jerky?"
Qiao Wei said aggrievedly: "At that time, I only had beef jerky in my hand. I didn't know he couldn't eat it. In our village, children as old as Brother Niu can eat grass roots, tree bark, and cold meat. I got sick last year. Jingyun and Wangshu searched for food everywhere, including cold steamed buns, radishes, and fat meat. They ate everything they could eat. When they were thirsty, they grabbed a handful of snow and stuffed it into their mouths. I didn't see a bad stomach, I thought all children were like this."
When the old lady heard that her little great-grandson was living such a miserable life, her heart throbbed in pain. The children of a rich family are not surrounded by maids and servants? If you hold it in your mouth, you are afraid of melting, and if you hold it in your hand, you are afraid of losing it. How can you be willing to endure the slightest hardship? But her two little great-grandsons, who were poor, had no mother to take care of them, and ran outside to find something to eat, and even ate the cold snow... When she thought of the scene of the two little bodies squatting on the ground grabbing snow to eat, her heart burst excruciating pain. Not just one day, but several days, how did they sleep? Who covered the quilt? Wake up in the middle of the night? Do you have to be hungry if you don't find something to eat
The old lady hugged the two little ones into her arms. Naturally, there were no traces of starvation or cold on their bodies, but the old lady still asked distressedly, "Did you suffer a lot?"
How do children know what it means to endure hardship? Wang Shu tilted his head and thought for a while: "Grass roots are quite bitter." Brother Ergou took it to her private school and gave it to her to taste, it was so bitter!
She also ate grass roots, and the old lady felt a pain in her heart, she just wished she could lose her life, and exchange those years for her little great-grandson.
Jing Yun said: "Great-grandmother, are you angry with your mother? Why is it my mother's fault if he eats beef jerky? Great-grandmother, does beef jerky make your stomach worse? If everyone can't eat it, he alone will eat it." It’s broken, isn’t it his problem alone?”
A servant woman in a sauce-colored sarong smiled and said, "Young master, you don't know. Brother Liu's belly is weaker than ordinary people, and his food should not be compared with ordinary people."
This is still blaming Qiao Wei.
Ji Mingxiu looked at her indifferently: "My son is talking, when is it your turn to interrupt?"
The maid choked.
The woman said generously: "It's not a serious illness, just rest for a few days and you'll be fine."
Qiao Wei secretly wondered whether this little stepmother did it on purpose or not? The mother surnamed Sun is not here, she probably went to take care of Brother Liu, did she tell the little stepmother that she ate beef jerky for Brother Liu
Mrs. Ji said to Qiao Wei: "You can't blame you for this." Then she looked at Ji Shangqing and the woman, "I told you that children should not be too arrogant. They can't eat this, and they can't eat that. It’s a lie, when you say that he is the brother of our Ji family, he is raised in bird’s nests and ginseng, but he is not strong at all! Look at Jing Yun... "
As Mrs. Ji said, her eyes glanced at Jing Yun's slender arm. After a pause, she rubbed Wang Shu, "His younger sister is so strong!"
Qiao Wei: Is it really okay to describe a girl as strong...
Ji Shangqing bowed slightly: "Yes, my son has remembered."
The woman also bowed and said: "Daughter-in-law remembers mother's teachings."
After such a fuss, the atmosphere became a little stagnant.
Rong's mother smiled and smoothed things over: "Come here, serve tea, serve tea, mother-in-law hasn't had this bowl of daughter-in-law's tea yet!"
Qiao Wei didn't want to kneel anymore. Thanks to this little stepmother, she was almost scolded by the old lady. Although the little stepmother may have no intentions, I'm sorry that she got angry. She has a demon in her heart. She sees everyone as a demon. , the little stepmother didn't mind with a calm and breezy face, but in her eyes, it was like "Although you beat me, you still have to kneel to me", this feeling is really uncomfortable!
Rong's mother arranged the cushions and said with a smile: "Young madam, please."
"What do you want?" Ji Mingxiu said suddenly.
Rong's mother was startled: "Here, offer tea to Madam."
Ji Mingxiu said calmly: "My mother is not here, who do you ask her to honor? Can she replace my mother, the princess of the Liang Dynasty?"
The status of Xuxian is not comparable to that of the original spouse. If she is favored, she can also be treated like the original spouse in her husband's family. The little stepmother seems to be very favored, but no matter how favored she is, she cannot be compared with the princess of a country, unless she herself Also a princess.
But is she
she is not.
Changing to someone else's house, naturally no one would dare to refute the stepmother's face.
After all, she was able to sit here, first of all, she got the approval of the master, and the master agreed, so what can a son say
It's a pity that this son doesn't show the master's face very much.
Qiao Wei looked at Ji Mingxiu, a little worried about his "rebellion".
Ji Mingxiu has no worries about this at all: My mother is a princess.
The second generation of the emperor is so capricious!
Ji Shangqing looked at Ji Mingxiu with heavy eyes, and Ji Mingxiu let him look at him without hesitation, his eyes intertwined, and a strange atmosphere filled the air.
It is no secret in the capital that the father and son of the Ji family are at odds. At the beginning, Ji Shangqing did a good job in the cabinet, but was pushed down by his son. Of course, this is just a rumor. Such rumors may spread, which in itself shows that the relationship between the father and son of the Ji family is not good up.
Seeing that the father and son were about to fight, Mrs. Ji hurriedly smoothed things over: "Xiao Wei, come and meet your second uncle and aunt!"
Ji Shangqing's eyes were cold.
Ji Mingxiu twitched his lips proudly.
Rong's mother led Qiao Wei to the first place on the lower left, and introduced her to Ji's relatives one by one.
"This is the second master, the second lady."
The second master, Ji Sheng, is an elegant and handsome man with a kind face and a smile on his face. He looks easy to get along with at first glance. He is a concubine, and his biological mother has passed away. His wife's surname is Li. There is a big difference between the concubine and the concubine, even so, the concubine of the Ji family still attracts many aristocratic families.
The second lady is a bit aloof, with a faint smile.
Both of them gave red envelopes.
Qiao Wei took it and thanked him politely.
Rong's mother led Qiao Wei to the lower right, pointing to a beautiful woman in a purple dress and a man in a brown brocade, "This is Miss Four, and this is Uncle."
The beautiful woman was probably Ji Shuang. Ji Shuang was a few years older than Ji Wan, and her appearance was slightly inferior to Ji Wan's, but she was also glamorous and charming.
Ji Shuang took Qiao Wei's hand affectionately: "My good niece, I'm looking forward to you! You don't know that I'm looking forward to this kid's marriage, so much that my eyes are about to fall out! I heard from your grandmother later that his woman Now that I have children, I can’t wait to snatch you all! I had a fight with them on the day Qin Tianjian originally set for you in the twelfth lunar month! I said that a family of four would like to be reunited, but you won’t let it go, right? ? They just changed the date."
Qiao Wei smiled bluntly, I dare you to be so "in a hurry", I said, why did the wedding come so fast? !
Auntie is so uncute!
Ji Shuang is Ji Mingxiu's direct aunt, and her degree of intimacy is not comparable to that of the second wife. She gave a big red envelope, and secretly slipped a small one to Qiao Wei.
My uncle, Qin Bingyu, came from a low background, but he was good at learning. He was a good scholar in the eleventh year of Emperor Long. For some reason, he did not enter the court as an official. He looks gentle and has a good temper. Shy.
Ji Shuang smiled and said, "Don't mind, your uncle is just a gourd with a sawn mouth! But he is the most enthusiastic, you must come to Beifu to play when you are free!"
Qiao Wei said politely: "I will, thank you aunt and uncle."
After Qiao Wei met her elders, the servant girl led two beautiful girls to greet Qiao Wei. One was Ji Shuang's daughter, Ji Wanyu, who was fourteen years old; Party fifteen.
Hearing the name, one can know the status.
Wanyu is the daughter of the concubine, and Ruyue is the daughter of the concubine.
Ji Shuang is still pregnant with a baby in her belly, and it's been five months, and the doctor said it was a kid.
After that, the old lady asked Jing Yun and Wang Shu to call someone again. Although they had met yesterday, there was no red envelope yesterday, but there is a red envelope when they called today.
After a lap, the purses of the two little buns were full.
Finally, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. Afterwards, Ji Shuang took the lead and teased the two little buns, making everyone in the room burst into laughter. Half the morning passed like this.
Everyone stood up and bid farewell to Mrs. Ji.
Mrs. Ji nodded: "You guys go to work first, remember to come over for dinner tonight."
The Ji family is too big to move around, and they usually eat their own food. Today is the bride's entrance. According to the usual practice, the whole family gathers together.
Everyone agreed and left Luomei courtyard one by one.
Qiao Wei was also about to lead her back, but was stopped by Mrs. Ji: "Xiao Wei, you stay, I have something to say to you."
Qiao Wei patted Xiao Baozi on the shoulder: "Go play in the yard."
Jing Yun and Wang Shu went happily.
Mrs. Ji took Qiao Wei's hand back to the house, opened the box, and took out a delicate peach wood box. Qiao Wei opened it and saw that it was full of jewelry.
Mrs. Ji said: "I'm getting old, I can't wear these things anymore, why don't you wear them?"
A box full of gold! Gold, purple gold, red gold...
Qiao Wei's eyes were dazzled.
"Do you like it?" Mrs. Ji asked.
Qiao Wei swallowed: "I like it."
So much gold, who doesn't like it? One day when you run out of money, if you pawn it, you may be able to pawn it into a villa.
Mrs. Ji loved her straightforward nature, patted her hand, and said kindly: "As long as you like it, I still have some in the warehouse. Let Mama Rong take it and send it to you tomorrow."
Qiao Wei said: "No need, this box is enough, I can't finish wearing too much."
She doesn't like jewelry herself, and she saves it for later sale, but this box is enough, and she will feel embarrassed if there are more.
It was rare for Mrs. Ji not to force her, so she talked to her for a while and asked about her life in the countryside, and she said it carefully.
In fact, how she is doing, Mrs. Ji can send someone to ask casually. She doesn't need to lie, and she doesn't need to add embellishments.
The two little guys became addicted to playing pot throwing in the yard.
"Can we have lunch at great-grandmother's place?" Wang Shu asked pleadingly.
Qiao Wei nodded her head: "You don't want your mother so soon?"
Wang Shu grabbed her little head and said, "Oh, no, we want mother's!"
Qiao Wei smiled: "Okay, let's play, don't make too much noise, great-grandmother is getting old, you have to be careful in everything, don't bump into, especially Wang Shu."
Wang Shu stuck out his tongue.
Qiao Wei took Bi'er out of Luomei Courtyard.
Bi'er whispered: "Ma'am, I have just been inquired by the servants. The eldest lady is surnamed Xun, her ancestral home is Gusu, her father is a senior official in Gusu, she is the eldest daughter of the family, she has both talents and talents, and she is quite responsible in Gusu area." Famous."
Yo, she is still a talented woman.
Qiao Wei raised her eyebrows: "My father-in-law begged her to marry her?"
"No." Bi'er has been with Xiao Wei for a long time, and she has become the second expert in news. Qiao Wei and Mrs. Ji were talking in it. She grabbed a few wives and quickly got the news out Yes, she said: "The eldest lady has lived in Ji's family for several years, and she has known the master very early."
Qiao Wei touched her chin: "How early is it? I think she is about the same age as Mingxiu. When my father-in-law met her, she was still young, right?"
Bi'er nodded and said: "It's quite young. The princess was still alive at that time. My uncle used to live in Ji's house. The old man opposed the marriage between the master and the princess. The master took the princess to live in a courtyard and gave birth to Miss Wan and uncle. My uncle didn't move back until he was six years old, and the Xun family also moved into Ji's house around that time."
"Why do you want to live in?" Qiao Wei asked suspiciously.
Bi'er said: "Her father has some relationship with the Ji family, and before he died, he entrusted her to the Ji family."
Tuogu, hehe.
It's bloody.
Qiao Wei said lightly, "How long have you lived here?"
Bi'er thought for a while and said, "One mother said five years, and the other said seven years. The servants don't know who to believe. Anyway, they both said that the princess liked the Xun family very much when she was alive."
Qiao Wei smiled sarcastically: "Ha, then does my mother-in-law know that the little girl she likes climbed into her husband's bed when she grew up?"
"This..." Bi'er didn't know how to respond. She originally wanted to tell Madam that Xun's life in Ji's house was not good at first, and no one took her seriously. It was the princess who came to see her. Poor thing, after asking her to be with her, her life is getting better day by day. But now the madam is angry, she dare not add fuel to the fire anymore.
"Shameless." Qiao Wei said coldly.
Bi'er was terrified: "The Xun family... is quite shameless."
Qiao Wei said with a chuckle: "I said my father-in-law, he was entrusted to Ji's family, he should be treated as a daughter, how did he get raised in his own room? If I were his own father, I would be able to crawl out of the grave now."
"I'm afraid her father... is quite smiling." Bi'er said shyly.
For a little orphan girl to be able to marry the head of the Ji family, this is simply a tribute to the ancestors, okay
Yes, isn't it burning high incense? An orphan girl, helpless, relying on the reputation her father earned during her lifetime, is flashy, and who is willing to marry such a girl? Even if the Ji family is willing to be her backer, how long can they rely on her if she is not her own
Staying at Ji's house is indeed the best way out for her.
Now that she has given birth to a son, she will have someone to rely on for the rest of her life anyway.
"Tsk, this little stepmother is a character."
If she can coax the princess and marry the head of the family, she must either be extremely kind, or have a certain level of skill.
Qiao Wei smiled faintly: "Interesting."
While speaking, the master and servant went out of the yard.
Xun Lan and Ji Mingxiu stood under the locust tree, most of Ji Mingxiu turned his back to this side, Qiao Wei couldn't see Ji Mingxiu's expression clearly, but he saw Xun Lan clearly, Ji Mingxiu didn't know what to say to her What, her face was not very happy, and her eyebrows were slightly frowned.
Even frowning has a fairy air, it is so beautiful that the world has lost its color.
She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to explain something, but she saw Qiao Wei standing at the gate of Luomei Courtyard, and swallowed her words again.
She turned and left.
Qiao Wei stepped forward, stood shoulder to shoulder with Ji Mingxiu, looked at her gradually disappearing back, and said with a half-smile: "What did Qingmei and Zhuma say?"
Ji Mingxiu frowned slightly, and looked at Qiao Wei.
Qiao Wei covered her face and yawned: "It's fine if you don't say anything, I'm too lazy to listen! Bi'er, let's go!"
"Yes." Bi'er saluted Ji Mingxiu, followed Qiao Wei's pace, and returned to Qinglianju.
Qinglianju is not the courtyard where the princess lived, nor is Xunlan's Tongyuan. No one can live in it.
After the princess died, Ji Shangqing and Ji Wan’s siblings moved out of it, probably because they were afraid of seeing things and thinking about others. At first they lived in Tongyuan. Not long after Ji Wan got married, Xun Lan married into Tongyuan. When it was suitable, he moved into Qinglianju.
Qinglianju was originally built for Ji Ming, and it will only be used when he gets married someday. There is nothing wrong with him moving in early.
It's just that even though he moved in, the total number of days he lived in a year did not exceed one hand.
Whoever the servant is, he can't call out Chou Yinmao.
Qiao Wei sat down, took a sip of cold tea, and said to Bi'er, "Is our room too deserted?"
Bi'er nodded, and said puzzledly: "Yes, I didn't see many people. It stands to reason that Madam is a married bride. After serving tea to her in-laws, the servants should come to greet Madam one by one, and then tell Madam they are called What, what kind of work do you usually do, please show me, Madam."
Qiao Wei said, "Then why do you think they didn't come?"
Bi'er hesitated for a while: "Young master... order?"
Qiao Wei smiled lightly: "Order them not to boil me a sip of hot water? I'm afraid someone wants to show me off? You go and call them, I know them."
"Yes." Bi'er left the house, and after a while, she only brought back a mother who was cleaning.
The mother's surname was Wu, she was short and fat, her hands were covered with calluses, and she could tell at a glance that she was a hard worker.
She entered the room and kowtowed to Qiao Wei: "Slave Wu, kowtow to Madam! Madam, Wanfu!"
Qiao Wei smiled faintly: "Mother Wu, where are the people in the yard going?"
"This..." Mother Wu lowered her head and dodged her eyes.
Bi'er called a circle of people, but she didn't call any important ones. She only called a stupid housewife who didn't want to make a fuss. The mother didn't answer well, and immediately reprimanded: "My wife I'm asking you! Are you deaf or dumb?"
Madam Wu trembled and fell on the ground: "Slaves dare not..."
Qiao Wei said in an easy-going tone: "Mom, don't be afraid. I didn't mean to make things difficult for you. I was just a little curious. Where did the people in the yard go? I remember that when I took a bath last night, there were more than ten mothers who just brought me water. Hey, why did it take a while for everything to disappear?"
Mother Wu was afraid and dared not speak.
Bi'er suppressed her anger and said, "Look up and see who is asking you? It's the young master's new wife, the young wife of the Ji family, and the mistress of Qinglianju. Who are you helping to hide? Dare to confess to the young lady? Are you afraid that if you offend that person, the young lady will not be able to protect you?"
I have to say that Bi'er deserved to have been in the house, and she hit Mama Wu's vitals with a few words, and Mama Wu buried her head even lower.
Qiao Wei said calmly: "You have to be wise and protect yourself. Since you are caught by me, there is no reason for you to retreat. Either you confessed honestly, or I forced you to confess. Bi'er .”
She winked.
Bi'er understood, and took a pot of boiling water from the stove.
When Mama Wu turned her head and saw the red bottom of the pot, she trembled in fright and almost fainted.
Qiao Wei said indifferently: "I only give you time to count to ten. If I count to ten, if you still don't explain, don't blame my subordinates for being ruthless. One, two, three, four..."
When the count reached five, Mother Wu couldn't bear it any longer: "Young Madam, spare me, I say! I say!"