Out of February, the weather in the Jiangnan area is warmer. Especially in the afternoon, the sun shines through the thin window paper, and the whole room is warm.

Taohua finished the last stitch, carefully knotted it, tucked the thread under the embroidery thread, and then lifted it up with satisfaction and looked at it: "Okay, it's not too late." "

Mint, the big girl who was dividing the thread for her next to her, took the pair of soft shoes from her hand, looked at them inside and out, and said with a smile: "The girl's needlework is getting better and better." Especially the evenness of this stitch is incomparable to ordinary people. "

Taohua moved her fingers, pretending to be modest: "If you don't succeed, you still have less practice." In fact, she was quite surprised, you must know that she had never learned to draw flowers and embroidery in her previous life, but she didn't expect to get started quite quickly, probably because acupuncture is also the use of needles, and everything is clear?

Mint had long been accustomed to the fake modesty of her own girl, and said with a smile: "Yes, if the girl practices more, she will definitely do better than this!" "

Taohua hurriedly shook her hand: "This is not good." Needlework is too much for backache and back pain, and it also costs eyes. Even you should pay attention to the fact that if you do needlework, you must get up and move for half an hour, otherwise you don't feel it now, and you will be miserable when you are old. "

She didn't come over to be an embroiderer, and there was no need to practice needlework to perfection. What's more, in my previous life, apart from studying medicine, I didn't have time to do anything else. In this innocent life, she has a lot of interesting things to learn, and the time allocated to needlework is naturally less.

Mint smiled and took a piece of soft cloth, and was about to wrap up the soft shoes, when the little girl Kikyo ran in from outside: "Girl, the second girl embroidered a curtain over there." "

Mint's hand couldn't help but pause: "Curtain? "

"Hmm." The bellflower nodded again and again, and said, "It's azure-colored yarn, and there are chrysanthemums embroidered on it, and it is said that it is embroidered according to the chrysanthemum picture drawn by the second girl herself, it is so big!" As she spoke, she couldn't help but peek at the soft shoe in Mint's hand.

Mint bit her lip and looked at Taohua: "Girl, why don't you add more?" I see that the sachet embroidered by the girl a few days ago is also good, although it is not yet the Dragon Boat Festival, but it can be used usually. "The girl's sachet is specially embroidered for the Dragon Boat Festival, and the five poisons pattern is on it, and now it is not appropriate to take it out as a birthday gift for Mrs., but if you only give a pair of soft shoes, it is really ......

Taohua tilted her head and thought about it, and smiled slightly: "No." Yanhua was born to her mother, so this gift must be heavier. "As for myself, my stepdaughter is in front of my stepmother, so why bother to fight with other people's own daughters for what kind of motherhood and filial piety.

Kikyo is only twelve years old this year, and he doesn't know much about this matter, so he no longer gets entangled when he hears Taohua's reasoning, and only says: "The slave maid passed by the kitchen at noon, and saw them bring in a basket of taro. "

Taohua couldn't help but flick it on her bare head, and said with a smile: "Just the tip of your ears!" "

Mint frowned, found an excuse to slip the bellflower out of the door, and sank his face: "What are you doing, what are you running to the kitchen when you are idle!" "Although she is only fifteen years old, she is a first-class girl in this yard, and she trains the little girl, and she looks good.

Kikyo was so frightened that he hurriedly stood up straight: "Sister Mint, it's not me who wants to go to the kitchen by myself, it's Sister Poria who asked me to tell Mother Liu that she wants to eat an egg custard at night." "

Mint's brow furrowed even tighter. Poria's father and mother are the sons of the Jiang family, and the two come to serve the eldest girl at the same time, and now she serves Taohua's daily life, and Poria is in charge of Taohua's small warehouse.

Speaking of which, she is closer to the girl, but everyone's decency is about the same, and Poria has more roots than her, so it is really not her turn to reprimand Poria cocos. If you say that you will sue the girl, you will inevitably be accused of chewing your tongue again, and it will be difficult to gain a foothold in this courtyard in the future, so you have to endure this breath and say: "That's it, speak more carefully in the future." When will you not be able to eat and drink? Spread it out, and let people say that it is only the girl in the girl's yard who is greedy, wouldn't it be a shame for the girl? "

As she spoke, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of an egg-blue placket behind the osmanthus tree in the yard, and her voice was slightly raised. Kikyo listened with her head drooping, she was so young, she didn't see anyone behind the tree, she couldn't figure out who Sister Mint was scolding, and she took a rag to wipe the window in frustration.

Mint finished reprimanding the bellflower, glanced at the back of the osmanthus tree, then turned back to the house, saw that Taohua had taken out the apron, and hurriedly went over to help her tie it, and saw the pair of soft shoes, and couldn't help but say: "The slave remembers that Mrs. is the most fond of goose yellow......

Momoka tied her apron, tied up her cuffs again, and went to the kitchen with mint, smiling casually: "You're not mistaken." Otherwise, why would she make a pair of goose-yellow soft shoes, that color is actually very intolerant, even if it is only worn when sleeping, Taohua herself does not use this color.

"That-" Mint stopped talking. Although she doesn't serve in the main courtyard, she also knows that azure is actually the color that the master prefers.

Taohua glanced at her with a smile: "Just know, don't say it." "

Mint closed her mouth, and only thought about it silently in her stomach: it was obviously the wife's birthday, but the second girl embroidered the curtain in the master's favorite color, and according to the wife's temperament, the things embroidered by her daughter should be used quickly, isn't it placed in front of the lord every day?

In the end, is this birthday gift for his wife, or is it sent to please the lord? It's hard to say about mint. If you think about it, there have been several times like this over the years, and they all say that the second girl is honest and has no heart, and it doesn't seem to be the case.

Peppermint probably thought of something, and Taohua could guess it. She can guess what the second sister brought over by her stepmother Cao is thinking. But this is actually normal, Jiang Xi is the head of the family, and it is nothing to please this stepfather, as long as the Cao family himself doesn't feel anything.

The kitchen was steaming, and the kitchen lady Liu Pozi had steamed the taro according to Taohua's instructions, and was using a wooden roller to grind it into taro paste. This taro paste has just been made, what do you want to do? "

Momoka looked around the kitchen. Today is Cao's 31st birthday, because it is not a whole birthday, so I will not invite guests, just celebrate at home. At this moment, there are all the fish and meat in the kitchen, as well as the two pheasants with bright feathers that have just been sent over from Zhuangzi. Taohua took a fancy to it at a glance: "Cut the pheasant meat into cubes and marinate it first." There is also the steamed bean paste from yesterday, so bring some too. "

The menus are all scheduled, the Jiang family has few masters, and they don't need many dishes, although Mrs. Liu is cooking, she can also free up a stove eye for Taohua. After more than an hour of tossing and turning on the side of the mint, Taohua unveiled the steamer, and the white vapor dissipated, revealing the pastry on the drawer, the ivory-colored taro dumpling, half of which also had a bright red dot at the top, all of which were full and round, as if they could bounce up when thrown on the ground.

Mrs. Liu slapped her hand: "Ouch, this color is more fresh and tender than before, and it makes people drool when they look at it." "

Taohua smiled: "Put two plates and send them to the flower hall, and you can divide the rest." "

Mrs. Liu was busy thanking the reward, and quickly took two plates and put them in the food box: "Tell Di Ding'er to carry it, and follow the girl to send it over." "

Taohua smiled indifferently: "It's just two plates of dim sum, and mint." There are two more dishes here, and Di Ding Er will also make a fire for you. It is estimated that the master is coming back, so don't delay. "

"Don't worry, the girl is ready, the fish is marinated, and it will be sent over as soon as it is steamed, and it is guaranteed that it will not be delayed." Mrs. Liu patted her chest and sent Taohua out, and when she looked back, she saw that the newly bought little girl who burned the fire, Ding Er, was still standing there and drooling at the rest of the snacks in the steamer, so she said, "What's the daze, why don't you make that fire bigger soon!" "

Di Ding'er lowered her head to pull the straw handle, and couldn't help but say: "The big girl is so beautiful, why do you always like to run to the kitchen?" How could Miss Qianjin come to do such smoky work. I heard that the second girl writes and paints all day long, and that's what everyone should learn. "

Before she could say anything, Mrs. Liu had already slapped her on the back of the head and slapped her on the back: "Nonsense! Have you seen a few young ladies who dare to judge the big girl? The eldest girl makes this taro dumpling for her wife's birthday, and if she talks nonsense, she won't even be able to keep your family! Don't hurry up and start the fire! "

Diding'er almost plunged into the stove pit, didn't dare to say more, and honestly lit the fire. Mrs. Liu took out the marinated white fish, put it in the drawer and steamed it quickly, and made a spinach hibiscus soup in another pot. In an instant, the two dishes were baked, and Mrs. Liu personally carried them to the flower hall, and Di Ding'er dared to smack at her back, touched her somewhat messy hair sullenly, and turned out the door to find her mother in the pulp washing room.

Her mother was drying her clothes, and when she saw her daughter coming over with her head down, she couldn't help but raise her eyebrows: "Where did you get beaten again?" "

Di Ding'er sat on the small pestle where her mother's laundry clothes were sitting, and said what happened to Fang Cai's cooking: "I just said a word, and I was slapped in the face." "

When her mother heard this, she sneered: "What are you talking about?" Mrs. Liu is the person who was made by the wife in front of her, and she is holding the big girl, and she won't beat anyone you want. "They are a family of four, and they all came out of the old master's house in the first month and entered the Jiang family. Di Ding'er's mother is an inquisitive person, although she has only been here for two months, she has almost touched the personnel of the Jiang family.

Di Ding'er said unconvinced: "What is she crazy about? Although the wife is filling the house, the former wife only left the eldest girl and has no son. Now that my wife has a brother, this business will be my brother's in the future. It's the big girl, and I'm not here to make snacks to please my wife. What's more, the eldest girl is thirteen years old, and how many years can she stay in her mother's house? She blindly held the eldest girl, she couldn't hear me say a good word about the second girl, she offended her wife carefully, and she didn't go down in the future! "

When her mother heard this, she laughed: "Don't you understand? If you know that she is like this, why should you beg for a fight in front of her? Only the second girl was not born by the old man, although she changed her surname to Jiang, she was only an adopted daughter. You will compare her with the big girl in the future. "

Di Ding'er said stupidly: "Did I say something wrong?" I heard those sisters in the yard say that the second girl writes and paints all day long, and this is a talented girl. The eldest girl is either embroidering a flower or cooking a dish, once upon a time we were in the Zheng family, when did we see the ladies of the Zheng family cooking? In my opinion, although the second girl is not as beautiful as the eldest girl, this sub-style is stronger than the eldest girl. The old head of their family was surnamed Zheng, who was originally a Tongzhi in Suzhou, but was copied for committing a crime, and betrayed the people in the mansion before he was transferred to the Jiang family. There are three girls in the Zheng family, all of them are ten fingers that do not touch the spring water, they don't even do much needlework, they are chanting poems and painting all day long, although they are rough girls, they also know.

Her mother pinched her casually: "Okay, you just can't hide your words." Just tell me about it, don't tell anyone about it. Now that you're in the kitchen, you're picking up a lot of things, so you can't afford to lose it. The eldest girl said that she didn't like to study, but she was involved in the business of this house, and she could endure it. In the future, when she gets married, she will be the wife in charge, and now that she is still there, you will say less. "The Jiang family has few masters, and there is always a surplus of food every day, and the land can also be shared. Especially the eldest girl Jiang Taohua loves to make a snack or something, and they also have a share.

Di Ding'er heard her mother say this, and suddenly remembered: "The eldest girl made some snacks today, and said that the rest will be divided for us, and I have to go back quickly, so as not to be taken by Mrs. Liu herself." "I ran away again.

The Jiang family always eats in the flower hall, and at this moment, tables and chairs have been set up, and the Cao family's eldest girl Baiguo is setting up dishes and chopsticks.

Taohua just entered, and a little fat man staggered in front of her, Taohua's eyes suddenly lit up, and she bent down to pick him up and lifted him into the air, "Yo, fat!" "

The little fat man is the treasure of the Jiang family, the only son Jiang Bohua. He was lifted up by Taohua, and was giggling happily, when he suddenly heard the word fat, he immediately shook his head, and retorted anxiously: "No, fat, brother." "He can't make his brother's voice yet, and he can only say it like this after struggling for a long time.

Taohua also laughed: "Oh, it's not Chubby, it's Bai Ge'er - our Bai Ge'er is so smart!" "

The maids in the flower hall and Jiang Bohua's nurses all snickered. The eldest girl and her brother make trouble every day, but the brother has to argue very seriously every time, and it's really funny to watch.

Taohua kissed the little fat man on each side of the little face before putting him back on the ground. Bai Ge'er was still a little unsatisfied, pulling Taohua's skirt: "Sister, fly, fly." "It's the boy who is bold, he loves to be lifted.

"Brother Bai-" Mrs. Jiang's Cao Shi was shocked when she saw it on the side, and hurriedly greeted her at this time, "Your eldest sister is tired of cooking, don't pester her, come to my mother." "

The Cao family married into the Jiang family three years ago. She was a remarried person, and after her ex-husband died of illness, she was divorced because she had no children, and her family property was taken by the clan, and the daughters she gave birth to were kicked out with her. Later, the matchmaker said that he was married, married to Master Jiang, and now gave birth to Bai Ge'er, which can be regarded as a family harmony. It's just that she is timid, and she wants to hold Brother Bai tightly by her side on weekdays, and every time she sees him playing "Feifei" with Taohua, she is terrified, for fear of dropping her son.

Bai Ge'er looked not very happy. Although he is still a coaxing child, he is young and sometimes refuses to be obedient, so he still pulls Taohua to play Feifei. Cao's was at a loss, but Jiang Yanhua came over and said softly: "Brother Bai'er, listen to my mother's words, the eldest sister is tired, the second sister will paint flowers for you, okay?" "

Momoka didn't speak. Bai Ge'er was not very happy, pushed away Jiang Yanhua's hand to hold him, and still pulled Taohua's skirt.

"Who doesn't listen to their mother?" Master Jiang walked in from outside the house with a smile and shook the things in his hand to his youngest son, "Brother Bai is disobedient, but there is no sesame candy to eat." "

"Daddy!" Brother Bai staggered up and hugged Master Jiang's legs, "Brother Bai, be obedient and give me candy." "

Mr. Jiang laughed and picked up his son, and raised it into the air several times in a row, making Bai Ge'er giggle like a little hen. Cao Shi went over with a happy face: "The master is back?" After a tiring day, take a break and eat. "

Master Jiang put his son down with a smile and handed the candy he bought to Cao: "Don't give him too much to eat, he will have bad teeth." "

Jiang Yanhua had already taken the twisted hand towel from the maid's hand and handed it over: "Daddy wipe your face first." After following her mother to the Jiang family, she not only changed her surname, but also added a Chinese character after the Yan character and changed her name to Jiang Yanhua in the order of the Jiang family. Outsiders sound like they can't tell from this name that she is not the daughter of the Jiang family.

Master Jiang took the towel and wiped his face, Yan Hua took it, and Taohua had already brought hot tea over: "Dad, take a sip of tea." I made taro dough with pheasant filling, you eat it while it's hot. "

Master Jiang looked at his two daughters, nodded with a smile on his face, and said, "Okay." "

Jiang Yanhua hurriedly stretched out his hand to help Master Jiang again, which made Master Jiang laugh: "Yanhua, my father is not seventy or eighty, so I don't need to help." "

Cao said with a smile on the side: "My daughter is filial, and my lord just needs to enjoy the blessings." "

When Brother Bai heard this, he hurriedly jumped up and hugged Master Jiang's legs: "Dad, Brother Bai, you are also filial." "

"Okay, good, Bai Ge'er is the most filial." Old Man Jiang's fatigue during the day was swept away, he sat down happily, hugged his son on his lap, and first picked a piece of dim sum from the plate and gave it to Bai Ge'er before eating it himself, "Well, this one tastes delicious, how can I eat it as if it's not just chicken." "

Taohua laughed and pushed another plate in front of Cao Shi and Yanhua: "Dad's tongue is Diao, I mixed a little shrimp meat in it, just to improve the taste, and Dad will eat it." "

Cao Shi heard her say a tricky word, his face changed slightly, but Master Jiang smiled disapprerovitously: "What does Dad do, it is a decoction, Dad can tell the difference between seven or eight percent when he tastes it, not to mention that there are only two things." Not to mention, this pheasant meat is a little hard, and with a little shrimp meat, it feels much more tender. Talking and laughing, he asked Bai Ge'er, "Is it delicious?" "

Bai Ge'er nodded his little head, and his mouth was full of slag after eating, and he couldn't move his tongue to answer. Taohua smiled and rubbed the handkerchief for him, and said, "Eat slowly, there is still sweetness, you are allowed to eat two pieces." I'm going to eat in a while, if I like to eat, I'll do it another day. "

Mr. Jiang looked at his son and daughter, his smile grew, and he finished eating two plates of dim sum at one time, because each one was no more than the size of an apricot, but it did not hinder dinner. Only Brother Bai had a small appetite, and Taohua watched him eat two, so she asked him to go down to the ground for a walk. Master Jiang hugged his son to the ground and took out a letter from his sleeve: "I am in the store today and I received something from the capital." "