When Xia Chunchao heard the news, he was very surprised, and immediately said: "We have no contact with this Hou Mansion, why did they suddenly come to give us gifts." As soon as the words landed, he suddenly remembered that Lu Chengyong stopped the horse on the street yesterday, groaned slightly, and ordered the girl to dress and comb her hair and take care of her makeup. Before breakfast, he took someone out.

When I walked to the front hall, I saw the housekeeper Wang'er sitting with a few people in green cloth clothes and pants.

As soon as they saw her come out, everyone hurriedly got up. Wang'er said "grandma" first, and then said to the others: "This is our grandmother." ”

When those people heard Wang'er's words, their faces showed a slight look of Nahan, but they didn't say anything in front of them. The leader bowed his hand and said: "Yesterday, my young lady was rescued by the prince of your mansion, and my marquis heard about it at home, and he was very grateful. But I don't know that the son can be in the house? Please come out and thank you in person. ”

When Xia Chunchao heard this, he knew that it was really yesterday, and smiled in front of him: "The clumsy man raised his hands, how dare the Marquis Lao say thank you?" Today, my humble husband is not at home and cannot be seen in person. ”

The young woman was not shy or boring, and she was generous, so she was secretly surprised in her heart, so she replied: "Since the son is not at home, it is not good for me to stay for a long time. With that, he shouted outward, and two men in short clothes came up with a load of gifts.

Xia Chunchao looked at it, and saw that there were six pieces of fire cloth on the pick, several official silver ingots, and some precious medicinal materials such as ginseng and bird's nest. Although she felt that this gift was amazing, because her mother's family was wealthy and had seen a little bit of the world, she didn't feel anything, so she smiled and said: "Hou Ye is really polite, since it is like this, it is better to be respectful than to obey the fate, and I will accept it on behalf of my humble husband." When the clumsy husband comes back another day, he will come to the door to see him in person. ”

When this man saw that the woman's face did not change and he accepted this heavy gift, his astonishment was even more overflowing, and he also accepted a lot of the previous contempt.

At this moment, a person suddenly reported: "The old lady is here!" After saying that, I saw Lu Jia's family dressed in a life costume, holding a green bamboo cane in his hand, trembling and coming out of the inside.

Seeing this, Xia Chunchao felt strange in his heart, and his feet went up quickly, so he hurriedly stepped forward, supported Lu Jia's for Baolian, and said with a smile: "The old lady has been in poor health for days, why did she pour it out today?" The guests are about to go, and there is nothing else to do. Lu Jia smiled and said, "You kid, you really don't know anything!" There's a guest at home, why don't I come out to see it? After that, he said to the guest in the hall: "The distinguished guest is coming, the old body is out of welcome, and the distinguished guest has been waiting for a long time, and he is guilty of sin." ”

The man was already about to go, but when he saw the old lady of the family coming out, he had to stand up again, and he made a gesture and said, "The old lady is polite." ”

Lu Jiashi sat down in the hall, and ordered people to serve tea again.

When the man saw that she was so attentive, he went away when he was not good, and had to sit down again. Lu Jiashi smiled and said: "The head of the family is on duty in the yamen, so he can't come to the house. I have to be accompanied by women like us, and the distinguished guests don't smile. The man replied, "The old lady is humble, and it is not uncommon for a young grandmother to be in charge." Lu Jia's face was slightly sluggish, and then he smiled: "The guest has misunderstood, my family was originally the master, but he is not at home today." After a pause, he didn't want to say much about it, and asked softly: "I don't know how the marquis of your mansion knows my grandson?" can be taken care of by the Hou Ye, it is really this kid who has come to cultivate in the third generation! When the man heard this, he laughed in his heart, and his face did not show it, but he said: "The old lady is really polite, it turned out that my young lady's carriage startled the horse in the city yesterday, and it was rescued by the prince of your mansion." When my lord learned about it, he was very grateful, so he sent some small gifts to express his gratitude. Today's gift has been delivered, and the Hou Ye is still waiting for me to reply, so I don't want to stay for a long time, so I leave. After that, he didn't eat any tea, so he got up and clenched his fists and said.

Seeing that Lu Jia couldn't keep it, he hurriedly got up and said, "I don't know Mr. Gao's name?" In the future, it is good to have a name. The man was a little impatient, and only replied: "Xiao Ke's surname is Li, and his full name is Li Fu." And without further ado, he took the man with him.

After this cadre left, Lu Jia sat in the hall and said diligently: "Okay, Brother Yong has become a third-grade member and has been awarded a knighthood, and even the marquis has come to intersect with our family." The prosperity of the family road can be described as a happy event. Xia Chunchao was standing beside him, and when he heard this, he replied with a smile: "Old lady Hui, it's not for the young master to be an official, it's still for what happened on the street yesterday." Otherwise, the will of the imperial court was issued, how could people come to the door to give gifts? and he who has not given birth to ears to the wind. ”

Lu Jia's face sank, and he said, "What do you know, those words are just a reason." People who enter and leave the court, wouldn't the news be better! As he spoke, he paused and said in a deep voice: "Spring Dynasty girl, what was the past, I won't mention it." Now that Brother Yong has become an official, our family must stand up for everything in order to not lose its dignity. In such a thing as today, how can you, a woman in the house, come out to meet guests? There are me in the house, and there is your old lady and wife, and if you tell one at will, it will not be your turn to meet guests. Is it not shameful for a young girl and a young woman to come out? You need to be careful in your words and deeds in the future, and you will also think about your own identity when you interact with those who are destined to do so. It is not only the face of Brother Yong, but also your honor. ”

Xia Chunchao smiled lightly, and said: "I have been in charge of the house for all these years, and it is not me who comes and goes to greet people." The old lady should have said this a long time ago, why did she say it today? If it is really the male head of the family, I will naturally order someone to invite the master back. This Li Fu must be just a housekeeper in someone's house. Counting, it's just a subordinate, so why bother to really lift it up? has done it, but it is despised by people. Besides, I have not lost my manners. ”

She had always been gentle and respectful in front of Lu Jiashi, but now she suddenly came with such uninhibited words, which caught Lu Jiashi off guard and was stunned on the spot.

I only heard Xia Chunchao say again: "The granddaughter-in-law next to me doesn't know, the granddaughter-in-law only knows that she has silver to buy rice for the pot, and the family is hungry without silver." The young master has become this official, although there are those money, the family's expenses are getting bigger and bigger, is it enough to entangle, can the old lady know it in her heart? Saying that, she smiled slightly, and said, "There is still something to do in the granddaughter-in-law's back house, so I will retire first." As he spoke, he instructed the housekeeper Wang'er to accept the gifts sent by the Hou Mansion and count them into the warehouse. She took the girl to the back house, leaving Lu Jia alone to sit in the hall.

Lu Jiashi sat on the seat, his face was gloomy, he didn't say a word, and his eyebrows between the two brooms were twitched. Baolian watched from the sidelines, knowing that she was unhappy, and tried to ask: "Old lady, it's windy here, and the guest has already gone, why don't we go back too?" Lu Jiashi didn't hear it, sat still at all, and only raised his body for a long time before he raised his body and said: "Okay, your wife is not good, let's go over and take a look." Baolian hurriedly helped, and said with a smile: "Grandma must be a little unhappy today, but the old lady should not worry about her." Lu Jiashi raised his eyebrows and smiled at her: "What's wrong with your grandma?" Baolian was speechless for a while, only to hear Lu Jiashi say again: "What your grandmother said is the truth. So saying, he stepped down the stairs.

Xia Chunchao returned to the room, and Wang'er had sent her mother-in-law to send the warehouse slip in. She looked at it once, saw that there was no difference, and sent someone away. Suddenly feeling very hungry in his stomach, he remembered that he hadn't eaten water in the morning, beckoned Bao'er and asked, "Have you brought my breakfast?" Bao'er replied: "Bring it, today it's red bean porridge and fried juniper." Because I was afraid that my grandmother would be cold for a long time, I put it on the stove to warm it. Grandma ate it and brought it immediately. Xia Chunchao said: "Come and bring it, but I'm hungry." As he spoke, he said later: "There are also small pickles that we have collected in the year, and we will also get a plate." Bao'er answered, and Zhu'er came to clean up the table and wait for the meal to be set.

Bao'er was slow and didn't have time to come over for a while, so Zhu'er took advantage of the time to ask, "Grandma is very polite to the old lady today." Xia Chunchao smiled and didn't answer. Zhu'er said again: "How do I feel that grandma's temperament has changed recently? The old lady and the lady were not as respectful as before, and even quarreled with the young master. ”

Xia Chunchao didn't answer this first, but only asked, "Do you think it's wrong for me to be like this?" Zhu'er shook her head and said, "Grandma has her own grandmother's reason, not to mention that Mrs. is sometimes very disagreeable." ”

Xia Chunchao nodded and sighed: "In the past few days, I have also figured it out. Why should I be afraid of them? The family depends on me for food and clothing, but I still have to look at their faces, and I can't even have an idea, how can there be such a reason? In the past few years, I have not respected them, but I respect them as elders, where do they look like elders? You step back an inch, he goes in a foot, and the more respectful he is! Why should I honor them? I've figured it out now that since they've treated me lightly, I don't have to look at their faces anymore. I have the final say in the Hengzhu family, and they are not afraid that it will be difficult to continue in the future, so they will take care of themselves. I couldn't get by, so I went back to my parents' house. The Lu family's money, clothing, and food over the years have all been earned from our dowry, so they have to pay me back one by one. Until then, see who suffers. ”

When Zhu'er heard this, she didn't dare to answer, and asked in a slurch, "What about the young master?" I think my grandmother is so good with the young master in the past, but grandma is willing to throw away her hand? ”

Xia Chunchao said in a deep voice: "My husband and wife relationship with the young master is true. However, it also depends on how he treats me in the future, and if I ask myself if I owe him anything, he should not owe me. I am a wife, not a concubine, and I do not depend on him for food and clothing, and I do not need to please him to live. He respects me like a wife, that's good. If not, it's not a pity to lose this relationship. After speaking, he looked at Zhu'er again and said: "Although it is right for women in the world to rely on men to live, we should also stand up in our own homes." Everything is attached to him, and naturally his voice is short. I'm just living this life with him, and I'm able to support myself, and I'm not a head behind him. ”

Zhu'er listened with a big heart and nodded immediately.

Bao'er brought porridge and pickles and snacks in, and waited for Xia Chunchao to eat. Xia Chunchao ate two spoonfuls of porridge, and suddenly remembered something, so he said: "Which of you went to the wife's room and said that I transferred Changchun to the girl." There is a shortage of people in the wife's room, so I will add more later. ”。