Mrs. Su's birthday is on the second day of the seventh month.

The weather is no longer so hot, and the back garden of the county government is next to the water, and the wind blows with water vapor, so some of the summer heat has subsided, and it is a good time to hold a banquet.

When the three members of the Jiang family arrived at the back gate of the county office, it was still early. Luomei, the personal maid beside Mrs. Su, followed at the second door, and smiled when she saw them: "Madame said that the girl would come early, and sure enough, the maid only looked at it for a while, and the girl arrived." "

Although the county government in Wuxi is also according to the system, the front and back government are decent. However, after all, Jiangnan is known for its garden style, and the place where the case is handled in front of the hall cannot be changed, but the garden behind it is very exquisite.

The garden is led to live water, because the place is smaller, there is no need for tall rockeries, only a few pieces of different forms of lake stones stand along the water, accompanied by flowers and trees, there is a sense of winding paths leading to seclusion.

Mrs. Su's birthday banquet was set up in the pavilion by the water, which was both bright and cool, and there was also the fragrance of hosta flowers that bloomed just right. However, most of the guests had not yet arrived at this time, so Mrs. Su was still sitting in the hall.

said that she was an old lady, and she was only fifty years old. However, I heard that when she was young, she followed her husband as an official in Lingnan, and because she was not adapted, she had three miscarriages in a row, which caused great damage to her body. Although Su Heng was finally born later, his body was also half broken, not to mention that compared with those well-maintained official wives, even compared to the market women of the same age, he also looked several years older.

Su Xianling is a filial son, and he brought his mother to Wuxi to take office, but also to raise people here for the sake of water and soil, and wanted his mother to take care of his body. Not to mention, after two years of living, Mrs. Su has indeed gotten a lot better, but the root of the injury caused by many slippery tires is impossible to recover no matter what.

Because of the 50th birthday, the Su family's birthday banquet was grander than the previous two years, and some officials and local squires under the rule of Wuxi were invited. This is also the default rule in officialdom, always give lower-level colleagues the opportunity to contact and move around, if the water is clear, there are no fish, if you can't get out like an iron rooster, you will become an outlier and will be excluded. Even if Su Xianling has a backer in Beijing, the rules of this officialdom still have to be followed.

Mrs. Su wore a purple and red embroidered 10,000-character flower gown today, a silver horse face skirt, and not much gray hair, so she wore a silver silk black crepe Di bun, with a gold inlaid jade Guanyin distraction at the middle end, and three strands of gold silk Ruyi hairpin on each side. When she was young, her appearance was not very good, but now she is even older, but her face is kind, which makes people look comfortable and generous.

Mrs. Su sat under her, also wearing a fuchsia long gown, but the material was lighter, the top was woven with dark moire, the edge was wrapped with light silver satin, and the bottom was paired with a light-colored six-panel skirt, which looked brighter and lighter.

As soon as Taohua saw Bai Ge'er come in, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law immediately laughed, and Mrs. Su went up to pick up Bai Ge'er: "I haven't seen you for some days, and it's strong again." "

Taohua hurriedly put Jiang Bohua down on the ground, and first asked him to salute Mrs. Su: "I told you yesterday, what are you going to do today?" "

Bai Ge'er was taught several times last night, and Taohua reminded him again in the carriage just now, and I still remember at this time, bending my little fat legs and making a little fat hand to worship: "Mother-in-law is as blessed as the East China Sea, and her longevity is better than Nanshan." "

He is young, and his family has never learned to kneel seriously, but he worships the ancestral tablet every year during the New Year. The first year was very small, and Jiang Xi carried him in to salute, and this year he went to worship by himself, and he almost rolled into a ball when he went to worship on the mat. At this time, the maid took the futon, he didn't kneel without the support of the nurse, he just squatted down, holding his hands and shaking up and down, but it was as good as the words of Donghai Shoubi Nanshan, parents and sisters had to say it again on their birthdays, and they spoke clearly and smoothly, and their voices were still very loud.

Old Madam Su smiled so much that her eyes narrowed into a line: "Quickly hug up, hug up." Come here, my mother-in-law has something good for you. "I took a gold collar and put it on him with my own hands.

Su Heng has no heirs so far, and when Mrs. Su was young, she suffered a lot and the eyes of her in-laws because of her continuous slippery tires, so she couldn't bear to scold her daughter-in-law. also invited the famous Lang Zhong to check Mrs. Su's pulse, and said that her body was fine, not that she could not have children, but that the children had not yet arrived. Mrs. Su pushed herself and others, so she didn't push it, but when she saw the children of other families, she liked it so much.

Bai Ge'er is always protected by the Cao family, he doesn't often come out to meet people, and he is a little afraid of life, Taohua is also because of this, and he must take him out when he has the opportunity. However, he had seen both Mrs. Su and Mrs. Su, so he hugged them casually, got Mrs. Su's gold collar, and knew that he was holding his hands and bending down to thank him. The brain shell was a little heavy, and as soon as he bent down, he planted it down, making the maids in the hall laugh along.

This circle is engraved all over the body, it looks good, and the weight is not heavy, which is suitable for children to wear. Taohua hurriedly thanked: "I haven't given the old lady a birthday gift yet, but I have biased the old lady's good things first." "Open the box that the maid brought and explain them one by one.

Old Madam Su took the forehead and looked at it carefully, and said with a smile: "This needle and thread is good, I look finer than yours." As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Yanhua again, "Sure enough, it's a big girl, and it looks like she's grown a lot taller." "

When Jiang Yanhua first came to Jiang's house, she was as thin as the reed stick, because she didn't eat well and dress well in the Chen family, and her development was later than that of ordinary girls. Last year, Mrs. Su's birthday, she was still thin and pinched, and this year she has grown from the New Year, not only is she taller, her breasts are also longer, and her waist in summer clothes is also visible, and she really looks like a big girl.

Jiang Yanhua hurriedly stepped forward and gave a gift: "A little needle and thread, only the old lady is kind, so she dares to take it out and offer it." It's just that this pattern is a bit of a head, and I hope that the old lady will have a long life and all the best. "

This is a little flattering, but if you talk about the families of Jiang and Su, it is not wrong to be humble. Old Madam Su nodded at her, and asked the maid to put away her forehead: "It's better to wear it when it's colder." He picked up the sachet again, "This bright color, what's in it?" "

The prescription of the incense medicine in each sachet is different, and it changes with the solar terms, but it has the effect of calming the nerves and helping sleep. As soon as Taohua pointed, Mrs. Su took the one embroidered with osmanthus and handed it to the maid: "This one will be hung in my account, and the rest will be collected, which will take a year." "

The maid hurriedly took it, opened the paper envelope inside, and a faint fragrance wafted out. Mrs. Su was hugging Jiang Bohua and teasing, and when she smelled the smell, she smiled and said, "Why do you smell the fruity smell here?" It smells so good, you won't give me one. "

When Mrs. Su heard this, she laughed and scolded: "People come to worship their birthdays, and you insist on getting something, and you are not ashamed." It's all medicine, just like the soothing incense, what do you want these to do? "

It is a medicine that is three parts poisonous. Although spices are not medicines, they are not taboo when they are used. Mrs. Su has heard a lot of things, and knows very well that there are some cases of bad tires because of the wrong incense, so it is not allowed to use incense when there is nothing to do at home. Mrs. Su also knew this truth, but she just said it casually, and smiled for the sake of Mrs. Bosu.

Taohua smiled and said, "That's exactly what the old lady said. Medicine is not as good as food, so I'm bringing new tea today. "

Old Madam Su squinted at the pattern on the tea can: "What kind of good thing is it again?" This flower looks like a grapefruit flower. "

Taohua clapped her hands and smiled: "In the end, the old lady has seen a lot, although it is not far away. This thing is really similar to grapefruit flowers, and the name of the medicine is Fushou grass, which is generally called tortoiseshell flowers. "I told you about the effects of tortoiseshell flowers.

Mrs. Su is an imbalance in the spleen and stomach, and Mrs. Su is inevitably a little depressed because of her infertility. Mrs. Su immediately said: "Take out a jar of this tea, and use this at the banquet today, and let the guests taste it." "

The guests have tasted it, but is it equivalent to publicizing the new tea? Taohua got up and said with a smile: "Thank you old lady for making a face for me, in this way, I can be in the limelight again today." "

Old Madam Su smiled: "You monkey has a bad idea again. Don't look at your filial piety, every time you have a new play, you will be sent first, so that you will not be given this face. "Taohua is using the Su family to promote new goods, why can't Mrs. Su see it? It's just that all the things sent by Taohua are used by her and Mrs. Su, and the things that are not suitable for them will never be sent, not to make money and ignore them.

And these things work very well every time you use them, such as the aloe vera oil. Mrs. Su was weak and afraid of heat, and she didn't dare to use ice more, so she felt that her head was much lighter and the taste was good when she rubbed the medicinal oil on her temples, so she was happy to promote it for her.

Everyone was talking, and the guests behind them had already arrived one after another. The first to come was the female dependents of the county Cheng family, and the main book of the second came also arrived. Although these are low-grade officials, they are also official families, and they are the right and left hands of the county order, and the second room of the Jiang family is just a show of talent and fame, which cannot be compared. Taohua took Yanhua and Bai Ge'er to gradually withdraw, making way for them to laugh with Mrs. Su.

Mrs. Su understood in her heart, and asked Luomei to lead them to walk around the garden. The hosta is full of snow-white branches, facing a bend of clear water, both color and fragrance. There is a pavilion by the water, in which refreshments have been set up for the ladies to rest.

Bai Ge'er was very active, and there was no one born in the garden, so he sprinkled joy. Taohua and Yanhua sat in the pavilion, and he ran around the pavilion, so tired that the two mint bellflowers followed him, and they didn't dare to leave an inch.

Luo Mei and another Luo Ying are both Mrs. Su's personal maids, and Mrs. Su can't leave for a moment. Taohua sat down and had nothing to do, so she urged her to go back and serve. Luomei was not polite to her, and curtled her knees and smiled: "The girl is compassionate, and the maid will go back first." "Leave a little maid named Xiao Tang to listen to the instructions at the bottom of the pavilion, and go back to the hall first.

At this time, there was only daylilies in the pavilion, and Jiang Yanhua sighed and said: "There are so many people here, I always feel a little nervous...... touched the bead flower on his head, and said with some envy, "The girl in the main bookkeeper's house, the bead hairpin she wears is really beautiful." "

The main bookkeeper's surname is Li, and he brought a girl today, fifteen or sixteen years old, with a wicker-like waist, a melon-like face, and a silver and red dress, and she is delicate and timid when she speaks. A hairpin is inserted in the jet-black bun, and a pink lake bead on the hairpin head is lined with a pink face, which looks particularly outstanding.

Jiang Yanhua watched from the side and felt that this girl from the Li family was not born well, but her skin was white and tender. If you talk about delicate eyebrows and eyes, she thinks that she is not inferior to Miss Li, but her clothes are exquisite and her jewelry is valuable, so her original seven-point posture has also changed by ten points; And she only wears such a pair of beaded flowers, and the clothes on her body are not as bright as others, so she is much inferior.

Momoka only smiled and didn't answer. The girl in the Li family, her every move is not like a serious upbringing, that is, the southern girl is already delicate, and she can't look at people and still half-droop her eyelids. It's a little ugly, but it's actually some aunts.

Auntie, the Jiang family's second room doesn't have it. However, the scholars in the south are elegant, like the red sleeves and fragrance, and there is no concubine around him who has a bit of identity, and there is also a maid who serves pen and ink. Before Taohua was ten years old, Jiang Xi also took her out of the house, as far as Nanjing. On the Yuhua Terrace, at the foot of Zhongshan Mountain, most of them brought their families to enjoy the flowers and watch the wine, and there were a few such people.

Jiang Xi didn't care much about these people, but Taohua was not really a □□-year-old child, so he could see it at a glance. The style of a wife is completely different from that of a concubine. is a serious upbringing girl, although you have to cover your face with a hat when you go in and out, but it doesn't teach you not to look at people with your eyes. The girl from the Li family really doesn't look serious.

When the guests had almost arrived, several squires had also arrived, and the Jiang family had almost put them in, Luomei came over and invited them over. Taohua got up and instructed Jiang Yanhua: "Although my father is not white, but the people of the official family, we can't catch up, just stay away." "

I haven't seen it in my life, haven't I read a novel or watched a TV series in my last life? After graduating from college, she found a job in another place, and when she went to work, she was so busy that she hit the back of her head and had nowhere to go after work.

Mrs. Su has not come out of the door for four years, Su County is twenty-five, and there are no children under her knees. Mrs. Su was tolerant because her family had endured this hardship in the past, but those drills outside who were looking for cracks to please might not have this idea.

Last year, Mrs. Su also had a birthday, although it was not as grand as this year, but the county and the lady of the bookkeeper's family must be invited, and at that time, I didn't see the lady of the bookkeeper bring this Miss Li here. If it is a serious concubine, she has not yet decided on a marriage at this age, and she has already taken it out and walked around. It can be seen that this Miss Li is most likely a concubine, or a girl from a side branch of the clan, who was brought to the Su family so cowardly, and what kind of idea is it.

Jiang Yanhua couldn't think of so much. She was confined to the Chen family to do needlework in the house, and when she arrived at the Jiang family, she was afraid that people would look down on her, so she learned from everyone's beautiful style, and she didn't step out of the door. Seeing that there are few people, where can I see that there is something wrong with the girl of the Li family, but I look at her clothes and accessories with some envy.

If Taohua didn't say this, she really had the meaning of saying two sentences. The main book is just a nine-grade, lowest-rate official, and with the prestige of the Jiang family in the local area, he can barely make friends. Now that Taohua said this, she didn't dare to disobey, so she could only bow her head and agree, but she was a little unconvinced in her heart - if she said that it was an official family, she had to stay away, how could Taohua herself be so close to Mrs. Su and Mrs. Su?

Jiang Bohua was tired after playing for half a day, and he was already a little dozing. He was a child, and it was not suitable for him to sit at the table, so Mrs. Su asked Luo Mei to carry him to her room, and arranged for him to eat a good meal such as egg custard. Momoka sent Mint and Kikyo to take care of him, leaving only one daylily to serve with the two sisters.

The guests in the water pavilion have already begun to take their seats. Taohua and Yanhua's positions naturally had to be ranked below those officials, and they sat with the ladies of the squire's family. was only introduced to the water pavilion by the Su family's maid, and a girl in a red shirt stood in front of her: "Taohua!" "

The girl was fourteen or fifteen years old, with a round face like a silver plate, and a pair of big almond eyes, as if honey could overflow from her dimples when she smiled. Yan Hua recognized her and greeted her first: "Sister Lu." "

Lu Ying smiled at her and returned the salute, turned her head and took Taohua's hand: "I guess you will definitely come today, and you will bring my aunt over early, why are you so late?" "

"I came here early, and I just took my younger brother to look at the hosta flowers in the garden." Taohua was also a little surprised, "When did you come?" "

Lu Ying's family is not local, but from Jinling. Her grandfather used to be the priest of the country, but when it came to his children and grandchildren, he didn't do it. Thanks to Mr. Lu's ability, several sons have won officials, but the highest is only a five-grade idle official.

Lu Ying's father went early, and he didn't have a son, so he had to pass a nephew from his eldest uncle, and the days would inevitably pass by looking at Dafang's face. Lu Ying's mother felt sorry for her daughter's grievances, and often sent her to live at her grandfather's house for a while. The Lu family's side likes to spend less and does not stop it.

Lu Ying's grandfather's family name is Tan, there are paddy fields and mulberry forests in the local area, and there are a few people in the family, and they are also the first class among the squires. Lu Ying is not valued in the Lu family, but she is quite favored in the Tan family, Mrs. Tan has no daughter, so she treats this niece daughter as her own daughter, if Lu Ying does not come after a period of time, the Tan family will send someone to pick it up. In a year, the time spent in the Tan family is not much less than that in the Lu family.

"I want to come after the New Year...... the smile on Lu Ying's face faded a little, "But my mother is sick, and she will get better in April." "

No matter how much the Tan family likes her, they always have to go back to the Lu family for the New Year. In the past, I came here in February, but this time it was delayed until June, so there must be something. Lu Ying was uncomfortable at home, and even communication was inconvenient, although Taohua guessed that most of the family was going on, she didn't know that Mrs. Lu was sick.

"What's wrong with Auntie?"

"It's said that it's a cold, but it's actually angry." Lu Ying lowered her head and kicked the ground on her toes, and said sullenly, "I hate that I'm not a son and can't support the portal." "

This is the mainstream of this era. People in the market may still have ways to recruit money, but it is completely impossible for an official eunuch like the Lu family. Taohua was powerless to change this ruthless fact, so she could only pat the back of Lu Ying's hand comfortingly: "The birthday banquet is about to start, you go to your aunt's side and sit down, and we will talk well when we have time later." "