The eldest princess of Chaoqing stood up in pain, walked quickly to the third girl, ignored the dirt on the third girl's body, hugged her in her arms, and shouted distressedly: "What's going on?" Didn't my son keep filial piety to your aunt in the yard? How can you be so wolf? But has someone deceived my son? ”

The third girl choked up and said: "The child, my brother and Mama Zhang have not eaten for two days, and the younger brother is hungry, and the child is so hungry that he can't stand it, so he secretly ran to the kitchen to find food, but was seen by the housekeeper's lady, Mama Niu, who blamed me for stealing food, so she beat me with a rolling pin the thickness of her arm, and claimed to kill her daughter...... Ask my mother to save me......"

As soon as the words fell, cracks suddenly appeared in the expression of the eldest princess Chaoqing!

This little slut obviously came to smash the field on purpose, accusing the ladies and daughters of the house of abusing her to abuse the concubines.

If this matter was put in the past, she could not care about it, but now it is not done, although her sons have been married, a pair of daughters have no family.

Her two daughters were born as beautiful as flowers and tall, but because of her jealous mother, no one cares about it. Her eldest daughter is nineteen years old, and her youngest daughter is seventeen years old, and other women can run all over the ground at this age, but her daughter doesn't even have a matchmaker, and she has also found a matchmaker to make peace, but it is not difficult to see from the matchmaker's embarrassed smile and tactful prevarication that no one wants to marry her daughter.

Which man doesn't want to marry a gentle and virtuous wife, and which one would marry a fierce woman?

Finally, she realized the danger brought by her jealous reputation to her daughter, and began to work hard to repair her reputation, and took the initiative to give her two personal maids to the concubine as a concubine.

She has been playing this kind of trick for two or three years, and everyone thinks that she has changed her temperament, and now someone has begun to say goodbye to her daughter, but at this moment, this kind of thing happened, and the good reputation that she managed so easily was ruined, and it really made the eldest princess of Chaoqing have the intention of killing people!

"Damn!"

Chaoqing gritted his teeth and scolded, I don't know if he was scolding the third girl or scolding Mama Niu.

At this time, Dong Wan'er, the eldest daughter who had been standing behind her, stepped forward, stroked the chest of the eldest princess of Chaoqing, and said softly: "Mother doesn't have to be angry, according to her daughter, it must be the bullying of the cow and the slave, taking advantage of the mother's birthday, she will be in it to be a bully, and the third sister will be bullied, the mother might as well ask someone to tie up the cow first, and wait for the banquet to disperse and then interrogate carefully, if she really dares to bully the master, the mother will not spare her." ”

Dong Wan'er has a delicate appearance, dignified manners, and a voice as graceful as a yellow warbler, her words to persuade her mother seem reasonable, but the ladies and ladies present are not fools.

There has always been a matter of slaves bullying the master, but if someone hadn't supported the slave, the slave would have eaten the bear's heart and leopard's gall, and wouldn't dare to bully the master? Looking at the dress of the maid, even the inferior maid in the family is not as good as the inferior maid, and when you think about it, you can know what kind of life this poor girl usually lives at home.

The people who came to attend the eldest princess's birthday banquet today are all the ladies of the main room, and they also have concubines in their families, and the concubines are not treated at home and are punished by their mothers-in-law, they actually don't feel unjust from the same position, but it is too much to practice and grind the concubines and concubines like Chaoqing, and they have completely lost the virtuous and virtuous virtues of the main mother's wife, and even her daughters have learned to be as cunning and mean as her, which is really despicable!

The eldest princess of Chaoqing listened to the advice of the eldest daughter, and finally stopped being so angry, she patted the back of the concubine, and comforted her softly: "It's all the mother is not good, I think these slaves are the old people in the family, and they usually don't detain them, which Cheng wants to actually raise them, and actually did such a big rebellious thing, my son is wronged, and the mother will make the decision for you at night, and ruthlessly clean up the dog slave who looks down on people and is angry for you, and now my son is keeping filial piety, it is not appropriate to stay here, and go back first, Mother will have someone bring food and drink to your brothers and sisters later. ”

The maid listened to the words of the eldest princess of Chaoqing, wiped her tears obediently, and said softly: "Yes, my daughter is leaving." As he spoke, he stood up with Mama Zhang's hand and slowly stepped back.

The master and servant walked very slowly, and when they were about to walk out of my line of sight, a sudden cry came: "Stop!" ”

I was startled, and I forgot about the past, but I saw a girl in a rose-pink woven flower gown, walking over with a well-dressed mother-in-law, the girl had an angry face, and her eyes glared at the maid sharply, as if she was going to tear her.

The third girl shrank for a moment, and said timidly: "Second little ...... No, second sister, your name is Li'er...... Is there something wrong? ”

The girl in the rose pink gown is the second lady of the Dong family, Dong Qing'er, at this moment, she has already strode in front of the third girl, and said angrily: "I have already asked Mama Niu, it was you who deliberately ran to the kitchen to provoke, she didn't beat you at all, nor did she threaten you, you ran out like this while your mother's birthday banquet, obviously with ill intentions, wanting to ruin my mother's reputation, saying, who gave you the guts?" Why are you doing this? ”

Mama Niu was also slipping aside, howling dryly: "Third Miss, you are really a slave, how dare the old slave beat you?" You wronged the old slave in front of so many ladies and young ladies, and it is nothing for the old slave to be wronged, but it has ruined the virtuous reputation of the eldest princess, but it is not yours. The eldest princess treats you so well, and is your mother, how can you do such a chilling thing? ”

"I didn't lie, I really didn't lie, it was Mama Niu who wanted to kill me, it was really ......"

The third girl shook her head, and at the same time resolutely denied the statement of the second lady and Grandma Niu, for fear that others would not believe her, and she rolled up her sleeves in a panic to show everyone the wounds on her body.

How can I look at my daughter's body lightly? As she rolled up her sleeves, I hurriedly turned my head, only to hear the gasps and exclamations of the ladies and ladies present.

"Nonsense!"

The eldest princess of Chaoqing shouted, and shouted in a panic and with a weak heart: "You are a dignified young lady, how can you casually expose your body in front of outsiders?" Quick, quickly put off the third lady's clothes and take her back to the room to rest! ”

The maidens who were waiting for the eldest princess heard the voice of the eldest princess, hurriedly hugged her, held her arm, and pulled the third girl away.

"I didn't lie, I really didn't lie......"

The three girls shouted while being dragged down by the maids!

Dong Qi sighed and said, "Brother Mu, the house is restless, so you can see and laugh!" ”

I don't care about other people's back houses, but I admire this little concubine in my heart, a weaker boudoir daughter, who dares to confront the eldest princess of Chaoqing, is really a little bold.

Moreover, not only is he courageous, but he is also scheming.

At this time, all the ladies in Tongzhou Mansion knew that she had provoked Her Royal Highness the eldest princess, and if anything went wrong with her in the future, the first thing that everyone thought of would be that the eldest princess had done something to her. Therefore, for a while, the eldest princess really didn't dare to do anything to her!

The third girl was pulled down, and the eldest princess of Chaoqing saw everyone's flashing eyes, and she didn't feel that her face was hot, but she said stubbornly: "Hey, the family is unfortunate, this concubine only returned to the house a few years ago, she doesn't understand the rules of the house, and she can't get along with the people in the house, I thought it would be good slowly, but I didn't know that the people below actually treated her like this from me, and I didn't govern the family strictly, so that everyone could see the joke!" ”

After speaking, he slapped the table and shouted to the cow mama: "The bold slave dares to abuse the master behind my back, it is really a bear's heart and a leopard's guts, someone came, tied her up to me, threw her into the horse pen, and Ming'er sent her back to Zhuangzi to serve hard labor." ”

When Mama Niu heard this, she immediately howled: "The eldest princess spares her life, the matter of unwilling slaves is that the third girl has repeatedly provoked trouble, the third girl has repeatedly made a big statement in public, and wronged the princess You killed her mother, her mother obviously fell into the lake and drowned, but the third girl is a scoundrel to you, and secretly curses you......"

Seeing that the ugly things in the family had been picked up, the eldest princess Chaoqing hurriedly shouted: "Shut up, are you all dead?" Don't drag this old pig and dog down......"

Mama Niu stayed, she pretended to beg for mercy, her expression was extremely exaggerated, but I understood that this was just a show for the people here, and when Ming'er, this woman would definitely continue to show off her power in the house......

Although all the ladies present were very disdainful of the behavior of the eldest princess Chaoqing, no one could offend the eldest princess for a concubine she didn't know, so she smiled and said: "Her Royal Highness doesn't have to be angry with a slave, what kind of slave doesn't have a big family?" There are a few people who make trouble in private, and there is nothing strange about it, it's a big deal to sell it, and it will be quiet......"

Some people also said: "Yes, in fact, it's not all to blame the slave for making trouble, speaking of which, the lady in the Zunfu is not a troublemaker, knowing that today is your good day, but she came to make trouble, no wonder people don't want to see her......"

Everyone talked about it, but it was nothing more than to excuse the eldest princess Chaoqing, and put it on the head of the concubine.

The eldest princess of Chaoqing was comforted by everyone, and her complexion gradually improved, she turned to me, smiled apologetically, and said: "I'm really sorry, let Mu Gongzi see that our family is ugly, and I hope Mu Gongzi doesn't laugh." ”

I smiled lightly and said, "It's okay, eldest princess, please, don't worry too much about me." ”

Although it is said to be light, but in fact, I don't like this kind of trick of fighting in front of a woman in front of a set behind a set, and my family has never had these things, because my father is only my mother and a woman, and my brothers-in-law only have my sister and a wife, and so is my brother-in-law, so we all live a life wholeheartedly, and we have never had these bad things!

In the evening, after dinner, I read a book under the lamp for a while, and wrote a letter to my family.

After all, I have been away from home for five or six months, and I don't know what is happening at home, whether my father and mother will be angry with me for running away, if they are angry, it will be my sin; There is also the eldest sister, I heard that my brother-in-law handed over all the affairs of the court to Jin'er, and planned to take the eldest sister out to play in the mountains and rivers, but I don't know if I left, where did I go? Having fun? Xiaomei's pregnancy is now seven or eight months old, I don't know if the fetus is safe? Is it a little nephew or a little nephew's daughter in the belly......

As he was concentrating on writing, there was a sudden low knock on the door outside.

"Who?"

Dong Bao, the little servant who was sent by Dong Qi to serve me, answered and went to open the door.

The door opened, and in the moonlight, I saw a thin figure hurriedly flashing through the moon door outside and going outside.

"Who, who?" Dong Bao shouted and chased out. I bowed my head and wrote the letter as I said in a cold voice, "Come in." ”

As soon as the words fell. A black-cloaked voice walked in, and as soon as the man entered the room, he closed the door and slammed it shut.

I put down my pen, raised my head and whispered: "Although the girl is not a young lady, but a daughter's family broke into the man's house rashly at night and inserted the door, aren't you afraid that spreading it will damage your reputation?" ”

The woman under the cloak raised her head, slowly put down the hood on her head, showed a resolute look on her cold face, stared at my eyes and said calmly: "The reputation of the boudoir is valued by the daughters who are raised in the boudoir, and my brother and I are about to lose our lives now, so how can we be in the mood to pay attention to those?" ”

Her words are true enough, and I agree with her thoughts, if she still cares about her reputation and reputation at this time, she just stays in the boudoir, she really has to sit and wait to die.

Today, when she was dragged away by the girls during the day, she took a deep look at me, and I knew that she would come to me, probably knowing that my identity could suppress her mother-in-law, and wanted me to help her.

So, I've been waiting for her while writing letters.

However, when I return, I will not meddle in other people's family affairs, although her situation is very bad, but there are more poor people like her, I am not the kind of compassionate person, I will not offend people for irrelevant people.

"It seems that the situation of the third lady is not very good, but I don't know what you are doing with me? Do you think I'm going to help you? I took a sip from the teacup on the case, and my tone was very indifferent.

The third girl smiled and said, "You and I have never known each other in our lives, and you are still closer to Dong Qi and them, how can I expect you to help me?" This self-knowledge, the little woman still has it. ”

I raised my eyebrows and said, "Then I don't understand?" Since she didn't come here to ask for help, what is the third lady here for today? ”

As he was talking, there was a sudden sound of footsteps outside, it turned out to be Dong Bao coming back, and the little guy muttered while walking: "Which one is the ghost who is making trouble, the person who knocked on the door ran away again, and when Ming'er returned to the master, he turned him out and broke his dog's leg......"

When the third girl heard Dong Bao's voice, her body stiffened, and her delicate little face was a little pale, as if she was very scared.

Seeing her like this, I couldn't bear it, so I said outside through the window: "I'm going to sleep, I've already plugged in the door, you go back to sleep first, and I'll come to serve tomorrow." ”

When Dong Bao outside heard this, he couldn't wait to go back to sleep, so he answered and went with a cigarette.

Hearing the footsteps of Dong Bao leaving, the three girls' tense nerves eased, and a smile bloomed on her pale face, and she said to me: "Thank you Gongzi for saving me, Li'er wrote it down." ”

I said lightly: "You're welcome, this matter is not a matter of the national teacher's effort, I can help you, but nothing else is enough." ”

The third girl said: "Childe must have thought that Li'er came to seek refuge from Gongzi, in fact, Gongzi is not wrong to think so, but the little girl is not begging for refuge in vain, and Li'er will repay you." ”

When I heard her say this, I couldn't help but chuckle, she couldn't even protect herself, what could she repay me? It shouldn't be like the blind storyteller said, with a personal promise?

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but look at her.

Not to mention, this third lady looks pretty good, her facial features are delicate and upright, and her eyes are calm and waveless, although she is a lot worse than my sisters, but a girl who can look like this is enough to be considered a beauty.

When the third lady saw me looking at her, her face turned slightly red, and she said: "Don't misunderstand, the little girl said that the reward is nothing else, but to repay the son with a message, I believe that the son will definitely benefit from it, so this transaction is not a loss for the child." ”

"What's the message?" I looked at her, and I couldn't think of any important information that a little woman who couldn't even protect herself could give me.

The third lady hesitated for a moment, but still said: "Childe, the two young ladies in the house have not yet been married, it's not that no one has proposed marriage, but the eldest princess's heart is too high, and she can't look down on ordinary people, the princess is a relative of the emperor, and a young son, I'm afraid it has already entered their eyes, with the little woman's understanding of them, a young talent like you appears by their side, and one of them will do whatever it takes to give you a wife." So, please keep an eye on it. ”

In fact, as early as six years ago, a matchmaker came to the door and mentioned to me the eldest lady of the Chaoqing eldest princess's family, Dong Wan'er, but at that time, the jealous name of the Chaoqing eldest princess had been spread in Beijing, and the mother was afraid of marrying a daughter-in-law who was as domineering as the eldest princess of Chaoqing, which would make the family house work, so she directly refused.

I vaguely remember this incident, I think that since my family has rejected this Miss Dong, the eldest princess of Chaoqing should no longer want to marry her daughter to me, the reason why this third lady said this is probably to instigate the brotherhood between me and Dong Qi for self-preservation.

So, I sneered and said, "Third Miss said that, do you have any credentials?" ”

The third girl bit her lip, shook her head, and said, "No." ”

"So, this news of yours is something you came up with without any evidence?"

The third girl's lips turned whiter, and she said with difficulty: "... It's ......"

Then he hurried and said, "But ......"

"No but!"

I interrupted her without giving her a chance to continue talking.

"I, the person who believes most is evidence, not imagination out of thin air, if the third lady has evidence, you are welcome to come to me at any time, the transaction between us can also be counted, but if not, hehe, it's not early, and I'm resting under the medicine, you still please......"

The third girl pursed her lips, stared at me for a while, and said, "Mu Gongzi, I will definitely find evidence, you wait and see." ”

After speaking, he put on his Guanyin pocket, lowered his head and left....

I quickly forgot about it, because in my consciousness, this girl was the kind who wanted to seek refuge with the help of my strength by any means, so I didn't take her to heart.

At noon the next day, Dong Qi made an appointment to drink, because he was already married and it was inconvenient to go to his yard, so he asked me to go to his study.

After three rounds of drinking, Dong Qi suddenly said: "Chongwen, yesterday at the banquet, you saw my two younger sisters?" ”

I was stunned, and for some reason, I thought of the girl who secretly saw me last night, so I nodded and said, "Yes." ”

Dong Qi said with a smile: "My two younger sisters are also one in a hundred beauties, and now they are all in the boudoir, but it happens that Chongwen is unmarried, why not choose one of them to marry back, we can be brothers for life." ”

The words of the third girl were verified so quickly, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed in Dong Qi, but I still said to Dong Qi very politely: "Since ancient times, all major marriage events have been the words of parents Zhou Ming, how can there be a reason to marry yourself?" Where will my parents and parents do this? ”

Dong Qi smiled and said: "If others marry their parents privately outside, they will be unhappy, but if you marry your daughter-in-law outside, Ling Zun and Ling Tang may be happy, although I have not been in Beijing all these years, I have also heard how anxious Lingtang is about your family affairs, my two younger sisters are serious eight hundred daughters, and you are also worthy of Chongwen, so why should Chongwen shirk it?" ”

I did see his two younger sisters yesterday, and they looked neat, but both of them were not very scheming.

The big one pretended to be gentle and polite, but in fact, she was the same as her mother, her mother abused her concubine, and she also helped to hide it, and it seemed that she was doing a lot of bad things behind her back.

The little one is even more unbearable, with a spark jumping around and full of anger, as if she is the king of heaven and no one can mess with her.

Such a woman is so far from my ideal partner that I won't want it if I kill her.

My expression faded, and I said coldly: "If the junior invited me to drink today, let's just drink, don't say anything else, if I invite me for something else today, let's drink this wine another day." ”

With that, I stood up and tried to get out of here.

Seeing this, Dong Qi hurriedly got up and pressed my shoulder, and said with a smile: "Look at you, I'm still annoyed, it's a big deal that I won't let you be my brother-in-law, let's drink, come, drink......"

As he spoke, he poured me wine......

The two of us drank for a while, Dong Qi seemed to have drunk too much, got up staggeringly and said, "Chongwen sit less, I'll go change my clothes and come back immediately." ”

As he spoke, he staggered to the clean room in the back.

I stayed in the study and waited for him to come back.

Dong Qi's study is suitable and elegant, with a row of mahogany Bogu shelves against the wall, on which are placed blue and white hat tubes, ivory ornaments and enamel celestial globe bottles, and below are rows of ancient and modern Chinese and foreign books, and there are some ancient books and unique books.

In the place near the window, a small table is set up, on which is placed this Jiaowei qin, which is covered with a blue silk cloth, which shows the owner's love for it.

Leaning against the west wall, there is a large and wide bookcase, on which there is a large glass vase, in which a few yellow chrysanthemums are inserted, and on the edge of the vase, there are pen, ink, paper, inkstone and other things, which is where Dong Qi writes and paints on weekdays.

On the other side of the bookcase is the table where we eat. Not far from the table, there is a bronze gold-plated Rui beast incense burner, I don't know what incense is burning, it smells very sweet, and it is recognized as fluttering.

At first, I didn't think it was like this incense, but the more time passed, the more I felt that this fragrance smelled good.

I sniffed and sniffed greedily, when suddenly there was a sound of light footsteps outside, followed by a warbler-like daughter's voice: "Is my brother there?" ”

As soon as the words fell, Dong Qi's eldest sister Dong Wan'er opened the curtain and walked in, she was wearing a lilac silver silk peony wrapped in flowers, and below was a white flower smoke skirt, with a star-chasing bun on her head, and only a white magnolia hairpin inserted, which looked elegant and beautiful.

Seeing me, Dong Wan'er was startled, then blessed, and said shyly: "Wan'er didn't know that Mu Gongzi was here again, so she disturbed her." ”