These days, it is not in vain to follow my mother to deal with affairs, and I have learned a lot subtly!

In the midst of the applause, Aman approached Aforgen and whispered to his brother about the reward. Since it was the elder brother who led the boys to play, the reward should also be distributed by the elder brother!

When the shout fell, Aman slid over and said with a smile: "My mother just said, I will add vegetables to you at noon today, a braised button pork, a stewed chicken, enough to eat!" ”

The crowd shouted in unison: "Don't be discouraged, don't be discouraged...... Don't be discouraged! ”

"Well, what we want is: never be discouraged!" Ah Fu waved his arms and shouted.

The crowd shouted in unison: "Don't be discouraged! Don't be discouraged! ”

"What? I didn't hear it, louder! Ah Fu put his hand on his ear and listened.

"Nope!"

Ah Fu swept his gaze, raised his hand to calm everyone down, and said, "It was too chaotic just now, I didn't hear clearly, are you discouraged?" ”

As soon as these words came out, everyone echoed them, and from the initial low voice, they gradually resounded.

Everyone, you look at me, I look at you, and then one of them says, "I'm not discouraged, I'm not leaving!" I want to win glory for the Hou Mansion! ”

Ah Fu's voice was stern twice: "Who is discouraged, it's still too late to withdraw at this time." Don't be afraid that there is nowhere to go, I will go and ask my mother to arrange a place for you all to go. How, which one is leaving? ”

No one in the team responded.

Ah Fu's gaze swept over the faces from the tall young man who was at the head, and said calmly: "There are people outside the world, there is a sky outside the sky, there is no highest, only higher." Today, the eldest lady grabbed a ball, and you wilted? Discouraged? ”

Looking back at Ah Fu, the two looked at each other and smiled. Ah Fu drew out the crowd and shouted the order, and all the boys immediately looked solemn, lined up in a neat queue, and stood quietly waiting for the lecture.

Aman's eyes turned to the crowd and landed on the tallest boy in the crowd, smiled and threw the ball over, and the boy caught it accurately and easily.

A few little girls who followed applauded. The boys were hit hard, and they drooped their heads one by one!

Among a group of children in indigo clothes, Ah Man was dressed in red clothes, red skirts and red cloaks, like a flame, quickly interspersed with spinning and retreating...... Dribbles, steals, accurate hits!

Brother Yun hurriedly ran to the couch, stepped over the three small things that moved his hands and feet, and threw himself at the window to look down.

Qiu Chen brought up the hot clothes and pants and changed them for Brother Yun. After washing his hands and face, he took a bowl of ginger soup on the kang and poured it down, and then stopped talking.

Wang looked grateful, and bowed his knees with a little shame.

Brother Yun was quickly brought up, Qiu Chen picked up at the staircase, reached out and touched it, the little boots and cotton jacket and cotton pants were damp and cold, and he hurriedly ordered someone to take dry clothes and boots to change, while instructing the Wang family who followed up: "You don't care about here, and go to see how Kang He is, quickly change into dry clothes, and drink a bowl of hot ginger soup to go to the cold, don't suffer from the cold!" ”

"Sister Yuegui miscalculated, but what about ten taels...... Haha, I went! After Aman finished speaking, he jumped off with a smile and put on a big sweater, and ran briskly.

"Ouch, if you win ten games, those boys can earn ten taels of silver alone!" Laurel was immediately surprised.

"Hurry up, call him up." Qiu Chen immediately urged, and said, "Tell those boys, add vegetables to them at noon, a braised button pork, and a stewed chicken nuggets." When they are full, let them practice hard, and if they can win a game, each person will be rewarded with a silver tael! If you win one more game, you will add one or two silver......"

Qiu Chen took a closer look, but no, Kang He and Brother Yun were both pulling a thin rope in their hands, with a small girl in front and a girl behind them...... However, the soles of my feet also slipped upside down...... It's not just being pulled. In this way, there is a certain amount of exercise, the body is not cold, if you rely completely on others to pull, you are very susceptible to wind chill after playing on the ice for a long time.

Ah Man smiled and said, "Mother, you are wrong, it is the little girls who are pulling them!" ”

"Hey, I didn't expect Brother Yun to learn to skate too!" Qiu Chen couldn't help but be surprised.

When Qiu Chen heard this, he also leaned over the window to look out, and sure enough, not far from the team, two little guys and two girls were spinning around on the ice with two little figures. Don't look at the two little ones who are meaty, but the movements are very light, and they are even slippery.

Ah Man turned his head and smiled sweetly at Qiu Chen: "Well, it just so happened that I went to bring Brother Yun back, and that kid was also on the ice!" ”

After a moment of silence, Qiu Chen spoke: "Man'er, it's almost lunchtime, you put on your clothes and call your brother." Let him come back to rest and rest, and it will be time to eat. ”

At the same time, she couldn't help but sigh secretly, after all, the child had changed a little. If she had said this before, Aman would have pounced on her to play tricks or curry favor, how could she be so quiet and quiet.

Qiu Chen was a little annoyed in his heart, he had just counted down the child's ......

Qiu Chen cleaned up the three children, turned his head to look at the eldest daughter, and saw the little figure kneeling in front of the window, quietly looking outside...... Aman's figure follows the begonia, has long lost the fleshy appearance of childhood, as he grows older, he is losing weight day by day, looking at the past from the perspective behind him, the narrow shoulders, the slender and thin back, all seem to reveal a sense of loneliness, distressing, but also pitiful!

Aman turned around and stuck out his tongue at Qiu Chen's back, looked obediently, and stopped talking.

Qiu Chen changed Liang'er's diaper, turned his head to glance at his daughter, retracted his gaze and said, "These are the most basic, even ice skating is not good, how to practice batting?" Besides, you've only been here for a while, how do you know that your brother hasn't taken anyone to practice batting? You're a girl, you're still so shabby! ”

Aman held his chin and looked at it, and couldn't help but say anxiously: "How can my brother just practice skating, no matter how good skating is, it's useless if you don't practice batting!" ”

Aman knelt on the couch, lying on the windowsill and watching the children practicing ice on the lake through the windowpane. Dressed in an indigo triangular cloth shirt and trousers, with his arms and calves tied, Ah Fu led a group of boys to practice on the ice, spinning, fast-forwarding, backwards, and traversing...... Every move and style is meticulous.

Qiu Chen asked for a steamed egg with goat's milk and fed it into three small mouths little by little. After that, the three little things were fed a little bit of apple puree. A small mouth, chirp, chirp, and eat very sweet.

Qiu Chen put the three small ones on the couch near the window, put a smoked cage under the bed, and the smoked heater slowly steamed up from under the couch, and the three small ones wore thin silk jackets and pants, but they didn't have to worry about the cold at all. The three fleshy little things were next to each other, their feet touching their feet, and they all shook their fleshy little hands, this one rubbing their eyes, and the other gnawing their fists...... Each line of work is very busy and happy, which is dazzling, and it also makes people involuntarily full of joy and softness.

The warm sedan chair was almost carried to the door of the house, the three small ones were tightly wrapped, and they were directly hugged on the warm sedan chair, and when they arrived at the Yulan Pavilion, they also went directly into the house, and after the warming, they went to the wrapped quilt and cloak, and changed to a new environment.

Ice hockey is very popular in the noble circle in the capital, and there are ice hockey and ice hockey teams in the palace and the royal palaces, all of which are decades old, and the skills and tactics are naturally mature. Ah Fu didn't admit defeat, worked hard, and practiced hard every day with the boys! Aman was quite enthusiastic at first, but after seeing the almost harsh practice, he didn't say anything. The little girl wants to play and frolic, but she doesn't want to be early or late all day, as if she has taken root on the ice!

Ah Fu has finished running Zhuangzi these days, and he is practicing ice hockey with the boys in the house on the lake in the back garden. On that day, King Yong and Prince Fu watched the ice play of the Marquis of Jingbei and made a war letter on the spot, saying that on the twenty-third anniversary of the lunar month, several mansions would play an ice hockey league.

There weren't too many things to deal with on this day, and two small episodes were added in the middle, and it didn't take too much delay, but it was done in more than an hour. There was still half an hour before lunch, Qiu Chen discussed with Aman, went back to Mu'en Courtyard, took Chang'er, Liang'er and Jiu'er, took a warm sedan chair, and went all the way to the Yulan Pavilion in the backyard.

There is always a time and process for a new thing to accept, and she will not be arrogant to think that the craftsmanship is so good that it can conquer most people's taste buds at once.

Qiu Chen smiled, retracted his thoughts and ordered to call the mother-in-law who was waiting outside the house in.

As he spoke, he handed the cup in his hand to Chengying nearby, and Chengying did not shirk, took a sip, and then handed it to Mama Wang, and then to Yuegui...... A cup of chocolate milk went around the room, and everyone tasted it, except for Mama Wang and Hanguang who didn't express their opinions, everyone else said it was delicious.

Raising his eyes, Qiu Chen pushed the teacup in front of Man'er. The little girl took it and took a sip, chirped her mouth, tasted the taste, and showed a big bright smile: "Well, it's delicious!" No more bitterness! ”

Qiu Chen adjusted a little with a spoon and put it into his mouth...... Well, sweetness, aroma, and the crispness and aroma of the nuts mix together to dilute the bitterness of the chocolate, bringing out the mellow and rich, full-bodied taste, and rich layers that are pleasant and satisfying.

Facing the happy and expectant eyes of the whole room, Qiu Chen asked for a hot goat's milk, put in sugar, almonds, and pine nuts, and then broke a piece of chocolate and put it in, stirring it slowly with a silver spoon, and after a while, the milky white juice formed a circle of swirling patterns of white coffee with the melting of the chocolate, and then, the white color was completely assimilated by the coffee color, becoming a thick liquid of the coffee color.

For the recipes and dim sum recipes that Mrs. took out, not only her daughter Aman, but also the maids-in-law, including the self-proclaimed well-informed maids and daughters-in-law in the Jingbei Hou Mansion, there was no unconvinced, whether it was a dish or a dim sum, there was nothing undelicious, although they couldn't understand how the lady from the Zhuang family knew so many things!

Although adding sugar and milk to taste it was tantamount to a waste in Qiu Chen's mind, at this moment, she still smiled and said, "This is an overseas thing, and it is normal for you to not be used to eating it...... I heard about a few small dim sum recipes from that shop, and when I make them, you can try them again, and they say they taste good. ”

Qiu Chen's favorite thing is low-sugar handmade chocolate, and most of his coffee drinks sugar-free and dairy-free black coffee......

Speaking of which, when chocolate and coffee were first introduced to China, they were not accepted by the Chinese people for a while. After all, the taste of these two things is relatively special, and it is far from the traditional taste of Chinese food, but after more contact, these two things have also won the recognition of most Chinese people with their unstoppable charm. Although, in order to cater to the taste of the Chinese people, adjustments were made, chocolate was sweetened with nuts, coffee was sweetened with milk foam, and sugar was added...... The taste is more accessible to the people, but it also loses the most essential mellowness.

was intoxicated with the deliciousness, but was broken by Ah Man's complaint, Qiu Chen turned his eyes to look at the little girl's frowning and bitter face, and then looked at the girls in the room, all of them seemed to have taken medicine, and everyone with a good-looking face couldn't help laughing.

At this time, the chocolate didn't have any tricks, it was a half-centimeter-thick rectangular block, about the size of Qiu Chen's palm. At this time, Qiu Chen had already broken a few small pieces and scattered them to the girl in the room, and he also broke a piece and put it in his mouth, slowly melting it with the tip of his tongue, and a very mellow and fragrant taste melted and filled in his mouth...... It is a taste that makes people feel warm and happy. Let Qiu Chen recall the Italian handmade chocolate he once ate......

As he spoke, Qiu Chen asked for a wet towel to wipe his hands, and broke a small piece and stuffed it into Aman's mouth. Aman took a sip, frowned for a moment, and grinned: "Oh, what a strange smell, it's so bitter." ”

Qiu Chen can't say that modern chocolate has become popular, as long as it is not too remote and isolated area, there is almost no one in the world who does not know it. At this time, he could only hide with a smile: "Well, I once saw it once in the southern goods store in Anyang, but the child of the shopkeeper took a small piece of food for me to see...... Well, I've only seen it, I know the name, it's something to eat, but I haven't tasted it. ”

Aman also raised his eyes to look at Qiu Chen, as if he was asking where his mother had seen him, but she didn't know.

"Huh? It turned out that Madame really knew. Yuegui smiled in surprise, "This box is called chocolate because it says that it is sugar shipped from overseas...... This name is really mouthful. It was the second aunt and grandmother who happened to meet a merchant in the south to get it, thinking about the rare things that Mrs. imported from abroad, so she asked Sister Qingxing to bring it back. In addition, there are some foreign objects, most of us have seen them in the house, and the slave maid took this in to make the lady and the young lady fresh...... I didn't expect Sister Qingxing to say it, madam, you have seen it too. ”

Qiu Chen's eyes lit up suddenly, his originally relaxed body sat up straight, his eyes stared at the squares in the box, and his hand had stretched out involuntarily: "Chocolate?!" ”

Aman sniffed, a little puzzled: "What is this, it smells like it's food, but it tastes a little weird!" ”

When the box was opened, it revealed neatly stacked things inside, with pieces of dark brown-red things stacked in white cotton paper, and then a familiar aroma came to the nose.

Ah Man looked at Qiu Chen with a smile, Qiu Chen didn't stop him this time, nodded with a smile and agreed, and the little girl immediately took the key to unlock it.

Laurel got up with a grin and stepped forward with her baggage. Chengying hurriedly moved the account book and abacus on the couch to the side, pouring out an open space. Yuegui put the burden on the couch, and unbuttoned the burden in three or two clicks, revealing the things inside. But it is a boxy flat wooden box, a plain golden silk nan wood box, there is not even a trace of carving, but the corner of the box is wrapped with copper, and there is a copper lock hanging on the buckle of the same copper.

Aman couldn't hold it back, and was about to get up and jump down, but was stopped by Qiu Chen's gaze, so he could only pull out his body and stretch his neck to look over there.

"I saw you come back with something just now," Qiu Chen smiled and took a sip of the teacup, as he said, "What a good thing, just can't wait to bring it up." ”

When she entered the house, she didn't rush to speak, and Yue Gui waited quietly with a burden on her shoulder. After Qiu Chen finished dealing with the matter in front of him and sent the woman down, he stepped forward with a smile to salute.

Another mother-in-law came in and before she could finish talking, Yue Gui smiled and picked up the curtain and walked in.

Ah Manman nodded dependently, and Qiu Chen turned back to continue to deal with affairs.

Qiu Chen said with a smile: "This kind of thing is not big, one or two things may not be obvious, but if you accumulate too much, it will often lead to big mistakes." You follow me every day to deal with affairs, see more and think more, my mother also has unexpected times. ”

Aman was also quite touched, and after a moment of silence, he blinked his eyes and said with emotion: "It's still thoughtful to my mother!" ”

This is said very frankly, even very straightforwardly, and it is not hidden because of the presence of some girls and mothers-in-law around her. However, these words did not make people feel uncomfortable, but they all felt warm in their hearts, and they couldn't help but feel some pride and pride. Madame said very clearly, those people in the Zhuangzi are all 'inside' people, and those of them who are serving by their side are even more relatives!

Qiu Chen laughed, raised his hand and patted his daughter's baotou and said with a smile: "Our Zhuangzi has a limited population, and after all, those old people have also worked for Zhuangzi for decades...... But outside the Zhuangzi, firstly, there is a large population, and it is difficult for us to be thorough, and secondly, after all, there must be a thick and thin. If there is no distinction between inside and outside, and there is no difference between relatives and relatives, the old man on our Zhuangzi will feel uncomfortable. ”

Aman also answered: "Mother, the winter clothes and rice on our Zhuangzi are not only uneatable, but also have ...... for the elderly over sixty years old."

Qiu Chen nodded.

Chengying reminded on the other side: "Madam, last year, we spent a total of 1,000 taels of silver on winter clothes and rice grains. Add another fifty percent this year, and it will be 1,500 taels. ”

Feeding the people is a big issue, and throughout thousands of years of Chinese history, countless people have regarded this as a life pursuit, but they have not been able to achieve it. It was not until the scientific and technological productive forces were greatly improved that the people of the whole country finally had no worries about food and clothing. What she can do is to help some people within the scope of her own ability, and drive some people to be fed and clothed. No matter how much she can't manage, it's not what she should manage.

Qiu Chen took a sip of tea, slowly shook his head and sighed: "After all, my strength alone is limited, where can I save a few." ”

Before Qiu Chen's words fell, Mama Wang and several other mothers-in-law who were waiting for her clasped their hands together, and Mama Wang said: "Madame has mercy, those suffering people have the mercy of Madame, and this year will not be over." ”

Hunger and cold, and lack of food and clothing, all show that warm clothing and food are indispensable for people to live. Especially in winter, you can stay up for a few days without food, and if you don't have cotton clothes to keep out the cold, you can't survive a day and freeze to death.

The mother-in-law took the order, Qiu Chen turned back to Mama Wang and said, "When Mama Chen comes back, you can discuss and discuss, and prepare more clothes and rice for the New Year this year, so add fifty percent." Not only did we go to Zhuangzi, but also went around the surrounding villages to see the old people and children who couldn't wear cotton clothes and give them some cotton clothes and food, and help them get through this year. ”

After thinking for a while, Qiu Chen ordered: "Add three hundred taels to one family." ”

She will also go to the temple with the noble lady to rejoice and incense, and in the year when Aman went out, she also went to the temple to light an everlasting lamp for her daughter to pray for blessings. When Qin Zheng set out on the expedition, she increased the amount of charity. Now, with three children in her family traveling to study, she naturally won't give money to charity.

However, she did not believe that it did not prevent her from conforming to social conventions.

In fact, she doesn't believe in Buddhism, although she herself has experienced an inexplicable rebirth, she still believes that everything is in my absence, and everything has to be obtained by one's own efforts, which has nothing to do with worshipping Buddha and believing in the Tao.

After that, another mother-in-law came in and asked: "Mrs. Hui, the slave and maid need to receive twenty-three utensils and silver for reciting the Sutra of Peace!" This year, I invited the Buddha Gate and the Daomen, one hundred taels each. In addition, last year, both of them gave 200 taels of silver, I wonder how much they will give this year? ”

Qiu Chen took the list and glanced at it, and handed it to Hanguang next to him. She was asked to check it, and a pair of cards were dealt.

A mother-in-law came in, walked to the hall and kowtowed to say goodbye and got up: "Mrs. Hui, the slave and maid will receive the utensils for the twenty-three years of sacrifice." ”

In the middle of the lunar month, the affairs of foreign etiquette have basically been dealt with, and Mama Chen and Ping'an have each brought people to go to those noble and new favorites every day to give gifts. Qiu Chen and the people in his family began to prepare for the New Year's house, because Qin Zheng and Qiu Chen were separated and did not separate their families, and they had to go to the Guogong Mansion for the New Year, so there were not too many things prepared at home. It's easy to sacrifice or something.

Qiu Chen glanced at her, but he didn't pay attention to it anymore, only sighed secretly, and then he folded his spirits and opened his mouth to order Feng Qing and Wu Lan: "Let the mother-in-law outside come in!" ”

Aman stuck out his tongue and grinned, turned around and muttered to Chengying: "When I mention Anyang, my mother misses my grandfather again......"

Qiu Chen glared at her and said with a smile: "Do you think Qingxing is as careless as you, seeing that the New Year is coming, she ran to Anyang by herself, can you let Qin Xiao celebrate the New Year by herself!" ”

Aman put one hand on the abacus and said with a smile: "I still thought that Sister Qingxing would take the opportunity to go back to Anyang, but I didn't expect to come back so soon." ”

Laurel smiled and bent her knees and hurried away.

Qiu Chen waved his hand and said with a smile: "I know that your sisters are good, don't talk to me here, hurry up and pass the word, otherwise she should come in." ”

Yuegui grew up with Yufeng Qingxing, and her feelings were the best, and when she heard this, she immediately smiled and bent her knees: "Madame is gentle, I thank Sister Qingxing." ”

After Qiu Chen got the news, he directly ordered: "It's been freezing all the way this day, and I'm tired when I think about it, so she doesn't have to come over first, and go home to wash and rest and come again!" ”

The next day, Qiu Chen and Man'er were dealing with affairs in Songfeng Courtyard, and a little girl ran in from outside to report, and Qingxing turned back from Changqing.