Qing Zhi gently closed the door and glanced at Cai Lan who was standing next to her. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

"You're on duty tonight?"

Ceran didn't speak, but nodded.

Large families have a small maid ring on duty every night, who does not sleep all night, waits in front of the door of the master's room and listens to whether the master has any instructions in the middle of the night, or gets up at night or drinks water, and must be carefully served.

Duty at night is a very hard errand, with your eyes open all night, you can only sleep for two hours the next day, and you have to get up to do things; There are many mosquitoes in summer, frozen hands in winter, and there are several rings in each room.

"Later, I'll have the kitchen deliver supper."

She looked at Cailan and said a word, then reached for the hexagonal sheepskin lantern hanging beside her, walked forward, and heard Cailan saying thank you behind her.

Cailan is the maid ring of Chen Zinan's house, she was sent to work in the house by her family in the early years, and she didn't know what hardships she had suffered in the past, she always looked timid and afraid of life.

Chen Zinan picks Yahuan, there is only one criterion, that is, cowardice and easy to bully.

Angelica is an exception.

Tonight the sky is sunny but there is no night light, the Guozhang Mansion is huge, the peony garden to the inverted seat has to pass through a long road, the road is planted with bamboo on both sides, the wind blows the bamboo leaves to make a "rustling" sound; The hexagonal sheepskin lantern can only shine at most half a zhang, even if there are lamp slaves on both sides of the road,

The dim light and shadow did not illuminate the whole road, but added to the dark and terrifying atmosphere.

Qing Zhi reached out and tightened her shirt and quickened her pace.

It stands to reason that Qingzhi is Chen Zinan's personal maid, and she should live in the ear room of Shaoyuan, so that she can wait for the master's arrangement at any time.

But Qingzhi gave up the opportunity of this single room, insisted on living in the inverted seat, sleeping with many maids in the house, and getting up half a pillar of incense every morning earlier than the personal maids in other rooms.

There is a small courtyard in the inverted seat, and there is an old osmanthus tree in it, with a huge crown of staggered branches, and even the eldest grandmother here can't tell the age of this old osmanthus tree.

After Qingzhi was done with everything, most of the girls fell asleep, and even Xi'er, who was shouting for her to teach embroidery, fell asleep early, and the courtyard was very quiet.

She did not go into the house at once, but went under the old osmanthus tree, and hung the hexagonal sheepskin lantern on the branches, and with a cold, almost resentful look on her face, she pursed her lips tightly, and reached out to caress the bark of her rough hands; Then the palm of the hand is slowly closed, and the nail is scratched across the bark, and it is scratched out

A few thin new marks.

"Zan Tianqing!"

Almost gritting her teeth, three words were squeezed out of her mouth.

"Phew."

With a muffled sound, Qingzhi clenched her fists and hit the tree pole hard, but the old osmanthus tree still did not move.

Early the next morning, after Qingzhi finished serving Chen Zinan to freshen up and change clothes, there was nothing else to do.

She is a big girl, except for serving Chen Zinan, she doesn't need to do any heavy work herself, just a little guidance.

Uncle and Mrs. Wang went to Guanyin Temple today to make a vow, and wanted to bring Chen Zinan with her, at first Chen Zinan was unwilling from the bottom of his heart, the place in Guanyin Temple was not interesting at all, and he wanted to bow and worship, so he wanted to find an excuse to shirk; But Wang's words changed and said that the marriage sign of Guanyin Temple was very smart

test, Chen Zinan immediately changed his mind.

Because he was following the Wang family, he brought enough rings, so he didn't need Qingzhi to follow, and he could be regarded as stealing half a day's leisure.

However, Qingzhi is not an idle person, and she didn't sit down for long before she came to the kitchen.

"Miss Qing, you're here."

When Mo Zi saw her coming, his face blackened by the firewood burst into laughter, and he quickly stood up, patting his trouser legs with both hands and laughing.

Mo Zi is a kitchen helper, he has only been here for a few months, and he is a distant relative of Uncle Zhang in the kitchen, and he got a job here.

Although Qingzhi is just a maid in the Guozhang Mansion, everyone else in the mansion respects her as a girl, of course, this has to be called behind the backs of the masters.

"Is Uncle Zhang here?"

Qing Zhi looked at Mo Zi and nodded slightly and asked.

"Miss Qing is here to get honey, Uncle ordered it when he went out, keep it for you alone and put it in the jar."

Mo Zi said, pointing to the jar on the wooden shelf.

She looked at Mo Zi's hand, the dilapidated wooden frame was already a little crooked, and there were jars full of various condiments, and the jar of honey was placed on the top, which she couldn't reach.

Mo Zi also noticed it, and hurriedly walked over, stepped on the stool to help her take down the jar, and explained: "There are always some gluttonous people who come to the kitchen, and the uncle is afraid that the honey will be stolen, so let it be put in a high place." ”

Mo Zi said as he took the jar down and put it on the table.

"Miss Qing wants this honey, what are you going to do?"

In fact, Mo Zi had nothing to say, and wanted to chatter a few words, although Qingzhi deliberately used lotus-colored gouache to puff her face, she was a little more prominent than other well-dressed Yahuan.

"It's autumn, and the old osmanthus tree in the upside-down yard is blooming luxuriantly, and I want to boil some osmanthus pear juice honey."

Qingzhi said, stretched out her hand to pick up the jar, Uncle Zhang was very good to her, almost filled the entire jar, and it was very heavy to hold; Seeing this, Mo Zi hurriedly reached out to help her hug her and said, "Where do you want to get it, I'll help you." ”

There is free labor, and naturally it cannot be let go.

Qing Zhi laughed, looked at Mo Zi and said, "Help me get the Peony Garden." ”

Seeing that she was smiling beautifully, Mo Zi's face turned red all at once, but fortunately, there was firewood ash to cover it, so that no one could see the clues.

Peony Garden is Chen Zinan's yard, because it is a concubine, so the yard is bigger and better than the others, craggy rockery, chic pavilion not to mention, but also built a small stove room, occasionally greedy want to drink some fragrant tea and eat some flower cakes, let the waiting maid make it, no need to go to the kitchen to command.

Mo Zi is just a handyman, and he usually spends most of his time around the kitchen, hanging flowers in the inner house, and he usually can't step into it.

He followed Qingzhi all the way, like a stupid big man into the city, looking east and west, his mouth couldn't close, and the other maids covered their mouths and smiled when they saw him like this.

As soon as he put down his things, he heard a voice like a silver bell behind him: "Sister Qing, you see, we picked a lot of osmanthus flowers." ”

Xi'er and Youcui walked over with bamboo baskets, and when they saw Mozi, Xi'er was not afraid of life, and said with a smile.

It was Mo Zi, his face turned red again, he reached out and scratched his head, and he only knew how to smirk.

"It's not big or small, he's Mozi in the kitchen, helping me get things."

Qingzhi likes Xi'er very much, two years ago, Xi'er was bought into the mansion of the country, she didn't understand anything, she did a lot of things wrongly, and she was always beaten and scolded by her aunt and grandmother in the house; Qingzhi felt that she was pitiful, and privately mentioned a few words, Xi'er is a person who repays her kindness, and since then she has been sticking to her and only listening to her alone.

"Brother Mo is good."

Xi'er shouted sweetly to Mo Zi, turned around and put down the bamboo basket, picked up the pears on the stove, and skillfully peeled them.

Every time Qingzhi wants to boil osmanthus pear juice and honey, she is on the side, and the tedious processes are slowly memorized.

This boil, to keep burning for several hours, the pear juice and osmanthus are boiled into a thick, and then mixed and sealed with honey for half a month.

Qing Zhi sat on the side, looking sideways slightly, the smile on the corner of her mouth was of different shades, although she was sitting here, she felt out of place, as if she was out of the world, and everything here had nothing to do with it.