In early August, the Imperial Court announced that the crisis in Kyoto had been resolved. The plague raged for more than 50 days before it was finally brought under control and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.

Jingzhu came for two days, but also settled, easy not to go out of the Yuqing pavilion, took the needle and thread to embroider the sachet, occasionally in the courtyard to enjoy the flowers and see the scenery. Mother Ji was talking with Mrs. Ji, and after listening to Yu's mother's report, she nodded and said, ": The rouge gouache, hair oil and fragrance dew, and refreshments sent to the sisters' room every month are also prepared to go to Yuqing Xiaoge, and then make six sets of summer clothes and send them, the girl's house is a good color." He said to the old lady again: "Yesterday, the old man told me that the Holy Majesty ordered the removal of the guards of the military aircraft battalion at the city gate, and I think this matter is in the past, and I think about setting up a family banquet in the house, and our family has not had a good reunion dinner for a long time; Second, the miasma in the house caused by the flood epidemic, I used this banquet to get rid of bad luck, and by the way, I washed the dust for Miss Jingzhu,"

"In my opinion, you should do it, remember to go to the ancestral hall to give incense to the ancestors, and bless our family to survive the disaster. And the Jingzhu girl has not seen her for two days, but she happened to see her. Old Lady Ji nodded.

"Tomorrow's day is fine, I'll order it to go down, old lady, if you want to eat, just order the maid to say."

"I eat the same thing, you should ask my sister and brothers. In six months, the eldest brother will have a scientific examination, and it will take a lot of effort to study, so you should use snacks during this time. Mrs. Ji admonished.

"Mother rest assured, I personally set the daily food, tea and snacks every day, and sometimes I have to send soup to the outer courtyard when I read the book late."

"The old lady is gone, my old lady is left, your eldest brother also went early, I just hope that Zhong'er can continue the prosperity of the Ji family......" Mrs. Ji's eldest son was sick with tuberculosis three years ago, the Ji family to Mrs. Ji's generation, the incense was not prosperous, Mrs. Ji only gave birth to two brothers, and Mr. Ji Yihuai was also far from his father's back then, and now it only depends on the lintel of this eldest grandson.

"Mother rest assured, our ancestors will be able to bless our eldest brother in high school." Mrs. Ji squeezed the old lady's hand, she knew that once people were old, they would suffer from gains and losses, and they were sentimental, and it was not easy for the old lady to go all the way, she sent away her husband, and she had to send away her son, and the white-haired person sent the black-haired person, thinking like this, Mrs. Ji became more and more obedient to this mother-in-law.

The servant brought satin to Liuyunxuan to make new clothes. There is a rule in the house, every month the lady and the old lady each have eight sets of clothes, the girls have six sets of clothes, and the aunt has five sets.

A few brocades were placed on the tray, and a piece of material was placed on the side, Ying Ning picked up the silver-pink material, which was soft and smooth on the hand, light and thin in texture, brilliant in color, and shining under the light. "Is this ice silk?" Ying Ning was a little surprised, although she has never liked bright colors, but the brilliance of this cloth is beyond the reach of ordinary fabrics, and there is a bit of dusty temperament in the extravagance, which makes her like it at a glance.

"Seventh sister has good eyesight." Yan Yan smiled and said: "This material has always been a tribute, and ordinary people don't have a chance to see it, but the old man occasionally got two pieces, and the wife asked the girl to pick it first." ”

"I've only seen it in books on weekdays, but I didn't expect it to have such brilliance. Mother can be picked? ”

"My wife said that these materials should be worn by my sisters to look good, and she is not suitable for her age."

"Then I will ask for this piece of silver powder, and then an indigo and an apricot white."

"Hey, after seven or eight days, the clothes will be made and the slaves and maids will be sent over, and the rest of these materials will be sent to the two girls of Qingzhi Pavilion. Madame asked me to bring a message, tomorrow there will be a banquet in the house, and the seventh sister will go over early. Yan Yan wrote down the two pieces of cloth and took leave.

Ying Ning rewarded, and Zitang sent Yan Yan all the way outside the courtyard gate.

Jingzhu embroidered the last sachet, put the dried flowers and spices into it, sealed it with a thin thread, wrapped it around the knot and bit it gently with her teeth, and then took the thick silver thread to embroider the lock edge, and cut the silver thread with scissors. This is for the Seventh Girl, and she specially embroidered a hundred flowers on it, and the flowers are clustered.

Jingzhu didn't know what the seventh girl loved, Crimson and Ai Green didn't know anything, she thought that the girl's family was a good color, especially the girl of the Ji family, it should be more magnificent, and it was right to embroider some colorful flowers and birds. I was going to bring a few sachets to the door, but in the past few days when I came to Jifu, I have been itching to go to the courtyard for a walk. The lady in the wife's house came to the Qingfeng Pavilion at this time.

"My wife asked me to send me materials to make clothes, do you still like it?" Yan Yan placed the tray on the table, and there were two brocades in it.

Jingzhu looked at the material and couldn't help touching it, picked it up and compared it to her body, and was so happy that she couldn't let it go. Don't talk about using this kind of material, even if you see it, it's hard to see, and it's good to use silk cloth for your clothes on weekdays. After gesturing for a while, I remembered that Yan Yan was still waiting on the side, and I felt that I was too forgetful, and I would be told that I had no knowledge.

"I think these two pieces of red material are pretty good. The troublesome girl sent it herself. Saying this, Jingzhu thought about it and wanted to remove the thick silver bracelet on her hand. Yan Yan was willing to ask for this bracelet, Jingzhu girl had no relatives to come over, how could she take her things, she hurriedly pushed it, saying that this was her business. Jingzhu saw the delicate fine silver and gold bracelet on Yan Yan's wrist, and suddenly felt faceless, feeling that a maid was so glamorous, how could she take a fancy to her broken bracelet, so she put away the bracelet and didn't force it.

"Tomorrow the Ji family banquet, the old lady and the old man will also eat together, and the girl will prepare it earlier." Yan Yan passed the word, took the tray and retreated.

Jingzhu remembered that she had been in the house for a few days, and she hadn't shown her face yet, and the sons of the Ji family would definitely be there by then, so don't dress up well.

In front of the dresser, Jingzhu rummaged through the jewelry box, in addition to the two pairs of silver hairpins and a pair of jade earrings that Mrs. Ji had just sent, the jewelry that could be worn was gone, and only a gold-inlaid bracelet left by her mother remained. She remembered the red gold and jade tassels on the second girl's head that day, as well as the pair of Dongzhu earrings, and she really envied the girl of the Ji family.

Jingzhu irritably picked up the thick bracelet in her hand and threw it on the table, and the crimson who was making tea on the side shook her hand, and the hot tea splashed a few drops on the back of her hand: "Oops, what's wrong, why can't the girl get along with the bracelet." Jingzhu didn't say anything, she sat there by herself and didn't know what to think.

Jingzhu thought of the son of the Ji family. It's a pity that the eldest young master of the Ji family already has a marriage match, and even if he climbs up, he can only be a small one, otherwise it should not be difficult for the eldest brother to be on the list with the status of the Ji family, and then he will be the wife of the official family, maybe he can get a zirconium or something. Even if it's not the eldest brother, the third brother is good, the Ji family is a wealthy family, if he can marry into such a family, he will live a life of fine clothes and food, wearing gold and silver. The brocade and satin, the gold and jade rings, thinking about Jingzhu, really started the dream of the young grandmother of the Ji family.

Jingzhu called Crimson again, and took out the two sets of clothes sent from the inner house yesterday. Due to the urgency, these two sets of clothes were bought from outside, a purple pink plain brocade dress, and a red pattern flower thick dress, especially the one with a group of flowers, she liked it so much. Because she only reported her size and age, she has a small frame, and the tuanhua can't hold up on her body, but this does not prevent Jingzhu from deciding to wear this at tomorrow's family banquet.

Jingzhu looked at the bronze mirror, and felt that she still had some color, and when she was in Yuncheng, there were many matchmakers who came to the door, especially her mother gave her a different pair of eyes, and she changed into brocade clothes tomorrow, which will definitely make the son of the Ji family look at it twice.

In Liuyun Xuan here, Ying Ning and the second sister said that they would go to the dining room together in the evening. As soon as she changed her clothes, the girl came to report that the second girl was coming.

"It's still early, sister take your time." The second girl poked her head into the inner room.

"That's good, go over and talk to my mother earlier." Yingning stood and let Zitang brush her skirt, straighten her face, and put it on.

"Isn't it just a family banquet, when will the seventh sister be dressed up?" The second sister grabbed Yingning's arm.

"My sister is talking nonsense. I haven't seen my brother for many days, and I'm thinking about it tightly. ”

As he spoke, he went out the door. After the gazebo, Jingzhu came from the side, followed by Crimson.

Jingzhu wanted to come to the courtyard earlier to take a walk and see the Ji family's big garden, maybe she could meet the Ji family's son. But at the fork in the road, I met the second girl and the seventh girl.

The second girl wore a silver embroidered butterfly hook skirt today, a red jade bead gold step, a complete set of drop bead earrings, a red jade bracelet and a fine bead bracelet on her left hand, and a gold bracelet on her right hand. And the seventh girl is a taste, Yun Yan Su Xue silk skirt, a royal blue dot emerald bead hairpin on her head, and a mutton fat white jade bracelet on her hand, the color is elegant, the finished product is extraordinary, the face is slightly red lips, and the moth eyebrows are lightly swept.

Jingzhu always thought that those golden things could bring out the girl's good color, but she didn't expect the seventh girl to dress up so differently and ...... She had to admit her stunning beauty. She couldn't help but look at herself, and was instantly compared, not even as good as the maid next to the seventh girl, and couldn't help but secretly clench the handkerchief in her hand.

"Miss Jingzhu came out early." The second sister looked Jingzhu up and down, dressed in a gorgeous and somewhat loose dress, with two hairpins on her head, and a rustic gold bracelet in her hand.

Jingzhu straightened her back and stepped forward: "The courtyard in the house is big, I'm afraid I'll get lost, and I'll have to let everyone wait if it's too late, so it's better to come out early." I haven't seen the sons of the Ji family in the mansion for a few days, but they are not in the mansion? I haven't asked for peace for so long, it's rude for me. ”

The two couldn't help but be stunned when they heard it, Yingning didn't expect Jingzhu to mention her brother, how could a girl in a boudoir ask about a strange man. The second sister laughed": Why didn't Miss Jingzhu ask the old lady how she was, and how the old man was, she actually asked about my brother. We have our own rules in the house, there are differences between men and women, and the buddies all live in the outer courtyard, how could you meet them. ”

Jingzhu felt a little shameless when she heard this, knowing that she was a little anxious, she explained with a smile: "I never thought that the Ji family is not comparable to ordinary people, and my family has no such rules." ”

Then the three of them didn't say a word all the way and entered the front hall of the outer courtyard. The fifth and sixth girls had already arrived, sitting together and talking.

Jingzhu took out the embroidered sachet and sent it out one by one": The craftsmanship is not good, don't mind the sisters, just messing around. ”

The seventh sister took the sachet and thanked her, frowning imperceptibly, and handed it to Yuebai. Jingzhu has been secretly looking at the seventh sister, but the seventh sister didn't even look at it seriously and gave the things she had embroidered for a day to the girl below, and her face suddenly looked bad.

After a while, the two aunts also arrived, and then Mrs. Ji helped the old lady in, sat on the top, and the girls served tea one by one. After a while, someone came to report that the master and his two brothers were here.

Jingzhu subconsciously pulled her skirt and stroked the broken hair in her ears. Mrs. Ji gave up her seat, and Mr. Ji sat down. The two brothers stood on one side after inviting An, and they didn't look at Jingzhu. Mrs. Ji said that there was a Zhu girl in the family, and the family suffered a great disaster, so she went to Ji's mansion, and the old lady accumulated virtue and did good, and irrelevant people had to help each other, not to mention the daughter of a friend, so she left Jingzhu behind.

Jingzhu hurriedly came out, worshiped Master Ji and Mrs. Ji, and said the words of great kindness, with two tears in her eyes. When he got up, he blessed the two brothers again, and then slowly retreated.

"Miss Jingzhu doesn't have to be formal, in the future, this will be your own home, you don't have to kowtow all the time, you are as old as the second sister, don't always call Jingzhu girl Jingzhu girl, just call you Sister Zhu."

Sister Zhu, Sister Xiu, Sister Ning...... Sounds like sisters. Jingzhu happily responded.

The maid outside came to say that the dishes were ready.

"Then serve the food." Old Man Ji got up first, and a group of people followed him into the dining hall.

Since it was a family banquet, there were no outsiders except Miss Jingzhu, so there were no male and female tables. There are several cold dishes on the table: sheepskin shreds, four dried fruits, duck in ginger sauce, cold crispy fish skin, almond whisk......

When everyone was seated, the dishes were brought up by the girls one by one. The first is the hot dish, what simmered deer tendon, eight treasure rabbit, Luohan prawns, white grilled wide belly...... Listen to the name can still know what it is, those chopsticks spring, through the door incense, Jingzhu has never heard of it, only to know that it is roasted quail and fried meatballs of all colors. Then the soup was served, stewed chicken with milk, winter melon cup, and beef intestine soup with flowers......

When Master Ji raised his chopsticks and picked up a mouthful of tender and crispy fish skin, he nodded and praised, and a table of people moved their chopsticks one after another.

The ladies drank chrysanthemum stuffed, with a strong chrysanthemum fragrance, not very strong, with a hint of sweetness, which is most suitable for the girl's family to drink. Ying Ning picked up the wine glass and pouted, the chrysanthemum wine was sweet in the mouth, and it was fragrant, so good that she squinted her eyes, and let Zitang give another glass.

"Although chrysanthemum brew is delicious, you will get drunk if you drink too much." The second sister said.

"I drank this cup at most, and I couldn't get drunk, only people got drunk before they drank it." Ying Ning gave a glance and pointed to something.

I saw Jingzhu holding a wine glass in her hand, but her eyes kept staring ahead, sitting opposite her were two brothers, she was either the eldest brother or the third brother.

"Ahem, Sister Zhu, but the dishes are not to your liking, why do you see you and not eat them? If you want to eat the food in front of your brother, ask the maid to go over and clip it. In the last sentence, the second sister deliberately raised the volume. Jingzhu's face turned red suddenly, anyone could hear the meaning of the second sister's words, especially the brother was still on the other side, and when she heard the second sister speak, she also looked over, after all, it was a daughter's family, and her heart was high, she couldn't wait to faint and get drunk immediately": I just blame me for being greedy, I don't know that this osmanthus brew will be drunk if I drink too much, and I will be dizzy at this time. ”

"But you have to go back and rest first, see you blush, you're really drunk." The seventh sister held back a smile.

Mrs. Ji looked at the sister and said, "What the seventh sister said is that it doesn't hurt to go back to the cool pavilion first when you are drunk. Then he ordered someone to make a sobering soup and send it.

At this point, Jingzhu couldn't stay anymore, so she had to get up and leave.

When the wine reached the half-tour, the girl next to Jingzhu suddenly ran crimson in a hurry, and stood hesitantly at the door of the hall, her eyes couldn't help but strain her face. Yan Yan understood, and when he asked, his face turned white, and he hurriedly ran to attach to his wife's ear and said something. Crimson was called in, and she was also hesitant to ask her wife": Sister Zhu said that she was going to the West Pavilion if she had an uneasy stomach, and asked the slave to go back first. The slave maid was not at ease, Miss Zhu only said that she knew the way, and I saw that there was still a rich mother, so I had to go back to the hospital first. I didn't think I'd waited two quarters of an hour for the girl to come back......"

"The house is big, it's dark, and Mother Qian is not from our house, so it's not that they're lost." Yan Yan explained. Mrs. Ji can see clearly, no matter how big this Ji Mansion is, there are servants everywhere, and they won't be able to walk back for two quarters of an hour, and the West Pavilion is not far from the dining hall, and the lights are bright, how can they not find a way.

With such a cover-up, something happened to her, Ying Ning saw that something was wrong and asked Yuebai to inquire.

"Sister Zhu is gone." Yuebai whispered.

Ying Ning didn't understand for a while, she walked in the house well, and there was a Jifu maid by her side, how could she say that she would disappear if she didn't see it? looked around again, and the third brother was not there at this time.