"Now that you are older, you must no longer be as calm as when you were young, and I will talk to you later." Sister Hui didn't plan to hide it, but she didn't fully know everything about what happened, and it was not appropriate to write it in the letter. At this time, Brother Xuan came back, and she wanted to tell him everything.

"This time, everyone saw each other, and it was all fate. I have my own plan for the affairs of the Hou Mansion, you don't have to worry, just keep it here. Mother Xu and Moqi, don't worry, when things are done, we still have to be together. ”

"Yes, miss." Mother Xu and Moqi were overjoyed when they heard this, and nodded in response.

"What about the slave, young lady?" Cui Xiu asked anxiously.

"You have a family and children now, just have to live your own life. I heard Xu's mother mention that it is a free body, and there is also a carpentry skill, and we will be neighbors in the future, so we don't have to say anything, but we don't have to wait in the house, and we don't have that free body. ”

"Miss, the slave swore that she would serve her for the rest of her life. Madame is gone, and she will serve you and the young master. Back then, getting married was a last resort, but now if you can settle down, the slave is still willing to come back to serve you and the young master. "Although Cuixiu is already a woman, it seems to be the same as it was back then. I think life has been smooth all these years.

But at this time, she looked at her with a handful of snot and tears, which made Sister Hui'er difficult to speak for a while.

Seeing this, Mother Xu said: "Miss, the old slave has seen the one from the Cui Xiu family, and the craftsmanship is excellent, or we will hire the two of them to do the work." In this way, the two of them are not considered to sell themselves into the house, and Cuixiu can also accompany you. ”

"Alas, it's done, but this matter has to be discussed with the Cui Xiu family." Sister Hui thought that in this way, Cui Xiu's two families would be regarded as long-term workers, not domestic slaves. By the way, he could also give the Cui embroidery family a subsidy of two silver taels, so he nodded and agreed.

Cui Xiu wiped away her tears, nodded quickly, and kowtowed to Sister Hui and Brother Xuan.

After that, the master and servant talked again, and talked a lot about what happened after the separation.

Looking up, it was almost noon.

Sister Hui said, "You all go down first, I still have something to ask Brother Xuan." ”

"Yes, miss." Xu's mother and the three left.

Seeing that the hour was not early, Sister Hui pulled Brother Xuan and instructed: "The old lady in the Hou Mansion has already nodded the head of the family. This time, I asked the three young men of the Xia family to help, and I wanted you to come back to Beijing to make a scene, so that we could also follow suit. ”

"Well, I've heard Brother Xia say it all on the way. Brother Xia also said that if this thing is done, we have to ask a few elders in the clan to help. ”

"Elders help?" Sister Hui couldn't help asking

"Well, Brother Xia said that he knew that you were going to make a fuss about the truth about your father's death, and then use public opinion to take us out of this separation. But when such news comes out, the emperor will be unhappy. At that time, the reading position next to the seventh princess will be a little unstable. He said that it was best for us to quietly go to the more upright elders of the clan, tell them the truth, and let them help us. ”

Sister Hui was shocked when she heard this, her idea was just thinking about herself, that is, when Chu Jinhui asked last time, she said it vaguely, how Xia Nanjing guessed it at all.

But he is right, the emperor is still unwilling to make public the losses of Jinshan in Northern Xinjiang, and if she reveals the matter, the consequences are likely to be lost by both sides. It's not that she didn't think about it, but she chose to ignore it, rather than being free, not having the position of a companion.

Sister Hui'er's excuse was just to go out for a stroll, and after noon, she had to hurry back to the Hou Mansion.

After returning to the leisurely residence, Hongyu appeared with a box and said, "Miss, this is a New Year's gift from the young master." ”

"It's over the year, what more gifts?" said so, but Sister Hui didn't throw it out of the window directly this time, but opened it and took a look.

In the box, a book of "Mountains and Rivers in the South of the Yangtze River", hurriedly opened to take a look, the inner picture is very detailed, not limited to water conservancy, but also tells a lot of customs, the last one also attached a picture of the Lantern Festival in Yangzhou, lively and interesting.

Although this book is not signed by anyone, it is thought that it was collected by Xia Nanjing from outside, which is very desirable.

"Ink painting, go and choose one of the paintings in my painting jar and bring it to Hongyu."

Although she didn't say what it was for, after waiting for the ink painting to be painted, Hongyu smiled, turned around and went out the door, and sent it to her young master.

That night, Sister Hui read half of the "Tale of the Mountains and Rivers in the South of the Yangtze River", and Wang's mother urged her again and again before she reluctantly handed it over and fell asleep.

When I thought about it the next day, I saw the book as soon as I opened my eyes, and I couldn't help but think of the words that the person who delivered the book asked Brother Xuan to bring it.

"Mom, I'm going to go out of the house quietly today, you go to Qingxiang first and say something, and let Brother Xuan wait outside. In addition, let Qiu Ju go with me. ”

"Yes, miss." Although Mother Wang didn't know what Sister Hui was going to do, she knew that it must be for the separation of the family, so she nodded, turned around and went to do it.

Not long after Wang's mother left, Qiu Ju came into the house, "Miss, are you looking for me?" ”

"Well, let's go find a few elders in the clan today, and you come with me. First, you can sneak out of the house again, and second, you tell the elders about the uncle. ”

"Miss, this is going to be"

"I'm going to ask the elders to help me and break up!" Sister Hui must completely remove their siblings before the Anning Marquis Mansion falls.

"Okay." Sister Hui'er's plan for the old lady was through to her, and Qiu Ju also understood Sister Hui'er's meaning, and nodded in response.

"Master, the third young lady and the tenth young master outside ask to see you." The housekeeper of the fourth old lady's house whispered in the fourth old lady's ear.

The fourth old lady was on the side, and when she heard this, she couldn't help frowning and asked, "Tenth young master?" Didn't he study in Jiangnan? Why did you come back? Just their brother and sister? What about the old woman? ”

The butler's head drooped a little more. Everyone in the clan knows that his wife and the lady of his family are at odds with the lady of his family, and his wife can say such words, but he has to be respectful and avoid it.

"Mrs. Tai didn't come over there, and no one else followed, just the third young lady and the tenth young master. Oh, the third lady has a girl by her side. ”

"What are they coming?" The fourth old lady couldn't help asking

"I heard that the Hou Mansion is going to split up, and the third child came to me some time ago, and I got to the bottom of it." The fourth old lady has a very thick white beard, but her eyes are a little clear.

"Separation? It's divided! The sister and brother belong to a big house, and they can just divide it, could it be that the family property is unfairly divided? Come to intercede with the master? The fourth old lady frowned and guessed.

"Let them in." The fourth old lady did not answer, but only instructed the housekeeper.

"Say hello to the fourth grandfather and the fourth grandmother." Sister Hui and Brother Xuan entered the room, knelt down and said respectfully.

"Well, get up. Brother Xuan is back? How's Jiangnan's studies? ”

"Grandpa Xie Si is worried, and his grandson will come back during the school holidays." Brother Xuan is now lying calmly and calmly, without blinking his eyes.