In the past few days, Aunt Lu's second aunt went out early and returned late, sneakily didn't know what to do, and didn't come to Chen's house to look for bad luck, Xianglan was extraordinarily happy, and devoted herself to painting. The fight between her and Aunt Lu really made her "famous", and many families gave up the idea of marrying her family. Xue's face was sad, and he was very unhappy.

On this day, Xue Shi came back from outside, and saw that Xianglan had painted a peony and was inscribed, and his heart became more and more unhappy, and he said with a gloomy face: "A good girl doesn't do serious things, and your father is also indulging you, what's the use of writing these paintings and these broken things?" There are also those idle and miscellaneous bad books, which make people stunned, and it is right to learn female red embroidery! The family doesn't expect you to make such a small amount of money! ”

Xianglan said: "Although I am not as good as the masters in the nunnery, but a painting painted by the previous child was sold for two dollars of silver, which is worth the monthly example of the first-class maid in the house, how can it be called 'small money'?" Besides, how can the sage book be said to be an idle book, read it wisely and reasonably, and you will not be confused for a lifetime. ”

Xue frowned and said, "What words?" You have a fart for that set every day, and you can't get into the show. Learning a good needlework can say a good mother-in-law, which one you can't tell the difference? If you are a young lady, the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting will go with your sex, what is your identity, and you are not clear? Hurry up and collect your heart! ”

Xianglan sneered: "Why are my mother's eyelids so shallow? Isn't it true that our whole family should be slaves to others for the rest of our lives, and we will not have a bright future? ”

Chen Wanquan was eating in the back room, and when he heard this, he came out with a rice bowl and said, "What do you want?" Want to rebel or not? Live such a life, you are not satisfied with being born in such a family, and many people outside can't envy it! The little hairy child spoke wildly. You hurry up and make me some female red needlework, it will be time to get married in two years, you have such a fierce reputation, the willow shopkeeper of the silk village still likes you, and I asked you to do the purse needlework and go back to see, and I will send a matchmaker in two days. When the time comes, the shopkeeper will go to the old lady to ask for grace, promise you out, and handle the marriage next year, and your mother and I will be half relieved! ”

Xue was overjoyed and said, "Really? Did the Liu family really say that? ”

Xianglan was taken aback: "Shopkeeper Liu? I don't want his son! I heard that he was seriously ill when he was a child, and his brain was not very bright, and now he still looks stupid. ”

Chen Wanquan glared at Xianglan: "What kind of do you want to marry?" If you want to marry a showman, you are also worthy! He breathed a sigh of relief again, "You have also seen that kid from the shopkeeper Liu, I played with him when I was a child, two years older than you, he is not stupid, he is kind, honest, and he has to marry someone like this, do you understand?" His father plans to make a difference for him in the Zhuangzi in the future, and he will not lose anything, and you will not suffer if you marry. Besides, the shopkeeper Liu has a face in front of the old lady, the family is solid, and he also raises a little girl to serve, I see that it is similar to the small landlord's family, he is a son, the baby has to be like an eyeball, how many people are worried about it, and now I fall in love with you, and it is your blessing to marry such a family. ”

Xianglan puffed out her cheeks and said angrily: "If I marry someone like that, I might as well twist my hair and be a sister-in-law now!" ”

Chen Wanquan said angrily: "Listen! What are you talking about! What kind of life do you want to live? Good days for the wives and grandmothers in the house, you can cast this baby! This mountain looks at the mountain high, and now you have no shortage of food and clothing, and you have good relatives, but you are not satisfied. ”

Xianglan said: "I don't envy the life of the wife and grandmother in the house, I want it for my life." Dad, have you ever thought about redeeming yourself and leaving the house? Over the years, our family has also saved a little money, and when you go out, you can also open an antique shop, or I sell paintings, and our family also has some silver, and being free is not better than being a slave! ”

Chen Wanquan said: "How easy are you to open an antique shop? You have the principal! Said and sighed, "I also want to leave the Lin family earlier, the two shopkeepers in the shop are also the masters of the crowd, and it is bad to do it, but the redemption is a sum of silver, when I went to the Lin family, I only sold it for five taels, but over the years in the Lin family, I have eaten and lived, I don't know how many times I have to carry the silver out." ”

Xianglan said: "Daddy is timid, if he quietly collects antiques to sell, I don't know how much money he can make." As he was talking, he heard someone at the door say loudly: "Sister-in-law Chen is at home?" ”

Xue Shi hurriedly got off the kang and said, "Where is it, who is it?" ”

The man: "It's me." Saying that, a woman of thirty-five or sixteen years old came in, with thick eyebrows and square face, tall and tall, wearing a dark green gown, her head was oily and shiny, only two silver hairpins, and the fat powder on her face was also fine and proper, with a shrewd and strong atmosphere. This person's surname is Yang, and her maiden name is Hongying, who was originally the daughter of Yang Shun, the housekeeper of the Lin Mansion, and married the steward of the Lin Mansion who had a bit of a face, because she could say and do it, and was quite important among the daughters-in-law in the mansion.

As soon as the Xue family saw her coming, they hurriedly asked the house to let her, and ordered Xianglan to pour tea to eat, and Chen Wanquan hurriedly avoided going to the back room. Yang Hongying smiled: "Sister-in-law, don't be busy. He sat down on the kang as he spoke. Xue Shi smiled: "What kind of fragrant wind blew you here today?" ”

Yang Hongying said: "I came to see you, last time you also received some needlework in the house, I haven't seen anyone in the past few months, there are still some new jobs in the house, and the salary is rich, go back to find Cui's mother in the second door." He looked at the kang table again, picked up a piece of paper, and said again and again: "The handsome words are better than the buddies in the house, who wrote this." ”

Xue Shi said to the inner room: "The girl wrote it, and she only made these messy things when she was idle, and I just told her about it." ”

As soon as the words fell, Xianglan came out of the back room with tea and placed it on the kang table. Yang Hongying took Xianglan's hand and said with a smile: "Hey, my son, I saw that you were still so tall before, and you are so big this time." He looked at it carefully. The girl in front of her was thirteen or fourteen years old, with a slender figure, a peach face, long eyebrows and sideburns, red lips and white teeth, a pair of bright and clear eyes, a stunning look, beautiful and pure, and forgetting the vulgar.

Yang Hongying said happily: "Zhenzhen'er is a handsome girl, it is rare to be able to write and read, and the strange Tao is raised in Buddhism, which is different from them." He asked Xue again: "Have you found your mother-in-law?" ”

Xue said: "Not yet, Hengzhu is young, and he is not in a hurry." ”

Yang Hongying nodded silently, looked at Xianglan carefully, and asked her what she usually does, what she plays, etc. Xue thought that Yang Hongying was going to say goodbye to Xianglan, and she was happy in her heart, and said secretly: "This Yang lady has an identity in front of the grandmother's wife in the house, and who is not far away from Gao Ying's respect?" The people who deal with her are all decent people in the house, if she can find a family that is better than the shopkeeper of Liu, it is not known, although the Liu family is rich, his son is indeed a little stupid, and he is not worthy of my daughter. So he sent Xianglan into the house and wanted to talk to Yang Hongying.

That Yang Hongying picked up the bowl and took a sip of tea, glanced at Xue's family, and said: "Alas, I've been busy these days, and Mrs. Zeng can't see it anymore, just these few days, the house has to hang filial piety." At that time, the eldest lord, the eldest wife, the two sisters, and the elder brother and sister from the concubine will all return to Beijing to keep filial piety. ”

Xue Shi was stunned and said, "Isn't the eldest master an official in the capital?" ”

Yang Hongying said: "As an official, I also have to come back to mourn my grandmother, which is called 'Ding Wei'." This time, there are not enough girls in the house, and I have been busy for two days for this matter and haven't closed my eyes. ”

Xue Shi had already guessed eight or nine points, his heart jumped suddenly, and he smiled forcefully: "Just find someone to buy a few girls and come back." ”

Yang Hongying sighed: "How can it be so easy, buy a newcomer to be trained, but also to teach the rules, how can you know the roots better than the family?" He lowered his voice and said: "In the past few years, Grandma Lou's housekeeper has lost a lot of money in the account, and he can't take out much silver to buy a girl. I think your pandan is good, well-born, and quiet, so you can please the old ladies and wives, so it is better to go into the house to serve for two years, learn some rules, and you can also plan a future. The capital said, 'I'd rather have a maid than marry a little girl', and decent maids can have some creation. ”

Chen Wanquan listened, hurriedly came out of the back room, waved his hand again and again: "No, how can our Xianglan have that ability, usually only write a few words, can't say a word, can't wait for people, don't beg to go in!" Besides, she is also old, and she should get married in two years. I have just such a daughter, and I begged Mrs. Yang to keep her and report that she was sick or something, and I will never forget your benefits here. ”

Yang Hongying said: "Why do you want to say this, I am also for the good of your daughter, Xianglan is of such a good appearance, and she will be promoted to be an aunt in the future, or she will be released to marry a solid family in the future, which is not better than finding a slave in the house." ”

Xue Shi was so anxious that he burst into tears and said: "If you are around, you can always make the decision, pick a good family to marry, and then ask the old lady for grace." This entered the house, in case it was given to an older bachelor, our family Xianglan's life would be ruined. ”

Yang Hongying said: "After two years, I chose a family for Xianglan, and asked the house for grace to get married, and most of the masters also gave dowries, and there were a few people who were pulled out by the house, and they all made mistakes......" Speaking of this, he suddenly remembered that the Xue family was also "pulled out and matched", so he stopped his mouth and said: "Even so, it seems that those few are doing well." ”

Chen Wanquan said: "The four girls of the Liu family next door and the five girls of the Zhang family are all as big as our Xianglan......

Yang Hongying interrupted: "There are also the second girls of the Lu family and the six girls of the Gong family, I have seen all of them, either they are too ugly or they are too cowardly to be on the stage, and they all stuff silver to sue me, Baba wants to send the girl to the house, how is it so easy?" Uncle Lou wanted to look at each other in person, and specially instructed him to choose a good looking and smooth temperament, which is a matter of stuffing silver. ”

Chen Wanquan and his wife were still begging hard, Xianglan hid behind the curtain and listened to the true chapter, and said secretly: "Daddy's intention is to be engaged to the Liu family, and let me marry next year, both of them have made up their minds, but I am afraid that it will not be easy to change, it is better to go to the Lin Mansion, it can be delayed for a day, and it will be delayed for a few years, and I will save enough money, and then make plans, and if the Lin family is kind, it will not be possible to get out of the country in the future." Thinking of this, he came out and said: "Aunt Yang, if you enter the house and become a girl, you will be able to release her nationality in the future?" ”

Yang Hongying said: "Not all of them can be released, but there are decent maids in front of my brother, sister and wife, and many of them can be released." Now that the world is difficult, who doesn't want to be next to the Lin family, so there are fewer people who ask for grace and let them go. ”

Xianglan said categorically: "Then I'll enter the house." Xue exclaimed, Xianglan glanced at her mother, and said to Yang Hongying: "I am willing to enter the mansion." ”

Yang Hongying nodded with satisfaction and said to Chen Wanquan and his wife: "Your daughter still has ambitions. Yan Yu ate the remaining half of the tea, and said, "Don't bother anymore." With that, he pushed the door open and walked out.

Chen Wanquan was so anxious that he drank Xianglan and said, "What do you promise to do!" I'm so angry that I told her, and stuff some more silver, so you don't have to go into the house to serve people, and when you come out of age, why do decent people still need you? ”

Xianglan said lightly: "If the shopkeeper of the silk village and willow is considered a decent person, then such a 'decent person' should not be used." If you don't enter the house, you can only find a slave family to marry, and the child you give birth to is still a slave; If you enter the house, it is always possible to let them out and marry a flat-headed common man in the future. ”

Chen Wanquan was annoyed and said, "That's a fart!" Some of the ordinary people are not as decent as our family! ”

Xianglan said: "The ordinary people can make their own decisions, and in the future, if they have children to urge him to go to school, they can also be a 'showy master' in the mouth of his father." If it doesn't help, you can also have your own field and property, which is much better than being a slave for generations. ”

Chen Wanquan said: "You have never suffered a loss since you were a child, you don't know how serious it is, although the owner is kind, but the house has not died a maid, and even if you leave the house in a few years, if you can't even find someone like Huang Er's shopkeeper when the time comes, you ......"

Xianglan interrupted: "That's also my life, so I accepted my fate." The tone of his voice was indifferent, but his eyes were full of determination and determination.

Xue Shi looked at her husband and then at her daughter, and silently closed her mouth.