Mrs. Zhan married her daughter-in-law in recent years, so she handed over the family affairs to her eldest daughter-in-law, and she usually left it alone, happy and comfortable, unlike some mothers-in-law who meddled in the affairs of the house, the eldest daughter-in-law Zhao was a strict housekeeper, and she didn't worry about it.

"Under the holidays, it is the busiest of the year, you can't be busy, let your second brother and sister take a hand, you take her by the way, if you are busy or temporarily inconvenient, there is also someone to take care of."

There are hundreds of people in the Zhan Mansion, and there are more than a dozen serious masters alone, not counting the concubines in each room, calling people, and there are even more rough miscellaneous servants.

After the festival, I made friends with relatives and friends, invited guests to dinner, and exchanged courtesies, there were a lot more things than usual, Zhao was barely supported, and the third young lady Cao was pregnant when she passed the door, and she couldn't count on it, so Mrs. Zhan thought of Shen Wanzhen to assist in family affairs.

"Your second brother and sister are a safe one, and with her help, the burden on your shoulders will be much easier." Mrs. Zhan thought she was the right choice.

The mother-in-law spoke, Zhao couldn't force herself to say that she could do it, and the mother-in-law's words didn't dare to refute it, so she smiled and said: "Mother feels sorry for her daughter-in-law, and it would be great if the second brother and sister could be a helper to her daughter-in-law." ”

"This matter is settled, and when I look back, I will tell your brother and sister that she is idle all day and has nothing to do."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law discussed a few more things, and Zhao withdrew.

Shen Wanzhen commanded the maid to clean the house, and the household furnishings could shine the figures, and instructed Xiuju: "You take a few people to the warehouse to bring the yellow pear tortoiseshell bird Chaofeng four interstitials, and then bring the pair of Ruyao beauties shrugging bottles and saving gold silk bronze sparrow three-legged incense burners." ”

"It's time to put it on, usually the master doesn't like the house to talk too much, and there must be two decorations in the New Year, so that you can see it, otherwise it will be too deserted." Xiuju said, and took someone to carry things.

"Sister Moyu is here." Qiao Shan saw it and hurried to say hello.

"What wind is blowing you?" Shen Wanzhen said with a smile, the maids that Mrs. Zhan had to use in front of her were more noble than the second- and third-rate masters in the house.

"It's not that Mrs. wants to entrust the second young lady with the important responsibility, let the slave and maid tell the second young lady." Mo Yu said and came in with a smile.

"Girl, come and sit on the kang, the house is being cleaned up, and there is no place to put your feet on." Qiao Shan hurriedly pulled an otter leather mattress pad from the kang and pressed to Moyu.

Mo Yu smiled and shook his hand, "Don't you dare, the second young lady is good-natured, and it can't be said that the slaves and maids of the Zhan Mansion have no rules and no distance." ”

Standing on the edge of the kang, he passed Mrs. Zhan's words, "Madame said, if the second young lady is not busy, help the eldest young lady to explain the affairs of Zhang Luo's mansion." ”

Shen Wanzhen stood up and listened.

As soon as Mo Yu left, Zhao's maid came over and said, "The eldest young lady asks the second young lady to come over." ”

Although Shen Wanzhen was unwilling, her mother-in-law spoke, and the young lady was invited, and she had to take Qiaoshan to the big house.

"My brother and sister are here, and my sister-in-law is waiting." The Zhao family was full of smiles and a happy look, Shen Wanzhen still noticed a little unhappiness from her expression, she didn't marry into the Bofu, the family was managed by the Zhao family alone, and as soon as she came, she would share power, and she would definitely not be happy.

Shen Wanzhen said as she walked inside: "My sister has just arrived, and she can't even recognize all the people in the house, so she can still take care of things, not to mention letting my sister-in-law worry about me, but saying that she will help, and it will not add to the chaos." ”

"Brother and sister, come and sit on the kang, the kang is hot." Zhao was looking at the menu presented in the big kitchen at the end of the year.

Shen Wanzhen took off her coat from the maid, sat on the kang, and was just about to speak, when someone came up to talk about it, and the Zhao family dealt with two more things, and sent them away, so she had time to talk to Shen Wanzhen.

"Every year I am not forgotten or forgotten by the West, always not all and, this year fortunately, there are younger brothers and sisters to help, I unload half of the burden, I thought about it, there are many guests under the festival, things are important for the fire and candle tops, why don't you help me take care of my younger siblings, younger brothers and sisters can look good?"

Shen Wanzhen said in her heart, the two things that are the most prone to accidents, the Zhao family handed over these two sects to himself, if he didn't manage them well, he would have no face in front of his mother-in-law, and his mother-in-law would not appoint him to do errands in the future, and the Zhao family calculated well.

She is not good at picking and choosing, anyway, she can't help but agree, the Zhao family will be the housewife of the future uncle's mansion, and she can't be offended, so she smiled and said: "If you are not afraid of mistakes, just command." ”

"Then it's decided, my brother and sister are in charge of the things of the East and West Fire Candle Portal." Zhao does not procrastinate, and speaks quickly.

Wan Zhen said, another case was added, the portal, frequent entry and exit under the festival, the portal is the most prone to accidents, the Zhao family is in charge of the money, things and things are purchased, and foreign guests are received, and those who show their faces are all taken away, and the tricky ones are pushed to themselves.

Since you can't prevaricate, it's better to take it quickly, thinking that my mother-in-law is an understanding person, and she knows her own difficulties, and it's not in vain to work hard.

I promised to come down in one bite.

The little maid in the big room came in, and saw what Shen Wanzhen was trying to say, hesitating, Shen Wanzhen knew that the Zhao family had something, and hurriedly said goodbye.

Zhao sent her to the door, turned around and went into the house, and looked at the maid; "Tell me, what's the matter?"

The maid approached and whispered: "Yesterday, the master rested in that room, and that person told the young lady about Qiao'er that day, and the uncle was very angry when he heard it, and swore to get the Qiao girl in his hands, saying that if the young lady dared to stop it, she would not tear her face, and everyone would make a fuss." ”

The point in the room that the maid said was Uncle Zhan's favored concubine An, Zhao listened to it, and sneered twice in his nose, "Okay, good, so well-behaved, sensible and lovely." ”

Shen Wanzhen heard the word 'Qiao'er' in the house in a trance, Zhao's voice was full of anger, other people's affairs are not easy to guess, and they have nothing to do with herself, so she went down the steps and left.

Back in the room, think about it along the way, let the maid find the daughter-in-law of the housekeeper, a few housekeepers and daughters-in-law arrived without much effort, the door of the house is mixed, they are all well-informed, I knew that Mrs. Lu Dao and Mrs. Da Young handed over the power of the family to the second young lady, did not dare to slack off, listened to the call of the second young lady, quickly put down the work that was busy in their hands, and hurried to the second room.

In the center of the hall stood four or five daughters-in-law of the housekeeper in the Zhan Mansion.

Cheng Xingjia, the head manager of the inner house, stepped forward, "Back to the young lady, the prime minister of the inner house has all arrived." ”

Shen Wanzhen raised her eyes from the list of people in the mansion she was holding, glanced at it, and said, "Since my wife is in charge of me, my sister-in-law trusts me, so I will help Zhang Luo Zhang Luo." ”

"The slave and maid are waiting for the young lady to send you." Several housekeepers and daughters-in-law hurriedly expressed their positions, for fear that they would be too late, snub the second young lady, and provoke the master to blame.

"The affairs of the inner house under the year, I think it is difficult to manage, but it is easy to manage, the four of you, the portal, the things, the candles, and the hospitality, each in charge of a stall, Aunt Cheng is in charge of all, come to me every day to meet your head, talk about the errand, if it can't be solved, I will go back to my sister-in-law, there is a lady above, there is no problem that can't be solved."

Wanzhen looked at the following people and listened carefully, and said: "The top of the door is important to eat and drink at night after the festival, drink more trouble, the corner door is locked in the dark, and they all go to the main gate, and the two shifts at night are changed to four shifts, and the garden is patrolled. The daughter-in-law of the housekeeper below agreed, "This is very good, the young lady has thought it through." ”

Shen Wanzhen continued, "Things, furnishings, cups and plates, implemented to the head, one person is in charge of a piece, whoever loses it will accompany it, the banquet is dispersed, check the things at that time, how much is taken out of the library, and the enthronement is in the hands of the Hua family." ”

"Do as your master commands." A daughter-in-law hurriedly agreed.

Shen Wanzhen said that she was thirsty, took the teacup that Xiuju handed to her hand, took a sip, and continued, "You must be careful with the candle, if something happens, it will become a big thing, in short, be cautious, the people of the Lou family are gone, you can inspect it twice more to see if there are any sparks." ”

"Yes, young lady, the slave must be dedicated." The Lou family hurriedly agreed.

"The last thing is to entertain guests, dress uniformly, no matter what the background of the person who comes, all are humble and courteous, which is under the management of the Xie Fu family." Bofu invites guests every year, banquets colleagues, bosses, and family members, Shen Wanzhen specially advised, nepotism officials in the court are connected, and if you are a little neglectful, you may offend someone with a background.

Shen Wanzhen looked at Cheng Xing's family in the back, "Aunt Cheng said that she must not be affected, and she will inspect everywhere." ”

The Cheng family was busy patting their chests, "The second young lady can rest assured, and she will not miss anything." ”

The housekeepers' daughters-in-law hurriedly said, "I promise to manage it well, and I won't let the young lady bother a little." ”

Shen Wanzhen saw that the arrangement was made, and then she smiled, "After a while, I am on vacation, and I am always on vacation after the New Year, the reward for doing a good job, the punishment for not doing well, if there is something that really makes me unbearable, I can't say who has a face, no face, I don't look at anyone's face, I made a big mistake, the errand of the manager is won, and the errand of the general subordinate will not be done, and I don't have to go back to Mrs. and Mrs. Da Shao, I have something to carry out." ”

Earlier, Shen Wanzhen Zhengyan said that these housekeepers' daughters-in-law didn't think anything, but what they said with a smile made their hearts sink, and through a few things about the second young lady dealing with the concubine, they knew that the second young lady was powerful, and she didn't dare to despise it, and the young lady was relieved.

Shen Wanzhen was satisfied and asked them to step back.

When everyone was gone, Shen Wanzhen returned to the inner room and sat on the kang, Xiuju brought a pot of freshly brewed tea, and whispered with a smile: "The young lady is really powerful, these aunts and aunts are usually arrogant, when will they be afraid, and they will really go to their hearts." ”

"Don't deter you think they're scared." Shen Wanzhen took a sip of tea to moisten her throat.

"The master is shocked a few words, just scare and scare, it's really ruthless, these aunts and ladies have been in the house for some years, they all have backers, and they are all implicated in the move." Mrs. Qian is a little worried, the master is young and doesn't know what is going on here, these of them who are slaves, can get to their current status, there must be someone behind them.

"If you don't care about these, you can't pass this level." Shen Wanzhen knew that if something happened this time, her mother-in-law would not be able to explain, and she said that she would not do her best.

Years ago, the embroidery lady of the house rushed to work overnight, the new clothes up and down the house were made in advance, the people in the embroidery room called the people in the second room to get the clothes, the cotton clothes for the winter have already been sent down, this is a set of more than one set to be worn for the New Year, the young lady Zhao is afraid of sending it early, there is no thrift did not wait for the New Year, the first body, worn old, not good-looking, therefore, the remaining two days of the New Year to send down, but also for the New Year to have foreign guests, look good.

Early in the morning, Shen Wanzhen personally took a few maids to cut the window flowers, the doors and windows were pasted, looking at a group of festivities, the people in the embroidery room beckoned to get new clothes, and the embroidered chrysanthemum went to the needlework room with an old woman and a little maid to get it.

It didn't take much effort, the three of them each came back with a stack of clothes, one for each person, the master's material was expensive, and the clothes and materials of the people under them were better than usual, but the color was different.

Xiuju asked the maid to take back her clothes, and ordered the little maid to send the red note and the clever one.

The second room has been waiting for everyone, and Aunt Ying and her maid are still fragrant, and Xiuju said: "The needlework room has been done a long time ago, but it can be done by the head, and everyone has measured their bodies, and Aunt Ying is in Zhuangzi, so she has no share." ”

Qiao Shan pouted, "This can't complain about us, is it difficult for her to do it deliberately, now that the New Year is approaching, there is idle time in the sewing room, and there is a lot of needlework in each room." ”

Wanzhen didn't pay attention to it, and the little maid who gave the clothes sent the red note and the maid Yu'er, and the red note asked, "Aunt Ying's was sent?" ”

The little maid said that there was no Aunt Ying, the red note was happy, deliberately put on and walked out, standing under the eaves of the corridor in the east wing, deliberately walking around, Shang Xiang came out, just saw it, the red note smiled proudly and said: "Shang Xiang, do you have your master's new clothes?" What color is it, if you don't like it, swap it with mine. As he spoke, he lifted up his shirt and trembled, "Look at this apricot red color is too bright, I can't wear it well." ”

Shang Xiang stood still, stunned, and said in a low voice: "My master didn't get it." ”

"What? Are you reluctant to change with me, just say that your master doesn't have it, everyone in the house has it, but your master doesn't have it? ”

Shang Xiang didn't take a stubble, turned around and went into the house, her face was not good-looking, Aunt Ying had a fever for two days, the fever subsided, and gradually got better, her little face was smaller, her slap was big, she looked pitiful, and she looked at Shang Xiang, "What's wrong?" ”

Shang Xiang hidden, "It's nothing. ”

"You go and ask, this winter's charcoal is really not good to burn, the smoke is full of smoke, and people choke on it, and there are people in the house."

The west house where Aunt Ying lives is cold in winter, and the charcoal is not easy to burn, so it is so cold that she copied her hands in the house.

"The master still doesn't know the current situation, and he said that he listened to his aunt, but he couldn't catch up with the connecting room, so it was useless to say it." Shang Xiang complained.

Aunt Ying looked at her and said suspiciously: "You have something to hide from me." ”

Shang Spice couldn't hide it, if she didn't say it, Aunt Ying knew that she was to blame, so she told the matter of distributing clothes in the house, and said that even the red note and maid had it.

When Aunt Ying heard this, her body was just right, she was weak, and she was so angry that she shook twice, holding on to the edge of the kang, and the phoenix that fell on the shelf was not as good as a chicken.

taboo Shen Wanzhen, I didn't dare to go to the room to make noise, but I couldn't swallow this breath, I was dizzy, I lay down slightly, Fang was better, got up and walked around.

Zhan Shaoting went to the room and wanted to discuss family affairs with Shen Wanzhen, and saw that Shen Wanzhen was busy with the maids, and the kang table was full of window flowers cut with red paper, with magpies and plums, fish playing lotus, monkeys eating peaches, and other floral patterns.

Wanzhen was holding scissors in her hand, cutting the pattern of Liuyun Baifu, and happened to cut bats, Zhan Shaoting looked at her thin white fingers, dexterous and good-looking, and looked at it for a while, "Master drink tea." It wasn't until Qiao Shan came up with the tea that he woke up, lost his temper, took the tea cup, and couldn't help but glance at Shen Wanzhen's hand again, Shen Wanzhen lowered her head and was concentrating and didn't pay attention.

Zhan Shaoting walked out of the hall with his hands in his hands, and Shen Wanzhen only raised his head and said, "Qiaoshan will send your master." He bowed his head and went to work.

Idle, I went to the west side of the courtyard, and as soon as I entered the courtyard, the maid Yu'er with the red note saw it first and caught up, "The second master is here, the red girl is still talking about the master this morning, but the coincidental master is here today." ”

Zhan Shaoting couldn't go directly to Aunt Ying's house, so he followed Yu'er towards the east wing.

As soon as he took two steps, he said Jiaodidi, "Second master, the slave is looking forward to you." Aunt Ying inadvertently saw Zhan Shaoting enter the courtyard from the window, quickly opened the door, and rushed out in three steps and two steps, not caring about dizziness, seeing that Zhan Shaoting was about to step into the east wing corridor, she hurriedly greeted her.

Zhan Shaoting couldn't go to the east wing, so Yu'er watched the second master being intercepted by Aunt Ying and went to the west wing.

Aunt Ying wanted to complain to Zhan Shaoting and sue Shen Wanzhen, but she couldn't find an opportunity, so she finally waited for Zhan Shaoting.

As soon as Zhan Shaoting entered the door, there was a cold air on his face, and he looked at the brazier on the ground, "The brazier is extinguished, how is the maid waiting?" ”

Seeing Zhan Shaoting's question, Shang Xiang hurriedly stepped forward to put on the fire, pressed a few more pieces of carbon, and the temperature in the room only came up.

Aunt Ying finally seized the opportunity, and while waiting for Zhan Shaoting to take off her coat outside, she explained: "The carbon is not good, the fire can't be ignited, it's good today, give two good charcoal for the New Year, it's not as good as this in the past." ”

Zhan Shaoting sat on the edge of the kang, and Shang Xiang helped him take off his boots, "Ming'er, I'll tell your housewife, it's not a joke that your body is frozen now." ”

"Don't say it, don't talk about it, it's like a slave has a lot of things, the slave is not even as good as the slave in the house now, so what do you dare to ask for, it's good to have a place to live."

Aunt Ying lowered her head aggrievedly, as if she had been wronged.

Zhan Shaoting frowned, "What's the matter?" ”

Aunt Ying's eyes were red, but she didn't dare to say it, Zhan Shaoting was even more puzzled, and asked Shang Xiang: "What's wrong with your aunt?" What grievances have you suffered?"

Shang Xiang saw that Aunt Ying secretly made a look, so she said that she had no clothes under the festival and nothing about her master and servant.

Zhan Shaoting was dissatisfied with Aunt Ying's going to the room to make trouble, because she didn't come for some days, but when she came over, she heard and saw that Aunt Ying was wronged, and thought, it seems that she was wronged, it was Shen Wanzhen who was mean to Yingniang, so she was wronged, so she went to the room to ask for justice.

Aunt Ying peeked at his face, knowing that her words had worked, and pretending to be cowardly, she didn't dare to offend Shen Wanzhen, and pretended to be pitiful and begged, "Master, don't ask the young lady, and the young lady doesn't want to see the concubine." ”

Yu'er, the girl who was talking about the red note, returned to the house angrily, and the red note asked, "Who are you angry with?" ”

"It's not in that house, the second master originally came to this courtyard to enter the master's house, but she saw it and stopped her. Yu'er's mouth turned towards the west wing.

The red note is annoyed, this vixen dares to dig into his own corner and intercept people halfway, my red note is easy to bully? Walked outside, quietly walked from the corridor to the root of Aunt Ying's window, put her ear to the window, and listened carefully to what was being said inside.

Listening to Aunt Ying intermittently about charcoal, and listening to the clothes, I thought that if the clothes didn't have her, I must have sued my master.

went to the room, added some words, and learned from Shen Wanzhen.

After she left, Shen Wanzhen thought about it, beckoned Xiuju over, and instructed: "You take the silver silk charcoal block on the basket, find two new pieces of clothes I don't wear, and send them to that person, don't say anything else." ”

Although Xiuju was reluctant, she still complied, holding her clothes, and the little maid followed behind with a basket of charcoal, and came to the west courtyard.

Walking to the door, I heard the movement inside, and the second master of Zhilu Dao was inside, so he deliberately let go of his voice and called: "Sister Shangxiang." ”

Shang Xiang heard the sound and rushed over to open the door, the door opened, and when he saw that it was Xiuju, he smiled unnaturally and shouted, "Sister Xiuju." ”

Xiuju looked at the cotton curtain in the middle, and knew that Dao Ye was inside, and deliberately said loudly: "I won't go in, the young lady makes me still have something, these are the two clothes that the young lady asked me to send, the young lady is not upper, for your master and servant to wear, the festival always has to be happy, it was the needlework room that the clothes under the festival have already been made, your master and servant are in Zhuangzi, it will fall, and it is too late to hurry, the young lady specially found out, and the new clothes that she was not willing to wear were sent over." ”

Shang Xiang took it stupidly, the young lady is usually lazy to take care of her master, how can she be sympathetic today, it sounds touching, it doesn't seem to be real.

"Also, this is the best silver filament carbon, this year the young lady said, the carbon on the market is expensive, it is not easy to buy, and it is inferior to buy, this is the young lady from her example to give your aunt a make."

"Also, the young lady said that after being busy for a while, go to the temple to donate some sesame oil money, and bless your master and Miss Qiaohui to add Ding to the Zhan Mansion."

Say it, take the carbon basket in the little girl's hand and hand it to Shang Xiang. Standing outside, he didn't go in.

After saying that, he took the maid and left.

Zhan Shaoting heard it clearly in the room, Shang Xiang went in with something in his hand, Zhan Shaoting saw that the clothes in his hand were not as bad as the masters in the house, and his heart dissipated Fang Cai's dissatisfaction with Shen Wanzhen in an instant, and looked at the unnatural expression on Aunt Ying's face, and guessed how much she thought.

"You see the sky and say that you are your master, look at the Shen family's behavior, you learn from her." After saying that, he raised his feet and walked out.

Aunt Ying blushed and called, "Second master." "Chased out of the door, the outer door 'banged', Zhan Shaoting had already gone out, locked her in the door, stunned, and didn't react to what was going on for a while.

Hung his head and entered the house, lay down on the kang, and asked Shang Xiang for a long time, Shen Wanzhen has ears to report to God?

Shang Xiang saw that the master even suspected her, and hurriedly distinguished, "The master saw that the slave and maid had been coming to him, how could he have the strength to go to the room." ”

Aunt Ying thought about it, she was too careful, but she didn't believe that Shen Wanzhen was getting better with her, and she was still in time for the second master.