"Auntie, what's wrong with Mrs. Lin San?" Kumquat asked with some curiosity.

Aunt Fang came back to her senses and smiled softly at her as if soothing: "It's okay, I just remembered one thing." ”

Aunt Fang is very good at one thing, she never loses her temper with the people around her.

At all times, she is a kind and considerate woman, as gentle as water, so the maids and daughters-in-law around Aunt Fang are very dedicated to her.

"Wait for pen and ink, I have a letter to write." Aunt Fang sat for a while, and finally got up and walked to the study.

Kumquat persuaded: "Auntie, it's late, but you have to watch your eyes." ”

Aunt Fang shook her head: "It's okay. ”

Aunt Fang knew that her younger brother would be promoted soon, and she also hoped that Fang Yacun could come to Yanbei, so that her position in the Ren family would be more stable in the future.

Fang Yacun wrote to her about the affairs of officialdom, and this time her brother-in-law came to Yanbei because she inquired about the residence and preferences of various officials in advance. This time, there are five or six vacancies in several rich states and counties in Yanbei, but there are more than five or six people vying for these seats, Fang Yacun mentioned to her in the last letter that an in-law of the Su family also intends to come to Yanbei.

Aunt Fang is a smart person who can understand everything, and the second wife, Su, helped Mrs. Lin for no reason this time, there must be a reason. Now it seems that the biggest and most likely reason is that the Su family wants to catch up with the third wife of the Lin family for his sister-in-law.

Aunt Fang is very glad that she has learned about this now, so that there is still room for things to turn around. She needs to tell her younger brother the Su family's intentions as soon as possible, so that he can prepare earlier.

Things are finally developing in the direction that Ren Yaoqi wants, this is just the beginning, and as long as everything has a beginning, everything will be easy.

The Ren family decided to set off for Yunyang City on the day of the Duanyang Festival. Horizontal and vertical is a journey of more than an hour, which is not too far.

Ren Shijia returned to Yunyang City with the Ren family this time, she just finished her confinement, and it didn't look like she was hiding in her mother's house. This time I went back, and by the way, I could catch the full moon banquet that the Lin family prepared for Xiao Cen'er. So this time, Mrs. Ren will also stay at the Lin family for a few more days.

This time, Mrs. Ren stayed at home. Mrs. Ren brought her grandchildren over. Originally, Mrs. Ren planned to leave Mrs. Fifth Cold without her and Ren Yaoyu, but then somehow changed her mind. As for the third wife, Mrs. Li, Mrs. Ren has always refused to take her out.

"Grandmother said it today, Aunt Fang and Ren Yaoying will also go together." In the evening, when he asked Li to come out, Ren Yaohua said to Ren Yao.

"Because that Mrs. Fang is coming?" Ren Yaochi raised his eyebrows slightly, not surprised.

"Hmm." Ren Yaohua was not in a good mood, and her face was cold.

When they were about to separate, Ren Yaoqi heard her say reluctantly and unwillingly: "Who is the concubine in these three rooms, and who is the serious wife of the main house!" This is what we call the rules of the Ren family? It's ridiculous! ”

Ren Yaohua didn't want to hear an answer from anyone when she said this, and after she finished speaking, she straightened her back and walked away. Ren Yaoqi stood in the courtyard and watched her figure gradually disappear into the shadows under the corridor. Only the dark red skirt appeared and disappeared in the light of the lantern in the maid's hand, and after a while it disappeared at the corner door in front of it.

The second day is the Duanyang Festival, and the whole family is preparing for travel.

Although Li didn't go, he was also busy packing up his things for Ren Yaochi and Ren Yaohua.

The daughter was upset about the Li family, but the Li family had long been used to it, and she didn't mind being left at home, but she was in a good mood.

Seeing that Ren Yaohua has been calm and unhappy in the past few days, it seems that as long as a little thing provokes her, she can blow up.

Ren Yaoqi was worried that she would not be able to control her temper, so she finally pulled her aside on this day and persuaded with a smile: "Third sister." What are you vomiting here? It's time to stop vomiting for a few days. As long as her mother is happy, isn't it? ”

Ren Yaohua became angry when she heard it: "What as long as my mother is happy!" I don't believe she's really happy! I went to ask my grandmother yesterday, but my grandmother diverted the topic as soon as I opened my mouth. ”

Although Ren Yaohua looked very angry on his face, his voice was aggrieved.

Ren Yao knew her temper, and she was not angry when she saw her angry at herself. Instead, he smiled: "I don't think my mother is smiling because ...... Won't my father go this time? ”

Ren Yaohua was stunned for a moment, and her angry appearance turned into stunned.

"So I think it's better for my mother not to go this time, you know my father's temperament. As soon as he paints and eats, he can forget about the sky, and even if his mother goes to Yunyang City with us, she will still think about his father. Saying that, Ren Yaoqi winked at Ren Yaohua, with a somewhat teasing look. Third sister, you are so old that you can't do without your mother, are you ashamed! ”

"I, I'm not ......" Ren Yaohua subconsciously wanted to defend, and only when she saw Ren Yaoqi's evil smile did she react that she was teased by her sister.

"You're talking nonsense!" Ren Yaohua flicked her sleeves and put on the posture of the eldest sister, and after thinking about it, she asked uncertainly, "Is my father really not going?" ”

Ren Yaochi nodded: "Of course, I asked." Why don't you ask your mother? ”

Seeing that Ren Yaohua's face finally looked better, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but purse his lips and smile.

Whether Yunyang City goes or not is actually not that important to the Li family. Could it be that the Li family can show the identity of the main room in front of Aunt Fang? Even if the Li family is wronged, it will only be for Ren Shimin.

So when Ren Yaohua was in a big hurry about this matter, Ren Yaoqi secretly asked Yuan Dayong to help her buy an old painting from a down-and-out scholar.

In the previous life, Ren Shimin knew the origin of every painting he loved in his hands, and originally this painting was to be bought by Ren Shimin's steward in the autumn of this year to honor him, and Ren Yaoqi bought the painting back in advance.

Because Ren Shimin has a hobby, every time he gets a good painting, he will spend half a month carefully pondering it, and then copy it himself.

Sure enough, Ren Shimin couldn't move his feet when he saw it, and the Duanyang Festival Dragon Boat Race was full of smoke and clouds in the third master's heart. He won't snub his heart for the sake of smoke. So the third master waved his hand, and the lord of Yunyang City would not go, and the lord would go to retreat and paint at home.

In this way, the Li family was happy, and Aunt Fang was depressed.

If Aunt Fang and Ren Shimin went to Yunyang City to watch some dragon boat race, the Li family in the main room would be left at home instead. Outsiders will naturally make some speculations about the status of the wives and concubines of the Ren family's third room, and the Li family will inevitably be looked down upon. And Aunt Fang has the treatment of the main room, and it is more convenient to visit the door in Yunyang City.

Now that Ren Shimin is not picking, it is not so convenient for Aunt Fang to act.

In the afternoon, Mrs. Ren also sent someone to find Ren Shimin, wanting him to go to Yunyang City with him, after all, this is also an annual event, and people with heads and faces in Yanzhou will go over, and men can also exchange family friendship between them.

But who is the third master, the third master said that he would not go if he didn't go. The cow didn't come and went, and no one could force it, so he simply lay down in the main room and pretended to be sick. Mrs. Ren was so angry that she couldn't do anything, but she couldn't do anything about him.

Li cooperated and waited in front of the third master's bed, serving water when he was thirsty, and eating when he was hungry, doing his best.

Now even Ren Yaohua was happy, her face finally cleared up after a few days of stink, and she bent the corners of her mouth to watch the maids pack up their things.

Ren Yaoqi was also in the house watching the maid pack up her things. said that she was watching, but in fact, it was Mama Xu commanding the maids, and she was reading a book on the kang.

At this moment, Mama Zhou came over.

See Mama Zhou coming over here. Ren Yaochi thought that something had happened to Ren Shimin and Li on the side of the main room, so he couldn't help but put down the book in his hand and sat up from the kang.

Mama Zhou stepped forward and saluted, but said in a low voice, "Fifth Miss." Luo Pozi is here. ”

Ren Yaoqi didn't react for a while when he heard this name: "Luo Pozi? ”

"It's the old woman on the Zhuangzi you said you wanted to see a while ago." Mama Zhou explained in a low voice.

Ren Yaochi immediately remembered.

It was the mother-in-law who lived in Zhuangzi who asked Mama Zhou about the Qu family last time. Mama Zhou said that there was an elderly woman living in Zhuangzi, and she knew very well about the affairs in Baihe Town.

Originally, I should have invited it a long time ago, but I didn't want this mother-in-law surnamed Luo to be bitten by a wild dog outside Zhuangzi a while ago, so I delayed it. Ren Yaoqi also put this matter aside for the time being because of these messy things of the Ren family.

"What about people?" Ren Yaochi asked.

"At this time, the house is busy, I asked the little maid to take her to eat and rest, after all, she is old, and I am afraid that something will go wrong. Do you want to see her now? ”

Ren Yaochi thought for a while: "Let her rest first, and bring me back later." ”

"The slave maid originally instructed the people on Zhuangzi to wait for her injury to be sent over, I thought it would be a few more days, and I didn't want to catch up with your request for Yunyang City at this time, it was the slave maid who was not well arranged." Mama Zhou pleaded guilty.

Ren Yaochi waved his hand and comforted: "It's okay, I just want to ask her something." It's the same if you come early or late. ”

Mama Zhou went down to make arrangements, and after dinner, Ren Yaochi asked her to bring the mother-in-law surnamed Luo over.

Luo Pozi is in her seventies, and has been working on Zhuangzi, with gray hair, a yellow-brown complexion, a face full of folds, and a limp when she walks, but her spirit is not bad.

Supporting her was an eight or nine-year-old girl, who looked delicate but her complexion was too dark, with a double hair and braids, wearing a red coarse cloth shirt, and her eyes were smart.

Seeing that Ren Yaoqi's eyes stayed on the little girl, Mama Zhou hurriedly said: "This is the granddaughter of Mrs. Luo, the grandparents and grandchildren depend on each other, and Mrs. Luo didn't worry about leaving her on the Zhuangzi and brought her over together." ”

Although it was a little strange that Mrs. Luo was so old and her granddaughter was so young, Ren Yaochi didn't ask much, nodded with a smile, excused Mrs. Luo's courtesy, and asked Sang Yu to get a stool for Mrs. Luo to sit on.

Luo Pozi confessed her guilt, and carefully sat down next to half a stool, trembling and not daring to speak first. The little girl who followed her was a little curious about the things in the house, and when she saw that her grandmother was restrained but did not dare to be presumptuous, she stood behind her next to Luo Pozi in a proper manner.

Ren Yaochi said gently to the little girl: "Can you follow this mulberry sister to eat snacks first?" ”

Out of the corner of her eye, the little girl glanced at the red lacquer-inlaid luodian eight-edged food box on the table containing various kinds of dim sum fruits such as Baiguodun, sugar ears, bean flour cake, honey twist, sugar lotus seeds, sunflower seeds, etc., swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and then glanced at her grandmother, but did not move.

Luo Pozi patted her hand gently: "Listen to the master's words, go." ”

Mulberry picked up the red lacquer inlaid luodian eight-edged food box, beckoned to the little girl, and took her outside.

Mrs. Luo watched her granddaughter leave step by step and shook her head. said to Ren Yaoqi: "Miss, don't blame, children grew up in the countryside and haven't seen much of the world." ”

Ren Yaochi smiled slightly: "I look very good, her body is also strong, she works in the field with you on weekdays?" ”

Luo Pozi smiled deeply on her face: "This child has a good heart, she just learned to walk and wanted to help me with her work, and she followed me to help me when I was doing anything on weekdays." I have no children and no daughters in my life, and when I am old, I have picked up a treasure, and this life is worth it. ”

Ren Yaoqi was stunned, it turned out that the little girl was not the granddaughter of Mrs. Luo.

Luo Pozi seems to know what others think. He said: "This child was picked up by me on Tiankan'er seven years ago, when he was only six or seven months old. ”

Mama Zhou was a little surprised: "So she is only seven years old? I thought I was nine years old. ”

The little girl has a sturdy body, a tall body, and a very clever look, similar to an eight or nine-year-old child.

"No, it's a lot of food! Fortunately, she can do the work herself, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to support her. Luo Pozi shook her head and smiled.

Ren Yaoqi looked at this Luo Pozi on the side, this Po Zi is very old, and her appearance is no different from that of an ordinary peasant woman who works in the fields all year round. However, Ren Yaochi felt that her speech and actions were not as vulgar as those peasant women outside, and even her adopted granddaughter knew how to be measured.

"Has Mama Luo been on our Zhuangzi? Where is home? Ren Yaochi asked.

Luo Pozi squinted her eyes and thought for a while before she said: "The slave maid is from the suburbs of Baihe Town, and her parents starved to death during the disaster year. So I have been working on Zhuangzi since I was a child, but originally the Zhuangzi was not from the Ren family. ”

"Oh? So which family was Zhuangzi originally from? Ren Yaochi asked.

Several of the Ren family's big Zhuangzi were bought when the former director of the family, Bao Ming, was there, and they were bought together with the Ren family's house.

"Before the Ren family, the Zhuangzi was a Tang family." Luo Pozi said.

Ren Yaochi remembered that this house seemed to have been bought from a family surnamed Tang, and it may be that when this family bought the ancestral house, they also bought the Zhuangzi under their name to the Ren family. This is a very common thing.

Mama Zhou saw that Ren Yaoqi was asking Mrs. Luo's words, thought about it, and called all the maids and mothers-in-law in the house out of the house. She was the only one who stayed in the house and guarded it.

"I don't know if Mama Luo remembers a family with the surname Qu? It should be a wealthy family in Baihe Town a few decades ago, but later I don't know why the family fell because of the road. Ren Yaochi looked at Luo Pozi and asked softly.

Luo Pozi squinted her eyes and thought about it again, which seemed to be her usual expression when thinking about things: "The slave maid has never heard of such a rich family. ”

Ren Yaochi couldn't help frowning: "Is there really not?" Think about it again? ”

Luo Pozi really thought about it again, but still shook her head: "No." Are you sure it's near our Hakutsuru Town? Could it be somewhere else? ”

Ren Yaochi couldn't help but be a little disappointed, and nodded: "Maybe I'm mistaken." After thinking about it, she asked again, "In my grandfather's generation, did the Ren family ever have a discord with any family?" ”

Hearing this, Mrs. Luo glanced at Ren Yaoqi, and said with a smile: "Miss, what are these words, the Ren family has always been friendly and neighborly......

Mama Zhou stood beside Ren Yaoqi and interrupted coldly: "Mother-in-law Luo, our fifth lady came to you from so far away, not to listen to you talk about those nonsense that you don't have to get. Whatever you ask, you can answer, and the young lady will give you a reward of silver, and then send you and your granddaughter back. ”

Mrs. Luo paused, looked at Mama Zhou and then at Ren Yaoqi, who was smiling lightly, and thought for a long time before she thought about it: "What if you don't agree...... It's not for nothing. At that time, the Ren family bought several hills in Xishan to build a coal kiln, and once had a lawsuit with a nearby mountain owner, because the mountain owner wrote a letter to the county lord to sue the Ren family to dig the coal kiln to the bottom of his mountain, but later the Ren family spent a high price to buy the mountain owner's mountain, and the two families reconciled. In addition, there was a coal kiln collapsed one year, buried a lot of people, and the son of a family took the lead in making trouble, and was arrested by the government after the worst, but I heard that the man escaped on the way to the escort, and said that he wanted to stand with the Ren family before leaving, but after so many years, no one appeared, and it is estimated that it has already become a pile of loess. ”

Ren Yaochi listened quietly, making a mental judgment.

Luo Pozi then said that there were several families, all of whom had big and small holidays with the Ren family decades ago. After the last moment, Luo Pozi racked her brains and couldn't think of anything, so she looked at Ren Yaoqi and said with a smile: "Miss, the slave only remembers so much." ”

Ren Yaoqi looked out the window, at this time it was already past the time to hold the lamp, lanterns were lit outside the courtyard, and candles were lit in the house.

"Let's get here today, you go back and rest first." Ren Yaochi took the tea with a smile and motioned to Mama Zhou to send people out of the city first.

Mama Zhou sent Mrs. Luo out of the house and handed it to the maid, and asked the maid to take the person to the outer courtyard to rest, and then turned around and came back.

"Miss, does this woman still want to stay in the house?"

Ren Yaoqi was leaning on the kang to think about things, and raised his head when he heard the words: "Well, let her stay in the mansion for the time being, and then make plans when I come back from Yunyang City." ”

She always felt that she could ask something from Luo Pozi's mouth, but she was going to leave for Yunyang City early tomorrow morning, and Ren Yaoqi didn't have time to interrogate in detail today.

The slave maid first arranged for their grandchildren to live in the outer court. Miss will rest early today, and she will leave tomorrow as soon as the time comes. Mama Zhou stepped back after giving an order, and asked the maids to come in and wait for Ren Yaoqi to wash. (To be continued.) )