Because Shen Juren mentioned the layout of the house, Shen Rui paid special attention to a few glances, the three north rooms, two dark and one bright structure, the layout is refreshing, and the study is also quiet, not because there is any ingenuity and unique style, but the items are very simple. In addition to the necessary furnishings, there are only two things to decorate, which are banners hanging on the walls of the study.

I didn't have an idea last night, but I looked carefully today and found that the ink on this piece was still fresh, and then looked at the words "Haichuan Master", Shen Rui couldn't help laughing, this is exactly Shen Juren's words.

It's November, and it's a cold season.

Shen Rui sat in the study for a while, he felt a little depressed, and the corner of his eyes unintentionally swept to the charcoal basin in the corner, and looked at the tobacco rising on it, and stood up. When I looked at it, the charcoal fire inside flickered and dimmed, and there was a pungent smell.

Shen Rui walked outside and also looked at the charcoal basin in the corner, and the same was true. This is not the owner's silver frost charcoal, but the second level of pine charcoal, no wonder there is a smell in the house, although this charcoal is better than ordinary charcoal, but it is also smoky, not as good as silver frost charcoal.

At this time, Dongxi and Liu Ya came in with a food box.

Although there is a small kitchen in his courtyard, it is just convenient for hot water, making a snack to eat, etc., and everyone's three meals are still delivered from the large kitchen.

Shen Rui cleaned his hands and asked Dong Xi, "What's the matter with this charcoal?" Mine is this, so what are you sharing? ”

When Dong Xi heard this, he said: "When Steward Zhao sent someone to bring charcoal over, the maid also wondered. However, I heard from the little brother who sent the charcoal that this charcoal has been used at home in the past few winters, and so have the old man and Lao Anren. The examples of the servants are naturally inferior to black charcoal

Shen Rui couldn't help frowning when he heard this.

The south is different from the north, the north can still have a fire kang warm wall in winter, and the south can rely on charcoal pots. If the charcoal is not good, the carbon monoxide burns incompletely, and it may be poisoned

But even the elders of the Shen family use this charcoal, so how can Shen Rui be picky. He thought for a while and said, "I'm still using this, if your share is bad, don't use it yet, but I'll use it." In two days, I will think of a way to get some good charcoal. ”

Dong Xi responded, opened the food box, looked at the food inside, but was stunned, and said, "Isn't it the wrong person in the big kitchen?" ”

Shen Rui glanced at the four-layer octagonal food box and said, "The food box on the outside is right, what's wrong inside?" ”

Dong Xi brought out the dishes and said, "Second brother, this is only two meat, two vegetarian and four regular dishes, is it confusing the servants' routine dishes with the second brother's regular dishes?" ”

Shen Rui said: "How many food boxes did the big kitchen deliver? ”

Dong Xi said: "There is only one, and the rules of the big kitchen are mostly to send the master food first, and then send the slaves and maids." ”

Shen Rui looked at the dining table, two meats, a steamed fish, a honey sauce fire recipe, and two vegetarian dishes were stir-fried fungus and roasted winter melon. Looking at it, it is full of color and flavor, and it really doesn't look like the next person's meal that Dongxi guessed. Come to think of it, there are three generations of grandparents and grandchildren in this family, there are only four people, Shen Jin does not come back because he lives in Fuxue, there are only three masters in the family, naturally they are all small stoves, and they are finely done; Slaves and maids, even first-class and second-class maids, are also big pot dishes.

Dong Xi also reacted, put dishes and chopsticks for Shen Rui, and said, "It's really weird, do you want someone to ask, did you have four meats, four vegetables and eight dishes last night?" ”

Shen Rui thought for a while and said, "Don't be in a hurry to inquire, let's take a look." Yesterday was not an ordinary day, and it cannot be considered an ordinary day. ”

Yesterday was the third anniversary of the Sun family, and although there were no guests for the feast, it was also the day of sacrifice.

The steamed fish looked okay, but because it was a little cold, it had a fishy smell, and Shen Rui ate a chopstick and stopped moving; The honey sauce is soft and glutinous, but Shen Rui has eaten vegetarian food in Xilin Zen Temple for three years, and he feels tired of eating this big meat coldly, so he eats two vegetarian dishes and uses a bowl of rice.

When he put down his chopsticks, another mother-in-law came to deliver the food box in the big kitchen.

Because Shen Rui was also curious, Dongxi and Liu Ya mentioned the food boxes to the North House. A red lacquer three-layer food box, a black lacquer double-layer food box. When it was opened, the red lacquer food box contained a plate of shredded pork and cabbage, a plate of roasted tofu, a bowl of rice, and two pairs of chopsticks; In the black lacquer food box, there is only a large bowl of roasted tofu, a bowl of aged rice, and four pairs of chopsticks.

Ordinary people, this kind of food is considered good, but this is not the case of the second-class and third-class maids of the Shen family, or it is not the case of the second- and third-class maids of the Shen family three years ago.

Shen Rui looked at the direction of the charcoal basin, and then looked at the meal in front of him, where he still didn't understand, the fourth room of the Shen family is now starting to live "thrifty". Speaking of the degree before the fourth room, it really doesn't look like a family's house, and the food and clothing are more exquisite than ordinary eunuchs. Judging from the income of four rooms, the cost is really large. This kind of frugality is the long-term way.

It's just that these second-class meals are two, and the third-class four are very boring. He didn't think that the big kitchen was well-informed, and he knew that Qiuyue and Dongyue went to the study, so he arranged it like this, and in that case, it should be a dinner for four people. Obviously, Zhang Lao'an wanted to give him a dismount, and instructed people to treat the two Dongxi and Liu Ya, who were not in the fourth room, as third-class.

This old lady has lived too leisurely.

Liu Ya has been going to several houses in the past three years, and she is still a simple character, just have food to eat, and she doesn't care about the amount of food; Dong Xi was a little older, but he was a little worried, and after having dinner, after returning to the north house, he whispered to Shen Rui: "Although it is a good thing that the master is diligent and thrifty, if the wind and rain are smooth every year, if he catches up with the bad year, maybe the old man will have an excuse to ask the second brother about the industry." ”

Listening to Dong Xi's reminder, Shen Rui also knew that there was indeed this possibility. There is not much property on the books of the fourth house, just because Shen Rui's great-grandfather was addicted to gambling and sold the family property. If he hadn't died early, I'm afraid that even the ancestral house would have been sold. Now there are only a few dozen hectares of land on the books, and there are two rent-collecting shops, half of which were added by the Sun family after marrying.

If the year is not good, Shen Juren may indeed ask Shen Rui about the industry, but so what, those industries are all discussed by the clan and managed by the Guo family, as long as Shen Rui does not speak, Shen Juren will have no way. And with Shen Jin in front, where do you need Shen Rui to speak?

The property under Shen Jin's name is all taken care of by Shen Juren, even if Shen Juren needs money to supplement the family, there is no reason to cross the eldest son and the second son.

Thinking of this, Shen Rui once again regretted that there was no hospital exam for what to do next year, if there was a hospital exam next year, then the days he needed to stay up would be half short.

Inner house, upper room.

After Zhang Lao'an finished using up a bowl of bird's nest, he looked at the food on the table with disgust, and said to Hao's mother who was standing next to him: "This plate of fish is for the third sister, and the plate of fire is for the fourth sister." ”

For such a meal, if there was no small kitchen with a bowl of bird's nest every day, Zhang Lao'an would have been unable to bear it a long time ago. can know that her son is Mo Ruo's mother, and her son is now left-sexual, can she still fight with her son for a bite of food? I can only endure it.

Hao's mother responded with a smile, but she was scolded. The steamed fish is okay, only a few chopsticks have been moved, and all the tails must be full, and the reward is decent; The honey fire party used most of the plate, and only two pieces of meat the size of walnuts remained, and Lao An was embarrassed to appreciate people.

The third sister Zhang and the fourth sister Zhang live in the east wing of the old people's courtyard, three rooms, the two sisters occupy one head, and the middle is a small hall. When Hao's mother arrived, the food boxes of the two had just been delivered, and two pretty maids were setting the meal.

Hao's mother glanced at the dining table, a dish of tamales and a dish of shredded pork and cabbage were examples of first-class maids in Lao Anren's house. Her eyes couldn't help showing a trace of contempt, the bullshit "Miss Cousin", the old man didn't admit it, the kitchen didn't even prepare a guest meal, only according to the example of a first-class maid. Lao An people once said it, but the old man spoke, the Shen family only has four masters, and it is useless for Lao An people to be annoyed. Even if it is a coquette, who let these two belong to the Zhang family, and the last thing the master can't listen to is the Zhang family.

Lao An people had no way, Ben also took his two nieces and granddaughters to eat together, but within a few days, the old man took the lead in "frugality", the host's regular dishes were reduced from ten to four, and the plates were changed from eight-inch plates to five-inch plates. One person is rich enough, and three people are a little shabby.

Lao An couldn't, so he had to send the Zhang family sisters back to the house for their own use. The sisters of the Zhang family didn't know that they were being slighted, and if they wanted to leave home with a face, they would not leave.

Now the mothers and maids in Lao Anren's yard, although they are still respectful on their faces, no one can afford their sisters in their hearts.

The two sisters picked up Lao Anren's leftovers, not once or twice. After inviting Hao's mother to eat tea, the two sisters sat down and moved their chopsticks, even if there were only two chopsticks left in the fire party, Fourth Sister Zhang still ate with relish.

Hao's mother was on the sidelines, smiling and her stomach churning. Waiting for the two to have dinner, Hao's mother put down the tea bowl and said to Fourth Sister Zhang: "Lao Anren said, Qiuyue and Dongyue have served the fourth sister for three years, and they also have a deep relationship with the fourth sister. ”

Fourth Sister Zhang smiled and said, "I can't bear the two of them for a day, so I'll send someone to take a look." ”

Sanjie Zhang was beside her, although she was also smiling, but there was a touch of gloom in her eyes.

After Hao's mother finished speaking, she went back to the upper room to serve.

Fourth Sister Zhang waved her hand, sent the two maids to withdraw from the table, and then pulled Third Sister Zhang to the back room.

"Sister, I don't want to go along with my aunt's arrangement. I'm only fifteen, and I'm not in a hurry to get married, and my second cousin is so easy to fool? There is also a champion in the back, and the big lady next door is also very powerful. The Zhang family was sorry for the second cousin, but he designed him, he was three years younger than me, outsiders would only say that I was frivolous, who would accuse him of being rude, don't talk about being a wife when the time comes, even if you are afraid of being a concubine. My aunt and grandmother are not at home now, and her words cannot be trusted. Fourth Sister Zhang said.

When Third Sister Zhang heard this, she said hesitantly: "But our family has fallen now, and you refuse to accept your aunt's arrangement, where can you have proper family affairs?" ”

Fourth Sister Zhang smiled and said: "Although my aunt and grandmother are not at home, her calculation is good, but the candidate is not appropriate." Why did I choose my second cousin, my sister and eldest cousin are a talented and beautiful couple. ”

Third Sister Zhang's face turned crimson, and she said with a wry smile: "We have been here for three years, if my aunt had a heart, she would have mentioned it a long time ago." In her eyes, she must find a little lady and a big cousin. ”

Fourth Sister Zhang raised her eyebrows and said, "Sister, you have to think about it, after this village, there will be no such shop......"