Eight: Exploration

The porter led the mother-in-law to the door of the lobby, the threshold was very high, and the porter helped the mother-in-law to step through the door. The mother-in-law entered the door and saw the old lady sitting in front of the hall.

Behind her is a majestic landscape painting. Although my mother-in-law couldn't understand the artistic conception in the painting, she knew that it was a very valuable masterpiece.

Next to the old woman stood a beautiful maid, and on one side of the lobby stood two maids, and at the door stood the old woman.

The mother-in-law had heard of the grandeur of a large family, and she lamented that it was the first time she had seen such a scene. She was thinking about an old lady, and it was amazing that so many people were waiting for her inside and outside the house.

She tried her best to calm herself, and said goodbye to the old lady unhurriedly. She saw the old lady nodding with a smile.

The old lady didn't let her sit, she didn't care. She felt that the old lady was already very face-saving to summon her. And being able to smile and nod at her shows that the old woman doesn't hate her.

She said straight to the point: "Old lady, I am a peasant woman from the countryside, and I have no relationship with your mansion. I'm here for something. ”

The old woman nodded and said, "Well, all those who came before you have come to me with me." Three thousand miles in one table. No one can figure out which one is a relative. You continue. ”

The mother-in-law said, "I have taken the liberty to visit the old lady today, and there is a very important matter that I must ask the old lady, because this matter has something to do with your house. ”

The old lady said, "This matter is very important and has something to do with my house. You are indeed different from the people who have come before.

"Some of the people who came here in the past wanted a good meal, and some wanted old clothes. You have something to tell me. You might as well be bold enough to say it. I listen. I'm interested. ”

The old lady couldn't help but laugh after speaking. I thought to myself, this old woman is selling guanzi with me. This matter has something to do with my house, and they want to deceive me.

What kind of person I am, what kind of person I haven't seen, what kind of thing I haven't experienced. I'll see what kind of medicine you sell in your gourd.

The mother-in-law could see that the old woman did not believe her, and she did not take it to heart. She thought to herself, you laugh, you cry and laugh later.

The mother-in-law said, "Before I talk about this, I want to ask the old lady something, and if I ask something that I shouldn't ask, please don't blame me." ”

The old lady couldn't help but get serious when she heard this, no one had ever dared to ask the old lady so boldly.

She carefully looked at the mother-in-law in front of her, although she was dressed in coarse cloth clothes, she was cleanly groomed.

She looked at her face carefully, and she was very loyal. Listen to her speak very measured, and her accent is local. It is an authentic farmer.

The old lady thought about it for a while, thinking that although the country mother-in-law's family was poor, she did not lack food and clothing, and she did not come to mix rice and eat, let alone tell jokes.

The old woman believed that she must have come for the matter. Whatever it is, wait until she finishes speaking. She should not be neglected.

The old lady called, "Serve the seat, serve tea." Don't be afraid, sit down and talk. You must have something to tell me when you come, and if you have anything to ask, just ask, and I will answer you.

"If you ask something you shouldn't ask, I'm not angry, and I don't blame you. You can rest assured. ”

Two maids helped her to sit on the chair on the east side. The old lady put the tea on the coffee table beside her. The mother-in-law knew that this was the location of the guest.

The mother-in-law sat down, and she took a sip of tea as a courtesy. She said: "The old lady's words reassured me. I already know that your house lost a daughter-in-law a month ago. ”

As soon as the mother-in-law's words fell, the old woman gasped in surprise.

The mother-in-law paused, and when she saw that the old lady did not speak, she said, "I want to ask the old lady if she is pregnant to term." ”

The old lady was shocked when she heard this, she did not expect her mother-in-law to mention her deceased daughter-in-law, let alone that she would mention that her daughter-in-law was already pregnant to term.

Surprised and sad, her face changed suddenly.

The old lady thought about it again and thought about how she knew that her daughter-in-law was pregnant at term, this old woman is not simple, she must have an article in her belly.

The daughter-in-law has passed away, so what's the point of mentioning it if it's a full-term pregnancy? What does this matter have to do with her?

Although the old lady was very sad at this time. But she wanted to know what her mother-in-law was saying, so she sighed for a while and nodded, indicating that she was pregnant at term.

The mother-in-law breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Old lady, does your daughter-in-law have a portrait, can you show it to me?" I didn't mean anything else, I just wanted to see if I had seen her.

"If I recognize the wrong person, I will apologize to the old lady."

The old lady felt even more strange, how would she know my daughter-in-law, and what would happen if she didn't. She thought about it for a moment and called the servant to fetch the portrait.

The mother-in-law looked at the portrait and said to the old lady, "It's her, it must be her." I've seen her. ”

The old lady was surprised and said, "Why, you have seen my daughter-in-law, this is strange, how can you meet her." Where did you see her?

"Let me tell you the truth, my daughter-in-law is a child of an official family and grew up in a deep mansion compound. No one could see her.

"After my daughter-in-law married into my family, she stayed at home, and she had to go out in a sedan chair if she had something, and outsiders couldn't see her."

The mother-in-law smiled and said to the old lady, "You won't believe me if I told you, so why don't I take you to a place." You'll understand when you go.

"You have to come with me tomorrow on the fifth watch, and you must arrive at that place early in the morning, and you can't get to that place at night.

"You can't ask someone else to go instead of you, you must go with me yourself. You see it, and you understand why I'm here today. ”

The old lady thought, where she wants to take me, what to do, why must I go myself? The old lady wanted to ask clearly.

The old lady thought on the contrary, she mentioned her late daughter-in-law, and she seemed to have seen her daughter-in-law when she heard her tone, and it seemed that this matter must have something to do with her daughter-in-law.

She asked about her daughter-in-law's pregnancy, and she felt that something was strange, whether this matter had anything to do with her daughter-in-law's pregnancy.

This matter must be clarified. She thought for a moment and said, "Okay, old woman, you take me tomorrow." ”

The old lady instructed her subordinates: "Hurry up and serve snacks, the old woman must be hungry when she comes from afar." Eat with me at the same table. ”

She also instructed the maid, "Arrange for the old woman to stay and wait." The maid will take all the things with her tomorrow and wait with her.

"The old mother went to instruct the housekeeper and asked him to arrange for the family to prepare a car, and tomorrow the fourth watch will have dinner and go on the road on the fifth watch. There must be no mistakes. Send four of your followers to follow on horseback. ”

The mother-in-law saw the old lady and ordered the people in the courtyard to get busy. She once again sighed at the grandeur and majesty of the big family.

The next day, the old lady parked the car on the side of the road not far from the bridge as instructed by her mother-in-law. The family tied up their horses and stood by the side of the cart. The butler stood in front of the car and listened to the command.

The mother-in-law asked the group in the car not to get out of the car, but to sit in the car and wait, so as not to frighten each other.

They saw that the number of people in the street was gradually increasing. I saw my sister-in-law picking a pick to sell cakes by the bridge. After a while, there were more people buying cakes.

The old lady looked at it for a while and smiled at her mother-in-law and said, "There is nothing new." What you want me to see will have to wait until it will appear?

"If there is nothing, even if I go on an outing today, it will be worth it. You managed to get me out for a break, and I still have to thank you.

"Wake up so early and run so far. Although I was a little tired, I felt very comfortable. Wait a little while and find a big hotel and we'll have a drink together. ”

The mother-in-law smiled and said, "Old lady, don't worry, the person I want you to see has already come." ”

The old lady looked around, she shook her head and said, "I don't see any special people, where do you want me to see them?" ”

The mother-in-law said, "Look there, it's the people who came from the path on the side of the mountain, do you see?" This is the person I want you to see, and I am telling you about the big thing. ”

The old lady looked in the direction she was pointing. She saw a familiar young woman walking gently down the hill with delicate steps.