In the nineteenth year of Chenghua, Zhang Erzhen passed the eighth New Year of the Ming Dynasty. The south is always clammy and cold, Zhang Erzhen was a northerner in her previous life, and she still didn't get used to it after so many years here, so she nested in the listening wind pavilion all day long, either copying and writing the "Female Ring" ordered by Mama Hua, or learning embroidery with the nurse, although the embroidery was crooked, but it also felt more advanced than embroidering cross flowers, and she was always very proud in her heart. This year, a little master was added to the Jin Mansion, Sheng Lan gave birth to a white and fat son, Master Jin was very happy, Sheng Lan lived in the courtyard because of feeding her son, and Zhang Erzhen basically would not see her.

The nurse took the two-month-old girl to gather around Zhang Erzhen's warm edge, sitting one person and one cotton dwarf, and the atmosphere was still peaceful and stable.

The letter sent by Zhang Erzhen quickly received a reply, which was Jin's tone and handwriting, saying that the house was busy and someone would be sent to pick up Zhang Erzhen soon. Then it snowed heavily, the road was closed and the snow was a foot thick, and the Jin family sent another letter, one to Zhang Erzhen and one to Master Jin. The letter to Zhang Erzhen said that the road was slippery in the snow, and that the snow had to melt before the carriage could run. I don't know what the Jin family said in the letter to Master Jin, and then what did the Jin family say to the Zhao family, but the ending is that Zhang Erzhen doesn't have to rush back for the time being, and he can't go back anyway because the snow is closed. Zhao also didn't see her anymore, I heard that a small ancestral hall called Zhaitang was built, and she knocked on the wooden fish and chanted scriptures in it all day long, and she was a vegetarian for a long time. When Zhang Erzhen heard this, she was a little moved in her heart, thinking that Zhao was a good mother and that Jin Zhiniang was a very happy girl.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month has passed, and the weather is still very cold, the north wind is howling, and it feels cold on the warm collapse. Shao Fu sent someone to inform him, saying that he would start classes when it was warmer. Jin Yanniang is also too lazy to go out, occasionally call someone to come over and ask Zhang Erzhen to sit down, the two little girls get together to have fun, Zhang Erzhen teaches her to fight the landlord, at this time Mingyue will also be called, because her skills are the same as Jin Yanniang, Jin Yanniang is always very happy to reward Mingyue with some gadgets, Mingyue is also happy to lose. Zhang Erzhen often wins, occasionally loses a handful of water, and looks at the gadgets won from Jin Yanniang, so happy that she can't see her teeth.

In the Listening Wind Pavilion, Zhang Erzhen was twisting a small red strawberry into her mouth, squinting her eyes and enjoying the feeling of cold and sweet melting in her mouth.

"Mother Dong is here. Yunxiang knocked on the door and came in, followed by Dong's mother in a reddish-brown long cotton jacket, Dong's mother was holding a food box with Nanmu grain in her hand, and greeted Zhang Erzhen on the collapse, and said with a smile: "This is the red plum snow cake made by the new cook in the house, and Mrs. ordered to send some to the cousin." Mrs. said, the cousin girl is afraid that she will lose her vitality in this small courtyard all day, let the third girl take you out for a walk, the lantern festival on Qingfeng Street has not yet dispersed, and it is the most lively. ”

The nurse stepped forward to take the food box, Zhang Erzhen opened it and smelled a burst of fragrance, looked at the round and cute pastries and praised: "This cake looks so beautiful, help me thank my grandmother." Mother Dong, sit down, you must have frozen if you came so far. Yunxiang, add some silver silk carbon into the stove, and make the fire more vigorous. ”

Dong's mother pretended to shirk it, and sat on the ear pier on one side. The nurse went down with the two-month-old girl, and Zhang Erzhen asked with a smile: "Does my grandmother have something to do with me?" Mother Dong said bluntly, why be so polite. ”

Mother Dong watched Yunxiang go down and close the door before she spoke, "Last night...... Madame dreamed of the second girl. Mother Dong sighed and said leisurely: "The second girl is the first child of the lady's relatives, she has grown up with love since she was a child, she has never been trained, she has never said, the second girl shed a tear and the lady is distressed, after the second girl went, the lady did not have a day of peace, cousin, Mrs. dreamed that the second girl said that she wanted to see you yesterday, can you please go to the dining hall to stay with the lady for a few days? I know that the cousin has a bad heart, but I hope you can understand the heart of the lady and love the daughter, the cousin girl ......" Dong's mother wiped the corner of her eyes.

Although Zhang Erzhen hopes to protect Mingzhe, he is not a cold-hearted person. These days, the Zhao family has not come to her trouble, she is really good, the winter is full of products, clothes, jewelry, maids and servants are very good, whether this is a delaying tactic or a Hongmen banquet, Zhang Erzhen knows, it is reasonable, she must go this time, but she doesn't want to take a sip, and said euphemistically: "Will this disturb my grandmother's purity? I am worried that my grandmother will be angry with me again." ”

Dong's mother hurriedly said, "It's not in the way, it's not in the way", the frightened and grateful and frightened look made Zhang Erzhen suspicious, Dong's mother pinched Nuo Nuo and wanted to say something more, Zhang Erzhen had already swayed down from the bed, pointed to the crumpled clothes and said: "Mother Dong wait for me, I'll go change my clothes, it's not good to dress like this to see my grandmother." ”

Dong's mother only agreed, and bent down and exited the inner room. The nurse came in to serve Zhang Erzhen, Zhang Erzhen whispered to the nurse, and the nurse said uneasily: "Girl, don't go, or let the slave accompany you." ”

Zhang Erzhen disagreed: "None of you are allowed to leave this courtyard, when I leave, tell Lingzhi to pass the word." ”

Zhang Erzhen walked out of the inner room and said to Dong's mother who was guarding the door: "Let's go now." ”

Dong's mother said happily: "Thank you, cousin, thank you, cousin." ”

The sky began to flutter with falling snowflakes again, and it looked gloomy, and it felt like it was going to fall for a long time. Zhang Erzhen only took Yun Xiang with her, and the nurse watched Zhang Erzhen's thin figure leave, her eyelids jumped, and an uneasiness welled up in her heart.

Stepping on the thin snow, the group headed in the direction of the temple. The hall is not in the temple, in a very remote place. Mother Dong led Zhang Erzhen around the Fangdui Courtyard and walked for a quarter of an hour from a small road before she vaguely saw a few small houses. Dong's mother walked quickly, Zhang Erzhen had already cheered up, followed Dong's mother to the door of a room, and smelled the unique aroma of sandalwood from a long distance, Dong's mother stepped forward and knocked on the door, and Zhao's hoarse voice came from inside, "Come in", Dong's mother pulled Yunxiang to take a step back, and Zhang Erzhen climbed the stairs and pushed open the door.

This is a small room, directly opposite is a long red sandalwood table, there are only a few volumes of scriptures on it, to the left into the two ruyi pattern square stools, next to a Ganoderma lucidum pattern red sandalwood square table, and then go inside, you can see a small Buddha shrine, hanging on the autumn fragrance color black gold cloud embroidered yarn tent, below is an incense case, the ground is covered with a round gold-edged futon, Zhao wears green clothes and kneels on the futon, the back is straight. In the middle of the incense case is a white jade four-legged and double-eared Pixiu lying on the Ding, and a cigarette is slowly burning in the Ding. There was no stove in the room, and it was very cold.

"Close the door. Zhao said quietly, Zhang Erzhen didn't move, Dong's mother had closed the door neatly, and with a "snap", Zhao turned around, his eye sockets were deep, and his face was pale. Zhang Erzhen was a little surprised, when I asked An An a few days ago, the Zhao family was not what it is now, in just a few days, how could it be so pale and miserable.

Zhao looked at Zhang Erzhen's frightened appearance, smiled kindly, and said, "Zhenzhen is here, don't be afraid, my grandmother won't do anything to you, you are my granddaughter." Zhao recalled the past and said quietly: "It's a pity, you only look three points like your second aunt." Yan'er looks a little like her sister, but her temperament really can't be compared with Zhi'er. Your Aunt Yan has been a skin monkey since she was a child, but she didn't let me worry about it. Zhi'er is a lovely child, knowing that my body is broken and I can't give birth to a son, and she came to relieve my heart. Zhenzhen, why do you think she can't think about it like that...... Why can't you think of it, you have to seek death......"

Zhang Erzhen opened her mouth to persuade Zhao, but looking at her dejected appearance and didn't know how to speak, she pinched her skirt and didn't speak. Zhao laughed, looked at the little childish Zhang Erzhen and said coldly: "Look at how happy you are, I heard that you have a good fiancé...... Your second aunt is a fool, how can she be worth it for such a man...... Look, how can a grandmother tell you a child...... But your second aunt came to talk to me, saying that she missed the tea you made and wanted to eat the tea you made...... What do you think you should do?"

"Does my grandmother know about my second aunt's poisoning after eating ginkgo tea?" Zhang Erzhen calmed down and quietly moved to the door, thinking that if it was not good, she would run quickly.

"You stop me!" Zhao Shi stared at Zhang Erzhen tightly: "You have bad intentions at a young age, do you want to murder my Zhi'er! You are really as vicious as your mother-in-law, are you joining forces to kill her?"

Zhao was already crazy, Zhang Erzhen looked at her lifeless face, with monstrous anger in her eyes, and felt that it was useless to say anything to her at this time-she forgot who told Jin Zhiniang to go to Jinfu? She forgot how Jin Zhiniang died? No, obviously she knew everything clearly, but she needed to vent the anger in her heart, and Zhang Erzhen became the unlucky scapegoat.

"So what are you going to do to me?" Zhang Erzhen took another step back and looked at Zhao vigilantly.

Zhao regained his clarity in an instant, and said with a smile: "Seeing that you are scared, my grandmother just wants you to accompany me to recite Buddha for a few days and eat fasting for a few days, Zhen Zhen, don't be afraid." Then he pulled Zhang Erzhen and pressed it on the futon, Zhang Erzhen staggered and knelt on the futon, and heard Zhao's soft voice behind him: "Your grandfather warned me, I don't dare to do anything to you, it's the maid next to you, I can't move." ”

"When I came, I already told the girl to invite my grandfather, oh yes, and Aunt Yan, do you still want to do this to me?" Zhang Erzhen straightened her thin spine, facing the pious Bodhisattva, and folded her hands together and bowed down......