There are five or six farming families living at the bottom of Shuinan Mountain outside the capital, and most of the villagers catch wild game from the mountains and sell it in the capital to make a living. A few years ago, the two children were admitted to the examination and found official positions in the capital, and the two families moved into the city one after another.

The other two families saw that their neighbors had entered the city and became nobles, so they also entered the city to plan a way out, and now the Wang family and the Song family are left in this small village. The Wang family lost their son at an early age, and now there is an old couple left in the family, and the Song family has a daughter named Song Yuan. Although Song Yuan was born in a peasant household, he was born into a country and a city, and he was hardworking and capable, and the two families have always been at the top of their hearts.

On this day, Song Yuan was wearing clothes by the river, and he listened to the grandmother of the Wang family singing from afar, calling herself.

"Yuanyuan, hurry back, there are many nobles in your house, saying that they are here to look for you."

"Looking for me?" Song Yuan asked himself if he had never dealt with high-ranking officials and nobles since he was born, and he didn't know where he came from.

"I look at all the people who wear gold and silver, and you are a beautiful one. I'm afraid these individuals are not here to say kiss? "Grandma Wang said cheerfully, and it is not entirely unreasonable to think of such speculation. Those in the village who were promoted to officials in the examination later returned to the village and wanted to marry Song Yuan as a concubine, but Song Yuan didn't want to be a child, so his father and mother refused.

The two of them talked sentence by sentence and arrived at the house, only to see that there was a sedan chair parked outside the courtyard, and the servants waiting outside the courtyard saw Song Yuan, so they hurriedly shouted at the top of their voices: "Master, Miss Song is back."

Song Yuan was welcomed into the house by a group of people, if it weren't for the fact that he was dressed as a peasant girl, Song Yuan at this time really felt that she was an official lady.

When I entered the house, I saw Song Yuan's father and mother sitting on the side like a guest; And the person who was supposed to be a guest, but the master in the mouth of the servant was sitting on the main case. Seeing Song Yuan come in, he suddenly burst out laughing.

"It's like it, it's like it."

Grandma Wang was about to say something, but was invited out by the housekeeper behind the old man, and for a while, only Song Yuan's family and the old man's master and servant were left in the house.

"Let me introduce to you, our master is Taiwei Li from the capital, and he came here for Miss Song this time."

Li Taiwei, a well-known official of the dynasty. Even the common people know that the Li Mansion produced a Jin Guifei two years ago, and it is said that she is the only one who is favored by the current emperor, and the Li Mansion also occupies the scenery. It's just that somehow it is said that a while ago I fell into the water and lost my life.

"Song Yuan asked himself if he had never dealt with Taiwei Li, I don't know why you came to visit today?" Although Song Yuan was surprised after learning the identity of Taiwei Li, he was calm and unhurried.

Taiwei Li saw it in his eyes, and his heart was more and more satisfied with Song Yuan. So he expressed his intention: "Everyone in the world knows that there is a Jin Guifei in my Li Mansion, and I pity my daughter's poor life." These days, I think about it day and night, and I never thought that the servant met Miss Song once in a purchase, saying that Miss Song and Concubine Jin looked very similar. I am also thinking about the girl, so I rushed over to look for it, after all, I also want to take this Miss Song to the Li Mansion to enjoy the blessings. ”

At this point, the Song family also understood Taiwei Li's intentions, which was to bring Song Yuan close to the Li Mansion and live in place of Concubine Jin. In the end, he can live a civilian life, who doesn't want to enjoy Qingfu when he has a chance, but the second elder of the Song family looks at the daughter he brought up, how can he be ruthless for a while.

Seeing this, Taiwei Li also understood, so he only said that he would give the Song family three days to think about it, and he would send someone to pick up Song Yuan into the mansion after three days. If the Song family still disagrees after three days, they will give up.

After sending off Mrs. Li, the second elder of the Song family sat back on the chair with a lot of vicissitudes. It's the height of summer, and the cicadas outside are noisy, which is really annoying.

"Daddy, do you really want to send Yuanyuan to the Li Mansion? It is said that the capital is a place where people eat people and do not spit out bones, and it is a high-rise mansion and a deep mansion, and there will be no less intrigues. We have been growing up in the countryside since childhood, where can we compare to those who were born there? ”

What Mother Song said is unreasonable, Song Yuan has always been a good-looking face, if you say anything about etiquette, it is a little bit like an official lady, so she broke in blindly, maybe she offended anyone and died.

It's not that Uncle Song hasn't thought about these points, it's just that who is a parent who doesn't want his son to become a dragon and a daughter to become a phoenix, now that he has such a good opportunity, if he misses Song Yuan's life, he will be a rural village woman.

"I know all of this, but our family has a good face, even if Mrs. Li comes, he must be similar to the concubine. Yuanyuan has been suffering with us for half a lifetime, and now we can be the eldest lady in the capital, why should we stop it. Besides, didn't Taiwei Li agree, and he would take good care of Yuanyuan when he took it back, so that she would not be wronged. ”

"But Yuanyuan is our own flesh and blood after all, so you ...... like this"

"Enough! Do you still want those bastard boys who have become officials in Beijing to marry Yuanyuan! Mother Song wanted to say something, but was stopped by Uncle Song's angry roar. Yes, half a year ago, the boy from the Chen family who became an official came back and wanted to forcibly accept Song Yuan as a concubine, if it weren't for Uncle Song's threat, I am afraid that Song Yuan would be someone else's concubine at this moment.

"We can protect her for a while, but not for a lifetime. Since she will always have to walk on her own in the future, why don't we try to pave a rich road for her. Moreover, as soon as Yuanyuan enters the Taiwei Mansion, Taiwei Li will find a good job for us, and we will not not see Yuanyuan. ”

Uncle Song's attitude was resolute, but it was also true, for the sake of Song Yuan's good, Song's mother on the side thought about it again and again, and finally responded.

"Daddy, my daughter doesn't want to leave the second elder, and now my daughter just wants to stay by the second elder's side forever and fulfill her filial piety." Song Yuan saw that the second elder had made up his mind, and he couldn't help kneeling down and crying reluctantly.

"Good boy, get up." When Mother Song saw this scene, she couldn't help but wet her eyes, in the end, it was so easy to give up the love with a hand.

"Good boy, it's very gratifying for you to have this thought. There is an opportunity comparable to climbing the dragon and the phoenix, and we must grasp it. You look like a Jin concubine, I think that Taiwei Li will treat you as his own to dispel his thoughts of a woman, as long as you please Taiwei more, your life in Taiwei's Mansion will not be sad. ”

Seeing that the second elder's mind had been decided, Song Yuan had to bear to agree. The day of reunion flies quickly, and it seems that in the blink of an eye, it will be the day when the Taiwei Mansion will come to pick up people.

Taiwei's Mansion sent a four-horse soft sedan carriage, for Song Yuan's comfort all the way, there was an ice basin and chilled fruits in the sedan car, which was enough to see that Taiwei Li attached great importance to Song Yuan. The second elder of the Song family was also happy in his eyes, and his heart was much more relieved.

Because Taiwei was busy with the affairs of the court, he did not come to pick up Song Yuan in person, but it was also appropriate to send the chief steward around him to come.

"The old slave has seen the second miss."

It is said that the chief steward in this official mansion is comparable to the upper half of the master, Song Yuan is not his own young lady in the end, where can he dare to accept this gift, he hurriedly smiled and helped the steward into the house.

"According to the master's meaning, the young lady entered the mansion as the second daughter of the Taiwei Mansion, and she was the second lady. It is said to the outside world that she was sent to the mountain temple to recuperate when she was young, so the second lady needs to be delicate in front of outsiders. ”

It turned out to be the identity of the concubine, thinking that the Jin Guifei was the eldest daughter of the Zheng'er Bajing, and Song Yuan's entry into the Li Mansion was also the identity of the concubine, and the second elder of the Song family was even more reassured when he saw this.

Seeing that the second elder showed a satisfied look, the steward said again: "The second lady is the daughter of the master when she enters the mansion, and this name will naturally be changed." The lord gave the name Li Shenlan, taking the meaning of calm and tranquility, and the meaning of Hui Zhilan's heart. ”

"Do you want to change your name?" In addition to blood, this change has nothing to do with the Song family, and Song Yuan is inevitably a little reluctant to hear it.

"In the end, it is the daughter of the Taiwei Mansion, and this outsider will be suspicious if he doesn't change." The steward's words are completely reasonable, and the Song family is not easy to refute.

In the end, Uncle Song opened his mouth and said that he was the daughter of your family, so naturally he couldn't live in the name of vulgarity and unrighteousness. The so-called gains and losses, it is always like this.

"That being the case, there is nothing to do, there are many personnel relations in the house, the old slave will be on the road to the second miss, please keep it in mind after listening to the second miss, so that after entering the house, you can't figure out who is who, and make jokes."

"This is natural, please rest assured." Song Yuanyun's courtesy. Then the accompanying maid came in and changed Song Yuan's clothes.

It is said that this person relies on clothes and horses to rely on saddles, Song Yuan already has a good face, and when he was dressed up like this by the maid, he went to that station, just like an official Miss Jiao, and even the maid waiting on the side was full of praise.

"Okay, good, my daughter is not a good woman." Uncle Song saw it in his eyes, although he was reluctant in his heart, but he was smiling happily on his face.

Song Yuan looked at the gorgeous clothes on his body, and for a moment he felt that he was out of place in this house where he had lived for decades. Looking at his mother, whose eyes were already crying red in front of him, Song Yuan couldn't help it anymore, knelt in front of his father and mother, and bowed three times to the second elder.

"My daughter's life was given by her father, no matter where my daughter went, I was worried about my father. Rest assured, my father and mother are leaving, and it is not a time to see each other again. I also hope that my father and mother will settle down in the house arranged by the Taiwei, and take care of myself, and my daughter will definitely visit you when I have the opportunity. ”

Song Yuan was also crying when he spoke, and Uncle Song was afraid that he couldn't help but leave Song Yuan, so he asked the steward to take Song Yuan away.

"Your mother and I are old, and we are always unaccustomed to parting occasions. Hurry up and go with the steward, we won't send it. Uncle Song said and pulled Song's mother to the back room. Song Yuan looked at the back of the second elder and bowed again, and finally turned around and walked out of the courtyard and got into the carriage......

Along the way, the steward rode a horse outside the car and told Song Yuan in detail about the current situation in Taiwei's Mansion: In the backyard of Taiwei Li, in addition to his wife Xue, there are two concubines, Aunt Xiao and Aunt Xu.

His wife, Xue Shi, is pregnant with a son and a daughter, and the eldest son, Li Yunhao, is 20 years old and is currently serving as a Chinese scholar. The eldest daughter, Li Mingjin, is the late Jin Guifei. In the concubine's room, Xiao has a daughter Li Mingyue, who is sixteen years old, and because Song Yuan entered the mansion, she is called the third lady in the mansion. And the Xu family has a son Li Yunqi under his knees, who is only three years old now, and he can be regarded as the son of Taiwei Li.

"There aren't many concubines in Mrs. Li, so it's easy to remember. Please rest assured, steward, I will make a note of it. Song Yuan listened to it in his ears, and he silently wrote it down in his heart.

"Second Miss, the old slave's surname is Wu, you just need to call me Steward Wu in the future. One more nagging word, you are undoubtedly the second daughter when you enter the house, and you have to call your father when you see the master. You yourself have to be aware of the change in identity, Li Shenlan is the name given by the master, and you always have to use the habit of not. ”

"Yes, Shen Lan wrote it down." Yes, from the moment he hit the courtyard of the Song family, Song Yuan was the real Li Shenlan.

Shuinan Mountain is only eighty miles away from the capital, and the carriage travels fast, and the group enters the capital in just over an hour. When the people in the capital heard that the second lady of the Taiwei Mansion had returned to the house, they all rushed to welcome them, and the scene in the city was not lively for a while.

Li Shenlan looked at the people outside the curtain full of joy, and couldn't help but sigh: "Taiwei is so loved by the people."

"The lord is friendly, and he is also dedicated to the affairs of the court, and the people naturally support the lord in their eyes. Second Miss, the old slave has said many times that he wants to call his father. Steward Wu listened to Li Shenlan still call him a captain, and couldn't help but be verbose.

The number of teahouses along the street Qingguan Pavilion is the most famous, how many children of the official family, the relatives of the emperor will also come here to drink tea and chat, sit by the window, and the realm of the capital downstairs is in full view.

The man in the teahouse stood in front of the window with a lamp, looked at the scene on the street and said indifferently: "When did Taiwei Li have a second daughter?"

"Hui Gongzi, it is said that he was raised in the mountains and forests and temples outside the city when he was a child, and you are in the capital, so naturally you have never seen it." The man's voice was slightly shrill and thin, but when he listened closely, it seemed that a woman was deliberately imitating a man's speech.

"Yes, it's just a second daughter, as for the common people, welcome it." The man's tone was extremely steady, and if it weren't for the long time of the servant beside him, he wouldn't have heard that he was a little angry.

"Taiwei Li has always been shrewd and capable in the DPRK, and the people naturally love and support him. Besides, Taiwei has been assisting since the first emperor was on his side, and he can be regarded as an old minister in the court, and the people have praised Li Taiwei since the time of the first emperor, and now he is even more supportive. ”

The slave's words fell for a long time, and when he heard the man's words again, he couldn't help but feel that his words were offensive, and he was busy kneeling down to plead guilty.

"You are telling the truth, what a sin. Get up, it's time to go back when you come out. ”

"Yes."

On the other side, Li Shenlan and his entourage finally arrived at the Taiwei Mansion unhurriedly. Except for Taiwei Li and the eldest prince who said that they didn't come to the palace because they had something to do, the rest of the ladies waited at the gate of the mansion early. The minions waiting on the side saw the carriage coming, and hurriedly reminded Mrs. Taiwei cheerfully.

"Madam, the carriage of the second lady is here!"

A group of people heard the sound and looked over, but it wasn't it. Steward Wu waited for the carriage to settle and hurried to the carriage to lift the curtain. A slender jade hand holding the butler's hand appeared in everyone's sight. Then the owner of the jade hand stooped down and got out of the carriage, and raised his head, revealing a pretty face. When he turned his head again, he was already supported by the maid behind him and walked in front of everyone.

"Shen Lan has seen her mother." Li Shenlan said and bowed in front of Mrs. Li.

"Good boy, get up quickly and let your mother see." Mrs. Li smiled happily, and when she saw Li Shenlan worshipping herself, she hurriedly stepped forward to help her up. looked Li Shenlan up and down so carefully, didn't she look like a mother. "Look at your emaciated appearance, for the sake of your body, I have placed you in the mountain temple for so many years, and my mother is very worried."

"Lao's mother has been concerned for many years, and although her daughter is in the temple, she is also concerned about her mother. Now it's easy for mother and daughter to see each other, which is a happy thing, but how can the mother be in tears. "If this Mrs. Li is really a good actor, there are tears in her eyes, as if Li Shenlan is really her own flesh and blood that she has been separated from for many years.

"The second sister also said that my mother had been talking about the second sister for a long time, and now that she finally received it, she naturally cried with joy." It was a girl who spoke, wearing a pink skirt with a butterfly and pearl hairpin on her bun, and the whole person looked particularly soft and delicate.

Li Shenlan noticed the girl, and when she heard her call herself, the second sister knew in her heart that this was Aunt Xiao's daughter.

"This is the third sister Mingyue, looking at the gentle and lovely sister, it is not as good as the sister by your side." It's a joke, but I don't want Li Mingyue to be funny.

"The second sister jokes, how can the younger sister know how to dress up after living in the boudoir for a long time. However, the second sister was lined with this dress, which made her more beautiful little jasper. ”

The small jasper is a word to describe the daughter of a small family, and when it is used on Li Shenlan, a clear-eyed person can naturally hear it. This is to say that Li Shenlan was born in the countryside and does not have the style of everyone. This dress is the formal dress of everyone selected by Mrs. Li herself, and when Li Mingyue said this, it made people feel that Li Shenlan was like a peasant girl in the countryside. Li Shenlan listened to it in her heart, looked at the girl in front of her who seemed to be harmless to humans and animals, and intuitively felt that the days in this deep mansion compound were complicated and sad.

In embarrassment, Mrs. Li opened her mouth to send these words away, and everyone laughed enthusiastically and welcomed Li Shenlan into the mansion.

A group of people moved into the main hall in a mighty manner, with Mrs. Li as the leader, and Li Shenlan as the second to sit at the head of the guest seat. Because Aunt Xu gave birth to Li Yunqi, she naturally sat in front of Aunt Xiao's mother and daughter.

"The second lady has been working hard all the way, right?" It was Aunt Xu on Li Shenlan's left who spoke, looking at a plain green dress with a silver hairpin inserted in her sideburns, which looked simple and light. Compared with Aunt Xiao's red and willow green, Aunt Xu gives people a sense of stability and calm.

Li Shenlan smiled shyly, and Yu Guang saw that the eldest lady on the seat did not show displeasure, so she replied softly: "It's just a journey of more than an hour, where is it hard." I have long heard that my aunt gave birth to Yunqi, and I have not had the opportunity to say hello to my aunt when I am outside for so many years. It is said that boys are naughty, but in comparison, it is really hard for my aunt to take care of Yunqi. ”

Speaking of which, since Li Mingjin entered the palace as a concubine, there is only one daughter in the Li Mansion. Mrs. Li has always felt sorry for her daughter's family, and on weekdays, Aunt Xu is not a few of Aunt Xiao's mother and daughter. Now that a concubine suddenly came, and she was so approachable, it made Aunt Xu a little happy.

"The second sister's words are reasonable, compared to the second sister's hard work in the mountain temple in the past, what is this tiring journey."

When the eldest lady heard this, her face immediately showed displeasure, and Aunt Xiao hurriedly got up and said that she was unwell, and turned around and dragged Li Mingyue out of the main hall.

"Now that Sister Xiao is gone, I think that Mrs. and Second Miss still have a lot of things to say, and the concubine body will not stay longer." Xu's elegance and courtesy are even more arrogant and domineering of Xiao's mother and daughter.

After the Xu family led Li Yunqi to disappear outside the door, Mrs. Li finally landed on Li Shenlan without shying away from it, and looked up and down.

"I performed well just now, and my words and deeds are also rules, but my eyes are still self-confident, and I can't lose the spirit of the countryside." There was a grandmother behind Mrs. Li in this house, and Li Shenlan was the only one. Mrs. Li spoke a little ruthlessly.

Fortunately, Li Shenlan is also a sensible person, knowing that she has to learn to bow her head under the fence, listen to Mrs. Li's admonition, and humbly say yes.

"Since the master arranged for you to enter the mansion, he naturally has his reasons. The so-called what comes is what it is, although you are not my own child, but the master said yes, that is. I won't be too distant from you, and I won't be pampered. "Mrs. Li said so much, as if she was tired and took a sip of tea a little laxly." In this way, if it is your first time in the house, I will take you to the courtyard assigned to you, and then I will talk to you about the important things in the house on the way. ”

On the other hand, Aunt Xiao pulled Li Mingyue back to Bixi Garden in the east with a very bad face.

"Yue'er, you are so presumptuous!" Thinking of what Li Mingyue said just now, as well as the face of the eldest lady, Aunt Xiao felt a chill on her back.

On the side, Li Mingyue didn't care at all, eating the snacks that had been placed on the table early in the morning, and joked: "Auntie is afraid of what she will do, what second lady, you have been in this house for so many years, have you ever heard that the eldest lady has a second daughter." The last time I went to deliver snacks to my father, I heard what he was talking to the eldest lady. I don't know where my father found a wild bastard from a poor country. ”

"What do you mean by that?" Although the Xiao family entered the house earlier than the Xu family, the eldest lady was already four or five years old, and it was not impossible to say that there was a sick second daughter. can listen to the meaning of Li Mingyue's words, these two young ladies are not Mrs. Li's biological daughter.

"Auntie doesn't know yet, last time I overheard my father's words, which meant that this Li Shenlan was found, I don't know who my family is, I only know that it is a rural person." Looking at Aunt Xiao's surprised expression, the smile on Li Mingyue's face magnified a few points. "So, what are you afraid of her doing, auntie, people who don't even have the blood of the Li family, why should we respect them?"

"But if it's really as you said, Li Shenlan is not the Li family, why did the Taiwei let her enter the mansion? And you look at the appearance of the eldest lady, you like Li Shenlan very much. ”

"Who doesn't know how to pretend, the only thing I can't figure out is the purpose of my father taking her into the house. Well, maybe my father has a point. Just one point, in the past, we were not afraid of Aunt Xu, but now we don't have to be afraid of an outsider. Although Aunt Xiao has been arrogant on the surface over the years, she is not as good as her daughter in private. So she has always been obedient to Li Mingyue, at least she understands in her heart that Li Mingyue is a person with ideas, and if she hadn't flattered Taiwei in every way for so many years, she would not have been able to live a superior life.

Xiaoyuxuan, south of Taiwei's Mansion, is a place that Taiwei set up early in the morning for Li Shenlan to live alone.

"This Xiaoyuxuan faces south, warm in winter and cool in summer. The lord values you, so Baba's ordered someone to pack it up and let you live alone. I think that Jin'er just lived in the Xiechun Ju in the west, and I don't know if you can afford this arrangement. Thinking about it, Mrs. Li thought of the deceased Concubine Jin again, and she was even more bored with Li Shenlan beside her.

"Father and mother treat Shen Lan well, Shen Lan will remember it in her heart, and she will not dare to forget it for a moment."

Fortunately, Li Shenlan's performance was also humble, and Mrs. Li saw that in her eyes, she eased up a little.

"For the reason why you don't understand the rules of Miss Jingzhong after living outside for so many years, the master has found a teacher to teach Mama, and he will teach you etiquette every afternoon, so you can study hard and don't live up to the good intentions of the master." Li Shenlan listened and hurriedly whispered.

sent Li Shenlan into Xiaoyuxuan, and Mrs. Li explained a few more words and got up to leave. Looking at the gorgeous and warm boudoir, Li Shenlan felt out of breath. Since I saw Mrs. Li, I found that she was not very friendly to me, but didn't Mrs. Li say that she looked like a concubine of Jin, and she didn't see Mrs. Li Aiwu and Wu. Li Shenlan couldn't figure it out, she always felt that Mrs. Li had another purpose for herself, but now that she had entered the mansion, it was impossible to go out again, and she didn't know what happened to her parents.

"The second lady used some snacks, and the car and horses were bumpy all the way, and she talked to her wife for a while, she must be hungry." Bang Chun was specially sent by Mrs. Li to wait for Li Shenlan, and there were three girls who stayed in the summer, harvested the autumn, and Tibetan winter, and Li Shenlan saw that the two girls in the spring and summer were still smart, so she was promoted to be a close waiter.

"How many years have you been in the mansion?"

"Second Miss Hui, the slaves and maids have been by Mama Hu's side since they were young, and it has been ten years since they were full." Mama Hu is Mrs. Li's dowry, so these girls are Mrs. Li's people.

"It's been a long time, I asked you what kind of person the third lady is, I don't think it's easy to get along." In the end, she will have to live in the Li Mansion in the future, and Li Shenlan will always find out the temperament of the ladies in the mansion.

"Since the Jin Guifei entered the palace, the third lady in the house has won the favor of the master. The Bixi Garden, where the third lady and Aunt Xiao live now, was specially exchanged with Aunt Xu, and the slave maid once passed by there, and saw that the yard was really beautiful. It's that the third lady attaches great importance to her master's identity, if it weren't for the close relatives and maids, the slaves and maids wouldn't be able to talk on weekdays. ”

can coax Mrs. Li to change a good yard for herself to live in, and she boasts of being noble, it can be seen that this Li Mingyue is an official woman who has a city and looks down on people. No wonder since Li Shenlan entered the mansion, she has been staring at Li Shenlan's identity.

"What about Aunt Xiao and Aunt Xu? I didn't see Aunt Xiao talking in the living room today, but Aunt Xu seemed to be amiable. ”

Bang Chun hammered Li Shenlan's legs, and slowly analyzed: "Aunt Xu is indeed a good person to get along with, she is not quarrelful or jealous on weekdays, and she treats her wife very respectfully. Even if he gave birth to a second son, he was not arrogant or impatient, and he was very low-key. Mo said that Miss likes it, and the slave also likes Aunt Xu, and she can't treat her subordinates well. ”

After allowing Li Shenlan to digest it for a while, Bang Chun said again: "Besides, Aunt Xiao, I didn't see much high-profile before, but it was only later that the third lady had a better life." But Madame is extremely strict, and she does not dare to be presumptuous in front of Madame. ”

"In this way, these two aunts are not difficult to get along with......"

Li Shenlan's days in the Li Mansion were also spent with daily teaching and longing for her parents. It's also strange to say that Li Shenlan has been in the house for nearly four months, but Mrs. Li has not been summoned once, and Mrs. Li is also sitting on the side every day. Although Li Shenlan is strange, she can only bury it in her heart, and it is difficult to ask.

Seeing that it was about to come to New Year's Day, the grandmother who taught yesterday told Li Shenlan that she would have class one hour earlier today. As soon as I repeated the newly learned manners with my grandmother the day before, I saw Mrs. Li and Mrs. Li enter the courtyard gate together.

"The daughter greets her father and mother."

"I've been hearing your mother say that you have excellent manners and manners now, and you don't believe in your father, but now it seems that you have really benefited a lot." This is the first time Li Shenlan has heard Mrs. Li speak since she entered the mansion. "Alright, don't get tired, get up. There is nothing to do in the court today, so it is better for my father to come to watch you in class. "Mrs. Li is holding a spring breeze on his face, which only makes people's hearts warm when they look at it.

Xu is because of the presence of the Taiwei, the progress of Mama's teaching has also slowed down, and a total of two or three manners have been taught in one afternoon, and Li Shenlan has also done it lightly and steadily. Seeing this, Mama was very satisfied, and after a few more pointers, she got out of class early.

"Early in the morning, I ordered the kitchen to make dinner more exquisite, and since class is early today, I will also go to see if the people are doing it carefully." Mrs. Li just made an excuse, and she usually left in a hurry after class.

Seeing Mrs. Li leave, Mrs. Li said with a smile: "The last time we met was at the Song family, and it was not mine." There are many things going on in the DPRK and China, and I have never been idle to see you. It's rare that there is nothing to do today, why don't you go for a walk in the garden with me? ”

Even though the captain invited her bluntly, Li Shenlan was not easy to refuse, and she also wanted to ask about her parents.

It's winter, and all that's left in the garden is the plum blossoms. Because of the snow in the capital two days ago, now these flowers are accumulating this ice slag, and the snow falls when people walk by, which is also a different scenery.

"It's been a long time since I've been in the house, and I'm still used to living there?" The rustling footsteps were interrupted by the captain's greeting, and the two simply stopped, pretending to admire the flowers.

Although he has been in the mansion for so long, he also calls Taiwei his father on his face, but Li Shenlan doesn't know anything about Taiwei himself. So in front of the captain, he always lowered his head and was a little afraid. "My mother treats me very well, and the people in the house also do their best. As for the others, Shen Lan hadn't dealt much with them. ”

Taiwei Li looked at the girl in front of him, although he said that he was very good, he always felt that something was strange. Talking to my father, I raised my head. The etiquette that Mama taught you these days, why did I forget it when it arrived. ”

"Shen Lan is very good, but she doesn't know her father, so she is a little afraid." Having said that, he still raised his head.

"That day, Mingyue embarrassed you, and my father knew about it. She has a big temper and has always been a little pampered, so don't worry about her. "These are the things that happened on the day I entered the house.

"The third sister is cute and delicate, Shen Lan won't care."

"I've found a new lesson for you, and you should learn some palace ordinances in the future."

"In the palace?" Li Shenlan was stunned when she heard this. "Why do I want to learn the rules of the palace, you took me here, but you never said that you want to enter the palace."

"Otherwise, do you think that I will bring you here to enjoy pure happiness?" Mrs. Li said this sarcastically, and his voice was even higher.

But in Li Shenlan's cognition, where is the palace where ordinary people can enter at will. Even ordinary people know that once you enter the palace gate, it is as deep as the sea, and there are more disasters than blessings. Thinking of this,

Li Shenlan knelt down in front of the Taiwei suddenly: "Shen Lan knows that she doesn't have that good ability, and she doesn't have the blessing to enter the palace to serve the emperor, so please think twice, Shen Lan would rather go back to live in a poor place of mountains and bad waters, and just ask Taiwei Mo to send Shen Lan into the palace."

It was a snowy day, except for the voices of Li Shenlan and the two of them, the silence around them was a little weird.

On the other hand, Taiwei Li's brows were already furrowed at this time, and his unfathomable eyes narrowed like a cheetah about to hunt. After a long time, I heard Taiwei's voice again: "After so many days, don't you want the second elder of the Song family?"

Li Shenlan was still lying on the ground, and when she heard the words, she raised her head suddenly, her eyes full of horror. And the next words of the captain reflected this fear.

"I originally allowed you, as soon as you enter the mansion, I will arrange a good place for the second elder. So three months ago, my men took your parents and went to live in a separate courtyard for them. The implication is that except for the lieutenant and the person who picked him up, no one knows the whereabouts of the second elder. It's like captivity. "Besides, isn't your life good now? In the past, even if I did it myself, my life was still so unsatisfactory. But now, clothes come to reach out and eat to open your mouth, and there are people to serve you in everything, I see that you are plump for a while. Even if they send you back again, what about your parents? At such an old age, is it possible to just enjoy yourself for a while and then go back to live a hard life? ”

The lieutenant looked at the woman kneeling and begging at his feet, and the corners of his mouth hooked as if nothing was there. "My Li family has a big business, and there has been no one to help me in the harem after Ming Jin left. When you enter the palace, I don't ask you to favor three thousand alone, I just hope that when the Li Mansion makes the emperor unhappy, you can help you and blow the wind on the pillow. What's more, although the harem women are lonely, they don't have to worry about the glory and wealth of their lives, right? Before entering the palace, I will also let you meet the second elder of the Song family and talk about filial piety. ”

Li Shenlan knelt on the ground and listened to Taiwei's words and thought for a long time. She admits that her life these days is very different from before, and she can go back to live a hard life, but her father and mother cannot. In other words, at the cost of entering the palace, he exchanged his father and mother for glory and peace, which may also be a kind of filial piety.

"The daughter obeys the order, there will be no objections, and I hope that the father will forgive the daughter for her presumptuous disrespect."

"Silly boy, it's too late to hurt you for your father, where can I blame you. It's cool on the ground, get up. The captain said and bent down to personally help Li Shenlan, which was a warm scene of father and daughter's filial piety.

Besides, in the east of Bixiyun, in front of the mirror, Li Mingyue listened to the maid learn to break a hosta.

"You said that my father intended to let Li Shenlan enter the palace?"

"The slave and maid hid behind the rockery and listened to it really, and the master meant that he had a very good idea."

"Slut!" Li Mingyue only wanted to rush to Xiaoyuxuan at this time and tear Li Shenlan apart. "Miss Ben has been courteous all these years, in order to be able to enter the palace and be a concubine. Now it's good, I don't know where the wild seed jumped out, and her father actually asked her to go to glory and wealth. I am my father's daughter, what is she Li Shenlan! ”

The maid lowered her head, and didn't dare to let out when she saw Li Mingyue making such a big fury.

"Wait, she's suffering." After a long time, Li Mingyue looked at her face in the mirror, and her faint tone seemed to be talking to herself.

At night, the ladies turned off the lights early, and only the study of the Taiwei was lit in the entire Li Mansion.

"I really don't look down on her, I can't give up the glory and wealth, how can I be worthy of a heavy responsibility!" The owner of the voice was none other than Li Yunhao, the eldest son of Captain Li. "Father, in my opinion, it is better to arrange Li Mingyue to enter the palace, and the people of my own family are more relieved than outsiders."

The lieutenant on the side listened to this, but shook his head without being salty. "You're wrong, don't say how important Li Shenlan's appearance is, even if she is greedy for wealth, she cares more about her parents. As long as her parents are in our hands, she will have more control with us, and we will be better controlled. As for Li Mingyue......" Taiwei said this, as if he had thought of something, but he only glanced at Li Yunhao lightly, and said again: "That girl looks simple, but she has a lot of eyes, if she really enters the palace, we may not be able to control it."

"In the end, it is the lowly status of the concubine, and it can't be put on the stage after all." Mrs. Li is a high-ranking woman, and Mrs. Li is a noble daughter in Beijing, so for a long time, the distinction between the concubines and the inferior in the Li Mansion has been extremely clear. The wife is the master of the concubines, and the children of the concubines are also the masters of the children of the concubines, so it is no wonder that Li Yunhao looks down on Li Mingyue.

Looking at the son in front of him, who was only over the age of the weak crown but was also extraordinarily talented, Taiwei was a little proud. It's just that Li Yunhao is a person who is very proud, and he has never paid attention to people who are lowly compared to himself. "Hao'er, Shen Lan is your mother's sister in the end, she has been back home for so many months, you can't be seen all the time." Seeing that Li Yunhao still didn't care about it, Taiwei lowered his voice a little, and people couldn't help but tremble when he listened: "As a Chinese scholar, don't let Wenchen catch your tail for not caring for your young sister, and join you."

"My son got it."

"Mingjin's matter, do you have a clue?"

Speaking of Li Mingjin, she is the concubine of the Taiwei Mansion, and she has been favored by the Taiwei since she was born. On weekdays, she responds to her needs, although everyone in the family is used to it, but she is also half pampered. When he heard the news of Li Mingjin's death, Mrs. Li was very sad, and Mrs. Li fainted directly.

"The news suddenly came out of the palace at that time, and then I pondered for my father, although the child of Ming Jin was squeamish, but since entering the palace, the emperor has been quite fond of her, at that time she was in the position of concubine, and there were a group of people waiting around her, how could she lose her footing and sink into the lake without anyone saving her?"

When Li Yunhao heard this, he remembered what the messenger sent by the palace said at that time, saying that Concubine Jin passed by Jingyuan Lake last night, and because the road was slippery on a rainy night, she fell into the water, and she was out of breath when she found it. The emperor was grateful to Concubine Jin, and Tejin entered the imperial mausoleum for Concubine Jin.

"Our people can't get in**, they can only pass by when there are people. The news that came to me said that my sister had lost her footing. At that time, the people who were responsible for taking care of his sister had been executed by the emperor's anger, and even the palace people who were responsible for sprinkling and sweeping the lake were also given to death. ”

"The more you can't find anything, the more weird it becomes. Let our people check again, and as soon as next year's draft passes, Li Shenlan will respond. Between the words, the Taiwei squinted at the closet in the room, and whispered in a cold voice: "When we find out who harmed Ming Jin, I will ask the emperor to investigate thoroughly, and I must let her return her life!"

As soon as she arrived the next day, Li Shenlan was woken up by Bang Chun and the others, saying that the newly recruited aunt of Taiwei had arrived early in the morning, and now she had been waiting in the flower hall for a while. Li Shenlan hurriedly cleaned up, and as soon as she entered the flower hall, she saw a woman dressed in exquisite costumes, about thirty or forty years old, standing in the middle.

Li Shenlan smiled and quickly moved to the woman, and called out in a slightly shy voice, "Auntie." ”

"Did the second lady sleep late last night, it's really hard to get you up so early today." Thinking about the truth of stretching out her hand and not hitting the smiling person, the woman would never blame more, and she never thought that she would be so polite when she came up to speak.

"What my aunt taught me was that I was greedy for a while when I felt that the moonlight was extremely beautiful last night, and I missed the time to go to bed, and I made people see the joke in the morning, and I asked my aunt not to blame." In fact, it is no wonder that Li Shenlan is not in this matter, although Taiwei said yesterday that he would find a Protestant Xi Mama, he didn't want to be so fast, he came so early, but he didn't receive any news before.

Seeing Li Shenlan's sincere attitude, the woman stopped picking thorns, and her tone softened.

"Under the cheap name He Yu, the second lady can call me Aunt He. He has served the concubines in the palace, and if the rules and etiquette in the palace are called second, no one dares to call them first. In this case, it is no wonder that he is acting arrogantly.

Aunt He is not a person from the palace, and the etiquette handed over to Li Shenlan is the best. After teaching for an hour, Aunt He finally let Li Shenlan rest for a while. Liuxia, who was waiting on the side, hurriedly brought tea and handed it to the two, Li Shenlan took it and drank it impatiently, and this scene was another lesson in Aunt He's eyes.

"As a nobleman, no matter how anxious you are, you must not lose the rules, the so-called dignified and self-controlled, the second lady must always keep it in mind!" Li Shenlan complained bitterly in her heart, but she always said yes with a smile on her face.

As he was talking, Shuqiu outside pushed the door and came in to report: The third lady is waiting outside, wanting to see Li Shenlan. Li Shenlan doesn't know much about this sister, she only knows that she is a person with ideas and means, but everyone has already arrived outside the door, so naturally there is no reason not to see it.

But after a while, I saw my daughter's family in a pale pink dress walking in lightly. "Second sister won't blame Mingyue for coming uninvited, right?"

"Naturally not, I've been busy these days but neglected to take care of the third sister, I was thinking about you, and you came. There is a saying about what, there is a soul, and it is our sisters. "In the end, it is the person who has trained April, Li Shenlan speaks much more tactfully than before.

Li Mingyue also smiled when she heard this, and looked around with her fine eyes, and then said with a smile: "Second sister, is this learning etiquette?" The last time I was with my father in the study, I heard my father say that he wanted to find another aunt for the second sister, and I think this is it? ”

Li Mingyue said this cleverly, not to mention the matter of Aunt Xi of the Protestant Church, Li Shenlan only found out yesterday, even Taiwei Li only saw it yesterday. Li Mingyue said that she heard it in the study, and her daughter's family couldn't easily enter the study, so saying this was nothing more than showing off the Taiwei's love for her in front of Li Shenlan. It's a pity that in Li Shenlan's eyes, these are just grass mustard, insignificant. But since people said it, Li Shenlan simply said it according to her thoughts, so as not to let people see her thoughts.

"My father loves my third sister, and I didn't know it before I came back. It's a coincidence that you came, I was thinking about when to send the gift to the third sister yesterday, after all, I was afraid that it would suddenly look abrupt when I first arrived. Now you just came, Bang Chun, go and get the gift I prepared for the third sister. ”

As soon as the smart person heard it, he knew that this gift that was four months late was afraid of being abrupt, and he didn't plan to see Li Mingyue at all. But Li Mingyue is not a fuel-efficient lamp, and her smile is becoming more and more kind, without the slightest ugly meaning.

"The second sister just said that we are really right, my sister also brought a few horses to the second sister, and my sister changed Ming'er to make clothes, embroidered a few belly pockets, and lived up to it." As he spoke, he ordered the maid behind him to bring the fabric.

Li Shenlan said that she was happy, and flipped through the fabrics in her hands at will. It doesn't matter if you turn this one, except for the first piece of cloth that is good, the bottom is rotten. These materials are not even sent to subordinates, let alone made gifts to Li Shenlan.

"It's really good material, the third sister has a heart." Li Shenlan made a look, and Liuxia on the side hurriedly took the material and entered the inner room.

Seeing that Li Shenlan didn't have a seizure right away, Li Mingyue had a new weight in her heart. turned around and walked to Aunt He, who was sitting on the side, and affectionately took Aunt He's hand and said, "I heard that my aunt has served the concubines, Mingyue knows that her qualifications are shallow, but she has always wanted to ask her for advice. I didn't expect my father to invite you this time, and I asked my aunt not to dislike Mingyue, and when teaching the second sister, bring Mingyue with you. ”

I finally understood the purpose of this time. Li Shenlan thought to herself, but her face did not change.

Aunt He was also embarrassed when she heard this, Taiwei only asked herself to teach the second miss this time, and now the third miss is here, and she is a favored master, and the scene in front of her really makes her choose.

"Aunt He, just bring the third sister, her father has always loved her, and she is so studious, and her father will not blame her." In the end, it was Li Shenlan who gave Aunt He the steps down, which made her face soothe a little.

"Second sister won't blame me for disturbing you, right?" Li Mingyue asked coincidentally, but she didn't say it until the matter was decided.

Li Shenlan stepped forward with a smile and pulled Li Mingyue over, looking at her like a confidant sister. "Why, I'm worried about being alone, and you happened to be my companion when you came. It's just that Aunt He teaches early every day, but I'm afraid that the third sister won't be able to sleep lazy in the future? ”

"The second sister makes fun of other people's ...... again"

Aunt He used the day's meals together, and the teaching did not end until the unitary time. After sending Aunt He and Li Mingyue away, Li Shenlan finally sat down on the chair with a sigh of relief.

"Second Miss has worked hard, the slave has prepared hot water, and Second Miss wants bubbles?"

"It's tired, it's really more tired in front of Li Mingyue than in front of Aunt He. Okay, change my clothes, I need to relax. ”

Here Li Shenlan was comfortably soaking in a hot bath, but Aunt He, who was about to leave the house, was invited by Steward Wu beside Taiwei.

In the study, Taiwei Li was playing with his head down, and only looked up at Aunt He when he heard the sound halfway.

"Aunt He has worked hard, and the youngest daughter is not sensible and makes you embarrassed."

Aunt He didn't dare to provoke the first-class officials of the dynasty, and when she heard this, she hurriedly said that she didn't dare. In a word, I saw that the white pieces on the chessboard had slowly surrounded the black sons in an airtight airtight wind.

"According to Aunt He's eyes, what about my two daughters?"

"The second lady is glamorous, gentle and subtle. The third lady is delicate and moving, smart and clever. It's just that the second miss has been living outside, and it is not as good as the third miss who has lived in the house since she was a child. However, the two young ladies are among the best among the daughters of the official family. ”

"Yes." As he spoke, the Taiwei fell the white son very quickly and firmly, and after settling down, he looked at Aunt He and said, "Aunt He thinks, how is this game?"

Hearing this, Aunt He stepped forward and looked at the chess game, and only replied in the middle of the ring, "The slave doesn't know how to play chess, but she can also see that the white chess has won, and there is no suspense." As soon as Aunt He finished speaking, Taiwei suddenly removed a few white pieces from the chessboard, and then made up all the black pieces. For a time, most of the chess game was occupied by sunspots, and the defeat turned into victory.

Aunt He was quite puzzled when she saw this, but she saw that the captain suddenly threw down the chess pieces in his hand and looked at herself.

"I don't like to play chess with myself the most, because I'm biased, and the chess game is decided which side wins and which side loses. I thought that Kuroko would win this game, but I didn't expect Fang Cai to talk to his aunt and let Baizi win for a long time. Fortunately, I'm not a regular person, and I can still win if I don't look favored. In the middle of the joke, Taiwei picked up the teacup and drank it for a while before he said: "Aunt He doesn't know my thoughts, and she has misdivided the priorities, so she naturally thinks that white chess can win." Now that I know, can Aunt He understand? ”

The meaning of this time is already clear, the white son is Li Mingyue, and the black son is Li Shenlan. Aunt He thought that Taiwei liked Li Mingyue, so she paid more attention to and praised a few words, but she never thought that what Taiwei really wanted Aunt He to pay attention to was Li Shenlan.

"The slave maid understands that the second lady is smart and diligent and inquisitive, so naturally her future is limitless."

"Aunt He is smart, it's not early now, so I won't leave you for dinner. Steward Wu, send Aunt He out for me. ”

"The slave has taken her leave."

After this day, Li Mingyue would arrive at Xiaoyuxuan on time every day, but even the Bang Chun beside Li Shenlan saw that Aunt He's attitude towards Li Mingyue was not as good as before, on the contrary, at the beginning, because of Li Mingyue's likability, Aunt He, who had always been indifferent to Li Shenlan, has become more and more strict with Li Shenlan these days. Fortunately, Li Shenlan didn't care about this, and studied hard every day as always, only thinking about seeing the second elder of the Song family before entering the palace.