The carriage drove out of the Suzaku Gate in a proper manner, got onto the main road, and galloped in the direction of Kyoguchi-ri.

Since the Jin Dynasty moved south, Jiankang City has been crowded with high-ranking families and royal Sima clan and their relatives, all kinds of officials and courtiers, and civilians can only live in the suburbs of Jiankang City. Fortunately, the people of the Southern Dynasties are very good in governance, there are not too many security problems of robbing houses, and because of the dense residence, there are basically acquaintances inside and outside the house, but it is relatively safe. In this troubled era of north-south disputes, Jiankang is a very rare paradise on earth, and residents in small counties around Jiankang for dozens of miles like to come to Jiankang City to buy mutual.

Hagi Niang's Zang family compound is a relatively large ancestral house in Jingkou, there are more than a dozen rooms in the outer courtyard, you can live in the nursing courtyard mother-in-law, etc., the second gate is a garden, the area is not large, it is better in the exquisite, the inner courtyard is the main house of the Zang family Zang Jun and the step-room Zheng, the East Garden is the residence of the two brothers, the side house lives the nurse and the maid, the main house of the West Garden lives Zang Hagi Niang and the maids, has its own small kitchen, the backyard is a large kitchen and warehouse.

After the Eastern Jin Dynasty established the capital of Jiankang, the displaced refugees from the south gathered in the counties near Jiankang, and at the same time, the former Qin Dynasty of Fu Jian unified the north, and the Eastern Jin Dynasty felt the pressure, so the edict asked Liang to suppress the north. Among them, Xie Xuan, the nephew of the prime minister of the dynasty, recruited the exiles from Jingkou, Guangling and other places, and was ordered to guard Jingkou in the fourth year of Taiyuan Dynasty.

As a military town, Jingkou is a small transportation hub, east to Wudi, Huiji, south to Jiangling, Huguang, west to the capital Jiankang, extending in all directions, to go to the surrounding procurement travel (escape) is very convenient.

But Hagi rarely has the opportunity to go out.

As the saying goes, if there is a stepmother, there will be a stepfather, not to mention a stepmother who gave birth to two younger brothers. Zang Jun's step-room Zheng is said to be the son-in-law of the Xingyang Zheng side branch, although she is just a concubine, it is more than enough to be a small Danyang County Gongcao's step-room, coupled with a rich dowry, and an irreproachable good wife and mother, Zheng's status in the Zang family is as stable as a rock. As for Brother Xi, the younger brother of Hagi Niang's own mother Ruan, he was taken by the wife of the Ruan family in Liyang and raised under his knees before the Zheng family entered the door. Strictly speaking, Hagi Niang has never seen her own brother at all, because her brother was no longer in the Zang family when she walked over.

Compared with those hundred-year-old families and high-ranking families, the population of the Zang family is still very simple, with a total of five masters. But unfortunately, the stepmother and her two milk dolls accounted for three votes, not the stepfather's father who is better than the stepfather can barely be counted as half a vote, and she only has thirty percent of the right to speak in this family, which is really weak. Although she hasn't reached the end yet, Hagi Niang is already eager to marry herself out so as not to be an eyesore at home. Although the stepmother doesn't beat or scold, and rarely cares about reprimanding, Zheng's eyes are always cold when she looks at Haginiang.

If Hagi Niang is the daughter of a concubine, the Zheng family may be more willing to see her, at least, she can show the kindness and generosity of the housemother; But the Zheng family is just a steproom, and to put it mildly, it is to fill the house, if it weren't for Hagi Niang's own mother dead, there would be nothing wrong with the Zheng family. Zheng took over the house that others lived in, the maids used by others, and the men used by others, which was upset enough, and this wife and daughter, a big living person, dangled in front of him every day to remind him that he was just a steproom, and he could not let people live a good life.

"Mother, my son has come to greet you." Hagi Niang saluted outside the curtain in a proper manner, and her mother had been perfected after repeated practice, and she was glutinous and a little coquettish, as if Hagi Niang really relied on Zheng as her biological mother.

"Auntie has worked hard, Cai Ling hurry up and help your girl go back to eat, no need to be polite." Zheng sincerely and concerned instructed Hagi Niang's personal maid, as if he really cared about this daughter who was not related to him at all.

One is willing to pretend, the other is willing to believe. When there is no conflict of interest, getting along with family members is so simple and beautiful. Hagi meekly retired.

Before giving birth to a younger brother, the Zheng family did have a little love for Hagi Niang, not only took care of her life very thoughtfully, but also invited Mr. Xi Xi Du from the Yuan wife Ruan. Mr. Du is sitting at Zang's house, teaching only for Hagi Niang, living in Dongyuan, and Hagi Niang's classes are also in Dongyuan. Mr. Du is personable, quick-witted, not to mention amazing, but at least proficient in economics. Hagi Niang only needs to sit and listen to the story in class, listen to the practice of words, it's very easy, especially in class, you don't need to learn female red, if you can choose, she hopes that there is no female red in this world and no needlework.

It's a pity that the good times didn't last long, and when Zheng gave birth to his first son, he used the excuse that Dongyuan wanted to live for his brother, resulting in no place to live in the family, so he simply swept Mr. Du out of the house. When she was parting for the last class, Haginiang looked at Mr. Du with extremely sad eyes, and scared Mr. Du so much that he fled, and he didn't even dare to ask for the embroidered purse handkerchief, but he was afraid that his students would have any strange feelings for him, but he didn't know that Haginiang just lamented that he would not have the opportunity to avoid the female celebrity in the future.

Cai Ling and Cai Feng are all big girls in Xiyuan, who serve Hagi Niang closely. Cai Ling is the son of Hagi Niang's dead mother Ruan brought from the Ruan family, and her father and mother are all Ruan's marrying slaves. After Ruan's death, the two of them consciously bowed their heads and behaved, one was in charge of the small kitchen of Xiyuan, and the other was in charge of Ruan's dowry shop, Zhuangzi, and they were trembling to beg for a living under Zheng's hands. The Ruan family has been dead for nine years, and the only one left in the Zang family is Cailing, but there has never been any public opinion that the Zheng family treats the servants of the Yuan wife harshly, and is unkind to the Yuan wife and daughter, killing people without seeing blood, and not even leaving a scar, Zheng's means of hiding needles in the cotton can be seen.

Cai Feng Cai Yun is Zheng called Ya Po to let Hagi Niang pick it herself, Cai Feng is gentle and steady, a good girl red, Cai Hu is diligent and straightforward, Cai Yun can be counted, they are all very good girls. If it weren't for the Ya Po called by the Zheng family, Hagi Niang really wanted to be closer to these girls, and now she can only observe and win people's hearts.

Where there are people, there is politics, the name of Cai Ling is taken by Ruan, taken from the Book of Poetry's "Cai Ling", the names of the last few girls are all with him, who is light and who is important, there is nothing to intrigue about, and if you want to fight, you can't fight at all. And the title of the big girl is Zheng himself, Hagi Niang doesn't know the truth, I don't know if Zheng is a stroke of genius or has told Cai Feng what special tasks, or what other arrangements, according to the experience of the struggle in the past few years, Zheng never does things without a purpose, so after Hagi Niang knocked on the side to unsuccessfully, he could only decide to quietly alienate Cai Fen, Cai Fen is not clear, so or the heart is weak, serving Hagi Niang is even more dedicated.

"The girl is back, Cai Hu will go to serve hot water, Cai Yun will go to serve dinner, the girl must be tired and panicked when she comes back late." Hagi Niang was still more than fifty steps away from her own yard in the West Garden, and she saw Cai Feng leaning on the door waiting for herself, and she could hear her gentle voice with undoubted firmness in the distance, and the lights of the entire West Garden were lit up, and the people in the whole courtyard were busy.

Hagi Niang sat on the soft 100% silk cushion and drank Lu'an tea that was just warm enough to eat, there was a gourd picking fan on the left, and a cloth vegetable picking on the right. She couldn't help but close her eyes in comfort, and the corners of her mouth stretched slightly. This is the good of the eldest lady in feudal society, Hagi Niang can't help but be a little moved, she has been crossing by mistake for so many years, and she is still not completely accustomed to the corrupt days of clothes to reach out for food and open her mouth, even if she enjoys all this with peace of mind, she still can't help but be a little grateful and close to these maids who serve her carefully, such careful thinking, if you chat with Mr. Du, you will definitely be nagged by the rhetoric of "monarchs and ministers" for a long time.

Standing with her back against the door, her mother Li Shi, who pretended to be resting, was thinking about herself, and Hagi Niang's relaxed and carefree appearance fell in her eyes, and she only felt extremely cute and pitiful. Compared with the Ruan's peak beauty, Hagi Niang seems to be more than equal, she is only twelve years old this year, she has not fully grown, her eyes are already as beautiful as a star, her forehead is like Fu Fan, her eyebrows are delicate, her hair is black and thick, she will definitely be a stunning beauty in the future. Li Shi observed his own girl intently, even in his own yard, Hagi Niang's smile and gesture were still full of elegance and softness, and the etiquette was complete. Li couldn't help but nod secretly in his heart.

As the son of the Ruan family, the Li family has been the maid and playmate of Hagi Niang's biological mother Ruan since he was a child, and he grew up with Ruan Youniang, the daughter of the Ruan family, and has known each other for many years, and has embroidered flowers together and skipped class together, and the friendship is closer than that of sisters. When Ruan Youniang first looked at Zang Jun, Li hid behind the screen with her, and the two of them whispered to discuss Zang Jun's appearance and demeanor as if it was not long ago, and in a blink of an eye, Ruan's only daughter was already about to be married, who should be invited to make decisions about her marriage? Li's mother was extremely troubled.

"Mom, Mom, why are you staring, Hagi Niang will be shy." Hagi Niang's beautiful eyes were longing, and she called Li with a smile.

Mother Li came back to her senses at this time, thinking about whether to divert the topic or talk to Hagi Niang to take precautions, after all, Hagi Niang is twelve years old, which is half the age of half a year, and now she can understand her hard work when she talks to her about this?

"If your mother has something to say, just say it, my mother died early, and my son will treat your words as if they were his mother's teachings." Hagi Niang's expression was calm, with a slight encouragement in her eyes.

Mother Li made up her mind at this time, really, this matter cannot be delayed.

"The girl has such a good appetite, and my mother is happy to watch." Mother Li thought for a while and instructed: "Cai Feng Cai Yun remove the food box, Cai Hu go to the big kitchen to see if there are any seasonal vegetables and fruits for your girl to ask for some refreshing taste, Cai Ling to check the lower corner door and don't have any mother-in-law forgot to close." Go ahead, I'll wait for the girl to freshen up. ”

A group of little girls went one after another to talk and laugh, and Mother Li walked to the door, opened the curtain and observed for a while, and saw Cailing guarding the front and back doors in the courtyard, so she spoke leisurely.

"Girl, do you know how your mother died?"