Sure enough, when Ma heard this, he smiled again. It's a pity that before the master and servant waited for the discharge door, another little maid came to report, "Madam, the housekeeper of the outer courtyard asked the slave and maid to come and report, saying that the second young master only brought a cart of New Year's gifts back." ”

"What? A car! Ma's face faded with joy, his delicate eyebrows rose together, and he said angrily, "Wasn't it all five cars in previous years, why are there so few this year?" ”

Where could the little girl answer, so she had to bow her head and say nothing, Ma raised his hand and slapped her twice, scolding, "Useless things, I can't understand a word." After scolding this, she angrily walked out of the courtyard.

The big girl hurriedly followed, secretly complaining in her heart, don't look at the master's delicate and gentle appearance, the actual means can be ruthless, if something does not fulfill her wishes, then the first unlucky ones are those who are close to them. She finally coaxed her master to show her joy just now, which is good, but in a blink of an eye, her previous efforts were wasted.

The master and servant were both walking in the verandah with a stomach full of thoughts, but they met the three people who came in a panic, it was the young woman with the two little maids who had been broken into the courtyard by Fang Jie before.

As soon as the woman saw Ma, she immediately stepped forward and wept, "Madam, you have to be the master of the concubine." Just now a young man broke into the concubine's courtyard, and insulted the concubine for occupying his mother's place, his words and deeds were very poor, and the concubine was so frightened..."

Ma saw that her husband's favorite concubine was crying with pear blossoms and rain, and I was so happy that I couldn't bear it, but I still pretended to be gentle and comforted, "Oh, why did you make my sister frightened?" I just received a report that our second son-in-law, the official brother, is back, and I thought about asking the maid to talk to my sisters, but I didn't expect it to be a step too late.

Brother Guan didn't know that his sister had moved to the courtyard, so there was a misunderstanding. The younger sister will go to the old lady to sit for a while, and after a while, the old man will be afraid that he will rush over. ”

Weiyu heard Ma's soft words and comfort, the surprise on her face retreated slightly, and she complained at the end, "When the master and concubine talk about the second son, they are both polite and filial. Why do you seem to be a little reckless and rude when you look at it today?"

Ma raised his eyebrows, and didn't answer, but urged her, "Go to the old lady, I'll go to the front yard and take a look, Brother Guan'er's child has to bring a lot of satin furs back every year, and I don't know what good things he brought back this year?" Saying this, she smiled and walked over the three of the master and servant of the light rain, leaving the light rain with beautiful eyes, and kept thinking in her heart that she must blow the pillow wind at night. If the old man opens his mouth to appreciate a few good furs to make a cloak, and goes back to his parents' house to wear it in a few days, it will definitely dazzle everyone's eyes.

Thinking like this, she also rejoiced, turned her head and told the little maid to go back and slowly boil the lotus seed soup, so as to please the old man at night, and ensure that everything she wants will come true.

Ma Shi stood at the corner with the big maid and looked at the words and deeds of the master and servant of the light rain, and the big girl took a sip of hatred first, and scolded for the master, "Madam, this Aunt Weiyu is also greedy, and she often asks for jewelry and clothes with the master on weekdays, so I don't know what to do at this time." ”

Ma Shi sneered and mocked, "Let her ask for it, the master is willing to give it, and he must have something." When the time comes, it will still be that little who eats and hangs down. ”

The eldest girl looked suddenly enlightened, and praised, "It's still Mrs. Clever, this Aunt Weiyu is a basin of foot-washing water in front of Mrs., and she can't fight Mrs. with a little finger after ten years of cultivation." ”

Ma's face was much better, and the master and servant quickly arrived at the warehouse, but when they saw that the box was full of snacks, cotton cloth, and mountain goods, not to mention good fur, they didn't even have a package of medicinal materials.

Ma immediately darkened his face and cursed, "Little scumbag, I really ate the bear's heart and leopard gall, I originally thought that the New Year's gift was less, and there should be some good things, but I didn't expect it to be these rags!" It's hateful! ”

The second entered the courtyard, Dongzi was busy waiting for the master to change his clothes, shoes and hats, and finally asked with some worry, "Childe, this year's New Year's gift is too light, and the old lady must be angry and reprimanded." Otherwise, the little one will go to the Splendid Workshop and bring the rest of the car, right? ”

Fang Jie stretched out his hand and straightened the red gold inlaid treasure hair crown on his head, he didn't know what he thought, he sneered and waved his hand, "No need, even if you send a golden mountain back, they are just as little." After saying that, he tied a Pisces mutton fat pendant around his waist and asked, "How, is this kind of outfit considered extravagant?" ”

Dongzi scratched his head, he really couldn't understand that Gongzi sent back such a shabby New Year's gift, it stands to reason that he should cry poor and pretend to be difficult, how can he dress so extravagantly, he responded cautiously, "Childe, you don't have to deliberately dress up, it's just as extravagant." It's just that today..."

"What's wrong today, my hard-earned money is spent on me, and no one can say wrong. Let's go, I'll take you to the play. Fang Jie didn't care and strode out of the house.

Watching a play? I'm afraid it's martial arts. Dongzi had a bitter face and trotted up.

Three into the main room, the old man Fang, who went out to the banquet, had already rushed back, and it was the old lady who was sitting in the armchair and talking with the old mother while drinking tea, and several concubines were also making fun, occasionally smiling and flattering a few words, coaxing the old lady of the Fang family to smile like a blooming chrysanthemum.

Seeing that the two big Buddhas of the Fang family were in a happy mood, Weiyu took the opportunity to go to Master Fang's side and begged, "Master, I heard that furs are abundant in the north, and the second son has to transport them back a lot every year." If there is still a surplus this year, would it be good to reward a few concubines to make a big sweater? After half a month, the concubine's maiden father celebrated his birthday, and the concubine also had a beautiful time, growing a long face for the old man. ”

Master Fang just accepted the light rain for more than half a month, it was the most greedy and obsessed time, listening to the concubine's gentle words and begging, naturally full of mouth, turned his head to look at the eldest lady with a very strange face, and said with a smile, "Madam, the light rain has just passed the door and she is young, and she likes bright colors, if there is a fire fox skin in the fur, give it to her in two." ”

Old Madam Fang, who was sitting in the kang, also glanced at Weiyu's stomach with a smile, and echoed, "Weiyu's age is the time to like to dress, and you should dress up more." Isn't it just two fox skins, I'm the old woman and the main reward, you serve your master well, and spread the branches and leaves for our Fang family as soon as possible, and I can't lose you if I keep it. ”

Weiyu hurriedly saluted and thanked her, her delicate little face turned pink with shame, which also made Master Fang even more fond of her, and she thought that she should go to her yard early in the evening to rest. The other two concubines saw that Weiyu was so favored, and they were also envious and jealous in their hearts, so they all stepped forward to flatter and flatter, but they coaxed the Fang family's mother and son to smile more and more.

Ma Shi saw her husband and the concubine eyebrows, and she was naturally annoyed, but she had been waiting for this opportunity, but she refused to spoil the big thing because of jealousy, so she reluctantly pretended to be aggrieved and said, "Mother, master, I am afraid that the concubine is powerless in this matter." It's not that the concubine is stingy, and she doesn't want to add clothes to her sisters, it's really... Alas..."

She sighed halfway through this, causing both Master Fang and Old Lady Fang to look puzzled, and asked, "What is it?" Could it be that the subordinate lied and the official brother did not come back? ”

Ma Shi shook his head, his face seemed to be more bitter, and he replied in a low voice, "Brother Guan is indeed back, but he only brought a cart of New Year's gifts this year." Not to mention the precious furs, not even a brocade, all bits and pieces of mountain goods and torn cotton cloth. The daughter-in-law didn't dare to ask more, and she wanted to report it to her mother and master. ”

"What?" Old Madam Fang's subordinates paused, and the Buddha beads didn't turn anymore, frowning and asking, "Why is it so different from previous years?" Could something have gone wrong with the business? ”

When the few concubines heard this, their faces were also full of disappointment, and their eyes looked at Ma with a faint look of suspicion. Ma Shi hated in his heart, but his face was full of grievances, and he pulled the handkerchief and wiped the tears that he didn't have time to shed, "I don't know why, I'm afraid that the old man and the old lady won't believe it, it's really hard to sit on the edge at this moment." Otherwise, the old man went to the treasury to take a look, and there was really no rabbit skin for that year's ceremony. ”

Master Fang's face was gloomy like water, remembering that when he went to Jinxiuzhuang to pay the money, the old and young of the Chen family acted a lot of things that did not go his way, thinking that he must have been instructed by his son, so he was even more annoyed in his heart, and turned his head to shout outside the door, "Who is waiting outside the door, immediately go across the courtyard and call the second young master!" ”

The little maid outside the door didn't wait for an answer, but a clear male voice smiled, "Don't work for the father's call, the child is here." ”

As the words fell, a person turned out from behind the ebony carved embroidered screen blocking the door, it was Fang Jie who had returned from the Northland.

At this time, he changed into a carved silk robe with dark patterns of crow-blue and dark saffron, with a golden crown on his head, and dark satin deerskin boots on his feet, and the lustrous jade color flashed around his waist, which made his face more handsome and tall. The corners of the clothes flew between the walks, causing the cigarette smoke to overflow from the three-legged elephant trunk stove on the side, and suddenly it was as if the immortals in the sky had descended to earth.

The two concubines who entered the mansion before Weiyu saw this mysterious second son for the first time, and they never thought that he was such an outstanding person, and when they couldn't help but glance at him a few more times, their faces quietly turned red.

Even Weiyu had long forgotten that she scolded this person for being rude and rude just now, and secretly praised him as a rare good son in the world. She subconsciously turned her head to look at Master Fang, who was already half old in front of her, and suddenly felt a little uncomfortable in her heart.

Fang Jie's eyes swept around the room, taking in everyone's expressions, and then he stepped forward to salute his grandmother, father, and eldest mother in a proper manner, and then said, "The child is late to come back, and Grandmother Lao and his father and mother are worried." ”

In the end, Mrs. Fang has lived for a few years, and she is old and refined, and she was the first to suppress the dissatisfaction in her heart and beckoned Fang Jie to come forward and sit beside her, smiling kindly and lovingly, "Brother Guan, this way has been hard, how long has it been on the road, have you encountered any trouble?" ”

Fang Jie smiled faintly and nodded, "Let my grandmother remember, my grandson came out of Cuiluan five days ago, and the journey was still smooth, and he didn't encounter any trouble." ”

"That's good, that's good." The old lady patted her little grandson, but her mind kept turning, and she asked again as if she was concerned, "Business has been going well this year, and no one has bullied you without opening their eyes, right?" Your grandmother is old, and your brother and father are in a good career, but they can't help you, but you have to work hard for the family. ”