Old Madam Shen was listening to the report of the chief steward Shen Lin: "....... The second lady's New Year's gift to the British public Chen Lao included a mink velvet coat, a mink python robe, a mink hat and a set of boots; The lion man has two bundles and a jade belt; Ten horses of Shu brocade, ten horses of gold brocade, ten horses of makeup brocade, ten horses of Tianhua brocade; a golden arhat, a white jade Guanyin; Ten pairs of gold-inlaid jade chopsticks, ten pairs of gold-inlaid elephant chopsticks, eight white jade tea bowls, eight jasper ice trays, and one plate of gemstone beads, red, yellow, blue, green and white. He paused: "Can you give it a little more expensive?" “

Old Madam Shen touched the agarwood string in her hand: "In the old year, they gave a rich New Year's gift, and the third daughter-in-law returned lightly. “

Shen Lin continued: "The New Year's gift to Lord Zhang, the right attendant of the Criminal Department, includes five Han Jin horses, ten cotton clip single yarn clothes, and five miscellaneous leather clothes; Song Yan one, Duan Yan five parties, 50,000 papers; One hundred new calendars, two fresh pigs, five jars of Jinhua wine, fifty boxes of each taste of Ruyi New Year's cakes, and Li Shangshu New Year's gift of the return gift department has ........"

Old Madam Shen heard that it was appropriate to be rich and frugal, so she asked him not to read it anymore, so it was feasible, and asked: "More than 100 farmers in Lao Zhuangzi, I forgot them last year, can I do it this year?" ”

Shen Lin flipped through the books and said slightly: "Yes, yes!" Half a pig per farmer, two pickled herring, one preserved chicken and one duck, two boxes of New Year's cakes, a bag of rice, a jar of wine and the door god, the stove god, the spring post and the peach charm are all ready. ”

Mrs. Shen said with a smile: "The most lacking thing for the poor farmers is money, so the pickled herring and preserved chicken and duck were removed, and each household added another tael of silver." ”

As if remembering something, he asked, "Why haven't you heard about the New Year's gift to be given by the fifth room?" ”

Shen Lin said in a low voice: "Ask the fifth master how many times he has asked for the New Year's money, always pushing back and blocking, the second master has spoken, it is okay not to give the New Year's money, and let him procure the New Year's gift by himself." ”

"I don't know who this old five's stingy temperament looks like? Old Madam Shen shook her head: "He thought it would be very easy to procure the New Year's gift, so let him go, and he didn't know how to turn back until he hit the south wall once." ”

After hearing that she was also a little tired for a long time, she ordered Shen Lin to retreat, but when she saw him hesitating and stopping, she frowned and asked, "What else do you have to say?" ”

Shen Lin hurriedly said: "This time, the second lady also prepared a New Year's gift for the fourth master.......

When Si'er suddenly escaped into the empty door, she was angry and angry and gave a family order, ignoring him, not asking or mentioning him, and violating the heavy punishment.

The years are like the wandering streamer in front of the window, in her aging face, casting a flickering and dark shadow, and then slowly blurring her expression, the tone becomes flat but also peaceful: "Go with the second daughter-in-law." “

Shen Lin said yes, was sent out of the door by the maid, walked on the porch and met Cui's head-on, hurriedly saluted, and asked again, can you see how good is it?

Cui Shi rubbed his handkerchief to cover his lips, coughed twice and sighed: "Illness comes like a mountain, illness goes like a thread, Imperial Doctor Jiang only asks you to rest and recuperate, don't worry about it." A pair of eyes glanced at the book on his arm, and asked, "Did the old lady say anything inappropriate?" ”

Shen Lin said with a smile: "The third lady understands, the old lady is much more tolerant now than in previous years. He added: "The old lady has been listening to the little one for a long time, and she seems to be tired, and the third lady will go to greet her later." Then he pointed out that he still had something to do, and hurried away.

Cui Shi spat at the back, and his tone was quite annoyed: "I can't ask a word!" They are all monkey spirits, and they are rudder when they see the wind! Look at the appearance of bullying the soft and afraid of the hard, the second room bluffed a few words and behaved like a grandson, forgetting all the benefits I gave in previous years. ”

Meiyun comforted: "Grandma isn't sick, when you get well, they will naturally have to come back, why bother to have this rootless anger." ”

Talking has reached the inner door, the maid Xia Chan is sprinkling the cake crumbs in the plate on the platform to feed the house birds, seeing them coming, hurriedly waved his hand and pointed to the window, Cui Shi looked at it, the green window was closed, the felt curtain hung low, knowing that the old lady was sleepy, so she didn't dare to disturb each other, and returned back the same way without mentioning it.

............................................

Shen Zetang stood in front of the window with his back to the window, looking at the frozen pool water, Shen Sanye opened the curtain and came in, and said with a smile with cold fingers: "The winter in Shu is much warmer than in the capital, and I am a little uncomfortable when I come back this time, and I even have chilblains......."

His voice suddenly lowered, peeking at the expression of the second brother, although he was not full of joy and anger, but he could still see some clues about the brothers born to a mother.

"Second brother, is there something to look for me?" He simply asked first.

Shen Zetang walked back to the desk and sat down, pulled out the layer drawer, took out a new cluster of falling flowers and sprinkled Jinchuan fan, and threw a piece of music on the table.

Shen Sanye's expression changed slightly, this fan, together with a Shu brocade, a Shu embroidered painting screen and two jars of spring wine, was quietly given by him to Wu Peng in the Ministry of Meritorious Examination, and now it is a triennial plan, he does not dare to be sloppy.

What is the big plan, the main assessment of the merits of foreign officials is the most important, every year, by the county, state, government, province, domain, Zhen and other layers of the subordinate officials to inspect the subordinate officials, declare to the governor, Fu to review their affairs, make a register and send it to the Ministry of Officials for review.

For those who are talented and excellent, they are called easy "Zhuo Wei", which is approved by the Ministry of Officials and submitted to the cabinet for drafting, and after the emperor's approval, one level can be added to return to office and be promoted.

This time, it was easy to get "Zhuo Wei", just waiting for the approval and reporting of the ministry, he didn't want to sit still, so he prepared a generous gift to dredge the joints and help himself.

Shen Sanye picked up the song suspiciously, and looked at it carefully, his face gradually turned dark, and his back was wet and sticky against his clothes, feeling very uncomfortable.

"How long have you been greedy for ink?" Shen Zetang's voice was cold, his eyes were as sharp as a knife, and he was rarely so angry.

Shen Sanye was silent, and pulled the corners of his mouth for a while: "Second brother must have heard the proverb that Shu Dao is difficult to go to the blue sky!" People in the world who have never been there only feel that they yearn for it, if they stay for a year and a half....... Does the second brother know what it feels like? It's better to live than to die! The weather is humid and hot, the mountains are high and the forests are dense, snakes and insects crawl, the servants are fierce, armed and aggressive, and they don't take the government seriously, if they are dissatisfied......."

He paused: "The second brother must have never seen the spectacle of opening the door in the early morning and throwing poisonous snakes all over the courtyard." I live in the Yafu, although there are soldiers on duty in shifts, but I have never slept a good night's sleep, not to mention the epidemic every summer, Huimin Pharmacy is helpless, watching Mian'er and his mother die, how do I feel....... That's it, I'm afraid of causing trouble to the second brother, I was born there for six years, you live in the middle of the capital, stay on the side of your own person, have you ever thought about transferring me to Beijing once? ”

"This three-year plan, if I can't return to the post and wait for promotion, I have to wait for another three years, I muster up the courage to get the help of the second brother, but a word, you refuse, no mercy. If that is the case, why should I be wrong in finding my own way? What's wrong with you, second brother? ”