Zhou Cai and the others listened to Chunying's question. There seemed to be some hesitation, but Steward Cai still replied: "It is the Nanyang fleet." He turned back to Steward Zhou and smiled: "It's okay, at most two days, the news will spread, these two are the right-hand men around Miss, Miss won't be surprised." Steward Zhou was silent.

When Chunying heard this, she knew that it was the secret of the Huo family, and she didn't want to ask too much, so she looked left and right, and saw that no one was passing by, only two mothers-in-law were probing their brains on the second gate. She thought about it, then smiled and whispered: "Please don't be surprised by the two stewards, I just heard that the two of them have gone down to the South Seas with the fleet, and I want to ask the two of you about one person, I wonder if he is okay now?" The man's surname is Hu, a single name is a flying character, the table word is Wangshan, he is a person from the capital, and he is only in his early twenties. ”

Steward Zhou said with some surprise: "It turned out to be him?" I know Hu Wangshan, he was recommended by the eldest young master of the house, although he is young. He is very old and can endure hardships, and we have been with him for two years, and we all admire him very much. He glanced at Steward Cai, and the latter asked, "It turns out that Miss Chunying recognizes him?" Are you relatives? Acquaintance? ”

Chun Ying hurriedly said: "It's not a relative, he's ...... He used to be my uncle's neighbor, and he used to be common when he was a child, so he had some friendship. He has not been heard from since he went to the south, and the neighbors are all thinking of him. This is not a lie, she did know him when she was a child, and she was ...... Eleven years old, and now she's almost sixteen.

Steward Cai smiled when he heard this: "I see, in this way, I remember hearing that Hu boy mentioned that he was a neighbor with a long-term entourage under the eldest young master of the house, and he had received a lot of grace from his family, so he must be Uncle Ling?" At that time, we also said that Hu Xiaozi burned high incense in his previous life, and only met such a good neighbor, not only helped him rent a house, but also found errands for him, and finally recommended him to the fleet, which is really a rare good person in the world! I didn't expect to see this good man's niece now, but I can't imagine fate! ”

Chun Ying never expected Hu Fei to tell someone about this, but she was a little embarrassed, and said a little awkwardly: "Steward Cai is ...... to say this" and cleared his throat. "So, Brother Hu is doing well now? I don't know if he has ...... Did you say when you would be back? ”

Steward Cai said with a smile: "It's hard to say, he had the opportunity to come back with us, but he had a serious illness and couldn't go out at all!" ”

Chunying was taken aback: "He's sick?!" What disease? Does it matter? ”

Steward Cai tilted his head: "Is this...... How do I know? He smiled kindly, "Miss Chunying is so anxious, I'm afraid that it's not just an acquaintance from his childhood, right?" ”

Chunying paused, thinking that this Cai steward was a little yin and yang weird when he spoke? Did she say something wrong to annoy him? She hesitated for a moment, and felt that Hu Fei's news was important: "You are joking, you are always an acquaintance since childhood, and you know that he is sick, so you have to ask." ”

Steward Zhou glanced at his companion, and then replied with a faint smile: "He was just a small cold at first, but because he didn't pay attention, he became seriously ill, but it was not a major illness, and he may have recovered now." As for when he will return to Beijing, we don't know. ”

Chun Ying breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this, and felt that Hu Fei should not be seriously ill, although the medical conditions were backward in ancient times, he was in the small courtyard during that time. He has also had a cold and flu, and he knows all the precautions for taking medicine, and she has also taught him a few small home remedies and dietary prescriptions, so he must be able to cope with it. It is not easy for him to go south for several years, and he can live peacefully to this day, and he almost returned to Beijing. She let go of the big stone in her heart, and began to have the spirit to face the two stewards in front of her.

Steward Zhou seems to get along well with Nanqi, and Steward Cai interjects a few words from time to time to make Nanqi smile, but he is more indifferent to Chunying. Because this is in front of the second gate, the maid of the inner house is not good at laughing with the men from outside for a long time, Chunying looked at the mother-in-law on the second door and talked to each other, and the servants from the outer courtyard also began to whisper, so they quietly pulled Nanqi's sleeve, and said to Zhou Cai and the others with a smile: "The two stewards must still have something to do, so we won't bother much, and we will come to the young lady again in the future to say goodbye, you can ask us to pass the word, please don't be polite." ”

Steward Cai wanted to say something with a smile, but Steward Zhou cleared his throat, and he stopped. Nanqi looked down at Steward Zhou's shoes, and said in a mosquito-like voice: "What message do you want to send to Miss, or deliver letters and objects...... You just commanded......" Steward Zhou nodded solemnly: "I know." Turning to Chunying, "Then we will say goodbye first, and the little girl will come to greet the young lady, she is young and has something to ignore, and please take care of the two girls." Nanqi's face turned pale. The voice was lowered: "Hey." ”

Chunying sent them away with a smile and stared back at Nanqi, shocked.

She seemed to have seen something, but she felt that it was very unreliable. Steward Zhou is enough to be her and Nanqi's father! And a daughter! I wonder if he still has a wife?!

Nanqi avoided her gaze and whispered, "Go back." Then he turned and walked into the second gate.

Chunying has been following her, wanting to ask, but she is worried that ancient girls are thin-skinned, and they generally can't stand others asking her directly about marriage, in case she guesses wrong, it will affect the relationship between colleagues and be bad. So I struggled for a long time, but I still couldn't hold back: "Fang Cai...... The Steward ...... Zhou"

Nanqi interrupted her: "Who told you that I was on the second gate?" Dong'er? ”

At this time, she had already arrived at a secluded path near the small courtyard, Chun Ying looked back and forth, and took a step back: "It was Dong'er who said it, she said that Miss asked me to go out with you to recognize people, saying that these two stewards had just entered Beijing from the south, and they would come and go often in the future." ”

Nanqi smiled miserably: "I see...... What do you think of them? ”

Chunying was even more vigilant: "I just met, I didn't say a few words, what can I see?" I just think they are very kind and treat us very kindly. She highlighted the pronunciation of the last four words, and then asked tentatively, "What are you asking this for?" Don't you know I'm going too? ”

Nanqi lowered his head and didn't speak, and walked in the direction of the small courtyard. Chunying was confused, so she had to follow and enter the door. Nanqi quickly entered her room, and she had to continue to go to the small kitchen to teach Little Lotus to make soup.

After an hour, seeing that the soup was ready, and the tofu was also delivered, Chunying taught the little lotus to simmer the tofu pot, and Aunt Qing called the little girl to call Chunying, saying that she had something to discuss with her, so she had to hurriedly explain a few words, and followed the person to Aunt Qing's room.

Aunt Qing seemed to be a little embarrassed, and after she sat down to greet her, she kept hesitating with the tea bowl. Bite one's tongue. Chunying felt strange, so she asked, "What do you have to tell your aunt?" ”

Aunt Qing smiled, put down the tea bowl, straightened her sideburns, and said, "Fang Cai...... Did Dong'er tell you to go to the second gate to meet the two of you? ”

It turned out to be this thing. Chunying smiled and nodded: "Yes, I went with Nanqi." ”

"Then ......" Aunt Qing hesitated a little, "what do you think of the two of them?" ”

Why is this also the problem? Chunying replied with reservations: "I have only met once, how can I judge a person's character?" But it doesn't seem difficult to get along with, and when you talk to us, you won't put on a show. ”

Aunt Qing breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "The two of them are different from others, they are used to making a living in Nanyang, they get along with the natives over there all the year round, they have a very kind temperament, and they can't speak in a crepe, and they are not elegant enough, but they don't know that such people are good at dealing with people." ”

Chunying echoed a few words before saying, "So, they are more suitable for doing business in Nanyang?" Why did you call them back to Kyori? ”

Aunt Qing subconsciously glanced outside the door, and then said: "Actually, it's nothing, you must have heard some news, our Huo family's fleet was handed over to the emperor." Chunying nodded, and she continued: "But the stewards and guys sent by our family are all old people for many years, and they can help, so Miss simply sent the slave release documents to the official mansion, so Steward Zhou, Steward Cai, and a few other people are no longer slaves of our family, but have become the emperor's subordinates, we still call them in charge, but for the convenience of the title, in fact, they are already officials." ”

Chunying suddenly realized: "I see, then I am a little rude today, I thought that they were about the same age as my father, just say hello as other elders in the house." I knew I should have done a big gift, and I should have spoken politely. But after thinking about it carefully, she still felt that if she could ask about Hu Fei's current situation, even if she offended Cai Guan a little, it didn't matter.

Aunt Qing blushed a little, lowered her head and took a sip of tea, before she said slowly: "These two stewards ...... It's not too young. Steward Zhou had married a wife in the early years, and was a family outsider, but now he has passed away, leaving only a little daughter, who is fifteen years old, and the girl came to report that she has come to this house, and she wants to come in to greet the young lady, and she has to eat before leaving. ”

Chunying nodded: "So that's ......" suddenly asked again: "Since Steward Zhou is no longer a slave of the Huo family, his daughter won't come in to serve Miss, right?" Fifteen years old...... I'm about the same age, isn't it too old to enter the house at this time? "She's already having a hard time disciplining those six people, so shouldn't she have to add another one?

Aunt Qing hurriedly shook her head: "No, I'm just here to ask for peace." The blush on her face deepened, "There is still one thing to do, but she won't stay......"

Chun Ying nodded, and asked with some hesitation: "Aunt Qing, but what are the embarrassing things you can't say?" From just now, she had a tangled expression on her face, something must be wrong!

Aunt Qing smiled reluctantly: "No...... Let me tell you about another Steward Cai? She quickly returned to her normal look: "That Cai Guan has never married a wife, he has been running to Nanyang since he was fourteen or fifteen years old, and he is extremely capable, and everyone who walks that line has heard of his name." Don't look at him like that, in fact, he is a very funny character, once upon a time in Nanjing, every time the master summoned him to interrogate, he could always be happy for a day! ”

She took Chunying's hand and said in a low voice: "These two stewards are now in Beijing, and they plan to gain a foothold here, and from then on they will help the court and the emperor deal with shipping affairs, and the future is bright...... I heard that some of their sons and nephews also entered the Jinyi Guard, and the young lady and the housekeeper are very important. If they marry someone close to the young lady, they will be more loyal in the future, so they will ...... I discussed it with the housekeeper, and asked the second master what he meant, and the young lady nodded, so I picked you and Nanqi......"

Chun Ying was shocked and stood up suddenly: "You...... What did you say?! ”

Aunt Qing hurriedly added: "The letter from outside just now, Steward Zhou has taken a fancy to Nanqi, so Steward Cai is left......"

Chun Ying thought of the short and fat man in his thirties, and his yin and yang strange tone, so she couldn't keep the smile on her face anymore, and took a deep breath: "Auntie's words...... Is it an order, or do you mean to ask me?! ”

Aunt Qing hurriedly said: "Of course I want to ask what you mean, Miss will never force it!" Just ......"

"No need to be just!" Chun Ying said categorically, "I will never agree!" She stared at Aunt Qing: "Auntie, I respect you as an elder, please think about it, those two ...... Not to mention anything else, just because of my age, I can be my father! You...... Don't you feel sorry for what you say?! ”

Aunt Qing was sneering, knowing that she was a little unkind, and reluctantly smiled: "Don't be in a hurry to answer first, although they are poorly talented, their family background is really good, even when they were servants in the past, they were also wealthy...... As soon as you get married, you will be the wife of the house, and you will be the wife of the official family in a few years, no matter how decent you are, you can't ...... be decent" Seeing Chunying's face getting worse and worse, she sighed: "That's it, I know you don't want to, but this is not a bad thing, you go back to discuss with your parents, and I won't be too late to go back." ”

Chun Ying glanced at her coldly, raised her feet and walked out.

She also wants to marry into a good family and live a good life, but ...... Never go hungry。.。