Aunt Xu's appearance is compared to when I first met. There is no big change, but the hair on the sideburns is grayer, the jewelry on the head is less, the expression is still faint, sitting upright, closing the account book casually, and looking at Chunying quietly, without saying a word.

Chunying maintained a moderate smile and stood two meters away in front of her very calmly, her eyes fixed on the footsteps in front of her.

After a while, Aunt Xu spoke: "I heard Brother Chen say that it was the daughter of the original Lu shopkeeper, and I was puzzled, I remember that the eldest daughter of the Lu family was married, and the second daughter was kicked again, where is there another girl?" It turned out to be you. ”

Chunying was blessed and said: "Because the whole family is unemployed at home and lives in the village, it is just a handle when the farm is busy, and there is no serious errand, after all, it is not a long-term method, because I heard that the Dongfu wants to select male and female servants." The children of the two mansions can be selected, and Chunying wants to try her luck. If you can be blessed with an errand, you can also make your family's life better. ”

Aunt Xu smiled: "You coax others to fall, but I don't believe it." I know that you used to be in charge of a shop, and even now that you have done an errand, you have a lot of savings. I am not the head of the house, but I am a waiter like you, what do you coax me to do? ”

Chunying hurriedly smiled: "It's a joke for the eldest mother, Chunying didn't mean to coax the eldest lady, but ...... My father's errand is not rich in oil and water, others don't know about it, doesn't my aunt know about it? After three years, although there are some savings, it is only enough for one or two years of expenses, and then there will be a famine. Besides, there is still a little brother at home, and I can't think about the future. ”

Aunt Xu seemed to be a little interested in her words: "You still have a little brother?" How old is it? ”

Chunying was afraid that she would transfer Xiaohu to be the fourth young master's servant, and remembered that the fourth young master's age seemed to be only two years younger than herself, so she said: "My brother is only five or six years old this year, and he is not sensible, he is naughty all day long, and he can't calm down for a moment." The whole family worries about him. ”

When Aunt Xu heard that it was such a young child, she was not interested, so she only said unintentionally: "You are the person who is the wife of the Hou Mansion, how can we use you well in the East Mansion?" ”

Chun Ying's heart came, so she smiled and replied: "Mrs. was just angry with me that day, and there was another house with me." Now my wife has no follow-up, saying that she will dispose of my family, and the other family has to be reused again and promoted to stewardship, which shows that the matter has passed. Besides, my wife only said that she was picking people up that day, but she didn't say that she couldn't go to other places on an errand? ”

"But she didn't say you could go on an errand elsewhere." Aunt Xu smiled, "It's not that I don't want to help, I'm really worried that I will refute Mrs. Hou's face." I'm just a subordinate, and if I offend the relatives of the master's family, it will make our wife shameless. ”

The smile on Chunying's face remained unchanged: "Auntie's words are wrong. What kind of person is the wife of the Hou Mansion? How could she be a little girl for me, so she had an awkward relationship with her own concubine? Besides, the two families were originally one family, and I was the son of the Li family, and it was the same in which house I served. Even if it's the wife of the Hou Mansion, doesn't she say the same? I have heard others mention that the eldest mother wants to pick someone in the Hou Mansion, but the wife has personally spoken, all the children born in the name of the Hou Mansion, as long as they have no office, the eldest mother can ask for it. Could it be that Mrs. is such a shrewd person. Would you not have thought that Chunying is also a family child with no job? Since Mrs. said it, it naturally means by default. How can the eldest lady not appreciate the kindness of Mrs. Houfu? ”

Aunt Xu couldn't help but laugh when she heard her say this. Everyone knows that the wife of the Hou Mansion, An, doesn't care about things now, it is their eldest and youngest grandmothers who are in charge, and Mrs. An's saying this is just a kind word, and she also wants to save some face in her family. Unexpectedly, this Chunying hit the snake with the stick. really used her, and when Mrs. An's knew about it in the future, she blocked it with this, and the other party was embarrassed to get angry again, so it was hard to admit that it was her carelessness and negligence, right? Besides, what about even those who have offended Mrs. Ann? What is the reason why the Lu family was demoted, her grandson has already mentioned it, and even her husband has sighed at home. This Chunying girl, since she is not at fault, it doesn't matter if she uses it.

Chunying looked at her and didn't respond except for a three-point smile on her face, but her eyes changed slightly, her heart moved, and she said with a smile: "Chunying has had the opportunity to be taught by her mother since she was a child, although she hasn't seen her for many years, she doesn't treat her as an outsider." Please forgive Chunying for saying more, the eldest lady wants to choose a girl for the second old lady, the second wife, the fourth young master, the fourth lady and the aunts, but I am afraid that most of them can only choose the little girl. The owner of the second room has not been in the house for many years, and he suddenly received the will to return to Beijing. Whether it is the people of the Hou Mansion or the Eastern Mansion, most of the characters who can be used have a function. If you borrow someone and use it temporarily, it's not a long-term method, and how many people can you borrow? It's good to buy it from outside, but you may not know the rules of people like us, so it's better to train it yourself. However, the little girls are all newcomers, and they have to be taught slowly, and when the master's family returns to the house, they may not be able to teach well, but in the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, there may be a few people who know how to serve and are familiar with the rules. It's just that those who are waiting in the house can't live without a girl. In the two mansions, if there is a person who has no errands for a while, but is familiar with the rules and knows how to serve, and his wife has already spoken, you might as well choose to come, just to make up for this shortcoming, even if you are older, it doesn't matter. When the little girls are trained, why should the aunt worry that no one will call her? ”

Aunt Xu raised her eyes to look at Chunying, and her expression moved slightly. This was said to her heart, but she couldn't make up her mind yet: "Your words also make sense, it's just ...... How many girls can there be? How many of them are honest? If it weren't for the inappropriateness, he wouldn't have been dismissed. You can't check them all one by one, right? ”

Chunying smiled: "How can you check them one by one?" Besides, not everyone is close to the left, but choose the one who knows the details and lives close to each other, if it is good, choose it, and help the eldest mother. I want to come to the master's house in the field, and there are a few girls who can be used, but in the end, they are not as familiar with the names of the two prefectures and the situation in Beijing as the people in Beijing, and the second wife only adds a little girl to her side, which is already wronged, not to mention the second old lady? ”

Aunt Xu nodded secretly. She is also most worried about this, in the letter from the second wife. As I have already mentioned, the new manpower is not to mention anything else, the one for the second old lady must be the best, and don't let those raw melons and eggs who don't know anything make people angry. She glanced at Chunying, and suddenly remembered that her grandson Mu Chen had mentioned that this girl wanted to serve in front of the second old lady, I don't know if she has this ability? Then he asked, "What have you learned in the mansion over the years?" ”

Chunying hurriedly replied respectfully: "I have been taught by my eldest mother since that year, and soon I was selected to be an errand in the third young master's courtyard, and then Miss Huo Jiabiao came, and was transferred to Miss Cousin's courtyard to serve for more than three years, until Miss Cousin got married. From the rough little girl on the sprinkle sweep, and then to the small kitchen, to the meticulous work in the upper room, I have all the skills that can be used in the inner courtyard, and the most proud is the kitchen work, and the female red is no worse than others. I learned arithmetic at home, and my sisters around Miss Biao taught me etiquette in person, and Miss Cousin also instructed poetry and books for a few years. In addition, I am not afraid of your annoyance, I have personally experienced the major events of Mrs. Cousin, and I have also done it, and then before Miss Cousin got married, the old lady prepared a dowry for Miss Cousin, and I also followed my sisters to see it. "The implication is that she is both civil and military, she can do any work, and she has no problem with red and white ceremonies, and she is a very comprehensive and excellent good girl.

Aunt Xu raised her eyebrows: "I tried your female red ...... that year"

Chunying hurriedly said: "I was still young at that time, but now I do it every year, every day, it's very different." If the eldest lady doesn't believe it. I can do it for you on the spot, but I don't know what you want to do? ”

Aunt Xu asked the little girl to bring an embroidery shed and some needlework and ordered her to wipe her forehead. Chunying secretly thought that this kind of thing is usually more loved by middle-aged and elderly women, so she picked out brown scraps, made a wider forehead, and embroidered the pattern of 10,000 characters and a simple version of Wufu Longevity.

Aunt Xu went out to take care of the housework for a while, and when she came back after an hour, Chunying had already done it. She looked at it and thought it was good, tried it on, was very satisfied, and asked some details about the cooking work, Chunying answered them one by one, and said that she could make two dishes for her to taste. She just smiled.

Next, Aunt Xu tested Chunying's level of service again, first asked her to make tea, and then asked her to comb her hair, wash her hands and face, and then test a few coping questions. After working so busy for a long time, Chunying was already so hungry that her heart was close to her back, so she stopped, looked at Chunying's constant smile and respectful look, nodded with satisfaction, and said, "I see that you are really good, but I don't count what I said, and we have to nod from the old lady and wife of our family." You live on the farm now, don't you? ”

Chunying responded, and said: "My second uncle works as a housekeeper in the eldest young master's house, and his house is in Gouwei Alley, you can pass it there if you have any words." ”

Aunt Xu nodded and said, "Then you go back first, and when the master's family sends a letter to explain the day of departure, I will call you, you will get to the mansion within three days, and then prepare to greet the old lady, the lady and the young master and young lady in the mansion." I'll greet them at the other end of the Hou Mansion. ”

Chunying breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, and was about to bend down, but she suddenly asked, "I almost forgot, do you know how to beat your legs?" Chunying was stunned, and subconsciously replied: "I have also beaten it before, do you want to try it?" "Actually, I didn't have much experience, I just helped my mother pinch her shoulder. Fortunately, Aunt Xu didn't delve into it: "That's good, the old lady's legs and feet are not as sharp as before, and she loves someone to beat her in front of her." ”

Someone came in to reply, Aunt Xu ordered Chunying to retreat, Chunying walked out of the second door, and secretly decided to practice massage and beat her legs after going back, and suddenly saw a strange little guy standing outside the second gate, and ran when she saw her, she was inexplicable, but saw that the little guy led Mu Chen to come.

Mu Chen wiped his sweat and said, "Are you okay?" I'm going to rush to see Uncle Wang, hurry up. Chun Ying hurriedly followed, thanking him for the good things he said to himself along the way, but Mu Chen didn't care: "Please also ask my sister to say a lot of kind words in front of the tenth sister." By the way, yesterday there was a boss Lu from Weitang who urged him to ask for a payment owed in September......"

Chunying was unhappy in her heart, but she had just gained a benefit, and there was no reason to kick people immediately, so she had to respond: "I remember that Boss Lu, he is the most stingy, and it is extremely rare that the payment can be delayed for two or three months, maybe because the New Year is about to be celebrated." Why don't you prepare a gift and ask for it in person? He is actually very flattering, and he loves to eat the auspicious fruit of Bai Yuzhai in the East Fourth Archway, and the second brother Mu went to Bai Yuzhai to buy a copy of every dim sum and send it, he will be happy. It's just that if he wants to drag it out, he can only drag it out past the New Year, and then he should turn his face. ”

Mu Chen secretly calculated, two months was enough, he was busy thanking Chunying, and led her out of the door excitedly, then left the person and ran away.

Chunying went to the second uncle's house, and used the old method to ask the children nearby to help spread the word, and invited Hu Fei to meet her, but Hu Fei made an appointment to eat and drink at night, so he could only meet in a hurry, and gave her a silver bracelet before leaving, and said, "Do you remember the jade beads I gave you that year?" Attach it to this bracelet and take it with you, but don't lose it. ”

Chunying was puzzled: "What is this?" ”

Hu Fei just smiled: "You'll know this later." Chunying chased all the way out of the courtyard door, only to turn around, looked carefully at the bracelet, and found that the silver threads on it were twisted into small plum blossoms, but they were delicate and tight, obviously not valuable materials, but they were gorgeous, where did Hu Fei get it?

Next, it is to go home, study, practice, and celebrate the New Year, I don't know if it is because Hu Fei is about to leave immediately, Chunying always feels that she can't keep her spirits up, but she doesn't want Hu Fei to worry, so she can only barely squeeze out a smile, accompany him to paste window flowers and Spring Festival couplets, decorate the house, tie lanterns, set off firecrackers, and make dumplings......

Only after the third day of the Lunar New Year, Hu Fei returned to the capital and officially set off south. On that day, Chunying watched him go away, so he went back to the room and stuffed for a day, and the next day he began to practice non-stop to press people's shoulders and beat their legs, until Lu's mother and Qiu Yu ran as soon as they saw her, and Shi'er didn't show up for a few days, so she relented slightly.

In February, spring returns to the earth. There is news in Beijing that the second room has reached the halfway point, and it will be in Beijing soon.