The Hai family came to the second old lady's maiden nephew. He brought his eldest daughter and a group of male and female servants, and the party consisted of fifteen or sixteen people, including people and luggage, and hired four or five cars from the dock to finish it.

After the old man Hai entered the house, he first took his daughter to visit his aunt, and the second old lady rushed to the second gate to greet him tremblingly with the support of Chunying and autumn geese. Master Hai choked and knelt down and said: "Since the palace test eleven years ago, my nephew went back to his hometown, and then my aunt went to the north, and my nephew went to the capital four years ago, but my aunt went to the south again, and the relatives have not seen each other again until today." Now my nephew has gray sideburns, but fortunately, my aunt is still healthy......"

The second old lady only felt that thousands of words were pouring into her throat, but she still chose the sentence she wanted to ask the most: "I'm fine, how are your parents?" ”

"The nephew told his aunt that his parents were well. On this trip to Beijing, before leaving, my father specially instructed my nephew to bring a lot of hometown scenery, and my aunt played with it in her spare time. It's like meeting my mother's family. Tonight, my nephew ordered someone to send a letter home, so that his parents would know that his aunt was okay, so that the second elder could rest assured. ”

The second old lady nodded tearfully: "Okay, good ......"

Everyone present was bowing their heads and wiping their tears, only Chun Ying saw that the second old lady was trembling in her throat, and her hands were trembling slightly, knowing that she would see her relatives again after many years, she must have been very excited in her heart, worried that she would make something wrong when she was older, and hurriedly persuaded softly: "Old lady, it is a happy event for relatives to meet, why do you shed tears?" You should be happy. The guests must be very tired, why don't you go back to the house and sit down and talk about it? ”

This reminded Zhuo's family, and she hurriedly came over to support her mother-in-law: "Yes, mother, let's go back to the house and sit down and talk in detail, so that the cousin father and daughter can take a breath." The second old lady wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and said, "I'm happy in my heart, but you are here to spoil the fun!" ”

The young girl standing behind Master Hai softly persuaded him: "Father, my aunt and grandmother are very old......

When Master Hai heard this, he looked up at the second old lady and bowed down again: "It was supposed to be my nephew who went to visit my aunt, but Aunt Lao's mother came to greet me and killed my nephew, so I asked my aunt to go back to the inner room and sit down, and wait for my nephew to tell me everything about the family in detail." ”

The second old lady helped the girls to go back, and when they arrived at the main room of Songyi Courtyard, Master Hai took his daughter to formally meet again. He also ordered his daughter to meet her cousins and cousins.

Originally, he was a man and should not have entered the inner courtyard, but he was the nephew of the second old lady, and he hadn't seen him for many years, and the male owner of the East Mansion was not there, so in order to appease the second old lady, he stayed in the main room to talk with him. Zhuo's family had already ordered someone to send a letter to Master Liu's mansion, called the fourth young master back, and asked him to sit with Master Hai.

The second old lady was probably too excited, and felt that the corners of her forehead were a little abrupt, and she didn't want to delay talking to her nephew, so she didn't say anything. Chunying sensed that something was wrong, and hurriedly told Zhuo Shi quietly, asking her to ask the doctor to come just in case. Zhuo Shi was startled, hurriedly sent someone to go, and secretly ordered someone to invite Aunt Xu over. Aunt Xu is older and has gone through a lot of things, if there is no doctor present, she can still cope with it. Chunying quickly asked the other girls to pour the calming tea, and persuaded the second old lady to drink a few sips, so that the old man would feel better.

The second old lady began to inquire about the daily life of her mother's family. I was relieved to learn that my younger siblings were in good health and living a happy life. Master Hai introduced his situation again.

It turned out that he had been admitted to the Jinshi since that year, but he was not admitted to the Ji Ji Shi and did not have a real vacancy, so he returned to his hometown to wait for the official. But not long after, his wife gave birth to her second son, but she was severely injured due to dystocia, and has been bedridden since then, and then his parents also fell ill, although not life-threatening, but it also dragged on for a while. In order to take care of his family, he missed several opportunities to become an official. After my daughter turned 10 years old, she took care of her younger brother and took over the housework, and with her grandmother and mother teaching her, she gradually got started. Four years ago, his parents were in good health, his wife's condition also improved, he was going to try again, after all, he was admitted to the Jinshi but he was not really lacking, and he was also a little lacking in his hometown, but unfortunately he was confused, and his friend informed him that he had been on the wheel of the shortage, but he was given by others, and he had no choice but to go home. This spring, my wife changed to a doctor, and her health has improved, and she can even return to housework. He got another message from a friend, so he hurriedly brought his daughter over.

Master Hai said with some shame: "Four years ago, the family said that it must be because the nephew didn't do a good job, so this time the nephew must take his daughter with him. ”

Everyone couldn't help but look at Miss Hai, looking at the delicate, dignified and silent girl, they couldn't imagine that she was so capable. Miss Hai noticed that everyone was looking at her, and she was neither angry nor shy, but still sat there quietly with her head bowed, as if she had not noticed anything.

The second old lady sighed: "What is this? A few years ago, our family was not in Beijing, so we couldn't help, but this year we have returned to Beijing, so we have to take care of it for you, although we will leave it to us. ”

Master Hai hurriedly said: "I can't help it! My aunt doesn't have to worry about her nephew, who has already asked her friends to help! Miss Hai looked up at her father, and then lowered her head again.

The second old lady was very surprised, but Zhuo Shi smiled: "Cousin doesn't have to worry, it doesn't take much effort, just let people inquire." Every year, there are good and bad official vacancies vacated, and everyone will inquire clearly in advance, so as not to suffer in a bitter place. If you encounter a poor mountain and bad water. Not to mention that the road is difficult to walk, in three years, half of my life has been lost! There are also some places, or there are heroes, or bullies, and there are people with bad customs and thieves, who go to this kind of place to be officials, and even their future lives are worried! I'm afraid that my cousin won't know the truth, so I'll give the hot potato next. ”

Master Hai secretly breathed a sigh of relief, stared at the floor in front of his feet, and said solemnly: "That's not afraid." Since he wants to come out to be an official and think that he is the master of the people, how can he dislike the people there because of the poverty of the place? ”

Chunying found that as soon as Zhuo heard this, she quickly glanced at the second old lady, who had a slightly bitter smile on her face. I think the second old lady also knows, right? Her maiden nephew is a little brainless, maybe because he has not been an official and has been staying at home, so he is a little angry. Chunying couldn't help but glance at Miss Hai again, since Mrs. Hai and her husband insisted on letting this granddaughter follow to Beijing, they should believe that she could make up for Master Hai's shortcomings, right?

Speaking of which, this Miss Hai has a single name and a lady, and she is already eighteen years old, perhaps because she is worried about her mother's body, and she is still waiting to be in the boudoir. She is not very beautiful, but she is delicate and dignified, a goose egg face is white and red, the fat powder is very light, the hairstyle and jewelry are very simple, it is obviously a hot day, and she is wearing a strict green jacket and blue skirt, although the material is relatively thin, but it is not transparent at all.

Chunying looked down at the gauze shirt on her body, and looked at Miss Hai again with admiration.

Zhuo probably guessed Master Hai's temperament, so he didn't say much, opened the topic, praised Miss Hai, and pulled his daughter to ask her to learn more from Miss Hai and exchange experience as a housekeeper.

Chunying stood behind the second old lady, observing that her mood had stabilized, she reached out and touched the cup of Dingshen tea, and brought it over and ordered the little girl to heat the water, but suddenly caught a glimpse of someone wandering back and forth outside, and when she saw that she was looking over, she kept waving. She recognized that it was the lady in charge beside Zhuo's side, looked back at the second old lady, and gave Qiu Yan a look. So he walked outside the house and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

The lady in charge leaned into her ear and whispered: "The people below went to move the luggage of the Hai family, but the steward of the Hai family said that their master did not call it to move." Chunying was stunned, and couldn't help but be confused, since she went to Beijing and came to report the news, she should be living in the mansion, right? Why is it not called moving?

She was thinking about the reason when she heard the voice of the second old lady in the house: "What is Chunying doing outside?" She hurriedly waved her hand to let the lady in charge go, returned to the house, and cautiously asked, "It's not early, and the lady in charge outside has come to ask where the guests should be placed?" ”

Zhuo Shi hurriedly said: "Look at me, I almost forgot!" There are still empty houses in our family, and the east side ......" suddenly remembered that the east set of courtyards had been given to his son, but the west set of courtyards has always been lived by concubines, and the mother's family who entertained the second old lady was a little lazy.

The second old lady said: "Brother Hengzhu Dun'er has moved out, let Shu'er come to my east wing to live, and her father lives in the room opposite the outer study, where the place is big and easy to get in and out." If Brother Dun wanted to ask his cousin for homework, it was also very cheap. ”

When Zhuo heard this, he hurriedly went to make arrangements, but Master Hai hurriedly got up and said, "Aunt and cousin-in-law don't have to bother, I have already ordered someone to rent a house in Beijing, and after meeting my aunt, I will bring my luggage family over." ”

The second old lady said unhappily: "You are my nephew, and there is no house at home, how can there be a reason why a nephew does not entertain and stay, but drives people out?" Don't say that! ”

Master Hai insisted very much: "That house is very close to my nephew's friend's house, and it is more convenient to come and go, and my nephew doesn't dare to nag my aunt." ”

The second wife helped persuade him for a while, but seeing that he was still stubborn, and he didn't want to invite such a large group of people to live at home, he turned around and persuaded his mother-in-law. The second old lady kept a straight face, and only relieved her mouth for a long time, and promised to let her nephew live outside, but her niece and granddaughter had to stay in the house.

Hai Shu knelt down and said: "Shu'er accompanied her father to Beijing just to do some mundane things for her father, she didn't leave her father, and she enjoyed the happiness in her aunt's grandmother's house, so please forgive her aunt and grandmother." ”

The second old lady sighed, although she was reluctant, but she didn't want to leave them behind, she reluctantly agreed, and ordered someone to see the rented house, and the family reported that it was half a yard, only the main house and the east wing, and there was another tenant in the west wing, so she got angry, and insisted that people rent a quiet two-entry courtyard nearby, and also sent a few family members to help, and the father and daughter of the Hai family were not allowed to refuse, and finally ordered her niece and granddaughter to come to accompany her from time to time. Master Hai reluctantly responded one by one, and finally ate another meal before taking his daughter out of the inner city.

After that, the second old lady sent someone to pick up her niece and granddaughter almost every day to talk, and Zhuo also visited the wife of the servant, and mentioned the relatives who had recently come to Beijing, and the other party smiled and promised that he would take care of it, and the next thing was to see the luck of the old man.

The old lady of the Hou Mansion heard that a delicate guest had come to the East Mansion and was very interested. Because she was not in good health, she couldn't go out, she was crooked in the house all day, very troubled, and occasionally idle, she invited the old woman or the younger daughter-in-law of the clan to talk, and she didn't say it for long, and she was afraid that the sycophants were too loud. Only the second old lady of Dongfu has not been blinded by her. First, the two families have the closest bloodline, and secondly, with the rise of the second old man's official position and personal prestige, the second old lady has faintly been on par with the old lady in the clan. Therefore, in her opinion, the second old lady is the only one who will not slap her peers, I heard that it is the niece and granddaughter of the other party's mother's family, and she is a dignified and delicate daughter, remembering that her little grandson has not yet decided on a family, so she specially sent a big girl to send a post, and invited the second old lady to bring the guests to have tea.

The second old lady couldn't refute the face of the concubine, so she brought Hai Shu and Yajun over, and Chunying led the team of girls and mothers-in-law to stand behind. When she arrived at the courtyard of the old lady of the Hou Mansion, she was already dressed and waiting for the guests, and after a closer look, Mrs. An and the two young ladies were present, dressed and looked quite formal.

The opening remarks were naturally a greeting, and after that, the two sides began to introduce, and naturally it was inevitable to mention the story of Hai Shu helping the housekeeper and teaching her younger brother at a young age, and everyone sighed again. The old lady's eyes were shining, she took Hai Shu's hand, and asked her about her birthday and the situation at home cordially, and even gossiped about the official positions of the ancestors of the Hai family.

Chunying couldn't help but have a thought: Could she be planning to let the third young master marry Miss Haijia? This is obviously a big woman and a small man!

Everyone in the room vaguely felt this way, and An's, who was sitting on the side, had already darkened his face...