When Zhou Nian came to visit the fourth young master, Li Dun. Chunei is working in Songyiyuan. Because the meeting was held in the outer study, she couldn't go, thinking about it in her heart, and she didn't dare to show it on her face, but while carefully putting the spring clothes into the cabinet, she taught the little girls how to fold their clothes, how to store the odd accessories, etc., and the summer clothes had already been taken out and put in the cabinet of commonly used clothes.

Before the lunch start, the fourth young master returned to the courtyard and reported the meeting to his grandmother and mother. The second wife, Zhuo, also specially handed over the affairs of the Hou Mansion to the second lady Yijun, and came back early under the pretext that there was something at home. Chunying took the tea tray from the girl in charge of the tea, and personally served tea to the old lady, the young master, and the young lady, and listened to what the fourth young master had to say by the way.

The fourth young master Li Dun was an honest child, and he recounted the conversations between him and Zhou Nian one by one in a serious manner before he said: "Grandson thinks that his knowledge is really good, not like he has done hard labor for many years, but like a student who has read books for more than 20 years, and he has a lot of hills and valleys in his chest. If anything, it's just a little bit. I see that although he can also recite the Four Books and Five Classics, he is not very proficient in explanation, but he is very good at poetry and rhyme, and he is very familiar with the major affairs and laws of the imperial court. After talking to him, Sun Er felt that his eyes were cheerful, and some of the human principles taught by Mr. Tu in the past could be understood if he didn't understand them. ”

Chun Ying secretly breathed a sigh of relief, listening to the tone of the fourth young master, Zhou Nian's companion qualifications should be fine, right? Anyway, the fourth young master is going to study the Four Books and Five Classics, and neither of them is familiar with or proficient, so they can study together. Although Zhou Nian is also very good in the Hou Mansion, there are many people in the outer study over there, and he has not been rehabilitated for a long time, so he can't be angry! The fourth young master is a good boy, he will never be angry, and this teacher of Xinbai is very promising, maybe seeing Zhou Nian's smart but hard life, he will help a little.

Thinking of this, Chun Ying suddenly had an idea: Hou Ye suddenly recommended Zhou Nian to be the fourth young master's companion, could it be that he also had this idea? After all, Zhou Nian is much older than the fourth young master, and he usually looks for someone of the same age, right?

The second old lady listened to her grandson's words, pondered for a moment, and nodded slightly: "In this way, it's okay." As long as you're not a naughty person, when you get along with you, you can benefit each other. is the benefit of companion reading. Then he was a little relieved: "When I was a child, I also saw this child, smart and clever, I heard that his homework always compares Brother Chang'er, and now he is in this situation, which is also pitiful, but he still does not forget to study and improve, which is really rare." The Zhou family has been scholarly for generations, and it is really good! ”

Zhuo Shi had a different opinion and asked his son: "You said that he seems to be a student who has been studying for more than 20 years, he must be not young, right?" He turned his head to look at Chun Ying again.

Chun Ying knew that she was asking herself, and hurriedly replied: "The slave maid doesn't know the exact age of Zhou Gongzi, but when he was eleven or twelve years old, he followed the order of the third young master to clean his house, and he looked at least seventeen or eighteen years old at that time, and now he must be twenty-three or fourteen years old, right?" ”

The second old lady nodded: "I estimate that it is about the same, he is the same year as Brother Chang, but he is a few months younger than Brother Chang." ”

Zhuo Shi said: "In this way, he is at least seven or eight years older than Brother Dun!" Which companion is so big? Look, it's like a long-term follower! In the end, he is the son of an old friend, although something bad is wrong in the family, but the Hou Ye still treats him as a nephew, so that outsiders can see that we take the son of an old friend as a slave. Isn't it to say that we are falling into the ground? Mr. Liu is a gentleman of noble character, and he will be displeased when he sees it. ”

Chunying was anxious, but she couldn't help but didn't speak. The fourth young master, Li Dun, said beside him: "I also don't think he is like a companion...... It's good to make friends. He turned his head and asked Chunying, "Didn't you say that his case was almost rehabilitated?" Does my sister know why it didn't work? ”

Chunying couldn't answer: "How specifically, the slave maid doesn't know, at the turn of summer and autumn last year, I also heard that his family's case was going well, and then there were several major events one after another, the second young grandmother entered the door, Miss Huo Jiabiao got married, and the slave maid's family went to Zhuangzi again, and when the news came from Beijing, his family's case had been dismissed." Our subordinates can't figure out the details, and it's not easy for the slave to inquire after returning to Beijing. "Even if you ask, you can't find out the inside story, she was able to know so many things back then, thanks to the third young master's relay.

Others are okay, Zhuo Shi understands first. After Chunying's family was thrown to Zhuangshang, the case of the Zhou family was dismissed, which shows that it is impossible for Chunying to know more. She thought about it a few more times, and remembered that on the day when the second daughter-in-law of Xifu, the Liang family, entered the door, her brother had set fire to the Hou Mansion, which made a big fuss, and was dismissed by the emperor afterwards. She had already sent someone over there today to inquire about some news, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt that this possibility was very high.

Thinking about it like this, Zhuo was even more unhappy. Zhou Nian, no matter what his character and talent are, has been involved in the battle of the imperial court, if he is allowed to be his son's companion. accompanied him to Bachelor Liu's house to study, didn't he get his own family and Bachelor Liu into it? Maybe Mr. Liu will be annoyed by this, and his son is unknown.

It's just that the second old lady obviously has the intention of taking care of the son of the deceased, and has the face of the Hou Ye, Zhuo Shi can't say it clearly, so he has to say: "The case of the Zhou family is a little unclear, what will be the outcome in the future, I don't know yet, our family is really not good at taking that child as a slave, it is better to respect it, and he is too old to be a companion of Brother Dun, so let's find another one?" ”

The second old lady was noncommittal: "Your eldest uncle has already recommended someone to come, you have already responded, and people can't find anything wrong, if you don't stay, how can you reply?" ”

Zhuo wanted to say that he would stay in the outer study to do his old job, but after thinking about it, his husband was an official in the border city and his identity was sensitive, so it was not appropriate to leave such a person in the outer study, so he said: "Delay it first, and wait until the daughter-in-law thinks of a way to settle it." It's not too late to let him come over. ”

Although the second old lady felt that this was not good, it was related to the future of the whole family, so she stopped talking. The fourth young master was a little regretful, but when his mother spoke, he also felt that it made sense, so he kept silent.

Chunying watched from the sidelines, and couldn't help but feel anxious for Zhou Nian, but she also knew that there was no position to speak for this kind of thing, so she could only comfort herself: Even if Zhou Nian can't do it in Dongfu, she can live well in Houfu.

After a while, the fourth young lady Yajun easily entered the door with a happy face. Immediately he felt that something was wrong with the atmosphere in the house, and he hurriedly restrained his joy, respectfully greeted his grandmother and mother, and said hello to his brother.

Zhuo asked her, "What is so joyful?" She hurriedly replied: "Jiuru sent a letter, she and her sister went out of the pavilion on the same day, to set up a banquet in the newly opened Xifu Building nearby, and invited us to drink the wedding wine!" ”

Chunying reacted immediately, isn't that Shi'er's sister? That means the two sisters are serving wine together?

Zhuo frowned and said: "Your girl is married, you see that for many years, you will go to He Yihe, but why don't you put wine at the man's house?" Set up a banquet in the restaurant outside, how can your girl's family show her face?! ”

The excitement on the fourth lady's face suddenly disappeared: "Isn't it really good...... Their sisters are all married to the children of the house, they are not outsiders, and they must know the rules...... "Looking at her mother's expression, she also knew that it was impossible, so she had to retreat to the second, "Then I'll go to Wang's house and say a few words to her, and let Shuangxi and them accompany me ......"

Zhuo's expression softened a little: "That's okay, it's just that the mother-in-law and the little girls are going to follow closely, and they will have to clear the scene when the time comes, don't let people collide." ”

The fourth lady bowed her head, and the second old lady smiled: "What your mother said is right, and there is nothing reluctant to give up, if you really want to see Jiuru, just come in and talk after the happy event." She didn't come in again after getting married, and she could still be an errand boy in the inner courtyard when she became a daughter-in-law, right? The fourth lady smiled at this time.

Chunying hurriedly seized the opportunity to interject: "Old lady, the slave wants to ask you for a favor." The nine-like sister Shi'er, who grew up with me since she was a child, was on an errand in a place, and later went to Zhuangzi together, and her feelings were different from others. Originally, the slave maid thought that when she got married, the slave maid had to wait in front of the old lady, and she couldn't give her away, but now it is a rare opportunity, please ask the old lady to reward the slave and maid with a face, so that the slave and maid can also go to say goodbye, right? ”

The second old lady smiled: "Then you will go with the fourth lady." Come back and tell me what's new at the table. "Chunying is overjoyed and busy.

The sisters of the Wang family came out of the courtyard of the Wang family in the back street, the black family has its own house, and the carpenter also got two wings for the younger son in the back street, which were renovated and ready to pick up the bride. It's just that no matter the Wang family, the Hei family or the Mu family, there is not enough space to accommodate all the guests who come to congratulate him, and several families want to be decent, so they chartered the restaurant on the back street to receive relatives and friends who came to congratulate him.

Chunying followed behind the fourth lady, and sat in a car with the big girl in her house, accompanied by four mothers-in-law, four daughters-in-law and four little girls, and six male servants followed the car, and after a long time, they came to the courtyard of the Wang family. The people who followed the car drove all the men in the courtyard away, leaving only a few female dependents of the Wang family with heads and faces, and then invited the fourth lady to get out of the car, said a few words to Aunt Wang, and then accompanied her into the house to find Jiuru. After Chunying got out of the car, she looked left and right, and only recognized one Aunt Wang, so she first exchanged a few words of greeting before entering Shi'er's room.

Shi'er was dressed in red, with a full of golden flowers and beads on her head, she was dressed so gorgeously for the first time in her life, and her face was full of fat powder, Chunying almost couldn't recognize it. She was overjoyed when she saw Chunying: "I thought you couldn't come!" How does this say? ”

Chunying smiled and took her hand: "Fortunately, you and your sister got married on the same day, and the fourth lady came to congratulate me, so I cheekily begged for grace and followed." Let me see, ah, the bride is the most beautiful! ”

Shi'er blushed when she said: "What nonsense...... the two laughed a few words, and Shi'er said: "Tell me quickly, how are you doing in Dongfu?" ”

Chunying was about to speak, but Aunt Wang came in and said, "The hour is coming, I hear the sound of drums outside, quickly cover your head!" Chunying and Shi'er listened to it, and sure enough, they heard the drum music gradually advancing, and they couldn't help but regret it. Chunying secretly complained that the people around Miss Fourth were too pompous, and they spent too much time when they went out, but they were afraid that they wouldn't have time to talk to Shi'er in detail, so they hurriedly said: "It's important to get down to business, you come to me again in the future, we have time to talk." He also took the embroidered red hijab and gave it to Shi'er.

Shi'er nodded and took the hijab: "Thank you for coming to congratulate me today, we will meet in the future, and we will talk again." At this time, Aunt Wang led the two mothers-in-law in: "Hurry up, sit down!" The sedan chair will arrive soon! Xiang Chunying accompanied him again: "I'm really slacking off today, don't be angry with my niece, go to the front yard to drink a glass of water and wine, which is also a meaning." The fourth lady is about to leave, should her niece rush over and wait? Chunying had to squeeze Shi'er's hand again, salute everyone, and go out.

The mother-in-law who followed the car rushed over and said, "Miss Ying, the sedan chair is coming, Miss needs to leave immediately, let's hurry up." Chunying hurriedly took the wine handed over by the Wang family's daughter-in-law, drank two sips, and followed her mother-in-law into the car.

The cart left the Wang family's compound, but it happened to be blocked with the team to welcome the relatives. It was the sedan chair of the black family, I heard that it was the young lady of Dongfu, and she hurriedly commanded everyone to make way, but the back street was not wide, where can there accommodate so many people and horses? But it's too unlucky to turn back the sedan chair. There are people on the side of the road who are also born in the family, and they are busy opening the door to welcome Miss Four's car into the door. The fourth lady was very embarrassed, so she motioned for her group to turn to avoid.

So they turned around and went to the end of the street, and the black family's sedan chair was able to come to the door of the Wang family smoothly. The matchmaker and the groom of the Hei family rushed up to ask the fourth lady to confess their crimes, and someone reported to the Wang family so that the bride could get ready. Chunying's car stopped in the middle of the road, thinking that this was a back street, so she couldn't help but lift the curtain to see when the black family would finish talking.

A familiar figure came into her field of vision, she hurriedly looked up, saw Zhou Nian walking on the side of the street, paused slightly, and continued to walk forward. He seemed to have lost a lot of weight, and his whole person was gloomy and melancholy, and he didn't think he was doing well.

Chunying couldn't help but feel sad in her heart.