The next day, the atmosphere in the house was much calmer, and because of the old lady's divine might, several new aunts restrained their temperament, worried that they would follow in the footsteps of the Li family. Even Jinhua was listless and never went out for several days. In addition to taking care of the affairs of the house, the eldest lady waited in the Ronghua Hall, and gradually pleased later, so she made time again, and called the eldest girl and the second girl to the main room to reprimand her.

After breakfast on Chinese New Year's Eve, Jinmei also went to Linglong Garden with the four girls to visit Jinfang, and after a few days of not seeing her, she saw that she was much more emaciated, and it was inconvenient to say anything more because of the young Jinhua's side, so she had to comfort her and resign. On the way back, I met Jinyu, who was walking in the garden, swept away the pity of the day, and raised his chin to instruct a few mothers-in-law who hung lanterns to climb the heights and fold the plums. Neither of them wanted to meet her, so they took a detour.

In the past few days, Jin Mei has been silent, and it is inconvenient for Biluo Liucui to talk more. Until today's holiday, she had two smiles on her face, and after Bi Luo parted ways with Jinyu, she sat on the bridge railing, and said everything she saw and heard after returning home, and told what Liucui heard and Jinmei in detail.

Jin Mei was speechless for a long time. Bi Luo cursed in a low voice: "This Ning clan is really not a thing!" I don't think what Liucui said is a lie, the girl has to guard against those two goblins on weekdays. We live here, it is best to be less contaminated with right and wrong, He Mansion is the most snobbish, the eldest girl and the second girl are the biological children of the eldest master, and the old lady is also unsympathetic because of their origins, blindly favoring the three girls, if there is anything wrong with the girl here, then I really dare not imagine. ”

Jin Mei frowned and stood up, thought for a while, and said, "No wonder I saw Liucui in the plum forest in a panic that day, it was because of this!" ”

Bi Luo said: "The girl is the wife's person, and she has to protect the girl." ”

Jin Mei thought for a moment and was noncommittal. After a while, he asked, "Yes, I asked you to go back and see the old plum tree, have you seen it?" Bi Luo hurriedly said: "Why didn't you go?" The plum tree is on the bridge in front of the Yuyu Pavilion, when I was young, I often saw the eldest lady reading and embroidering in that place, this time, the flowers of the tree actually bloomed a fire, very good. ”

"Is there anything strange around?"

Bi Luo was slightly stunned and replied, "It's not unusual." ”

On this day and night, the whole house held a banquet in the Xifu Hall of the main courtyard, with two halls, the men were headed by the eldest lord and sat in the outer hall, and the women were accompanied by the eldest lady and the third wife to sit in the inner hall. Several elderly mothers also opened another seat, and the sound of fireworks and firecrackers in the courtyard continued, and the banquet was staggered, and the clothes and temples were fragrant.

Needless to say, even the Jinfang sisters smiled when they saw Li on the table. After the banquet was dispersed, Ronghua Hall set up a long table of eight immortals, on which there were 24 kinds of dried fruits such as walnuts and almonds, and 18 kinds of pastries, the old lady sat on the couch in gorgeous clothes, and all the grandchildren blessed it one by one. The old lady had already asked Liuli to prepare the New Year's money - a pair of pure gold bills for one person, plus a horse of silk silk. Even the brocade eyebrows that sat on the side and smiled and watched the old lady scatter her wealth did not fall, and prepared the same one.

Jin Mei thanked him for bowing, and handed over the New Year's gift next to her and her mother-in-law in front of the eldest lady. It's just that it was Jinfang Jinyong's turn to kneel down to celebrate the New Year, but the mother-in-law didn't even sing a greeting, and casually called "Girl is well", and handed over the embroidered bag containing the bill. Jin Yong gritted her teeth and was silent for a while, bowed her head and thanked her, hung her head and stood up, and went out all the way.

The old lady's face was not very clear, and the eldest lady also tilted her head slightly. Jin Mei sat behind the screen, with a melon seed in his hand, and he didn't sit very steadily. Fortunately, at this moment, he said outside the door: "The third young master is here to celebrate the New Year for the old lady!" In this way, the old lady's face was clear, and Jinmei's heart also shifted her attention.

Shaoying was dressed in an azure cotton robe, with a silver bottom and a velvet hexagram, with a smile on her handsome face, and knelt down in the middle of the robe: "Grandson celebrates the old lady's New Year!" May the old lady live a long and long life! "I haven't seen you for a few days, but the style is still the same.

"Hurry up!" The old lady smiled and hurriedly beckoned him over, "How many glasses of wine have you eaten?" Have you ever eaten? "Blindly shush the cold and ask for warmth.

Jin Yuyuan was on the side and Aunt Su picked out almond shells for the old lady, and when she saw Shaoying, she also gave up the nuts in her hand, and said leisurely: "I haven't seen the third brother for a long time, why did you come here?" Isn't it that someone is stumbling up on the outside again? ”

Liuli hurriedly picked up the silk with a basket, stroked Jinyu's shoulder, and said with a smile: "There are so many granddaughters and granddaughters, dare to love only the third young master has eaten wine?" The old lady is only so partial to the third young master, it doesn't make people unhappy! You can look carefully, the eldest lady is still sitting next to her, the third young master has been busy on the counter for twenty-seven or eight days this month, and it is not easy to see each other, the old lady is not quick to let go, she doesn't have to make her mother secretly jealous! ”

The eldest lady got up with a smile: "This girl is a choreographer!" The old lady loves her grandson, this is his blessing, how can there be a jealous mother?! ”

Liuli teased more and more: "It's that the eldest lady is not jealous, and she will marry a young grandmother in the future, so she is not jealous either?" ”

The old lady laughed and patted the back of Shaoying's hand, "My grandchildren, if they are all as obedient and filial as Ying'er, I will let them be jealous, and I will not be afraid of him!" ”

Everyone laughed, but there was nothing but a bunch of clichés praising sycophancy. Jin Mei ate tea, thinking about the meaning of the old lady's words, and hung her head silently.

Shaoying sat with a smile for a while, looked around, Jinhua came in, and busily dragged him to set off fireworks, so he ordered the little maid to hold the New Year's gift and go together.

After the New Year's greetings here, the girls have long been unable to go out to the garden to watch the fireworks, Jin Mei because of last night's shallow sleep, tired, and with the eldest lady stayed, accompanied by Yahuan Lianxiang next to the lamp curtain.

After Liuli served tea, she suddenly heard the old lady say: "How is the dowry of the eldest girl prepared?" The eldest lady said: "It's all ready, and when you get free one day, I'll let Qiu Cheng take a list to show you." The old lady nodded, "The girls are all older, the second girl is over sixteen, and the third girl is also fifteen." It's time to find someone. The three girls have no mother, and I have my own dowry, so what kind of family to choose, you have to take some pains to go. ”

The eldest lady was busy and said, "The daughter-in-law can save it." The second wife is also good with me, and I treat the third girl as my own daughter. ”

The old lady took a sip of jujube tea and said, "The three girls can still be slow, but the two girls can start preparing now." The female big girl is not staying, and staying here and again is an enmity. After all, it's not your master's right out, you let the people below pay attention to what kind of people are suitable, so you choose a day to set it, and forget it. ”

The eldest lady bowed her head and said yes, and then talked about the congratulatory gifts sent to various mansions and palaces. Jin Mei listened to Fang Cai's words, but couldn't help but pay attention.