Shuning asked Su Xin to pack two bags of homely clothes, planning to go back to the capital at noon. Although she hasn't lived in Fangshan Villa for a long time, that Grandma Cui should arrive at the Earl's Court today, thinking of her mother's instructions, she should be well-behaved.

She said to Xiao Liu: "My aunt used to go out, only with two maids, if something happens, she doesn't even have a use, let's take a few more people out in the future." If you want to eat anything on weekdays, you can tell the manager, and if anyone is disrespectful to you, don't be polite. ”

Xiao Liu smiled: "Don't worry, I know all this, you just have to learn the rules in the house, take care of yourself, I will send you a letter if there is something." ”

Shuning nodded, and said to Xiao Bao: "Brother Bao is ten years old this year, and he is no longer a child, he must take good care of his mother in the future, and he must study and practice martial arts seriously." When you are older, you can enter our official school of Zhenghongqi. Don't let your mother you

Xiaobao nodded solemnly and said, "Sister, don't worry, I'm already a man, and I will be filial to my mother." When Xiao Liu heard his son say this, he touched his head lovingly.

Shu Ning instructed the people who usually waited for their mother and son before turning to Changgui and the new deputy chief Gu Quansheng.

When Zhang Bao appointed Gu Quansheng as the deputy chief manager yesterday, she paid attention to Changgui's expression beside her, and she didn't see any dissatisfaction, but she was slightly embarrassed. Thinking that he had served in the third room for many years, he finally got the position of the head of the individual hospital, and Gu Quansheng had only been here for two or three months and divided half of his authority, and he felt a little uncomfortable. However, Gu Quansheng is indeed talented, and he is not annoying, plus he was born in an official family, even if he is now reduced to an official slave, Changgui still admires him a little in his heart. So I didn't say anything.

Shuning was a little worried, although Changgui was reliable and honest, Qiaoyun was a little unwilling to be left behind. If they are dissatisfied in their hearts, they secretly drag their lives back. For a while, no one could hold the field. The property of the other courtyard is where their family is based, what is going on, not to mention that their parents are not at ease in office, and their two brothers and sisters are in Beijing, and they are also uneasy.

So she came up with an idea. said to Changgui: "My brother will marry a wife in less than two months, and there will be someone waiting in the new house at that time." Please choose a few more people with neat hands and feet, and then pick a few clever and honest ones among the little girls and little girls, teach them the rules, and wait for the sister-in-law to use them after she passes the door. It's just that you have to be more careful, my sister-in-law is the daughter of the general's mansion, and she must marry a few people to come over, and we can't lose our family's face when the time comes. ”

Changgui was so busy that he couldn't help but start thinking about it. This task is not difficult, and if it is done well, it will be able to show its face greatly. I couldn't help but bring a little joy on my face. He quietly glanced at Gu Quansheng, and felt that he really didn't need to worry too much about this person. It's winter. There is nothing to do in several industries, wait until the beginning of spring. Doesn't this man have to consult with himself first about what he wants to do?

However, Shuning also thought of this, so she said to Gu Quansheng: "Steward Gu, although winter is the slack season, I would like to ask you more about the old people who know how to do it, the fields and forests and lotus ponds at home, the compost of the compost, the seedling of the seedling, the cold of the cold, and those water conservancy facilities, you should also find someone to inspect it, repair it, and add it." ”

Gu Quansheng responded, and Shuning said again: "There has been little rain in the past few years, and I remember that several water conservancy projects that Ama built before were all for drought prevention, but no one knows what God wants, so it is better to make some preparations for flood prevention." I remember that when the lotus pond was repaired that year, Ama asked someone to dig up the silt in the river and transport it into the pond to plant lotus roots, and the river became wider and deeper, right? If you have time, let the river embankment be built out of sand and gravel, and give priority to our tenant farmers and nearby villagers. ”

In fact, after digging the mud at that time, Zhang Bao had already asked people to build a simple embankment, and the riverbed was deep and the water flow was not large, so there was no need to build a sand and gravel embankment for the time being. Shu Ning said this, firstly, because he wanted to add an income to the tenants during the slack time, and secondly, he wanted Gu Quansheng to have something to do, and others would not dare to trouble him.

However, this kind of big project can't go past Changgui, the head of the other hospital, so she asked Changgui to supervise the expenditure of money, so as not to make his heart unbalanced again.

After explaining these things, it was almost noon, and Shuning hurriedly had a simple lunch, and then got into a carriage and went back to Beijing. Before leaving, she instructed Kou'er to take care of a few packed boxes, and if she sent a letter from Beijing, she would immediately send the things back to the house.

During the two hours on the road, she thought a lot. This Mama Cui doesn't sound like a foolish character, but I'm afraid that it won't be as powerful as Mama He. Now that my parents are not at home, and I was sent by my grandmother, even if my brother wants to stop him, I still have to worry about the face of my grandfather's family, and it is impossible to really do anything to Mama Cui, and it is not easy for people in the big house and four rooms to interfere. She doesn't want to suffer like Wanning, it's better to be obedient, and learning more things is not completely without benefits. Even if she learns it, whether it manifests itself or not is in her thoughts.

If she studies very seriously, but her performance is still very mediocre, and she doesn't show any flaws, presumably the Tong family can't do it, right? If you want to be ordinary in the draft, you don't have to be clumsy, she can act uncharacteristic, as long as she doesn't let others notice her. Therefore, it is also necessary to be familiar with the palace rules and etiquette, who doesn't learn this now? Only those who are not well-mannered will be conspicuous, right?

Shuning pondered carefully in the carriage for a long time, Su Xin watched her face change from the side, called softly, saw that there was no reaction, thought about it, or stopped talking, only looked at her strangely from time to time, but Shuning was unaware.

Back at the Earl's Palace, it was almost evening, Shu Ning first went to see the eldest uncle and aunt and uncles and aunts, told her parents about their appointment, and after listening to some teaching, she returned to Huaiyuan, and then saw Duan Ning standing at the gate of the courtyard to greet him.

Hearing that his parents and younger brother were on the road safely, and everything was fine in the Fangshan Courtyard, Duan Ning nodded lightly and said, "Mama Cui has arrived and is waiting for you in the room." Sister, you...... Take care, I'm moving to another place tonight, so be careful. Shuning was shocked and hurriedly asked what was going on.

It turned out that after Mama Cui came, she asked about the situation. persuaded Duan Ning to move elsewhere, because he was already an adult man, and he lived in the same courtyard with his sister. It was not suitable, and he said: "The young master should move out when he is fourteen years old." The Tong family is full of such rules, but they don't pay attention to these things when they don't think of it. ”

In fact, when Duanning was fourteen years old, his parents and siblings were in Guangzhou, and he lived alone in Huaiyuan, so naturally he didn't need to move out. After returning to Beijing. Because of the separation of the family and the need to keep filial piety, it is not good to build a large number of buildings. Then there was the Fangshan Courtyard, and their family had to live in Fangshan for seven or eight months a year, and Duanning still lived the most in the Huaiyuan, so it was delayed until it was time to marry a wife, and then another courtyard was arranged.

Although Duan Ning was reluctant in his heart, because Mama Cui was reborn, Ranwen was sent by his grandmother, and he was accompanied by the Tong family's housekeeper. It's not good to refute the face too much, so I reluctantly agreed. Originally, I was going to move to the outer study to live, and the second sister-in-law went to check the progress of the new yard. cleaned up a side room and let Duan Ning stay.

Shuning listened to her brother's explanation. I found out what was going on. Duan Ning said to her: "Although I have to go on a business trip during the day now. I don't live in Huaiyuan at night, but my sister's business. I won't care, if you have any grievances, you must tell me. Although I call my grandmother a grandmother, I will never see my sister being bullied! ”

Shu Ning smiled and nodded, and then followed Duan Ning into the house to meet the Cui Mama.

But this grandmother is a little different from what she imagined. She looked to be in her fifties and sixties, tall and thin, wearing a half-new robe, with a silver hairpin on her head, and two silver pendants on her ears. She has an ordinary appearance, thin eyebrows and fine eyes, a calm expression, but no expression, a mouth is gently pursed, but not in a straight line, slightly bent a little bit of a seemingly nonexistent angle, but it makes people feel not too cold.

She spoke slowly and coherently, not loudly, but she spoke clearly and clearly understood. Unlike the few mammas who taught Fangning in the past, who were full of flesh and fierce attitudes, and Mama He, who spoke and acted harshly, this Mama Cui gave people a kind and talkative feeling at first, but in fact she was a person who would not easily change once she made up her mind, and her patience was very good.

Shuning had heard her mother introduce this grandmother. She was originally an old person in the palace of the late Empress Xiaokangzhang, but she was not a close servant, but just an ordinary palace maid. When the Empress Tong Jiashi of Xiaokangzhang passed away, the four palace attendants, except for one palace maid who committed suicide too simply and were solemnly buried with him, the other three were stopped and given gold and silver and put home. Only one of them obeyed the orders of his parents and married a petty officer as a house-filler, and the other two were invited home by Tong Guowei's family early to worship and teach the Tong family's daughter. And Mama Cui and other ordinary palace maids didn't leave the palace until they were thirty years old.

Cui Mama was born in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, entered the palace at the age of thirteen, left the palace at the age of thirty, and lived in the palace for 17 years. She is familiar with the etiquette in the palace, and she also knows a lot of taboo things. After she left the palace that year, she had already made a lifelong plan not to marry, but she didn't expect to be picked up by the Tong family with two other companions soon, and she also became a worshipper. Although she is not as respected as those former attendants, she has been taking the girls to do needlework rules for many years, and she is square and rigorous, so the juniors must bow their heads obediently when they see it.

Shuning talked to her for a while, and knew that she was not a good person to deal with, but because she had made up her mind on the road, she didn't have any resistance, but only briefly probed her tone, whether she could move to Fangshan to live, where the place was quiet and spacious, and there was no need to worry about someone disturbing her.

But Mama Cui categorically vetoed: "The girl is confused, I want to send someone to see a few more girls in the Queen Mother's palace, if the girl is not in the house at that time, wouldn't it be inconvenient?" What's more, there is a big place in this courtyard, just to practice, and the young master has already moved out, so no one will disturb him. ”

Shuning had no choice but to whisper. In fact, she fought this idea, if she can avoid the envoys in the palace, she can do things herself, and she lives in Fangshan, and she is full of her own family inside and outside, no matter how capable Mama Cui is, what can she do? The Tong family is out of reach in Beijing, and they can't support her. But obviously, now this wishful thinking will not work. It seems that he can send someone to deliver a letter to Kou'er tomorrow, so that she can bring those boxes of luggage, and at the same time, the things that were originally packed in the room can also be taken out and put away.

Before Shuning could finish feeling sorry for herself, Mama Cui began to act. She asked to know what Shuning had learned in her daily life. Because she didn't know a few words, she didn't pay much attention to the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and only paid attention to the needlework, cooking and housekeeping that Shuning had learned. She said: "Speaking of which, it's not early now, it's dinner time, I wonder if the girl can make a few side dishes by herself and let the old body taste them?" ”

Duan Ning was a little annoyed when she heard it on the side, although her sister often cooks on weekdays, but she has been on the road for a long time today, and she is already very tired, can't she talk about it tomorrow?

He also brought it up, but Mama Cui was noncommittal, and only said that the young master should go back to his room after dark. Duan Ning pursed his lips tightly, sat still with a straight face, and finally Shu Ning persuaded him a few words before leaving.

Seeing off her brother, Shuning squinted, turned around, and smiled: "I don't know what Grandma likes to eat?" Don't like to eat anything? Say it, so that I know in my heart. Mama Cui only said that she should make a few good dishes, and Shuning smiled, so she really made four small dishes in the small kitchen. Mama Cui only tasted one bite of each dish, then stopped eating it, and said, "The girl's cooking work is quite passable, and she doesn't need to learn anymore." I've heard people say that you often wash your hands and make soup, but for the next six months, the girl should not go into the kitchen again, lest she thicken her hands. ”

Hand? Shuning looked at her two hands, with fine skin and tender flesh, where would it be thick?

Cui Mama said: "When you look at women in the palace, you always look at your hands first, no matter how good your face is, if your hands are rough, it is not a blessed place after all." So the girl should pay attention to the maintenance of her hands. ”

Next, she asked Shuning to sit down to eat, and then sat by herself and watched. Shuning was very uncomfortable eating, but fortunately, in the small kitchen just now, she had steamed a few snacks and ate them, and she passed it. After eating, I looked at Mama Cui's expression, and I only felt that she was expressionless.

Then, Mama Cui asked to see the girl's needlework, and Shuning embroidered a few flowers in front of her, and sewed half a gown, only to have a soft "um", and then there was no half a word.

Shuning finally got out, took a shower and rested, and Mama Cui sent someone to invite her. She reluctantly put on a cotton robe and went to the next room, listening to Mama Cui announce the training schedule.

From tomorrow, she will have to recite all kinds of rules, precautions and things that Mama Cui taught her every morning, practice etiquette in the afternoon, and practice female celebrity for a while in the evening, and at the same time follow Mama Cui's arrangement to do all kinds of maintenance and care work.

Mama Cui also specially invited her second sister-in-law and handed her a list of things to buy. The second sister-in-law had already received Tong's instructions, and this grandmother's arrangements had to be followed, so she just glanced at Shuning with some worry, and went to find her husband - the work of external procurement requires him to nod and approve the money.

Shu Ning glanced at the list and saw that there were dozens of medicinal herbs on it, as well as many needlework cloths, as well as pearl powder and honey, and guessed that most of them were for beauty and skin care. was thinking about it, but she heard Mama Cui call her, and when she turned her head, she saw two pairs of flower pot bottoms in front of her, and the soles of the shoes were three or four inches high.

She couldn't help but gasp.