According to the usual practice, the fourth elder brother and his party settled down in the Pillow Xia Pavilion and talked with the clan in the Linyuan Pavilion after dinner. Duan Ning didn't come back with his mother because he had to take the exam tomorrow, so this time, Shu Ning accompanied him to the garden.

The fourth elder brother looks much more mature, but his attitude is still very gentle, and he can't see the mean emperor that later generations said.

When he saw Shuning, he smiled and said, "I haven't seen Sister Shuning since August of the year before last, and now she has grown into a big girl." ”

Shuning smiled slightly, saluted, and quietly shrank back behind her mother. Shi glanced at his daughter lovingly and said, "Why do you look like a big girl, but in fact she is still a child." She turned to the fourth elder brother and said, "Why did it come so suddenly this time?" If you want to do things, there are big temples in Beijing, but I went to Fangshan to do it, and Song Gege's body hasn't been raised yet, right? How can the fourth elder brother be confused about doing things?! ”

When the fourth elder brother heard this, he smiled bitterly and said, "Actually, it was originally planned to be done in Beijing, but the Song family repeatedly insisted on going to Yunju Temple to do it. She and Li both knew that I would come every two or three months, but I never brought a female dependent, probably to earn face. The Song family is my first concubine, and now that I have no children, I am going to get married again, and I will inevitably feel uncomfortable, so I will accommodate her. ”

Shi said: "It's good that you can be considerate of the people around you, but if you leave her out and come to me for the night, will she feel better?" ”

The fourth elder brother smiled: "Don't get in the way, I asked the head of the house to send her to the temple first, so naturally she has a place to live." I excused myself for an errand. Ming'er can go, she doesn't know I'm here. I don't plan to let her know about my aunt for a while. He paused, and then said: "Yesterday, Lord Rongbao made a great contribution in front of the emperor, and Huang Ama asked me to go to Weiyuanbo's Mansion to pass on the decree and reward, and I originally planned to meet my aunt and explain clearly that I was going to come to Fangshan, but I didn't expect my aunt to have already set off." For my little thing, but my aunt was tired of running between the two places. It's all my sins. ”

Shi Dao: "How can the fourth elder brother say such a thing? What is this. Since you are coming. How can I not take care of it myself? What are you polite to me? ”

The fourth elder brother smiled, and the two talked about some trivial things, considering that he might not come again before the wedding, so he told him many things very carefully, and the fourth elder brother kept smiling and listening to her.

I don't know how long later, Shi said that his mouth was dry and he took a sip of tea. Only then did he find that the fourth elder brother's face was a little tired, and he hurriedly said, "Are you sleepy?" It's me who is careless, you must be very tired from the journey, so let's go and rest, I have to get up early tomorrow. Then she reminded him that there was a new benzoin in the Pillow Pavilion, and told him to light it before going to bed; There is a little heart box on the shelf, remember to eat when you are hungry; There is tea in the teapot on the table, if you want to drink it hot. There is a small clay stove on the first floor......

Shuning followed the clan back to the front house. It's just time for the first watch. Shuning rubbed her mother's legs, looked at the West Chamber, and said, "Cousin Susu hasn't slept yet." I'll go talk to her. ”

Shi nodded: "It's okay, since yesterday, she has avoided the second girl, shrunk in the room and refused to come out, like a mouse seeing a cat, she is pitiful when she sees it." The second girl is not here tonight, so she must sleep better. When the second girl is gone, let her move into Zhilan Courtyard. You talk to her, and I'll go see your brother. ”

Shuning agreed, saluted and went to the west chamber.

Su Xu and Cai'er were gossiping happily, and they seemed to be in a good mood, and they were also very enthusiastic when they saw Shuning coming. Shuning has been chatting with her for half an hour before persuading her to sleep, and she is still sighing on the way away, as soon as this child leaves Wanning, she is extremely excited, it seems that it is better to let Wanning go back to the capital as soon as possible.

The next day, Shuning woke up earlier than usual, and after freshening up, seeing that it was not yet breakfast time, she planned to go jogging twice in the martial arts training ground, and accidentally found Yuehe's somewhat ghostly figure.

Wanning went out this time, and did not bring Yuehe, leaving her to take care of Jin's mother, who was guilty of leg wind. She behaved honestly, and according to the mother-in-law of Zhilan Yuan, she went to bed early after making a needle and thread after nightfall.

Shuning stops Yuehe and asks her why she is wandering in the backyard. Yuehe's eyes flickered at first, but she quickly calmed down: "Back to the third girl, the flowers in our girl's room are broken, and I am planning to pick a few in the garden and replace them." ”

Shuning stared at her and said, "You can just go to Changgui's family for this kind of thing." She has always been in charge of the flowers in each room, lest someone do not know the rules and mistakenly fold the flowers that should not be broken. ”

Yuehe lowered her head and said, "I'm really embarrassed to trouble your sister-in-law these days." Now she just wants to break two ordinary flowers, so she doesn't dare to disturb her. ”

Shuning smiled: "It's too early, the garden gate hasn't opened yet, you're too anxious, let's go back after the hour, the flowers will bloom well at that time." Yuehe replied with a low "yes" and went back to Zhilan Courtyard.

Shuning looked at her back and frowned. This girl doesn't know if she is suspicious, thinking that although the door from home is strict, but asking someone to clean the pillow Xia Pavilion and prepare a sumptuous dinner, etc., will always leave some traces of spiders, and careful people will always be a little noticed. However, even if Yuehe was suspicious, it would never be possible to guess who lived in the garden. There are guards all over the house day and night, and even if Yuehe can really walk to the back door just now, someone will stop her. If you can't enter the garden, all speculation is in vain.

Thinking of this, she didn't pay attention to this matter anymore and slowly ran around the martial arts training ground.

After breakfast, Shuning dragged Su Su to Mr. Cai's Go lesson. In the afternoon, I pulled her to make the cake together, and the little girl was happy for most of the day, but unfortunately, at the second quarter of the Shen hour, the good mood of the fluffy disappeared, because Wanning and Xiao Liu's mother and son came back. She avoided the yin and oppressive Wanning, and just sat next to Xiao Liu and talked.

Xiao Liu was very happy, that Dr. Xu showed Xiao Bao, and gave him a secret recipe of "strengthening the body" and "strengthening the foundation and cultivating yuan". Shuning looked at the "secret recipe" and felt that it was all warm and replenishing, and there was nothing special about it, so she quietly asked. He whispered to her again, "Don't be silent. Your Aunt Liu is just worrying about it, Xiaobao is in good health. I just accidentally caught a cold a few days ago, but it's fine. The doctor probably saw it, so he got a recipe to coax you Aunt Liu. Horizontally and vertically don't cost money, and you make her happy. Shuning was silent.

Wan Ning had a gloomy face from the moment she entered the door, without a smile at all, and when she asked her, she only barely coped. Seeing this, Shi frowned. I asked her if she was tired. Wan Ning was also happy to go back to her room to rest.

Shi asked Xiao Liu what was going on. Xiao Liu said: "I can't tell you this. She was like this last night, and she didn't say anything when I asked her what was wrong. ”

didn't say anything, and waited until Xiao Liu's mother and son and Su Su had left, and then called a few maids and servants from Zining and asked them what had happened. One of them, Fluttershy, is the daughter of Wang Erdi, who is young. But he was very clever and replied: "After eating last night, the second girl said that she was going out for a leisurely meal, and she met a girl ring halfway, only to know that a little lady she knew was also staying there. The second girl was very surprised, but she still greeted the little lady, but the little lady was a little cold, and hurriedly said a few words before sending off the guest. The second girl began to get angry on the way back to the house. The next morning I arrived at the temple. The second girl met the little lady again. It's just that they ignored it and left. After listening to the puja, when the second girl was walking around the temple, she saw the little lady doing things from a distance. Crying very sadly, the second girl wanted to comfort her, but was stopped by someone from the human family. Later, the second girl went down the mountain with a straight face. ”

Shuning and the clan glanced at each other, and guessed that the "little lady" was very likely to be Song Gege, the Song clan stayed near the temple last night, and she was at odds with Wanning, with her current identity and mood, it is not surprising to ignore Wanning.

Shi pondered for a moment and asked, "When you saw that little lady, you could see that she was accompanied by her husband?" When the second girl was stopped, did they see it? ”

Fluttershy thinks for a moment and replies, "The first two times we met, we didn't see the little lady with her husband, but when we did the business, there was a man who was comforting her, and it looked like her husband." At that time, neither of them noticed the second girl, but a few mothers-in-law in his family were blocking people. ”

He knew what to do, and told them not to spread the word, so he let them go down.

Maybe she met a "rival in love" and an opponent, and she carefully planned a "chance encounter" but it didn't work, and she spent a lot of money in vain, Wan Ning has been gloomy, and even eats dinner in her room, and only eats half a bowl of porridge. Jin's mother was a little worried, and specially moved to her room to ask long and short questions, making sure that she would be able to go on the road tomorrow, so she left with confidence.

After dinner, Shuning was walking in the courtyard with Su Su, but was suddenly called by the clan and told that the fourth elder brother would stay another night tonight. It turned out that Song Gege had been in poor health after giving birth, and she cried and fainted again during the practice today, but fortunately, there were several famous doctors nearby, and they all advised her to rest for one more night before leaving. At that time, it was getting late, so the fourth elder brother had no choice but to settle down Song Gege, and he still brought people to Fangshan Villa, thinking that he would deal with it tonight and leave early tomorrow morning.

But Shi was a little worried, Wanning was now living in front of her, and she had to hide it, so she said to her daughter: "The second sister-in-law will accompany me to the garden tonight, and you go to Zhilan Courtyard to stabilize the second girl, so as not to let her find out the clues." ”

Shuning responded, so she went directly to Wanning, and when she arrived at the gate of Zhilan Courtyard, she happened to meet her coming out with Yuehe.

Shuning smiled and asked her where she was going, and Wanning said a little sullenly: "It's nothing, it's just that I'm in a bad mood and want to walk in the garden." ”

Shuning looked at her and smiled: "Didn't the second sister forget?" Our family has always been closed at sunset, but now it's more than half of the unitary time, what is the second sister doing there? ”

Wan Ning was a little impatient: "I just want to walk around casually, what's the matter with opening a garden gate?" If you don't worry, just ask a few more people to follow, I'm not a child, how can I fall into the water so easily? ”

Shuning frowned, pressed the unhappiness in her heart, and still smiled: "Actually, when you go into the garden to play at night, our family is not Yonggu 5200 I haven't tried it, but today is a little unlucky, just now my mother called someone to smoke mosquitoes in the garden, and tonight is a big deal." ”

"Smoked mosquitoes?"

"Yes, now the weather is getting hotter and hotter, there are flowers and water in the garden, and there are the most mosquitoes, sit in the water pavilion during the day, and there will be more than a dozen mosquitoes to bite you after a while, so I want to take advantage of the fact that no one is there, and smoke it with medicine first."

Wan Ning believed it, and dismissed the idea of visiting the garden with some disappointment. Shuning accompanied her around the two nearby courtyards, and then accompanied her back to the room to talk. The topics are all of Su Ri Wanning's more interested, from combing her hair to dressing up to wearing clothes, from rouge hair oil to skin care experience, from the husband's family where Jiajiadi's daughter is about to marry, to the unruly daughter-in-law newly married by the son of Yijiadi, until the second watch is over, Wanning keeps falling asleep before saying goodbye and leaving.

She hurried into the main room. And he saw that his father had fallen asleep in the back room. Her mother was still waiting for her at the table. I didn't have time to salute, so I hurriedly poured tea and drank two large cups before I breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I'm dying of thirst!" Mother, I've never said so many things in my life. ”

Shinobu smiled: "Is she asleep?" ”

"I fell asleep, and I came here when the lights went out in her room."

Shi also breathed a sigh of relief, pointed to a silk bag on the table, and said, "Look at what this is." ”

Shuning opened it and took a look. It was actually Wanning's pair of Lantian jade bracelets!

Shi said: "This is given to me by the fourth elder brother of Fang Cai, saying that I saw it in the temple, and I think that although Wanning is kind, this kind of intimate jewelry engraved with the woman's name should not be left outside, so I bought it." I inquired about you, and I already wanted to buy this thing back, but I don't know if the Yunju Temple is willing or not, and now the fourth elder brother will do it for me. It saved me a lot of effort. ”

Shuning asked, "This thing is so precious. The fourth elder brother spent a lot of money, right? ”

Shi smiled faintly: "In the future, we will send more good things in the past, and we will not make him suffer." I'll take this bracelet first, and when the second girl leaves. I'll give it back to Mother Jin in front of her, so as not to have any more branches. ”

Shuning nodded.

Early the next morning, Mother Jin went to urge Wanning, and after a long time, she finally set off. Sure enough, he returned the bracelet to Wanning in front of Jin's mother, and said: "This is what I asked someone to buy back, and the money I paid will be used by the temple to do good deeds, so my niece and daughter can rest assured." It's just that this kind of thing is extraordinary, and it is better not to donate it in the future, if it falls into the hands of the disciples, it will ruin the reputation of the nephew. ”

Wanning's face was red and white for a while, staring at the bracelet and not knowing what she was thinking, Mother Jin took the bracelet with a frown, half-pushed and half-helped Wanning into the car, and hurriedly said a few good words and left.

Wan Ning felt as if her brain had become a paste, and she was thinking about the third aunt's expression when she returned the bracelet all the way, as well as when she bought the bracelet back, whether Sisi saw the bracelet, and then recalled Sisi's gentle expression when she comforted Song Zhicao, as well as Song Zhicao's cold and arrogant appearance...... She bit her lower lip with her teeth, and she was about to bleed, but fortunately, Qiao Yun found it in time and stopped her.

When they stopped in the tea shed on the way, they met the head of the village on the Zhuangzi in Baoding, and took a few people back to Beijing to meet the Nala clan. One of them, who inquired about the second girl in the house, specially found the time to come over to ask for peace, claiming to be the old lady who accompanied the mother of the house before her death

Child.

Wan Ning was in no mood to pay attention to him, but when she heard that it was the old lady, she barely listened to him say a few words, only to know that he was originally assigned to the third house, and because he discovered the secret of the master's family, he was driven to Baoding.

She listened to the man's grievances without saying a word, and the more she listened, the wider her eyes opened, and she felt that a breath of anger rushed to her brain, and if she didn't vent it, she was about to explode.

I see! I see! No wonder Sanfang had been restricting her from going out, but she suddenly agreed to let her stay out; Shuning has been cold to herself recently, but she was very enthusiastic about talking to herself all night last night; There is also the inexplicable and wonderful sunset closing rule, and the number of mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law in her room suddenly increased this morning......

The third room must be in frequent contact with Sisi, and even last night it may have entertained Sisi to spend the night in the garden, maybe Sisi hasn't left yet! Although I don't know what role Shuning played in it, it is impossible for her to believe that this cousin really has no mind for Sisi! The Sanfang family still pretends to be upright and serious, but in fact, they just have the intention of climbing the dragon and attaching the phoenix!! The most hateful thing is that they actually lied to themselves!!

Wan Ning shouted angrily: "I want to go back!" Then he ordered the coachman to turn back and forth. When Mother Jin in the tea shed found out, she had already walked a hundred feet away, and Mother Jin was startled and hurriedly beckoned everyone to catch up.

When Wanning's car drove back to Fangshan Villa, it was close to noon. Shuning and Susu finished class, and were talking and laughing towards the main courtyard, and they were all taken aback when they saw Wanning rushing in. Shuning stepped forward to ask her why she came back, but Wanning said viciously: "You deceived me so hard!! Then he pushed her away and ran to the back.

Su Su was led to the ground by her, and Shuning struggled to stand up and helped Su Su up. After making sure that she was not injured, he called someone to inform the clan and chased Wanning.

Wan Ning didn't know how many doors she passed through along the way, and she didn't know how many maid servants she frightened, so she just rushed in with a breath, rushed straight into the garden, rushed onto the bamboo bridge, and then in front of the Pillow Xia Pavilion. I heard the voice of a young man speaking inside. I was happy. He pushed the door open.

She looked at Tong Ying in a daze, Duan Ning frowned, and said, "I have already ordered that no one is allowed to disturb me, what are you doing when you come in?!" ”

Shu Ning and Qiao Yun Yuehe arrived at this time, she gasped lightly, and said to Wan Ning: "Second sister, you are too rude like this. We're in for a guest! ”

Wan Ning said dumbfoundedly: "How can this be? How could it be...... Obviously it should be the fourth elder brother, how could he ......"

Shuning was stunned, but heard Tongying say, "Miss Wanning is mistaken, right?" Why is the fourth elder brother here? I've always been the only one who comes here once in a while. ”

Wan Ning listened to Tongying's words, saw his inexplicable look again, and then smelled a trace of medicinal fragrance in the room, only to feel at a loss in her heart.

Did she get it wrong?

Shuning only felt that her heart was like a mirror, and Wanning's strange words and deeds had been answered recently. She was secretly glad that the fourth elder brother had left early, and Tongying and Duanning had just arrived. Otherwise, it's really hard to say.

She looked back and saw that Yuehe and Qiaoyun would only follow behind, standing stupidly and panting. Then he said angrily: "Why don't you invite your girl down quickly, do you want her to continue to lose face?!" The two girls woke up at this time and hurriedly went to help Wanning. And Wan Ning also let them help them to leave.

Wait until they're far away. Tong Yingcai snorted and said, "It seems that your family's secret kung fu is not at home, and it is actually discovered by people." Fortunately, I was clever enough to help you realize the lie. ”

Shuning sighed and thanked him solemnly, but scared Tongying: "Don't, big sister, what are you doing?" Duan Ning also said with a straight face: "You have done our family a great favor today, you can bear this gift." If you have anything to ask for, just ask. Tongying rolled her eyes and said with a smile: "If you really want to thank me, why don't you let Sister Shuning cook the corn and pine nuts dish she made last time for me to eat, and double the amount, how about it?" ”

Shuning smiled: "Naturally, there is no problem, but now the materials are not complete, so I have to find another place to replace it, and I will do my best." But it's too late to do it now, and it won't be done until night. ”

Tong Yingle: "As long as you have to eat, it doesn't matter later." ”

The three of them laughed a few words, and Shuning remembered the things ahead, so she retired. Back in the main courtyard, Shi Zheng sneered and looked at Wan Ning, and said to Mother Jin: "It seems that I can't think about it, Mother Jin is old, and her legs and feet are not good, so she can't even do such a trivial thing as taking care of the girl, so I simply send the second to help you, right?" ”

Mother Jin was ashamed and angry, and when she saw that Wanning didn't know how to apologize, she felt even more embarrassed.

Shuning thought for a while and asked Wanning, "Why did the second sister suddenly run back?" You also say that the fourth elder brother lives with us? But what did someone say to you? She glanced at Yuehe, thinking to herself if it was this girl who said it again, right? Yuehe shrank and said a little nervously: "The girl met people from Baoding Zhuangzi on the road, and one of them said that it was the grandson of Mama Wang, and he said it...... Having said these words. ”

Shi snorted coldly: "Wang Gui? That kid doesn't do things every day, and he steals the master's money to buy wine and drink, I have already driven him away, I didn't expect him to dare to talk nonsense! ”

Shuning said to Wan Ning: "No matter what Wang Gui said, please remember that the Duke of Tongying Fuguo came to our house to hide from the people outside, for fear that someone would disturb him, and asked my sister to ......" She glanced at the two Yahuan and Mother Jin and others, "and everyone, keep your mouth shut and don't tell others, so as not to disturb our family." ”

Mother Jin was busy responding, so she pulled Wanning to leave. Shi also smiled and asked them if they wanted to eat lunch before going on the road, where did Mother Jin dare to delay, only accompanied Xiao Xiao to ask for some dry food and snacks, and then got back in the car and left. The second also followed.

This time, Mother Jin personally took the car and guarded it closely, until she entered the gate of the Earl's Palace, she breathed a sigh of relief, and while drinking the maids and rings to take care of the girl, she hurried to report to the Nala clan.

Wan Ning has sobered up a lot along the way, but she is a little soft-handed and soft-footed. As she passed by the hall outside, she overheard the holy decree of Huang Chengcheng on the hall and asked what was going on.

The steward who came to greet him hurriedly replied: "It was the emperor's holy decree to reward the fourth master, and it was sent only before yesterday." It's really decent, it's even more beautiful than when he was knighted, the fourth elder brother came to issue the decree in person, and the old ladies and young masters and girls in the family all dressed up to greet each other, and the scene was magnificent. ”

Wan Ning only felt that her heart was full of sweet, sour, bitter and bitter, and her eyes were dark, so she fell backwards.