This time they returned to Beijing, the itinerary was much tighter than when they came, in addition to sheltering from the wind and rain or replenishing fresh water, they generally did not stay overnight, so it only took more than ten days to arrive in Hangzhou, where they changed to an inland river boat.

Duan Ning got on the boat where his father was riding, and Shuning was a little bored alone, so she had to find something to do to pass the time. Since she couldn't play games such as checkers or nine rings, she had to do needlework. Tong gave her a few pieces of Songjiang cloth that she bought in Hangzhou, and asked her to make two plain clothes for herself: "The colors of the new clothes you have made in recent years are all fresh and tender, make two plain ones, and wear them when you are mourning in the house." Shuning started to do it, and when the boat entered the Jingshi area, she had already made two pieces, so she changed to one upper body.

Approaching the dock, Tong summoned his daughter and quietly stuffed her with a sachet, white silk, blue tassels, and only a few cloud patterns embroidered, which was very plain. Tong said: "Tie this to your handkerchief and hold it in your hand so that no one can see it." When you enter the house and want to cry, if you can't cry, put it under your nose or smell it under your nose. ”

Shuning didn't understand a little, so she sniffed the sachet, and immediately her nose was sore, and tears flowed out. She was startled and hurriedly looked at her mother. Tong Shi said lightly: "This is the little method of our woman's family, you just know it yourself, don't even tell the maid ring around you." ”

Shuning nodded, relieved. She was still worried that she wouldn't be able to cry in front of the spirit, but now that she has this magic weapon, it's no longer a problem.

Docked and were carrying their luggage, Qingning and Shunning had already received the letter, and they both rode to the dock to greet them. After visiting his uncle and aunt, Qing Ning said carefully: "After Marfa passed away." Because I don't know when the third uncle will come back, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter day by day, I, Amma, will be the master. The funeral is done first, please don't be surprised by the third uncle. ”

Zhang Bao was stunned. Then he said: "This is how it should be, how can there be any reason to let Lao Tzu wait for his son?" Big brother also has too much heart. Qing Ning laughed a few words, and when he saw his younger brother looking at the people who came down from the boat, he frowned, pulled him and said, "The third uncle and the third aunt must have worked hard all the way." Let's go back to our house so they can rest sooner. Shunning turned around with some disappointment, and in response, several people turned over and got on their horses. Because there were too many people at the city gate closest to the dock, they made a big detour and entered the city through the Fucheng gate.

After returning home, Zhang Baotong took his children and washed his hands first without waiting for a change of clothes. So he went to the mourning hall and cried. Shuning entrusted the secret sachet of Difu, and also cried tears. But Duan Ning cried very sadly, thinking that he had been with his grandfather for three years. In the end, there are real feelings. Xianning didn't understand why his family was crying, so he howled a few words. He was lovingly wiped his face with a handkerchief by his mother. Ben immediately burst into tears with red eyes.

After a while, Jin Bao and Nala came out. Haosheng comforted them, so that their family stopped crying, and then accompanied by Jin Bao and his wife, went to see the old lady.

On the way, Nala said in a low voice: "E-Niang has been sick in bed since Ama passed away, and she invited a doctor to come and see her, saying that she was overly sad and worried, and she wanted to recuperate. It has already improved, but a few days ago it suddenly regained again, and now I can only lie in bed, but fortunately, my spirit is okay. ”

At this time, they had already walked under the porch of the main room, and a somewhat eyed girl opened the curtain, and everyone entered the room.

The old lady was lying on the bed, and Wan Ning was talking to her. Seeing Zhang Bao and his party coming in, Wan Ning hurriedly got up to salute. However, when the old lady saw that the third son's family was back, she also looked weak, and asked them if they had incense for the old man, and heard Zhang Bao greet her a few words, and when Xiao Liu kowtowed, she looked at Xianning again, touched his little face, and said that she was tired and let them go down.

Zhang Bao took his son and brother to the front, and the Tong family and others went back to Huaiyuan to rest accompanied by the Nala family. The group was about to leave the main courtyard, but they heard that on the edge of a small side door, Mama Wang was beating and scolding the little girl.

That Mama Wang beat the bamboo strips a few times and scolded: "Little slut, the old lady wants to eat bird's nest, you actually dare to take this goods to someone, are you eating leopard gall?" The little girl cried: "Wronged, Mama, it was the kitchen man who said that the high-quality bird's nest sent by others was eaten, so he took this to make up for it. "I said that the second goods are the second goods! What is the identity of the old lady? How can you eat such a thing? The bird's nest was delivered two days ago, how could it be eaten so quickly? It must be you who are privately withholding! ”

Nala frowned, called Mama Wang over, and said, "If you want to beat and scold your subordinates, where can't you?" I want to be in the old lady's courtyard, her old man is resting, you beat people to cry and cry, are you deliberately not letting the old lady live and recuperate? Mama Wang didn't dare to reply, she continued: "My mother's family only sent a few taels of bird's nest over yesterday, you can call someone to pick it up." According to me, it's not a matter for the old lady to eat this every day, after all, it's not a serious meal, and I'll ask the kitchen to make some light rice porridge and side dishes, and you can persuade her to go in some. ”

Mama Wang responded in a low voice, and then she smiled and said to Tong's family: "E-niang feels uncomfortable, and her appetite is not good, we are juniors, and we dare not force her to eat, it's really difficult." It's just that these people at the bottom are ignorant and worry about people all day long. Tong smiled: "Thanks to the sister-in-law, otherwise how could this family be so orderly?" Speaking of which, we brought a few pickles back from the south, maybe E-niang is willing to try them, and I will ask someone to send them to my sister-in-law when I go back. Nala smiled and went with her.

Shuning followed for a while, and when she turned around, she saw that Mama Wang's face was blue and red for a while, and she beat the little girl a few times before going to the old lady's room.

After entering the Huaiyuan, the second sister-in-law had already brought someone up to greet the Tong family, saying that the house had been cleaned up. Tong nodded with satisfaction, and invited Nala into the house to drink tea. Nara said that there was something wrong, and came back later, and left.

After everyone retired, Shuning saw that her mother seemed to have something to talk to the second grandmother, so she also retreated. The second sister-in-law reported to the Tong family about the recent affairs of the family, and after speaking, she looked left and right and saw that no one was passing by, so she bent down and whispered to the Tong family: "Now the house is dominated by the eldest lady, and many people in the old lady's house have been replaced, and there is no one around her who can be used now, so she is angry and sick again." ”

Tong shook his head slightly. said: "Don't worry about this, the eldest sister-in-law is better than the old lady no matter what she says, and she is polite to us now." No matter how you say it, it won't interfere in our housework. ”

The second sister-in-law lowered her voice and said, "The people below are all legends. The old lady knew that she had killed the old man, and she was uneasy, although she pretended to be nothing in front of outsiders, but in fact she was suspicious all day long, and always lost her temper. Many old people in the house are dissatisfied with the old lady because of the old lord's affairs. I felt that she was confused now, and turned to stand on the side of the eldest lady. The latest chapter in the death of King Xiang of Changsha"

Tong Shi looked down at the handkerchief and asked again, "What do the others say?" The second sister-in-law said: "The people in the second room have had some gossip, but the second wife is unpopular, the eldest wife has always had a good reputation in the house, and the fourth wife doesn't care." Outside, he has already obtained a quasi-letter, and the eldest lord is nine out of ten. The owner of the second room wants to make trouble again, and there is no way. ”

Tong nodded, and said tiredly. I talked about other things in the evening, so I leaned on the couch and took a nap. The second sister-in-law went out to arrange affairs. Only two quarters of an hour later, Nala returned. Tong Shi hurriedly got up to greet him, and asked someone to serve tea.

The two of them talked about housework for a while. Then Tong took a sip of tea. Then he asked slowly:

"I heard that when the old man was sick before, the old lady seemed to have heard someone instigating him. found a mage to exorcise evil spirits, but the old man became seriously ill instead. I wonder who did this kind of inconsequential thing? ”

Nala sighed and said, "I knew you would ask this, and their brothers were also angry, so they had no choice but to protect the old lady, so they had to spare that person." Tong Shi was surprised: "How can the old lady protect it?" What is the origin of that man? ”

"It's the old lady's nephew, do you remember, Uncle Di Yi who lives in the river before he got the son of the land at the age of fifty, the gold is too expensive, and he has been spoiled since he was a child, and in recent years, I don't know why I have been obsessed with those Shinto, if it is a serious Buddha and a Buddha, it is just that, but I like to learn some exorcism spells. Because he is good-looking, and he is a single seedling, the adults in the family are used to him. When he arrived in Beijing last year, he has been living in our house, making a lot of noise all day long, and if it wasn't for the old lady's protection, he would have been driven away. My two daughters-in-law and Wanning were afraid of him, so they stayed outside the city for two months, and the old man came back after an accident. When the old man had gone, the man knew that he had been in trouble, and fled back to the river. The brothers had no choice but to turn a blind eye for the sake of the old lady's face. ”

Tong was even more surprised: "That person did this kind of thing, even if it was the only seedling of the mother's family, how could the old lady protect it?" Nala shook his head and said, "I heard that she was scolded in private, but it's her mother's family, and it's the mage she invited herself, if she doesn't protect it, wouldn't it be tantamount to slapping herself in the face?" Because of this, it is difficult for their brothers to do anything. ”

Tong sighed: "Why is the old lady so confused? Even if those of us who are juniors don't speak, outsiders know about it, what face do we have? Even the subordinates in the family are afraid that there will be gossip. ”

"There's something even more outrageous. She was probably old, and she was too sad, and her temper was getting more and more eccentric, so we had to coax her, and she had two troubles from time to time. A few days ago, an old sister came to see her, and she called a girl in front of her second brother and sister to help her comb her hair, but for some reason she suddenly got angry and beat the girl to death. Nara sighed.

Tong was taken aback, but Nala continued: "The bad thing is that the girl is not a slave of our family, but a native of the rouge shop of the second brother and sister. That's a serious common people, it's gone, and the family members are clamoring to sue the official. The second husband and wife talked badly, and accompanied a large sum of money before they were appeased. ”

"That girl's name is Chu

"The third brother and sister have also seen it, right? The second brother and sister can spoil her, if she doesn't look ordinary, I'm afraid that she will open her face early. Because of this, the second brother and sister were so angry that they fell ill and didn't come to ask the old lady for a few days. ”

"It's a pity, that Chu'er is really skillful and clever, how could he offend the old lady?"

"Who knows? Her old man's temper was getting more and more eccentric. It's not easy for us to guess her thoughts, maybe Chu'er accidentally said the wrong thing, right? ”

The two of them took a sip of tea and stopped talking about this girl who died in vain. Nala said: "Because the old lady's temper is uncertain, our lord is afraid that she will make trouble again, and let outsiders gossip about our family, so let her live in the room to recuperate, and we will take care of the family affairs, so as not to tire her again." No more outsiders came, and they all pushed it for her. In fact, they are all old feudal kings, everyone knows that she is sad and understands that she is sick, even if she refuses to see people, they will not blame her. Why hold on? On the contrary, I tired myself. She refuses to cherish herself, and we are children, and it is not good to watch her tired body. ”

Tong lowered his head to eat tea, and said after a while: "The old man is old, after all, he is not more energetic than before, let's be juniors, if we can help share more, share more." It's just that I'm not familiar with the things in the house, and I'll ask my sister-in-law to be more tired in the future, it's not that I mean to be lazy, don't be weird about my sister-in-law. ”

Nara smiled: "How so? This is my responsibility as the eldest daughter-in-law, but I am alone, and it is difficult to manage such a big mess, the second brother and sister are sick, the fourth brother and sister have never been on the council, and the third brother and sister will help me more in the future. ”

Tong Shi smiled at her, and then picked up the tea bowls separately.

At this time, the second sister-in-law came in and asked the Tong family: "That Aunt Liu, I placed her in the ear room on the east side, I don't know if it's appropriate?" Tong said: "It's okay, you pay attention to getting her some better quilts, she was only sick two days ago, don't catch a cold again." The second sister-in-law took the order and went down.

Nala said thoughtfully to Tong: "This Aunt Liu is the sister of the fourth brother and sister's family who abandoned the concubine?" You're good to her. ”

Tong smiled slightly: "Aunt Liu is very kind, after a long time, my sister-in-law will definitely like her." Her sister married another man in Guangdong, she is a boss, and now she is a serious wife. ”

Nala smiled: "That's good luck, I think it will be more edifying in the future." At the beginning, the old lady knew that the third brother had accepted this Aunt Liu, and she was also angry, saying that a widow had given birth to a son, and it was too unreasonable to be a concubine for our family, so she ignored the fourth brother and sister for several months, and the fourth brother and sister simply went back to their parents' house. "I saw that she was the master because she was suitable, and when she entered the door, our lord was promoted to the prefect, which shows that it is really auspicious." Speaking of which, when I just said goodbye, I didn't see the old lady say anything? ”

"Since you sent those big boxes of things back a few years ago, the old lady is no longer angry with you, but thinks that the third brother is an official outside, and it is not good if there is no concubine by her side, since everyone has entered the door, she will not say much. The jewelry you sent back, except for the one for Wan Ning, she used the rest to give herself a full set of heads. I was going to wear it out to meet people during the Dragon Boat Festival, but the old man had an accident again. Nala took another sip of tea, looked at the sky and said, "It's not too early, the third brother and sister have worked hard all the way, let's rest for a while, and when it's time for dinner, I'll go see the others." Then he got up and took his leave.

Tong Shi sent her outside the hospital before returning to the room, and then tilted back to the couch to look at this place that had been absent for several years, and sighed slightly.