It's hard to obey your fate

Early the next morning, Xue Mingrui led people out of the city to treat the barracks stationed around the capital. Rong Hua, the third wife, and the fourth wife took Xue Mingying to replace the red lantern under the porch of the main house with a brand new one.

In addition to the old welcome, the courtyard is a lot more beautiful.

The gold and silver utensils in the library were all taken out, and the tributes were placed in the ancestral hall, just waiting for the family reunion to worship together in the evening.

Second Mrs. Xue took Qian and Brother Run from Sitiao Hutong early.

"Rong Hua is really capable," the second lady said with a smile, "The courtyard is so brightly arranged." ”

As he was talking, Mingying moved the incense case out, and Mingda and Mingzhe also took great pains to provide the incense burner. Xue Yishuang took the maid to put all kinds of cakes on the table, such as ì strips, pot helmets, hibiscus cakes, reunion pills, layer high, and then two plates of high fish every year.

The mother-in-law brought the syrup, and Mingying rolled up her sleeves to give the fish the finishing touch.

Brother Run became interested and wanted to break free from the second wife to play.

The second wife's eyes flickered, "Don't you have to ask the old lady to order this fish eye, why did it become a child's stubborn thing." ”

If there are blessed people in the family, the family can prosper. In the past, the old lady and the second wife ordered fish during the Chinese New Year, Rong Hua smiled slightly, "The old lady ordered the big one, and the rest will be handed over to the fourth and fifth brothers." ”

Brother Run immediately said: "Let Brother Run play too!" ”

Rong Hua smiled and bent down, "Okay, Brother Run, come to play too." ”

After Rong Hua finished speaking, Ming Ying led Brother Run over, and then taught Brother Run to hold a brush by hand.

Looking at Brother Run's appearance of circling around Mingying, the smile of the second wife gradually froze on her face, Mingying's clothes were all the same, and they were like a family together, but Brother Run's was a little out of place, and the robe woven with silver threads looked clumsy and constrained.

The second wife sneered, Tao Ronghua deliberately wanted to make her look good. The second wife stretched out her hand to support the red gold hibiscus on her head and was distracted, "Wait for people in the clan to know, Tao Ronghua is still a first-class lady, and she actually arranged the house so stingy, to say that she is rich and noble in front of people, the second wife proudly tightened the cape of the ferret inside the big red flower cluster on her body, Tao Ronghua is not as good as her."

After everyone was busy, they went to rest in the warm room, and Xue Bushuang took Xue Yijing to paste window flowers.

Mrs. Xue instructed Xue Yishuang, "Slow down, don't freeze your hands." ”

Nose Yishuang went out a few times, and Rong Hua asked people to cut the flowers in the greenhouse to insert bottles" The second wife and the third wife sat together and talked, "I don't know how many pastries are prepared this year." ”

The third lady smiled and said, "Many." Next year is the Year of Yimao, and Rong Hua also specially asked people to prepare each cake in the shape of a rabbit for the children of the clan to eat. ”

The second lady raised her mouth and smiled innocently, "The master, and many colleagues are going to come to meet the old lady," don't snub the guests when the time comes. ”

The third wife said: "Second sister-in-law, don't worry, this year has prepared more than in previous years." ”

The second wife is accustomed to finding other people's mistakes and holding on to them.

The third wife was perfunctory, and the second wife also felt bored, so she took Ren's mother to the small courtyard to rest after a while.

Ren's mother said with a smile: "The second wife doesn't need to treat their anger with them, now that they are separated, they don't know our scenery, and they don't know how many people are sent every day." When there are more people coming to visit the New Year tomorrow, they will also know that "today's second room is not what it used to be." ”

The second wife sneered, "I said earlier, after the division of the family, our family will have earth-shaking changes, without the old lady suppressing us, the old man can let go of his hands and feet outside" Our family is not dragged down by them, and it is naturally much better than usual. ”

The two of them were talking, and the maid outside came in and said, "The second master and the Hou master are back together." ”

The second wife picked up the handstove and went to welcome Xue Chongyi.

Xue Chongyi staggered into the courtyard, and was about to go to the old lady's house, when he saw Rong Hua, he immediately waved his hand and said, "Prepare more boiled dumplings, there will be a lot of people coming to greet the old lady on the first day of the new year." ”

Before Rong Hua could admit it, Xue Mingrui had already looked at Mu Hibiscus, "I made sobering tea for the second master, and the second master was drunk." ”

"I'm not drunk," Xue Chongyi looked at Rong Hua again, "Did you hear clearly?" Don't lose my face. ”

Xue Chongyi was drunk, just the appearance of a brother's elder, not to embarrass her, Rong Hua nodded in response, "Second uncle rest assured that he is ready." ”

Xue Chongyi still kept a straight face, "That's fine." He shook his feet as he spoke.

The second wife came out of the house after hearing Xue Chongyi's majestic demeanor, "Master, have you had a banquet outside?" ”

Xue Chongyi nodded, "There is no way to socialize outside, there are two tables in a Chongyang Building, and I will go to that table after I finish dealing with it." ”

The second wife smiled, "How can the master get drunk like this, and he still has to have a reunion dinner at night." ”

Xue Chongyi smiled, "I didn't drink much wine. ”

Drunk people always say they drink less dogs.

The second wife wanted to stop Xue Chongyi from changing clothes, but Xue Chongyi insisted on refusing and went directly to the inner room to salute the old lady.

The old lady was playing rope flipping with Brother Run, and when she saw Xue Chongyi, she frowned, "What's the matter?" Also drank outside. ”

Xue Chongyi hurriedly said, "It's all a matter of the yamen." ”

The old lady nodded, "You go to change your clothes, and we have to go to worship our ancestors." ”

Xue Chongyi should come down, go out to drink sobering soup and change clothes.

The Xue family is complete, and the family first goes to the ancestral hall to kneel and worship their ancestors, and then gets together for a reunion dinner.

A stage was set up in the warm hall, and the invited troupe began to sing according to the play cards.

Xue Mingzhe ate pastries while listening to the play, especially when he saw the martial arts, several people kept applauding.

The old lady smiled and said, "Carry the bounty money over and let them sprinkle it at will." ”

The subordinates hurriedly brought a few pots of silver coins, Mingying grabbed them and threw them on the stage, and Wusheng on the stage hurriedly stopped to thank him. Mingying was throwing it vigorously, Xue Mingzhe picked up a large basin and kicked on the chair, shook his arms, and splashed a basin of silver coins.

Mingying was dumbfounded.

Even the fourth wife was taken aback, such a heavy basin couldn't be moved even by the old Mingying, let alone splashed on the stage.

is still the head of the drama troupe, who has always known how to socialize, and is busy kneeling down and kowtowing" "The seventh master has good skills, and he has a bright future in the future, and he appreciates his face and lifts up the little ones." ”

Xue Mingzhe jumped down from the stool triumphantly.

The old lady smiled kindly, "We're wise." ”

Mingda and Mingtai couldn't bear it, so they tried to hold the big basin, and they could only move a little bit with enough strength, "Mingtai simply ran over and grabbed Mingzhe, "Seventh brother, teach me how to get it." ”

The third lady pursed her lips and smiled, "Your seventh brother has worked hard, where is it like you can only read a few books." ”

Mingtai's eyes were shining, "I'll work hard since then." ”

The third lady said: "That is not an overnight thing. ”

The old lady glanced at the third lady complainingly: "The child finally has some ambitions, but you have bluffed them." It's good to learn everything at a young age, and you will always have to go out to start a family in the future, and it's hard to eat the old and the mother's generation."

The third lady couldn't help but laugh, "That's what my mother said." ”

The old lady's eyes looked at Xue Chongren, the third old man, again, "Your son has grown up, you also have to think about it, everyone falls on your shoulders, and you can't just think about your comfort in the future, otherwise how will your wife and children do it." ”

Xue Chongren responded, "I won't dare to do it again." ”

The old lady nodded and looked at the fourth old man, Xue Chongjie, "You're going to Shandong next year, everything is ready?" ”

Xue Chongjie said: "After the New Year is warmer, I will set off, and when I get there, I will have to hire long-term workers, and I will not worry if I don't watch the sowing with my own eyes in the first year." The rest of the family's money made him toss to grow cotton, and he couldn't trust the steward to do it.

The old lady looked kind, "Take a few more people with you, be more careful on the road" and send a letter to the family to report safety. ”

Xue Chongjie looked at the old lady's gray hair, "with a sickly face, and his heart couldn't help but feel sour." This year, the old lady has a lot of words, as if she is not at ease with anything.

Rong Hua put a black fox cloak around the old lady, "Does the old lady want to go back and rest?" ”

The old lady shook her head, "It's rare that everyone in the family is complete, so I'll accompany you to watch it for a while." ”

After watching the play for a while, Xue Mingying was clamoring to set off fireworks, Xue Chongyi staggered to his feet, "I'll take you little ghosts to set off fireworks." ”

The second wife saw Xue Chongyi's drunken face flushed, "Don't go, master, let Mingbai and Mingrui accompany you." ”

Xue Chongyi was a little drunk and a little abnormal, "I take it to release it every year," he said and greeted Ming Ying, "Let's go, burn the green bamboo after the fireworks, and go to be lazy in the coming year." ”

Xue Chongyi raised his feet and went out the door, and Xue Mingying followed behind Xue Chongyi in a few happy ways.

Looking at Xue Chongyi's figure, the old lady sighed.

Mother Li knows what the old lady means, every New Year's holiday, the family is always so lively, and the suspicions on weekdays will be swept away, in the end, it is a family, breaking bones and tendons, there are only a few children under the old lady, which one is the meat of the heart, even if the second master does many wrong things, the old lady will not be completely chilled by the second master.

A quarter of an hour later, fireworks rose into the sky.

The old lady stood up and asked Li's mother to help her go to the courtyard to watch the fireworks.

The lords and subordinates of the courtyard gathered together and looked up at the brilliant fire.

After a long time, Xue Chongyi came back with Ming Ying, and Ming Tai was not as happy as when he left. The third wife was afraid that Mingtai would be hurt and hurriedly asked, Mingtai blushed, "I accidentally burned the second uncle's big gun." ”

Xue Chongyi was wearing a sable fur.

The third wife's face suddenly became repugnant, "What is it burning, why are you so careless." ”

The second wife stepped forward to check, but Xue Chongyi didn't care, "It's just a piece of clothing, who cares about fireworks, I accidentally burned my eldest brother's hair when I was a child." ”

Xue Chongren also remembered this incident, and the two brothers laughed for a while.

The old lady was tired, so Mother Li helped her back to the inner room to rest, "You young people continue to keep vigil, and I won't accompany you." ”

Xue Mingrui and Rong Hua sent the old lady back.

The old lady cleaned her face and lay on the huán and instructed Xue Mingrui, "You take Rong Hua back to rest first, I have already told your third and fourth aunts, let them help take care of the house, Rong Hua is pregnant and can't stay up all night." ”

Xue Mingrui should come down.

The old lady seemed to have something to say, but after thinking about it, she waved her hand, "Go down and rest!" ”

Rong Hua asked the big kitchen to prepare the supper, and looked at the cooking dumplings in the kitchen, which was relieved.

Back in the room, Jinxiu had already prepared the bath water.

Rong Hua took a hot bath comfortably, and Xue Mingrui arranged the things in the front yard and returned to the room.

Rong Hua asked people to light a few more lights.

Xue Mingrui smiled slightly, "Not ready to rest?" ”

Rong Hua shook his head, "Chinese New Year's Eve always has to keep the year, even if you can't sleep late until dawn." ”

Xue Mingrui went to change clothes, Rong Hua asked Mu Hibiscus to take out the chessboard, and the two of them talked while playing chess.

Rong Hua said: "The old lady just had something to ask Master Hou. ”

Xue Mingrui nodded, "It should be for the second uncle's business, grandmother is not at ease, I am afraid that the second uncle will be implicated too deeply......"

The old lady is old, she has already lost one in the past, and she can't watch Xue Chongyi make mistakes again when she is old.

Rong Hua put down his chess and looked at Xue Mingrui, "What will happen if the scientific research fraud is discovered?" ”

"It depends on how the examiner confesses, and who will bite out. The Lord will not escape the death penalty, and the others will depend on how the court convicts. ”

The emperor wants to take the opportunity to suppress Prince Zhuang, and this matter will definitely be handled strictly.

The scientific research fraud case has come to the surface, Xue Chongyi still doesn't know it, if Xue Chongyi is mentioned, it will ruin the emperor's overall situation, the old lady is in a dilemma, no wonder can only blame the second room for being too rich, how can he not listen to the old lady's words.

A game of chess turned into a draw, Rong Hua was satisfied with the quilt to rest, took Xue Mingrui's hand, and fell asleep after a while.

When I woke up again, it was already the middle of the day, although I got up before dawn, but as long as I thought that it was the New Year, the whole person was in good spirits. After changing their clothes, everyone gathered in the old lady's room again.

The old lady's spirits were obviously not as good as last night. Mrs. Xue served the old lady and drank the decoction, and then took a pillow from Mother Li for the old lady to lean on.

Everyone saw that the old lady was tired, no one spoke casually, the room was quiet, and Brother Run's young voice shouted, "I want to eat sweet dumplings, I want to eat sweet dumplings." ”

The old lady was immediately amused and asked Qian to hug Brother Run.

"Brother Run, too, knows that he wants to eat sweet dumplings."

Brother Run stretched out two fingers in a matter-of-fact manner, "After eating the sweet dumplings, my grandmother gave me two red envelopes." ”

The old lady reached out and hugged Brother Run, "Okay, Grandmother's red envelope is for Brother Run." ”

Sweet dumplings are put sugar cubes in the boiled dumplings, and the first day of the new year should avoid steaming (fighting), frying (noisy),

Fried, branded (falling), the meal is inevitably monotonous, and the sugar cubes are put to tease the children to eat more. The grandmother below will put a sweet dumpling on the bottom of the small main bowl, so as not to disappoint the child.

After eating, Xue Mingrui and others wore court clothes, Mrs. Xue, Mrs. Xue, and Rong Hua changed into their uniforms, and the group entered the palace to see them.