Zhu Jinlun's future wife, He Yalin, is also a concubine of the official family, who has just turned sixteen years old, and is said to be a rare beauty.

He Yalin's father, He Changhai, is the governor of Qingzhou, an official from Wupin, with only one son and one daughter under his knees, and has always regarded his daughter as the pearl of his palm, and has been raised like a baby for many years.

To be honest, if it weren't for Old Man Chen to save face for the Zhu family, He Changhai would still be reluctant to marry his baby daughter He Yalin to the Zhu family in Texas.

Originally, when Mr. Chen went to He's house to propose marriage. At that time, the Qin family had not yet suffered a change, but now, the Qin family has declined, and the He family sees it in their eyes and remembers it in their hearts, thinking that officialdom is unpredictable, and no one can say what will happen in the future. Fortunately, the Zhu family has a solid background and a prominent reputation, and it is not a good family.

Zhu Jinlun has not seen He Yalin yet, but he often listens to his mother Chai talk about how she is.

Seeing that there are only a few months left before the day of marriage. Chai had already begun to prepare for the wedding, but just in time for himself to become pregnant, he didn't dare to make too much effort, so he could only prepare the same, and he couldn't rush if he wanted to.

Zhu Jinlun is a fun-loving person, but he has never been obsessed with women, and he seems to be affectionate towards women, but in fact he is alienated.

After breakfast, Zhu Jinlun went to greet the elders first, and the old lady heard that he and Zhu Jintang had a drink together last night, and couldn't help but be happy, and said with a smile on her face: "Your eldest brother and sister-in-law just went back, and you are a step late." ”

Zhu Jinlun smiled faintly: "Big brother and sister-in-law have always been diligent, I am different from them, I have always been lazy." ”

When the old lady heard this, she smiled and beckoned to him: "Who said that?" You'll come just right, the kitchen stews the tonic in the morning, you eat a bowl and then go. ”

Zhu Jinlun bent down and squatted in front of the old lady, held her hand, and said with a smile: "I'm worried about my grandmother, my grandson has already eaten, and this will be the one who came to ask for peace." ”

The old man sat aside, dozed off with his eyes closed, listened to the conversation between their ancestors and grandchildren, opened his mouth slightly, and said: "It's all this hour, how could the Chai family let him go out on an empty stomach, don't be verbose, let the child go out early." ”

As people get older, their words become trivial. What can be explained in one sentence has to be repeated several times.

When the old lady heard this, she glanced at the side helplessly, and only said, "I just said less than two sentences, and the old man is annoyed." After speaking, she patted the back of Zhu Jinlun's hand again, and said with a smile: "Okay, you can go out too, come back early in the evening, and don't drink." ”

Zhu Jinlun answered yes, got up and saluted the two, and went out.

He just walked to the door, and suddenly heard a bell sound, so he immediately stopped, provoking Zhu Fu behind him to be stunned, almost mixing garlic under his feet, and hurriedly said: "What's wrong with the second master?" ”

Zhu Jinlun didn't speak, just raised his right hand, signaled him not to speak, and followed, just like last night, following the crisp sound.

Zhu Fu looked puzzled, but he didn't dare to make a sound, so he could only follow him silently.

Zhu Jinlun walked along the corridor all the way in, and soon saw a thin figure around the corner.

"Stop." Zhu Jinlun gave an order and stopped her steps.

Zhu Fu looked at a little girl dressed as a maid standing with her back to them, and said, "What did the second master call you?" You're still pestle, come and talk. ”

The little girl's figure stiffened slightly, and she raised her foot a little hesitantly, and before she could turn around, she heard Zhu Jinlun say, "Don't think about running again this time." ”

The little girl was stunned when she heard this, but she didn't dare to slip away anymore, turned around with her head down, knelt on the ground and said, "The slave maid asks for peace to the second master." ”

Her voice sounded immature and timid.

Zhu Jinlun glanced at her carefully, estimating her age, at most thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing a half-old and new blue clothes, and a copper bell tied to the ground with a red rope around her waist.

Sure enough, it was her, the "bell ghost" I bumped into last night.

Zhu Jinlun asked in a low voice, "The maid who stole away in the garden last night is you, right?" ”

The little girl hung her head, bit her lip slightly, and then knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "The slave knows that she is wrong, I didn't expect to disturb the second master, the slave and the maid should die...... The slave didn't want to run away, but she was afraid that after Mama Liu found out, she would punish the slave and maid...... The slave and maid really know that they are wrong, and I beg the second master to be kind and spare the slave and maid this time. ”

If she knew that the person she bumped into last night was the second master, even if she lent her a hundred guts, she wouldn't dare to run around. It's just that I didn't expect that I could hide from last night, but I couldn't hide from the front, and I asked people to catch it firmly.

When Zhu Jinlun heard this, he said lightly: "Do you think you don't have to be punished if you run away?" Which courtyard are you in? ”

"The slave maid is from the South Courtyard...... It's the maid who is responsible for serving Aunt Sun......"

After Sun got mad, the maids around him changed again and again, and no one wanted to serve a crazy and statusless master.

Sun's situation is sometimes good and bad, and occasionally he gets sick, and there is no way to hurt people. Therefore, the Zhu family had to change some new people to come in every once in a while. However, they are all subordinates. The little girl who worked on an errand in the south courtyard was like mud on the ground compared to the maids who served the lady and miss.

"What about the name? What is your name? Zhu Fu didn't seem to understand when he heard it, and thought to himself, early in the morning, the second master asked himself to ask if there was a newcomer in the house, wouldn't he just ask about this little girl? Hurriedly took over the conversation and asked.

"The slave's name is Xiao Tao."

Zhu Jinlun saw that she was young and a half-old child, so he no longer scolded her, and only said: "Since you are on an errand in the South Courtyard, what will you be doing in the main courtyard?" ”

"The slave maid is here to pick jasmine flowers, and take them back for Aunt Sun to use medicine to calm her nerves."

The fragrance of jasmine is quiet, the color is plain white, and it has the effect of reassuring and concentrating, and it can also be used in medicine, which is indeed a lot of good uses. However, the south side courtyard has always been deserted, and there are no flowers and plants at all.

Zhu Fu saw that the second master finished asking sentence after sentence, and said secretly in his heart: I usually see that the second master hasn't paid so much attention to which maid? Could it be that he was favored by the second master?

Thinking of this, Zhu Fu squinted his eyes again and looked at the little girl kneeling on the ground, and said busily: "Our second master is talking to you, can you always keep your head down?" Quickly raise your head and let the second master take a look. ”

Hearing this, Xiao Tao hesitated slightly, but still raised her head.

A pair of black and big eyes, full of panic, a round face with a little flush, thin eyebrows and cherry lips, and small facial features, which are unforgettable. Although she is plain, she does not look shabby at all, but it sets off her pure and lovely charm.

looks like a child, but the posture is so outstanding, people can't help but feel surprised, surprised, and then, inadvertently, the eyes feel inseparable.

Zhu Fu was stunned, then said "hey", hurriedly turned to look at Zhu Jinlun and said, "Oh, my second master, this little girl is a beautiful embryo." ”

Zhu Jinlun also didn't expect it, while looking at the people in front of him, he secretly wondered: With her appearance, she shouldn't be on an errand in the south courtyard, she should be in front of his wife and aunt, and he should be in front of his wife and aunt.

Zhu Fu has followed Zhu Nylon for several years, and he has seen a lot of beauties. It's just that such a delicate and cowardly person is rare.

The woman on the Fengyue field is bright and charming, but she also faintly reveals a seductive demonic aura, and she always feels that she is smiling at you while stretching out her slender hand to touch your money bag, which is very cunning.

Zhu Jinlun thought for a while, and then said, "When did you enter the mansion?" ”

Hearing this, Xiao Tao lowered her head again, and replied timidly: "The slave maid only entered the house three days ago, and has been doing chores in the south courtyard, and I hope that the second master will do well, give the slave and maid a way to live, don't drive the slave and maid out......"

Zhu Fu stood aside, listening to her words, he couldn't help but secretly laugh in his heart, after all, he was a little girl, and he didn't understand anything.

With her appearance, and with the second master's current expression, how could she be kicked out? If you want to get it, you have to "push" her to her own yard.

Zhu Fu looked at Zhu Jinlun's face, and when he saw him frowning slightly, he deliberately said: "Second master, you dissipate your anger, this girl frightened you last night, and now she came over to be an eyesore, and you can't just forget it." ”

Sure enough, as he expected, Zhu Jinlun turned his head and glared at him halfway through hearing it, "What can you do?" Before I can speak, you're about to start falling? ”

Zhu Fu hurriedly said: "The little one doesn't dare, isn't the little one afraid that the master will be annoyed by it?" The house is so big, there are so many deserted corners, and the small one just sends her to the backyard. ”

"Who says I'm upset? You're going to be my lord now. Zhu Jinlun's tone was vaguely displeased.

Zhu Fu heard this, he didn't dare to be presumptuous anymore, and lowered his head and asked, "What does that master mean?" ”

Zhu Jinlun's eyes sank slightly, "Let's do this first, let's go." ”

He threw down only one sentence and turned away.

Zhu Fu stood in place for a second, and then walked up quickly, but when he thought about it, he felt that it was wrong, turned to look at Xiao Tao, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said softly: "Girl, get up, you can be regarded as meeting a noble person today, go back and wait for the letter." ”

Xiao Tao looked at him with a puzzled expression, and then looked at Zhu Nylon who was walking farther and farther away, then lowered his head again, stood up and hurriedly ran back.

Zhu Fu followed and caught up with Zhu Jinlun, and said cautiously: "Second master, let the little girl go back." ”

Zhu Jinlun lowered his eyes slightly and looked at the stone road under his feet, didn't speak for a while, and said for a long time: "Didn't you say before that there should be some people in the yard?" Let's get to work and find a few more smart ones to come back. ”

When Zhu Fu heard this, his face was happy, and he immediately understood what he meant, and nodded: "Yes, the little one understands." ”

……

In the evening.

Zhu Jintang saw Shen Yuechen preparing dinner with a happy face, and couldn't help but be curious: "What good things have you encountered today?" From the morning until now, have you been so happy? ”

Shen Yuechen set up the last pair of chopsticks, raised her head and said with a smile: "I do have a good thing, my grandmother sent a letter saying that her old man is coming back to Texas." ”

Zhu Jintang raised his eyebrows: "Haven't the old people always lived in the capital to enjoy happiness?" Why are you coming back all of a sudden? ”

Shen Yuechen said lightly: "Grandmother has long said that she doesn't like the environment in the capital, and wants to return to her hometown to care for the elderly and live a clean life for two days." Also, she kept thinking about the old house at home, saying that it was comfortable to live in. ”

When Zhu Jintang heard this, he didn't pay much attention to it, but nodded and said, "That's what I said." When I'm older, there are always things in my heart that I can't put down. It's good for the old man to come back, so that when you want to go out for a walk in the future, you can also go over to accompany her. ”

Shen Yuechen said: "Yes, my grandmother is back, and I have one more reason to be lazy." ”

At the beginning, when she left Beijing, the old lady said that she would return to Texas. And this time, the old man is already on his way. Shen Yuechen knew that she was in such a hurry, but Zuo was just because she couldn't rest assured.

After dinner, Zhu Jintang went to the study as usual.

Shen Yuechen did not accompany the children as usual, but took Wu's mother to the South Courtyard to see the Sun family and the Qin family.

After a long time, the deserted atmosphere in the yard has not changed at all, and the flowers and trees are almost uncared for, and they all look messy.

As soon as Shen Yuechen came in, Mama Liu, who was in charge of the affairs, greeted her, and said with a smile on her face: "Grandma, why are you here?" ”

Shen Yuechen said lightly: "Well, I'm thinking about walking around, so I'll come and take a look." Are both the Sun and Qin clans okay? ”

Mama Liu pretended to sigh helplessly: "Alas, it's all right." However, it is better not to see the grandmother, so as not to listen to their nonsense, dirty eyes, dirty ears. ”

Shen Yuechen immediately asked, "Is there enough manpower in the courtyard?" ”

When Mama Liu heard this, she quickly shook her head: "There are still not enough people." If it is an ordinary master, one person has a maid by his side, and food, clothing, housing and transportation are enough. It's just that one of them is crazy, and the other has a big temper, and they are not easy to serve. ”

Shen Yuechen listened, glanced at Wu's mother, and said, "Before, didn't you find someone to come here?" Doesn't have a suitable one? ”

Mama Liu responded: "Yes, yes, but they are all novices, and they have to be trained slowly." Speaking of this, she suddenly remembered something, hurriedly came to Shen Yuechen's side, and whispered: "Grandma, I think you haven't heard of it yet." Among the new maids, there was a girl named Xiao Tao'er, who was somehow taken in by the second master, and was just taken away in the afternoon......"

Shen Yuechen's eyes flashed slightly, and then he said lightly: "Really?" Then it seems that your manpower is going to be insufficient, right? ”

Seeing that her reaction was flat and unsurprised, Mama Liu was suddenly a little disappointed, and hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, it seems that people have to make two more trips." ”

Shen Yuechen said quietly: "Buy when you should buy, pick when you should pick." Our Zhu family has a big business, and there are a few decent maids. No matter how poor the Sun family and the Qin family are, they are still the uncle's women, and the concubines of the Zhu family, although this time is different from the past, they can't be lazy, so as not to make people feel cold. ”

When Mama Liu heard this, she nodded hurriedly and said, "Yes, the eldest grandmother is merciful, and the slave knows what to do." ”