Mrs. Tai smiled, received the kowtow from the juniors, and hurriedly asked Mrs. Hou to reward, one person with a small gold ingot, and gave them to sit, but they pulled Yichen with one hand and Yijing with the other, and let the two sisters sit beside them.

Look at Yichen, holding the weight and square, and the dress of the eldest girl who is already a big girl, I can't help but think of my deceased eldest daughter, with a little astringency in her smile, and then look at the beautiful scene, although she still combs two buds, a childish appearance of a little girl, between her eyebrows, but more and more similar to the eldest daughter, and her eyes are red.

asked the sisters about their daily life, but Mrs. Tai didn't pay attention to the rest of the little ladies at all.

Sanniang is accustomed to it - she was originally just a concubine, besides, Mrs. Houfu has always disliked her mother-in-law, and even Liuniang is not welcomed, let alone her, so she just sits quietly with her eyes down, maintaining the demeanor of a lady.

Eight mothers have a child's heart, and they gossip quietly with the ladies of Houfu by themselves.

Siniang only regards herself as a guest.

Liu Niang didn't care, she sat upright, someone talked to her, and only responded with a simple "good", "yes", "en", or a smile that was not eager.

Jiang saw that Liuniang was snubbed, and the dissatisfaction in her heart became more and more inflated, right now, her sister-in-law is the Duchess of Weiguo, and Liuniang is also a fake heir, why doesn't her mother-in-law treat her as a granddaughter at all? After sitting for a while, she asked Liuniang without words: "What about your mother, why didn't you come with you?" ”

Liuniang was stunned, her mother was so busy that she couldn't get away, she had already returned to her grandfather's house, but her second aunt didn't know?

"Mother can't be empty, so today the eldest brother and the second brother sent us over." After being stunned for a moment, Liu Niang replied concisely.

Yichen hurriedly smiled and said: "Grandmother's birthday is approaching, many things in the family are inseparable from my mother's management, before leaving, my mother also earnestly instructed us to accompany our grandmother to talk more and do our filial piety for her." ”

There is no harmony between his grandmother and his stepmother, and Yichen is aware of it, and he only tries his best to say good things for his stepmother.

Jiang's face was colorful: "If you want to say a word of filial piety, you have to look at our mother's mother, every year's festival, the etiquette of honoring your mother is the most generous, so that those of us who are daughters-in-law are ashamed, even the eldest princess is such a noble person, you have to praise her for being virtuous and filial, look at Chen'er, how well she was trained by her mother." ”

Niangniang, of course, refers to the Duchess Huang family.

Mrs. Houfu has two daughters-in-law, the eldest daughter left early, and the younger daughter is far away in Zuohai now, don't say that the New Year's Festival can not be returned to Ning, even if the gift is sent, compared to the Huang family, it can only be called sloppy, but the Huang family is a cow and a horse, and the children of the first sister are as close as they are, and they are extremely filial to Mrs. Tai, but they have become an unpopular one, and the Jiang family is really unhappy for the sister-in-law.

Mrs. Tai was immersed in the grief of mourning for her deceased daughter, and when she heard this coldly, she almost became angry, and finally held back, and only glanced at Jiang: "The word virtuous and filial piety is the duty of being a daughter, a wife, and a daughter-in-law. ”

Seeing that the atmosphere was a little deadlocked, Mrs. Hou was in a cold sweat, and quickly changed the topic: "Since Xun'er is here, why don't you come in with you?" ”

Yijing immediately said: "Brothers, I'm going to visit my uncle first, and of course I'm going to come to greet my grandmother and aunts, grandmother, I heard that my fourth cousin was also admitted to the Guozijian, won't I become a classmate with my eldest brother in the future?" ”

Speaking of this grandson, Mrs. Tai suddenly smiled, although the second master has three sons, the youngest is already thirteen, but none of them can be admitted to the Guozijian, or the two grandsons are angry, the prince will not talk about it, passed the Guozijian assessment, and now he has entered the office, Shiro has successfully passed the initial examination, and when the three dogs pass, the autumn school can also enter the Guozijian to listen to the lecture.

Jiang only thought that she should raise her eyebrows when she gave birth to three sons in a row, but none of them could handle it, it was just a waste of food.

Mrs. Tai ignored the Jiang family again.

There was a lot of laughter and noise in the room again, only Jiang felt depressed, and secretly glared at the beautiful scenery - this little conscienceless woman treats her so well, Chen'er still wants to turn a few sentences for her mother, this girl only cares about coaxing the old pious woman!

Everyone didn't pay attention, but Sanniang found out about Jiang's grievances, her eyes looked at Jiang for a while, and then at Yijing, pursing her lips and smiling.

When the two brothers Su Xun and Su Ying came over, Mrs. Tai inevitably asked for warmth again, and after talking about the family in the morning, she let the juniors go to Jiang Yue's yard to have fun.

Jiang Yue couldn't sit still, so she got a "go" pardon from Mrs. Tai, and hurriedly stepped forward to take Yijing's hand, and pulled her to go to Mulan Yuan with a trot.

Jianning Hou has four brothers, but the second is a concubine, but there are three lively sons under his knees.

Jianning Hou only has an only son, but a total of seven daughters, the first four have been married, the fifth mother and the sixth mother are still in the boudoir, and the eleventh mother is only learning in Yaya, and can not come out to entertain guests; The fourth cousin mentioned by Yijing in front of him is the eldest brother of Qi Niang Jiangyue and the eldest son of the third master of Houfu; The fourth master has only one son under his knees, and he has not yet reached the total horn at this time.

It is no wonder that the wife of a concubine of the Jiang family dares to show off her might, her son is more than the sum of Mrs. Tai's three sisters-in-law, plus the sister-in-law of the second master and one mother has become the step-room of the Duke of Weiguo...... With such a sister-in-law as Wei Guogong as a backer, it is not impossible for Jianning Hou's title to change hands in the future.

Seeing that the juniors were leaving, Jiang rubbed his eyebrows and shouted hot.

Mrs. Tai couldn't get used to her pretentiousness, frowned, said a few words of reprimand lukewarmly, and sent her away. The third lady was also worried about her daughter's birthday banquet, and she was a little unstable, so Mrs. Tai simply let her leave with the fourth lady, leaving only the eldest daughter-in-law to talk to her: "Jing'er is getting bigger, and her eyebrows and eyes are becoming more and more like Wanniang." ”

Before he said a word, the corners of his eyes turned red: "Wanniang is unlucky, she went early, I also thought about it back then, and I blamed my in-laws for not taking good care of me...... There is only one daughter left, of course, I have to plan carefully for her, no matter how good the eldest aunt is, I really can't bear to let Juanniang do the steproom...... That's why it's cheaper for the little woman to raise, poor my Juanniang, and now it's not going well, why do you say the two sisters are so miserable? ”

Mrs. Hou said this, but it was difficult to accept it.

I think that at the beginning, the concubine was a concubine, but her temperament and appearance were all good, not to mention being arrogant, she didn't even dare to speak loudly, plus her biological mother was not early, and she was careful for more than ten years, so she did not suffer from the scruples of her mother.

Even the second master grew up without clothes and little clothing, which is very pitiful.

Wan Niang passed away, the eldest princess was interested in Juanniang, but her mother-in-law was unwilling to let her biological daughter be a stepmother, so she persuaded her to marry in the past, who would have thought that Juanniang had a good marriage, but met a strong mother-in-law, who could complain about?

It's just the number of human lives.

The mother has been married to the Guogong Mansion for many years, and she treats Wanniang's children as if she were her own, and she has never relied on the power of the Weiguo Mansion to dictate her mother's family.

Thinking like this, Mrs. Hou didn't dare to say it, and hurriedly comforted her mother-in-law: "Although Wanniang went early, fortunately, the three children are safe and sound, and Wanniang is also a comfort when she looks at it from the sky; As for Juan Niang...... Waiting for the master to contact here, and transferred my uncle back to Beijing, with our family to support her, the Long family does not dare to be like before, and there is always hope for the future. ”

Mrs. Tai wiped the corners of her eyes with a brocade hand: "What's going on?" How sure are you that? ”

"Mother, don't worry, there is also Wei Guogong to assist, there are still vacancies in the six departments, listen to Hou Ye, just this year's matter, although ten percent of the certainty is not guaranteed, eight or ninety percent of them are also."

After some persuasion, Mrs. Tai was finally relieved, and Mrs. Hou left her mother-in-law and returned to the courtyard where she lived.

Although it is Mrs. Jianning Hou, there is a mother-in-law, and it is not her turn to live in the main house, and Mrs. Hou's yard is heavy behind the main courtyard, and it is also a row of five blue brick houses, open and bright.

Jianning waited for today's rest, and saw the prince of Weiguo coming back in the front yard, and was asking a beautiful concubine to wait for him, to write a letter to the girl who was far away in Zuohai.

Mrs. Hou had something in her heart, so she waved away the beautiful concubine without saying anything, and let the personal maid stand in front of the door to prevent others from approaching.

"Hou Ye should also persuade his mother to deal with his second brother and sister today." Mrs. Hou was full of embarrassment, and said to herself: "To say it, the mother is really filial, never dared to raise her voice in front of her mother, and the second brother, although she is a concubine, she has only relied on her own efforts to find a subordinate official of the East Palace, and she has always been obedient to her mother, that is, her younger siblings are childish, and it is also because of the grievances for her mother, and her mother was not smooth in the early years, the eldest princess of the Guogong Mansion is a powerful person, and she is like guarding against something, but after so many years, she will not also be fed to her, and her mother is not even today, and she is raised by a small woman, If this word reaches the ears of the mother, what should she think? If you save a mustard and say a few words in front of the Duke of Weiguo, wouldn't it be another battle of right and wrong, and the mother can gain a firm foothold in the Mansion of the Duke of Weiguo, but it is up to her to say it......"

Before he finished speaking, he saw Jian Ninghou throw the pen in his hand, and the black ink splashed everywhere, almost touching Mrs. Hou's face.

"You are also the daughter of a family, when did you learn the style of that market shrew and discuss your mother's rights and wrongs in private?"

Mrs. Hou opened her mouth, and her eyes were red with grievances: "I'm not here for the sake of family and everything, my mother didn't treat Yingniang so harshly, but she knew that Juan Niang was unsatisfactory after marriage, so she was a little unwilling, but what happened back then was not a thought of my mother, who can I blame?" really offended the Guogong Mansion, what good is it for Hou Ye? ”

"A woman's opinion!" Jian Ninghou rubbed the rice paper and said hatefully: "Who is Wei Guogong, how can he ignore his in-laws just based on the words of a woman?" Jing'er, Chen'er, and Jing'er are Wanniang's flesh and blood! Did you really stand firm when you were just a mother? Don't you know that she is now in control of the middle feed, and there is a grandmother next to the eldest princess staring? After so many years, why didn't the eldest princess feel completely at ease with her? It's only you, the women of the house, who are short-sighted, that you think she is the same on the outside and on the inside. ”

"What are these words?" The surprise in Mrs. Hou's heart suddenly overwhelmed the grievance.

Jian Ninghou suppressed his anger: "It's useless to mention the old past, you just have to do your part, and don't let me find out that I complained about my mother's unfilial behavior in private." ”

After speaking, he no longer paid attention to Mrs. Hou, and walked away.

In the Mulan Garden of Houfu, at this time, it was the sound of warblers and swallows, and the laughter was noisy.

The birthday of the little ladies, only the ceremony needs to be big, ordinary is just to invite a few confidants and sisters in the boudoir, and have fun for a day, so the Huang family's seventh mother is thirteen years old, but only invited a few little ladies from the Weiguo Mansion.

Although she is in the seventh row of young ladies at home, she is actually the eldest daughter of the third room of the Houfu, and there is a younger sister Banniang who is a concubine at the bottom, and she sits on the side with cringe, watching her sister tear down the ceremony with red eyes.

"Yikes! This is the lotus white porcelain bowl produced by Ru kiln, look at this color, it is really clear and transparent like jade. Huang's Wu Niang said in surprise, looking at the beautiful scenery - Su Wu Niang and Qi Niang are the most intimate, and she should have such a hand.

But I heard Su Sanniang say: "It's not worth anything, I'm afraid that Ah Yue won't be able to see it." ”

At this time, even Jiang Yue felt a little surprised, her thick eyelashes flashed, and she looked at Su Sanniang: "Sister Luo's words are serious, such a precious gift really flatters me." ”

The two have always been at odds, and they often have many disputes, such as Jiang Yue's birthday in previous years, Su Sanniang not only did not accept the invitation, but also fulfilled the etiquette with the sachets embroidered by the maids.

Huang Liuniang was afraid that the two of you would come and go, and say something unpleasant, so she hurriedly opened a brocade box, took out a book, and took a look, she wanted to change the topic casually, but she really exclaimed: "Tsk, come and see, this is actually a book of "The Last Year" recorded by Liang Ji, a famous scholar of the former dynasty, only twenty copies have survived, but I don't want to see it in the birthday ceremony of the seventh sister." ”

After speaking, Huang Liuniang also looked at Yijing - it is said that Ah Jing has collected a lot of rare books, and she didn't expect her to be so generous that she could give her love to her seventh sister, which is really enviable.

I didn't want to be surprised, I took the thin book and looked at it over and over, and frequently bowed my head: "I only have one imitation there, but this one is really Liang Ji's own handwriting, not to mention anything else, this square seal is said to be carved by the master of the six airs of the previous dynasty, after the master passed away, no one can imitate this seal." ”

Su Banniang's eyes were slightly red, and she explained in a low voice: "It's a rare book that the second brother found by chance, I'm stupid, and I'm not good at poetry, so it's useless to keep it, so it's better to give it to Sister Yue......"

Although the white porcelain of Ru kiln is precious, it is not too rare in the end, and it is also common in the aristocratic mansion, but this rare book is priceless.

Not to mention that the little ladies in Houfu were very shocked, the little ladies in Weiguo Mansion were also dumbfounded.

Especially Sanniang, she sneered in her heart: Banniang is really good, who doesn't know that she is the most unpopular, although there is a brother who is a fellow mother, he has never paid much attention to her blood sister, why is the second brother so generous all of a sudden?

Thinking of Mama Song's enlightenment at the beginning, Sanniang couldn't help but look at Banniang meaningfully, is it possible, Aunt Zhang only thought that she would die in Zhuangzi, and she opened her mind for a while, and actually began to plan for Banniang? She flattered Huang Qiniang like this, could it be that she took a fancy to her fourth cousin? It's ridiculous, the fourth cousin is the only son of the third room of the Houfu, although he can't attack the knight, but he hasn't fallen to the point of marrying a concubine. is still a concubine who is not favored by her grandmother and father!

Huang Wuniang and Huang Liuniang are also fond of poetry and songs, and naturally they can't put it down the "Chronicles of the Last Years" recorded by the writers of the previous dynasty, but Jiang Yue is not very concerned, and thanked Su Banniang with enthusiasm for a few words, and then put it away.

"What did you have in store for me? I tossed and turned last night, curious all night, and still didn't take it out to see. Jiang Yue held Yijing's arm, very eager.

All the little ladies are very curious.

Everyone knows that the beauty of the scenery is loved by the eldest princess, and the treasures in her hands are innumerable, the royal princess and the county lord must have the beautiful scenery, but the princess and the county lord she has may not have, Jiang Yue has always been good with her, and I don't know what rare things will be obtained from her this year.

Yi Jing smiled, and then pointed to a boxy brocade box on the case: "Look for yourself." ”

But it is a set of pen, ink, paper and inkstone, although it is also precious and exquisite, but it is not as good as that rare book.

Originally, the gift of the daughter of the boudoir was a heart, and Yijing didn't plan to compare with anyone.

Jiang Yue smiled happily: "Sure enough, you know my mind." ”

Su Sanniang glanced at Banniang sarcastically, and said in her heart, look at it, no matter how you please and what kind of rare treasures you give, it is worth a few insincere and understated thanks.

Banniang Yiyun also felt slightly embarrassed, in fact, this gift was given to her a few days ago by Erlang Qianding, she didn't know Erlang's intentions, but seeing that this gift was too precious, she was very worried in her heart.

Quietly looked around, and saw that the third sister only cared about talking to Huang Liuniang, the eldest sister and Huang Wuniang talked very well, the fourth sister pulled Huang Banniang to sit aside, the fifth sister chatted with Jiang Yue as always, and the sixth sister was still at home, holding the book and looking at it with extra concentration, so she sighed.

Jiang Yue took advantage of the fact that others were not paying attention, pulled Yijing to the inner room, and mysteriously handed over a cloth jacket: "Those scripts last time, I heard that you had to burn them, and I asked the fourth brother to buy some outside, this time you are careful, don't let the elders find out again." ”

Yijing frowned and politely declined: "I was curious for a while, but after listening to my grandmother's teachings, I also understood that these words were not originally read by the daughter of the boudoir, and I understood Ah Yue's kindness, but I can't ask for these words anymore." ”

Jiang Yue was slightly stunned, and laughed out loud: "It's your grandmother's fuss, where is it so serious when you read a few scripts?" There are a lot of good words in it, and the writing is also beautiful and gorgeous, you promise to love it. ”

Ignoring the beautiful scenery, he beckoned Qiu Yue to come closer, so that she could take it away.

Yi Jing had some doubts about Jiang Yue in her heart, but when she heard her grandmother's fuss, and insisted on letting herself see the romantic stories of those talented and beautiful people, she became more and more disliked, and said with a frown: "Ah Yuexiu wants to talk nonsense, grandmother has always been good for me, as juniors, how can we say such disrespectful words." ”

Jiang Yue was completely stunned at this moment, staring at Yijing in disbelief, and after half a sound, she smiled: "It's me who doesn't choose what to say, Ah Jing is not annoyed, since you don't like these words, forget it." He threw the cloth aside, looking very aggrieved.

On the contrary, it made Yijing a little uncomfortable, thinking that at the beginning, she really couldn't put down these words, Jiang Yue only wanted to do what she liked, so she enthusiastically found it, how could she think that she hated these words, so she took Jiang Yue's hand, and diverted the topic in three or two sentences.

At this time, Yijing was still willing to believe that Jiang Yue had no intention of harming others.

The two girls avoided others, only told some interesting things in the boudoir, and the slight unhappiness quickly disappeared.

After a while, a waiting maid entered the house to report-

"The third lady has prepared a banquet in the water pavilion, and I invite you ladies to go."