When Qingrong returned to his room, most of the night had passed, but Siniang was still outside and did not come back. Not long after she entered the house, Yun Niang gave birth to a warm basin and sent it in. Qingrong told her that she didn't need Yun Niang to serve her for the past three days, let her arrange it by herself, Qingrong thought that she would return to the Gongfu, but she didn't expect her to be still at home.

Yun Niang said: "Sanniang is back, it's a little cold outside, and the maid is still thinking about when you will come back." ”

Qingrong was surprised and said, "You've been waiting for me to come back?" As I said, you don't have to come and serve these days. ”

Yun Niang shook her head and said, "The maid also went out for a walk today, the street is very lively, people come and go, but I saw too much, and I felt bored, so I came back first." She looked at the bustle of the street, and the family was harmonious, but she felt that all this had nothing to do with her, and it was better to come back earlier.

Qingrong nodded, "I see." ”

With the warm basin, Qingrong felt that her hands were warm after a while, and Yun Niang combed her hair carefully. After walking a lot outside today, she slowly became a little sleepy, and her eyes were a little hazy.

"Sanniang went out with Siniang today, why did she come back first? But not having fun? ”

Qingrong shook her head, thinking of tonight's incident, the sleepiness just now dissipated, and the smile was hard to hide, she thought for a while and said, "It's okay, it's much more lively than I thought." ”

Yun Niang said with a smile: "Sanniang looked very happy, and even the corners of her eyes and eyebrows were smiling, which shows that something good happened." ”

Glad? Qingrong raised her eyes and looked at the bronze mirror, she was no stranger to this person in the mirror, but the look on her face was rarely seen, with a smile on her eyebrows and eyes, did she even smile with her eyebrows tonight? I don't know what that person is doing now, but back home? She shook her head helplessly, how could she think of him again?

Yun Niang saw that Qingrong looked thoughtful, and she didn't bother anymore, and cleaned up her hands and feet neatly, and then retreated. Qingrong knew that Siniang was followed by Xue Chang, and there was nothing to worry about, so she fell asleep. On the second day, I went to Siniang's room to look for her and found that she was asleep.

Ah Xi told Qingrong that Siniang had only come back for a long time. Qingrong shook her head, this girl actually played outside all night, and she cared for her, and didn't disturb her sleep anymore, so she left first.

As soon as the Shangyuan Festival passed, the days quickly shook into February.

The wind outside the house finally reduced the chill, and the spring day was just right, and the men, women and children of Yongcheng couldn't sit still, and the whole family went out to the suburbs on the riverside. It happened that Siniang's birthday was also in early February, and she turned fifteen this year, and Lu Wenzhong and Wang held a banquet for her, which also means that Siniang has also reached the age of marriage.

After all, the Wang family was still present as an official in the text, and it was always bad for the relationship between the Xu family to be ugly, so he also invited the Cao family to come, although the Cao family didn't like Qingrong before, but he didn't want to have a bad relationship with the Lu family, so he also went down the ladder. It's just that when she really knew that Qingrong married into the Xue family, she felt more or less uncomfortable.

On the day of Siniang and Lu, Qingrong dressed her up very beautifully, and invited Mrs. Wei to watch the ceremony. Although Mrs. Wei doesn't like those socializations where you come and go, she is very happy this time, and she brought Xiao Jingniang with her.

Qingrong has been learning cooking skills recently, learned to make some dim sum, and added some ingenuity from Siniang, so this dim sum looks good, and it tastes different from the outside. Jing Niang ate happily, and when she left, she was still holding her little belly, which made everyone present laugh.

But within a few days, Lu Mansion ushered in an uninvited guest, the daughter-in-law of the Xie family, Li. Qingrong heard Mrs. Wei say that the concubine has a son under her knees, born in the noble Xie family, and both parents are the queen's in-laws, and the concubine is the niece of the Xie family, the wife of the current auxiliary government, and her status is noble. The concubine and the virtuous concubine are not compatible, the Lu family has no contact with that side, and the daughter-in-law of the Xie family actually came to the door in person, so it will not be a good thing.

But this Li family is also an unceremonious person, with a group of domestic servants and housekeepers, he came to the Lu family, and he was arrogant. The lady in charge went straight to the point and expressed her intentions: "I heard that the good things of Sanniang in the house are coming, and there is a sister in the family who is also married this year. I waited for me to come today, just to give a dowry gift, a gift of 100 money, and a number of splendid cloth. ”

Take a concubine!

Wang's face changed dramatically when he heard this! actually wants to take Siniang as a concubine! If you close your eyes and think about it, you know that these people are using these methods to take revenge on them, and they are concubines with people, and they are concubines, but in fact, they are just sold to others as slaves and maids, serving the master, mother, and king. Wang and Lu Wenzhong cherish their daughter so much, how can they let her be a concubine! What's more, these people are here to find trouble!

Siniang, who was eavesdropping outside the door, had already turned a little white face, and her appearance was not good. She hurriedly comforted Siniang and said, "Don't be afraid, A-Niang will definitely not agree." ”

Wang refused without thinking about it. Li Shi looked at it coldly, and the lady in charge looked very arrogant, "Hmph, madam, this is carried to the Xie family as a concubine, but the concubine is not as small as those small families outside, my old lady picks Lu Siniang, that is her luck, today we even brought the concubine documents, Mrs. Don't toast and don't eat and drink!" ”

The Wang family was not afraid of this momentum, and replied: "Joke, I haven't heard that parents shouldn't take concubines directly!" Don't you have any law in your eyes? ”

Statutes? Is there a rule before the powerful? Don't say that this matter of forcing Liang to be a concubine, even this thing of forcing Liang to be a prostitute is not a rare thing, as soon as this is brought up, it will inevitably provoke the Li family to laugh. The lady in charge said: "We are fully prepared, the rules and etiquette are the same, as long as Dr. Lu goes through the case and signs this document, is it possible that the government still looks down on the Xie family, and you have to kick your nose and face?" ”

Qingrong saw that the situation was not good, so when he ordered Yun Niang to go to the Rongguo Mansion to deliver the letter, he said to Ah Zhen: "You and Ah Xi will accompany Siniang together, and take Siniang back to the room first." ”

Siniang's face was worried: "Sister." ”

"Obedient, go quickly, Sister will deal with it." After speaking, he turned around and lifted the curtain into the upper room.

Siniang walked to the backyard in a distraction, only to hear a female voice from the upper room: "Lady, this is wrong." ”

The lady in charge and the Li family both stared at Qingrong, "Who are you?" ”

Qingrong walked over, his eyes comforted the Wang family, saluted, and said calmly: "I am Sanniang, I have seen Mrs. Li." ”

"Hmph." The Li family swept a fierce glance and said mockingly: "Why can't Sanniang wait?" ”

Qingrong ignored her ridicule, and said in a calm tone: "Madame wants to accept Siniang as a concubine, and she is willing to come in person, which shows sincerity, but..."

The lady in charge wrinkled her eyebrows and asked, "Just what?" ”

Qingrong's eyebrows raised slightly, "It's just that this gift money is too little!" These words made Wang also surprised, Li's face became more and more ugly, and she said: "Bold! ”

"Even if you buy a handmaid with quick hands and feet and good looks, it will cost fifty gold, right? Just a hundred gold will pay a noble concubine, and the government wants to accept a noble concubine, do you still have to cherish this gift money? ”

She looked at the angry person in front of her without changing her face, and continued: "With all due respect, although my family is not as good as your house, but in the end it is also an official eunuch family, and the family background is innocent. This is always bad in terms of reputation, and you don't want to bear this infamy, right? ”

The lady in charge was about to open her mouth to teach Qingrong a lesson, but Li stopped her and looked at her coldly, "Then what do you want?" ”

Qingrong said categorically: "At least a thousand gold." ”

The housekeeper's eyes widened and she shouted, "You are crazy, why do you need a concubine?" ”

Qingrong smiled and said: "Ordinary people don't need a lot of money to take concubines, but just now the lady also said that the mansion is the Xie family, the family of dignitaries, and ordinary people are naturally incomparable." Since the lady said that everything is in accordance with the rules and etiquette, then it is not too much for us to make such a request, what do you say? ”

The Wang family also came to his senses, and hurriedly echoed: "Exactly, this gift money is too little, I can't follow it!" ”

"You!" The lady in charge called Qingrong to choke and stared at her viciously, and Li reprimanded: "Shut up! "Anyway, he is also in charge of the affairs of the powerful mansion, and he is so embarrassed in this family.

Before, her mother-in-law just explained to her like this, and did not say what the situation should be, Li closed her eyes, and felt a headache, she decided to go back and ask before coming to Lu's house. She put down a sentence and prepared to leave, "In that case, I'll come back when I go back and ask!" ”

Wang called: "Wait. ”

Li became more and more impatient, "What else is going on?" ”

Wang said: "There is also a dowry brought by Mrs. in the courtyard, please take it with you, Mrs. said that she would go back and ask, but she is not sure, if the house refuses, we will not accept this dowry, and I will not keep it on behalf of the Lu Mansion because of the limited manpower." ”

The lady in charge looked at Li nervously, very embarrassed. I haven't heard of it, this dowry has to be carried back when it enters the door, how embarrassing it is to be eye-catching all the way? Li Shi stared at Wang coldly, "snorted", waved his hand, and said sharply: "Carry it all away!" ”

After a group of people left, the courtyard was finally clean. Qingrong couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief, even if the Xie family made up their minds, they had to take out a thousand gold all at once, I was afraid that it would take a day or two, and by then I hope they could have a way to deal with it...

Wang sighed and said, "It's good that you were clever enough to send these people away." ”

"It's still A-Niang who recently taught me the housekeeper director, and I only know this, otherwise I don't know what to do just now." Qingrong said again: "I have asked Yun Niang to go to the Guogong Mansion to report the news, and see if there is any way to deal with this matter." ”

"On the Rongguo Mansion? Are you sure they'll help us? ”

Qingrong shook her head, she was not completely sure, these were just her speculations, since the queen beat the concubine after the Feng incident, whether it was out of justice or selfishness, according to the concubine's personality, she would definitely hold a grudge. "The concubine and the virtuous concubine are not compatible, I guess you also know it, but the virtuous concubine is now in the palace, and she is pregnant, and she is beyond the reach of the whip, not to mention that the concubine's position is above the virtuous concubine, and the virtuous concubine is difficult to take into account. If you want to go there, you have no other choice. ”

When Wang heard this, he also felt reasonable, so he had to nod, "Alas, it can only be like this." Qingrong looked at the empty courtyard at this moment, and her heart was also anxious, they didn't care about these things, why did these things go to an uncontrollable situation step by step?

The actions of the Rongguo Mansion were far faster than Qingrong thought, and someone came in the afternoon of the same day. It's just that Qingrong didn't expect that it would be Mrs. Wei who came in person.