[Pride and Prejudice] Rich Lady

"This taste is so charming!"

On a street near Chipside, a beautiful oriental shop became the most eye-catching building nearby, and many well-dressed gentlemen and ladies walked there leisurely.

"When did this place become so lively?" A honey-skinned fashionable lady passed by when she came out of Chipside Street, and couldn't help asking the female companion in the carriage.

Her female partner didn't answer first, but instead opened the glass car window and took a deep sniff.

"God, Elsa, can the air in London make you so intoxicated?" The lady covered her mouth and nose in disgust. The air in London has been getting worse and worse in the past two years. Many ladies like to say "This feels like the air in London." Air, I'm almost out of breath" Hanging on the lips.

But immediately after, a charming sweet and fragrant smell flooded into her lungs.

The honey-skinned lady couldn't help sniffing, "It seems to be pretty good." The lovely lady murmured.

"What kind of shop is that? Ming Dynasty desserts? I've only been away for a few months. When will there be such a shop in London?"

The companion nodded and couldn't wait to tell the coachman to leave here and go to the front.

The young lady was in a hurry, she hurriedly held the hand of her companion, and a deep dimple was revealed on one side of her cheek: "Elsa, why don't we go and taste it? You see many people have gone in, if we don't go, the party will It will be ridiculed from time to time—this must be a fashionable topic of conversation, and how embarrassing it is that you and I can't get on with other ladies."

Miss Elsa took her hands and said happily: "Elsa, of course we are going! It's just that this store does not allow carriages to stay nearby, but there is a newly opened carriage and horse shop not far from here. We can get off there, and most people do, because it's such a beautiful little stretch of road!"

"Hurry up, Elsa, take your beautiful umbrella, pick up your skirt, we have to walk this flower path properly!"

After the end of the social season, I went to Ramsgate with my family to enjoy the sea water and hot springs. The lady who just returned to London was very puzzled. She felt that London had changed a lot, but she didn't know anything about it.

'Why don't you get off near the shop, and ask the coachman to drive to the garage? ' She thought for a while, and swallowed the words back.

When we arrived at the clean and brand-new carriage house, the female companion tidied up her clothes and hair before getting out of the carriage like a female fighter.

Miss didn't want to act like an old-fashioned silly girl, she took a deep breath, followed her friend's example, and got out of the carriage.After getting out of the car, she looked into the distance, and was immediately stunned: there was really a path three or four yards wide leading directly to the dessert shop, and it was covered with a dark red carpet. under the dome.

The waiters in black flacques bowed politely and invited them to step into the alley.

The female companion gently pointed to her the sporadic strings of purple wind chimes hanging among the green vines above her head: "It's a pity that the construction here is a bit late, and the wisterias have passed their flowering period. Wait until April and May next year, and those purple flower strings like butterflies Hang it down, I don't know how many ladies will be willing to walk under it."

"This beautiful flower vine comes from the country of silk. Since people saw this path, the well-trimmed white roses in the gardens of the ladies have lost their most favored places. Even the gentlemen have asked the gardeners to set up in the gardens. Such an interesting rattan pavilion..."

The entire path is divided into a wonderful space by climbing shelves fixed with wisteria. The shelves themselves are very interesting, just like the windows in dessert shops, with various oriental graphics.From the middle of the hollow pattern, looking out among the fresh green leaves, all you can see are carefully arranged and selected beautiful scenery: some are flower trees, some are beautiful chimneys of nearby houses, and some are copper bells with long red tassels hanging outside.

In the lower part of the shelf, where the leaves of the wisteria are sparse, there are some bonsai placed at random.Dwarf pine and rhododendron are shaped like big trees, with hanging roots and claws, which inexplicably makes people feel majestic; while the naive pottery pots full of wild flowers make people feel relaxed and narrow.There are also some novel landscapes that the English have never seen before: houses and gardens of the Ming Dynasty made of clay, and small porcelain figurines wearing Ming costumes, moss as grass, bushes and branches as big trees, rocks and ponds are all available. , the layout is exquisite and lively, as if this is really a shrunken Ming country manor.

"It's amazing!" The honey-skinned lady completely forgot to show her beautiful skirt and graceful figure, she stared at the glass-covered table and exclaimed in a low voice: "The fish in the pond are alive! There are actually live fish!"

The female companion took the folding fan from the maid, and half covered her face, "Of course it's alive, my dear! You can see clearly, it's not a pond, it's just half a basin of water. Those fish are small fish that can be found in every river." Fish! Come on, darling?"

"how do you know?"

"Of course, my servant fished out the same ones from the river and showed them to me. He said they didn't grow up enough to even eat ducks. He also showed me that ducks really didn't eat them."

"You know so much, Elsa."

The smile on the female partner's face was halfway up, and the corners of her lips suddenly lowered, knowing that this kind of rare fish seemed not something to be proud of.

The cheerful and lovely performance of the ladies attracted gentle smiles from the gentlemen who passed by, and flushes appeared on the cheeks of the ladies.A young gentleman stepped out from his companions and invited the honey-colored lady to drink tea with a smile: "Miss, may I invite you to have tea together?"

The lady's companion was also politely invited by another gentleman who was with him.

The scent of roses is in the air, as if spring has returned.

On the second floor of the dessert shop, Jane sat in a quiet and bright corner, writing letters to Elizabeth.On the dark red walnut wood table, a pot of fresh and mellow Longjing exudes a clear tea fragrance, and there are several round cakes on the delicate and small porcelain plate.Lydia sat across from Jane and flipped through a book, took a sip of the slightly bitter tea from time to time, and then picked up a piece of cake and put it in her mouth.Biting through the layers of puff pastry that is as white as goose feathers, a strong rose scent permeates into the lungs, and a sip of the sweet and delicious stuffing can make people intoxicated.

Jane couldn't help smiling when she saw the cute expression of her little sister squinting her eyes and enjoying, she wrote: "Flower cakes are so popular, the rose sauce from our farm will be out of supply soon, and the dessert shop only restricts people to buy, Small tables for four or more can be ordered. I guess it must be your idea, and only you, dear Lizzie, have so many interesting and useful ideas."

"I saw from the window that the wisteria road was as beautiful as an oil painting drawn by Constable. Mr. Jared said that this section of the road made his business in carriages and horses better than that of all his counterparts in London. The manager of the dessert shop, Mo Mrs. Nika also told me that this has brought countless businesses to the shop, and the profit has exceeded that of the shops on the banks of the Thames."

"It's been a sweet challenge for me as the weekly books take longer to build up. Lizzie, I kind of like the fulfillment, and I think you're right, I'm a good fit for this— —No mistake or omission can escape my eyes."

"Dear sister, I agreed to your invitation to open a Ming-style restaurant with you, although I am still a little scared of your other partner, because I have never seen a gentleman who would give a lady a pistol and bullets But after tasting those delicacies, I think Mr. Anthony can also be overcome. After all, he didn’t mean to give me a weapon, and that’s enough. Delicious food can bring happiness. Lydia is a little fat For the sake of it, we should share this happiness with others as soon as possible—when will the restaurant be decorated?"

"Besides, Lizzie, I don't want to keep anything from you, and I don't think it ought to be. I've found Mr. George again, and he's more spirited and more businesslike, but he's still kind and friendly. He paid a special visit to Uncle Gardner, and I told him we needed more rose seedlings, and he agreed right away, and he was going to do it for us right away. Lizzie, I'm so stupid to know that autumn can also be planted This kind of flower seedling..."

Elizabeth received Jane’s letter—it didn’t need to be mailed. Every day, Tao Lisi’s carriage would go to Chipside to pick up the snacks ordered by the ladies. Jane would always carefully prepare a copy for her sister, just put the letter in the box That's fine.

Today's Ming-style pastry shops are more thoughtful in their service: because they are afraid that the wives and ladies will accumulate too many dessert wooden boxes in their homes, which is wasteful and useless, so the dessert shops have launched more delicate and expensive desserts that can be used many times. Snack box.These boxes are not only made of better materials and workmanship, but also can be carried and added layers. The dessert shop also provides the service of engraving heraldry or logo on the box.They only need to send someone to make an appointment to place the order, and the servants will pick it up the next day with this special box.

The ladies of Tao Lisi soon had their own food boxes, and they no longer had to distinguish which box of desserts belonged to them, and the maids could deliver it to their masters without opening the box.

Everyone is more and more fond of the habit of afternoon tea. Even Mrs. Judith held an afternoon tea party in her lounge. Elizabeth and Lola, who will be introduced into the social world, are frequent guests of the tea party. Mrs. benefited greatly from the small talk with Mrs. Pullan and other teachers.

Elizabeth wanted to expand her business, and her plan to open a Ming-style restaurant did not hide from Laura. From the very beginning, Elizabeth wanted to cooperate with her friends as before.But Laura declined. She said that the success of the pastry shop was largely attributed to Elizabeth. This industry can be regarded as God's reward for her good choice of partners, but she can no longer continue to take advantage of her friends.

"Lizzie, you can go farther, because the world in your heart is very broad." Miss Laura said, "I can't help you anymore, no matter what, you are already capable of doing it. If I still It would be too greedy to join."

The lady stopped her friend's persuasion, and cooperated on the basis of complementarity, mutual assistance and mutual usefulness. Laura thought that the funds, connections and fame she could provide were not needed by friends anymore.If she is asked to cover her eyes and only pay a sum of money, she will divide the interests of her friends with peace of mind, and wait for Lizzie to finish all the things and bring the profits to her—this is not what Miss Laura does, she does not allow it Such a despicable self.

"Don't worry, dear Lizzie, I'm not that noble, but a dessert shop is enough! The dessert shop is our common industry, even if we open it all over Europe, I will not pretend to give up this industry selflessly "The baroness said happily: "My godmother is looking for a manor and land for me, and I hope the dessert shop can bring more gin guineas. When I am 21 years old, I will not be Miss Cliff, but A rich manor with house, land, and title!"

Elizabeth was led astray by her friends, knowing that Laura would not change her mind, she simply followed her lead and asked, "Title?"

"Yes. Of course!" Miss Laura nodded happily: "Lizzie, remember we once discussed that men can increase their property or gain status by marrying a woman, how unfair it is! They inherit their wives' wealth or title, and then keep mistresses and illegitimate children, but still have to be praised for his dignity and selflessness because he married a woman who is not very good for him."

"Then why can't the ladies do it?"

Elizabeth opened her mouth in an unladylike way, and after a while, she said dryly: "So, Laura, you want to marry a man with a title, and then raise a lover, and turn your lover's child into your husband's heir? "

Miss Laura was stunned by her friend successfully: "Good Lizzie, you should write a book, you know that this kind of tune is popular now, but you can have my illegitimate son as the protagonist, otherwise you will not be selected by the publisher. "

Under the friend's even more bizarre thinking, Miss Laura's wonderful plan also became normal, and she lost all her high spirits just now: "I mean, I have chosen a very good husband candidate for myself. A noble title, but the family has long been in decline, but this gentleman is weak and sick, and now he can hardly afford a doctor... The doctor concluded that he would not live for a few years, but I have money to make him more comfortable. This marriage is a good deal, There are not so many restrictions on the inheritance of titles in his family. If there are no children, the wife can inherit after the death of her husband-of course there will be no children, and he has completely lost that opportunity."

"So, a rich widow with a title?" Elizabeth looked at her friend. Although this was once her own ideal, she felt wronged by her friend.

Laura took a deep breath and said, "It's not that I don't expect love, but reality doesn't allow it. Dear Lizzie, you don't know how much I envy you."

"What happened?"

"Baron Cliff knows that I will officially enter the social world. This is a happy event for Mr. Baron! It means that he can repay his political companions who have always supported him and agreed with him, such as a well-educated, good-looking daughter? This is a good opportunity to win connections for him!" Laura said sarcastically.

"As a matter of fact, he has picked out several 'good candidates', all minor nobles, not too old, unmarried. But everyone, everyone! has already lived with other women, and most of them have Six illegitimate children!"

Laura held Elizabeth's cold hand: "Neither the godmother nor I intend to do what Mr. Baron wants, that sick gentleman is the best choice - in fact, I originally planned to do so, but now I have to advance. Fortunately that gentleman has a good title, and the baron would very much like her daughter to be a viscountess... I'm about to have a fiancé, Lizzie."

The author has something to say: Wisteria Flower Stand: The Holy Land of Love.

Because the update is later than [-]:[-], [-] small red envelopes are still given out for comments in this chapter. (Fish will give out a small red envelope through the "batch sending small red envelope tool", one small red envelope for each little angel, so little angels don't forget to comment, otherwise it would be embarrassing to send less than two hundred pieces~)

The fish must be on time tomorrow!Don't let the little angel wait any longer.

Note: Wisteria: native to China.It feels like a wisteria flower stand is a foreign product, but in fact, wisteria is an authentic Chinese plant.

Constable: One of Britain's greatest landscape painters, born in Suffolk, England in 1776.The trees, clouds, and canals in his hometown are always his deepest fascination when painting.From 1799 to 1829, it took Constable nearly 30 years to become a member of the Academy of Fine Arts from a student of the Academy of Fine Arts [Encyclopedia].This article assumes that he is already somewhat famous at this time.