The Maid's Strategy in the Red Chamber

Fortunately, chrysanthemums...

The visitor didn't expect that there would be a young female family member among his aunt's guests. When he came in and saw Xueyan, he quickly lowered his head and turned away: "I didn't expect my aunt to have a female family member here. My nephew is rude."

An Shi said angrily: "You child, you are still so frizzy at a young age, no wonder your mother always talks about you."

Xueyan didn't think there was anything wrong, firstly she was still young, and secondly she was just a maid, so she didn't have to be taboo about some things.

It's just that Mrs. An had a guest, but he couldn't stay anymore, so he stood up and said with a smile: "Since the third wife has a guest, this servant will take my leave first, and I will come to greet you at another time."

An Shi said with a smile: "Alright, go back and take care of your girl for me, and just come and play when you are free." Then he shouted: "Mother Sun, send the snow geese to them for me."

Mother Sun sent Xueyan and the others to the door. Xueyan thought for a while and asked, "There is something I want to ask my mother. I wonder if there is any embroidery work nearby. I have some embroidery that I made in my free time and I want to exchange it." A few pocket money."

"I do know one, that is, the one that accepts my wife's embroidery. They only accept high-quality goods, but your embroidery work is even praised by my wife, so I think it can catch their eyes. It's at the south end of Qiantou Street. The one called Chen's Embroidery Village." Mama Sun replied with a smile.

Xueyan thanked Mother Sun, and asked the coachman to take them to the embroidery shop.

After getting out of the car, I saw a signboard of "Chen's Embroidery Village" hanging on a very neat door.It was almost noon, and she was afraid that these people would be hungry, so she took out a handful of copper coins from her purse and stuffed them into Li's mother's hand: "I'll go in and buy some silk thread or something, I'm afraid it will cost money." Some time. There is a teahouse diagonally opposite, so Mom might as well go and have some snacks with them to fill your belly."

A few people came out early in the morning, and they were really hungry after bumping around for a long time, but Mother Li was still a little worried: "You are a little girl, what should you do if you go into someone's house and lie to you?"

Xueyan smiled and said: "No, Mama Sun said that this store is a time-honored brand and has always had a good reputation. I don't have much money, how much can they deceive me?"

Mother Li has been a servant for so many years, and she still has a little ability to read words and deeds. She saw Xueyan trying to refuse, and thought that the other party was the girl's personal servant. Maybe it was the girl who ordered her to do something, so she couldn't tell. Then he smiled and said: "Well, just now I saw a wonton shop on the corner of the street, so let's go eat a bowl of wontons. I just poured a lot of tea at the third wife's house, and I really don't want to drink tea anymore."

Just like that, Xueyan came into the store with a small bag on her shoulders. Although she was young, the clerk saw that she was well dressed, so he didn't neglect her: "Hello girl, do you want to see silk thread or embroidery? "

Xueyan smiled and said: "Brother, I heard that you accept embroidery here. I have some embroidery here, please trouble your shop."

So the clerk took her to the counter and said to an elderly woman, "Madam Zheng, this girl said she wanted to sell some embroidery."

That Mrs. Zheng glanced at Xueyan, nodded, "Take out your things and have a look."

Hearing this, Xueyan opened the bag she was carrying with her, and then pushed it in front of Aunt Zheng.

When she first looked at the first few purses and sachets, Aunt Zheng was still a little unconcerned, but she became more interested when she saw the handkerchiefs and nets at the back, and finally picked up a small embroidered screen and nodded: "This The sparrow perched plum branch is embroidered well, the design is very fresh and elegant, and the needlework is also delicate, it doesn't look like the embroidery method in Beijing."

Xueyan smiled and said, "My aunt has good eyesight. This picture was embroidered by a sister from Jiangnan." Although the original owner spoke with a distinct Jiangnan accent, Xueyan was born and raised in the north in her previous life, and now she speaks Beijing dialect. Come is yo.Let Mrs. Zheng in front of her not doubt her words at all.

In the end, Aunt Zheng said: "This little embroidered screen is good in stitches, I can give you 20 taels of silver. These few handkerchiefs are good enough to embroider, and the material I use is good, one is worth one or two taels of money." The remaining purses and sachets will be counted as six taels of silver." After speaking, he took out the abacus on one side and crackled for a while, then said: "In this way, the total is 35 taels of silver."

Xueyan quickly added it in her mind, the total of eight handkerchiefs is nine taels of money, plus 26, that's the correct number!She nodded and said, "Ma'am is really fast."

Aunt Zheng sneered, can you figure out whether it is fast or not?Looking at Xueyan's dress and attire, she knew that this must be a servant girl of a rich family.In addition, the embroidery stitches and embroidery skills brought over are not at the same level, so I only thought she was running errands, and never thought that all the embroidery was embroidered by the little girl in front of me.It's just because the time and mood of embroidery are different, so there are so many gaps in the level.

Xueyan didn't expect to be able to exchange so much silver. No wonder when I read ancient times, it was often said that the income of a good embroiderer could support a family.She took the money happily, and bought a large bag of high-quality embroidery thread in the store.She is a little maid, and the quality of embroidery thread she can get is not the best, and the colors are limited.After finally coming out once, you should buy more.

She happily came out with her bag in her arms, and saw an old man selling chrysanthemums on the street with a cart.

Xueyan immediately thought of the chrysanthemum club opened by Daiyu and the others in the original book. She has always liked the line written by Daiyu, "Who will hide together if the lonely sign is proud of the world? The same flower blooms late".

Daiyu who wanted to write these poems should also like chrysanthemums.

Don't they all say that the ancients enjoyed chrysanthemums and osmanthus during the Mid-Autumn Festival?Seeing that Zhongqiu was coming, Jia's mansion did not buy chrysanthemums to decorate the mansion.

If they don't buy it, then buy it yourself.

Xueyan saw that the old man was not young, with gray hair and stooped body, he went door to door to sell to those shops, but he was rejected.

At this moment, Xueyan thought of her grandfather for no reason.The old man who has been supporting himself by setting up a stall and selling vegetables after his parents left to support himself in school.

She walked up to the old man and asked, "Master, how do you sell these chrysanthemums?"

"How much is a pot of chrysanthemums?" When she spoke, a clear male voice sounded at the same time.

Xueyan looked up, and saw a somewhat familiar face, it turned out to be An's son Lin Ming.

"Master Lin...Master? Aren't you studying in the Imperial College?" Xue Yan asked hesitantly.

Lin Ming said with a smile: "The festival is coming soon, and the school has a few days off."

Oh, it turns out that school is also on holiday at this time...

Xueyan smiled awkwardly: "So that's how it is. The young master Ming probably hasn't come home yet. When the slaves went to the mansion just now, the third wife went to a guest, and he called the third wife 'aunt'. You I will go back, maybe we can meet again.”

Lin Ming knew very well that Xueyan was talking about his cousin succeeding Confucianism. Although they had some quarrels with their aunt, uncle and cousin always treated them kindly.My cousin is here, I should go back quickly.It's just that for some reason, Lin Ming just wanted to stay here for a while.

After Xue Yan finished speaking, she saw that Lin Ming didn't respond, so she asked the uncle again: "How much are these chrysanthemums per pot?"

The old man said with a bitter face: "Girl, these are rare varieties. It was originally ordered by a rich family, and the purple clay pots that were specially used in advance were moved out. Who knows that something happened suddenly, and these flowers turned out to be beautiful." There is no need for a home. The flower pots alone cost five hundred yuan each, and with the cutting and transplanting efforts, these ordinary ones also cost one tael of silver to pay back."

Seeing that the snow geese were well dressed and spoke kindly, he seemed to see hope again, and hurriedly pointed to the chrysanthemums and said, "Miss, look, these are really good varieties. These two pots are black chrysanthemums, and the other two pots are green clouds. They are all famous products among chrysanthemums, and they cost at least ten taels of silver for a pot in previous years. Now girls

If you want, these four pots count as 30 taels of silver for you. "

God, this person doesn't know that he just earned more than 30 taels of silver, right?Are chrysanthemums so expensive?Xueyan was tangled in her heart, but these pots really looked very energetic, and they were not at the same level as the little daisies she had raised before.

That's the price, a bit too expensive.

At this time, Lin Ming who was standing next to him said, "The flowers are not bad, but they are not as exaggerated as you said. The flowers in a pot of ten taels of silver are much better than yours. I just went to the flower market this morning. You This kind of four taels and one pot is not bad. Your car is only 20 taels of silver."

The old man immediately grinned and said, "Then do what this young man said, 20 taels of silver, and this car belongs to the girl."

Uh, Xue Yan and Lin Ming looked at each other in dismay, was this a trick?

Although I feel sorry for the money in my purse, but thinking that I had the urge to buy those two pots of green clouds for 40 taels of silver just now, I would buy a car for only half of the cost, isn't it a bargain?

Xueyan took a closer look at the flowerpots again: "Master, it doesn't matter if I buy them, but these flowers are all good, right? Don't take them back and they will wither within a day. I'm just a little maid, and I will be killed by the master at that time." punished to death."

The old man hurriedly said: "It will never happen, girl, don't worry, I will never do such foolish things."

Lin Ming also echoed from the side: "I just saw it, these flowers are growing very well, you don't have to worry."

Xueyan smiled slightly: "That's good, then I'll buy it." After speaking, he took out a silver ingot of ten taels from his purse and handed it to the uncle: "Then I want it all, but you have to give it to me. Get home, otherwise we won't be able to get so much money. This is a deposit, and I'll give you the remaining twelve taels when you get to the place. "

The old man hurriedly responded, and Xue Yan said to Lin Ming: "Thanks to Young Master Ming for your help today, otherwise the servant will be taken advantage of. Also, please choose two pots from these chrysanthemums, and treat it as a thank you for the servant Thank you."

Lin Ming smiled and declined politely: "Forget it, aren't you working for your master? Isn't it a generosity for others to just give it away at random like this?"

Although she smiled on her face, her tone revealed a little alienation, and she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in her heart. This little maid looked very sensible, but she didn't expect to be so careless. How could she dispose of her master's things at will?

Xueyan also felt a little awkward. She sent flowers for the first time in her life, but she was rejected!

Uh, luckily it's Chrysanthemum, so if you get rejected, you'll be rejected...