Edge of the Red Chamber

The rosary is the maid beside the old lady.

This old lady is not a serious old lady of the Lin family, but a side branch, from the Xu family in Ping'an Prefecture.The Xu family is also the family of Zhong Ding, and their ancestors also conquered the nobles. The current head of the family is Shang's younger sister, Princess Jincheng, who is now in charge of the Ministry of Rites.

The old lady is also a hard-working woman. Her husband died only half a year after she got married. Fortunately, she left a posthumous child, and she didn't want to raise it until she was a year old.The old lady was overly sad, and it took two years to gradually recover. Lin Hai's father made the decision, adopted one from the clan, raised him until the third or fourth, and then disappeared.From then on, the old lady gave up her mind and only paid attention to the Buddha, and ignored the rest.

She is also a strong person. Seeing that people in the clan care about her, she refuses to associate with them.Besides, those who were willing to associate with her that day were either those who felt pity for her life, the old lady had a strong temper, how could she bear this, and refused to see her again after seeing her twice; The old lady even ordered someone to kick her out.As time went by, people who didn't know the truth felt that the old lady had a weird temper, and they were getting farther and farther away from her.

Gradually, no one came to the door.

In the first few years after arriving in Suzhou, Jia Min had no contact with the old lady, but met to say hello every year when worshiping the ancestors.The easing of the relationship between the two happened when Lin Jue was three or four years old, and that day was the day of worshiping the ancestors.

Lin Jue has been naughty since he was a child. He knows how to walk, but he doesn't like to be hugged by his grandma, and he doesn't want to settle down when he is on the ground.When I went to the ancestral hall that day, I got out of the carriage and taught the nanny to hold her for a few steps, and then clamored to get off the ground, and as soon as my feet touched the ground, I ran to keep up with Lin Hai in front of me.After all, I was young and my feet were not very stable, so I fell.Lin Hai was distressed and annoyed, so he couldn't help scolding a few words.The old lady stopped Lin Hai at that time, and instead said that Lin Hai didn't care about the child, so she called Lin Jue to her side, comforted him with soft words, and gave him preserved fruits from her purse.

From this incident, Jia Min saw that the old lady was a cold-faced and kind-hearted person, so she felt close to her and felt sorry for her loneliness, so she often took Lin Jue to see her, and gradually began to communicate with her.

Later, she had her second son, Lin Yan, and it was inconvenient to go out. Jia Min also felt sorry for the old lady, and also mentioned taking her to live in her own home, but every time the words were not spoken, she was blocked by the old lady. Jia Min also knew what the old lady was thinking. , I will not mention this again.

That day when Jia Min knew his fate was not long and Daiyu was still young, she was afraid that her daughter would be left alone after her death, so she thought about it again.

When the old lady saw that the only nephew and daughter-in-law she liked among the younger generations looked like this, she thought of herself, and she dared not respond.

When the stepson was gone, there were gossips in the family, saying that her fate was too hard and hindered the family.When the old lady was sad, she thought of her in-laws, her dead husband and her son. After hearing these words, she took them seriously.

Although Jia Min didn't care, she couldn't stop the old lady from thinking this way.The old lady refused several times, and Jia Min thought about it for a few days before he could think of the reason, and felt more and more that the old lady had a noble character.With such an elder raising her daughter, she can rest assured.

One day, Jia Min visited the old lady again and drove out all the maids who were serving in the house. The two talked for a long time. After Jia Min returned, within two days, the old lady moved into Lin's residence.

I only know that when Rosary beads and Muyu servant girls went in to serve them that day, their eyes were red and swollen.

Seeing that it was the maid next to the old lady, Lu did not dare to neglect her, and said in one voice, "Please come in quickly."

Rosary beads came in to invite Ann, and said: "The house is busy today, and the old lady is worried about grandma, so she asked me to come and have a look." Then she turned her head and said to Daiyu, "It was said that after seeing grandma, I went over to see her." Look at the girl, if you don't want the girl here, it will save me another trip."

Lu Shi then told the servant girl, "Go and move a tavern for Sister Rosary to sit on."

Rosary hurriedly waved her hands and said: "You can't do it." Rosary knew very well in her heart that everyone in the forest manor, from the master to the slaves, respected the old lady, that was a good rule.They knew in their hearts that they were not serious masters of the family.Always be vigilant, so as not to attract people's disgust, it is a long-term solution.

What's more, apart from a few maids, there are two nanny in this room, one is Daiyu's nanny Su Nai, needless to say, the other is very decent just by looking at her clothes, rosary beads It is expected to be Lu Shi's nanny.

According to the rules of this big family, the master's nanny is always more respectable than other slaves.If these two people didn't sit down, how could she dare to sit down.

Lu smiled and said: "Why can't we be? We can't always serve the old lady. We can only trouble you, but we can't thank you?" He asked again, "How is the old lady? Are you tired these days? Lunch Have you eaten? How much food did you use?"

"It's a good day for grandpa and grandma. The old lady is very happy. I used half a bowl of green rice for lunch than before." Then, the scorpion was brought, and the rosary refused to sit down, saying: "Mothers are still standing. I'm a little girl sitting upside down, what a shame."

Sister Ji smiled and stepped forward to force her to sit down, and said: "You young people, just talk well, just teach Furong to serve you, and I will go outside with your mother Su, and you can rest freely. "After finishing speaking, he left the house hand in hand with Su Momo.

Seeing this, the rosary couldn't refuse anymore, thanked her, and wanted to sit down, when she heard someone talking outside, Daiyu asked, "Who is it?"

Then an old voice said: "It's me," before the words were finished, the curtain was lifted, and a woman with a fair face and a reddish-red coat came in, walked side by side and said, "I'll kowtow to grandma."

Daiyu whispered beside her, "This is the big brother's nurse, Mama Zheng."

Lu smiled and called her mother, and Xiangluo called the little girl to move the scorpion without anyone's instructions. Rosary had already got up, and asked Madam Zheng to say, "I don't feel comfortable sitting."

Hung Hom laughed and joked, "I've never heard anyone say that standing is more comfortable than sitting."

Rosary beads were about to tear her mouth off. Seeing that Mrs. Lu was the new daughter-in-law and Lin Jue's nanny, Madam Zheng, was there, she couldn't make a joke, so she gave her a glare, and went to make tea with Xiangluo.

Dan Ruo came over with a snack and said, "Mom should try this too."

Madam Zheng knew it was brought from her natal family, so she smiled and picked a piece to eat, and said, "Grandma will eat it too, and the girl will try it too." After taking a bite, she agreed.

Xiangluo took a small mahogany tea tray and held it to Madam Zheng herself. Hearing this, she smiled and said, "Mom, try this tea again. Our grandma made it last year, and she has been reluctant to part with it. This is the first time."

Mother Zheng took off the lid and said before she drank it, "It smells strange, but you don't need to eat it. You can tell it's good tea just by smelling it."

Daiyu just laughed.

Lu Shi is a bride, so she naturally wants to speak less, so as not to be laughed at.When Daiyu came over, Mrs. Lu was chatting and laughing, but that was something else, they were all from her own family, so they didn't pay much attention to it; when the rosary came, Mrs. Lu only asked a few polite words, because the rosary was One of the people around the old lady, when Lu Shi came in, was because of Jia Min's death and no one was taking care of the affairs of Lin's house. She must not be too reserved and make the old lady look down on her; Madam Zheng came , Lu Shi called her mother and refused to speak again, this is her etiquette, Mother Zheng can only be more happy.

Xiangluo said: "Mom is eating well, so I will take some back to eat later."

"Then I'm partial to grandma's good tea." But after eating a cup of tea and a snack, Madam Zheng got up and left.

On the second day after paying homage to the ancestral hall, Mrs. Lu went to the gate of Yi, when she heard someone talking behind her. When she turned her head and saw Muyu, she hurriedly stopped and said, "Sister Muyu is free to come, but what orders does the old lady have?"

Muyu asked Ann with a smile, and said, "The old lady asked Grandma to come over and talk."

Lu Shi paused, not knowing what the old lady wanted from him, but she didn't dare to delay.Just coming back from the outside, there is no need to change clothes, Tunnel: "Then let's go together." He helped Xiangluo's hand, and said to the rest of the people: "There are Xiangluo serving, you go back first."

At the request of the old lady herself, she lived in the most remote plum garden in the east.Nanny Ji has paid attention to where everyone in Lin's residence lives.It takes half an hour to go from the Bijing Pavilion to the Plum Garden, and I busy a servant girl to pass the bamboo sedan chair to the door.

Mrs. Lu got out of the sedan chair outside the door, and the doorkeeper's mother-in-law Hou was in front of the door. After asking for safety, she retreated to the side.Mrs. Lu saw that the courtyard was very quiet, it didn't look like a place for people to live in, except for the woman guarding the gate, there was not a woman who was a maid, she was puzzled.Mu Yu seemed to see her doubts, and said as he walked: "The old lady doesn't like to make noise, and only me and Rosary are around. When the wife was there, she sent many maids over, and the old lady came again. After sending it back, my wife came over to talk about it. I just left a few maids and women who cleaned the house, but they were not allowed to be in the house during the day. They cleaned the house in the dark. I am afraid that they will all do it in the house work."

Lu Shi was surprised, and felt that this was not appropriate, but if she said it was not appropriate, it meant that her mother-in-law did something wrong.There must be a reason for this, so I don't ask.

Muyu didn't enter the main room, and directly led Lu Shi to the door of the east room. It turned out that the old lady didn't live and have banquets in this main room, but only in the ear room of the east room.

Mu Yu stepped forward to lift the curtain in person, and announced to the inside, "Grandma is here." After saying that, she let herself in.

There was only an old mother with white hair at the temples and a maidservant with a green waistcoat in the room. Mrs. Lu hurriedly went up to pay her respects, but before she could pay her respects, she was supported by a wooden fish. sit."

In the main room is an arhat bed with a swastika flower, and a long small table is placed across the bed. There are books and tea sets on the table, covered with stone green satin felt, and a bay red money python backrest in green gold on the front. The money python leads the pillow.There are a pair of begonia-style high tables on both sides. On the left table are three-legged tripod stove spoons and incense boxes, and on the right table are Ru kiln beauty goblets-only a few chicken feather marbles are inserted in the goblets, and there are tea bowls, spit boxes and other things. On the four chairs, there are stone and green chairs sprinkled with flowers, and there are four sets of footrests under them. On both sides of the chairs, there are also a pair of high tables, which are equipped with inscription bowls.

The old lady was holding a string of bodhi seed beads, sitting on the east side, closing her eyes and moving the bodhi seeds one by one, while muttering something, when Lu Shi came in, she opened her eyes and put the beads on her wrist Pull it up a few times.

Mrs. Lu didn't dare to sit on an equal footing with the old lady, so she didn't go up, but sat on the first chair, and the old lady said: "There are no outsiders here, my own women, don't need to be so particular, I have something to tell you, sit down." It will be easier for us to talk recently." Lu Shifang sat next to the old lady.

The maids poured tea to eat, and the two of them ate, the old lady didn't say much, pointing to the books on the table and said: "You should take a look first, and ask me if you don't understand."

Lu Shi glanced at it and realized that the book was actually an account book. He waved his hand quickly and said, "I'm young, how can I understand this?"

Every girl's family, when they reach the age of leaving the court, don't any of them learn to be housekeepers from their own mothers?The old lady ignored Lu Shi's words and just said: "I am old, no matter how careless I am, I can't move. I can only burn a stick of incense in front of the Buddha every day, recite scriptures, and eliminate karma for you. The other side is no longer possible."

Lu Shi then said: "The old lady is in good health, and the wife is gone. None of us have had any troubles. If there is something wrong in the future, the old lady will always have to point it out."

Only then did the old lady smile a little, and said: "Your wife is a filial person," and then said: "Don't blame her, after you become a mother, you will know her heart."

Lu Shi only thought that the old lady was happy because she spoke well, and she was happy when she heard Jia Min was mentioned.Just mentioning the word "filial piety" and not saying anything else, it can be seen that the old lady treats Jia Min with heart.Thinking of what my mother and wives and grandmas said on weekdays, I am also very impressed, and I can't help feeling a little regretful.

"I didn't dare," he said, "my mother told me the same thing when I was at home, and the old lady said the same thing. Although I am stupid, I know that the old lady and my mother will definitely not harm me."

"It's good if you know." After saying that, he turned his head and ordered the rosary, and said, "Bring the rosewood box in my room."

The rosary agreed and went, and when she came back after a while, she really held a small black carved box half a foot square and purple in her hand.The old lady didn't answer, saying: "It's not easy for me to go to the ancestral hall on a day like today. These are the ones I wore when I was young. You take them. The style is a bit old, and the things are all high-quality. It would be great to take it and remake it, or give it away as a gift.”

When Mrs. Lu was about to speak, the old lady said again: "I don't like people pushing around. If it's for you, you can take it."

Just now Lu got up to take it with both hands, and handed it to Xiangluo, "Thank you, old lady, for the reward."

The old lady nodded and served tea, "Go ahead, I'm tired too." Pointing to the account book on the table, she ordered Muyu, "Send it to your grandma."

Mrs. Lu hurriedly got up, and when she heard the words, she said: "The old lady can't live without Sister Muyu, just ask a little girl to take her there."

The old lady closed her eyes and took out the beads, but said nothing.Mrs. Lu didn't know what the old lady meant, so she didn't dare to leave.The rosary tugged at her sleeve and winked again, Lu Shi understood, blessed the old lady, and followed Muyu out of the house.

Muyu sent Mrs. Lu to the door, and sent the woman guarding the gate to call the little maid, and she said to Mrs. Lu: "Don't blame grandma, the old lady has always been like this. Her face is cold, but she is always thinking about it in her heart. It's just her temper. No one will give a smile when they come, the director will know."

Mrs. Lu thanked her for the point, and secretly remembered it in her heart.After a while, the mother-in-law brought two young maids, and Muyu gave the account book to the young maids, "The old lady never cares about these small things."