When Emperor Wu dressed as Darcy's sister

A day in Chelsea starts with the servants of various households busy with housework in the morning.

Darcy's Hayson Mansion is no exception.

When she came to London, Mrs. Reynolds naturally brought a cook who was proficient in cooking, so she didn't have to worry about the young lady doing it herself, and let the young lady who rushed back yesterday heaved a sigh of relief.

Sara quietly glanced at the young lady who was sleeping soundly on the bed next to her, and put on her clothes lightly, for fear of waking her up—the young lady couldn't ride a horse with Lydia, and the car was not commonly used by Wu Zhao. Huan Huan rented a car on the street and rushed here. The road was really busy. Yesterday, when he came back to report to Wu Zhao, Qingniang fell asleep and didn't wake up until now.

"Miss Sarah."

When the maid at the door saw Sarah coming out, she quickly bowed her knees and saluted, then came up with a smile and said, "The conservatory brought flowers here, the miss asked for them yesterday, do you want to bring them to the miss personally?"

Sara nodded, took a bouquet of flowers wrapped in parchment, rummaged through to see if any were withered, and asked casually, "Where's Lydia—oh, the girl I brought back yesterday .”

Wu Zhao didn't see Lydia yesterday, but asked someone to find a room in the side building where the maids lived, but Lydia didn't look like a girl from a poor family. We were all in trouble for a while and didn't know how to deal with it. No one dared to call her this morning.

"It's in the side building." The maid carefully glanced at Sarah's expression, "Should still be asleep."

Sara frowned, "Call her up—this is the maid accepted by Miss Netherfield, and let her do what you do in the future. If there is no way, teach her how to teach."

The maid quickly agreed, and hurriedly called someone to bring Lydia over.

In fact, Wu Zhao asked Lydia to work with her maids, not just to embarrass her, nor did she want her to learn the art of serving people—sooner or later, she would go back to the Bennett’s house. for what?

But the maids around Wu Zhao are more important to take care of housework, and there are countless dirty and complicated things in it. A little girl like Lydia is bold and unscrupulous, to put it bluntly, but it is rare.

Not only is Lydia not stupid, but she is also quite intelligent. She started with the small things of serving people, practiced for a few months, and then looked at the troublesome things in the world step by step. She understood it by herself without waiting for others to teach her.

Wu Zhao had exactly this idea.

"You have worked hard."

Sara smiled and handed over the flowers in her hand, and said: "Miss Yasha's favorite Lu Lian is also inside, and the flower room is specially decorated with roses and daisies, which is also very beautiful-there is no flower room in Lord Chris's house, you take it Miss Yasha must be very happy to go."

Although Chris is a lord, his family is not that rich. The current Lord Chris is not good at management, relying on the inheritance and interest from his ancestors.

Yasha once revealed that the family’s annual income is no more than four to five thousand pounds-this money is already astronomical in the eyes of ordinary people, but for Chelsea, where servants are hired and people are exchanged at various banquets in the upper class For households, it is used to maintain the livelihood of the family

Live, it is not enough to see.

Lord Chris just has a title, no fiefdom, and no money left to buy land and property, so Wu Zhao can't help it. If there are farms and pastures, she doesn't mind teaching Yasha the methods she knows, so that she can Reorganize the family business.

Fortunately, the mansion of the Lord's Mansion in Chelsea is his own, so he doesn't have to pay rent, and they only have a family of three. Both the Lord and the Lady are simple and peaceful, and Asha is not extravagant. The biggest expense these years is besides sending Asha Apart from going to a noble girls' school, there is nothing else, so I can barely maintain it.

Wu Zhao absently reviewed the situation in Chris's house, and at the same time looked at the flowers from a distance, then moved closer and pulled out a few roses that he thought were too dense, "These are enough, let's wrap them up—Ke Is there someone from the Reese House?"

Sara nodded with a smile, "When I came, Mrs. Reynolds had already been taken to the reception hall. It was Mrs. Molly, the housekeeper of Chris's house."

"Prepare the carriages and horses. I will see Mrs. Molly first, and then I will go to the Lord's Mansion."

Sara quickly agreed, and called for Mrs. Molly.

Mrs. Molly is a short and chubby woman with a smile on her face all the year round. She is Mrs. Chris's old butler who has been with her since she was a child. Pay attention.

In the girls' school, Wu Zhao met Mrs. Molly several times, and they got along pretty well, especially, "The butter biscuits you made are great with black tea! I haven't tasted them since graduation. Have been to such delicious cookies!"

Wu Zhao's half-truth and half-false flattery made Mrs. Molly's eyes narrowed with joy, and she repeatedly patted her chest and promised, "I'll make it for you today! I'll let you take it back to the Haisen Mansion full of it."

They chatted and laughed for a while, and seeing Sarah reporting back and forth that the carriage was ready, Wu Zhao took her to Lord Chris's residence with Mrs. Molly.

The Lord's Mansion is not too far away from the Haisen Mansion, but it still needs to pass through the slums in the Chelsea District. The road is not very stable, but it is the only way to pass.

"The slums here are really an eyesore!" Sitting next to Wu Zhao, Mrs. Molly complained with some dissatisfaction, "How many times have I said that it needs to be renovated, but I haven't seen it—but it will be fine after a while, then The bridge next to it is about to be repaired. You don’t need to cross this street then.”

Wu Zhao looked out of the carriage through her half-opened window, and it didn't look like one of the most expensive neighborhoods in London.

Sewage was flowing across the street, and a stench that even winter couldn't hide was floating around. Ragged women, children, and men who were drunk during the day were lying on their backs everywhere. There is a world of difference between a certain corner of the street and the well-manicured garden not far away.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing either.

Wu Zhao rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It is really suitable for the people brought by Qingniang to mix in here - they are beggars and gangsters, so it is not difficult to get along with the people here, and The location here is also close to Haisen Mansion, so everything is convenient.

The area of ​​the slums was not very large, even though the coachman drove extremely carefully and slowly for fear that the carriage would be contaminated by the sewage splashed in the middle of the street, he walked out in less than 10 minutes.

Walking along a secluded path for 5 minutes, the scene of the slums was left behind by the carriage. A piece of cold and ruthless iron fence divided the street into two parts that were very different from each other. A slum with a well-designed English garden on one side.

Even the sky seems to be much fresher.

Mrs. Molly let out a small breath, met the gazes of Wu Zhao and Lhasa, and smiled embarrassedly: "Although there are quite a few times, every time I pass this place, I always feel aggrieved and uncomfortable." .”

Wu Zhao smiled understandingly, "This place is indeed incompatible with the surrounding mansions."

Mrs. Molly nodded repeatedly, and was about to say something, when she heard a crisp cheer from outside, "Gina, you are here!"

It was Alyssa Chris who eagerly came out of the house early in the morning to welcome Wu Zhao.

This girl who is the same age as Wu Zhao looks much younger. This is not only because of her smaller figure compared to Wu Zhao, but also because of her round baby face that is always full of smiles. Gain a lot.

Yasha held up her skirt, and before Wu Zhao's carriage stopped, she flew towards the carriage. When Wu Zhao got off the carriage, she looked as if she lowered her head and took two steps back shyly.

"For you." Wu Zhao knew that the enthusiasm shown by Yasha just now was the most emotional expression of this little girl, and she didn't mind her avoiding it at this time. Instead, she took it from Sara's hand and prepared it in the morning. bouquet, and smiled, "See if you like it?"

Yasha took it over in surprise, looked at it repeatedly for a long time, and then smiled and hugged her into her arms, "I like it! Thank you, Gina—it's been more than two years, and you still remember that my favorite is Lu Lian!"

"It's a pity that I don't have one at home in winter. You must have put a lot of thought into it, right?"

Wu Zhao followed Yasha along the gravel road through the garden, and said with a smile, "It's nothing, they took good care of the greenhouse in the Haisen mansion—or did you forget the seeds you gave me before?"

"No! How could I forget!" Yasha shook her head vigorously, and as if she remembered something, she quickly smiled, "Mom heard that you came, and asked me to ask—the person who will guide you at the adult ball Have you found it? If not, she is willing to take on this responsibility!"

This adult ball in the UK originated from a tradition of the nobles: on a certain day designated in winter, girls of the right age put on their most beautiful dresses and meet the queen or queen as the beginning of the next winter social meeting.

Now, it has evolved into a "grown dance" for teenage girls and their male companions.It doesn't have to be at the beginning of the social season, it's usually held around Christmas as the biggest ball of the year.

Of course, the most important thing about this prom for the young girls is not the one night of glory, but the tea parties that are held in rotation long before the prom.

by female elders—usually mothers—

Leading and going to the tea parties of each family, in the leisure time in the afternoon, subtly understand the basic situation of each family, and lay the foundation for them to enter the social season alone in the future.

And what Wu Zhao lacked was such an elder who could take her into the social season.

Mrs. Darcy died young, and since Darcy's grandfather, Darcy's family has no other brothers and sisters. At this time, it is difficult to find an aunt or great-aunt.

Seriously speaking, the most suitable candidate should be Mrs. Darcy's sister, Mrs. De Boer, but under the current situation, Wu Zhao does not want Mrs. De Boer to participate.

Putting Darcy's mind aside, Wu Zhao felt a little weird about the De Boer family's secrets after learning of Sirels' crazy words.

And how important is the elder who leads her into the social season?

If Mrs. de Boer herself was of a bad character, she would be disgraced, and even the reputation of the Darcy family would be affected.

Therefore, although Mrs. de Boer has revealed this idea since the beginning of this year, Wu Zhao absolutely cannot agree.