The clever maid of the red mansion

Although Master Dong has a bad temper, according to Liu'er's observation, he is not very picky about food and clothing. At least Liu'er has never heard her scold others because of these things. Only when she agreed, or violated her taboo, did she get angry.

So make it right, in fact, it is not difficult to serve.

The next day Liu'er got up early in the morning, cleaned up Master Dong's embroidery room, and served her to wash and have breakfast, and everything was fine all the time, but she felt relieved a little.

Master Dong is currently embroidering work. Judging from its size, it should be a beautiful piece of screen core filled with mandarin ducks and koi swimming in the water. The lotus leaves are graceful and graceful. Beautiful, only the part in the water has been embroidered, the lotus leaf and the lotus flower are not yet finished, and the lotus leaf is being embroidered now, the blue silk thread was used to do this yesterday.

The silk thread was very finely chopped, eight cuts yesterday obviously did not meet Master Dong's requirements, so he ordered Liu Er to split it to sixteen cuts in the morning, Liu Er sat on a small bed beside him, put a cloth towel on his knees, sat down and looked at the embroidery thread in his hand .

"Have you washed your hands?" A low voice sounded from the side, and Liu'er was startled by the suddenness, she hurriedly got up and said, "It's been washed."

Master Dong didn't even lift his eyelids, his hands were busy with work, Liu'er thought it was all right, and just bent his knees to sit down and work.

"Have you washed it? Wash it with soap? Are your nails clipped neatly? Dirty and hairy thread, please forgive me!"

Liu'er always loves to be clean, so she couldn't help but take a look at her hands again, they were clean and fragrant, her nails were neat and tidy, now it's not like when she was a big girl, she couldn't do rough work with her long nails.

Feeling that she should pass the test, Liu'er sat down to do things, and didn't think it would be smooth at first, and it didn't matter if she was said a few words. She was said to be not short of people in this courtyard, and she was said to be unqualified.

However, she obviously underestimated Master Dong's pickiness. After less than a quarter of an hour, Youyou came again, "Are you sweating on your hands? The sweat stains wet the thread, and the color will fade in the future. Be careful of your skin!"

Liu'er did feel a little hot and humid in her palms, not because she was busy with work, but because she was nervous. Sitting next to her was such a supervisor with raised eyebrows and erect eyes.

After chopping a small strand of silk thread, Liu'er ran back and forth to wash her hands four times, but there was no hand oil, and her hands felt dry and uncomfortable, but there was nothing she could do.

"Chop some more old ink green and old water green." Just after putting down the azure thread, the work started again, Liu'er picked up the thread basket, a little dumbfounded, a basket of silk thread was picked up by Fatty yesterday, there are no less than twenty colors , deep and light green, blue, blue... She never knew that a lotus leaf needs so many colors, especially this dark blue, which is almost dark black. In her impression, lotus leaves are deep and light green, blue, five or six colors That's enough, when she talked about other people's pinks, she was doing it in a set way, and she still felt that she had some skills, but now... a little dizzy.

Having said that, these two colors... It seems that she has never heard of it...

"What are you dawdling about, waiting for dinner!"

Unable to say, picking with hands, looking at the stalks of lotus leaves embroidered by Master Dong, comparing the colors of the silk threads in her hands, picking out three that are similar or that I think are more similar, the youngest... it should be a deep meaning... I'm not sure , No way, I have to show a smile and ask shamelessly, "Master..."

Master Dong's work was interrupted, and she was in a very unhappy mood. In this room, she never liked to hear other people's voices, so she immediately gave Liu Er a look, "The eyes are growing on the top of the head, or seventy or eighty? I'm so stupid at a young age, no What will happen!"

Liu'er was sprayed with ashes, but because of this, she got closer, saw clearly that Master Dong was on the line, picked out a strand from his hand, endured the blood, and compared it twice, in the end it was chosen The so-called 'old ground green, old water green'.

"Green and green are used a lot, you don't have eyes to look at them! Who is this little wisp prepared for!"

……

"If I were Qingdoulu, what were you busy with just now? You didn't have anything serious to ask for. Didn't you see what I did? If you have eyes, don't you just keep them watching the fun?"

……

……

On this day, with blood all over her body and spittle all over her face, Liu Er knew what is called "old land green", "old sunflower green", "bin sunflower green", "bin water green", "bin vegetable green", "bin stone green" ... She felt that her face was turning green and green again.

No way, after tidying up the embroidery room at night, I arranged the more than 20 kinds of green and green silk threads in the basket by myself.

From the beginning to the end, she can be called by the correct name, but there are a dozen or so, and half of them can't tell the correct name. There is no way to ask Master Dong's Feng Dao Shuang Jian, licking her face.

Master Dong was sitting on the couch with a blank expression on his face, drinking tea and looking out of the window. He must be enjoying the scenery, right?Hearing Liu'er's question, she turned her head and looked at her in surprise, thinking that this is a person who is not afraid of death, so she didn't falter after being scolded like this, so she surprisingly didn't scold anyone, pointing at the silk thread and telling Liu one by one Son, although the speed of speech is not fast, but after finishing speaking, he starts to push people away, "Be quicker and quicker when you are done, don't get in the way here, let me be quiet for a while!"

If you don't reprimand someone once, it's obvious that this person is uncomfortable.

She said she, Liu'er went through the nouns in her mind while she was collecting things, she had to go back and write them down, so that she could keep another sample thread, the color difference was not too big, she might not be able to call it correctly next time she saw her, and she was not sure I will remember everything tomorrow.

You don't need to think about it, the next time Master Dong asks for a line, if she is not sure, she will be dealt with, and she will be charged with an extra crime, which will not make her progress!

But looking at Master Dong's situation just now, although this person has a bad temper and loves to scold others, he is not ambiguous at all in serious matters, and his heart should not be too bad, but it made Liu'er tense for a day and relaxed a little.

To be honest, this day is really not easy, it's really not as good as serving a few people before, running back and forth from inside and outside.

Rubbing his neck and going back to the room, he didn't care about washing, so he quickly took out the pen and ink, poured some water from the teacup, rubbed the ink while remembering, stroked the side, afraid of forgetting, quickly wrote it down, dried the paper, and Put the sample line on the relevant position, put it under the dowry, put a few veils on it to cover it, and then wash up and go to sleep. I was tired all day and didn't even have a dream.

Since moving into this hut, Liu'er has resumed her usual routine in the Xu family, getting up early, practicing calligraphy for a while, and then washing up and going out to do things.

Although I have a set of pens, inks, papers and inkstones, especially paper, there are not many of them, and I have no conditions to waste them, so I might as well make do with the Qingshui wooden table.However, because it is a pen, it feels different when using it. You don't need to use the brush-like hard thorns to pierce the bald pen. This pen is full of elasticity and has distinct peaks and layers, which makes Liu Er feel very happy when using it.

Serving Master Dong is more labor-intensive than simply running errands to serve tea and food. She usually doesn't make it clear when she does things. When she does something wrong, she reprimands her without ambiguity.

In less than three days, Liu'er had a deep understanding, and deeply understood the feelings of Juan'er and Fatty, no wonder they were afraid of being like that, and found that their footsteps would not be sent here, and they usually look at her with sympathy.

Not to mention thread splitting, in nearly three months, Liu'er has recognized nearly 200 kinds of colors, many of which are not used by Master Dong, and the warehouse lady is not allowed to be called, so she has to lend it to other masters to give snacks. If you have such an opportunity, ask other people who are using it, because she is sweet-talking and hard-working, so she is not annoying.

But the surprise is that when it comes to the use of color, it is very complicated, and none other than Master Dong, and many times it is useless to ask others.

Although she has a heart and a good embroiderer, she sees that Master Dong is "suffering" and takes care of her, but it is difficult to satisfy Liu'er's thirst for knowledge. She has no choice but to endure Master Dong's sharp mouth. Stack, this is another story.

Let’s just talk about such trivial matters as asking Liu’er to go to the warehouse to get the thread these days. Master Dong just said, “Bring the red thread.”

Looking back at Liu'er brought back about ten kinds of silk threads, she cursed at her head, pointed at the lotus and pushed Liu'er out to take it again. After three times, Liu'er became anxious, and somehow blessed her heart, the red lotus, she just brought it to include There are nearly [-] kinds of silk threads in blue and black, not to mention ocher yellow, red bean purple and other colors.

In the end, Master Dong didn't say anything this time, so he passed?

While holding back her breath and splitting the thread, she aimed her eyes at Master Dong, who was doing the job, and she wanted to take a look. It was black, blue, green, and purple. How did she embroider red lotus flowers!

With her own ability, it would be good to use three or five kinds of flowers, but if she embroiders a flower, it is just a lotus, so it can't be made into a peony.Even peony, there is no need to use such strange colors, right?Or, the reason why the master is called great is because of these tops?

Master Dong noticed that she was thinking carefully, and kept moving his hands, but said in his mouth: "What are you doing squinting your eyes? You are young, and you are not afraid to grow up to be a fool with crooked mouth and squint eyes in the future! Do your job honestly, take This line has been in ink for a long time, you still have reason, if you don’t finish these lines today, don’t eat lunch!”

Scared Liu'er's fingers flying, people are iron and rice is steel, and they are so hungry that they don't eat a meal, and now they are working with Master Dong, how stressful it is.

However, she should squint or swipe, she still wants to see how the lotus looks like a dog with so many colors.

In winter, the weather turned cold, Master Dong's cough didn't get better but got worse, and Liu'er had one more job, making medicine.

According to the doctor's order, Liu'er watched the small stove add the medicine Choshi, the stove was put on the porch outside the room, originally planned to put it in the room, but Master Dong thought it smelled like medicine, so he had to move it out.While looking at the stove, his hands couldn't be idle. Master Dong didn't say that he could eat if he didn't finish his work today, but seeing Liu'er coming in and out and washing his hands a few times, it was rare that he didn't get scolded.

Now Liu Er is consciously keeping her hands clean and dry, feeling dry and uncomfortable, so she secretly asked Fatty to buy hand oil, rubbed it on the back of her hand without fragrance, and moistened it with a thin layer. Fortunately, her fingers became better and better, and it didn’t take long This split line has reached 32, the speed is also low, and I have never been scolded for anything related to the line.

Even sometimes, the fat girl secretly asks her for help, and she is willing to help if she is not busy. I guess her mother-in-law said something. Besides, she also helped Master Dong for her and Juaner. The relationship between the two is good Many, go to the kitchen to fetch things and invite Mrs. Wang to see you.

When the winter came, the mansion distributed cotton coats, although the mansion was much richer than the Xu family, to be honest, Liu Er touched it, and the cotton coats were really not as thick as the Xu family's, and the fabric was better for saving face.

Fortunately, Master Dong was weak, not only was there a heated kang in the house, but there was also an extra charcoal basin, which made it warmer. Even so, he coughed for a few days, and somehow fell ill again due to wind and cold.

Liu'er is ordering the girl, maybe she started to serve the patients, she has done so before, so she is not flustered, the needlework is temporarily stopped in their room, but she needs to cut too much embroidery thread.

Without him, in her embroidery workshop, she is famous for her fine silk-splitting speed.What's more, it is inevitable to respond to every request, deliver the goods to the door with a smiling face, and it is inevitable to be pulled for a few words. As for her curious question about embroidery work, no one agrees with her. Basically, she has questions and answers, but her popularity is unprecedented. good.

Especially with several master masters, they are all proud of her, secretly muttering that Master Dong has a bad temper and good eyesight, and he found a good girl, even if he is a bit bitter, Master Liu welcomes her.

But Liu'er saw that Master Dong hadn't recovered, and was a little worried, especially after a snowfall, it became heavier, the outside was cold, and the food was stagnant inside, and she hadn't had water or rice for two days.

Liu'er was in a hurry, so she went to Sister-in-law Liu and invited a doctor to come, and asked again to prescribe the medicine and cook it up. After seeing it, Aunt Yang told Guan Kan not to worry about money. , Tell Liu Er to take good care of her.

Liu'er couldn't help it, maybe she took the quilt, so she made a bunk next to Master Dong's bed and guarded it. She was bold, and she would get up from time to time to visit at night, and she was afraid that Master Dong would just go away with his slightly frail body.

This is also the first time for Liu'er to look at Master Dong so carefully. She usually doesn't dare to, but suddenly finds that Master Dong is actually very good-looking, with delicate features, usually pale complexion, and simple and clean clothes. She looks good.Taking a closer look now, she must have been a beauty when she was young.

For two days in a row, at any rate, with the help of Wang Ma, Master Dong was given medicine. Every day, she wiped her face, combed her hair, changed her underwear and tidied her up.

To be honest, it's really hard for her to do these things with such a small body, but except for Wang Ma and Sister-in-law Liu, everyone is far away, and they are usually offended by this one.

Liu'er thought it would not be a problem to go on like this, so she got up in the morning and went to the kitchen to bring rice soup, and asked Mother Wang to help, and finally poured down half a bowl.

That's it, after taking care of her every day, Master Dong finally calmed down gradually. After five days, he could eat half a bowl of gruel without being fed. Although he was still lethargic for a long time, Liu'er breathed a sigh of relief, and it was good to be able to eat ah.

Wang Ma saw Buddha and said, "Bodhisattva bless you, Master Dong is finally hopeful. If this goes on, it's time to prepare for the funeral. You girl is capable and kind-hearted, and there will be good rewards."

Liu Er repeatedly said that she should, but she didn't feel relieved, it was her job.

This day, Tao'er also came to see Liu'er while delivering things. While the two were talking, Tao'er saw that there was no one around, and couldn't help but said, "What's wrong with Master Dong? It's not normal to cough for three days and be sick for two days. Every year She is always going to make a fuss, her body seems to fall down when the wind blows, who knows one day... anyway, you have to make up your mind, the girl was still talking about you a while ago, boasting that you can serve others, if there is With this thought, you have to think of some ways.”

After hearing this, Liu'er knew that Tao'er was doing it for her own good, but she was not dissatisfied with the life here, she felt at ease, and then said: "I know you are doing it for my own good, Master Dong is a good person, although he has a bad temper , but I have no bad intentions. Now I don’t want to think about it. I just want to serve her well and learn some sewing from her. There are fewer people here, and there are more jobs to save worry. But if I can always serve her, it is my good fortune.”

Tao'er listened, remembered something and laughed, and said in a low voice: "When my elder sister first entered the mansion to serve, she wanted to come here to learn needlework, and she didn't want to be valued by the eldest girl, so she kept serving the eldest lady. Later, when I came in, she My mother and my mother wanted me to come here, but it didn't work. My sister said it was a pity, but now I understand my mother and my sister's painstaking efforts. I was not that smart to please the master. It’s good to stand beside the master. In terms of it, you are really good luck. Now I think you are better than me in needlework. Next time I get a job, you can help me give pointers, don’t shirk.”

Liu'er was amused when she heard the words, pointed at her and said: "You still say this, don't you think the sisters around the girl are not enough? I think the things the girl uses are all exquisite, and there are ready-made embroiderers at home to give pointers. Could it be that the sisters around you are not enough to look at? All of you are not in the eyes of your old man, and you only praise me!"

Tao'er said seriously: "That's true, don't look at our house has an embroidery shop, there are a lot of embroiderers, it's just that it's cheaper for the girls to wear, if it's about female red needlework, the second grandma has never been willing to bear the hardships of girls, so It's just a little passable, it is said that the two girls want to enjoy life in the future, they have good things to use, they don't need to light lamps and burn oil to practice needlework, and they don't burn their eyes and tired their waists and necks, so they don't bother too much about it, just their eyesight Yes, even serving girls by your side is only a little better than outside, and making some girls' personal items is incomparable with the embroiderers here."

Seeing that Taoer was telling the truth, Liu'er knew that she wouldn't believe her if she tried to evade it, but would provoke her, so she had to agree, but she had to put the ugly words first, so as not to disappoint her in the future.

But what she said was in vain, Taoer obviously didn't think so.

Apparently Liu Er underestimated her ability, Tao Er has come to her twice and respected her more and more, why is she disappointed, this is a later story.

Besides, Master Dong's illness, in the past, in Jia's house, no matter whether he was up or down, he only had a slight cold and cough, and the main thing was to be hungry, and the second was to take medicine for recuperation.It made her body uncomfortable and stomach uncomfortable, Liu'er has tasted that taste, whether it is effective or not, the taste is really unpleasant.

However, some poor old people who have been poor for many years always say that eating more will give you the strength to overcome the disease. Liu Er deeply believes that, so she has to flatter Wang Ma and make some good food to soften and rot for Master Dong. Taking care of.

It's a good thing that Master Dong's illness has improved, especially since I think I'm working so hard to serve him, so I shouldn't be cursing others for a while, right?Anyway, you should take a break, right?