The clever maid of the red mansion

The reason why Qingwen was able to enter the inner courtyard to serve Sister Qin and Brother Mo was naturally for a reason, but Aunt Li and Liu Zhi had to be responsible.

Aunt Li's phrase "able to talk" is not for nothing. She sees that although Qingwen is thin and honest, she still has good eyesight, quick hands and feet, and she is respectful to herself in words. Being successful is better than pretending to be mature and being too clever.As for the theory that Chun Niang's pearl is covered in dust, she didn't worry about it, because with her eyesight, she really couldn't see it.Besides, they have never been short of girls with flat heads and full faces.

Besides, Chunniang keeps a girl, although appearance is important, but it also depends on character and character, she is so heartless and brainless, no matter how good you grow up, it is useless, such as Qingwen in her previous life.

What's more, Xishi Diaochan, where it is so easy to raise, is called Liu'er girl, and it is far from that.

As for the willow branches, the big ones are drawn out of the box. Since Chunniang is going to choose a maid for the young master and miss, Qingwen is naturally less threatening to her if she is younger, even if she is a rough envoy.And this little girl seems to be obedient.

That's right, Qingwen Taohuaxiu'er moved into the inner courtyard with envious eyes, became sister Qin, brother Mo, and even the three master girls in the entire backyard, and was named by Chunniang-Liuer, we From then on, she was called Liu Er.

Although Chun Niang's family seems to be relatively wealthy, and it seems that she has higher expectations for her children, but to put it bluntly, it is just a little better than ordinary people. Although they also have slaves and maidservants, they are limited.Most of them do menial work, and they are bought and hired, especially in the kitchen where there are more women and dozens of people need to eat and drink in a large courtyard.

Ten-year-old sister Qin and seven-year-old Mo Ge are both under the care of Mo Ge's nanny, Wang Ma, and Liu Zhi. Liu Zhi also helps Chun Niang manage some money, accounts, and house affairs, and Mrs. Li also takes care of his wife from time to time. , I don’t take care of multiple jobs, so I usually buy them from the front yard) and teach a lot of girls to come and serve them. The little girls who come here with hands and feet dare not let them touch their hands. Who knows if there is any dirty disease? My sister is not well.

Therefore, these two masters are not short of people to serve them, but they have always been short of the big girl in charge.

Therefore, even if Qiu Hong became a big girl of Sister Qin's son, and Liu'er was just a little girl who ran errands and did chores, it was a big promotion.

Ordinary people don't like it, such as Taohuaxiuer, let alone those who are sold.

What is enviable is that the eldest girl has a monthly allowance of [-] yuan, and Liu Er also has a monthly allowance of [-] yuan. Even in the past four autumns, because she has to serve the master in the backyard, there are only [-] big money monthly allowances. Ordinary girls have better food and clothing.

As soon as Liu'er arrived in the backyard, she was smart enough to know what was going on at a glance.On the contrary, she was somewhat pleased, she had died once, even though she had seen riches and honors, she was not so high-spirited, and she looked away a lot.It's good to be able to live in peace and stability, at least Chunniang is still a good master who loves money, and they are all bought by money.

The eldest girl, Qiuhong, has taken over the things in Sister Qin’s children’s room. After all, she has taught the girl for three years, and there is no need for willow branches to go into details. Naturally order Liu'er to do rough work, and if Liu'er can't do it, there is a poor woman.

Brother Mo and the nanny lived with Chun Niang in the main room, and Sister Qin lived in the west wing. Liuzhi used to sleep with her at night and serve her tea and wait for her at night. Now that Qiuhong has moved in, she will naturally do these things. Back to the main room to serve Chunniang.

There are also three wing rooms, Liu'er lives in the outer room, and there is a low couch in the corner of the hall by the window for sitting up at ordinary times. It has the function of watching the door and opening doors according to the terrain, and listening to calls at any time. Don't think about what the hot kang smokes the cage, now it's entering the room. Autumn is not long, and I don't know if I can survive the winter. Even though Liu Er always claims to be strong, she still has some doubts.

This place is not as rich and noble as Jia's mansion, the house is full of hot kang fumigation cages, thinking about Qiuhong's expression of arranging her to live here, she can't help but grit her teeth, she must live anyway, whether she can't enjoy the blessings or suffer, the thick quilt is really Gave her a lot of confidence.

As a girl, even though she is an envoy, she has to accompany her to class. Of course, she is standing while serving tea and snacks. Of course, Qiu Hong has her own desk and chair to sit and read and write.

And Qiuhong obviously didn't have much talent and didn't pay much attention to it. She often lost her mind, and her handwriting was obviously much worse than that of her younger sister, Qin, and even worse than that of Brother Mo's handwriting.

Liu'er just had the thought of despising her in her heart, and suddenly thought of Qiu Guilai, who is serious about things, and immediately put the thought out.So what if she is serious in doing things, so what if she cleverly flatters her master, such as Qiulan, but she stays behind, but Qiuhong doesn't seem that outstanding!

Who dares to say that Qiu Hong is not hiding her clumsiness now!

Isn't this another, more subtle way to please the master!And leave no trace!

The more she thought about it, a chill ran down Liu'er's back, such a small place, with a family of three or five, isn't it the epitome of Rong Mansion, even those who are too stupid can't survive, and she really didn't deserve to die at all!

The more she observed and paid attention to Qiu Hong, the more she confirmed her thoughts. Since then, she put away her thoughts of underestimating anyone, and became very careful in doing things, and being cautious in words and deeds.

During this period, Chunniang went out again and brought back more than 20 little girls at a time, and the front yard was lively again.This time, besides Zhao's second mule cart, there was an extra mule cart. According to Aunt Li's opinion, Chunniang hired it temporarily because she saw that there were too many buyers.

Poor families have a hard time, and the bad times make things worse. Selling children and daughters, especially daughters, is several times more than usual. Ren Chunniang, who is so picky about people, can't help but buy more when she sees so many good 'goods'.

After washing up for a while and having dinner, Chunniang, Aunt Li, Liu Zhi, the master and the servant were talking together in the main room, drinking hot tea, Chunniang sighed: "It seems that I really have to get a car by myself, it's really uncomfortable going back and forth. Convenience, Zhao's second child is really disgusting, let's not talk about that mouth, it's really out of tune. He can't move his legs when he only sees wine, and his virtue is even more hateful. How could I be worthy of her after using him for so many years."

Aunt Li took a box containing candied fruit and crabapple and put it on the kang table in front of Chunniang, and said with a smile, "Didn't you tell grandma about this last year? You think the smell of livestock is pickled, don't you?"

Liu Zhi reconciled the accounts while calculating, but pursed her lips and said nothing.

Sure enough, Chun Niang curled her lips: "Hey, don't put gold on my face. Although the cost of raising an animal and buying a car is limited, the caretaker doesn't want to eat, drink, and mess around. It's good to go out more often. Hurry up." If you can't go out for a while, you have to raise one person and one animal for nothing. Needless to say, our house is only a big place, and the smell of the barn in summer is unbearable."

In fact, in the final analysis, I still can't bear the money.

Aunt Li thought about it for a long time and finally couldn't hold back: "If grandma really wants to buy a car, the old woman has an idea. She said something annoying and slapped her. This is also for the sake of my Dasha. Madam also knows that Dasha has a lot of heart." It's hard work, but he does odd jobs for people, and he doesn't know how to please and show off, he's really not good, and he will have to marry a wife for him in two years..."

Chun Niang impatiently listened to her long talk, pointed at her and said, "Forget it, just talk if you have something to say, don't gossip with the seven aunts and eight aunts, grandma, I have been tired for several days and I need to rest earlier."

Aunt Li sneered, and said straightforwardly: "His father and I are thinking about whether to fix a car for him. Ma'am, it is convenient for you to use the car at ordinary times, and you can go out to do some odd jobs in your free time. Anyway, it is windy and rainy. Shelter, after a long time, I have some regular customers, and it can be regarded as a business. As for the barn, it is next to the back wall of the small cross, and a low shed is built. no."

Chunniang thought about it, don't say it, there really is some truth. 4xs Back in the day, she felt that she was raising a big fool, who could eat and drink and didn't have so much work at home. It wasn't like going in and out as she grew up day by day, so she found an excuse and only bought Aunt Li and his wife. Dasha is still a free agent.And that child basically didn't use his brain much except for a lot of strength, and he was very loose on the outside. Now that he is eighteen, it's no wonder that Aunt Li and his wife are anxious.

But it seems that the old Li and his wife have been thinking about the car for a day or two, and it is not good to refuse, so they said: "You don't have to play tricks, there are only two people in this yard, and I haven't done it all these years Do you know me, tell me, how much do you want me to contribute? I can agree, money is not a big deal, I don’t think it’s troublesome to keep a car, and you can deal with the rest on your own, as long as it hinders me a little bit.”

Mrs. Li was overjoyed, and immediately made a detailed agreement with Chun Niang, and said that she would definitely use the car with grandma, and would do some private work when she had free time, and then went out to congratulate the old man's son in high spirits.

On the other side of the willow branch kang table, the accounts can also be put together, Chun Niang leaned on the pillow to find a comfortable position, and sighed: "This man, once he has a man and a child, his thoughts will naturally become more vivid, which is also human nature. Tell me too, how are those two girls these days?"

How could Liuzhi not be able to hear Chunniang's voice, this is a shocking thing, but she is usually a little selfish, and she doesn't have any old ladies, seven aunts and eight aunts to talk about, so Chunniang trusts her.Refilled Chunniang's tea, put down the tea and Chozi said: "This Qiuhong is nothing, her behavior and temperament are not out of line, these days it seems to be the same, it's not bad, serving my sister is more heartfelt than before. It is very cheap to order that Liu'er to do things. But the servants looked at him coldly, don't look at Liu'er who is silent and obedient, but his eyesight is better than Qiu Hong's, not the slightest bit, and his mind remembers things and his eyes have something Work, even though he is young, he is good at serving people." Thinking about it, I couldn't help laughing, "Is it really like grandma said that some people are born to be slaves? The servants and grandma can be considered to have seen a lot of people, It's really the first time I've seen him like this, and it's rare that he doesn't invite credit, flatter, keep quiet, and won't annoy others, he's a talent, if I say it, Madam has a good eye for people."

After hearing this, Chun Niang pondered for a moment: "Forget it, let's take a look again, my sister is still young."

Originally, I didn't want my daughter to be too outstanding in serving people, but if she is really good-natured, it's rare to get an arm. What's going on, I have to check it out slowly. It's not a matter of a year or two.

The next day when the old master came to teach sister Qin and brother Mo, Chun Niang watched from the window.

The old master has been full of disappointment and sourness for decades, shaking his head and teaching... the three-character scripture.

After all, Sister Qin is a bit older and as the elder sister, she listens seriously and can take care of her younger brother from time to time. Soon Brother Mo can't sit still like a thorn in his buttocks. He just looks around and doesn't read.

As for Qiu Hong, she was sitting on the other side of Brother Mo'er, and she was sitting upright, looking at the book and the master who shook her head, rolling her eyes and smiling at the corners of her mouth, not knowing what she was thinking.

Liu'er stood on the side with her head bowed, she could see the whole room, she noticed it when Chun Niang's figure appeared out of the window, and it was not easy to remind the three of them, she stayed for a while, washed her hands slightly, rinsed the tea bowl with warm water, picked up the coffee table beside her Choko poured a bowl of hot tea for his wife, then poured another bowl of tea, folded an empty tea bowl, and tried the tea bowl with the back of her hand. The water temperature was just right, and she carried it on a tea tray to the desks of her siblings first. Go up, pour a cup and send it to Qiuhong, return to the original position, put down the things and still stand still.

The master took a sip of hot tea, put down the cup and nodded in satisfaction, still shaking his head with the book in his hand: "...you can't make a jade without cutting it..."

"Oh, it's scalding to death..." Qiu Hong suddenly put down the tea bowl, sucked in the air-conditioning and slapped her tongue with her hands, calling repeatedly, "It's scalding to death..." Ji Chibai almost jumped three feet high .

For a moment, everyone in the room stared at her, and the master didn't scold her for yelling about the class. It seemed that she was used to girls being presumptuous.

After all, Sister Qin was a little bit older, she picked up her bowl of tea, dipped her lips and took a sip, then put down the cup expressionlessly and continued watching the show.

Liu'er really wanted to pick up the Chozi in front of her eyes and pour Qiu Hong directly on her head and face, why don't you scald your little hoof to death, a dog bites Lu Dongbin who doesn't know good people!In his mind, he was thinking quickly whether to run to get the scald medicine, or to make an apology first with a low eyebrow, anyway, the result was that Qiu Hong got mad and showed her the first-class maid in the small courtyard.

At some point, Brother Mo took a sip from the teacup in front of him, and yelled suspiciously, "Not hot, not hot, Qiu Hong, you're talking nonsense again..." When someone came out to make trouble, he felt Moge is very happy to be bored.

Why is this child so annoying, Liu'er sees Brother Mo's red face very pleasing to the eye, much better than his sister.

Tong Yan Wuji, Qiu Hong blushed for a while when she straightened the hunchback for the children in public, and she was a little embarrassed to come down.Liu'er is used to being used to forgetting to restrain himself in private, but he can't hold back his face, and dare not be angry, so Mo Geer gave Liu'er a shameful look, and turned his head to ignore her.

Liu'er thought about it, and now it's not good to offend Qiuhong, and she might buy herself many more pairs of shoes in the future, besides, Qiuhong is like this, it's not difficult to deal with everything when it happens, and dogs don't bark when they bite.What's more important is that Chun Niang is staring at her... Let's give her a step: "Sister, let's drink a bowl of cold water." He poured a glass of water and handed it over.

Qiu Hong snatched the cup angrily and took a sip without saying a word. Sister Qin pursed her lips, glanced at Liu Er and said nothing, the master saw that nothing was wrong, and continued to shake her head and shake her head, obviously she was too lazy to care These naughty things are nothing more than spending money to fool the two, and the master doesn't expect the child to be successful.

At noon, the three of you had lunch, watched the girl clean up, didn't let the two children go out, took a sip of Qiuhong, held tea, put down the cup and looked at it gently, imitating her, using tea to treat the children, behave Dignified and dignified, he nodded with satisfaction.

Looking up at the waiter Li Qiuhong, she said, "Is this tea made by you?"

Qiu Hong stepped forward to salute with low eyebrows and replied, "It's Aunt Zhang making tea in the kitchen. Aunt Li and Sister Liu Zhi both said that Aunt Zhang has made the tea well." What's the meaning.

Chun Niang couldn't see anything on her face, she just said: "Next time you make tea by yourself, if you find it unpalatable, go to the kitchen to learn from others, serve in the room, even if you don't know how to make tea, how can you do it? Do not expect?"

"Yes." Qiuhong's heart sank, and she knew that Chunniang was dissatisfied with herself if she had something to say.

"Go down and prepare things for sewing later. The master of Xianxiu Workshop should also come. Don't forget to let Taohua and Xiu'er go together."

Qiuhong agreed and lowered her eyes, Chunniang turned her gaze back to the pair of children, looked at them for a while and said, "Mother, you are very dissatisfied with the class today, do you know why?"

Sister Qin felt that she was still paying attention in class, while Brother Mo was completely ignorant. The two of them stared at their mother with four distinct black and white eyes, waiting to explain.

Chunniang sighed, her voice was calm and soft: "Let my mother tell you a story, one time my mother went to the countryside to buy someone, and she agreed to buy it for three taels of silver... In the end, my mother only spent 13 taels. Yinzi, after you bought the big girl from his family, tell your mother why this happened?"

Mo Geer blinked his eyes and said crisply: "Why? They are bad people bullying mother."

Chun Niang smiled and patted Mo Ge'er's head: "Our Mo Ge is smart, what do you think, Miss Qin?"

Sister Qin pondered for a while and said, "Daughter heard from Sister Liuzhi that mother learned to read very hard, we should be like mother. Does it mean that mother was not literate at that time and was deceived? Wen Qi can't understand why?"

Chunniang smiled relievedly, looked at the pair of children and said: "Well, your sister Liuzhi is right, the 13 taels of silver is to buy your sister Liuzhi, the big girl. At that time, my mother was illiterate, so she was cheated a few times. Once, later, my mother was so cruel that she went to do business while reading and writing. Now, basically no one can deceive my mother, and my mother can earn money to support our family, let us sister Qin and brother Mo wear delicious clothes Fortunately, there is still someone to take care of you, so you can ask your husband to teach you how to read and write. Tell me, should you study hard with him so that you won’t be deceived and bullied when you grow up?"

Sister Qin was older and more sensible after all, she nodded immediately: "Daughter knows, mother, don't worry, my daughter will definitely study hard in the future, and she will also watch her younger brother. The younger brother is a man, so he should study hard and have a good future in the future."

"Mother doesn't ask you how promising you are. As long as you study hard and learn what the gentlemen teach you, you will be able to support yourself well in the future if you understand the truth. Your money will not be in vain, and your hard work will not be in vain. You can read and understand , instead of being illiterate, eating, waiting to die, doing some heavy work, rude and stupid. Remember your mother's words, and you can do it with your heart." Chun Niang was rarely serious.

A pair of young children didn't know if they really understood their mother's painstaking efforts, they opened their eyes wide and nodded vigorously: "Baby listen to mother."

The three of them talked about homework for a while, until Qiuhong came to teach the needlework master, "Sister Qin, go, Liuer, bring Mo Geer's tracing book... and then learn some needlework together. Go, let's learn to read together tomorrow."

Thought to herself that although Liu'er is young, she is considerate and considerate, three years old and eighty years old, let's take it easy.

Liu'er answered in a low voice, it was not her who stood still like that shadow just now, but since she was almost the same age as Mo Ge'er, Chunniang didn't pay attention to her, a little country girl who couldn't eat enough, It is her good fortune to understand what she can understand, so admonishing her children did not avoid her.

Qiu Hong stood aside, looked at Liu'er complicatedly, and Liu'er unknowingly finished putting on sister Qin's shoes, then went into the inner room to get pen and ink for Brother Mo, and then followed sister Qin.I didn't forget to serve Brother Mo's pen and ink before, and changed a pot of tea for Grandma Chun.

Liu'er walked to Sister Qin's room, on the surface everything was normal, but in fact she was a little restless.

Thinking about how Chunniang taught her son, she thought very unpleasantly. I lived for 16 years for nothing in my previous life, and no one taught me how to be a human being. It has nothing to do with myself.

She wasn't sure if Chunniang's reasoning was right or not, but Chunniang was a widow who was unemployed and supported a large family. Needless to say, she was capable. Of course, there should be some reason. How many women can do what she does, and live hard .

Unexpectedly, I thought of Yuanyang. If you want to say that Jia's house is a good girl, it must be Sister Yuanyang, not only because she is the favorite person around the old lady, and she can't leave for a while, but her ability is also visible to everyone. Playing cards and proclaiming orders, managing the old lady's private house... Everyone only sees her superficial beauty, and which one doesn't require real skills?There are seven or eight big girls around the old lady, and a bunch of daughters-in-law and women, which one is simple, but together they are not worth a mandarin duck!

And there are a bunch of girls in Yihongyuan, who serve a young man full of poems and books, but none of them can read and write. Few of them, including herself, can live without Jia's mansion.

Lian's second grandmother is also very capable, and she is from a big family, but she knows a lot of characters in Dou Dazi, and there is a bright light in the room, so it goes without saying that she is the master's grandmother.

And Sister Yuanyang's personality is naturally good, but everyone is watching her ability, the house has a hundred girls if they don't have two hundred children, how can she be a golden mandarin duck?There must be a reason for her.

As a result, Liu'er had to put aside some thoughts in her heart.

But right now, as a needlework girl beginner, Yu Liuer naturally has no difficulty, but she doesn't dare to show too much, not to mention that she is full of worries now, so she just slowly followed Sister Qin, Qiuhong and the others to get by with needles and threads. She is doing it, especially the needlework master, who is the mother in charge of Xianxiufang, Aunt Yang, and the most proud person around Second Grandma Lai.