The clever maid of the red mansion

Xianxiufang, Embroidery Village, Beijing, and other prosperous places are not famous. There are twenty or thirty embroiderers working all year round, which is considered a slightly smaller embroidery village.The reputation is not obvious outside, nor does it undertake any internal affairs or other official work, but it is quite famous in private.

There is nothing else, except that the work is exquisite, the second grandmother Lai, the owner behind this embroidery shop, is said to be the concubine of a certain high-ranking official, and there is some support from the official.

Therefore, the business of the embroidery shop is quite good, and the owner, Second Mistress Lai, is also considered a very resourceful woman, and has contacts with many noble ladies, which is known to many people on the surface.

Aunt Yang is not only a good embroiderer, but as a grandmother who has served Lai's second grandma since she was a child, she is obviously a bit overqualified and self-deprecating for Chun Niang's daughter-in-law.

There are dozens of embroiderers in the embroidery village, and many of them have signed the deeds. It is reasonable to send out one at random, and no one will say anything.

Liu'er was full of things on her mind and hadn't figured it out yet, but there was another doubt in her mind.

Aunt Yang taught very meticulously, gently and patiently. She treated Sister Qin and Qiuhong Taohuaxiu'er equally, as if she was born with a charitable face. After several years of cold face and white eyes, and after listening to her scolding for several years, I really thought that she was a kind-hearted and soft-hearted old woman.

She was slowly doing needlework in the corner, and at the same time looked at Aunt Yang unobtrusively, and Liu'er really caught a clue.

On the surface, this Mrs. Yang is equally kind and patient towards the girls, but her gaze stays on the three of Qiuhong Taohuaxiu'er, but she has put more effort into her body than others. The master, sister Qin.

It's weird, especially the old woman's eyes, lingering on the girls' bodies, that wretched look, doesn't make people feel goosebumps, it's different from Chunniang looking at the girls she bought, at least Chunniang looks at the girls' eyes It doesn't make people feel shabby.

Living in Liu'erjia's mansion for six or seven years, she has heard a lot about some nasty things, and more or less seen some, such as Bao Erye, Western Flower Ideas Haba'er and Bihen, etc. She also knows about those dirty things. It's not that I haven't bumped into it, I haven't eaten pork, so I've seen a few piggies run away, once I realized it, I couldn't help shivering!

Although this old Mrs. Yang is not the second master of Bao, she is obviously a good old bustard!

Thinking back to Second Grandma Lai serving several big girls by her side, all of them were pretty and even a bit seductive.Liu'er's brain hurts, she doesn't need to think about it to know why those girls are so-called, it must not be a good deal.

Lying on the couch at night, the whole person shrinks into the quilt, and his heart is in a mess. There is really no way out in this world. How can a person who is neither human nor ghost be so dirty!They are such little girls, thanks to this gang of black hearts, they can do it!

It’s fine if you were ignorant in the previous life, ignorance is a blessing, but you can see it in this life, it really makes people wonder how to live this life, anyway, the previous life is considered dead.

But I don’t know how to get by, I’ve always tried my best but suddenly started to use my brain vigorously, somewhat unable to do what I wanted, so I had no choice but to keep a sullen face and lower my eyebrows, and continue to serve everyone, big and small. Master, keep the volume as usual and don't let yourself be noticed.

Gradually getting acquainted with the environment, Taohua and Xiu'er also knew that they were different from the girl they bought in the outer court, so they became more and more active in courting the backyard to be good-looking, but it really didn't show that Liu'er was coming.

But apart from doing things, you can learn something together, especially reading and writing. When the master shook his head and explained that "if you don't learn, you don't know righteousness", Liu'er, who has always been extremely smart, had a flash of inspiration in his mind. I wonder if Chunniang said that In the words of "reading wisely", maybe... many things and truths are said in books?

Therefore, Liu'er became more enthusiastic about reading than ever before, but she didn't dare to show it too clearly, after all, her identity was there, and since Grandma Chun let her study with her brothers and sisters, Qiu Hong became more and more suspicious of the thief. Seems to be staring at her to do things, although not to the point of beating and scolding, but instructing her to do things is really not soft at all: "... It's like killing you to ask you to fetch hot water, and the cups, have you washed them clean? You're petty, you can't get on the stage, you have to be careful, next time..."

These kinds of scoldings for coming together from time to time, Liu'er just accepted it without saying a word, lowering her eyebrows, seeing that she could learn some skills, she endured so much hard work, and let a piece of violent carbon suddenly turn into a puff bag, It's not just talking about it.

Thinking back to Yihong Courtyard, she seemed to like beating the little girl like this, which is really retribution.

If so, it's not her turn to write a few strokes while studying. In addition to serving everyone's ink and tea, she also has to deal with Qiuhong's extra reasonable and unreasonable errands and making things difficult.

Liu'er finally understands that Qiuhong obviously doesn't want her to get a little bit of good, especially because she may feel that she is threatening her, such as reading, entering Sister Qin's bedroom, showing her face in front of Sister Qin and Grandma Chun, etc. , the guard against her is not as tight as usual.

Even if Chun Niang's family is smaller, everyone can't see her when she looks up, and sometimes Qiu Hong can't take care of her for a while, and Liu Er accidentally serves her master close by, so she has to show Liu Er some face for a few days. Qiu was laughing and laughing all the way, looking heartless and fish-eyed.

If Liu'er is really a little girl of six or seven years old and not very sensible, it's fine. After a new life, the more Qiu Hong behaves like this, it will arouse her temper. She doesn't need to learn the same way of serving others, Grandma Chun The errands of this kind of servants are simple and rough, so you don't need to spend so much effort to adapt.

Therefore, when it came to reading and literacy, Qingwen became more and more energetic. Since she hadn't been fully energetic in two lifetimes, she could even use her energy to feed herself.

In class, while working as an errand, I tried my best to draw the teacher's words in my head. I didn't have a chance to write a few big characters, so I simply got a piano. Most of the cup of water is filled with ink, and she sleeps on the coffee table to practice the big characters she learned the day before, with a rag next to it, which is filled with writing and wiped off. Qiuhong and Sister Qin live in the inner room, and there is movement in the morning She wiped it clean, fetched water and held a towel to help Qiuhong wait for sister Qin to get up.

Liu'er is a very smart girl, and she is hardworking. Every time in class, it is not difficult for the master to learn something.In the middle of the Old Master's Three Character Classic, she took advantage of the chance that the Master would lead the recitation several times from beginning to end, and memorized the whole article by heart, although the meaning is still unclear.

It's just that right now, she's still sneaking around every morning and evening, and she doesn't dare to show a little overtness. It's just that Qiuhong tries her best to fix the soles of her shoes every day. If there are more sisters Qin, she will die.

She also understands now that this sister Qin, despite her young age, has a heart no less than that of Qiu Hong, and even quietly used Qiu Hong as a spearman. Compared with others back then, she really was a fool .

Sometimes she also finds it funny that she has grown up so much, and she hasn't put so much effort into learning things yet. She guesses that those talented scholars who are going to be admitted to Jinshi are just like this!

It's winter, the weather is getting colder, and there is no brazier in the outhouse, so Liu'er still suffers a lot. After practicing calligraphy for a while, her hands become a little stiff and she has to cover and rub her hands.The material of the good quilt and the cotton-padded clothes sent out is not bad, and her body is also considered strong, but she can survive it.

Occasionally, Qiuhong was too lazy to get up, and let Liu'er go in to serve tea at night, and she could also take the opportunity to pour a cup. Only sister Qin's room had hot water, so it was comfortable to hold.

Even though the conditions are more difficult, Liu'er is very calm in her heart, she doesn't miss the warm smoked cages, hot kangs, and gourmet clothes in Yihong Courtyard at all, and she can hold some things in her own hands every day, which makes her feel at ease. Being able to survive has a little more confidence. The prosperity of the previous life seems to have passed away, just a dream.

So despite being busy with hands and feet every day and being scolded, I never feel that I have anything to complain about. I do my work consciously. I have never been lazy and slippery. It has won the approval of the whole family and has become the mouth of the servants' Simple and honest'duty people.

Although she is smart from head to toe, nothing looks 'simple'.

In the twinkling of an eye, on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, the kitchen began to prepare offerings for ancestor worship and peel and wash fruits and beans to cook Laba porridge.

For small families, the ancestor worship offerings are nothing more than common things such as fruit cakes, joss sticks, and candles. The kitchen is usually familiar and easy to prepare.

Only Laba porridge, not to mention peeling and washing beans and nuts, even soaking rice crackers takes some time. Needless to say, when more than a dozen kinds of fruits and beans are boiled, it will start to catch fire in the middle of the night, and it will be ripe in the morning, and the taste is just right. when.

The kitchen was busy all night, and Liu'er didn't sleep much. Sister Qin didn't know what she had eaten yesterday, and she got up twice at night. Qiuhong said that her stomach was uncomfortable and she lay still, so she had to order Liu'er to get up and serve , It will be considered stable in four days.

And Liu Er only slept less than two times, Maochu got up, wiped his face with a cold water handkerchief, and practiced calligraphy for half an hour, and heard the sound of the Maozheng clapper, and simply washed and washed, which was still thick Over the cotton-padded jacket and trousers, I wore a red silk cotton smock.This is the old clothes Liuzhi gave her to wear. It is simple and practical. It is suitable for a child like her to wear jackets and trousers. It keeps warm and does not dirty the jacket. It is convenient to change and wash, but others only think of her as a child It was nothing more than a simple gown by fiddling with clothes, but she didn't mind it, so she made two of the clothes that others gave her and changed them.

The cotton-padded jacket inside was thick, so it wasn't too hard to go out and face the biting cold wind.

The aroma of porridge made from fried fruit in the kitchen wafted far away. As soon as Liu’er showed her head, Aunt Zhang who was stirring the porridge pot saw her and waved to her: “Here comes Liu’er. I ordered a small dish, and ate some porridge to pad my stomach to drive away the cold."

Liu'er stepped in, glanced around and said with a smile: "Thank you, auntie, I always miss Liu'er when there is delicious food and drink, why is auntie alone?"

Aunt Zhang quickly scooped up a small bowl of hot porridge, sprinkled it with a spoonful of sugar and a little rose shreds, put another small plate of fried golden meatballs in front of Liu Er, and said softly: "Just look at the Laba porridge, and I will eat it alone." There are enough people, so why bother to light the lamps and boil the oil together in the cold weather, let’s eat, we will arrange the altar later, deliver the porridge everywhere, and still be busy.”

"Thank you, auntie." Liu'er is not hypocritical. She is growing up, and she usually eats delicious food because Qiu Hong seldom falls into her belly. But she has seen and eaten it before, so she can hold back with her present nature.

Seeing the aroma of the food coming in, she simply let go of her stomach and ate two small bowls of porridge. The plate of crispy, fragrant and thick fried meatballs was full of crumbs. Aunt Zhang saw that she was pitiful, and stuffed her with a boiled egg as well. After eating my belly, I put down the bowls and chopsticks and touched my round belly, and I was finally satisfied.

After eating, I can't help rolling up my sleeves to help Aunt Zhang tidy up. Liu'er is clever and has good eyesight, and she also has work in her eyes. Although Aunt Zhang pushed repeatedly, she still helped for a quarter of an hour before she carried it on the stove and heated it up. Water, go back to the house to serve the girl, Sister Qin, and the deputy, Qiuhong.

Although Liu'er and her servants are doing well these days, it is Aunt Zhang who takes care of her.

It is said that Aunt Zhang is from the southern province. She had no husband in her early years and had only one girl, and she was also stricken with a flood and epidemic. The young daughter was sick and had no money to treat her, so she had to sell herself to get some money to heal her daughter. The two entered a wealthy family. People are slaves.Last year, her daughter disappeared again. She was alone and met Aunt Li, a distant relative who did not know how many times. She walked through a small back door and entered the kitchen of Chunniang's house to do things. In the wing room in the small courtyard, because I am diligent and careless, I get along with everyone.

Aunt Zhang looks ordinary, but she is neat and tidy from head to toe, with calm facial features and concise speech, she is a rare understanding person.

Liu'er didn't know where she fell into Aunt Zhang's eyes, which caused her to take such good care of her, and she looked safe and cautious, and she was not the kind of woman who flirts with three wives. She was always alone, and she was happy to have someone who could talk.