Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

Naturally, their family has a very close relationship with the Emperor's family, this time they should greet them well, and don't treat them slowly.Mrs. Tang thought about adding something more, not to mention the friendship between the two families, but for the sake of the old lady from their family, she should treat the Jia family well.

There is no need to curry favor with them, but it will make people look down on us.We and them are just based on our previous friendship. It is a good thing for their family to prosper, but our family does not rely on our ancestors for food, but also relies on others to promote us.Normal human relations are fine.If we don't curry favor with anyone, we won't add insult to injury.Yesterday my father asked me to talk for a long time, look at our daughters, which one is more stable?Wang Dingqian looked at the patterns of the blue bricks on the ground, and held his chin thoughtfully.

Mrs. Tang's heart skipped a beat when she heard her husband's words. Recently, she was also thinking about the lifelong affairs of her daughters. Wang Ziteng was about to get married, and the next thing was the marriage of the eldest daughter, Qian and the second girl, Zili.Ziqian is almost 17 years old. It is not very fashionable here in Hangzhou. Girls get married at a young age, but time is the most unbearable, and Ziqian's marriage should be finalized.Wang Ziteng married the daughter of the Zhang family. The Zhang family is a well-known scholarly family, but it is not very prosperous.As a mother, Mrs. Tang, she hoped that her daughter's marriage would be better.Marriage of a woman is the same as reincarnation for the second time, and what the future life of the child will look like is all about kissing.Listening to her husband's words, Mrs. Tang recalled what she had heard. She fixed her eyes on her husband and said tentatively, "You mean, there is a plan to marry the emperor's grandson in the East Palace?"

"The old man is well-informed. Since he revealed what he means, it seems to be true. The old man means that he is more optimistic about the second girl. I want to hear what you mean." Wang Dingqian revealed what the old man said to him that day. To Madam Tang.

"Why is it the second girl? How can I rest assured that she really enters the palace with her temperament. Speaking of our girl, it's not that I prefer my daughter. Ziqian has a stable temperament. She is careful, serious and sensible. Two The girl is still young, and she can't sit still. A girl's needlework is so-so, and it's not easy for her to teach and teach her. Instead, she either reads idle books with the old man all day, or hangs around in the small study. Come out. She puts on her face whatever she thinks in her heart, and she likes to eat. Now I am worried about waiting for her to go out, and my in-laws don’t know how to dislike her. The third girl is too young, even if she has that blessing, Her mother can't be at ease either." Mrs. Tang has not forgotten her concubine's little daughter, and Aunt Gui is the only one, so she naturally hopes that her daughter can marry somewhere nearby, so that she can rely on her.

The concubine's daughter is naturally not considered by the royal family. Wang Dingqian thought about it and said to his wife: "The old man likes our second girl very much. What you said is also a child's long-term nature. She just needs to stop making trouble. I Let me tell you, I should also prepare something, the two children want the same, don't look biased." Mrs. Tang understood what her husband meant, and nodded: "I still have some old jewelry here, it's too late to buy new ones now , let’s use the old one first.”

Zili was hugging Lao Tzu and watching with relish, when suddenly he saw Osmanthus Tang's side bringing a few wives over.Osmanthus smiled and said, "Miss is working hard, my wife asked me to bring something to her." Talking about the women carrying the bundles, Osmanthus stepped forward to open the bundles, Zili looked like they were all new clothes, she He said with a smile, "It's just that the New Year's day is not a festival. How did you make so many clothes? I haven't worn them all the years ago." Living in the Wang family for a while, Wang Zili found that although the Wang family has a rich family background, the old man and Wang Dingqian are both in the middle of the fat. However, the life of the Wang family is still very frugal.There are not many servants in the family, and the general daily expenses are not extravagant, just how comfortable and suitable it is.In the house of Wang Ziteng and Wang Ziji, there were only two maids and four women. Except for the servants who followed them, there were not as many servants as the girls.Although the girl is more delicate, there are two big girls and four little girls around her, and the rest are the nanny and the foster mother. There are no more than ten people in total, including those who clean the yard and do rough work.Generally, the girls of the Wang family don't have any extravagant clothes and jewelry, except for the things on the outside when they go out, most of the rest are homely clothes.

Although in Wang Zili's opinion, her daily wear is already very good, suitable for an official's house in Hangzhou, these things are not considered good things.Osmanthus smiled and said: "My wife said that the girl's birthday is coming. Although the birthday is celebrated every year, this year is Jiji, a big birthday. The girl has grown up too, and she can no longer wear the clothes of the old child. She should make some good ones." Yes. These materials are all new designs this year, girl, try it out, if it doesn’t fit, ask them to change it.”

Wang Zili's birthday is the first day of March. After his birthday, he will be 15 years old. In this year, the family will start to discuss marriage with Wang Zili.But a few days ago, the clothes and jewelry for her birthday have been brought, so why make clothes now?Wang Zili was surprised, thinking to himself that there must be something wrong, what the old man said to her in the past few days was even more meaningful, and he even found a book of Zi Zhi Tong Jian for her to read.Mrs. Tang sent these things for a while, causing Wang Zili to have a bad feeling in his heart.She pretended to be very happy and looked through the pile of clothes: "Did Mom get rich? These clothes are very good. Sister Osmanthus, does anyone else have this?"

Others have it too. The older girl is the same as the younger girl, and the third girl is a little less than the two. The wife said that the three girls should have a bowl of water, but when the third girl is growing up, she does more. If you don't wear it, you can't wear it, but it's a waste.Waiting for the third girl to grow up, let's make up for her.The wife said that the emperor is on a tour to the south, and all the eunuchs in the south of the Yangtze River are preparing to be summoned by the emperor.The emperor's southern tour this time is for the empress dowager to return to her hometown, to comfort the empress dowager who misses her hometown.The empress, empress and concubine will follow.The female family members of our family may also flatter in front of the queen mother, empress empress and princess, and they can't always wear homely clothes to see you.Girl, don't think too much, my wife still has something waiting for me to answer, so I'm leaving first.Listening to Osmanthus fragrans' last words that were superfluous, Wang Zili couldn't help but smile in his heart, don't tell me to think too much, it's because you are thinking too much.

Zili smiled and stood up and called the girl beside him: "You guys send Sister Osmanthus out." After the rain, the curtain was opened and the curtain was opened before dawn, and Osmanthus was sent out: "Sister Osmanthus, go slowly." Osmanthus smiled and said to Zili: "Miss Then go to the wife's side for a walk, the wife still has good things waiting for the girl."

As soon as the sweet-scented osmanthus left, Mingqian and Yuhou gathered around to look at the clothes they delivered, and Mingqian held a light pink bijia and gestured to Zilixu: "This material is much thicker than what we usually wear at home. .”

"You have seen it there. This is the best silk satin in the south of the Yangtze River. You can see that it is full of light pink petals. It will look good when the petals twinkle under the sun. This satin is very rare. There are only one hundred pieces a year. Most of them are worn, but this one is very rare. My wife really loves our girl for thinking of making this for her.” The nanny came in and saw the bijia, and immediately told the origin of this dress.

Mingqian suddenly realized: "I still thought, such a good-looking material is only made into a bijia, and it will look good if it is made into a big dress. It turns out that this material is rare, and a piece of clothing may have to be replaced by other materials. "

Hearing what the nanny said, Wang Zili suddenly lost the mood to admire the new clothes.Suddenly making so many expensive clothes for her, it feels a bit like grooming a puppy and selling it at the dog market.Don't let them try to sell themselves.Seeing that Wang Ziteng's daughter-in-law is about to enter the house, the next thing is the marriage of Wang Ziqian and Wang Zili.

Wang Zili's hair suddenly turned dark, thinking that when she was 15 years old, she was closely monitored by her parents for fear of falling in love prematurely, how could she become an old girl who was about to be unmarried here.

"The eldest girl is here." Standing under the eaves of the porch after the rain, watching Ziqian staggering along with a girl, she hurriedly opened the curtain to announce to Zili inside.The announcement after the rain seemed to frighten Ziqian, she raised her head abruptly, staggered, knowing that she seemed to have gotten into trouble after the rain, she hurried down the steps and squatted down in front of Ziqian with her hands down.Ziqian frowned slightly dissatisfied: "Is your girl at home?"

After the rain, she hurriedly said: "Young lady is here, please come in, eldest lady." Speaking of Zili who had come out, she smiled and took Ziqian's hand: "Eldest sister is here, what kind of wind is blowing here today?" It's gone." Among the three girls in the Wang family, Ziqian, the eldest, is a standard lady, and her every move is completely in line with the code of conduct that can't walk in skirts, doesn't turn her legs up, and smiles without showing her teeth.Moreover, Wang Ziqian doesn't like to chat and joke with the girls very much, he always clearly distinguishes the upper and lower ranks.Therefore, not only the maids of the Wang family respected the elder sister, but even Zili and the third girl did not dare to make fun of the elder sister casually.

Ziqian took Zili's hand, looked at his younger sister, and she sighed incredulously: "You go and see what our sisters are talking about, and stay until tomorrow." The maid heard Ziqian's words and knew that the eldest girl and the second girl were talking about each other. If they have private words, they all answer and stand in the yard.Zili's heart skipped a beat, and he dragged his elder sister in. Mingqian tea was served, and Ziqian looked at the confiscated clothes on the table and wondered what he was thinking.Zili winks at Mingqian, and Mingqian backs away immediately. "I didn't expect my sister to get it here. I wanted to come and see you. My wife gave me a lot of new clothes. I couldn't finish wearing them and thought I'd give you some. It seems unnecessary." Ziqian sighed, Zili smiled and said, "I have it too, Eldest Sister should stay and wear it herself."

You silly girl, don't you understand by now?Ziqian stretched out his hand to poke Zili's forehead, and said in a low voice, "You're still just eating and sleeping, and you're getting older every day, so you should make plans for the future." Ziqian wanted to say something else, but When the words came to her lips, she still didn't say them.

Zili's heart seemed to be bright, she said nonchalantly: "Didn't this mother say that the emperor's southern tour, the empress dowager, the empress, and the crown prince will come to the south of the Yangtze River with the emperor, and we may have the honor to meet the empress dowager empress, Making a few clothes is just going out and wearing them on the scene. Our family is not poor, what are we afraid of buying and making some clothes?"

Ziqian looked at Zili and suddenly didn't know what to say. She was the oldest among the girls, and the girl's sensitive thoughts were naturally not understood by the girls and nurses around her.Usually Ziqian always puts on an awe-inspiring and inviolable look, and always silently acts according to the elder's request.But who knows that she is always sensitive and anxious in her heart. Seeing that she is getting older and it is time to talk about marriage, Ziqian has a deep sense of crisis about her future, especially when there are rumors. The second saint was on a tour to the south, and the empress dowager and empress seemed to have the intention of choosing the grandson Liangdi for the emperor's grandson.Looking at the clothes my mother sent, they were the same as hers, even better than hers.Ziqian could no longer maintain this usual indifference, she wanted to find someone to talk to her, but she found that there was no one around her who could talk to her.

About to be tormented insane by the churning thoughts and thoughts in her heart, Ziqian decided to come and talk to Zili, but unfortunately seeing her sister's nonchalant face, her mood was complicated.In Ziqian's impression all along, Zili was a simple child, but today she suddenly discovered that Zili had grown into a lovely little girl. "You, you have a naive nature. You don't know how to worry when the sky falls. Since you know why mother made clothes for us, it's fine. You have to learn the rules from the nurturing mother and stop being playful. .By the way, Sanya, don't tell her that your wife will make you new clothes in front of her. She is young, so she doesn't need to see the queen mother and empress. I'm just worried that Aunt Gui has something in her mind." Ziqian replied Seeing the big sister's appearance, she had some heart-to-heart talk with Zili.

After sitting for a while, Ziqian got up to leave, Zili escorted her out, stood at the door and watched her sister's back, Zili sighed. "Why are you sighing, Miss? Don't be told by the eldest girl." Yuhou respected and feared Ziqian, "It's all because I have hurt the girl. The eldest girl is a little absent-minded. She was the one who frightened herself when she heard my announcement." Jump."

Zili naturally knew why Ziqian was absent-minded, and she glared at Yu Hou: "Since you know what you are still doing here, you can just do the pattern on the embroidery frame. You girl is also frizzy, It's time to sit down and hone your temper." Ziqian must have heard something, is she thinking of flying on a branch and becoming a phoenix, or is she worried that once she enters the palace, she won't be able to see her relatives again?In fact, as a real sister, Zili is very happy to listen to Ziqian and her troublesome things, but Ziqian is getting estranged from her day by day.Zili looked at the new clothes on the table and suddenly understood something.Even if they are real sisters, they have to weigh in front of their interests.

Mrs. Tang gave Zili a lot of jewelry, and Mrs. Tang gave them in front of her two daughters. Judging from the luxury and exquisiteness of the jewelry, the box of jewelry that Ziqian got was more exquisite than Zili's. Unfortunately, this It didn't make Ziqian happy.In the following days, the entire Wang family was busy with Wang Ziteng's marriage, but Ziqian still lived her life according to her rules, and Wang Ziqian blocked everything in the family.She still gets up every morning to practice needlework, reads in the afternoon, and reads and writes every night until the third watch.Zili quietly looked at the calm face of the eldest sister, and finally resisted the idea of ​​talking to her, and let her go.

Wang Ziteng's new daughter-in-law finally got married. Mrs. Zhang is a gentle and quiet woman. Although the old lady and Mrs. Tang are not very satisfied with her daughter-in-law's natal family, Mrs. Zhang's character quickly won the favor of the old lady and mother-in-law. Like, Mrs. Tang takes her daughter-in-law by her side all day long, and teaches her how to manage the house.Soon Mrs. Zhang's cleverness and carefulness won Mrs. Tang's heart.

Zili also likes Zhang's personality, and the sister-in-law and sister-in-law get along well.This day Zili ran into Mrs. Zhang's room to gossip, but as soon as she sat down, the little girl ran up and said, "My wife is called grandma. The Jia family has arrived at the pier and is about to come home."