Femme Beauty

Another spring came, this was Jia Lian's third year in Yangzhou, and Lin Ruhai allowed him to take the examination for juzi.This made him very happy, and if Lin Ruhai passed the test, he promised to let him be a servant by his side.He was extremely excited to be able to truly follow Lin Ruhai into the officialdom.Because of this, he has an unprecedented enthusiasm for learning, which makes Wang Xifeng look embarrassed.She didn't eat and saw Jia Lian's love of learning, she felt that this world was really fantastic.

But what surprised her even more was that Jia Min was pregnant again two years after giving birth to Lin Han.This is a matter of joy and sorrow.The joy is that there will definitely be many descendants of the Lin family in the future.What is worrying is that Jia Min is an advanced maternal age.But all of this was caused by Wang Xifeng giving Jia Min an extra bottle of Tianlu diluent.She looked at Jia Min, who was not as frail and lackluster as Han brother was when she was pregnant, but instead had a ruddy complexion like a girl, and sighed.She only hoped that that monk would never come to her door, she would be irresponsible!

Jia Min's pregnancy this time is the same as when she was pregnant for the first time, her complexion is rosy, she can eat and sleep.Lin Ruhai didn't know how long he had been worried, although he hoped that his family would have rich heirs.After all, the Lin family has been underpopulated for two or three generations, but... he can no longer afford his wife to suffer from childbirth.For this reason, Lin Ruhai secretly consulted famous doctors, and wrote a letter to the emperor, begging for a prescription from the Imperial Hospital.When Mu Chengze read Lin Ruhai's letter, he suddenly felt dumbfounded.This is the first time Lin Ruhai begged him for such a thing.

However, after Lin Ruhai spent nine anxious months, he finally welcomed his second son.Looking at this son and the achievements of Jia Lian's Juren No.3, he felt that his life was complete.As long as Jia Lian can continue to strive for the No. 3 Tanhua title in the palace examination in the future, it will be fine.Not too good, not too bad.This is Lin Ruhai's request for his apprentice.

Wang Xifeng's farm is running very well. After harvesting a season of grain, she uses half of the land to plant grass and burn ashes to fertilize the field, and can also provide forage for Jia Amnesty.Zhuangzi in the suburbs of Beijing, in addition to intensively planting vegetables and poultry, also opened flower fields and raised bees.Everything is moving in a good direction, but something other than Wang Xifeng still happened.

The youngest son of the old village chief who came from Jinling said that a rather wealthy housekeeper came to buy land.Because they all lived well, and everyone around knew who the Zhuangzi belonged to, they didn't dare to act rashly.However, they bought the Zhuangzi of some small farmers in the surrounding area by coercion and lure.It seems that there is a possibility of wanting to kill all their lands.

Wang Xifeng took out the map after the merger of the two Zhuangzi and inspected it carefully. She found that there is actually a mouth facing the river on the river water drainage and irrigation.After diverting the river and digging canals, it became a small lake. The owner of this lake was part of Jia Lian's ancestral property to her.

"But also bought the land on the back?" She clicked on the location on the map, the youngest son glanced at it, looked at her daughter-in-law and said, "This is not the case, but there is an entrance but there is no exit. If so, it's troublesome."

He pointed to Dalu and said: "Originally, the water we washed through the fields would pass through the fields of other people over there, and then stay in the lake farther away. It can be regarded as the circulation of the lake water. But now they will pass through the fields over there. They bought them all in pieces. Besides, their family also said that if they want to let the water go away from them, they have to share the canals. What is the basis for this? They even bribed the farmers who just came in and bought the surplus grain in their hands at a high price , I’m afraid it’s going to be used as seeds.”

"Is anyone selling it?" Wang Xifeng still doesn't pay much attention to the fact that her own seeds will inevitably be bought in the future.If everyone has planted it, it will definitely be better if there is a food shortage in the future or the court needs food.

"It's sold a lot, after all, grandma didn't say she wouldn't let it be sold."

"Let them sell it, anyway, grandma doesn't lack the money." Wang Xifeng's mouth curled up, thinking of leaning on the back of the chair, pursing his lips and pointing to the land with his hands: "I remember hearing that the soil in these places is mostly Clay, isn't the soil rich enough?"

"Grandma remembers right. The land here is indeed not suitable for farming. But at least a lot of things have been planted on it over the years. Although it's just a thin layer at the moment, it's okay."

"Then dig up all the good soil above and move it to other land. Dig this area into a lake, and put a sluice gate in the canal under the road, and use cast iron to make it. Craftsmanship and money grandma. I dug it out. Open a small opening in the middle, and pour water twice a day for them. It is enough to raise some fish and crabs in the lake. If there are fish and crabs in the future, let them give money. Not much, one tael of silver each. "

"It's... expensive!" The second boy of the old village head's family, after all, was a bit honest.Hearing one tael of silver, I feel a pain in the flesh.

"What's the matter? I spent money to raise my grandma, and I can pay as much as I say." Wang Xifeng snorted softly: "The land enclosure forced me to sell the land. This business is nothing new. I want to see, they How can we say that the boundary of Tongjia’s family doesn’t give us water.”

Wang Xifeng is very clear about the method of cutting off the water, and then buying the higher-ups to prevent the water from entering, and then forcing you to sell the land.The first time I heard it, I knew what was going on.The boy and his wife looked at each other, but didn't say anything.

Another month passed after the two left, and they came back by boat again.At this time, Wang Xifeng was studying the scale reduction of Western ships. She was holding a small bamboo board and a small red clay stove next to her. Using the small tool bit by bit, she followed the proportions introduced in the miscellaneous books she knew. Making it bit by bit.The hull of the ship has already completed a foundation, and Jia Lian is very interested in her playthings. Although she helped her get some, she didn't interfere in the end.At this time, he was walking with Lin Ruhai on the salt administration, and sometimes inspected the salt field.For his daughter-in-law's little hobbies, he agrees with both hands and feet.Isn't it just to make models... Even if his wife said tomorrow, to build a big ship according to the model, as long as the family has money, then do it.

Seeing the young couple approaching, Wang Xifeng nodded and signaled them to sit down: "What's wrong?"

"The people in that family are too bullying. Just like what grandma said, they even got through with the Jia family. We said that grandma is also the daughter-in-law of the Jia family, but for some reason, the steward of the Jia family said that it has nothing to do with grandma. He also said Even if grandma is gone, don’t worry.” Before the man in charge said anything, the woman began to cry.Looking at the wronged young couple, Wang Xifeng pursed her lips and smiled:

"At the time when our master separated, that piece of land was our family's ancestral land. But who doesn't have a few bad relatives?" She carefully fixed the wooden board with small iron nails, and took the towel in the maid's hand to wipe it. Wipe your hands: "I wanted to see who has such a skill. Anyway, I am not afraid, unless it is the steward of Huangzhuang. But after all, Huangzhuang will not talk to us civilians for such a small amount of money." The common people can't get through it. Now do you know who the other party is?"

"It is said to be the dowry of Jinling Fuyi's wife. She just came here. That Fuyi's surname is Jia, and it is probably the same family as grandma's husband's family."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng narrowed her eyes and smiled: "So it's him!" She clapped her hands: "It's not easy for you to come here once in this cold winter. Just a few days ago, someone sent two baskets of winter crabs over. Take a basket back home and share it with your father and your brother. It was filial to Zhuangzi in my aunt’s dowry. If it’s feasible, we’ll raise it next year. When the time comes, send me some, and the Zhuangzi will divide it. that is."

"Hey!" Hearing what Wang Xifeng meant, he knew that his boss would not ignore it, and they were just passing on rumors.The specific matters have to be decided by the owner.

When Jia Lian came back in the evening, he heard that he came from Zhuangzi.He nodded. Recently, there has been no shortage of chickens at home because of the chickens and ducks raised in Zhuangzi.In addition, he is in charge of salt administration, so it is not bad to get some salt to make pickled things.What he likes most is the duck eggs that come out after being dipped in wine and buried in salt mud.The oily yellow is comparable to crab roe in the mouth.

"Another chicken?"

"No, it's about the land." Wang Xifeng didn't care about Jia Lian coming in. After more than four years of marriage, they understood each other's general temperament.Wang Xifeng is still working hard on her model boat.

Jia Lian saw that she was doing it slowly, so she sat across from her to help polish the bamboo slices, scraped off the burrs on them with a copper knife, and then carefully trimmed the baked bends.Wang Xifeng didn't care about his actions either, there was less entertainment here.If Jia Lian wants to leave Qinggui, he can't go to any brothel.If I become an official in the future, I am afraid that I will not even be able to go to the Chu Pavilion.Fortunately, she might as well train him to play something else.

"What's the matter with the ground?" Jia Lian looked at the blueprint carefully, and took a small iron saw blade, stabbing and stabbing the bamboo.

"Someone is enclosing land nearby." Wang Xifeng glanced at him, and Jia Lian nodded to show that he understood what enclosing land meant.Wang Xifeng looked at him and nodded before continuing: "Originally, it was just that the water outlet was cut off. You know that the rice fields have to pass through the water. Now for some reason, I contacted the head of our village and cut off the water inlet. That village The head is more interesting, saying that although it is also the land of the Jia family, it has nothing to do with us. I just wondered what the old lady did here."

"How do you say that?" Hearing that the troubled old lady was involved, Jia Lian lowered her head and fiddled with the bamboo, waiting for Wang Xifeng to say.

"What else can I do? The newly appointed wife of Yijia Yucun in Jinling Prefecture is the one who encloses the land. I have heard that this person was once fined for being greedy for ink, and then came back through the second uncle's door. It's just that he didn't Thinking about it, I will be arranged to Jinling. But thinking about his wife, I think it is appropriate."

"How is it suitable? A girl from the clan?" Jia Lian finished a piece of ship plank, installed it carefully, and then started to make another piece.Wang Xifeng saw that he was faster than herself in making the plank, so she took the front line and made the sail.For the mast, the two of them finished it a few days ago, and there were only some pulley blocks that needed to be dug out. The craftsman needed to get the outer part out, and the work was almost finished.

"That girl was given to Jia Yucun by a master of the Zhen family when he was admitted as a Jinshi. Later, when his wife passed away, she became the wife of the main house. Because she is a member of the same family, she is not considered a girl after all. It's against etiquette. Moreover, the ex-wife didn't give birth to a son and a half for him. This woman has a good stomach. It makes sense. It's probably about the same as the wife of Yangzhou Mansion."

Hearing this, Jia Lian blinked and was a little taken aback.Wang Xifeng looked at him blankly: "What are you thinking?"

"No!" Jia Lian shook her head: "Let me tell you, I just thought of something that is not very suitable, but I think it is quite suitable."

"What I said is contradictory. What is appropriate and inappropriate?"

"It's just not very suitable." Jia Lian looked at it privately, and leaned forward to approach Wang Xifeng: "Let me tell you! Don't you think there is something about this? Even so, there are suspicions of ransacking the family and exterminating the family. But officials in the entire Jiangnan , besides my uncle, there are a few officials of the fourth and fifth ranks, and the wives I marry are not from the Zhen family? It is not the Yangzhou skinny horse sent by the Zhen family, or the maid of the Zhen family, the young lady of the Zhen family's side prescription. It is my uncle. Here, if it weren't for the fact that the Gusu Lin family itself is a Qingliu aristocratic family, I'm afraid they could have squeezed in a few. Looking at it this way, why does it look like the emperor sent the palace ladies to the back houses of the meritorious courtiers?"

Jia Lian's voice was very low until the end, only Wang Xifeng could understand it.Wang Xifeng put down the work in his hands, and said in a small voice, "Why don't you go and discuss it with uncle, I thought if it's feasible, I can try it out. Anyway, that land is also ours. I want to see it too. Is it the daughter-in-law of Yide in Jinling Mansion who has something to say, or my daughter-in-law of the Wang family who has something to say."

Looking at the proud daughter-in-law with her chin raised, Jia Lian put her arms around Wang Xifeng's neck and kissed the little mouth, then dropped her work and ran away.When he reached the door, he stopped and turned to Wang Xifeng, "I'll get that for you when I come back, I'll make it fast!" After finishing speaking, he ran to Lin Ruhai's small study.

Wang Xifeng rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand in annoyance, and muttered: "It's fine if you don't want to help me, what reason are you looking for!"

Lin Ruhai felt good about Wang Xifeng's probing.Anyway, it's the winter season now, and it's okay for young people to walk around if they have nothing to do.In addition, if a girl has nothing to do with a boat, she might as well take care of the property.

Wang Xifeng appeared in front of the Jia family's sixth-family ancestral manor in a bright red suit, and surprised a steward who was cats at home. He didn't understand why this aunt came from Dayuaner, Yangzhou, in the cold winter.

"I've seen Second Mistress!" Wang Xifeng nodded.Mother Xu who came out of the palace followed her and said with a serious expression: "Although our grandma's uncle Hu has been here for a while, there is only Uncle Lian in the mansion inherited from the Rongguo Mansion. In the future, I will still call Good job, Young Mistress!"

"Hey!" The steward hooked his waist, shrunk his neck, led Wang Xifeng into the hospital, and asked someone to bring a charcoal basin to burn the earth dragon: "Grandma is here this time..."

"Come and see, you also know that our land is connected with my dowry. My master entrusted me to do it, so I'll take a look." Wang Xifeng pursed her lips and smiled, making the manager tremble .He had heard about the commotion over there recently, but he couldn't criticize the person sent by the old lady.Whether the family is divided or what, is the master's business.

The maid served hot tea, Wang Xifeng opened the bowl and smelled it: "I heard that you told my dowry head that you were going to cut off the water in my land?"

"This...absolutely not." The steward looked aggrieved, and looked around: "That's Steward Yang from the capital, entrusted by the old lady. I'm a subordinate, how did I do it?"

"Since we have separated, how can the old lady manage you?" Wang Xifeng narrowed her eyes and put down the tea bowl: "Then please trouble me, I have invited Manager Yang to come over and take a look, I want to see The old lady's management, how can I control it. Go and shout!"

"Ah... ah..." The steward shrank his neck in fright and left.After a while, a fat middle-aged man with a smile on his face came, accompanied by a beautiful woman in gold and silver.The two looked at each other and saluted. The mother-in-law came up first and laughed and said, "Oh... This is really flooding the Dragon King Temple. I didn't expect it to be the dowry place of Lian's second grandma. If you know Yes, I must report to Second Mistress first."

"What should I say?" Wang Xifeng smiled and took a sip of tea, looking at the woman.

"Oh... how can I say it? I'm a subordinate, and I'm also an old lady. After all, I entrusted the appearance of the Rongguo Mansion to the second master, and I have to help him get a job anyway." The old woman said with a smile, He lowered his head and said nothing.Wang Xifeng didn't make a sound either, just drinking hot tea with her head down.The hot tea poured into her stomach, and she did not speak again until she exhaled the hot air:

"The facade of Rongguo Mansion? Have you forgotten that our family has long been separated from the second uncle's family. It is still the Lord's decision. The old lady will support the second uncle in the future. This matter is only three years old. Don't remember? Or is it that our family left the capital and locked the door of the mansion, so we are not masters? In the end, my second uncle lived in Rongxitang again? Ouch..." Wang Xifeng smiled and looked at Madam Xu beside her : "Mommy... This is really the biggest joke in the world, my uncle can't be a madman, he actually disregarded the emperor's life."

Her hat was buttoned very cleverly. If the mother-in-law didn't say a word, it would mean that Jia Zheng still wanted to seize the Rongguo Mansion, refused to accept the emperor's allocation, and even complained.If the mother-in-law made a noise, it would mean that they disregarded the emperor's order after the separation of the family, and stole the name of the Rongguo Mansion in their own way.

"What is the meaning of what grandma said! Although it is said that the Holy Majesty made a decree and divided the family property. But after all, the brothers broke the bones and connected the tendons, and our second master is the younger brother of Master She. Master She is not here at this time. , the old lady can help to take care of some. Right now there is a courtyard in the mansion, so this winter can't be passed, and I can ask my mother to visit relatives in the spring of next year. After all, it is also the honor of the family, isn't it?"

"We can't afford such an honor." Wang Xifeng curled her lips: "The old lady doesn't like us! I'm afraid we have to go back after three or five years."

Wang Xifeng put the tea bowl aside, took out a silk handkerchief and wiped the corners of his mouth: "Our lord has never pursued the matter of the old lady out of filial piety. But in the end, this matter has been reported to the Holy Majesty. Besides, my lord You don’t know how my sister’s concubine got here. We all know about it. How can I say that my uncle is also a close minister of the emperor. This kind of thing is not a secret. I’m afraid everyone in the capital knows it. If my wife valued the dowry of my granddaughter-in-law, she would probably write a letter about the land deed or something. Even if I tried my best to be scolded by my mother's family, I wouldn't let my father bear the name of being unfilial, right? Why bother with such a thing, it's so cold It's not easy for me to come from Yangzhou. Do you think that's the reason?"

The mother-in-law was completely blocked, but no matter what, Wang Xifeng was the one who called the shots.She couldn't say anything more, so she could only kick the man who had kicked her once.

The man frowned knowingly and said: "Grandma's words are not authentic. After all, the old lady is an elder, so how can she ask for the dowry of her granddaughter-in-law. Isn't that a joke?"

"There is no other way. Our old lady smells so fragrant...it's rare. Are the children and grandchildren filial?" Wang Xifeng chuckled and looked at the steward beside him: "Let's put it this way! At present, there is nothing in Zhuangzi. What's the matter, it's better to go to Beijing with the two of you in charge. I will settle in the capital in the future, and I will bring your identity deed. Let someone take it to the old lady, after all, she is an ancestor. I am a junior Well, what can I say? You used to be a filial piety for me and our father."

Hearing this, the steward immediately knelt down.He trembled: "Grandma... grandma..."

"What are you calling me for?" Wang Xifeng sighed, "I did this for your own sake. You see, if rumors spread in the future that an imperial wife entrusts Ji to rob the granddaughter-in-law's dowry, force the separated son to manage the family's wealth, seek personal gain, and favor the little one." Son, it doesn’t sound good to disregard etiquette, doesn’t it? What’s the matter, the old lady is old, and there are some people who are a bit confused. You go to be filial, it sounds good, doesn’t it?”

Wang Xifeng sneered, and raised her eyes to signal Madam Xu.Madam Xu took out the deed that she had prepared earlier and handed it to the previous woman.

After dealing with Laide's wife and the steward, Wang Xifeng called the elder son of the old village chief over as the new steward, and prepared for spring plowing again according to their rules.Of course, this time there is no new house or anything.