The oil bottle of the Red Chamber

Now let's say that You Ziyu's official reputation has been damaged because the compradors who are in charge outside are greedy for ink and spend, and they run amok in the name of the master and disregard the law.In addition to being furious, he actually sent a lot of slaves away.The vacated vacancies will naturally be filled by more honest, loyal and smart errands.

Now it is the Chen family who is in charge of the inner house, not to mention the reason why You Ziyu's uproar is unknown because of Chen's planning.Seeing this scene, many servants were unavoidably shocked and frightened.I am even more greedy for the chance of being in a higher position. In order to be familiar, I often come to pay tribute to the Chen family, or ask for flattery from time to time.Chen didn't realize it at first, but later she realized it, and found it funny.After thinking about it, he took the roster of his family's servants to You Lao'an and asked the old lady what she meant.

Among the servants who were dismissed this time, two were the henchmen of You Lao'an.Relying on the old lady's favor, Ming did everything outside and almost forced someone to die.Because of this, You Ziyu kicked him out of You's house, even though You Lao'an was reluctant to give up, he had no face to beg for love from his son.Seeing Mrs. Chen coming to pay his respects today, he felt even more embarrassed.

As if not aware of it, Mrs. Chen pointed at Pan Youliang in the roster with a smile and said to You Lao'an: "The chief manager of the mansion was fined and confiscated by the master because he took advantage of huge profits outside and took over the lawsuit. Now the manager It's not good that the position is vacant. After all, the master is an official, and there are a lot of things to do on weekdays. I'm a housewife, so it's not good to interfere with outside affairs. Outsiders don't look like it. This I watched with cold eyes for a few days, and this Pan Youliang is honest and loyal. What's more, her old lady has been serving her for a long time, and she will never make mistakes in the rules. I wonder what the old lady thinks?"

This Pan Youliang is the eldest son of Nanny Pan, You Lao'an's companion, and he is over forty years old this year.Since childhood, I have been accompanying the master to read.Before that, he had been in charge of You Ziyu's study outside, and concurrently served as the second manager of the mansion.The communication outside is also clear.A few days ago, the Chen family sent people to search for the criminal evidence of the managers and compradors in Youfu. Although Pan Youliang was a bit corrupt, he never used the power of his master to oppress the people and act as a domineering one.This alone is considered a good nature.What's more, he is respectable in front of the old lady and the master, so it is not only reasonable to let him succeed as the chief executive of Youfu.It also pleases the old lady and the master.

You Lao'an never thought that the Chen family would recommend Pan Youliang as the post of manager, and he couldn't react for a while.After thinking about it for a long time, he finally said: "The outer courtyard is not as good as the inner house. Your master must approve all matters. It's not easy for us to arrange for him."

Mrs. Chen heard what You Laoan said, and said with a smile: "The old lady is the most worrying. This Pan Youliang has followed the master since childhood, not to mention that he was in charge of the master's study before, and he was the second manager of the mansion. It is most appropriate for him to succeed the position of chief manager. The master didn't say much."

This is true.You Lao'an thought for a while, and originally felt that the interrogation of the servants had swept her face.Now Mrs. Chen has arranged for the son of her companion, Nanny Pan, to succeed her as the Chief Manager.After going back and forth, Youlao'an's power in the mansion has not been weakened, on the contrary, it has been one step closer than before.It can be seen that although Mrs. Chen has the heart to get rid of evil and seize power, she never thought of fighting her in the ring, and must create a situation where "the east wind overwhelms the west wind".Since this is the case, she should reciprocate and have some benefits with the Chen family.

While thinking about it, You Lao'an set his sights on the roster.He smiled in his mouth and said, "I remember that when you entered the door, you also brought four family companions with you. What kind of business are you doing now?"

Mrs. Chen might as well You Laoan asked this question, and said with a smile: "One family is in charge of the garden of the farm, and now lives outside the city. The other is in charge of the business of the shop, and it is also outside. I will arrange the remaining two families to be on the second floor. The servants outside the door, the people in my room want to buy some odds and ends when they are free, or send them back to their mother's house to pass on a message. The supply of incense powder is in short supply, so I thought about buying two more flower gardens after the new year, sending my family to take care of the flowers and plants on the gardens, so that I can make more money next year."

Mrs. Chen said it nicely, but she just listened to the third sister's advice, and didn't want to take up the fat vacancy in Antai'an Mansion, where her family's accompanying room was too early.In order not to cause people to talk about it, it is to eliminate dissidents by discussing behind the scenes that the reason why Chen made such a big effort to collect criminal evidence.

Sure enough, Mr. You Lao'an didn't say anything, but thought about it first.Hearing about Chen's arrangement, I realized that I was thinking left, and I felt a little embarrassed at the moment.He hurriedly said with a smile: "I know your shop's business is good, and more people should help. It's just that there is such a big incident in our house. It's the time when we are short of people. You have good people and don't want to help the house. , but sent to the outside, I think it is not with us."

This is too much to say.When Mrs. Chen heard the words, she hurriedly opened her mouth to confess herself.Yin said again: "There are a lot of people in the house. The boss sent a batch first, and then found the better ones. After all, the golden hairpin fell into the well, and no one else was cheaper. I was young, and I just entered the door again." My new daughter-in-law. If I take advantage of this moment to suddenly put my own people in a good place, the people below will see me, and they will not say that I am raising people and not avoiding relatives, but I will find a way to get rid of them only because I want to install myself. They. Then wouldn’t I be speechless with my mouth all over my body?”

Mrs. Chen just confessed her words based on the words of the third sister, but what she said hit You Laoan's heart, she couldn't help but blushed, and hurriedly said: "This doesn't make sense. I have always been ungrateful to the master and bullied The servants who hid it were either thrown out or directly beaten to death. Our family is not alone in this kind of thing. Since we have a heart for the elderly, we should not have done such a thing in the first place. If they are really good, who Those who are full can't get along with them? It can be seen that they first do bad things that cannot be tolerated. If they are found, they are not sent. Since they have sent people to leave vacancies, they should be found to fill them. Now I look at your few It’s good to have a housemate at home, not to mention those who are on errands outside, but you can’t dismiss those who stay at home at will. I have one thing, and I need them to take care of me to be at ease.”

After all, Yin brought up the matter of being in charge of the spring and autumn land rent of the mansion.The manager at the head was dismissed by You Ziyu for putting usury outside, forcing people to sell their sons and daughters to pay off their debts, and now this vacancy happened to be vacated.You Lao'an originally thought that the person who promoted him would take over this matter, but he didn't expect Mrs. Chen to propose that Pan Youliang be the chief executive.Now that this is the case, it is not easy for You Lao'an to continue to raise money, lest the food looks too ugly.Dissatisfied with his son.

This is really a lucrative job, even Mrs. Chen never thought of it.Hearing You Lao'an's proposal, she was taken aback, and hurriedly opened her mouth to evade.

Seeing this, You Lao'an insisted on giving the Chen family this fat vacancy.Yin said again: "I think it's because you have too much heart, and you're afraid that people will chew your tongue. That's not necessary. I arranged this matter. If they have any objections, ask them to come and talk to me. You don't have to refuse. Argument Son, you are now the housekeeper wife of our family. If your companions are all on errands outside, or run errands on the second door, it will not be seen by others. Just think of me as a hateful mother-in-law, and I will not allow my daughter-in-law housekeeper to take power Seems like. If you want to ruin my reputation at ease, then don't agree."

You Lao'an's words have reached this point, it's not good for Mrs. Chen to evade.I had no choice but to agree with a smile, and my heart was flattered.

Turning around and talking to the third sister, the first thing that the third sister thought of was how to appease the family that was left working outside the second gate.As the saying goes, don't worry about the few, but the unevenness, the same is Chen's companion, and the other three families are all fat, only this one has been reduced to running errands and spreading rumors.If things go on like this, I'm afraid that the gap in my heart is too big, even if I dare not do anything on the surface, I will complain behind my back.

The third sister is not afraid of their complaints.It's just that if you can handle things properly, if you have to have a conflict, that's what a fool would do.

Mrs. Chen didn't understand why the third sister would frown when she heard the good news, with a serious expression on her face.After hearing the words of the third sister, she couldn't help laughing, and said disapprovingly: "Well, they are all slaves of our family. It's a grace to be promoted, and you have to do your duty if you don't. It's just like you think, We, the masters, are too busy to settle the lawsuit for them, can't we make a living?"

The third sister didn't agree with Chen's words, and she was still thinking of a solution with all her heart.In the end, it was the elder girl's words that opened up the mind of the third sister, and came up with another idea.

It was Mrs. Chen who had a conversation with the third sister. Seeing that the words were not speculative, she didn't bother to pay attention to the third sister who was so stubborn, so she went back to her room and after a while, the eldest girl came to look for the second and third sisters. speak.At that time, the second sister and the third sister were reading and practicing calligraphy in the third sister's room to pass the time. When the eldest girl saw her, she couldn't help but envy the two younger sisters who could read and write, play the piano and paint, and other elegant things.

Only then did the second and third sisters know that because the eldest girl was not favored in the mansion, and her own mother left early, she hadn't read a few books seriously.Now I just know a few words, can write my name, read posts, and don't be a blind person.

Seeing that the eldest girl admired the two of them so much, the second sister was soft-hearted, so she couldn't help laughing and talking with the eldest girl, and she could teach the eldest girl to read in her spare time.Ask the eldest girl to come and practice calligraphy with them every morning.

When the eldest girl heard this, she was naturally overjoyed.This attitude touched the third sister's heart.And thought of the idea of ​​flattering everyone.

At dinner at night, the third sister whispered this idea to Mrs. Chen.Although Mrs. Chen didn't take it seriously that the third sister paid too much attention to the matter of several companions.But she also understands the role of keeping a bowl of water level in order to win people over.At the moment, what the third sister said was followed.

Early the next morning, Mrs. Chen served You Ziyu to wash and dress, and after eating and going to court, she sent someone to call in the accompanying room of the two families who were serving as errands at the second gate, and explained that she wanted to bring one person to be in charge of the spring and autumn rents of the mansion. .Before the two companions could respond, Yin said again: "You are all following me. As long as you are loyal to the errands, I will naturally benefit from you. I also know that now He Cai and Liang Rui are in charge of the outside world. You are envious of the land sales. Now that another person has been promoted to take charge of the land rent of the family, the rest feel even more unfair. I know all these things. People who are also me, the treatment is not good. The disparity is too great So I thought, no matter which one of you, if you are willing to stay in the second school as an errand, I will not treat you poorly. When the spring of next year begins, I will pick out your children—there are bright and transparent ones, and follow them. My brother goes back to school to study. If I give birth to my brother in the future, I will definitely choose him to study with him. From now on, I will also take care of my brother's study and social affairs. Before that, this kid has been following me My brother should learn some manners. In the future, if you take the examination of paediatrics and become an official, if you fall in love with him, there may be some good luck."

In fact, according to what the third sister meant, she wanted to choose the boy from the remaining family to go back to school to study. If the book is good, the family will make great contributions in the future, and they will let the boy go out to take the scientific examination and become an official. It's not impossible.It's just that Mrs. Chen didn't want to treat all the servants so favorably before they made meritorious deeds, so as not to indulge them in having unnecessary thoughts, so they changed it to accompany Brother Rong to read.In the future, she may have the opportunity to read with her brother-it depends on whether she can give birth to a brother in the future.

Even so, everyone was still overjoyed.Busily knelt on the ground to meet each other, and called out to his wife for mercy.

The Chen family took advantage of this to appoint Peng Xian as the accompanying housekeeper of the family in charge of the spring and autumn land rent of the mansion.The servant of the remaining family at the second door was called Bao Ji, and he brought his boy to see Mrs. Chen the next day. Mrs. Chen saw that the boy was indeed fair, sensible, intelligent and transparent, so she looked for him. After a free time, I sent it back to Chen's house to be accompanied by Chen Rong.

When the third sister learned of Chen's deeds, she also appreciated it.Intuitively, Chen's move is more appropriate than his own idea.

Later, Mrs. Chen still dared not be self-sufficient in picking someone to take over the management of the comprador, and ignored those servants who came to her to curry favor and plead for a way out.All day long, holding the roster, he discussed with You Lao'an and You Ziyu, and all the candidates were instructed by these two.Most of the people selected in the end are the confidantes of You Lao'an and You Ziyu.

At first glance, it seems that the Chen family has benefited from all this trouble except for promoting Peng Xian to be in charge of the spring and autumn land rent in the mansion.What's more, Peng Xian took over this matter, not because of Chen's operation, but because of You Lao'an's intention.It's nothing more than the face of Chen's housekeeper.

Therefore, in the eyes of some people, it seems that the Chen family has been busy for nothing.However, from this turmoil, the screwer who has truly experienced Chen's powerful methods is a servant, but he no longer dares to bully Chen. When he first arrived, he mistakenly believed that she was a soft-hearted and uncalculating person, and he did not dare to ignore her in front of others. neglected.

Relying on the advice of the third sister, the Chen family broke the inherent power situation in Youfu without any effort, and without offending the old lady and the lord, Ming justly gathered the power of the inner house and the outer courtyard to the greatest extent. , It added a lot of money to the public.

In the eyes of those who are interested in this kind of calculation without a trace of fireworks, I feel shuddering—compared to the first wife who was suppressed by You Lao'an after entering the school, and did not dare to breathe loudly, and jumped up and down when she got the power. The Aunt Lan who planted her confidant in order to control the inner house, the current Chen family is called "cannibalism without spitting out bones".

What's more, in addition to the thunderous means, the Chen family is not inferior in human relations.It's only been a few months since he entered You's house, not only did he win over the old lady and the master, even the eldest girl who was not born to her became acquainted with the two oil bottles she brought.Not to mention Aunt Lan, who dared to bark her teeth when she first entered the door, now she can only stay in the Buddhist hall and eat vegetarian food, and she has not kept the master to sleep in her room for a night in several months, so it is hard to say that she will stand up and fight for favor. thing.

There is also the fourth girl who was very favored by the old lady and the master in the past. Although the food and clothing expenses have not been treated harshly now, she is also treated by the Chen family on the grounds that "the concubine and the concubine are different". It is different from the treatment of the third girl.

The first three girls often went back to Chen's house to be taught by the nuns in the palace. As time went on, they became more and more different in speech and behavior from the others.Today's trivial matters of food and clothing are already like this, and when we talk about marriage in the future, maybe Mrs. Chen has some means to beat Aunt Lan.

It was only after seeing You Ziyu's concubines in the back house that they learned about Chen's intentions.Unavoidably dimmed the thoughts in my heart, and became more and more honest.