[Red Mansions] The big maid struggles daily

The goose feather snow fell all night, and it gradually stopped at noon.Deng Ji, the deputy commander of the West City Army Division of the Five Cities, waved his hands and patted the snow foam on his body. He walked into the commander's office and said with a smile: "The snow is falling well, and there should be a good harvest next year!"

Zhan Dong was holding a purse to look at it, when he saw him crashing in and put it in his arms.

As if he had seen something shocking and strange, Deng Ji shouted to the outside: "Brother Hai, Brother Hai! Come in quickly!" As he spoke, he couldn't wait for Xu Hai to walk in, so he hurriedly opened the door curtain and took a few steps to hold it. Xu Hai, "Oh! Let me tell you, you have such a stubborn temper and such a straightforward sister-in-law, why did you fall in love with you! I am such a good-looking person who can't find a daughter-in-law. It's hard for me …When I saw an official matchmaker when I was taking people on a street tour, I wished I could go up and give a thousand dollars to someone, so I hoped that he would tell me a good marriage!"

With an honest and kind face paralyzed, Xu Hai said slowly after being dragged into the room: "There is an old saying, 'The soft part of the melon is pinched, and the tip of the wax gun can speak'!"

Deng Ji let out a "hey" and squinted at his old brother Hai: "This is the advantage of Lao Taishan being a master of Juren! Brother Hai can drop his book bag if he learns."

Xu Hai was older than his two brothers, and was already married.He is a martial artist who can only read and write, and he has adopted a Juren's only daughter as his wife, who is also the master of the school where he can read and write.Although the old father-in-law couldn't hold back his daughter, he was unwilling to "teach" his son-in-law in different ways.So poor Xu Hai, who had thrown away his books for many years, lived a life of misery, and now he is still reciting the Book of Songs with his family's enlightened kid.

A dead boy, who exposes others but not his faults.Xu Hai brushed the snow off his body, and asked in an angry voice, "What are you doing, a hairy monkey with a burned butt?"

Deng Ji winked at Zhan Dong and twitched his eyebrows, and said to Xu Hainu: "Master Commander—our Dongzi has become enlightened! If it's not snowing and the sun is not shining today, the sun is destined to rise from the west!"

Xu Hai glanced at Zhan Dong, and was also very nervous.It's just that this person was wiping the knife behind the big case, and he was calm and steady, without turning his eyelids. This could be a sign of enlightenment.

Deng Ji just laughed: "Hey, what am I bluffing you for? Do you know what I saw when I came in just now?" Pointing at Zhan Dong, he said: "He is holding a purse in his hands!"

Zhan Dong, who was wiping the knife, raised his eyes and glanced at him, but said nothing.

Deng Ji beamed with joy as he spoke: "You don't know, Dongzi, when did you have these things on your body? Besides, he was so vigilant at that time, and he would know when I was a foot away from the door. Hehehe, Isn’t this enlightenment? Dongzi, who sent you?”

Zhan Dong didn't even look at him now, but Xu Hai asked, "Is it a purse with red embroidery on a black background?"

Deng Ji rushed over and asked in surprise, "How do you know?"

Xu Hai just took off the Yanling Saber on his waist, it was very strange.It wasn't until Deng Ji became very anxious that he slowly said: "A few days ago, there was something wrong with the evil ways that harmed people..."

Deng Ji nodded again and again: "I know, the demon way is a bit good, so many people had to go up to cut up the demon way, and drove them out of Beijing. After this meritorious service, we Dongzi will at least take the acting commander on top of his head. The 'representation' of the messenger has been removed... Brother Hai, I don't know what you are talking about." For this kind of evil and evil people, every yamen in Beijing has an unspoken practice: there is a full If you are sure, you will take it on the street; if you don't, you must first expel him from Beijing, and then pursue it.This is because he is afraid that this kind of people will be rushed, and he will resort to some despicable and cruel methods at the feet of the emperor to cause a big mess.

Xu Hai glared at him, his impatience was repeated, and he said immediately: "On that day, Dongzi's purse fell out and I saw it." The monster seemed a little afraid of the purse.

After thinking for a while, Xu Hai said again: "Dongzi's purse has the tiger pattern of the god of the town house. I think those evil spirits and heretics are afraid of these things. Your sister-in-law also made me a talisman to hang it. You also go to the temple and ask for it."

Deng Ji said with a smile: "Your sister-in-law made it. What about Dongzi's? You can't get it from the temple. Seeing that he still keeps it in his arms like a rarity, who would believe it? No, you said it was a town house." A pouch with a tiger pattern?"

Without waiting for Xu Hai to nod his head, Deng Ji jumped up to Zhan Dong's side, "I said, we were ordered to go to the Lin's house to pick up things, why are you trading a purse with a young girl! Tell me, which one do you like?" ?..."

"Shut up!" Both Xu Hai and Zhan Dong shouted at him, and even such secret servants could say it.

Deng Ji smacked his mouth and said hastily: "There are only three of us here, we're getting dizzy, let's not talk about it."

But both he and Xu Hai stared at Zhan Dong with interest, Zhan Dong was not very talkative, and couldn't hold on, and said, "Don't ask, I didn't say anything."

That is to say, before the horoscope was written, Deng Ji understood: "I don't know who you are at all?"

After all, both of them find it boring, and the girl doesn't know about it, plus Dongzi's cold temper, this probably ends here.

"Hey, I was so happy for nothing! Dongzi is still not with me. After all, how many times have I been to the house with the official matchmaker... Dongzi will not be able to marry a wife. What's the use of just being enlightened!" With shoulders and shoulders, he went to the ear room to rest.

Zhandong stopped wiping the knife, did he miss it?Not counting, it’s just that I haven’t had such a relationship with any woman for so many years. On the Wanshou Festival, my scabbard loosened her hair, and I pretended to go to the Lin’s Mansion thousands of miles away to meet again. Is it fate?Zhandong touched the purse in his bosom, and he didn't know why, seeing the girl pick a purse with candies for Xiaoyaoer, he exchanged it with someone by some kind of magic.

In fact, when Zhandong saw Zhu Xiu again in Lin Ruhai's mansion, he was skeptical at first, fearing that the girl was a spy, but Zhu Xiu's origin is very easy to find out, and it has nothing to do with official business.Zhan Dong felt relieved, and somehow got back the purse.After returning to Beijing to return to his command, he returned to the Wucheng Army and was promoted to be the deputy commander. He even knew all about Zhu Xiu's ins and outs. .

Zhu Xiu didn't know that someone was thinking about her, but now she was cleaning rouge paste with Daiyu and Sanyan of Jia's mansion.

Several people sat around on the smoking cage, and the large black lacquered table in front of them was filled with bottles, jars, mortars, and small braziers with silver hangers and so on.Talking and laughing all the way, playing around all the way, is also full of fun.

"If I didn't see this purple rivet here, I definitely don't know what it is. The things in Chenla Kingdom are all weird." Tanchun smiled while stirring the purple-red glue in the silver hanging pot.

Zhu Xiu said: "This thing is the resin secreted by lac insects after absorbing the juice from the Buttercup tree. The color it boils out is lighter than that made by saffron. The rouge that girls use this to make every day is just right. Suitable."

Yingchun grinds the pearl powder finely with a mortar, and said with a smile, "This is really grinding your teeth, how much effort does it take to make such a little rouge?"

Xichun and Daiyu were using fine gauze to filter the white stone resin powder. Hearing this, Xichun smiled and said, "We have nothing to do with you, how interesting it is to tinker with yourself. Besides, the second sister was talking, but she didn't stop her hands. The ones we buy outside are still delicate.”

Daiyu also laughed: "In spring and summer, the oily rouge cream made of saffron, rose, comfrey mixed with coral powder, pearl powder and beeswax is good for face and lips. This year We made it once when we got home, and we also got the rose ointment made by fumigation and pounding of fresh flowers, which are very useful, but those two are not durable, and they can’t be used after a month.”

Zhu Xiu was heating and pounding Taocheng beeswax, and said with a smile: "Let's make two kinds of this, one is made into powdery rouge cake like lead powder, and the other is mixed with beeswax to make it into ointment. I still have it in there. There are some dried rose petals, and there is also rice flour soaked in lotus flowers in summer, the petals can be used for coloring, and the rice flour can be used as makeup powder.”

The other four said: "Get it quickly."

Zhu Xiu's name is Jiuqiu: "There are two boxes on the bottom floor of the Tieli Papaya Ridge Noodle Cabinet in my house, please help me carry them here." Since returning, Zhu Xiu has lived in Luocuiwu for a long time, and Daiyu He ordered to clean up one of the vacant rooms next to Madam Zhu's house and give it to her.Mother Jia knew what was going on, and everyone thought it was because of Nanny Zhu, and they didn't even think about it.

When I came back in Jiuqiu, I opened the box and saw dried flowers of various colors stored in silk bags made of starched cooked silk. Tanchun smiled and said, "How did you keep it? The fragrance is still very strong. I smell it." It's better than when it was flowers."

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "The flowers in the south of the Yangtze River are the most prosperous. I made these dried petals. I don't know how many flowers were wasted before I selected them petal by petal."

Daiyu stroked her chest and smiled: "Isn't that right? This is a narrow-minded ghost. Those beautiful flowers of mine have caused her a lot of trouble. But she still has a plausible argument, and what she says is better than 'scattered into mud and dust'." That's good, how annoying!" Although the Rongguo Mansion is magnificent and rich, it is far less exquisite and natural than the Lin family's, and the Lin family's own house is surrounded by a small hill, with mountains and rivers, and many flowers and trees.What's more, there are little girls selling flowers in baskets in the streets and alleys, and there is a style of fighting flowers, but it is just like Zhuxiu's intention.

The sisters talked and laughed, and talked about flowers, Tanchun said: "I like stronger and brighter flowers."

Before she could finish speaking, Xichun covered her mouth and smiled, "I know, I know, people say that the third girl in our family is a 'rose', red and fragrant, but thorny and prickly, but everyone loves her." of."

Tanchun was about to come up and pinch her mouth, Xichun quickly hid behind Daiyu, and said with a smile, "Sister Lin, help me."

Tan Chun said: "You have learned badly too. What kind of people are chewing on their tongues, are you willing to learn?"

Yingchun smiled and said: "Okay, okay. Here is a brazier and a hot pot. Don't dare to mess around, just overturn it and burn it carefully." And said: "Since I called this name, naturally it is the last I love winter jasmine, and the Tang poem says, "Jinying Cuicalyx is cold in spring, and there are several kinds of yellow flowers", which is exactly what I want."

Daiyu shook her head, and said slowly: "I think the phrase 'As soon as the flowers bloom at the dawn of a tall building, you will feel the spring everywhere' is more suitable. The second sister's name is this, and her personality and temperament are also like this, making people feel spring at the first sight. "

Tanchun said: "I love apricot blossoms the most, especially the scene of 'the spring breeze blows into snow'."

Xichun clapped her hands and said with a smile, "I am not familiar with other lines, but the line 'red apricot branches are full of spring' is most like the third sister. The third sister doesn't care about 'green poplar smoke outside the dawn is cold', and the warm red fragrance blooms unselfishly. It is the character of the third sister."

Tanchun said: "It's too late to talk about these good things now! When we go back, sister Lin will be without you to protect you. Let's see how I can tickle your itch!"

Xichun is most afraid of itching, so she rushes over to beg for mercy.

Tanchun pushed her and ordered her to speak.Xichun thought for a while, and said distressedly: "I don't know what kind of flower I am. It's probably because I didn't name it well. Xin Jiaxuan said, 'Xichun is often afraid of flowers blooming early'. I am afraid that flowers will bloom. What kind of flowers do I like?"

Everyone who was talking laughed, and Yingchun said: "A few years ago, I always said that I would shave my head and go to be an aunt. I also said that I love Buddha's lotus and mandala the most. Who knew that sister Lin brought back such beautiful flowers from Jiangnan. If your flower hairpin comes back, you don’t want to tell me in advance, and you think your nanny’s hair is not combed well, so you can’t add another beloved flower hairpin.”

Xichun blushed and said with a smile: "Sister Lin thought of me and sent those ingenious and exquisite flowers, how can I let me down. Besides, what sister Zhuxiu said is right, the stories she told Don’t you like to hear it? This nunnery and monk’s temple are not necessarily clean. I can only learn from Su Zizhan’s ‘This is my hometown’. As long as I am clean, why do I have to go to those aunt’s temples that I don’t know going in."

Zhu Xiu said: "Fourth Miss, this is enlightenment, just let go of your heart, why bother with those forms of shackles. Those monks and nuns have nothing to do? If this is the case, why bother to offer sacrifices to the mansion all year round? , I’m afraid that the wine and meat are eaten less, and they say that ‘the wine and meat pass through the intestines, and the Buddha’s heart stays’. Even those who have become Buddhas, don’t they want to jump out of the wall?”

After a pause, I couldn't help laughing: "If not, where did the 'Buddha Jump over the Wall' come from?"

Everyone said: "It's so narrow, if you can't say it well in a while, we will fight it out."

Zhu Xiu hurriedly shook her head and waved her hands: "Girls are very knowledgeable, and those poems and words can be spoken as soon as they open their mouths. I can't, I can't say it or not."

Tanchun smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, we will punish you if you say it is not good."

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "Punishment is fine, if I accept punishment, I will punish me and invite the girls to have a cup at noon, how about Buddha jumping over the wall?"

Daiyu said: "She has been preparing it since last night, and stewed it when she got up early. In the past, she was always lazy and thought it was troublesome. Today, let's enjoy it in a big way."

Sanchun knew that Luo Cuiwu opened the kitchen by himself, and said: "If it is delicious, let's let it go, if there is one who refuses to praise, then the punishment will be doubled, and we will comment on a poem about Buddha jumping over the wall."

Xichun said: "Let's think about it, I like the tree stalk the most. Although this flower blooms late, it is also known as the 'Resisting Frost Flower'. I love this character. I changed the poem of Liu Zihou and called it 'There is Beauty is not self-defeating, but it can also keep its roots', okay?"

Tanchun hurriedly said: "Okay, change '安' to 'Yi', change 'An Neng Shou Gu Gen' to 'Also Shou Gu Gen', the fourth sister has ambition."

Daiyu also nodded, pursed her lips and said with a smile: "My favorite is peach blossoms, and hibiscus. I like the beauty of 'human faces and peach blossoms reflecting each other', and I also admire the beauty of 'clean and not demon'. Temperament and character. It’s just that if I choose the one I love the most, wouldn’t I be frivolous?”

Xichun smiled and said: "No one is certain that he will only love one thing. Sister Lin is very good like this. Besides, we adjusted the rouge, and next year the peach blossoms will bloom. Sister Lin will dress up, put on rouge, and walk slowly under the peach blossom tree. It’s a painting of a human face with peach blossoms…”

Tanchun also hurriedly laughed and said: "No, Sister Lin's appearance, talent, sentiment and character are also worthy of this lotus, she is elegant and flawless. It is not an exaggeration!"

Daiyu covered her mouth with a veil and smiled, "We don't talk about flowers here. We clearly use flowers to entertain people, and we sell ourselves and boast. If the flower fairy has a spirit, he must spit on us."

Zhu Xiu also laughed: "Why wait for the flower fairy to spit, I will grind the flower juice in a while, and I will apply it to the girls."

A few people gathered together, wanting Zhu Xiu to look good, Zhu Xiu hurriedly said: "I will apply it myself. I have these things. I will make some flower mud for my face, and I will wash it after applying it for a while. I guarantee that the girls will be better than other flowers." Fairy Flower God is still beautiful."

That's all.Daiyu pushed him away and asked, "What do you like?"

Zhu Xiu pursed her lips and smiled: "I like lotus too. It's just that it's not why the lotus wind sends fragrance, and the bamboo dew drips clear". What I like is that this Shuizhi is full of treasures!"

Just gesticulating, saying like a jingle: "Lotus seeds, lotus clothes, lotus pods and lotus whiskers, lotus leaves, lotus stems, lotus root nodes with lotus seed hearts can all be used as medicine, even the dew on the lotus leaves is good for you." Stuff! It can be used as both drink and food, and it also has the effect of medicine, I don’t just love it.”

Daiyu pointed at her and sighed with a smile: "It's amazing, it's amazing! This is too pragmatic, it's a magic barrier."

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "Practice is not good? If we all follow the girl's nature, I am afraid that I will live a fairy life that does not eat fireworks, but drinks wind and dew. It is extremely light and elegant. I am a member of the world of mortals, eating wine It's nature to drink meat and make a lot of noise." Since the monk with the scarlet head came, Daiyu cried more and more.Zhu Xiu looked worried, and had been thinking about it secretly during this time.

Daiyu was startled by her words, and Daiyu felt that she really had such a time when she didn't eat grains and drank dew.

Xichun smiled and said: "Sister Lin often reads and cooks tea, recites poems and imitates postcards, and makes wine, decals and makeup, there is no one who is more comfortable and elegant than Sister Lin."

There was a sense of loss and envy while speaking.Sister Lin only has an old father, but Uncle Lin himself is a man of great demeanor and loves her highly. Sister Lin who has cultivated her talent and appearance is different from others; Not to mention this daughter, brother, sister-in-law, nephew, nephew and daughter-in-law, the absurdity and filth are disgusting...

Daiyu was the most delicate-hearted. Hearing this, she hurriedly pulled Xichun over and sat down next to her, and said with a smile, "I'm not elegant, but I was the only one born by my parents, and I just pass the time by myself. I live here It's more interesting to talk and laugh with the sisters. If you don't mind, we are together every day, and you are good at painting. Although I can't, you can read it. Can I write a postscript and comment on it?"

Xichun's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly agreed.Tanchun, on the other hand, was thoughtful, she smiled and said: "Your words gave me a vague idea. Someday I will think it through and tell you, you will definitely like it!"

Talk and laugh, and get the rouge out.Xichun also said that she wanted to make a picture of the five of them putting on rouge as a souvenir.

Zhu Xiu squeezed out a voice from between her teeth: "You can't talk and laugh when you put flower mud on it, or you will get wrinkled."

Embarrassed, Xichun hurriedly put on a straight face, and patted lightly with her hands, for fear of leaving marks.

After finally holding back for a quarter of an hour, and washing her face with hot water, Xichun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"You guys are too particular about this." Tanchun said while holding the target mirror and patting Zhuxiu's lotion on his face with bamboo tube water and some flowers and herbs.

Most of the girls moved in the same way. Daiyu moved, and said with a casual chuckle: "It's not too much trouble, but it's more moisturising if you persist for a long time. This water is stored in the blooming lotus, and it's better in Yangzhou than in Duzhong. It’s warmer, the lotus blooms very vigorously in summer, we will take a blue boat to do this just after dawn..."

Zhu Xiu just laughed: "Sounds elegant, right? In fact, no one knows the taste. The mosquitoes in the lotus pond are not afraid, but they are panicked. If you don't pay attention, you will draw a line on your hand. This summer, even girls will Get off the boat twice."

At noon, all the sisters set up a table to eat in the warm pavilion of the greenhouse again. When the Buddha jumped over the wall, all the flavors were locked in the soup pot.

Daiyu laughed and said, "How can I smell the fragrance of the flowers in this greenhouse after mixing it with this fragrance?"

Tanchun said: "If you don't want to eat, just reward me, and I will keep it for dinner."

Xingyue and the others made another table, and said with a smile: "Open the window in a while, and it will be gone in half an hour. Just don't worry, girl."

Hehe Lele had finished their lunch, and everyone wanted to get some makeup powder. Suddenly, they heard people from outside: "Grandma Zhen sent someone, saying that Grandma Xiao Rong is not good, and maybe she won't survive this year. Send her away." Someone came to pick up the fourth girl and went to see the nephew and daughter-in-law."

Xichun threw down the pollen stick, and was furious when she heard the words: "Your grandma is confused, or you are not doing what you want! If your nephew and daughter-in-law are sick, why don't you ask me to go over there? I'll see if I can get better! "

The woman who came to pick him up was originally a respectable housekeeper in Ningguo Mansion. Hearing this, she smiled and said: "The strange Taoist said that although the fourth girl is young, she has a cold temperament. Your nephew and daughter-in-law are useless, please naturally I have seen the last few times, so as not to regret in the future. It is chilling to hear what you said. "

Xichun was about to stand up, but Daiyu hurriedly held her down.It's just that there is no reason for a master to quarrel with a slave, although Ru Hua should push back for her girl, but her elder brother is in the Ning Mansion, so she doesn't dare to offend these nuns.

Si Yue looked at each other, and when she was about to speak, Zhu Xiu stood up, looked the woman up and down, and said with a smile, "Which one is Mammy? I often go to Dongfu with the old lady, but I don't often see Mammy."

The woman recognized Zhu Xiu and knew that she was the proud person in front of the old lady, so she didn't dare to make a mistake, so she said: "I didn't serve my wife and grandma, I just went out with my wife and grandma, the girl doesn't recognize me."

Zhu Xiu's face suddenly drooped, and he sneered: "The fourth young lady is a rich lady and the elder of Grandma Xiaorong. Besides, the old lady taught her herself, and she didn't go to the East Mansion for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Even if you want to When I take my master back home, I should report to the old lady and wife. I don’t understand what kind of rules this is because Hulaba barged in and pointed fingers at the young girl. Is it possible that Grandma Zhen meant this! Or are you bullying her? The girl was young, she was lazy and slippery, and she didn't even care about the rules and decency that she should have, which obviously didn't pay attention to the girl, even the old lady and the wife were also contemptuous and contemptuous!"