"Didn't the lady give out rewards to everyone?" Chen Qing asked with a smile.
"I'm just announcing that the specific payment of reward money is a matter for the steward and the accountant."
Lu Xiu smiled and said, "But I heard that a certain prince wanted to give us gifts, so I came over to take a look."
“They are all local products from the countryside, they are quite wild and interesting.”
Chen Qing brought over a big basket full of bamboo tableware and said with a smile: "This is it, do you like it? It's not expensive. It only cost three guan in total."
The girls' eyes lit up and they gathered around them. These bamboo tube plates, cups and bowls were really interesting.
Lu Xiu smiled and said nothing. She bought a lot of these things when she was in Qinzhou, and later gave them to her servants when she moved. These bamboo utensils are worth several hundred coins at most, and my husband actually spent three guans of money on them, ugh!
When Lu Xiu turned around, she saw Yao Mei and Yu Ying coveting small chairs and tables. She couldn't help laughing and scolding: "You two worthless people actually snatched things from the young lady. Send them back quickly, and then go to the study to light the brazier."
."
Everyone arranged carriages and returned to their respective houses.
Chen Qing also returned to his study. The study was as warm as spring, and a pot of charcoal fire was burning brightly. Yao Mei was making tea for Chen Qing. When she saw her master entering the room, she quickly stepped forward and took off his coat.
Chen Qing suddenly felt that she was quite tall, equivalent to about 1.7 meters in later generations, so he gestured above her head and said with a smile: "She has grown a lot!"
Yao Mei has been serving Chen Qing for a whole year, and she will be seventeen years old tomorrow after the New Year. She has changed a lot this year, her youthful aura quickly faded, her body gradually became plump, and she was very full and full, quite seventy-eight years old.
Feminine feeling.
In particular, she was extremely beautiful. None of Chen Qing's wives could compare with her, which made Chen Qing quite fond of her.
Yao Mei said a little embarrassedly: "My wife said that I have reached my peak and will not grow any taller."
Chen Qing sat down and asked with a smile: "How much reward did you get today?"
"Madam gave me two hundred silver coins."
Chen Qing was slightly surprised. Two hundred pieces of silver were equivalent to a hundred guan. You must know that the other personal maids only had 20 guan.
With a thought, Chen Qing understood that his wife regarded Yao Mei as a concubine.
Chen Qing waved to her, and Yao Mei walked up obediently, leaning on Chen Qing's lap shyly.
Chen Qing held her waist and asked in a low voice: "I heard Ah Ying say that your relationship with Chunxi is not very good?"
"It was okay at first, but then she became more hostile to me and said that I took her seat."
"Where are the other personal maids?"
"They are all relatively indifferent to me, but I don't care. My wife is very nice to me, and Sister Ah Ying often takes me shopping."
"Do you know how much reward Chunxi and the others receive?"
Yao Mei nodded, "I know! Madam also said that starting from next month, my monthly income will be increased to 30 guan."
"You have already ascended the throne, how can they not be jealous?"
"I don't want to bear this false reputation!"
"What false name?" Chen Qing didn't understand at first.
Yao Mei bit her lip, lowered her head, and whispered in Chen Qing's ear: "When the flowers are in bloom, they need to be broken, but don't wait until there are no flowers to break the branches."
Chen Qing's heart became hot, he hugged the little beauty in his arms and said with a smile: "This year is New Year's Eve, it is customary to take a bath, so you can take a bath with me today!"
The master takes care of the bathing himself. He gave special instructions today. Of course Yao Mei understands what he means. She nodded shyly, "I'll prepare the big bucket!"
At this moment, a little head poked its head in, frightening Yao Mei to stand up quickly, "Xue'er, what's wrong?"
"Sister Amei, Mom said that everyone will take a bath in the afternoon to welcome the new year, so I want you to go over and take a bath with us."
Yao Mei looked back at Chen Qing helplessly. Chen Qing knew very well that this was his wife reminding him that it was not time to pick flowers yet.
He had no choice but to smile bitterly, "Go ahead! Ah Ying will come and wait for me to bathe later."
In the afternoon of New Year's Eve, every family takes a bath to wash away the old clothes, wash their hair, put on new clothes, have New Year's Eve dinner, and stay vigil in the evening to pay homage to their ancestors.
Taking a bath in winter was a big deal in ancient times. It was not a big problem for wealthy families, but it was not easy for poor families. The consumption of fuel was certainly an important reason. Taking a bath and boiling water required a load of firewood, which poor families could not afford.
rise.
But this is not the main reason. The main reason is that the weather is cold in winter, and it is easy to catch a cold while taking a bath. You must know that in the era without antibiotics, once a cold turned into pneumonia, and there was no money to treat it, the body could resist it. If the body was weaker, it would be alive.
worries.
But on New Year's Eve, you must take a bath. The room is heated and the family takes turns taking a bath.
Chen Qing took a bath in the afternoon with Zhao Yingluo and his two sons, Chen Yang, who was three years old, and Chen Lu, who was just six months old. Chen Qing lay lazily in the large tub, enjoying what Zhao Yingluo gave him.
After massaging and washing his hair, Chen Qing looked at his two little bare-butt sons happily tossing in the water, and felt a sense of family happiness in his heart.
"Yingluo, how does your father take a bath?" Chen Qing put his hand around Zhao Yingluo's waist and asked.
Zhao Yingluo patted Chen Qing's restless hand away and said: "He! He bathes very extravagantly, with hundreds of maids and concubines waiting on him. You can't imagine the ostentation. The hall is paved with gold and jade, and the hall is full of silk, and there is just a pool of water.
It was boiled with dozens of delicious herbs, and the imperial doctor said the water would cost thousands of dollars."
Chen Qing was thinking about something else, "Is it that the women who take care of his old man's bath don't even wear clothes?"
"of course!"
Chen Qing listened with leisurely longing, "This is the life of an emperor! Am I, King Yong, a bit too old-fashioned?"
Zhao Yingluo covered her mouth and smiled and said: "It's a little bit earthy, but we all like it, so it's better to be a bit earthy."
Chen Qing rolled his eyes and smiled: "Next time, let's take a bath together as a family! Don't we have a big pool?"
"That's a good idea!"
Zhao Yingluo pursed her lips and smiled and said: "These two little brats can do it, but Ji'er is a bit older, so I'm afraid it will be inconvenient."
"That brat doesn't count, he can wash it off himself."
Zhao Yingluo chuckled and said: "Tomorrow I will tell my eldest sister about the ambitions of officials, so that you can also enjoy the royal pomp. We five sisters will accompany you to wash together, plus a bunch of brats."
“Can’t wait until next time.”
Chen Qing gave her a wink, and Zhao Yingluo understood. She immediately lowered the curtain, wrapped herself in a big bath towel, called the two wet nurses waiting in the outer room, wrapped the two children in thick bath towels, and handed them to the two wet nurses.
.
The nurse left with the baby in her arms. Zhao Yingluo took off her bath towel and happily walked into the vat. She immediately got into her husband's arms. She put her arms around Chen Qing's neck and said with a smile: "I'm here to take care of the long live Lord's bath!"
"
With their hearts in hand, the two fell in love in the water, and the house was filled with love for a while.
In another large pool, Princess Lu Xiu and Zhao Qiaoyun were bathing together, and several maids washed their hair. At the other end of the pool, Yao Mei was also soaking in the water, playing with the two young ladies on the boat.
"Sister, the fruit is almost ripe!" Zhao Qiaoyun glanced at Yao Mei and said with a smile.
Lu Xiu sighed softly: "You said she is a girl from Datong in the north. How can her skin be so white and delicate, and her appearance so dewy and beautiful? She is even more delicate than a girl from the south of the Yangtze River. Even though I am a woman, I will be attracted to her. No wonder the prince is attracted to her."
she."
"Let the prince take her into the room!"
"Wait a little longer and take it step by step. I'm going to arrange for her to stay overnight."
Lu Xiu and Zhao Qiaoyun were talking in a low voice, but they did not notice the two personal maids behind them, Chun Xi and Xia Huan. Although they were also naked, they were not qualified to enter the pool. The two of them looked at the man sitting in the hot pool.
