Shen Xiu knew that there were many social events during the New Year, so she waited until the sixth day of the first lunar month to see the county magistrate's wife.
She hadn't been here for a long time, and it was New Year's Day, so Shen Xiu bought four-color gifts and added two embroidered handkerchiefs.
Wen Min has been pregnant for six months.
When Shen Xiu came to see her, Wen Min was wearing a large jacket, but her bloated figure could be seen.
Sister-in-law Xu was waiting next to her. Compared to Wen Min who had been raised to be fat and fat, Sister-in-law Xu was a little thinner.
Shen Xiu looked on with cold eyes. The wife and concubine got along quite harmoniously, and this harmony mainly depended on Sister-in-law Xu's ability to stay humble and keep a low profile.
As soon as Wen Min said she was thirsty, Sister-in-law Xu took the initiative to take over the maid's work, fetched jujube honey, and personally prepared a bowl of honey water with just the right sweetness for Wen Min.
"Ma'am, be careful if you burn it." Sister-in-law Xu reminded her thoughtfully.
Shen Xiu was amazed to see it. It turned out that being a concubine not only required one to abide by one's duties, but also had to be able to serve one's wife.
Wen Min took a few sips of the honey water, and then remembered the chestnut cake she had eaten a few days ago. So Sister-in-law Xu went down to make arrangements.
As soon as Sister-in-law Xu left, Wen Min put down the honey and said, "You and Xu Hui are old acquaintances. Seeing that she is acting like a maid now, you shouldn't think that I have gone too far, right?"
It's too much. Shen Xiu has no position to say this.
She considered her words carefully and said: "Sister-in-law Xu is now seeking kindness and getting kindness. Even if Madam makes things difficult for her, I'm afraid she will feel that this is a blessing that she can only ask for."
"You are good at talking." Wen Min pursed her lips and said with a smile, "Seeking benevolence will lead to benevolence, right? What she begged for was the county magistrate's concubine. Now that she has this status, she will naturally feel that she is even embarrassed by me.
This is already considered a blessing.”
Wen Min finished laughing and said: "Besides, I didn't make things difficult for her, I just asked her to do things. If it falls into the hands of my mother." After saying this, he paused and said, "Have you ever seen the noble ladies in the capital torturing their concubines?
The most cruel method is to drink a cup of colorless and tasteless tea and keep it so that you will never have a child again. The worst thing is to just keep the child and kill the mother."
Shen Xiu felt a little uncomfortable after hearing this, and felt that the methods of those noble ladies in the capital were too ruthless.
Wen Min noticed it quickly and changed the subject: "Let's not talk about this anymore. You always come to the door for nothing. If you come here today, you must have something to do!"
Shen Xiu calmed down and told what Trini had entrusted to her, "That woman's family affairs are relatively clean and her body is strong. If Madam is interested, I will bring her to you another day to take a look."
Wen Min muttered: "Then bring him here first, and I'll see him first."
While he was talking, a maid suddenly came from outside and said, "My cousin is here."
Before Shen Xiu could go out, Luo Gong had already lifted the curtain and walked in, "Cousin, are there any guests here?" He glanced at Shen Xiu sitting in front of the guests.
A trace of discomfort flashed across Luo Gong's face.
Wen Min saw it clearly and glanced at Shen Xiu.
Shen Xiu's face was calm. She didn't seem to know Luo Gong, nor could she see anything unusual.
"Since cousin has guests here, I'll come back later." Luo Gong was about to leave, but was stopped by Wen Min.
"Cousin, don't leave yet." Wen Min said, "If you don't come over today, I will ask the maid to send a message. Didn't you ask your cousin-in-law for help? Your cousin-in-law said that after the eighth day of the lunar month, there will be no social activities.
.”
Luo Gong's face lit up with joy, "Thank you cousin for telling me, I'll get ready when I get back."
He promised Qu Huan that he would introduce several people to Zuo County Magistrate. However, Zuo County Magistrate was very busy at the end of the year, so he had postponed it until now.
Seeing that the county examination was about to take place, Qu Huan came to urge him yesterday and asked him when County Magistrate Zuo would be free.
Now that he learned the news from Wen Min, Luo Gong planned to introduce several people to Zuo County Magistrate after the eighth day of the lunar month.
He left Wen Min's place in a good mood. As soon as he walked to the door of the courtyard, he suddenly remembered what he had asked Shen Xiu to do.
So he was not in a hurry to hang out, and found a position with the wind and the sun at the door of the backyard of the county government office, basking in the sun while waiting for Shen Xiu to come out.
Half an hour later, Shen Xiu came out carrying a basket of tangerines.
The mandarin oranges were given to the left county magistrate by his subordinates, so Wen Min asked someone to put them in a basket for Shen Xiu to take back.
The maids all knew that Shen Xiu was valued by Wen Min, so they filled the basket full. The basket of mandarin oranges weighed seven or eight kilograms, and Shen Xiu's hands were a little heavy while carrying it. She was about to call a bullock cart to go back, when she saw Luo Gong appeared out of nowhere.
"Master Luo." Shen Xiu was almost startled, "What are you doing here?"
"Of course I'm waiting for you." Luo Gong said with a smile: "There is something that Mrs. Shen doesn't know yet! The classmate Qu Huan mentioned is me. I have almost collected the one thousand taels of silver, but I just don't know. When did Madam Shen start embroidering that orchid album?"
When Shen Xiu heard this, he understood. It turned out that the young master from the capital that Qu Huan was talking about was the young Mr. Luo in front of him.
"No wonder I heard you call the county magistrate's wife cousin. It turns out you are all from the capital."
Regarding this incident, Shen Xiu didn't show much surprise, let alone any displeasure.
As long as he gives money, he is her guest. As for whether it is Qu Huan or Mr. Luo, it does not make much difference to her.
"I'm afraid Mr. Luo will have to wait for a few days." Shen Xiudao said, "I have a rule that I won't do any needlework until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month."
This rule was set by her master. The master said that as an embroiderer, you have no time to rest all year round, so during the first month of the year, you must take a good rest so that your eyes will not be tired.
Shen Xiu always remembered this advice, so every year at the end of the year, he would take a break for more than half a month.
Luo Gong thought for a while and realized that there were only a few days until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, so he said: "I will ask Qu Huan to send it to you for the thousand taels of silver, but do you want it in cash or in banknotes?"
Shen Xiudao: "It's better to have a banknote! But Mr. Luo doesn't have to rush to give me all the one thousand taels of silver. He only needs to pay a deposit of one hundred taels of silver. It won't be too late to give me more money after the orchid album is embroidered."
Luo Gong waved his hand and said: "I paid a deposit when I bought something, so I can just give it to you directly. It's just a thousand taels of silver."
This tone is so loud, he looks like a rich man who spends money like water. No wonder he had to sell fake handkerchiefs in exchange for money. He must have spent all the money.
When Shen Xiu thought of this, she couldn't help but smile, and immediately covered it up: "Okay, I'll listen to you."
Who would think that the money was too little? Since he had given the money to him in advance, he would take care of it.
Luo Gong then warned Shen Xiu that when asking Shen Xiu to do embroidery work, it would be better to be slower and more precise. After all, the nobles in the capital have high standards.
Shen Xiuyun didn't mention it. She hoped to open up the market in the capital city more than Luo Gong. If the orchid book could win the favor of noble people, then her reputation could be spread.
The two talked for a long time at the door before they separated. Before leaving, Luo Gong took a tangerine from Shen Xiu's basket.
Shen Xiu glared at him, only to receive a proud smile from Luo Gong.
What a dandy, Shen Xiu walked back with the basket, completely unaware of a sneaky figure nearby.