This Laba Festival, the Hou Mansion is destined to be less lively than in previous years.
After worshiping the ancestors, Xie Feng immediately led Xie Shi to go to Chief Li Shan to confess his mistake and apologize. I don’t know what he said. In the end, Chief Li agreed to allow Xie Shi to continue studying at Songyang Academy.
As for the Yang family, the old lady did not even allow her to participate in such an important event as the Laba Temple sacrifice. Not only because the old lady was sick when she saw her, but also because she fell in Ronghuayuan yesterday, not only breaking her head, but also falling.
Two front teeth were lost.
As for Mrs. Chen, although the old lady did not give her the gift after the ancestor worship, she often carried her with her, especially when dealing with the general affairs of the Hou Mansion. When she was in a good mood, she even gave advice to Mrs. Chen.
Two sentences. No matter how stupid Mrs. Chen is, she more or less understood what the old lady meant at this time, so she was more attentive when the old lady taught her, but she never said anything wrong with what the old lady said.
Chen's meekness and obedience obviously pleased the old lady. Although it did not dispel the resentment and resentment that the old lady had towards her over the years, at least the old lady would no longer face her with a cold face.
On this day, the old lady finished handling the general affairs and sent Mr. Chen back.
Aunt Zhu saw the tired look on the old lady's face, and she hurriedly stepped forward and gently pressed her forehead.
After a while, the old lady's eyebrows gradually relaxed.
Aunt Zhu has served her for so many years and has always known what she needs best.
"Bihen, thank you for being by my side, otherwise this mess in the house would be..." At this point, the old lady couldn't help but frown again.
It was now the end of the year, and all the matters, big and small, were waiting for her to make decisions. She had not taken care of the general affairs for many years, and now that she suddenly took over, it was really too much for her. Fortunately, she still had Aunt Zhu by her side, otherwise, she might have been
I have long given up my career.
Thinking of this, the old lady couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Sure enough, she had been living too leisurely and comfortably these past years.
Yang must have noticed this, so he unscrupulously dared to show off in front of her.
"Look what the old lady said, this is what a slave should do." Aunt Zhu said with a smile.
"I really don't want to get involved in this mess, but I can't help it. Whoever made me suffer, these two are supporting me on the wall." The old lady said and sighed again.
Seeing that the old lady looked quite relaxed, Nanny Zhu smiled and said tentatively, "I have seen that Madam Shizi is very attentive these days. I think it won't be long before she can take care of your worries."
"She? Do you really think she can take care of the middle feeder?" The old lady raised her eyebrows and looked at Nanny Zhu with a half-smile.
In the past few days, the reason why she took Chen with her to give some advice was firstly because of the situation, and secondly because she wanted to show it to Xie Zheng and Xie Wu. As for Zhongzheng, she had never thought about actually handing him over.
In Chen's hands.
The reason why she said that before was to appease the big house. Moreover, she also expected that Mrs. Chen would not be able to handle the middle feeder. When something went wrong, she could just take it back. But she didn't expect that before she could implement it, Yang
Something went wrong first!
"I don't know if Madam Prince can take care of the secondary slaves, but the eldest girl can definitely do it." Aunt Zhu took over the old lady's words and said with a smile.
The old lady fell silent immediately.
Xie Wu is indeed capable. Whether it is a sewing room or a cockfight, she handles everything flawlessly. She has both scheming and means. The most important thing is that she is stable!
No matter how unfavorable the situation is for her, she can stand firm!
But the only bad thing was that she couldn't see through her, and she wasn't sure she could hold her.
Thinking about this, the old lady could not help but think of the situation when she left Xie Wu behind that day.
——Sister Wu, tell me the truth. What happened today must have been expected by you. Otherwise, you would not have been so well prepared. But I still have some doubts. You, Xie Wu, are among them.
What role does it play?
——It depends on Grandma and Second Uncle, what role do you want me to play? When Xie Wu said this, she smiled indifferently, but her eyes were so bright that people dared not look directly into them.
.
At that moment, the old lady was indescribably shocked.
Because for a moment, she felt as if Xie Wu had seen through her.
She seemed to see countless indifferences and ridicules in her eyes, but when she wanted to identify them carefully, there was nothing in her eyes, only the depth of a pool, as if all the indifference and ridicules just now were hers.
the illusion.
Afterwards, she quietly sent someone to investigate again, but everything was just as Xie Wu said. Gui'an bought the fighting cock with 130 taels of silver, and then lied to Shi brother that he bought it with 500 taels of silver.
, after what happened, he said that the fighting cock was sold to him by Mei Sheng.
All the witnesses and physical evidence are consistent with what Xie Wu said.
Thinking of this, the old lady's temples jumped again.
"Does the old lady have concerns about the eldest lady because of what happened that day?" Seeing the old lady frowning again, Grandma Zhu asked hurriedly and tentatively.
Being told what was on her mind by Aunt Zhu, the old lady pursed her lips and hesitated for a while, and finally said to her, "Weren't you there that day? I don't believe you didn't notice that she was angry with me."
Aunt Zhu just smiled and did not refute the old lady's words.
But the old lady caught a glimpse of the smile on her lips and couldn't help but glare at her, "What, you think what I said is wrong?"
"Old madam, what you said is all right, but have you ever thought that even though the evidence is so conclusive, you still suspect that the elder girl has done something to it. This clay statue of Bodhisattva is still angry, and even more so.
Besides, the eldest girl has just suffered a lot of grievances from the Second Madam." Nanny Zhu looked at the old lady with a smile and said.
"I just asked casually." The old lady closed her eyes and said calmly.
What the old lady said was just a casual question. In fact, everyone knew that she was really suspicious of Xie Wu's involvement, otherwise she would not have opened her mouth to test Xie Wu.
Aunt Zhu smiled again and followed the old lady's words and said, "Of course I know that the old lady has no ill intentions. I believe that the eldest lady was just angry for a moment. Look, when the eldest lady came to pay her respects in the past two days, she didn't return the favor.
Is it the same as usual?"
The old lady's eyes moved, "You are kind to Sister Wu, and you speak for her from time to time."
Aunt Zhu was shocked in her heart, but she didn't show it at all on her face. She frowned and saluted the old lady, then looked at the old lady distressedly and said, "How can I speak for the eldest lady? I clearly want to speak for the eldest lady."
Madam, please find someone to pick up this hot potato. You have been complaining about headaches more and more recently. Have you forgotten what Dr. Li told you?"
No matter how sincere Nanny Zhu was in what she said, it still sounded very sweet to the old lady's ears.
Now the only person around her who can say these things to her is probably Grandma Zhu...
"How come you have such a good gift of power, and it turns into a hot potato in your mouth? Why haven't you learned to speak at this age?" The old lady glanced at Nanny Zhu and said, pretending to be angry.
"Yes, yes, my slave made a mistake." Aunt Zhu admitted her mistake to the old lady with a smile.
"Tomorrow, gather all the housekeepers in the inner house together, and then take them to Cuizhuyuan for Mrs. Crown Prince to recognize them." The old lady smiled and looked at Aunt Zhu again, and finally said what she wanted.
Words.
She is getting older, and even with Aunt Zhu helping her, she still feels a little powerless. And now that it is the end of the year, there will only be more and more things for her to worry about and make decisions. She really needs to find someone who can help her.
people.
And looking at the Hou Mansion, it is true that as Grandma Zhu said, only Xie Wu can take over this hot potato.
"Don't worry, old lady, I will take care of some things." Aunt Zhu Fushen responded.
The old lady nodded.
After Madam Zhu saluted, she walked behind the old lady and pressed her forehead.
The old lady closed her eyes comfortably.
But at this moment, Feicui suddenly came in and reported, "Old madam, the concierge came to report that there is a girl named Jiang who wants to see you. She claims to be your niece."
"Niece?" The old lady looked at Aunt Zhu in surprise.
Aunt Zhu lowered her head and thought for a while, then Fu Shen said to the old lady, "I remember that you have a cousin who married in Jinzhong, and her husband's family seems to be named Jiang."
As soon as Jinzhong was mentioned, the old lady immediately remembered who her cousin was.
That was her aunt's daughter, four or five years older than her. She often came to her uncle's house to play with her when she was young. However, one year during the Lantern Festival, she was targeted by human traffickers. Although she was rescued in the end, her reputation was ruined and she was forced to leave.
Not long ago, she married a merchant in Jinzhong. At that time, her mother often lamented in front of her that her cousin was unlucky.
Unexpectedly, her daughter now came to the door.
Soon, the news spread to Cuizhuyuan.
At that time, Xie Wu was teaching Xianyue how to read. After hearing what the maid said, she just raised her eyebrows slightly.
But underneath this subtle movement was the silent murderous look in Xie Wu's eyes.
Aunt Jiang, it’s been such a long time!
Early the next morning, when Mrs. Chen and Xie Wu went to the Ronghua Courtyard to pay their respects, there was indeed a beauty like a flower beside the old lady.
However, what surprised Xie Wu even more was that Xie Yuan was also there.
"Yingxue, I came here to meet your eldest cousin." The old lady glanced at the woman beside her and said.
Hearing this, Jiang Yingxue hurriedly walked up to Ms. Chen and said to her with a blushing face, "Sister-in-law."
"Hey, get up, get up." Mrs. Chen quickly stood up and reached out to help her up.
Jiang Yingxue glanced at Mrs. Chen gratefully, and was about to say something when she suddenly caught sight of a cold and smiling gaze. She felt something strange in her heart for no reason. When she was guessing her identity, the owner of that gaze smiled lightly and spoke.
.
"Ah Wu has met my cousin."
It turns out to be the eldest girl of the Hou family!
Last night, she had already inquired about the situation in the Hou Mansion from Jade's mouth, and according to Jade's mouth, this young girl was an extremely powerful and shrewd person. No wonder, no wonder the look she just looked at her made her feel uncomfortable.
Come to think of it, she was just guessing her purpose of coming to the Hou Mansion...
It would be better for her not to offend such a person.
Having made up her mind, Jiang Yingxue quickly lowered her eyes and smiled sheepishly at Xie Wu.
"Your cousin is going to stay in our house for a while. If you are free, take her around the house." The old lady looked at Xie Wu and said calmly.