Tonight's Qiqiao Festival was really frightening. Prince Yue said he pitied me for being frightened, so he didn't even let me eat before sending me home. I sat in the sedan chair and sulked. The heavens took pity on me. If I went home at this time, I would have to leap onto roofs and vault over walls to steal steamed buns again.
/p
The sedan chair was bumpy, so it sent me home. But when I got close to the door, I heard a lot of noise coming from inside the walls. My sharp nose also smelled an unpleasant burnt smell.
/p
The woman who sent me home didn't have a sedan chair, but because of this, her horizons were broadened. She first asked the servant to stop the sedan chair, then she quickly ran to the entrance of the mansion. After she came back, she calmly reported to me, "Miss, there's a fire."
/p
"Oh." I was even calmer than her. It was as if I was a mouse.
/p
The woman was originally very calm, but when she saw me like this, she couldn't stay calm anymore, "Miss, are you still going back?"
/p
"Of course I'm going back. Otherwise, would I sleep on the curb?"
/p
The woman thought for a moment and felt that it was reasonable, so she said, "Then, should we go quickly or slowly?"
/p
Finally, she asked the question. I excitedly raised the corners of my mouth and said to the woman, "I live in a shabby house in the mansion. There's not much space and I don't even have one or two sets of clothes. What's the point of walking quickly? It's better to walk slowly and let the servants in the mansion put out the fire first. "
/p
In fact, even if I went back early, I wouldn't have to carry a wooden bucket to put out the fire. I would just watch the fire burn across the river and see what kind of tricks these people were playing.
/p
It's a pity that I can't go up to the roof. It's really cumbersome to drag this peacock tail-like dress.
/p
The old woman happily praised, "Miss, you are wise." Then, we leisurely walked toward the entrance of the Tang family's Prime Minister's Office. I was basking in the glory of the Prince of Yue's Mansion, so I used the main gate to enter and exit the mansion. There should have been two rows of sixteen servants waiting at the gate, but because of the fire, only two manservants remained.
/p
I heard the manservant say to the woman who had escorted me, "Miss, you have returned. The matriarch said that there was a fire in the mansion, and all the servants in the mansion were sent to work. She was afraid that some random people would sneak in. As long as you are a lady, you should go to the matriarch's Qiushi Hall to rest."
/p
That old woman was a nanny from the Prince's Mansion. She had good manners, and her etiquette and aura were not comparable to that of an ordinary family. "It's July now. The weather is dry, and the air is often hot. Your Mansion should pay more attention."
/p
I heard the manservant laugh and say, "That's right, Mama is right."
/p
"If it was a small family, it wouldn't be a big deal." The old woman raised her head and looked at the imposing plaque of the Prime Minister's Office. There was a hint of disdain in her voice as she said, "But for a mansion as big as the Prime Minister's Office, if there was a fire, the servants in that courtyard would do the work. There's no need to make such a big fuss."
/p
The servant at the entrance easily let me in. Hearing the old woman's words, I couldn't help but ask, "Mama, you don't like the people in the Tang family?"
/p
The old woman thought carefully. She opened and closed her mouth a few times. Then, she said to me, "Miss, if you want to become the master of the Prince's Mansion, this old servant will tell you directly: the masters in your mansion are worthless. How many beautiful girls in the brothels in the city were sent out by the men in your mansion! Some of them were even fed mute medicine when they were pregnant and were kicked out of the mansion. People say that they shamelessly committed adultery with the manservants in the front courtyard. But the truth, sigh, everyone knows the truth in their hearts. "
/p
Hearing this, I was shocked. "The Tang Family still has a Prime Minister who is an official. How could they do such a shameless thing?"
/p
"Miss, you have lived in this mansion for more than ten years. If you don't know, how could this servant know?" The old woman sighed and said, "But the reputation of the Prime Minister's Office in the city is really bad."
/p
To be able to make the nanny speak with such resentment on the surface, it seems that the Tang Mansion I am staying in is not very clean. But I also couldn't figure it out. The head of the Tang family, Tang Chengjue, was a Prime Minister, and had the highest rank. Even if he pretended to be a Prime Minister, he still had to have some face. How could there be a reason to send the servant girl in his room out?
/p
The old woman sighed and said, "What is lacking, they can make it. The Tang family has been prosperous for only two generations. Let's see what the family will be like after these two generations."
/p
As I listened to this story, it touched my womanly heart, and I sighed along with her. After sighing with emotion, we arrived at the destination. I was helped out of the soft sedan by a servant girl. The old woman saluted to me and said, "I will see you here."
/p
I also politely returned the salute, "Take care, old woman."
/p
The Qiushi Hall was in a hubbub, unlike the cheerful laughter I heard when I arrived earlier. Instead, it was filled with mournful cries. When I opened the curtain and entered the hall, I was stunned to hear the cries. They were crying in unison. I thought the fire had killed my brothers, father, and uncles.
/p
I stepped forward and saluted, "Greetings, old lady."
/p
The old lady leaned on the soft couch and cried. I stepped forward and greeted her. She cast her muddy old eyes on me. When she saw me for the first time, she was stunned. It seemed that she didn't expect that I would stand in this room.
/p
The first madam was gentle and considerate. She reminded the old lady, "Old lady, the second girl was sent back by the Prince Yue."
/p
The old lady suddenly understood. She pulled me into her arms and rubbed me, "Girl, good girl, you are lucky. Just now, the family didn't encounter such a big situation. First, there was a thief, and then there was a fire."
/p
The first madam stood up and comforted the old lady, "Old lady …"
/p
I also timely wiped two drops of tears, but in my heart, I was provoked by the crying. Thief, what thief? How could there be a fire and a theft? How could there be a fire and a theft? Such a big Prime Minister's Mansion, were the guards incompetent?
/p
I calmed myself down and looked at the weeping old lady. Thousands of thoughts flashed through my mind. I comforted her, "Old Madam, since you're so sure that we've been robbed, you must know that we've lost something valuable. Since you know, you should take the complaint to the government. When the thief is found, won't they quickly return the stolen goods to our family? "
/p
A few well-dressed girls agreed with me, "That's right, that's right."
/p
"In any case, you are a high official in the court. You should have a few good friends in the government. You just need to say hello and it will be done."
/p
Many people tried to persuade her, but the old lady choked and said, "Our family is like this. How can we go to the government?"
/p
I was even more puzzled. Our family is like this. If we lost something, why can't we go to the government? Besides, if we don't go to the government, we can send people to search the whole city to catch the thief.
/p
"After all, the second girl is an unmarried girl. She doesn't have the experience of being in charge of a family, and she doesn't often read books. Naturally, she doesn't know the twists and turns of this matter." The old lady jumped out and said something. Eight out of ten words were meant to stab me, "In a big family like ours, the daughters of the unmarried girls are the most pure. If someone goes out and reports it to the government, saying that a thief stole something, then it will be said that a man entered our inner residence. There will be a lot of people outside talking. Who knows what they will say behind our back!"
/p
As soon as these words came out, everyone was silent. They all muttered a few words in a low voice. They were also convinced by these words. My heart thumped. The more I thought about it, the more I felt that something was wrong.
/p
Just a moment ago, the mama of the prince's residence had told me how the Tang family didn't care about their reputation, and how bad their reputation was. But now, in front of me, the Eldest Madam of the household had said these words to me in a righteous manner. Between the lines, she wanted me to pay attention to the entire household's reputation. What exactly was going on?
/p
Although the old lady's mouth was sharp, she seemed to be an expert in managing the family. She said, "The front courtyard is on fire, and there are people coming and going in the mansion. The girls don't go back to their own courtyards today. Each of you find your own mother and rest together. That way, we can take care of each other. Madams, you should also look after the girls in your courtyards. Don't let them be bullied by thieves. "
/p
Everyone submissively replied with a 'yes', and then retreated like a receding tide. The old lady first arranged the two shu daughters. Suddenly, she turned her face and smiled lovingly at me, "Zhu 'er, tonight we will sleep together as mother and daughter."
/p
The old lady sitting at the head of the table also said, "Good, good. After tonight, the second girl will be married off to the Prince's Mansion in two days. Your family's wife is reluctant to part with her. I don't know how many times she has nagged in my ear."
/p
Aiyo, when I think of my broken house that will collapse in the wind and rain, I can't believe I have a mother.
/p
The old lady waved her hand at us, "Go, go quickly."
/p
The old lady took me with her and bowed to take her leave.
/p
As the mistress of the household, the extravagance was naturally not small. As soon as the eldest mistress and I got up, a young and delicate girl dressed in dark green reached out to help us lift the curtain and leave the room. However, after taking a few steps, before I could leave the courtyard, I heard the matriarch's gloomy voice come out of her room, which was supposed to be empty. "Investigate. Search the entire mansion. Find any trace of that thief!"
/p
This voice was as cold as the roar of a hungry ghost that had just crawled out of hell. How could it be the voice of a graceful and luxurious dowager? For a moment, I was stupefied. My footsteps stopped, and I froze in place.
/p
The old lady turned around and asked me. She looked at me with concern, but her smile was distant, "My son, what's wrong?"
/p
I shook my head and casually made up an excuse, "Today, I went out with the Prince. I walked a bit too much. When I got up, I felt that my ankle was a bit cramped."
/p
"A cramp is not a problem. Just move a bit more and you'll be fine."
/p
I bent my body and bowed, "Yes, thank you for your concern, old lady."
/p
The old lady was an honest person. When she said that she wanted to move a bit more, she obviously quickened her pace. If I really did have a cramp, with her speed, she definitely wouldn't be able to keep up. She was the epitome of a hypocritical woman. There were elders and younger sisters in the household. Even though the household was a mess, it was still peaceful on the surface because of this woman. I didn't know whether I should scold her or praise her.
/p
She pulled me to a somewhat remote courtyard in the southeast corner. The interior wasn't very exquisite, but it was elegant. I looked at the three graceful characters above the courtyard door: "Feng He Ju". I was stunned.
/p
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
