When night falls, the lights of Mountain Village A are brightening sparsely. A group of children are running around chasing and beating on the threshing floor over the pond. The old farmer sitting by the house chatting is holding a
He used his tobacco pole and occasionally knocked on the bluestone steps beside him. Dongzhu and Geng Wewei also sat under the big tree by the pond for a while and chatted for a while.
"...Originally, I thought that this uncle was the weak-tempered person in the rumors." But the more I read about it, the more I felt that something was wrong. Of course, a scholar is still a scholar, but he has to look like this. Now in Jiangning
City, who doesn’t know that my uncle’s name is Ning Liheng? My boy is also studying in school now, and he was praised by Song Mao and Song Zhizhou last year. Tsk... My old Geng family has always been illiterate. If it weren’t for Su
"Family, how could that kid have the chance to study and become literate? If it wasn't for my uncle, how could that kid be praised by someone like Song Zhizhou..."
The mourning hall was noisy not far away. Guard Geng patted his thigh and talked about these things to the driver named Dongzhu.
"You don't know, my uncle is a truly gentle man. He doesn't like to be in the limelight. He never goes out with prostitutes or drinks with those talented people who are seeking fame. He is really good to the second lady. Look at him."
Who are the people coming and going, Li Pin, Li Dexin? "This is a real talent... How does he do in class? He never loses his temper or says a harsh word, and those boys are also a little confused.
The rule is to read well. Even so, they can read better than those boys before..."
"I, Geng Lie, am illiterate. I originally thought that my husband was strict, and he was praised by Song Zhizhou last year." I was so happy. Then one day when the boy came back and talked about what happened in class, I felt something was wrong. Is your husband good-tempered?
I'm arguing with you guys, you guys can't help themselves." He was hung up and beaten severely. Later, my uncle even told me once, "It doesn't have to be like this. This is the magnanimity of a big man, to convince others with virtue.
"Convince people with talent and learning..."
"In the past, my husband was strict and those boys were shaking their heads while reading. It was useless.
Now those boys are making trouble, and they are really convinced by this uncle. They talk to people all day long just because of what they said, and what our husbands said. Haha, there were several times when that boy came up to me and said such things,
Tsk... It really makes sense when you think about it. You see, when you come to this village this time and visit this house and that house, your words and deeds should be dealt with in advance and retreat. "It's not much worse than the elder. You may not be able to tell it at first.
Gradually, I realized that this is really the benefit of being knowledgeable, and there are few in the family who can compare with my uncle..."
Geng Lie looks bold and fierce, but he is humble to his own people. He doesn't speak quickly. Dongzhu is sitting next to him and looks like his nephew." There was a slight silence at this time, and then he said: "Listen
He said that his uncle was beaten when he first entered the house, "right?"
"Well, that Xue Jin of the Xue family probably took advantage of no one to take a photo... Damn, no one saw it at the time. If I had caught him then, even if it was the Xue family behind him, I would have to beat him."
You can't sue the government after he's half dead... But later, my uncle also humiliated him severely, haha... Oh, by the way, you should have entered the mansion by then..."
"Yeah." Dongzhu nodded, "Not long after I entered the mansion," I heard someone mention it, but I'm not very clear about it. But... Uncle Geng, "if my uncle is so powerful, why did he want to get married?"
Geng Lie thought for a while: "This matter is a bit complicated. Firstly, the old lady has an agreement with my uncle's grandfather. Secondly, the Su family has a strong foundation now." The second young lady is also capable and has a strong temper. I don't know.
How did we talk about it at the beginning? In fact, we think one of the more likely reasons is... Haha, before getting married, the second lady once visited my uncle in private. The second lady's appearance and temperament are both very good. I don't know what the relationship between them is.
Something happened, anyway, "My uncle agreed... Not to mention the Second Miss," let’s talk about the girls around the Second Miss. Chan'er is so considerate, Juan'er, that girl Xing'er... is beautiful, but too beautiful.
pungent……"
Among the three maids, Chan'er is considerate, Juan'er is lively, and Xing'er, as the older sister, sometimes quarrels with others. She and Geng Lie also quarreled a few times over small issues, but they didn't take it to heart.
, but it was naturally a bit funny and annoying to say it. After talking for a while, Geng Lie patted him on the shoulder.
"The second young lady and my uncle are indeed a match made in heaven. From now on, the second young lady will definitely take over the Su family. You are still young, so do your best. If you can manage things now..."
With such encouragement, Dongzhu nodded in agreement. Not long after, night had fallen. Crowds of people came in and out of the mourning hall. Farmers who had nothing to do at night gathered together, and it became more lively. As time passed, it gradually became less and less.
Dongzhu would occasionally go over to take a look, and the girl named Xiaochan would be there. Sometimes his uncle would be there, but sometimes he wouldn't be there.
Dongzhu only entered the Su Mansion last year. For him who was originally from the countryside, being able to enter the city and work in such a high-profile household made him feel "very powerful and novel" about everything he saw.
,a feeling of.
In each yard and every rule, the stewards seemed to know everything. The rest of the people, no matter their age, seemed to be very powerful. Occasionally, I heard them talk about who this was, who was that, and how high their status was.
Or maybe I heard the legends about talented literati in the city. In short, it all felt like an existence that was beyond his reach.
I often hear people in the mansion say that the second young lady is the most powerful person in the mansion. Of course, except for a few masters, he has little chance to see the powerful second young lady. However, the few maids around the second young lady do.
Passed several times.
The girl who always smiles and is very good-looking when talking to others is Chan'er. Although she looks younger than him, she still has to call her "Sister Xiao Chan" when she sees her. This is natural, she is so powerful. She is called Juan.
"Where's my son?" When she gives instructions, she appears quiet and serious, expressionless, and doesn't smile very much, but her sullen face when she gets angry is a bit scary. Sister Xing'er is usually gentle when she gives instructions, but occasionally she talks to other people.
It's scary when there's friction. I once saw her arguing with a steward from the third room, talking point by point, never giving in... She's obviously a maid too. How dare she argue with such a powerful steward?
He even won, which made Dongzhu feel really awesome.
Relatively speaking, the person who attracted Dongzhu's attention more was Sister Xiaochan. "In fact, she didn't talk to her much. She came over a few times to give instructions and then left. But when she was in the mansion, she could often be seen." I saw her occasionally.
While walking, he stretched and muttered something. "Occasionally he saw her trotting all the way, and occasionally he saw her jumping next to the uncle, and he felt..." The way Sister Xiaochan smiled
"It's beautiful, of course." Apart from that, I don't have many other thoughts.
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, I drove a carriage to see her out." But he didn't say anything, he just told her his name. Later, she actually remembered that she had said hello to her several times when he saw her in the house.
And he was called "Brother Dongzhu", but he failed to answer properly these few times." He was very upset afterwards.
There are also some servants in the mansion who are pursuing a certain maid, but such things are not among his considerations. The three maids of the second lady "have the same status as stewards in the mansion." He is not used to the word "pursuit" now.
He didn't feel that he had this status. Of course, when Xiaochan was coming back this time, he was assigned to drive the car. He originally wanted to say a few words of comfort that morning, but he was clumsy and couldn't do it when he finally set off.
speak out.
In the past few days in Nanting Village, "I always feel a little empty." He actually doesn't have much to do, just feed the horses and maintain the carriage. Occasionally, he and Geng Huyuan accompany his uncle to visit various houses. My uncle is really awesome.
If I were myself, I would not be able to say those "sounding simple words", but I feel that it is so natural. As Geng Huyuan said, "learned people" should be respected by others.
"Sister Xiaochan will sleep in the same room with my uncle." This thing in itself should be done, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. But it was always difficult to suppress some empty thoughts. Time passed, and it got dark, so he went there again
When he looked, his uncle and Xiao Chan were no longer in the mourning hall, so he went all the way back to the resting place. When passing by his yard, he saw lights on inside. He stood outside and watched for a while. "My uncle's shadow was sitting in front of the window."
He was sitting there, probably writing something, but Sister Xiaochan didn't seem to be inside.
He turned to the side of the small courtyard arranged for him and Geng Huyuan to live." Only then did he notice that there was some movement on the carriage side. He went over in confusion. Xiao Chan, dressed in white and plain clothes, climbed out of it, holding something in his hand.
When she saw him, she nodded: "Brother Dongzhu."
"Uh, Sister Xiaochan...heh, who did I think it was..."
"My uncle hasn't been eating well these days. I prepared some things for him when I came here earlier." Xiaochan nodded and smiled. In her hand were a few long-lasting pancakes and dried fruits.
Then he handed one over and said, "Brother Dongzhu, are you hungry? Let's have one too."
"Uh, I, I..."
"Take it." Xiaochan smiled and put the pancake into Dongzhu's hand, then waved, "Then I will go back to the room first. Goodbye, brother Dongzhu. I will have to trouble you tomorrow."
"No, no...it's not troublesome..." Dongzhu held the pancake. He had a lot to say in his heart, but he couldn't say it. He just watched the figure passing by the yard over there.
In fact, she didn't look like she usually smiled, and her figure looked a little sad. However, when she arrived in front of the door, she could still see her pause, a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and then she pushed the door open and went in.
Already.
The silhouettes of the two people were moving inside." Dongzhu held the pancake in his hand and stared at it for a long time, then took a small bite. This pancake might be delicious to him normally, but at this time it didn't seem to taste like it.
So good, he just looked at the figure in the light opposite, feeling some emotions that were not strong but lingering no matter what, the ignorant love "lost in this summer night..."
"This is what the local wife and old man does..." In the room, Ning Yi sighed, divided the cakes and dried fruits on the table into two halves, and pushed half to Xiaochan: "I can't get used to the food prepared by others.
, the maid brought something over in the middle of the night and ate it secretly. "What would happen if someone knew about this behavior?"
"It doesn't matter if others know about it. In fact, my uncle is really awesome. He obviously doesn't like eating but he can keep eating just sitting there..."
"Uh, is it obvious that I don't like eating?"
"Xiao Chan can see that, but others can't." Xiao Chan smiled and said, "I'm full, I don't need to give it to me."
"No matter if it tastes good or not, I stuffed it as hard as I could, and I'm full. Since you brought it here, you have the responsibility to destroy half of it, so don't waste it."
"Then I'll just have half a baby.
Xiaochan picked up the cakes and fruits and put them over to Ning Yi. Ning Yi shook his head and negotiated: "No, no, it's too much." Now I'm at a loss. We can calculate it according to the ratio and divide it into five parts.
Chan, no matter what, you have to share two shares to make a deal, this one is too big, please change it to a smaller one!"
Negotiations like negotiations were going on intensely on the table. Xiaochan took the big fruit and put it together with the other two small ones to protest: "You can't calculate it like that, this big one is worth two."...
………”
"Then you can come up with a more reliable way to divide them. I think these pancakes are not the same size. Look, the piece over there is obviously smaller, right? This is not good. You are deliberately taking advantage.
"
"If I want to put the big one over, I have to take the two smaller ones!"
"I have another way."
"Huh? What... ugh..."
Xiaochan opened her mouth, and Ning Yi threw the big one in: "Okay, now the big one is gone." Now it's easier to separate. We don't count the big one..."
"Ugh, it's not sour when you cook it. You've eaten it (how can you not count it? I've eaten it)" Xiao Chan protested while chewing hard.
"How can you count if you ate it? It's you who ate it. And you can't even speak well, and you still learn to negotiate. What on earth do you want to say? I don't understand it anyway. Okay, let me continue to divide it. You
You have the right to put forward opinions, and I will refer to all the opinions you put forward..."
There was nothing to do, so they could only find some boring things to entertain themselves. The two of them just shared the food in the room like this. After they finished dividing the food and calculated it carefully, Xiaochan realized that she had eaten one
For the most part, she was usually a smart and capable gold medal maid, but she couldn't do anything against Ning Yi. She could only mutter "Uncle is bullying", then took off her clothes and went to bed, sleeping inside. "She decided to ignore him, but not long after
When Ning Yi fell asleep, she couldn't help but move to the middle and hold Ning Yi's hand.
This night passed peacefully." The next day, the deceased was buried at Chenshi. There was originally a dinner party in the village at noon and evening, but considering the floods these days, the victims went to Jiangning and returned to the city as early as possible.
After returning for burial and worship, Ning Yi and others said goodbye to everyone and prepared to set off.
At this time, the sun in the sky had just become a little hot, and the carriage left Nanting Village and drove on the mountain road back to Jiangning. The weather in the mountains was dull. Soon after, dark clouds seemed to begin to gather in the distance...