When Xu Qing returned home, the little maid Xuan'er was sitting in the laundry room washing clothes.
As a personal maid, she was never close to Su Qian except when she came to take care of Su Qian when she was sick.
Neither Xu Qing nor Su Qian has the habit of being waited on, so she can only find some things to do for herself, such as washing the clothes that Xu Qing and Su Qian changed, and sometimes cleaning the courtyard.
Work.
Because it was freezing cold at this time, the little maid's hands were soaked in water and turned blue from the cold, but the little maid was still rubbing her clothes carefully.
Seeing this scene, Xu Qing couldn't help but frown and walked over.
The little maid Xuan'er looked a little older than Xiao Ruxue, fifteen years old at most, but she had to dip her hands in ice water to starch clothes in the dead of winter... I have to say, Xu Qing couldn't bear it.
The little maid who was washing clothes heard the noise and raised her head slightly. When she saw that Xu Qing was coming, she quickly stood up, wiped her skirt casually with her two hands, and whispered: "Uncle, why are you here?"
Xu Qing looked at the clothes in the tub, then looked at the little maid's little hands that were blue from the cold and asked, "It's cold in winter, why don't you use hot water to wash clothes?"
Xuan'er said matter-of-factly: "Firewood is too expensive in winter. It is used to boil water for drinking. It is too wasteful to use it to wash clothes. The slaves have always used well water to wash their clothes."
Xu Qing stretched out his hand and dipped it in the water. The water was so cold that Xu Qing couldn't help but shudder.
Even a grown man like him was shocked by the ice, let alone a little maid Xuan'er who had never practiced martial arts before.
Xu Qing looked at Xuan'er, shook his head and said, "This water is too cold. I'll get you some hot water."
Xuan'er quickly shook her head and said: "Uncle, no need, I can..."
But Xu Qing didn't talk nonsense to her at all, and went out on his own, and then quickly turned back. However, he had a pot of hot water in his hand. Xu Qing added it to the basin, and the originally biting cold water suddenly became colder.
become warm.
Xu Qing stretched out her hand to test the water temperature again, and the biting cold feeling just now was no longer noticeable.
Xuan'er looked at Xu Qing who had left, and felt moved in her heart. My uncle is a very good person...
…
Xu Qing came out of the laundry room and walked into the yard when he met Su Qian who had already practiced a set of swordsmanship. Su Qian finished the set of swordsmanship and threw the sword away. The sword hit accurately.
Among the sword scabbards standing on the shelf, the swords were returned to their sheaths, and a batch of them were rustled!
Xu Qing was stunned. He didn't expect that his wife had such a skill.
Xu Qing is already thinking about how many years he will have to practice this move.
Su Qian turned back to look at Xu Qing, with joy on her brows, and said, "My husband is back?"
Xu Qing came over and said: "Madam, just now I saw Xuan'er washing clothes with cold water. When I stretched out my hand, it felt cold to the bone, but Xuan'er still had to starch the clothes. I want to build a special hot water bath in Su Mansion.
The room can be used to boil a lot of hot water, so that our servants will feel much better whether they are washing dishes or washing clothes."
Su Qian said: "I have never paid attention to these things on weekdays. What my husband said makes sense. It is indeed inappropriate to let your servants starch clothes in cold water in the dead of winter. I will give you instructions right now."
Xu Qing took out a wad of silver notes from his sleeve and stuffed it into Su Qian's hand and said, "Madam, take these coins first. I heard that charcoal fires in winter are expensive. If we want to maintain the supply for the whole Su Qian twelve hours a day,
I am afraid that the hot water in the house and my father-in-law’s salary are not enough.”
Su Qian shook her head and wanted to hand it back: "How can I use my husband's money..."
Xu Qing did not pick it up, and said matter-of-factly: "What is yours and mine as a family? Isn't all the money earned used to support the family? What is he doing if he doesn't support the family?"
Then Xu Qing turned around and walked towards the kitchen, saying as he walked: "Madam, go ahead and give the instructions. There will be lunch when you come back."
When Su Qian talked about this matter with Magistrate Su during lunch, Magistrate Su was surprised for a moment, then nodded and said: "I have never considered the issue of hot water in winter before, but you are attentive. Our host's family is here."
You can use hot water to take a bath in winter, but the servants cannot use hot water even to wash dishes, which is a father's negligence."
Xu Qing added a mouthful of meat and said nothing. It was his fault that his father-in-law was negligent. If he had not been negligent, the Su family would have gone bankrupt before he could survive...
…
In just one day, a hot water room was built in Su's mansion. There were three large pots burning hot water in the room, and a charcoal fire was burning under the pot.
However, this hot water room can only provide hot water during the day, and the charcoal fire will be extinguished at night.
There is nothing that can be done about it. Without someone to look after you at night, it would be a serious sin if a fire broke out because of three pots of water.
Moreover, with Su Qian's statement, everyone in the Su Mansion knew that it was uncle Xu Qing's idea to build a hot water room. They were considerate of their servants, so they built a hot water room.
Many servants in the Su Mansion were all grateful to Xu Qing and worked even harder. After all, which servant in the Su Mansion could still use hot water for washing and washing dishes in the coldest month of winter?
"My uncle is really a good man. He built a hot water room in the palace. I'm afraid the servants of the palace won't have the same treatment, right?"
"That's right, being able to be a servant in our Su Mansion is a blessing that has been cultivated in eight lifetimes. The guy from my hometown is now a servant in Chang Shi's Mansion. He also has to use well water. That's called a
Cool."
"I heard that my uncle paid for the repair of the hot water house and the charcoal fire this time!"
"Speaking of which, when will the young lady bring a young master into our family? It has been several months since my uncle and the young lady got married. Why is there no movement in the young lady's belly?"
"Hey, there is a Tufang in my hometown. The women in the village say that they can have children quickly. Do you think I should tell my uncle and my lady about it?"
Su Qian, who had just walked over, couldn't help but have a touch of pink on her face when she heard this. Then she quickly returned to her usual cold expression, glanced at the maids and servants, and said, "If you don't do things, what are you mumbling about here?!"
As soon as the servants heard the master's voice, they immediately dispersed.
It is taboo to talk about the host's house no matter where he is! It will lead to the sinking pond filling up the well!
The servant who recommended Hijikata just now disappeared like a cheetah.
Two days passed, and the Xu family still did not send the money. Xu Qing stood in the yard and looked in the direction of the Xu Mansion and murmured: "You must keep your promise, otherwise your precious son's right leg will be damaged."