Chapter 7 Chapter VII
Every half a month, Forsythia would come in with newly prepared pills for the old lady, while Ling Yang would always wait from early in the morning.
Xiao Ru always looks jealous, Ling Yang and Lian Qiao are no longer like master and servant, but like a pair of sisters—although Xiao Ru doesn't know why.She just had to follow Ling Yang's instructions and develop the habit of making the best tea in the house for Lian Qiao, and then packed two boxes of fruit snacks for guests in the house, and asked Lian Qiao to bring them to her when she left. her children.Having done this, she went out, leaving the house to the two of them.Of course, it is impossible for Xiaoru not to eavesdrop under the window, but what they talk about is trivial and homely, with some things about men that she is too embarrassed to listen to - overhear a few times and it will be gone interest.
Forsythia's current attire is naturally different from when she was in the mansion three years ago. In the past, because Ling Yang always wore light makeup and plain clothes, she had no choice but to follow suit. Now she is dressed more colorfully. The bun is a dish, but it looks good Like a full moon.She crossed the threshold of Lingyang with a smile, described her movements as not feeling a little unfamiliar, and saluted lightly: "Madam looks so good. I heard many people say that my son celebrated the old lady's birthday a while ago." At the Hundred Widows Feast, the most eye-catching one is the madam." "It's not a good thing to stand out among a bunch of widows." Ling Yang smiled helplessly, "Are the children okay?" "Madam is always thinking about it. It's just that the boy is too naughty, so he has to be beaten by his father." "What are you hitting?" Ling Yang said with wide-eyed eyes, "Boy, some things are not justified. I have told you several times, bring them over more often, Let your boy play more with Danggui, you just do so many cutscenes." "Madam, what did you say? I think for Madam, my children are not the same kind of people as Danggui and Sister Wei. Now the young lady doesn't care, but there are people in the mansion who care - if I really cause the lady to gossip, then I should die."
"Forget it." Ling Yang spat, "Could it be that the boys and Danggui were the same kind of people? Now Danggui Chengri's family is running wildly with them, and there is no father to discipline them. If I can teach you often The child who came out is with me, so I feel more at ease." Lianqiao smiled and said, "Apart from the pills in the old lady's room, does the lady have anything else to use? The 'Buxue Yiqi Pill' that time was still ok. Okay? Don’t forget to mix honey with warm water, otherwise the medicine’s properties won’t come out.” “There’s still more, don’t rush to mix it.” Ling Yang stretched out and leaned on the pillow with her elbows Looking at the Kang table, "It's just Forsythia, have you prepared the medicine we agreed on?" After speaking, she lowered her head and stared at the fruit plate on the Kang table, not wanting to look at Forsythia's face.
After three years, they finally talked about it again.
Lian Qiao stood up from the chair, even though she didn't know what she was going to do, she didn't dare to sit back.They were all quiet for a while, and Lian Qiao said softly: "I thought Madam had forgotten what she said that day." Ling Yang faced the light, stretched her palm slightly, and stared at the onion-like fingers. Jian: "Of course I don't dare to forget. It's just that I don't know whether I should remind you. If you pretend to forget, then no matter how I remind you, you won't be able to remember." "Ma'am, I haven't forgotten either." Ling Yang said Shi finally turned his face away, as if a little tired: "Stand up and do something, sit down. The new tea specially brewed for you was brought by Mr. Xie, you have to taste it no matter what."
Forsythia picked up the teacup in front of her, and the hot air rushed to her face. Because of this warmth, her fingertips no longer felt cold: "It's really delicious." She chuckled, "Now at our house, don't Everything is good, I just miss the tea in our mansion." "It's easy to bring you a pot when you leave." Ling Yang said softly. "I won't be polite with Madam, the smell and lingering fragrance of this tea, my head of the family will definitely like it." "Now you are deeply in love with each other." Ling Yang smiled coldly—after reading for several years, she I can use some elegant words when I speak.Even if Forsythia couldn't understand, she could figure out the meaning.
"In the beginning, you and I agreed." Ling Yang sat up straight and lifted the teacup in front of him, "You promised me that things will be done in one year, at most one and a half years, for you , It’s just a matter of mixing some medicine. Put it in his wine little by little, and the effect of the medicine will come up after a long time. Firstly, it’s not difficult, secondly, no one will notice that something is wrong, thirdly, our future troubles Except, you don't have to worry about him talking nonsense anymore - I know this is a big deal, Lianqiao, so I don't dare to rush you. It's just that I've been waiting for too long, which makes me flustered." She smiled and stroked her chest. "I just want to ask a question." Lianqiao looked into her eyes and said slowly, "Madam, don't think I'm rude. Madam, do you trust Lianqiao now?" "What's that called?" Ling Yang said impatiently He sighed, "It's just talking to you, why is it always involving what is trustworthy and untrustworthy!" Immediately, the clear and innocent look of a girl appeared in her eyes again. "In this case, just believe me, as long as I live for a day, he will not confide a word to anyone; when I die, he will rot in his stomach and bring it into the coffin. Madam, please forget about the things we agreed upon at the beginning, can you make it?"
Ling Yang stared in astonishment at the forsythia in front of her, her confidant and partner, who had suddenly become unfamiliar.On that night three years ago, tears hung on their faces.She said: "Lianqiao, get up, I'm afraid now that you have a body, don't kneel all the time, it's so cold in the ground..." Lianqiao cried: "Madam, just follow me. We really only have this one left The solution." She squeezed Lianqiao's shoulders hard: "You and I agreed on one thing, whether it's okay or not, except for the ghosts and gods of heaven and earth, only the two of us know. Now that things have come to an end, we can only ration you to that bastard. There is one benefit from him. It is not convenient for you to prepare some medicine. You think about it, get some poison, not too strong, and give it to him a little bit a day-he will die in a year or so Others only say that it is a sudden illness. No one will spoil you again, and no one will leak our affairs. As soon as this matter is completed, I will pick you up. You are still in our house, and your children are also Growing up in our mansion, you and I can be companions together like this now, with Hui Niang and Yun Qiao, until we die of old age. Tell me, okay?" Lian Qiao nodded vigorously, tears pooled on her chin Go up, and then kowtow deeply: "I just hope Madam don't forget me by then, don't leave Forsythia behind." "What nonsense are you talking about!" As sung in the song, I treat you as a bosom friend, do you understand?"
Ling Yang still remembers that moment full of sadness, yet solemn happiness.But why doesn't it count?
"Ma'am." Lian Qiao remained silent, "If you murder your husband, you will be executed by Ling Chi."
"You know the effects of many medicines best. You only need to act as if you died of a sudden illness, and no one will see the flaw." Ling Yang suppressed the anger that surged up, "Why don't you think about it for me, if the disaster comes from If he said it, I would have to be dragged into the pond to soak in the pigsty. Is it possible that I’m not afraid? Let’s just say it, you can’t bear it, right?”
Forsythia's eyes were red: "He is the father of my children."
"Don't forget how he threatened you and forced you to submit in the first place!" Ling Yang said angrily, "There is something you should regret about a man like a beast!"
"At the beginning, he was just fed up with too much yellow soup, confused and oily, and he has changed over the years—"
"Why are you so stupid." Ling Yang shook her head in disbelief, "How can a person who has harmed others and gained benefits from harming others change?" Then she sighed dejectedly, "Well, it seems that what I said back then , it really doesn’t count now.”
"Even if I beg Madam for the sake of my two children." Lian Qiao put down the teacup, "Madam forgive him this time, I will be Madam's cow and horse for the rest of my life."
"That's all. No one can put a knife on your neck and force you." Ling Yang stared at the window blankly, his nose sore, "I don't go to the fields, and I don't rush on the road. What do I need so many horses and oxen for?"
Yun Qiao's voice came from outside the door, calling Xiao Ru loudly and cheerfully: "Where are you slacking off again, girl—our sister Wei is here to find your mother, why don't you hurry up and greet her..."
Xiao Ru's voice came from far away from the other end of the corridor: "I didn't expect that sister Wei would finish eating so early today, it should be beaten, why is sister Wei's clothes so beautiful, come on , let me see."
Lian Qiao hurriedly got up and said: "Miss Wei is here, so I won't disturb Madam any more, I'll go after seeing her."
"Sit for a while longer." Ling Yang said lightly, "With you here, I feel better when she comes. I can only tell you this. The bigger it gets, the less I want to see her."
"Ma'am, don't be like that." Lian Qiao looked deeply into her eyes, "Sister Wei is getting more and more like Madam, and she is well-behaved. Who in the family doesn't think she is lovely? Even I am always at home. Talking about Sister Wei... Madam, you should think of the best in everything, don't always remember the past."
"Tell me, what's the advantage?" Ling Yang smiled, "I was expecting you to come back sooner, but it's normal for expectations to fail."
She sent Xiao Ru to deliver Lian Qiao, and told Yun Qiao that she had a headache, so Yun Qiao took Sister Wei back—she believed that Sister Wei was as relieved as she was.Then she sat quietly by herself, weeping freely for a while.It wasn't all because Lian Qiao betrayed their plan. Thinking about it carefully, even when she was locked up in the ancestral hall that day, even when she closed her eyes and heard her brother push the door in the long night, even when she was about to envelop her In the morning light, she dreamed of her childhood... She had never tasted this kind of feeling.No matter how unbearable Dr. Luo is in her eyes, for Lianqiao, the life with this person is better, more enjoyable and more hopeful - nothing makes her feel more lonely than this .
Then she sat up, spread out a pen and paper, and she wanted to write a letter.At the beginning, I wanted to learn how to read from Lan Xin, so that I could write to Mr. Xie to ask for advice when things really happened like Aunt Hui did—but from drawing red posters, to really being able to connect the words I wanted to say It always takes some time to form a sentence.What's more, Aunt Hui wrote a letter to Mr. Xie, after all, it was a family letter to her natal family. Everyone has gotten used to it over the years, but if Ling Yang suddenly started asking people to openly send letters to Xie Shunhui, it would be extremely inappropriate.She also thought about whether she should ask Madam Hui to bring in the letter she had written herself whenever Madam Hui asked someone to bring a letter—ordinarily this was the safest way, but it was not possible right now—she I don't know what Huiniang will think of the tacit interaction between her and Xie Shunhui, and she doesn't want to give anyone any chance to misinterpret.Furthermore, even Hui Niang couldn't tell what she wanted to write in the letter.
She could only tell Xie Shunhui.She wants to start over.Said that she did not hesitate to give Forsythia to a vulgar person, just to silence that person; said that she did not hesitate, and decided to take that person's life—rather than risking the long-term blackmail Risk, she would rather cut the mess quickly; in fact, she still wants to tell Xie Shunhui that she knows that it is wrong to want to kill people, and it is hurtful anyway, but even so, she still wants to do it; by the way, telling him, maybe it is wrong In front of her, it was natural that God would not help her - Lian Qiao repented because, because - now, she couldn't let go of that man, she was attached to him.
Until now, Ling Yang finally figured out why she wanted to write to Mr. Xie so much—she was just confused as to why that attachment was.
It took a long time to write that letter, and she wrote it very slowly. She had to carefully figure out what she wanted to say, and then she had to think about the words she couldn't write, and think about what she wanted to say What kind of words and sentences should be used.In order to teach her how to read, Lan Xin showed her the letters from her mother's family. She vaguely remembered the format of the letter, and she didn't know if it was correct, but who cares, Mr. Xie can't laugh anyway.She didn't realize that she didn't have any sense of shame in front of Xie Shunhui.
After much deliberation, only Forsythia is the most reliable - Forsythia is illiterate anyway, and Dr. Luo can't stop dealing with some merchants who sell medicinal materials on weekdays, so I asked Forsythia to find a medicine for her who is familiar with She County. Merchant, give me some money, and the messenger will have it.As for how to explain to the drug dealer what the purpose of carrying the letter is, that is Lianqiao's business. You can always rest assured that you can leave similar matters to Lianqiao.
What follows is a long wait.She always thought about what to do if Mr. Xie's reply was too elegant and profound, and she couldn't understand it.Then we have to find an opportunity to ask Mr. Xie to explain when he visits the Tang family next time.When she thought of this, she felt very happy, as if she had completed a wonderful game with others in her imagination when she was a child.After waiting for nearly ten days, she pretended to be careless and asked Xiaoru: "On weekdays, how long does it take for us to hear back from our family's letters?" Yes, about half a month, at most a month. But if it is sent to other provinces or even other provinces, it will be out of the question."
"Who in our house is in charge of receiving and sending letters?"
"That's not true. In the past, whoever the housekeeper sent out every month was in charge, but it seems that Hou Wu has been in charge of it for the past six months. Now Hou Wu goes out to do errands the most: buying, collecting bills, giving gifts, and inspecting tenants. It's him. Things like sending letters and so on can be done as soon as possible.” Xiaoru’s smile seemed to be a little disdainful, “Does Madam want to write to her natal family? I’ll go to Hou Wu. Now he He is the most proud person in front of Aunt Hui, but she has never been able to find an opportunity to show courtesy in front of Madam. I saw him at the second gate when I was sending Lianqiao away. Tell me to tell him... It's not enough to keep Aunt Hui alive, but it's not enough to show off in front of Madam from time to time."
"It's also strange, what's wrong with him being the manager now, trying his best." Ling Yang smiled helplessly, "Why are you tongue-tabbing people so mean."
"Now that we've finished talking here, I'll have another word with Madam. Back then, it didn't matter if Aunt Hui reused the previous housekeeper, because the housekeeper is an old man, and both the housekeeper and the housekeeper's wife are right-hand men. No one can grasp what to say Son. But Hou Wu is different. Hou Wu is young and has never been married. Cheng Ri’s family is so close to Aunt Hui under the eyes of everyone. I am afraid that something else will happen after a long time. No one else can say this, only The identity of the wife can remind Aunt Hui that if it is really bad news, how should we three girls behave in the husband's family? Also, the wife and Mr. Xie have painstakingly managed our family's reputation of valuing women's morals No matter how you say it, you can't let Hou Wu be tarnished."
It took Ling Yang a lot of effort to restrain the anger that surged up in her heart: she was right, but it was because she was too right, the "right" made Ling Yang feel tight in her chest.Besides, what is "the reputation that Madam and Mr. Xie have painstakingly cultivated", how can this girl be so smart-but if it is Lianqiao, no matter how clearly she sees it, she will never say it, that's all, read Lianqiao again The benefits are useless, forsythia has abandoned her anyway and refuses to come back.Her face was still calm, and she smiled: "What can I do with Mr. Xie, you can arrange it. From my point of view, there was nothing at first, and the troubles were all caused by you listening to the wind and the rain." Aunt Hui is not afraid of the shadow if she is upright, what do you want me to remind?"
"Ma'am, you can tell Aunt Hui that you want Aunt Hui to marry Hou Wu in a hurry." Xiaoru became excited, and she beamed, "The housekeeper's wife is getting old, and now the housekeeper is paralyzed all the year round and needs someone to take care of him all the time, so it's better to take advantage of the situation Let the housekeeper take a rest. From now on, Hou Wu and Hou Wu's wife will be the new housekeeper and housekeeper's wife. In this way, Hou Wu will be justified, and there will be another daughter-in-law to help him. Naturally, no one will send Aunt Hui again. no."
Ling Yang slapped Xiaoru on the face, and with a crisp sound, she herself was startled: "Have you heard your own obscene words? I'm ashamed for you, and I accidentally said what I was thinking." Right! It’s shameful for you, a girl, to worry about the marriage of a man like Hou Wu. Who knows that you are still looking forward to the seat of the housekeeper’s wife, and you don’t look in the mirror to see how much you weigh. My house is too small. Don't you lose your talent, don't you? Shameless Sao hoof, you think I'm stupid, I didn't hear you say that you talked to Hou Wu at the second gate before? It's not sure who will talk to whom first, but you know Those who worry about their own future, want to be a good husband, want to climb a high branch and take care of things, don't bury you under the eaves of a widow like me for the rest of your life, right?"
Xiaoru had already knelt quietly on the ground, knowing that what she said was wrong, she simply let her scold while crying in silence.Ling Yang cursed and cursed, and felt that her fingertips were trembling. She didn't know herself like this, but she was so familiar with it.Something came out of the cocoon following this swearing, maybe it was the originally vicious self, burning like firewood in the stove and about to burst.A moment of desolation passed through her heart, hesitatingly raised a hand, and wanted to slap Xiao Rufan again, but the palm fell, but she couldn't help covering her tearful face.
They were silent for a long time.Just when Xiaoru wanted to admit his mistake, Ling Yang choked up like a child. "Does it hurt?" She lightly touched Xiaoru's cheek with her fingertips, "Actually, I know you are worried about Aunt Hui and this family. I have a quarrel with me, Lian Qiao has become more and more heartless after getting married, if you want to leave any more, I will be too boring. Do you understand..."
So Xiaoru had to hold her hands tightly and wrap them in her warm palms like comforting a child: "Ma'am, don't do this, I know, when Ma'am misses the master, she gets angry and feels sad. Yes, but Madam also has to take care of her own body."
Yes, anything can be pushed to "missing the master", and the master's spiritual seat is her perfect refuge.Although now when she thinks of the master, the most clear thing is the unpleasant smell that fills the room.
In the year Ling Yang and the master got married, Hou Wu was already the most valued person by the steward's subordinates.He has no dissatisfaction with his life, but he knows that he is still far from what he really wants to get close to.Regarding the new lady whom the master is going to marry, all the servants in the mansion secretly shook their heads and sighed.We all know that the new wife is thirty years younger than the master—that’s fine, but she was originally intended to be a concubine, and the wife’s bones were not cold yet, so the old lady has already decided to let her continue to be the house-filling lady—if it wasn’t for the mansion In those two years, she was about to sit and eat, anxiously waiting for a large sum of income to turn around. No matter what, the daughter of an ordinary merchant family could not climb to this position.Everyone lamented the cruelty of the world, and some secretly complained about the old lady's ruthlessness, but Hou Wu knew that without the new lady's dowry, the jobs of all these tongue-twisters would be a problem.Regardless of others, he himself has been secretly thanking that sixteen-year-old girl.
There is one thing that I am afraid that the master did not know until the time of his death.The only people who knew were Hui Niang, the housekeeper and his wife, Hou Wu and another close friend of the housekeeper.The Tang family mansion has been able to operate as usual these years because after Ling Yang passed through the door, Hui Niang secretly took half of the dowry money to buy shares in two pawnshops.And those two shops are not on the ground in Huizhou—everyone knows that the pawn business of Huizhou people is everywhere in the north and south of the river.Hui Niang put the money in the hands of a fellow villager who traveled far to Fujian. In Fujian, the Huizhou people charged lower interest rates than the locals, so they were not afraid of not making money.Naturally, the master can't let the master know about this - the housekeeper once reminded Huiniang that after all, Fujian is separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, so how to guard against being deceived.But Niang Hui just smiled lightly and said, "Don't be afraid, I have my own reasons." Hou Wu heard that later, Aunt Hui asked someone to arrange a generous gift and edited a book, which was directly sent to Fujian and carried to the house where the fellow countryman was. On the magistrate's house.In this way, the fellow villagers saw that the Tang family still had friendship with the magistrate, and knew that they could always rely on the Tang family when they were doing business in a foreign land—so they never tampered with the calculation of dividends at the end of the year.The pawn shop in the same town became more and more stable, and the Tang family mansion became more and more able to maintain the balance of income and expenditure-the two years when the situation was the best allowed Aunt Hui to buy some land in the nearby countryside.No one dared to ask Hui Niang how she knew the Fujian magistrate. The housekeeper once smiled secretly: "The magistrate is probably her benefactor when she was in Jiaofang." After hearing this, Hou Wu only vaguely felt— — No wonder you must never tell the master about the stock purchase.
The master is a kind and righteous person, and he must wait until the wife's three-year memorial day before marrying the new wife, and the old lady can't say anything.Back then, when the old lady was not ill, speaking was very important.But one night, when the madness came on violently, the old lady lifted up a low stool beside the bed and smashed several windows in the room. Only then did the old lady hold down.The next day, the housekeeper asked someone to watch the craftsman repair the doors and windows in the old lady's room—and, the master ordered, iron railings should be installed on the old lady's windows from now on.Hou Wu was in charge of supervising this errand, which of course he begged from the housekeeper himself.After supervising the work for about two or three days, the maids and women in the old lady's room became very familiar with Hou Wu.While chatting, he inadvertently asked when the old lady's madness started.
He's asked this question of many people over the years, but the answers he's gotten haven't always been consistent.The housekeeper's wife and the housekeeper each categorically stated two years that were far apart.He had no choice but to take the trouble to find opportunities to ask more people, trying to get a roughly accurate answer from the many answers-this matter was very important to him.
"It was the year of the famine." A woman's tone was very sure, "You were still young at that time—in short, it was the winter of that year after the master brought Aunt Hui back to the mansion. Many people who fled the famine went to Xiuning Running in the city, since you are going to the city, you must pass by our house. The master is kind, so he ordered the housekeeper to set up a big pot of porridge outside the gate. In my opinion, all the troubles came from here. The mother-in-law sighed, and shook her head self-consciously, "It was Laba that day, and the master specially ordered that there be more food in the porridge for the disaster relief that day, so that this beggar could go back to Laba. We waited in line that day. Those who gave away the porridge and those who robbed them naturally went out several times more than usual. Early on, the porridge was given away. But, what's the use of giving up the porridge, that dirty and shameless starving ghost would not believe it. Surrounded our door and did not go away. Doing evil, the old lady went to the temple early in the morning to offer incense on the day of birth. When I came back, some of the group of starving ghosts stood by our door every day waiting for porridge, so they recognized our house They kowtowed to the sedan chair, thanking the old lady for saving her life, and begging the old lady to give up some Laba porridge for her kindness—you see, what does it mean to make an inch, and that’s it. Say yes Come to kowtow to beg the old lady, but you didn’t see the fierce battle, the shoes of the two bearers were trampled off by them.” The woman was beaming with joy, cursing “starving ghost” heartily, and accidentally forgot In that year, there were also relatives in the fleeing team. "Among the people who kowtowed was dressed as a Taoist priest, and when he got up, he lifted the curtain of the old lady's sedan chair. No one else understood what was going on - until we When the little boy from the family went up to break them up with a stick, the demon had already read a few words to the old lady, and that night, the old lady fell ill..."
In fact, Hou Wu's eyes had long been distracted, and he didn't hear a word of what the woman said in the second half.Only one thing is certain, the first time the old lady got sick was indeed that winter—you can say it was the winter of the famine year, or it could be the winter when the master brought Aunt Hui back, or it could be said that the accountant died. "This winter" is the most mentioned among the answers from various people.Hou Wu patiently smiled at the woman: "Mother, do you still remember who was the maid in the old lady's room?" A slight dimness rolled over the woman's face: "How can I forget this? Back then, among the maids in the entire mansion, she was the most talented person—it’s a pity that the maid was short-lived. In the second year of the old lady’s illness, she had a seizure. We didn’t stop her, and asked the old lady to use a pair of scissors to pierce the maid’s throat The old lady woke up and hugged the dead body and cried like hell, the master ordered a proper burial——since then, the old lady became sicker and worse."
Hou Wu remained silent, his heart sank secretly.Once again he ran out of clues.
The winter when the master went west, it was the time when Ling Yang's body was bloated and she was about to give birth.Hui Niang looked at the account books alone in the account room, and sent Wisteria to the kitchen to arrange other things - it was dark early in winter, and it was only afternoon, and the light in the account room was already on.She heard someone knocking on the door, without raising her eyelids, she said, "Come in." She could hear Hou Wu's knocking on the door.
She didn't look up, and he remained silent.After a while, he said softly, "Aunt Hui, I'm here to say goodbye."
Hui Niang pressed her fingertips firmly on the page of the account book she was looking at, and said calmly, "Why? I think the wages are low? I know." She sighed softly, "After the master left, there were too many things at home. I haven't been able to reward you for so much hard work. But the mansion is hard now, you don't know."
"Aunt Hui said that, but Hou Wu is offended." He shook his head in panic, "Really, my mother is getting old and in poor health. I want to go home to marry a wife and take care of her old man along the way."
"I'll give you half a year's leave." Madam Hui raised her face, "Go back and get married, and let her stay in her hometown to take care of your mother. How about you come back again? We'll go back and forth, and the cost of marrying a wife will be paid by our mansion. I Go back and discuss with the housekeeper to see if I will pay you according to the previous rules, or add more." Her tone was as shrewd and decisive as ever, so he couldn't think of how to say "no" for a moment.
"Aunt Hui, what can Hou Wu He De do, I really can't afford to be..."
He couldn't tell her how many sleepless nights he had to endure before he made up his mind.The old man died at the hands of the old lady, and now the old lady is worse off than dead—even if the accountant’s death is really related to these two people as he suspected, the heavens have already sought justice for him, even if he did not do it himself. It may be so beautifully done-the so-called "man's calculation is not as good as heaven's calculation" actually has such a meaning.Even though he failed as an avenger, he was not ashamed to lose in the hands of Tianming.So, it was time to leave—even though he still hated the house, he still couldn't bear it.
"How old are you this year?" Aunt Hui put down the teacup and smiled slightly, "I remember you were only fourteen when you came to the mansion, and it must be seven years now..."
"It's hard for Aunt Hui to remember that last month, she was just twenty-one."
"It is indeed the age to get married." She looked deeply into his eyes, and his eyes trembled in his heart. He thought she was about to say something that would relieve him, so he begged Guanyin in his heart Buddha.After so many years, she did not look old at all, even the loss of her husband did not make her haggard, on the contrary, there was a feeling of wanting to talk about it all over her body.She stood up and walked towards him slowly, his first reaction was to take a few steps back, the smile on her face was almost satisfied, she said in a calm manner: "Hou Wu, if I You are not allowed to go?"
He didn't know why, but after taking a few steps back, he actually stretched his hand behind his back and inserted the latch of the accountant's door.The soft sound of wood made her look at him unexpectedly, and then her smile deepened. "Aunt Hui." He murmured, "I beg you to be merciful. Hou Wu has been in the mansion for the past few years, and the favor he has received in this life is still unclear. Even if he is let go, I will still be a member of our mansion." ..." He knew he was incoherent.He could only stare desperately at the tiny daffodils embroidered on the edge of her dark green skirt, and he knew that he knelt down.
"Get up, you idiot. What is this for?" She continued to move forward with small steps, "Your words are chilling, how can my boss treat you badly, how can I feel sorry for you, you plead like this He said he was going, could it be that the relationship between master and servant in the past was all fake?"
He finally hugged her legs.As if trying to crush his own face, he buried himself in her skirt.That thing that I never dared to think about, in fact, it is just that simple to do.Her voice was still soft, with a reproachful smile: "What is this for? Can't I be struck by thunder with you?" He stood up hastily, and because of his clumsy movements, he was almost caught by her skirt. stumble.He didn't know what to do at this moment, so he held her face tightly, watching his hideous self reflected in the quiet lake under her eyes.She seemed to be crying, and tears were about to roll out of her eyes, but she smiled.If he looked at her so closely, he could indeed see the fine lines at the corners of her eyes, and when they were faintly visible, he felt a pain in his heart.Hui Niang's voice was as low as a whisper: "Do you think I'm old?"
He hugged her tightly, silent, full of humiliation.Only then did he realize that there were so many times when he had cold-bloodedly and happily planned how to take revenge: watching the young third girl bouncing and appearing under the banana tree, he would imagine her head and body in an instant What is the situation of moving, there should be a stream of blood cutting her neck, flying out like the wind, half sprayed on the white powder wall to make plum blossoms, and half sprayed on her pink body—as for her head, Rolling like a dirty ball in the soil under the banana tree, his eyes are still looking at the sky in a daze; when the master is dressed in a serious manner and sits in the car to have a meal with a guest, he imagines that the horseshoe is coming from the master. How to step over crisply, easily and playfully smashing the master's internal organs like stepping on fallen flowers in late spring, and then the wheels just ran over his nose, leaving a big dent in his face, and the blue under his body The stone-paved road was integrated; sometimes the sixteen-year-old lady would sit on the second floor and look out curiously into the distance—he would imagine how to strip her naked and throw her over the railing— — After all, she has nothing to do with the old grievances, so her punishment can be lighter. Naturally, it is not a good thing for her to marry the master, and she deserves to die.Hou Wu is often fascinated by imagining one after another spectacular and bloodless killings, but he himself doesn't know, no matter how happily the hatred is vented, there is still an unspeakable feeling in his heart. tenderness—when he saw the occasional rain-washed stains on the whitewashed walls, watched the swallows slyly and gracefully grazing the courtyard pillars, and watched the housekeeper's wife focus on folding out those papers during the Yulan Festival. Yuan Bao——raised his head warmly and smiled at him, "Look, are these enough for Madam over there?"...Everywhere, the tenderness will spread, like moss with a fragrance after the rain.
It turns out that the source of this tenderness is here.before his eyes.That's her.
The back room where old account books are piled up is a perfect place for them to meet.Every time, she walked in quietly, staring at him calmly like a painting.It was as if An Ran was appreciating all his fears, and all his offenses.He pretended to be rude and tore off the buttons of her clothes, watching her being offended by him with pain in his heart.Every time, when Wisteria coughed knowingly outside the door, he knew it was time for her to leave.Every time, he told himself that he would always remember her as cool and soft as moonlight—until he died.
"Are you still in a hurry to go back and marry a wife?" She lay next to his ear and asked jokingly.
"One day, I'll take you away." The promise made him break out in cold sweat, but he felt he had no choice.
"Stupid words again? Where can we go?" Her fingertips ran across his hair, "We're leaving, who will take care of Madam? What about this family?"
“我不管。”他有些恼火。
“好了。”她的眼神像是纵容着一个耍赖的孩子，“只要你愿意，咱们永远这样——没人会发现，即使发现了也没人敢说出去。直到你倦了，想去真的娶媳妇儿了为止。我可不是老夫人，若我立定了心思要干什么，我便能打包票让任何人都不敢来为难你。”
他的脑袋里像是划过一道闪电那样一凛，但他不动声色道：“老夫人怎么了？”
“当年老爷一回家来，头一个便想收拾老夫人和账房先生啊。”她躺倒在他怀里，“是我跪在地下上求老爷，千万不能闹开来不然对谁都不好看——他才答应我只想个法子让账房先生出去。于是只好赖到账目亏空上头了——本以为，这样便神不知鬼不觉，谁知道那账房先生是个性子烈的，受不了自己一辈子背个闹亏空的污名儿，就投了井。葬了账房先生那日，老爷拿着把匕首到老夫人房里，要老夫人自己断一根手指，立誓以后清白做人——刀落下去，没落在老夫人指头上，劈进了那张紫檀木的八仙桌里，然后老夫人便嘴角泛着白沫昏过去了。老爷自己也没料到，那以后，老夫人便开始病了。”
她住了口，端详他道：“是不是吓到你了？没事，放心——有我在，没人有这个胆子。”
原先苦苦求问而不得线索的事情，原来答案一直在离他这么近的地方。他的仇有命运替他报了，可是他必须要做跟账房先生一样的事情。原本已经式微的暴怒就在此刻吞没了他，他辗转反侧到天亮，一闭上眼睛就看到那个如今已经在他胸口处牢牢生了根的女人，他知道自己接下来要做的事情，他要毁掉这个家，让他们最恐惧的事情发生，砸碎他们最在意最珍视的东西。然后，让他们自己砸碎自己。
进门的时候，蕙娘笑道：“真不知这些日子在忙些什么，竟也好久没来夫人这里坐坐。”令秧坐正了身子，有些费力地转动着腕子上的玉镯：“你日理万机，我想叫你来的时候都得顾及着，我们这起整日吃闲饭的也别太不知趣，耽误了你给府里赚银子的大事情那可就罪过了。”说得身边丫鬟们都笑了。蕙娘一边示意紫藤将手里的捧盒放下，一边道：“如今夫人取笑我的功夫倒是真的见长了。这是前儿三姑娘打发人带来的，新鲜的莲子菱角糕，他们府里做这个倒还真有一套，夫人也尝尝。”令秧连忙道：“真难为三姑娘想着。你看，你隔三差五地总带些新鲜物儿给我，弄得我想和你说话儿的时候都不好意思打发人去请，怕你疑心是我屋里没东西吃呢。”蕙娘笑着掩住了嘴角，又道：“对了，我刚收到谢先生的信，他叫我替他谢谢夫人，帮他家的夫人抄佛经，还说下次抄了佛经一并交给我，跟着我的书信一道带过他们府上去就完了。”令秧愣了一下，才恍然大悟道：“好，你下次再带信的时候，打发个小丫鬟来我这里拿便是。我不过也是为了多练练字儿。”她在心里重重叹了口气：到底是谢先生，“抄经”是多好的由头，这样便能把自己的信也夹进去——如此简单，偏偏她费了多少周章也想不到这一层，真是人笨万事难。
她自嘲着，脸上的笑意益发跳脱地迸出来，柔声道：“谢先生最近也不说上咱们家来看看。”“罢呦。”蕙娘挥挥手，皱眉啐道，“他哪儿还有心记得咱们，他忙得魂儿都被勾去了。夫人整日跟川儿媳妇待在一处，没听说么？怕是有近两个月的工夫，他都住在'海棠院'里——最近那里新红起来的一个姑娘叫什么'沈清玥'的，把他弄得五迷三道浑忘了自己姓什么，咱们川少爷想去跟先生说话，只怕都要寻到清玥姑娘房里去才见得着人——夫人说说，这成什么话？谢家老太爷去年归西了之后，更是没人镇得住他谢舜珲了，我都替他家的夫人发愁呢。”令秧吃了一惊：“真没听过，兰馨跟我从来就不说这些男人们的事儿。”随后她略显尴尬地看了一眼站在地上的几个丫鬟，道，“你们都出去吧，这话可不是你们能听的。”紫藤和小如对视一眼，出门的时候小如终于忍不住，掩住了翘起的嘴角——她们倒也都知道，夫人在这类事情上，规矩是最多的。
四下无人了，蕙娘的声音反倒压低了些：“川儿媳妇怕是也没跟夫人提过，我听说咱们川少爷也是越来越熟悉那种地方了。要说那'海棠院'真的嚣张，如今人家都说，十个打马从八角牌楼底下过的正经官人，倒有八个是往海棠院里去的。哎。”蕙娘长叹一声，“我也担心着我那个不成器的姑爷，也不知道三丫头能不能学得伶俐些，把他拴在家里。不然若真的被那起娼妇迷得乱了心性，可就不好办了。”“这话，我也不好直接跟他说。”令秧为难地托住了腮，“我倒觉得川少爷也不过是去看看，图个新鲜，横竖你交代账房，不许他从家里支银子不就完了。”“我何尝没想到这个。”蕙娘苦笑道，“我就怕家里支不出来银子，他到九叔那里去支——九叔向来是个不在乎小钱的，多为他做几次东便什么都有了。看来我还是得打发侯武去九叔面前通个气儿，侯武也是个男人，这话还好说一些。”
既然已经提到了侯武，令秧便顺势道：“我还正想要跟你商量这个呢，按说，侯武如今在咱们家里担着最重要的位子，咱们也该给他娶个亲，不如就在家里的丫鬟中间选个不错的，往后，侯武跟他媳妇儿就是名正言顺的新管家和管家娘子，他便也能安心在咱们家里待下去，你看如何？”蕙娘心里重重地一颤，脸上却波澜不惊：“夫人说得是，我不是没有问过侯武，不过好像他自己对娶亲这回事并不十分热心，我也就罢了。”令秧笑了：“他要是太热心了岂不是遭人笑话？咱们做了主给他选个好的，他哪有不依的道理？”蕙娘也笑道：“若说家里的丫鬟，到年纪的倒也有两个，只是嫁了侯武就等于要从此帮着管家，我怕一时服不了众，又生出事端来。”“别人难服众，”令秧胸有成竹地笑道，“你的紫藤还不行么？她年纪也大了，咱们不好耽搁人家——况且，她嫁了侯武，等于你的左膀右臂成了夫妻，谁还敢说什么不成？紫藤是在咱们家长大的，我知道你也舍不得她，如此一来她是真能跟你待一辈子了，多好。”蕙娘不作声，也没有注意到令秧脸上掠过的一点黯然。沉吟片刻，只好说：“夫人的主意好是好，可我想回去先问问紫藤的意思，若她实在不愿意，我也不勉强她。这孩子同我，毕竟跟别的丫鬟有分别。不过话既说到了这里，夫人就没想过小如么？我若是让紫藤嫁给侯武，众人还不更得说我在府里一手遮天了？不如把小如配给侯武，这样夫人的人成了新的管家娘子，不更是没人敢说什么。”令秧皱了皱眉，仓促地挥挥手道：“小如不成，一来年纪还小，二来性子太不沉稳，真扶到那个位子上去了只怕遭人笑话。还是你的紫藤大方懂事——况且。”令秧笑了，“你就当是心疼我行不行，连翘才走了没两年，我又得从头调教一个人，累死我。”言毕，二人不约而同地端起面前的茶盅，似乎突然没有话讲了。
回廊上传来两个孩子嬉笑的声音，依稀掺杂着奶娘在说话：“慢着点儿，慢着点儿，仔细跌了……”屏风后面最先露出来的是当归的脸，这孩子长着一双老爷的眼睛，可是脸上其他地方都像云巧，总是有股灵动劲儿，好像马上就打算笑出来。然后溦姐儿终于气喘吁吁地赶了上来：“风车是我的，还给我！”当归仗着个头高些，把风车轻巧地举过头顶又往屋里奔，蕙娘拖长了声音笑道：“好我的当归哥儿，你一天不欺负你妹妹，你便过不去是不是？”当归一边跑一边说：“风车是我做的，就是我的。”溦姐儿在后面急冲冲地嚷：“你说好了做好了送给我的，你耍赖皮！”可是一抬头看到令秧，溦姐儿便安静下来，不作声了。没人追赶，当归顿时觉得没意思起来，举着风车的手臂垂了下来，脸上带着一副鸡肋一般的神情，嘴里嘟哝着：“给夫人请安。给蕙姨娘……”后面那“请安”两个字基本是被吞回肚子里了。
令秧的脸像是被自己的笑容融化了那样，张开手臂道：“当归过来呀。”嘴里虽然说着：“你一个哥儿，跟姑娘家抢玩意儿，害臊不害臊？”却是一把把当归揽在怀里，还顺便捏了捏当归尖尖的鼻头。问道：“吃点心不？”溦姐儿维持着刚才的姿势，一动不动地站在地上，漆黑的眸子注视了一会儿令秧，便又把眼光移开了。蕙娘看在眼里，只好对溦姐儿笑道：“不就是风车么，蕙姨娘让人再给你做好的。你喜欢什么颜色只管告诉我……”“依我看。”令秧依旧搂着当归，表情淡淡的，“风车也没什么好玩的，一个女儿家，整日为了追着风四处疯跑着，终究也不像个样子。”溦姐儿脸上一副无所谓的神情，只是静静地往蕙娘身边靠近了些。蕙娘长叹一声道：“就由着她玩儿一阵子吧。”说着伸手抚弄着溦姐儿头上插着的一朵小花，“眼看着就该缠脚了，横竖也不剩下多少日子能这样跑一跑。”令秧笑道：“你就总是纵着她。”眼睛也不再瞧着溦姐儿了。
府里的人谁都看得出，夫人不怎么喜欢溦姐儿——虽然是从自己身上掉下来的肉，可到底比不上当归，老爷留下的唯一的血脉。蕙娘虽说知道个中缘由，心里却也难免觉得令秧有些过分，可是这话是不能明着说出来的，她只好尽力地疼爱溦姐儿，让府里的人都看着，有她在保护着这个沉默寡言的孩子。
侯武和紫藤完婚那天，唐家大宅里倒也是热闹。
婚事都还在其次，众人现在都晓得了，从此以后他们便有了新的总管夫妻。旧日的管家娘子从此正式卸任，被府里养起来等着终老，仪式上，拜完了天地，这二人都没有高堂在身边，因此，拜的就是原先的管家夫妇——老管家被人抬了出来，左右搀扶着架在椅子上，受了这一拜。
其实在婚礼前一天，侯武和紫藤二人已分别来拜过了各房的主子。侯武深深叩首的时候令秧道：“起来吧。从今以后就是成家立业的人了，咱们府里虽然是没有老爷，可是越是这样，大小事情的规矩方圆越不能给人留下话柄儿。从此以后，很多事情就交给你和紫藤了。你可知道，在咱们家，最看重的是什么？”侯武垂手侍立着，听到问题立刻惶恐地抬起头来，满脸都是老实人才有的那种不善言辞的窘迫——也并不是装出来的，他的确从来没想过这件事。令秧笑了，笑意里全是宽容，这让侯武依稀想起多年前的那位夫人——可是她们终究不同，令秧无论如何，都无法假装自己像是一个“母亲”。她缓缓地叹气道：“这个宅子里，我最在意的，便是这一屋子女人的操守和名节。或者我讲得再明白些，这一屋子女人的操守和名节，绝不能在别人嘴里被玷污了。咱们家——账房上每年收多少银子又花多少，有没有亏空能不能盈余，什么差事用什么人又罢免什么人，我通通不管，我不识数目字，也不想费这个力气；可若是咱们家里传出来什么不好听的话不名誉的事情——那就是我的事情了。你可明白？”
侯武连声答应着，心里却想起很多年前一个晨曦微露的清晨。那似乎是个初夏，不记得是族里唱大戏还是过端午了，他吃多了酒，强撑着帮川少爷把马牵进马厩去，头晕沉沉的，觉得那匹马的眼睛好像飞满了四周，他的身体模糊感觉到了一堆松软的稻草，倒头便将自己砸进去了。不知过了多久，他睁开眼睛，一时辨不清自己身在何方，耳边却听见一男一女的说话声。女人说：“谢先生，我怕是等不了那么久了。若有一日实在不得已，只能自己了断。就怕那时候没工夫跟谢先生辞行，先生的恩德我只能来世再报……”他听出来那是谁的声音，正因为如此，才吓得丢了魂。然后男人的声音道：“夫人遇到了什么难处吧？不过谢某只劝夫人……”往下的话他便听得不甚明了了，只是那句“谢某”让他知道了对话的人是谁。他恨不能把自己的身子埋进稻草堆里，脊背上的冰凉倒是醒了酒。
他没对任何人提起过这个。其实他自己也不甚明了这件事的意义——只是他知道，这个记忆必然要留着，日后总归有用。
他自然不会知道，当他退出令秧房里的时候，他脊背上印着小如含怨的眼睛。小如得知这场婚事定下来之后，在后半夜偷偷地哭了很久。不过小如知道，这念头早就被夫人掐断了，或许本来就不该有的。小如不是个跟自己过不去的人，天亮以后，她便好了，又欢天喜地地跑去打趣紫藤，顺便热心好奇地想要看看新娘子的衣服。
洞房花烛夜，他穿着一身簇新的衣裳，在床沿上手足无措地坐下来，似乎觉得新衣裳太拘谨，可是真脱下去又太费事了。他打量着八仙桌上畅快地淌着泪的喜烛，故意不去注视身旁那个盖头未掀的女人。新房虽小，可已经是下房中最上等的两间。全套的家私物件，甚至新娘子的首饰，都是蕙姨娘亲手置办的——蕙姨娘甚至没有动用账房上的钱，是拿自己的体己出来给紫藤置下了这份让所有丫鬟都羡慕的嫁妆。
他隐约听得到，阖上的房门外面，那些隐约的嬉笑推搡的声音。他终于站起身掀掉盖头的时候，那些声音就更嘈杂了。头发被盘起来，并且浓妆之后的紫藤看上去有点陌生，他几乎无法正视她涂得鲜艳的嘴唇。他只好重新坐回她身旁，他和他的新娘默契地安静着，等到门外的人们意兴阑珊，等到那些鸟雀般细碎的声音渐渐平息——在那漫长的等待里，他想说不定能娶到紫藤是一件非常正确的事情，因为她和自己一样，熬得住这样让时间慢慢被文火烧干的寂静。紫藤突然开口说话的时候，他吓了一跳。
“往后你若想去蕙姨娘那里，照旧去便好。但是要记得让我知道。”紫藤的声音很轻，但是吐字清晰，珠圆玉润的。
他大惊失色，却依旧保持沉默。其实他第一个念头是让她当心隔墙有耳，只是他又实在说不出口。
即使不望着她，他也能感觉到，她缓慢绽开的微笑似乎在悄悄融化着他的半边脸颊。她轻叹道：“昨天，我跟蕙姨娘告过别了。我跟她跟了这么多年，什么都看在眼里，她什么也不用说，我都懂得。我只盼着你能应允我一件事，无论何时，什么都别瞒着我。”
他知道自己做不到，可是若是照实说，又好像坏了什么规矩。
紫藤静静地说：“咱们睡吧。”他站起身吹熄了蜡烛。然后在一片黑暗里，摸索着重新坐回了床沿上。他知道她也纹丝未动。知道这个让他安心。他们就这样肩并肩地坐了很久——洞房花烛夜便这么过去了。
三日后的黄昏，看诊归来的罗大夫看见侯武拎着两坛酒站在自家门外。罗大夫一怔，道：“可是唐老夫人的病又不好了？”侯武摆手笑道：“老夫人近来安康得很，只是我想来请罗大夫喝一点，前日里成亲成得匆忙，只请了请府里一同当差的伴儿，不想落下了罗大夫，今儿是特意来讨打的。”
罗大夫听了，连忙拱手道：“啊呀，那真是要恭喜。我这几日被苏家少奶奶的病耽搁住了，拙荆也没进府里去——真真是错过了喜讯，我今晚该自罚三杯。”
顷刻间，他们之间便亲热起来，酒过三巡，更是亲如兄弟。
谣言，是在两个多月以后开始流传的。