dhibooks Episode 101: Confrontation
Episode 101: Confrontation
Grandma Ren
Xiaoyu was afraid that she would be too embarrassed, so she quickly and considerately changed the topic, and said with a low laugh: "Young master washes and washes by yourself, and you don't need girls to serve you. This reminds the servants of the old man's style."
Xiangyun was taken aback when she heard the words, and then she pursed her lips and chuckled. Speaking of which, there is something wrong with the way she washes herself—she wondered why her younger brother insisted on doing things like that, and he was not poor. There is no one to serve her, but Brother Mo is plausible, and privately ordered the nanny to tell her: "The matter of bathing and rinsing is private, and it is ten times more intimate than adding fragrance to the red sleeves. There is no such thing as a husband and wife. An irrelevant girl is even on the sidelines, how can this be said, isn't it because you want to make yourself feel uncomfortable?"
It turned out that Brother Mo was considerate of her. Xiangyun was not used to it at first, but when the night was quiet and he thought about the ways of getting along with a couple, he felt that it was very beneficial: in the past, nuns only taught her how to get along with each other. Husbands are heaven, humble and virtuous, or else they are the methods used in the back house to win over their husbands and suppress aunts, concubines, concubines, concubines, and concubines. No one has ever told her that the relationship between husband and wife can be managed, and that it can only be her and her husband. personal……
Turning around the large screen where the mandarin ducks are playing in the water under the huanghuali frame embroidered with osmanthus seeds, Xiangyun adjusted his clothes and hair in front of the half-person-high crystal mirror, took a deep breath, and said to Xiaoyu, "Go!"
The two maids, Xiaoyu and Xiefeng, fell behind three steps away. Xiangyun and Ren Xuejin walked in front. Ren Xuejin was wearing a black narrow-sleeved long gown, with cloud patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs with red thread, and a vermilion precious jade belt around his waist. The corner of the robe is a white jade pendant, which matches the Xiangyun Zhenghong double-breasted and large-sleeved shirt very well.At the beginning, Xiangyun was half a step behind him, only when Ren Xuejin saw it, he paused, and he became a husband and wife walking hand in hand.
Xiaoyu and Xiefeng glanced at each other quietly, both were happy in their hearts.
In Daqing, when a bride wakes up the next day after getting married, both of them must go to the family temple first, and then the ceremony of "calling on uncle and aunt" is only after eight obeisances to the ancestors with Wenggu.When Ren Xuejin and Xiangyun came, Ren Lanzhi and Mrs. Ren had already made preparations. Seeing this, Xiangyun blushed, and blamed himself for sleeping too late and getting up late.
After paying homage to the ancestors, the solemn atmosphere went away, but the two elders all smiled, especially Mrs. Ren, who looked at Xiangyun with a smile on her face. Fortunately, Ren Xuejin stood in the way and asked the two elders to go first, so Xiangyun was not too ashamed Xiangyun breathed a sigh of relief, it seems that her mother is still satisfied with her—the back house has never been a place where men are the masters of the house, if Xiangyun wants to get along with Ren Xuejin and He Meimei, she has to go through Mrs. Ren first. , and between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, it has never been a matter of carrying it over overnight, but a protracted battle.Luckily, the young couple will be separated to live their own lives soon, otherwise Xiangyun, the youngest daughter-in-law, would not be easy to do.
The main room of the Shangshu Mansion was very happy today. Ren Lanzhi and Mrs. Ren sat on the top, the second and third bedrooms of the Ren family sat on the left and right, Ren Xuechang and Grandma Ren sat on the left side of the lower head, and even Ren who was outside Second Master and Second Mistress Ren rushed back and were sitting opposite Uncle Ren, while the other juniors stood on both sides with giggles.
Xiangyun's hands were sweaty, and he knelt down respectfully to the elders to offer tea. Ren Lanzhi smiled and said a few auspicious words, and gave him a standard red seal. Just the box inlaid with five-color gemstones makes people jealous, not to mention the whole set of oriental jewels and stones inside.Seeing Mrs. Ren's reward, the third wife of the Ren family stared at the thumb-sized pigeon blood in amazement. He was smiling, but his eyeballs kept looking at the faces of Uncle Ren, Second Master Ren and others, faintly looking forward to a good show.
When the newcomer offered tea to her, the fourth wife lifted Xiangyun up with both hands, took off a shiny green bracelet from her wrist and put it on for her, smiling: "I can't compare to sister-in-law who has such good things. , this bracelet is my dowry, and it can be regarded as a visible object, which is just suitable for you young people to wear."
Xiangyun had a smile on his lips, but he was a little at a loss in his heart. Fortunately, there were brothers, sister-in-law and others who wanted to see him later, so he just smiled vaguely.
Those who see Uncle Ren and others don't need to kneel down to offer tea, they just need to salute.
Uncle Ren is the eldest son of the eldest son, and he is also the oldest in this generation. He looks quite majestic, but his face is calm now, obviously he is happy from the bottom of his heart, and the gift he gave is also very precious.On the contrary, Grandma Ren beside him really surprised Xiangyun, she looked only about thirty years old, but her dress was extremely old-fashioned, even compared to the haggard widow Li Wan whom Xiangyun had seen. rigid.
Since the newcomer entered the house, Mei began to look at this younger brother and sister. In her heart, she looked down on this impolite younger brother and sister. Not only did she walk shoulder to shoulder with her husband, but she also dressed rather unreservedly.Knowing that her mother-in-law loves the youngest son in her heart, she may be a little more tolerant towards the youngest daughter-in-law, but in Mei's eyes, she really doesn't like it.
Not to mention that the third younger brother sent her to marry two maids before she entered the family. Not only did Mei feel that Xiangyun was jealous and unvirtuous, but she also felt that the third younger brother and sister were not as gentle as the second younger brother in the room. It looks like she is going to fight with her sister-in-law—isn’t it? The two girls named Qingfeng and Shanlan were originally Mei’s advice to Mrs. Ren for Ren Xuejin. Everyone knows about this.Now that Ren Xuejingang and the Shi family have made a marriage agreement, they marry the two girls. Outsiders think it is because they value their first wife, but from Mei's point of view, this is slapping her in the face.
The Mei family has always regarded chaste and strong women like "the Hu family who died without medicine" as orthodox, and especially looked down on a woman like Xiangyun who was charming with a blushing face and flattered her husband. Shooting polo, she was shocked several times, and even took the initiative to mention it to Mrs. Ren, saying that she could give the two old nuns beside her to her younger siblings first.Mrs. Ren couldn't be clear about what she meant, and besides, the two old nuns beside her are very famous in Ren's mansion, so there is no girl who is not afraid. I heard that the strictness is strict, and they are the old people of Mei Hanlin's family. The master is also used to preaching the rules. Mrs. Ren, such a nanny, would not dare to send it to Xiangyun. She said that she was ordering her, and most of them were there to learn the rules of the young daughter-in-law. Mrs. Ren blamed Mei for being too lenient. Shi lowered his eyebrows and looked respectful, but he couldn't say anything to blame, but he was sulked for two days.
"For a woman, humbleness is the first priority; a husband is greater than the sky, and he needs to be respected and served. A husband has the right to remarry, but a woman has no right to be second-guessed; a good servant of a woman needs to be submissive, and dare not speak ill..." Xiangyun's half-father stood there stiffly with his clothes on and holding tea, Mrs. Mei didn't look sideways, and spoke earnestly, like a "eldest sister-in-law".
The atmosphere in the main room froze for a moment, Ren Lanzhi glanced at the eldest daughter-in-law lightly, and said nothing.Mrs. Ren's smile froze on her face, she couldn't hide the shock in her eyes looking at Mrs. Mei, what is Mrs. Mei doing?Her serious mother-in-law is giving the newcomer a face, and the Mei family has given a long lecture?
Of course, in Grandma Ren's mind, she was sharing Wenggu's worries. After watching for so long, she felt that her younger brother and sister are impetuous and careless masters. Today, the elders treat her so politely. If she doesn't say something In other words, I am afraid that the more indulgent younger siblings are not in good shape-in their Mei family, the bride must first go to the family temple and kneel for half an hour before she enters the house. Whoever is not served cold with a cup of tea, the purpose is to frustrate the bride's temperament, so that she will regard her husband as the sky and serve her parents-in-law and sister-in-law wholeheartedly!
When the second younger brother and sister entered the door, the second younger brother carried the emperor's order on his back, so everything was kept simple, and the second younger brother and sister went to the East China Sea for military training the next day. Mei felt that he didn't teach the second younger brother a lesson. She has a temperament, but the three siblings are not easy to get along with at first glance, so she has to say a few more words.
Mrs. Mei glanced at Xiangyun's exquisite makeup and expensive jewelry and clothes, frowned slightly, and said with a smile: "As a wife, be dignified, and don't be like Teng's concubine and maidservant..."
Ren Xuechang's eyes darkened, he glanced at his younger brother, and said in a deep voice: "Sisters and brothers, get up." As he spoke, he took the tea that Xiang Yunjing gave to Mei's, and gave another gift with a wave of his hand, like It was as if there was no such person as Mei Shi.
Mrs. Mei was stunned, with a pale face, she couldn't believe that the uncle would embarrass her like this, and she opened her mouth to say that it was against the rules, but she always "regards her husband as the sky", and just now she taught Xiangyun that "the husband has the right to marry again." Righteousness, women have no two suitable texts", that means, a husband can divorce his wife and remarry a second time, but the wife can't beg to leave even if she is in court... How can she disobey her husband's wishes at this moment, and she must compromise and accept it.
Xiangyun secretly breathed a sigh of relief, she clearly saw Mei's gloomy look at her, as if she meant that she was tired of her, she just pretended not to see it, and hurriedly went to greet the second master Ren and his wife, fortunately the second grandma Ren He has a very gentle and demure temperament, and is very good at winking. He took Xiangyun's hand and said a few words softly, at least to bring the atmosphere back.But after all, it was not as happy as before. When the uncles and sisters in the back saw the ceremony, they seemed to be in a hurry.
……
Mrs. Ren leaned on the soft pillow inlaid with silk and blue satin, and put her hands on her chest, her liver ached from anger: "What do you mean by this, old man? On the big day, you say you are weak, and your husband remarries. This is because you are looking forward to Jin Erxiu. Marry him again! I usually only think that she is a bit more serious and stereotyped, and I feel sorry for her for her hard work in housework, so I don't care about her in leisure time. Even if her mother's family members come to the door several times, I don't want to hide it. She has to be careful not to embarrass her. I never thought that she would be so ignorant of the general situation, and she would put on such a spectrum to speak? She is the eldest sister-in-law, so she can talk to her younger siblings, but why doesn't she look at the occasion? Thinking of the old four's schadenfreude The way I look makes me panic!"
She took a sip of tea and then complained: "I think I'm too generous. What she said about being submissive made me feel bad. As a mother-in-law, I have never felt a little bit difficult for her. How can I say such things? If I don't Being harsh and embarrassing her, her confession was in vain! We thought that the girl from the Hanlin family was knowledgeable about books and etiquette, and always praised her for her virtuousness, but she was praised too much, which made her sweet. , but the Mei family’s cumbersome stereotypes have been brought in blindly!”
Mrs. Ren sighed: "Earlier Jin'er mentioned to me that the atmosphere at home is not as comfortable as before... His elder brother seems to be too solemn and reticent. I pretended not to understand, but I think she has always been virtuous and generous. It's overcorrected, but I have a good heart... Now it seems that I was thinking about it!"
The old man Ren shook his head, and said with a smile: "That's right, you can't find a mother-in-law as generous as you in the whole capital, and you gave up the power of the house to your daughter-in-law without hesitation. How could you think of such things. According to me Say, don't be angry, the eldest daughter-in-law is getting more and more serious now, and there are three parts of you in it, you still have to train|teach|teach the daughter-in-laws well, and enjoy the happiness again."
This remark was a blatant derogation and a veiled compliment, and when people ironed it, Mrs. Ren laughed and scolded: "Okay, it's my fault! Anyway, the boss and the couple are going outside, and I have to pick them up if I don't pick them up. It's all because of you, old man. As soon as the words are touched, the sons will be separated, otherwise there will always be the second and third daughter-in-laws to help!"
Ren Lanzhi sat on the grand teacher's chair and took a sip of tea slowly. Unlike Mrs. Ren, he was not thinking about such matters of pinching women's virtues. He is about to take a foreign post. Is Mei's temperament suitable for taking the post? Ren Xuechang's foreign post does not mean demoting an official, although he is still at the same level as now. But in fact, that is a good position with real power, ability to exercise ability and qualifications.The Jiangnan Salt Administration has always been a fat vacancy. Although the boss is only a part-time job, the adults above him have already served in that position for two consecutive terms. According to the past actions of the Holy One, he will never be allowed to serve for the third term, lest the local salt Zheng took someone else's surname, as long as An Sheng stays for two years, and when he is promoted to the capital, Ren Xuejin knows that the boss of his family is likely to win the official position of Yangzhou Salt Patrol Censor.
At that time, Ren Lanzhi planned to step down by himself and concentrate on teaching his grandchildren, leaving the burden of the Ren family to the boss—Xunyan Yushi is a fat job, as long as he can secure one or two positions at the top, he It will be a matter of course for Lin Ruhai to enter the cabinet to pay respects every day, and he can accomplish a lot!
However, the Yangzhou Salt Administration has always been a quagmire, with aristocratic families, wealthy merchants and wealthy businessmen all involved, so one must be cautious in that position, and if there is a slight mistake, it will end in a search for crimes.This is not just a matter for men, the women in the backyard are equally important. Even if you can't win over your husband's wives and wives who are good friends with Shangguan's subordinates, at least you can't offend others!But can the eldest daughter-in-law do it?
"Let's not mention this matter for the time being, you will give Jin'er and his wife some things to reward later, and it will be considered An An's children's heart." Ren Lanzhi looked at Mrs. Ren, "What I think is that the eldest daughter-in-law can't be followed. When the boss takes office, the daughter-in-law's brains have been ruined by the Mei family's teaching. I can't let her get into trouble with the boss. Just take advantage of this opportunity, and you take her with you. If you can get her back, you can teach her. If you can't, then you can Clean up the accounts at home, in short, you can't follow the old rules."
Hearing this, Mrs. Ren straightened her waist and asked suspiciously: "Accounts? But what's wrong?" Can't let it go, Mei's temperament will not do anything to lose money, what can be in the accounts?
Ren Lanzhi lowered his eyes and said lightly: "No, it's just that I looked through the accounts the day before yesterday, and I was taken aback. It's normal for the house to spend more when the children are older, but the extra can't be on the aunt's body." Yes, how decent it is to spread it!"
There is another thing, but Ren Lanzhi didn't say it, that is, the mansion spends an extra [-] to [-] yuan a year, not only on the number of people in the back house, but also on human relations. Blindly thinking that it would be best to buy some precious objects as ritual gifts, but they don't know that people like them have no shortage of gold and silver, and what they value is their wishes. Thinking of this, Ren Lanzhi couldn't help but rejoice that at the beginning only Mrs. Mei was in charge of their room. The old wife is still in charge of the mansion, if not, there would be many people who don't know if they feel guilty.But thinking about the older son's more and more silent temperament, Ren Lanzhi also suspected that it had something to do with his superiors, no wonder the boss always worried about his colleagues and bosses at all times. Thinking of this, how could Ren Lanzhi not feel sorry for his son.
Mrs. Ren knew the temperament of her old man best, although she had some doubts in her heart, she decided not to let it go and went to look at the account books by herself.Yin said: "But the boss doesn't have a son-in-law under his knees, so I'm afraid it's not appropriate to ask the boss's daughter-in-law to stay?"
Having said this, Ren Lanzhi's heart was on fire: "A son? Why do you want a son? You know that Jin'er was overjoyed last night, and Chang'er was so happy that he rarely got drunk. I called his servant and said casually. After asking a few words, do you know what the rules are in Chang'er's room?"
Ren Lanzhi has always been an old fox who can't express his anger and emotions. Mrs. Ren saw that he would be irritable, so she got up and patted him on the back.
Ren Lanzhi was frothing, if it wasn't so embarrassing, he really wanted to go to his in-law's house and ask his in-law's father-in-law, what are the rules in their house, and it's the same in the in-law's house? "Our virtuous eldest daughter-in-law set a good rule. The first and fifteenth day of the new year is her day, and the other five famous aunts have a total of six days. The maid from your house and the concubine from a good family have one day each. According to the status of the children, whether they were born at home or bought from outside, they are arranged neatly from top to bottom, and it is only a matter of making a green card to show the boss! We have to be thankful that we have left six for the boss. God can choose her own day!" She takes the boss too seriously, and she is not afraid that the boss will spoil her body; or she takes herself too seriously, this rule is to treat her as a royal concubine!
The two of them never cared much about the affairs of their son's house, because the old lady of Ren's family was afraid that her daughter-in-law would win over her son, so she often had to add someone to her son to make trouble. Even when I'm getting old, the room doesn't stop.The couple had suffered enough, so they didn't want to make their son and daughter-in-law unhappy. Who would have imagined that the boss's house could do that!
Mrs. Ren was dumbfounded when she heard that, and forgot to cover Ren Lanzhi's mouth, God knew that saying those words would be an outrageous thing compared to the emperor.
After taking a breather, old man Ren expressed regret to his old wife: "Ruhai and Jingwei were not happy at the beginning, but I felt that I had a good vision. I was afraid that they would disagree, so I hurriedly gave the boss an order before the letter was delivered. We got married... Alas, I missed Chang'er! If Chang'er were to be hired a noble daughter who was educated by everyone, it would not be like this. Mei Hanlin's family is noble and poor, and the elders have not seen much of the world But you have to be magnanimous and virtuous according to the hearsay, and painting a tiger is not an anti-dog! This time I can't hold back Chang'er anymore, Mei Shi, you can keep her at home, teach her if she can, and just keep her if she can't... If it doesn’t work, let his two brothers adopt him and give his elder brother a son-in-law!”
Mrs. Ren did not expect so much right and wrong to be involved in the matter of the newcomer offering tea. I don't understand at all: there are so many families in Beijing, whose daughter-in-law has such a resounding "virtuous" reputation, but it's just that others praise her, and then she deceives herself with that false name—you don't see much The wives and wives who are exquisite and well-rounded at home and outside the house are only occasionally heard from others. Who can make such a sound? not like.
……
There was such an incident at the tea ceremony, the two dowry girls, Xiaoyu and Xiefeng, were angry and worried, but Xiangyun was not very angry in his heart, just wondering whether the sister-in-law was pretending to be stupid or something was wrong in her head. Trouble, on such an occasion, although she was given the bride's power, she was definitely the one who suffered in the end.
On Mei's side, she cried for a long while to the two old nuns she relied heavily on, feeling ashamed and indignant.An old mother said: "This new third grandma is really not a good person to get along with. She is serious about surrendering to grandma! Grandma can't be soft, thinking that she doesn't know how to behave and respect elder sister-in-law before she enters the house. I carried the dowry 64 times, this is to fight you! You are a girl from the Hanlin family, and you are a hundred times nobler than her as an orphan, so you need to teach her how to behave!"
The other one was also angry: "I think when we were still at home, everyone was very well-behaved. Who would not praise Mei Hanlin's family, but this time, a brother-in-law's bride wiped his face. I heard that the third grandma I have no father and no mother, I don't think I have received any serious education, grandma, you can just show her the style of the elder sister-in-law, so that the wife can rest assured. Grandma, don't worry, the wife is only partial to the youngest son for a while, and then she turns to her, like us Didn't your wife always praise you for your virtuousness before?"
Mei Shi nodded, feeling relieved, thinking that it was indeed true.
In her heart, virtuousness and reputation are the top priority—that's what the Mei family taught her, and people around her often persuade her like this.Mei thinks that she is doing very well and rightly, even her husband can't get beyond the rules in her heart - she has received a lot of praise these years, and Mei is even more serious.
But she doesn't know that the people around her are crying and shouting about the Mei family's rules, but they are actually venomous. For example, two old nuns, using her "rules", how much auntie's monthly money, How much oil and water have been greedy, and how many people have been harmed...