In the blink of an eye, it was Hanshi.
Daiyu had been sleep-deprived for the past few days, so she woke up early this morning. Zijuan led a few servant girls to help her wash up and dress up. Daiyu was combing her hair when she heard a noise in the courtyard. She turned her head and asked,"But who is it?"
The curtain was lifted and Qingwen walked in.""It's me. It was so early in the morning. Although it was a festival, no one would come so early.”
"Where did you go so early in the morning? What are you holding?" Could it be that someone provoked you? You speak like you have sour melons in your mouth.”
Qingwen tilted her head and glanced at Zijuan,""My mouth is full of sour melons. Miss Zijuan asked me to go to the kitchen to get hot water early in the morning. I managed to get it, but she is diligent and has already helped you wash up.”
Daiyu smiled and said," You're silly. Today is the Cold Food Festival. There's no fire on the stove. Where's the hot water?"”
"I thought that you were weak and would be afraid of the cold if you washed with cold water, so I asked for some hot water," Zijuan said. The girl was anxious again and couldn't wait any longer. She could only wipe her face with a wet handkerchief, hoping that it wouldn't be cold. Miss, reach out your hand."
Daiyu stretched out her hand, and Zijuan and another servant girl put on the clothes for her. As soon as she put on the clothes that hadn't been heated in the fire furnace, Daiyu smiled and sighed.
"It's hard for you to think of me and even make a trip to the kitchen," said Daiyu."It's just that no one uses hot water for the cold food today. If I go and ask for it, it'll cause a lot of gossip." The water wasn't too cold, so he could just make do with it for a day. It's a festival today. I have Zijuan here. You can go back if you want. Or else, I'll give you a day off on behalf of Lin Er.”After dressing up neatly, he led the girls out.
Qingwen stood at the door with a box in her hand. She watched Zijuan and the others go with Daiyu, chatting and laughing. She felt as if she had not washed her face. She wiped her face with her hand and felt uncomfortable in her throat, as if a walnut had choked.
What's the point of arguing so early in the morning? What's the use of this hot water!
Xue Yan grabbed the box in Qingwen's hand and said,""Sister Qingwen, it wasn't easy to get it. Why throw it away?”
"You think I'm as useless as you?" Qingwen retracted her hand and said. I finally got it, why throw it away? If Master doesn't want it, can't I enjoy it myself?!”After saying that, she turned around and went into the inner room. She took out the face cream and washed her face carefully. She then applied the special rose spray, untied her hair, painted her eyebrows, and changed into a neat and exquisite dress.
Snow Goose timidly opened the curtain and came in, saying: "It's just nice. Sister is on holiday today. Wear beautiful clothes and go home. The family will celebrate the festival happily. Sister, take me with you."
Qingwen was stunned. She pressed the comb on the dressing box and said,"Do you think it's up to you, little girl, to tell me whether I'm going back or not?!”
"I don't dare, I don't dare. I didn't mean it that way. Sister Qingwen has misunderstood me." I was brought here by your family. Mother and father are in Suzhou and we haven't seen each other for a long time. Today is the Cold Food Festival and I remember that Madam gave us a holiday during the Cold Food Festival. I went back home and went out for a walk with my mother, father, and sisters."
Qingwen said," I just said a few words to you, and your tears came out. What are you crying for? I said that you're useless. You really haven't improved at all."”
Xue Yan wiped her tears and said,"Sister Qingwen, please let me cry for a while. Miss wouldn't dare to do so."”
"Since you miss your mother and father, why didn't you ask for your life to go with Second Young Lady the last time she went back?"”
Xueyan said," If I go back with Second Young Lady, Young Lady will be left alone. It's also Qingming. If she misses home, there won't even be a familiar person by her side. She won't be very sad and cry." If I keep it, she will always find someone familiar and hear a few words from her hometown.”
Qingwen scoffed and said,"You good-for-nothing. You really wasted a month's worth of money." Fortunately, your mother and father are in Suzhou, which is far away. If you were really in the capital, you would have asked for leave and come back.”
Xueyan knew that Qingwen was scolding her for not being valued by her master and that she was dispensable. She was naturally sad in her heart, but when she thought of the past, she felt even more lonely and bitter. She cried even louder, and her tears could not be stopped. When the servant girls in the courtyard heard this, they only thought that Qingwen was beating and scolding someone again. Because it was a snow goose, no one came to persuade her.
Qingwen was fully dressed and was about to take the money from the cabinet when Xueyan pulled her sleeve with a disfigured face and begged her,"Good sister, take me home with you.”
Qingwen said," When did I say I was going back? It's not easy to have a day off. Instead of having fun in the courtyard, I went back to look at other people's expressions and eat? I'm not as useless as you." Then, he rolled up his sleeves and left.
Baoyu was washing his face when the door called for Miss Lin. Baoyu was so happy that half of his face was wet and he wanted to run out to welcome her. However, he was stopped by Xiren and used Juan Zi to wipe his face."You're too much. Why are you in such a hurry? Your face has only been washed halfway, and you're not wearing any clothes. It's not appropriate for you to go out to meet guests like this.”
Baoyu snatched the belt of his clothes and tied it himself."How am I in a hurry? Since Sister Lin is here, I naturally have to welcome her. You guys, quickly pour some hot tea. He also served Sister Lin a bowl of the deer antler meat porridge that he had eaten in the morning.”As he spoke, he stepped out of the door and called out to Daiyu,"Little Sister Lin, come in quickly. It's cold outside, but it's warmer in the room with the fire.”
Daiyu came in and stood by the door, pointing at Baoyu with a smile."Good, I caught you red-handed.”
Baoyu took the tea that Sheyue poured and handed it over with a smile."What's wrong? What did Sister say? What's wrong with my house? Why is Younger Sister so early today?"
"Hehe, how am I early? The whole residence is busy, and you're the only one who hasn't washed your face yet." What day do you think it is today?"
Baoyu thought for a moment and suddenly slapped his forehead."Aiya, I actually forgot about this good day.”His eyes followed Daiyu's finger and he couldn't help but feel embarrassed.""Damn it, really damn it. Put out the fire and pour out the hot water.”
When Baoyu shouted that he didn't want hot water, the girls could only go and change. Fortunately, Xiren was quick enough to protect the basin and said anxiously,"Ancestor, you should at least wash your face with this water. How would Miss Lin look?”Hearing this, Daiyu burst into laughter. Baoyu blushed and quickly scooped up two handfuls of water to wash his face.
Baoyu had tidied up the place, and each of them had a bowl of minced meat porridge before they went to pay their respects to Old Lady Jia.
The two of them were the last to arrive. The sisters had already arrived, and everyone greeted the old lady one by one. Just as they were talking about the Cold Food Festival, they heard the door report that Second Grandmother had come. After a while, they called for Madam. Eldest Madam had come. After that, all the women in the manor had arrived. They greeted each other and went to the side hall to eat.
After dinner, Grandmother Jia said that this year was not as warm as the previous years, so there was no need to go to the hall. Everyone went to the warm pavilion to sit and talk. The group then went to the warm pavilion.
After drinking tea, Grandmother Jia smiled and said," Lian Er is not around this year. I remember that a few years ago, it was also a Cold Food Festival. He was afraid of the cold, so he secretly cooked a pot in the house. His father happened to pass by and heard the boy outside call out 'Old Master'. He was scared out of his wits. The pot fell and the soup spilled on his feet. It was so hot that he could only jump around and did not dare to make a sound. If it wasn't for the fact that her feet were hurting so much, no one would have known.”
Everyone covered their mouths and laughed when they heard this. Only Xifeng laughed loudly. She waved her embroidered handkerchief and said," Eating the soup pot is not hot to the mouth but to the feet. Where else in this world can we find such a joke? Only our Lian Er could make such a useless joke. If the old lady didn't say it, we wouldn't have known.”
Xi Feng wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and said,"This year, for the Qingming Festival, I will also prepare a pot in the house. When he eats, I will also call out to him and see if he still wants to fight.”
Grandmother Jia laughed and scolded Xi Feng." You mischievous ghost. You really dare to mess around. You dare to play around during the Qingming Festival?" Don't joke around. If the ancestor heard this, he would blame her.”
"Speaking of offering sacrifices to the ancestors during the Qingming Festival, have we prepared the sacrificial ceremony in our residence?"”
Xi Feng said," Don't worry, Madam. It's the same as last year. The sacrificial ceremony was ordered yesterday and the cart was loaded. The livestock are also fully prepared."”
Grandmother Jia nodded and said," Worshipping the ancestors is a big matter. You can't miss out on anything. You have to be more careful."”
"Yes," Xi Feng said. I personally checked on both sides. Last night, I prepared the last of the rice and fruits. I also personally went to take a look.”
Madam Wang continued," In the past, it was Lian Er who led his brothers to the temple first. Old Master, Second Master only went at the right time. This year, Lian Er is not here. What's going on?"”
Xi Feng said," That's right. Lian has gone to Suzhou for the second time this year. I don't know if he'll be able to come back at Qingming. He's here with the old lady. Please give us a sign. Who will be the one to pick this case?"”
Madam Wang said," Although it's only to send some fruits and livestock to the ancestral temple, it's still a big matter of worshipping the ancestors. There can't be any mistakes. The two mansions are in one place, and things are more complicated. There needs to be a steady person."”
Xifeng said," There's no need to consider the side branches. Huan 'er is young and not suitable. Why don't we let Baoyu come? He has been with Lian' er in the past, so he's always familiar with them. His status can also suppress them."”
Grandmother Jia said," Baoyu can naturally handle it. It's just that he's a little weak. He went to the temple and left at night. Not only did he have to arrange this and that, but he also had to kneel for a few hours. I'm afraid his little body can't take it." That day, your master is also free. Ask him to go.”
Grandmother Jia had already agreed, so everyone skipped this section and continued to joke around. After a while, they came to report that Aunt Xue and Baochai had arrived, and everyone came to welcome them.
Grandmother Jia saw Baochai's servant girl carrying a box and asked,""Little girl Bao, what did you bring? The box is exquisite and beautiful.”
Baochai took the box from the servant girl and offered it to her with a smile.""It's a jade cake. The book said that the cold food of Penglai Immortal Island is to eat this. I thought it was interesting, so I made it according to the appearance. Although it can't compare to the real thing, the taste is not bad, so I brought it to invite everyone to try it.”
Yuanyang took the box, opened it, and handed it to Grandmother Jia. Grandmother Jia held one in her hand, looked at it, and smiled."I've always said that Bao 'er's hands are nimble, and even my servant girl can't catch up. Look at this small cake. It's exquisite and clear. It already looks good. When the lid is opened, that fragrance has such a name. Yuanyang, take this cake for the girls to taste.”
Yuanyang agreed and walked around in circles. Each girl had one. Everyone held it and looked at it again and again. They felt that this cake did not look like it was edible, but more like it was carved out of jade to play with.
"What's this made of?" Daiyu asked."Why is it so nice? It's still cold in my hand."”
"It's the same," Baochai said with a smile."It's just for fun."”The sisters tried it and all said it was delicious. Only Daiyu and Grandmother Jia only took a bite.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。