bookrandom Chapter 168 Who is the most uncomfortable
Chapter 168 Who is the most uncomfortable
Xue Baochai's heart was agitated and her cheeks flushed. She tried to calm down and said to Madam Gu, "Madam, let's stop here for today. The money you need is with my mother, and I will give it to you tomorrow."
After saying this, Xue Baochai looked at Wen Xing and said, "Send Nanny Gu out properly."
This was not the first time that Nanny Gu had encountered such an early end. She was used to it, and after half-bowed to Xue Baochai, she walked out of the yard calmly.
She could also faintly hear Xue Baochai's suppressed and hurried voice behind her: "Quick! Go and get the Lengxiang Pills!"
Nanny Gu walked back to the main room of Lixiang Courtyard and saw her daughter practicing calligraphy at the desk. She did not disturb her but just stood quietly by her side, with satisfaction in her eyes.
Perhaps it was the reward for Daiyu's hard work over the past two years, or perhaps it was the transformation of the potion that allowed her to achieve ultimate control over every muscle, and her handwriting seemed even more vigorous and powerful.
Daiyu finished writing the last stroke, picked up the paper with satisfaction, and blew on it gently. Only then did she notice that Gu Mama was standing beside her, and she didn't know how long she had been standing there.
"Mammy! You came back very early today! Why didn't you tell me when you came in?"
As she spoke, Daiyu handed the calligraphy to Madam Gu and asked, "Madam, I think I have mastered this calligraphy. Can I learn cursive writing now?"
"I see you are practicing very hard, and I can't bear to interrupt you." Nanny Gu looked at Daiyu lovingly, "Your handwriting is indeed very good. With a good foundation, it will be easier to learn anything in the future. In a few days, you can start learning cursive script."
Daiyu happily rolled up the calligraphy, planning to give it to Nanny Wang to have it framed and then send it to her father for appreciation.
She suddenly realized that there was no way that Gu Mama came in just to watch her practice calligraphy, so she asked, "Did something happen?"
"You are still impatient." Nanny Gu smiled and replied, "Today, Miss Xue mentioned that she wanted to make arrangements for the selection and wanted to take care of the people in the palace. She seemed to think that three thousand taels of silver was too much."
"In the Jia family, even if Sister Yingchun and her friends want to have something extra, they have to pay for the kitchen staff, not to mention the palace." Daiyu said with a sly look in her eyes, and asked, "Mammy, now that we are talking about this, can you tell me a little more?"
Gu Mama couldn't help laughing and tapped Daiyu's forehead: "Little thing, you have been waiting for me here for a long time!"
Daiyu giggled and helped Nanny Gu to sit on the chair, while she brought an embroidered cushion and snuggled on Nanny Gu's lap.
"In the palace, although people won't starve to death, it's just like the Jia family. If you want to go to a place with good money, you have to bribe and curry favor with high-ranking female officials or eunuchs..."
Gu Mama spoke slowly and gently, but Daiyu listened with great interest: "Mama, a young eunuch brought news to the Jia family before. I heard that he even bribed them with a lot of money!"
"Yes, this is also a way for them to make money. And the money is not just for the young eunuch, but it has to be shared with many people! Not only the people at the city gate have to share a share, but even the eunuchs who record the time of returning to the palace have to be bribed!"
Daiyu had never been to the palace, so this sounded very strange to her. She asked curiously, "These eunuchs are so bold! What about the Queen's family? Do they dare to make money like this?"
After hearing Daiyu's "naive" words, Gu Ma couldn't help laughing: "You also said that it's the Queen's family, but that's the uncle of the emperor, how could he be short of money? They don't need to ask for money, the reward will be delivered to them, why do they need to ask for money blatantly like they did in the Jia family."
Daiyu clapped her hands and smiled: "So, Sister Xue is going to have to spend a lot of money! I just don't know if the remaining family assets of the Xue family are enough for her to spend in the palace."
Daiyu and Nanny Gu both had the same idea: if Xue Baochai entered the palace just to be selected as a female official, it would be fine. But if she went there to become the princess's companion, then it would be a waste of money.
In the next two days, Xue Baochai claimed to be ill and did not even learn the rules, so Nanny Gu could take a break. Wen Xing was handed over to Ying'er, saying that she was teaching the rules, but it seemed more like to torture her.
Daiyu didn't care about these things. She asked Xueyan to bring two trays of freshly made snacks from the kitchen to visit the patient.
Xichun stuffed a large mouthful of steamed cake into her mouth and spoke incoherently: "Cousin, this sweet cake is so delicious!"
Daiyu wiped the crumbs from the corners of her mouth and said lovingly, "Eat less. There will be delicious food in the evening. Do you want to eat more?"
Xichun drank a sip of tea and asked in surprise, "There are delicious dishes in the evening? What day is today? Is it a festival?"
When she asked this, even Yingchun and Tanchun began to think about it.
Tanchun thought of today's date, and her face suddenly turned red. She asked tentatively, "Could it be... my birthday?"
She felt a little regretful after asking. What if it wasn't true? That would be presumptuous and embarrassing!
Fortunately, Daiyu smiled at her and said, "That's right! I'm thinking that I'll be leaving for Yangzhou after June, and I don't know when we'll meet again. Since we celebrated my birthday together this year, you should also celebrate your birthday properly!"
"Ah!" Hearing this, Xichun couldn't help but exclaimed, looking at Tanchun with some envy, "Sister Yingchun's birthday has already passed, and by the time my birthday comes, my cousin will probably have gone south..."
As she spoke, she felt a little depressed and she even lost interest in the evening food.
Daiyu had never paid attention to her birthday before, so she naturally didn't know other people's birthdays. She asked, "When is your birthday?"
"The sixth day of June! (This is the author's imagination, please don't verify it.)" Xichun said, and looked at Daiyu with expectation.
Daiyu rubbed Xichun's head lovingly and said, "Okay! Then I will leave two days later. It shouldn't be a big deal."
"Great!" Xichun jumped up happily and capered around happily.
Seeing this, the sisters all shook their heads helplessly. Yingchun pulled her clothes and reminded her: "We should go to the ancestors!"
"Yes, yes! And these sweet cakes, bring some to our ancestors as well!"
For several days afterwards, Daiyu did not see Baoyu at Grandmother Jia's house, and there was little news about Xiren either.
Daiyu only knew that Xiren was sent back to the Hua family in a low-key manner. When everyone saw her in the mansion again, she had already tied her hair into a woman's bun, and everyone called her "Li Gui's wife."
Daiyu secretly complained in her heart: When Xiren and Jia Baoyu meet again, even her husband Li Gui will be present. I wonder who will be the most uncomfortable.
Among the four, only Daiyu and Yingchun knew what happened that day. Tanchun had become more cautious recently, and seeing that her two sisters did not speak, she also kept silent.