Chapter 1241 New Year’s Eve in Rongguo Mansion in Gengzijuan
In fact, Wang Xifeng had long known that her aunt would not be able to hand over all the power to Tanchun. Firstly, Tanchun did not have much experience in this area. Secondly, Li Wan was a serious daughter-in-law. Thirdly, Tanchun would get married sooner or later, and she was not hers. She is her biological daughter, so it is good to have an explanation to the outside world, in the name of assisting Li Wan's housekeeper.
But with Li Wan's temperament, Wang Xifeng didn't think she could manage the family well.
Now the Jia family is not as good as before, their spirits are a little loose, and the servants are not easy to manage. Although punishing the Lai family has had some effect, it is a long-standing evil that has been formed for a long time, and it cannot be completely improved once the Lai family is gone.
After going to the Lai family, there are naturally the Wu family (Wu Xindeng), the Yu family (Yu Xin), the Lin family (Lin Zhixiao), and the Wang family (Wang Shanbao). Even though their hands are not as rampant as the Lai family, they are still leaking out like ants moving. .
The Jia family’s annual income from shops and villages is no more than before, but the expenses of having an extra noble concubine not only have no income, but also require frequent expenses in the palace. In addition, the mansion needs to support a huge grand garden, so it becomes more and more constrained.
Especially in the past few years, the monthly salary has not been increased, and the arrears are often delayed. The servants complain in their hearts and curse on their lips. Of course, this is the empress.
This situation was also related to Wang Xifeng in the past few years. From time to time, she took out the money to lend money, but she really didn't do this in the past two years. After all, paper can't contain the fire, and it is easy to give others the leverage to attract infamy. , and after earning a lot of money from her cooperation with Feng Ziying, she also felt that there was no need to do things that could not earn even two dollars but still took too much risk.
Even if she doesn't do this anymore, she won't be able to reverse the decline in the house.
The proceeds from the investigation of the Lai family, except for some that were taken away by Jia She, were all transferred to the public. However, as many shops and houses were sold, some of the mortgaged items in the old lady's house also needed to be redeemed, otherwise it would be too much. It's too explicit, so the monthly expenses are basically the dividends left by the Lai family.
This kind of idle life makes people mentally and physically drained. Wang Xifeng just doesn't want to bear this burden. In addition, Jia Lian will definitely come back next year, so he simply pays the account first and lets others check it. Li Wan He Tanchun also went to take care of it, and then he could understand how she, Wang Xifeng, had survived so many years, and whether she was good at running the Rongguo Mansion and how she should manage it.
After the twentieth day of the first lunar month, Wang Xifeng will officially hand over power, and Li Wan will take over, with Tanchun assisting. However, this has not yet been announced to the outside world, and Wang Xifeng will have to bear the responsibility for at least these twenty days.
Watching the servants who came up to pay New Year's greetings to their ancestors kowtow one after another, and then take the gold and silver ingots and copper coins from Yuanyang's hands, the firecrackers outside the courtyard also began to light up and crackle, the gunpowder smoke slowly diffused in, and the air filled the entire courtyard. It presents a unique smell of the Chinese New Year.
The ancestors were a little more particular in the courtyard. The girls and servants took gold and silver ingots and copper coins, and they could get a rough idea by pinching them a little. The ones in the deeper palaces were all smiling, and the ones in the shallower ones were smiling in front of their faces. Laughing, as soon as he turned his back to his ancestor, his face fell.
In the yard next door, Jia Lian was not there, so the male servants left it to Jia She to handle such matters. Many people's expressions changed in front of them, and many people cursed and swore. However, Jia She was already used to it, so he sat aside and turned a blind eye. Urging and arranging for Wu Xindeng to finish this matter.
This is destined to be a New Year’s Eve that many people find unsatisfactory, but it is still New Year’s Eve after all.
Anyway, the government still gave everyone some lucky money during the Chinese New Year. The younger ones didn’t think so much, so they all cheered, those who set off firecrackers, those who guessed lantern riddles, those who carried lanterns to hang out, those who played cards to keep the New Year’s Eve, and those who played mahjong and so on. When it comes to ringing the bell, it’s much more lively than the Feng family’s place.
"As soon as Bao Yatou and the others left, it seemed that the garden suddenly became a lot deserted." Yingchun strolled on the way back to her Zhujin Tower with resentment, and couldn't help but sigh: "Siqi, what do you mean, Brother Feng?" Are they as lively as us right now, but I always feel like they’re not very interested?”
Si Qi walked with Yingchun, Lotus holding a lantern in front of him, Xiuju and Fangguan chatting in small words.
"It depends on people. If the girl finds it boring, it's because Uncle Feng is not here. If Uncle Feng is here tonight, I'm afraid the girl will become very interested." Siqi didn't hide anything in front of his girl. The words hit the core, causing Yingchun's cheeks to suddenly become as hot as fire, "Damn girl, are you seeking death?"
"Why can't the girl understand what I'm saying?" Siqi was not afraid of this cowardly but kind-hearted girl at all. He curled his lips and said, "In the past years, the uncle would come to our house during the first few days of the new year. I can't marry him this year." The two girls from the Xue family are not here, are they? I haven’t seen that the wife of the Xue family has come to live in our house. There is my son and daughter-in-law in the old Lige alley, and there is a daughter and son-in-law in the Fengcheng alley. It’s really rare to come and live in our Rongguo Mansion, but it’s even more important for Uncle Feng to come, at least Tai Shui is still here.”
The sharp-tongued Siqi spoke plausibly, but Yingchun liked it a lot.
“There aren’t too many lanterns hung in this garden during the Chinese New Year. It would be nice if they accidentally fall into the stream.” Lotus holding the lantern in front couldn’t help complaining.
"Hmph, you think it's the royal concubine's wedding celebration, so lanterns are hung everywhere? One lantern needs two candles to hang up for one night. How much does it cost to hang it all in the garden? You can't burn hundreds of candles in one night. , Do you really think you are the imperial concubine?" Xiu Ju, who was walking behind, said angrily to Lian Hua'er.
"It's not like this every night. Isn't today New Year's Eve?" Lian Hua'er said unconvinced: "After all, we are also the Duke's mansion. If we don't have land, we are not as good as those princes' mansions. In previous years, when we didn't have a garden, I think we On the contrary, the house looks brighter."
"You put it lightly, can it be the same as it is now? Second Grandma Lian is about to give up her job. I think if Grandma Zhu takes over, I don't know if we all will be able to get the monthly payment next year." Xiu Ju He stabbed the big guy hard.
“Ah?! Second Mistress Lian quits?!” Everyone, including Yingchun, was shocked, except Siqi.
"Who said that? Xiuju, don't talk nonsense there. My sister-in-law has done a good job, how could she stop?" Yingchun defended her subconsciously, thinking that Wang Xifeng was her sister-in-law.
“That’s what I said.” Si Qi said carelessly.
"Si Qi, where did you hear that?" When she saw it was Si Qi, Yingchun immediately believed most of it. Si Qi is Wang Shanbao's granddaughter. Although Wang Shanbao and his wife are not as good as Lin Zhixiao and Wu Xindeng in the mansion, But he can be considered a somewhat respectable person.
"Girl, you are the only one among the masters who doesn't care about this. Which of the other girls doesn't know?" Siqi said casually: "But this has nothing to do with the girl, so I don't bother to say more. If the girl next year If the salary here has been reduced, or if you can't get the monthly payment, then this slave will definitely have to tell the manager about it."
Si Qi doesn't have a good impression of Wang Xifeng, but Li Wan is not very close to Tanchun, so Si Qi doesn't care who takes care of the house. As Yingchun's personal maid, she just needs to protect Yingchun's interests.
"Sister-in-law doesn't want to do it, but because the second brother is coming back?" Yingchun is quite close to Wang Xifeng. Although Jia Lian is the elder brother and has a bad relationship with Wang Xifeng, Wang Xifeng treats her well, so she always looks forward to Wang Xifeng They reunited with Jia Lian, but what they expected was that Jia Lian took concubines and gave birth to children, and even refused to go home. Now that she and Wang Xifeng had reconciled, Wang Xifeng naturally had no reason to stay in Jia's family.
"I'm afraid that's not entirely true. The livelihood in this mansion is deteriorating. It's difficult for any stall to get this kind of work. What can Grandma Zhu's kind temperament do? The third girl is a little worried, but she is an unmarried girl and can do it. How long? Who will obey her?"
"Sister-in-law Zhu and Tanchun are here to take care of things?" Yingchun was even more surprised. Wang Xifeng was much better than Sister-in-law Zhu. Can Sister-in-law Zhu do the job that even Wang Xifeng couldn't do? As for Tanchun, how long can you do it? They are all going to get married sooner or later, so why come to this muddy water?
"I heard it is, but who knows?" Siqi said nonchalantly, "Girl, don't think too much, it has nothing to do with us. You'd better think more about your own affairs and don't let me really..."
Si Qi didn’t say anything further, but Yingchun understood what it meant. What if the master and his wife really made up their minds and promised themselves to the Sun family?
Although Brother Feng had made a promise to him, if his father refused and took so much money from the Sun family, Yingchun also knew his father's temperament and would never give it out again. Maybe the Feng family would be the only one to provide the money. After redeeming it, I might be able to marry Brother Feng as my concubine.
The Spring Festival was silent. Si Qi also knew that his words were a bit disappointing, but he couldn't explain much.
Now, the maids Yingchun and even the new Fangguan here at Zhujin House vaguely know that the girl is not willing to marry into the Sun family. However, only Siqi knows what the girl has in mind. The other girls They are all still in the dark.
A few people were walking, and as soon as they walked onto the Qinfang Pavilion, they saw a figure emerging from the boat next to Xiaocuitang. It seemed that he had seen the person coming here, and after being stunned, he quickly walked toward Cuiyan. Run across the bridge.
“Who?!” Lian Hua, who was walking in front, was so shocked that she almost dropped her lantern, her voice changed, she yelled, and she was about to run back.
However, I saw that the black shadow suddenly crossed the Cuiyan Bridge and disappeared along the willow trees and bamboo forests on both sides of the stream in front of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. However, it left behind something. Siqi and the others were chasing after them. It is very eye-catching under the raised lantern.
(End of this chapter)