Porridge and side dishes [farming]

Li Ji could understand the thoughts of the magistrate, and nodded in agreement.Li Ji has kind thoughts in his heart, but it doesn't mean he will bring trouble to his family.

If others have something to do, they can reach out to help, but the premise of all this is that it will not affect themselves, let alone Er Gouzi.

The two agreed and chatted for a while.In the end, the magistrate ordered someone to go to the county magistrate to ask the magistrate to bring Zhao Ruyue over, saying that Er Gouzi was thinking about the juniors in the village and wanted to have a look.

At this time, Zhao Ruyue's life in the county magistrate was really unsatisfactory. When I went back yesterday, the county magistrate kept a cold face. Now she didn't have a bite to eat, she went to the county magistrate several times to plead guilty, but she was kept out, and then seeing that she was too busy looking for it, she was simply locked up.

After a few years of ups and downs in the house, Zhao Ruyue knew that it would be difficult to stand up after this.She also climbed up from the ground little by little, and the peak was when she was just favored by the county magistrate.At that time, even the eldest lady would say a few flattering words when she saw her, for fear that she would become an aunt in the future and would trip up the eldest lady and the madam.

After all, Zhao Ruyue is the maidservant next to the eldest lady, and Zhao Ruyue knows best what their mother and daughter are up to.

It's only been a few months before and after?Zhao Ruyue fell into this situation.Think about those maidservants who gained and lost power in the past.Zhao Ruyue knew that her good days were over.The best outcome is that Mistress Bi is betrayed, and the worst is that she will die suddenly within a few days.

Although this is not common, it is not uncommon for it to happen.

Zhao Ruyue was in despair, she was locked in the woodshed and didn't know what year it was.Unexpectedly, Zhao Ruyue trembled when she heard movement at the door of the firewood room, and she dared not make a sound, when she heard two maids laughing and talking outside the door.

"Hey? Why do you think we left here? Bad luck, hurry up, don't get caught by this broom star." A servant girl's voice was a little shrill, and Zhao Ruyue could tell that it was the servant girl who served beside Aunt Liu, the head of the house.

Another servant girl's voice was softer, but the gloating voice was still harsh: "It's not necessarily a bastard, maybe it's a punishment from God for being too arrogant. How prestige was covered by the big girl in the past? No one noticed it." Li. As a result, this heart got bigger and got the master's attention. Look, isn't the retribution coming."

Listening to their cynicism, Zhao Ruyue knew that it was Aunt Liu who deliberately put eye drops on her.The county magistrate has one wife and six concubines. This Aunt Liu was newly brought in the year before last. She is the youngest and the most favored.Because he came from a small family, it is inevitable to be arrogant and frivolous. Last year, he didn't even pay attention to the big girls in the mansion. He didn't even say hello when they met, and started finding fault with bullying people with a few words .

At that time, Zhao Ruyue had just gained face in front of the eldest girl, so naturally she had to behave well.She went up and gave Aunt Liu a slap, and this matter was brought up in front of the county magistrate.As a result, when the county magistrate heard that Aunt Liu was bullying the eldest girl because of her favor, she immediately put Aunt Liu in confinement.

Although the county magistrate is playful, he can't touch the children, no matter if they are brothers or sisters.Naturally, Zhao Ruyue was fine, and she was promoted to a higher level in the heart of the eldest lady, and was even more favored.

Since then, Aunt Liu has restrained herself a bit, but she is still an arrogant master after all.No matter how fiercely the aunt next to her steals and tears secretly, she also knows the truth of staying on the line in everything.It's just that Aunt Liu, as soon as she saw Zhao Ruyue's misfortune, she couldn't wait to send her girl over to make trouble.

Zhao Ruyue sneered, such a person is just a joke in the house.She can't wait so much, one day she will make others can't wait for her.Don't even look at how many people she offended in this yard.

After talking outside for a while, I heard someone walk in again, and the sound of scolding came, which stopped the sarcasm of the two maids.

"What's the trouble! I've got nothing to do, right? If it's really all right, I'll go back to the housekeeper tomorrow and send you away, so I can stand here lazily and chew my tongue without eating." The voice was very steady, and it sounded like it was old Not too small.

Zhao Ruyue's voice is too familiar, it's Mama Li, the eldest girl's nanny, she was reluctant to part with the eldest girl after she was weaned, so she signed a contract of prostitution and became a prostituted servant who has been serving the eldest girl and has a deep relationship with the eldest girl.

Madam Li is a person who is the face of the big girl and the wife, even the maid who is as arrogant as Aunt Liu will stay away when she sees her.

"Mother is clear, doesn't this mean that our aunt wants to eat white fungus soup? Let's come and have a look. We saw that the white fungus soup had to be stewed for a while before it was hot enough, so we chatted a few more while waiting. Don't forget Take it to heart, or we'll be really wronged." The maidservant with a sharp voice said with a smile, then dragged the other away.

Mother Li stood at the door, waiting for the person to go away, sighed softly into the inside, and said everything she said was for Zhao Ruyue:

"From the very beginning, I knew that you were a big-hearted person, but you were too impatient. The eldest girl is about to get married, so you just follow the eldest girl to her husband's house, and when the time comes, you will be able to introduce you without saying anything Put it in for my son-in-law. At any rate, you know the basics, and the eldest girl must have the intention to train you to help. It's better than madam alone in the mansion facing six aunts who are helpless."

Zhao Ruyue didn't speak, she naturally had his schemes in her heart.There are many maidservants around the eldest girl, she likes this one today, and that one tomorrow.On the other side, the madam is determined to give the maids beside her to the eldest girl, and send them away together as dowry maids.Really waiting for the big girl to get married, it's really hard to say who is better to be a concubine.

That's why Zhao Ruyue was impatient, and when the county magistrate was drunk, he sneaked into the maidservant's room and entered the magistrate's room. After a night of flirting, she thought she had a hope of becoming a concubine.

Looking back now, maybe Zhao Ruyue was ruined by too many calculations.

Zhao Ruyue didn't speak, but Li's mother continued to say: "Eldest lady knows what happened to you yesterday. Eldest lady has said it, and with the master's temper, you won't have a good life in the future even if you are still in the mansion. You and the eldest girl are at least master and servant. If you have time tomorrow, the eldest lady will go back and ask you to ask for mercy and send you out. At that time, the eldest lady will prepare a few taels of silver for you. No matter which house you go to in the future, There is money in your pocket, at least it is enough for you to settle down, can you hear me?"

Zhao Ruyue was slightly stunned, she didn't expect Mother Li to say such a thing, the more precious it is at such a time, the more precious it is to send charcoal in a timely manner.Zhao Ruyue still didn't say a word. After Li's mother finished speaking, she didn't wait for Zhao Ruyue's response, left a sentence to take care of herself, and left.

Zhao Ruyue stood up feeling a little weak, thinking about the recent things quickly in her mind.She was betrayed as a child, and she had suffered so much for so many years and received so many crimes, so she could go and enjoy it for more than a year.As a result, the horse stumbled and ended up like this.

Zhao Ruyue was still mourning alone, when she heard the sound of the lock being opened outside the door.The door of the firewood room was locked, and Zhao Ruyue didn't say how long it was closed tightly, and it might have been closed forever.

The door opened and the sunlight came in. Zhao Ruyue squinted her eyes a little uncomfortable, and fixed her eyes on the officials in the mansion.

"Ruyue, come with me quickly. Then you girl is really lucky. After all this, there are still people who remember you. The country man who raises the county grandpa remembers that there are relatives like you, and wants to meet you, the county Grandfather agreed to come over to call you. After that, you might still be able to climb up. Tsk, it’s such a good life.”

The whole family felt that Zhao Ruyue was too late, he would either be sold or wait to die, why did he have such a good life, did the benefactors in the Grand Master's house of Nei County remember it?

"Country man? Relative? It's Uncle Li!" Zhao Ruyue suddenly thought of the young man with his arms folded and his waist bowed.In fact, in Zhao Ruyue's eyes, Li Ji had no redeeming qualities.It is true that he is smarter than the average villager, but he has no temperament at all, which makes Zhao Ruyue, who is used to seeing the young master, very contemptuous. All the servants in the mansion look more temperamental than him.

But now, Li Ji is the only one who can really send charcoal in a timely manner.

Zhao Ruyue felt a little ashamed when she remembered the conversation she had with Li Ji before.In the past, Zhao Ruyue blocked Li Ji from being with his parents, and ignored her, even never being an elder.Now, Li Ji was the only one who really rescued her from the fire.

Zhao Ruyue took a shower, changed clothes and tidied up, and even put powder on her face, looking better.Zhao Ruyue didn't eat for two days, and only had time to eat two pieces of snacks, so she was pulled into the carriage and followed the county magistrate to the county magistrate's mansion.

Zhao Ruyue was riding in this carriage yesterday.At that time, Zhao Ruyue was full of joy, and the county magistrate didn't dare to speak harshly, but just told her not to forget him as the old master when he climbed up in the future.In the end, because Zhao Ruyue thought she was smart and said something wrong, Zhao Ruyue ran back with the carriage on the way back.

Sitting up again today, Zhao Ruyue lost the ecstasy and arrogance of yesterday, and felt a little bit more in her heart.

"I heard that person is an elder in your village?" The county magistrate looked down on Zhao Ruyue, but at this moment he didn't dare to do anything to Zhao Ruyue, and even wanted to take care of him, after all, he was the magistrate Call the person you want.

"My lord, he's the fourth uncle of the servant. It's just that the relationship is divided into two layers, and they don't have the same surname." Zhao Ruyue said with her eyes on her nose, her nose and her heart on her mind.

The county magistrate nodded, and asked again: "Then you have a close relationship with him?"

If you don't enter, why do you think of a girl like you who was sold out a long time ago?

In fact, Zhao Ruyue was also wondering, why did she think of her?At this time, Zhao Ruyue didn't dare to pretend to be smart.Truthfully said: "It's not close. The slaves went back to the village twice, met and said something twice. The fourth uncle is a compassionate elder, and he has always treated the younger generation with care."

Zhao Ruyue's answer was quite satisfactory, and it also broke the county magistrate's thought that Li Ji wanted Zhao Ruyue.Since he didn't fall in love with Zhao Ruyue, why would he think of such a girl who was sold long ago for no reason?

Speaking of which, Zhao Ruyue is indeed quite pretty. When she works as a maidservant in the mansion, she is half a young lady. She can't do such tasks as serving tea and water. Chat to relieve boredom.I don't work, and I seldom go out, and I pay attention to food, clothing, and clothing. During this time, what grows in the soil has become fine.

So if Shui fell in love with Zhao Ruyue's beauty and reached out to help, it was possible.

The county magistrate's heart was pounding, he couldn't think of anything, so he had to wait for the county magistrate and Li Ji to find out.

The county grandpa's mansion entered through the back door and entered the county grandpa's yard.The gate of the house is divided into three gates, the two gates and the three gates are the places where my family lives, outsiders can't easily enter.

The county magistrate placed a jug of wine and two dishes of side dishes in the yard, and was leisurely tasting the wine. There were only a few serving maids around, but Li Ji and Er Gouzi were not there.

The county magistrate took Zhao Ruyue to salute first, but the magistrate exempted them from the salute, and asked the maid beside him to take Zhao Ruyue to the main room on the other side of the second gate, where Li Ji and Er Gouzi waited for her to say a few words. The village's own words.

Zhao Ruyue took a look at the county magistrate, her heart pounding, but the magistrate ignored her and focused on talking to the magistrate.

Zhao Ruyue followed the maid and left, and went through the second gate to the nearby hall in the courtyard.The county magistrate's mansion was left by the previous county magistrate, and it was the best location in the county at that time, and everything here was more exquisite than the county magistrate's house.Zhao Ruyue came here for the first time, raised her eyes to take a look, then didn't dare to make more mistakes, lowered her head and walked forward with careful attention.

Li Ji was eating dumplings with Er Gouzi at this time. They said they were dumplings, but in fact one was not as big as a chaotic one, it was only the size of a fingernail, and it was filled with various fillings. The taste of a stuffing is extremely delicious.

This is just a kind of dim sum, delicious and refreshing. The two of them have never seen it before. One bowl was not enough, so they ordered two more bowls.

Zhao Ruyue was brought in, accompanied by five or six servant girls.Because I was meeting a girl, it would be somewhat inconvenient to keep the servant by my side to talk.

After entering the house, Zhao Ruyue secretly raised her eyes and saw the two of them.At this time, both of them changed into good clothes of high-quality materials, and Er Gouzi's shining hair crown looked even more graceful.If they just sit there without saying anything or doing anything, even the two sons of a rich family will believe it.

The difference is that they are free to live in a non-stop environment, and they can't look at it quietly. This is tacky that can't be concealed by every gesture.

Of course, this vulgarity is relative. Some people think that drinking white fungus and lotus seed soup is noble, and drinking stick noodle porridge is vulgar, so they can make fun of people who drink stick noodles as much as possible, but they don’t know that the two words elegant and vulgar are the same as people’s mouth. As defined in the book, how can there be any distinction between high and low?

"Your servant is like the moon, and I pay my respects to Young Master Shen, Fourth Uncle Li."

Zhao Ruyue knelt there, Li Jigang wanted to open her mouth to get her up, but stopped after thinking about it.Surrounded by the servants of the county magistrate's mansion, the county magistrate would know Li Ji's every word and deed.Then when we meet now, we can't show too much enthusiasm, so that Zhao Ruyue has other ideas.

Yu Qing Li Ji doesn't like to receive big gifts from others, Yu Li Li Ji's seniority is higher than Zhao Ruyue, kneeling by her will not shorten his life.

"It's not an outsider, get up." Li Ji put down the dim sum bowl, imitating the style of the county magistrate, and said, "My lord also said, you still have to tell Madam Yan, a relative in the village, use Without those etiquettes."

The maid beside Zhao Ruyue helped Zhao Ruyue get up.Zhao Ruyue pinched her hands in her sleeves, lowered her breath, and dared not speak easily.

When Zhao Ruyue returned to the village, she had no respect for Li Ji at all, and even looked at people with her nostrils from above.At this time, Zhao Ruyue was really not sure if Li Ji called her here because he really wanted to help her, or if he asked her to come here for revenge.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Li Ji felt that she was a pitiful person. After thinking about it, he said in a low voice, "We are all from the same village. I pretend to be an elder. Those who are lower in seniority call me fourth uncle and fourth grandpa. It’s just that you can scream. I never feel anything in my heart. You are not two years older than me. I didn’t see your chance when I was young, but I heard my sister-in-law say it when she was alive. Before you grow up, you You were snatched by the little boys in the village, and they all thought who could take you home."

After Li Ji said this, Zhao Ruyue was even more confused. So, what do these words mean?If you talk about sarcasm, the tone doesn't look right.How can you bring up things from your childhood so well?

Zhao Ruyue was called Zhao Zhenzhu when she was young, and she was really a pearl in the village at that time.The little boys in the village basically like her and come here with her in their arms.

Zhao Ruyue's father was very patriarchal, and felt ashamed after having two daughters in a row, and always complained to his wife at home.Say that this is to make him an extinct family, and say that a girl is born to be useless to harm food.

Zhao Qian's daughter-in-law was not given for nothing, the two of them quarreled loudly, and after a long time, Zhao Ruyue didn't like staying at home anymore.When I went out to play with those children, the little boy looked at her beautifully, and spoiled her and let her do everything.At that time, she was also thinking about who she could marry.

Until one day Zhao Ruyue was dragged into the city by Zhao Qian.It was Zhao Ruyue's first time in the city, when everything looked fresh, Bi Zhao Qian bought a small peddler's house, and sold it on a dead contract.

Once the death contract is sold, he will be the master's person in life, and will be the master's ghost in death.It has nothing to do with the family.

At first, Zhao Ruyue was spoiled by the children in the village, and suffered a lot. Thanks to her unwillingness to be buried, she gritted her teeth and climbed up step by step, so she had the opportunity to enter the county magistrate's mansion. Only then did I have time to turn around.

God knows how happy she felt when she returned to the village wearing the best clothes her master gave her.

"It's all old stuff." Zhao Ruyue's eyes were red, and she choked up.

"It's an old story, but in fact it won't last a few years." Li Ji supported the table with one hand, looked at Zhao Ruyue, and at Zhao Ruyue's small cherry-like mouth.As long as Zhao Ruyue doesn't say anything that shouldn't be said, then Zhao Ruyue will be able to escape in the future.

Li Jidao: "During these years, have you ever thought about going back? Go back to the village and find someone to marry. Although it is not as rich as the city, but at least you are free and you can feel more at ease."

Zhao Ruyue was slightly stunned, and looked up at Li Ji not quite understanding: "Fourth Uncle, what do you mean..."

Li Ji had a persuasive tone: "Go back to the village. The magistrate said that you are connected with relatives here anyway, and it is impossible to just watch you serve as a slave in other people's houses. There are many gossips in this house. You little girl is mixed in, so you can't see it."

This is the truth, the girl Zhao Ruyue should be praised in the village, but she met a father like Zhao Qian. Since Zhao Qian, Zhao Ruyue's life has been getting deeper and deeper.It's a long day, and it's inevitable that there will be carelessness.As a servant, a momentary carelessness may even lose his life.

Although this is an exaggeration, it is not completely impossible.

Zhao Ruyue's eyes became even more moist when she heard this, and she didn't speak for a long time.Li Ji waited for her to speak, and after a while he heard Zhao Ruyue's choked up voice: "Fourth Uncle, you think I'm going back like this now, can my father let me go?"

Now Zhao Qian may be dreaming about how to extract value from Zhao Ruyue's hands.Zhao Ruyue was used to intrigue, so she was able to play around with Zhao Qian and even fool him.But the premise of all this was placed on Zhao Ruyue's status as an official servant.

If Zhao Ruyue is no longer a servant girl serving an official, but an ordinary person who returns to the village, Zhao Qian's full-hearted calculations will be in vain, and Zhao Ruyue will probably be sold by Zhao Qian again in a few days.Whether you marry her to someone for a bride price, or sell her into the county, it's the same, you just trade her for silver.

After Zhao Ruyue said this, Li Ji fell silent.In fact, if Zhao Ruyue really intends to return to the village, Li Ji on Zhao Qian's side has a way to help.He can help Li Qiaoer, but don't check Zhao Ruyue.Just hearing what Zhao Ruyue said, she had no intention of going back to the village at all.

"If you really go back, your father can't deal with you. The county magistrate will give you a few taels of silver, and you can build a yard to live by yourself. With the help of me and the county magistrate, your father dare not do anything." Li Ji said.

Zhao Ruyue still shook her head: "You don't know my father, but I do. Even if I have you and my lord protecting me, it may not be useful. He can't deal with you, but he has ways to deal with me. Back then he could Sell ​​me for a few things, and now I'm more valuable, I'm afraid he won't be able to change his mind?"

Zhao Ruyue wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and said, "Your servant might as well tell the truth to fourth uncle. After so many years, your servant has also adapted to the life in the house, and her behavior and living habits are different from those in the village. Go back Life is hard to avoid. So, I really stopped thinking about going back."

Speaking of this, Zhao Ruyue recalled Li Ji's words before and after, and a certain heartstring twitched in her heart, and she had an idea, and said in a probing tone: "If your lord says that you don't want slaves to serve as slaves in other people's homes, Why don't you simply bring your slaves here. Since it's something to do with it, it's not good to serve others, but it's okay to serve the magistrate. To be honest, I don't have any place to stand after I die in the county magistrate's mansion. If Your Excellency is willing to keep your servants, and your servants will repay you as cattle and horses."

After Zhao Ruyue finished speaking, Li Ji's heart sank.

The author has something to say: The two female supporting roles in the two scenes...in fact, it also reflects the society at that time.In that era, no one could live alone and live a comfortable life. All levels of exploitation were always there, but the exploitation of women was more serious.

In fact, they are all poor people, and poor people bully even poorer people to seek the deformed comfort of "I am not the most pitiful".