Chapter 85 Gift
The plum blossoms in the yard are in full bloom, blowing against the wind and snow, and emitting a faint fragrance.
It was already the twelfth lunar month, and it would be Laba Festival in a few days. The atmosphere of the New Year was gradually getting stronger. Instead of feeling much joy, Du Shi's heart was full of worries.
As the eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Du was very worried about the current situation of the Fang family.
Looking at Lang Jun who was holding a book and shaking his head happily, Du Shi sighed slightly.
This year's heavy snowfall in Guanzhong has affected all the counties in Guanzhong. Officials from the central and central government and wealthy families have donated money and food to help the victims, and the Fang family has donated a lot.
Fang Xuanling was an upright official with little savings, and his family was not rich in expenses. Now if he donated more, it would be a bit stretched. Although Mrs. Du is not a family member, she still hasn't bought new year's goods in her house, which tells us something.
The meager salary of the husband's wife is not helpful, not to mention the fact that the husband is a kind and honest gentleman, he is not engaged in childbirth, and he has to make friends and social contacts all day long, which costs a lot of money. The family was in a tight financial situation, and Du was too embarrassed to ask her mother-in-law for help, so she used the output of her dowry fields to cover the expenses.
Mrs. Du is not a stingy person, but she still feels depressed.
The current situation in the mansion is already worrying, not to mention that the princess will be married in a year or two, which will be a huge expense. The princess's dowry must be generous, but it is a dowry, a private property of the princess, and cannot be included in the public calculation, just like Du's dowry.
The 12th day of the twelfth lunar month is the birthday of the old grandmother of the Du family. Du and Fang Yi have to rush back to Shandong to celebrate her birthday.
In previous years, that's it, just give out some gifts to get through it. Although the Qinghe Du family is just a branch of the Guanzhong Du family, they are also rich and extravagant, so they will not be picky about their daughters.
But this year is different. It is the grandma's seventy-seventh birthday, so she will be doing something big.
In front of the Du family in Qinghe, there are now many branches and leaves, so they are famous all over the world. At that time, the guests must be high-ranking officials and scholars. If the gift is too light, how can you get it?
Not only was he and his husband embarrassed, but Fang Xuanling's face was also not good-looking.
What made Du even more depressed was that she was full of sorrow here, but her husband was enjoying himself in the other room. She was so angry that she threw the half-embroidered peony brocade handkerchief on the table. .
She said with a cold face: "Twelve is my grandma's birthday. Is your husband prepared?"
Fang Yizhi, who was immersed in reading, looked up in shock and asked blankly: "What are you preparing for?"
Du's breath was bitter and her pretty face was frosty: "Of course it's a birthday gift!"
"Oh!" Fang Yizhi didn't take it seriously, lowered his head to read the book again, and said casually: "Everything is ready, madam, don't worry."
Du Shi asked curiously: "What have you prepared?"
This nerd is either on duty or sitting at home reading books these days. Have you ever seen him prepare any gifts? Besides, in the past years, I had to remind myself every time so that the husband would think of the birthdays of his family members. Why did he suddenly have an idea this year?
The servant didn't even raise his eyelids at this time, and said calmly: "I have my own opinion, so don't worry."
Mrs. Du then understood that it was probably some "elegant thing" such as calligraphy and painting, ancient books, etc., but it was not written by a famous artist and was not worth much money. Lang Jun had done this in the past.
Du Shi was instantly angry.
Although she is the direct daughter of the Du family, she is ranked lower in the family. The Du family has a prosperous heir, but she has been sick since childhood. She was not welcomed by her parents and brothers and sisters in her natal family. It was her grandmother who raised her by her side. Take extra care. When he grew up, he was taught the marriage of the eldest son of Fang Xuanling, a servant of the court, and many sisters envied him and secretly complained that his grandmother was partial.
But now, the old grandmother is seventy-seven years old, and she doesn't even have a congratulatory gift. What does this make her brothers and sisters think of me?
Thinking of this, Mrs. Du was filled with grievances, bursting into tears, and couldn't control herself. The more she cried, the sadder she became, and she gradually began to sob.
Fang Yizhi didn't pay attention at first, but when he noticed something was wrong, he realized that his wife was actually sobbing and crying...
"Madam, don't cry, don't cry...Why is this? But what's wrong with being a husband? Come on, let me make amends for my husband..."
Fang Yizhi was in a panic for a while, but the more he persuaded him, the more he cried.
It is true that he is a nerd, but he is full of love for this charming wife. He has never seen this wife of a well-born lady so sad and aggrieved. She can't help but sweat profusely and is at a loss.
Du Shi cried and said angrily: "It's not you? You are such an old person and you have no responsibility at all. If I can't find a few decent gifts, do you know how my mother-in-law will laugh at me? Anyway, you don't care. Just read the book. From now on, just live with your book and leave me alone..."
Fang Yi was so anxious that he stamped his feet and said: "You think I don't want to buy a few honorific gifts? But you also know the current situation in the house... It's all Erlang's fault. Not to mention causing trouble all day long, and even more so in the past few days. I spent a lot of money to buy land and trees in Hangzhou, otherwise I wouldn’t be in such a tight situation..."
Hearing this, Mrs. Du wiped her tears and said angrily: "Is this what you, the eldest brother, can say? Either you take on the burden of the family and be the backbone, or you teach Erlang a lesson. There is no point in blaming people behind their backs. ?”
"I..."
Fang Yizhi was also a little ashamed, but he knew his own temper. How could he teach the second child a lesson? Pull him down. If you can fight against that guy if you piss him off, you won’t care if he is the eldest brother or not...
He could only say: "Don't worry, madam, I have really prepared gifts for my husband..."
"Really?"
Du Shi still didn't believe it.
"Really, how dare you lie to your wife?"
"Bring it to me and see."
Du Shi said.
"This..."
Fang Yizhi hesitated.
He hadn't yet made up his mind whether to take the thing as a gift. If he took it out, wouldn't there be no room for regret?
Du Shi's mouth tightened and she cried again: "I knew you were lying to me..."
Fang Yi couldn't tell whether to laugh or cry, so he had to say: "I'll show it to you..."
Just as he was talking about this, he suddenly heard the sound of people and horses neighing in the yard, making it extremely noisy.
Before Fang Yi could go out to check, someone knocked on the door.
Fang Yi straightened his clothes, sat down on the couch, looked at Du who had wiped away her tears and regained her gentleness and dignity, then coughed and said: "Come in."
The door opened, and a steward from the mansion came in with an excited look on his face.
"Dalang, eldest lady... Erlang sent people from Zhuangzi outside the city, saying that he had some items for the eldest lady."
"Give it to me?"
Du Shi was stunned.
Although the social atmosphere in the Tang Dynasty was open, it was unusual for a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law to exchange gifts, which would inevitably arouse criticism.
Fang Yizhi looked unhappy and said, "How decent is this Erlang?"
Mrs. Du was a little displeased at first, but when she thought that Fang Jun was able to get into Prince Han's palace for her eldest sister, he must have a family-friendly character and would not do anything rash, so she asked, "What on earth is it?"
The steward said: "Young people don't know..."
Fang Yizhi suddenly asked: "What's going on with the commotion outside?"
The steward said excitedly: "It's the money Erlang sent back from Zhuangzi."
"Money goods?" Fang Yizhi was confused: "That guy has always been good at spending money, how come he still gives money?"
The steward didn't know what to say, so he had to say: "The steward of Zhuangzi is right outside the door. Da Lang, do you think we should let him in?"
Fang Yi waved his hand: "Let him come in."
The steward said: "No."
Gently push out the door.
A stocky servant walked in, it was Zhuangzi's steward Fang Quan.
Fang Quan is an old man of the Fang family. He is the same generation as Fang Xuanling. Fang Yizhi stood up with Mr. Cui. Fang Yizhi said: "Uncle Quan..."
Fang Quan quickly bowed and saluted: "Da Lang, eldest lady, I'm sorry for you, old servant..."
After being polite, Fang Yizhi and Du took their seats and gave up their seats to Fang Quan.
Fang Quan did not sit down and said, "Erlang got a treasure some time ago. He bought a lot of money and sent most of it back to the house and put it into the palace. In addition, Erlang learned that the eldest lady's grandmother is about to have her birthday. , I found a few utensils to give to the eldest lady. If the eldest lady does not dislike them, they can be used as gifts. ”
When he heard that the Fang family had obtained the treasure and sold it for money, Fang Yizhi didn't care and asked casually: "How much did it cost?"
Fang Quan replied: "Thirty thousand guan."
"Thirty thousand...guan?" Fang Yi was stunned. If it weren't for the fact that the person in front of him was Fang Quan, he would have almost driven him away.
What about the liar?
Du Shi was stunned, thirty thousand guan?
Fang Quan's tone was calm, but there was a hint of arrogance in his expression, and he said: "A total of 40,000 guan was sold, and the buyer was the Du family in Guanzhong. Erlang saved 10,000 guan and stayed in the village to spend money after the spring. Madam, would you like to see the utensils Erlang gave you?”
Du Shi was a little dumbfounded. Did she really sell it for 40,000 yuan?
He hurriedly said: "Okay..."
Fang Quan walked to the door and asked several servants to bring the gifts in. (End of chapter)