sent Granny Hong to the town, Xu Chang hid in his house when he came back, no one was seen, and he didn't know what Zhang Sanniang scolded him.

Zhang Sanniang's reaction was also very fast, and she arrived in the village the next day.

It was still Liu Xiaoyi driving the ox cart, and in addition to Zhang Sanniang, there was also her personal maid Ying'er.

After entering the village, Zhang Sanniang first glared at her son Xu Ping, who came up, and saw that Xu Ping was "groaning" in his heart, and he didn't know how the old lady was going to find her own trouble.

After seeing the ceremony, Zhang Sanniang sat down in the center, and Ying'er stood on the side.

Zhang Sanniang said: "Granny Hong lost her husband a few years ago, and she is middle-aged and widowed, and her temperament is a little narrower. This time, she made a big fuss and made the family restless. I recruited her back, only by my side, Xiuxiu's matter, everyone forgot about it. Dalang—"

Xu Ping hurriedly stepped forward.

Zhang Sanniang glanced at her son deeply, sighed, and finally didn't say anything ugly in front of everyone: "That girl is the person next to you, this time I was wronged, how can you forgive a few words." If someone makes her new clothes, it will be my Xu family to compensate her. I saw her mother in the town yesterday afternoon, and the sister-in-law of the Ren family said a lot of good things to me, and I couldn't help it. After all, this thing has been done by our family, and the neighbors don't look good, you tell her, don't leave a pimple in your heart. ”

Xu Ping didn't expect his mother to be so knowledgeable about the world, so he hurriedly agreed. In his impression, these landlords and old fortunes are not good to their subordinates, how can they admit their mistakes so easily.

Zhang Sanniang just sighed in her heart, what could she do if she didn't do this? Yesterday, Xiuxiu's mother knelt down as soon as she saw her, and kept saying that her daughter was ignorant and asked her to bear with her. They are all neighbors, not to mention that people's hearts are generally long, and she is not a vicious person, but the eyes of her neighbors yesterday made her face hot. The Xu family has been away from their hometown for many years, and it can be said that they have no roots and no bottom when they return here, how dare they make everyone shout and beat?

After instructing Xu Ping, Zhang Sanniang said again: "In this house, there are dozens of people up and down, and they can't be left without one person to take care of them." Ying'er is someone close to me, and she has been around for several years, and she is reliable in all aspects. From today onwards, she will take the place of Granny Hong and take care of the affairs in the courtyard, and all of you will be careful in the future. ”

Ying'er was not yet twenty years old, her face was flushed, and she was speechless in front of everyone.

Zhang Sanniang shook her head, there was no one around her, so she had to give in and let everyone disperse.

Seeing Xu Ping turn around, he said, "Da Lang, and Xu Chang, you two stay." ”

After speaking, he got up and took Ying'er into the study.

This is the main house of the Zhuangyuan, which has always been empty here for Xu Zheng and Zhang Sanniang, and it is natural for someone to clean it. This is the authority of the head of the family, others can't be offended, and Xu Ping himself lives in a side courtyard.

Sitting in the study, looking at Xu Ping and Xu Chang who followed up, Zhang Sanniang said: "There are no outsiders here, I have a few words for you to say." ”

first faced Xu Ping: "Da Lang, when will you change your character of making mistakes at every turn?" In front of so many people, how did you speak to Granny Hong? What's the matter, we are two mothers and sons, you told me first, when did I stubborn you? Do you have me in your eyes! ”

Xu Ping said curtly: "I have changed a lot. ”

Zhang Sanniang just sighed: "Especially yesterday, it alarmed Lin Xiucai." He is my in-law, your father-in-law, do you know how rare this friendship is? He is a scholar, he doesn't look down on agents like us very much, and he puts the ugly things in front of him, what does he think in his heart? Da Lang, you have also read books with Lin Xiucai for many years, where have you read? I don't understand things at all! I still expect you to earn me a life when you look like this, and there is no hope when I am white! In the future, you will be less involved in the affairs of the village, and go to study honestly! ”

Xu Ping was shocked, his fun was to clean up the fields, what was the point of reading? He had read it for a decade or two in his previous life, and he had read enough.

After thinking for a while, Xu Ping solemnly said to Zhang Sanniang: "My mother asked me to study wholeheartedly, but I can't hide it, so I won't be able to study." If I look at both sides, I can still read it. I promise you, this year will not be cheating and slippery, and you will study hard in the study hall, but I will be left to me outside. A year later, I also knew what kind of material I was, and whether I could participate in the imperial examination to earn an official position, there was a saying at that time. ”

Zhang Sanniang listened, smiled and said to Xu Chang and Ying'er: "Have you heard, you will be able to recognize yourself after a year, Da Lang has been reading for many years!" Say such things to coax me, do you believe it or not? ”

Xu Chang said: "Small letter." Da Lang is slowly recovering these days, and it is not as good as before. ”

Zhang Sanniang said curiously: "You say the same thing? The old man in the family also has this meaning, I just feel that my son has not changed much, and he is still that lazy! But it doesn't matter how much time you spend with Da Lang, I don't think it's nonsense. In that case, I'll give you another year. But let's say it, for the mother, it doesn't matter if you're that material or not, all I'll tell me after a year is when I'll be able to go to high school, don't say that I can't read this kind of nonsense. Give me a life to earn, and I have face when I meet my in-laws, and after a hundred years, I go to the ground and see the light on my ancestors' faces. I'm the only one child, and everything will fall on you! ”

A year is also good, Xu Ping no longer speaks, time can change everything.

After talking to Xu Ping, Zhang Sanniang said to Xu Chang: "Xu Chang, how many years have you been at my house?" ”

Xu Chang saw that Zhang Sanniang was asking seriously, and hurriedly replied: "Back to the main mother, Xu Chang has been in the house for twenty-six years when he was a child. ”

Zhang Sanniang nodded: "Twenty-six years, it has passed in a blink of an eye." I remember that my father brought you back that year, and you were just learning to walk, and I don't know what year or month you were born. ”

Xu Chang said: "Fortunately, the first master took him in, Xu Chang was saved from freezing and starvation, and the day of entry was my birthday, and Xu Chang only had twenty-six birthdays." ”

Zhang Sanniang said: "Speaking of which, you are almost thirty years old now. Ever since my father died, you have often been neglected at home. People say that when you stand at thirty, you should start a family. ”

Xu Chang hurriedly said: "How can the master mother say such a thing? I ate in the Xu family and lived in the Xu family, not to mention the suffering of freezing and starvation over the years, and I have not suffered the slightest grievance, this is a great blessing. ”

Zhang Sanniang ignored him, pulled Ying'er over and asked, "What do you think of my personal Ying'er?" ”

Ying'er lowered her head and secretly glanced at Xu Chang, full of shyness.

She is nineteen years old this year, just the age of a flower, although she is not very beautiful, she can be taken by her master and called closely, and she cannot be ugly, and she has a middle-class appearance.

Xu Chang said: "Sister Ying'er is the person next to the main mother, and she teaches every day, which is naturally good." ”

In the Song Dynasty, people were called people, unless there were special circumstances, or they should be specially pointed out for the eldest and younger, and there were very few younger brothers and sisters, regardless of age, men were called elder brothers, or brothers, and women were called sisters, or sisters. Even if the father calls his son, such as the later Song Huizong called his son Song Gaozong Zhao Gou, he is also called the ninth brother. Therefore, although Xu Chang is much older than Ying'er, he calls his sister the same, which is a difference in ancient and modern customs.

Zhang Sanniang smiled and said, "I promise Ying'er to you, are you willing?" ”

Xu Chang was stunned, and after a while, he said: "Sister Ying'er is a fairy-like person, this is the blessing that Xu Chang cultivated in his previous life, and the grace of the master mother, of course, I am very willing!" ”

Hearing this, Xu Ping couldn't help but glance at Xu Chang. This guy usually looks honest and loyal, but he didn't expect that at the critical time, his mouth was also honey and oil, and he said how to say it.

Zhang Sanniang let out a sigh of relief with a smile: "This matter is settled." Ying'er is also a poor person, she has no father or mother since she was a child, so don't dislike anyone among you. As soon as things are done, I will naturally preside over with the old men in the family, and you will be your elders. The day is set today, just three days from now. In the first days, you were a little aggrieved, first lived here in the west wing, and in a few days set up a house outside, and all the uses were allocated from the library. ”

This is to let Xu Chang and Ying'er go out to live alone, and the Xu family is also generous, of course the two are grateful.

In fact, this matter can't be talked about in detail, especially the identities of Xu Chang and Ying'er, which can't be torn apart.

According to the law of the Song Dynasty, there were no private slaves and maids, and there were very few official slaves and maids at this time, and they were completely extinct when they arrived in the Song Dynasty.

Usually the so-called slaves and maids are hired and have a term of service, and the government also strictly prohibits lifelong employment, and the contract is changed every five years or ten years. The status of master and servant is lifted when it expires, because he is a good citizen, and he does not need to be released.

However, long-term employment or even lifelong employment still exists in practice, and examples like Xu Chang can only take advantage of the loopholes of the law. In this way, at the time of the covenant, it cannot be said that you are hired as a slave, but only as an adopted son or an adopted daughter, and there is no time limit. The actual identity is actually a slave. Xu Chang said it seriously, it is estimated that he was adopted as an adopted son by Xu Ping's grandfather, and this kind of relationship is impossible to have such a bloody plot as a slave marrying a hostess to inherit the family business, and Zhang Sanniang is just marrying an outsider Xu Zheng.

And Ying'er Xu Ping doesn't know what the situation is, whether there is a deadline. If the identity is the adopted daughter of the Xu family at the time of the contract, the relationship will be completely chaotic.

This is why Zhang Sanniang skipped this section and only said that the reason why they went out to start a family and started a family, and the specifics could not be said too clearly.

After asking Xu Chang and Ying'er, Zhang Sanniang solved a matter on her mind. What happened to Granny Hong really upset her, but she didn't worry about handing over the family affairs to others, Ying'er's temperament was too soft, so she had to pull Xu Chang in. This is the person who has been raised in the family since childhood, and of course the most reliable.

Seeing that Xu Chang and Ying'er were both ashamed to answer, Zhang Sanniang smiled and said to Xu Ping: "Da Lang, you are a scholar anyway, take advantage of everyone's happiness today, and think of a good name for Ying'er." is going out to get married, and you can't call Ying'er a cheap name anymore. Although we are agents, we can't make people laugh at us. ”

If in Xu Ping's previous life, the names of girls like Ying'er, Su'er, and Xiuxiu still sound quite meaningful, and there are many girls who call them like this. But at this time, they are all cheap names, and there are basically only three times to use them, one is the maid at home, the other is the outside **, and the other is the child's milk name. Since Ying'er is going to marry a wife, for the sake of her future face, she can't be called like this.

After thinking for a while, Xu Ping said: "Since we all follow our Xu family's surname, Ying'er will follow her mother's surname, how about calling Zhang Aijia?" ”

Zhang Sanniang said: "What do you say? ”

Xu Ping was a little embarrassed: "What do you want?" Doesn't it sound good! ”

Zhang Sanniang scolded with a smile: "I said earlier that you didn't have to worry about studying, but today you are really embarrassed!" But the name is still called, so let's settle it like that. ”