Early the next morning, Tangning received a thank-you gift from the next door.
The flower seeds of multi-colored crabapples are wrapped in cloud-patterned brocade silk. There are dozens of stranded crabapples that are already wrapped and have complex flowers and leaves that are taller than a human being. There are also more than a dozen extremely precious Xifu crabapple seedlings.
When more than ten people from the Department of Flowers and Birds carefully moved the flowers and trees into the mansion, Hua Wu was stunned.
"Did the Governor vacate the Royal Garden?"
Xichun and the others had seen the world before, but they were stunned when they looked at the flowers and trees in the yard.
"Girl, these are all from the palace..."
"probably?"
Tang Ning was a little dazed and at a loss. She just asked Xiao Yan for a few flower branches, thinking that when she came back, she would grow them and then divide them and cultivate them. But who knew that Xiao Yan would actually bring so many flowers back.
The leader of the Department of Flowers and Birds is an elderly palace servant named Ji, who smiles like Maitreya Buddha.
Eunuch Ji had long heard that Governor Xiao almost killed the imperial censor because of Miss Song. He showed no trace of palace airs to Song Tangning and had a smile on his face.
"Ms. Song, Governor Xiao asked us to send these."
"You can keep the flower seeds of these multi-colored crabapples for now. I will teach you how to raise seedlings later. However, these adult crabapples and seedlings must be planted as soon as possible, otherwise the flower branches will be damaged when the mud and water dries. Governor Xiao told me to listen. Tell me, where do you think these should be planted?"
Tang Ning said quickly: "Just plant it in this courtyard, and just plant it around the wall from here."
Eunuch Ji asked about the location and what kind of Begonia Garden Tangning wanted. After making a rough plan, he led the people from the Flower and Bird Department to get busy.
The soil in the courtyard was turned over, and begonias were planted one after another.
Although it hasn't bloomed yet, the buds that are about to bloom make Tang Ning happy.
"The Overlord."
There was a voice coming from behind. Tang Ning turned around, her eyes suddenly opened, and her lips pursed into a sweet pear shape: "Brother!"
"It's such a bright sun, why don't you take shelter?"
Xiao Yan's robes fluttered, and Ya'an's tall figure came to her side, directly blocking the dazzling sunlight just now.
Seeing that her little face was slightly red from the sun and the tip of her nose was covered with glistening sweat, he handed over a brocade handkerchief and said, "Dry it carefully."
Tang Ning took the towel and wiped it with some embarrassment: "I forgot to look at the flowers for a moment. Why is brother back now?"
"There's nothing going on in court today, so I'll come back early."
He glanced at the happy look of the little girl, and then his eyes fell on the man from the Flower and Bird Department not far away who was busy planting begonias.
"Are these flowers still open? I don't understand this either. I asked them to dig some at will. If you like them, you can ask someone to dig some back from the palace later."
"Enough is enough."
Tang Ning spoke quickly, it was the palace, not someone's vegetable garden. With so many flowers and trees given away, she was afraid that someone would catch her by the tail and accuse Xiao Yan of being abusing power, seeking personal gain and embezzling public property. How could she dare to let Xiao Yan go there again.
"Brother, if you ask someone to send so many flowers and trees, will anyone tell you..." She pinched the brocade handkerchief and worried.
Xiao Yan smiled: "Do you have any misunderstanding about this governor?"
"ah?"
"This governor has a bad reputation throughout the country. He flatters the emperor. Everyone thinks that he is a traitor and a traitor, and he wields power in the court."
Seeing the little girl's confused face, he reached out to pluck the leaves that had fallen from her hair at some point, and looked confused when he stopped.
"A traitorous minister naturally has the dignity to be a traitorous minister. If he has to be afraid of others even digging a few flowers and trees, then wouldn't my life have been in vain these years?"
Tang Ning was instantly embarrassed: "Brother."
She is not a child!
What are you doing to tease her?
A smile burst out of Xiao Yan's throat, and he turned to look at her with round eyes: "I'm just telling you to take it if you like it. The governor won't fall into trouble just for a few flowers and trees. I can ask people to send it out, and the palace Have your own sense of proportion.”
The Department of Flowers and Birds' handwriting was extremely neat. Seeing that Governor Xiao came over in person, the speed of his hand became a little faster.
Xiao Yan saw that the sun was too bright, so he called Tang Ning to go to the pavilion.
Xichun and Nianxia brought snacks and tea. He looked at the two people who quickly retreated after delivering the things, and asked Tang Ning: "How is this new maid?"
"fine."
Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Tang Ning's voice ended up rising when he spoke, giving it a refreshing softness.
"They were all convicted of crimes in their families and were demoted to slavery. They have suffered some crimes before. They are cautious and polite, and they also understand the rules very well. And I talked to them last night. Except for Xichun and Nianxia, Fengqiu and Lonicera are both Learned to be a housekeeper.”
"I'm just looking for someone to help me sort out the list of belongings left by my grandfather and my mother-in-law. And after I clear up the relationship with the Song family, I have to make a deal with the property left by my mother-in-law and the others with the Song family. Let’s face it, we must not allow them to get any more than the money, and we must not let others take advantage of us.”
The Song family had never taught her about housekeeping, but her aunt had mentioned it in the past, but at that time she was too preoccupied with trying to please Lu Zhinian to learn useless piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and she only half-learned the account books that her aunt had sent her earlier.
The Song family raised her to be aloof and free from the smell of copper, and even the Lu family seemed to have never asked for these things from her.
She used to think that they loved her and were reluctant to let her suffer as a housekeeper, but after a lot of experience, she vaguely understood that they might have intended to raise her to waste.
They coveted the things left by their grandfather and mother-in-law. The Lu family had never thought about having a smart daughter-in-law. Now that she was leaving the Song family, she had also decided to have nothing to do with them anymore.
Whether it was the money from the family property that should have belonged to the second wife, or the things that belonged to her mother-in-law and her grandfather, she had to get them back every penny.
Xiao Yan's eyes widened: "Do you want me to ask someone to help you?"
Tang Ning shook his head: "No need for now. There is a list of everything grandma left behind, and there is also a deed for the second house. The Song family can't make fake ones. I want to try it myself first. If you don't understand anything, I can talk to my brother. .”
"Can."
The cup in Xiao Yan's hand fell on the table and he raised his eyes to look at Tang Ning: "Did you know that the old woman from the Song family's hand is disabled?"
Tang Ning said "Yeah": "I know."
What happened in the past two days was so big that Xiao Yan threatened the Imperial Medical Office and confronted the imperial censor.
Mr. He of the Yushitai had his legs broken, but he still had to drag his sick body into the palace to "kneel down" in front of the palace to receive the ordination.
It is said that Mr. He vomited blood just after being whipped ten times this morning. If the Lu family hadn't invited most of the Imperial Medical Office to gather at the He family for consultation, the blood might have caused the person to vomit to death.
"Are you afraid?" Xiao Yan raised his eyes to look at her.
Tang Ning shook his head.
"Don't you think this governor is cruel?"
"Why do you say that Brother is cruel? They had evil intentions first, and Brother protected me before touching them. I am not a ungrateful person."
In the past, Xiao Huan's reputation was only known to him as a murderer, but after Tang Ning got to know him, even though they only got to know him for a few days, he could tell that he was not a murderous person.
She didn't know much about the affairs in the court, but if they hadn't repeatedly provoked the Song family and wanted to force her, how could he have been so cruel.
She is not a wolf with white eyes. Her brother is protecting her, but she goes to help others.
"You are my brother, and I will naturally support you. Don't say that brother is right. Even if there is a mistake, it must be the fault of others. They were the ones who provoked brother first."
"But you know that there are more than one or two people outside who speak ill of me..."
"so what?"
Tang Ning's expression remained unchanged: "People with dark thoughts always come in groups. Those who are jealous of my brother must know each other. They can't compare to my brother, so they can only collude in private to say bad things about my brother."
Xiao Yan's eyelashes were slightly raised by her strange but justified words, and a smile filled his noble black eyes.
"You are helping me but not taking care of me."
"Who called you Brother?"
Xiao Yan chuckled softly in his throat, the light and shadow were scattered, like frost melting into the spring light.
Canglang stood outside the pavilion and looked at his governor's smiling eyes, and couldn't help but "tsk".
Is this Miss Song’s honey jar so sweet? She has such a sweet mouth?
…
The people in the Flower and Bird Department specialize in flowers and plants, and it only takes half an hour to take care of the courtyard.
After seeing off the people from the Flower and Bird Department, someone from another courtyard sent a message saying that the man who had gone crazy earlier had become more sober, so Xiao Yan didn't stay in Tang Mansion any longer.
Song Tangning stayed in the backyard to admire the begonias that had not bloomed for a long time. She looked at the bulging buds that seemed to bloom at any time. She thought about the beauty of the begonias in the garden in March and April. She was in a good mood. She just waited to hear about it after dinner. When it was announced that someone from the third room of the Song family had arrived, the smile on her face instantly faded a bit.
"Who's coming?"
"It's the Third Lady."
There are one son and two daughters in the third room of the Song family. The legitimate second son, Song Jinnan, is studying abroad. The fourth wife, Song Yuanzhi, who is also the direct descendant, followed the third wife, Mrs. Yu, back to her maternal home. There is only the third concubine, Song Ru, left in the house.
This third lady's biological mother was of low origin, and her pregnancy was due to an accident with Song Tan. The third master, Song Tan, did not like her biological mother and detested her low blood. When the child was born, her biological mother suffered a hemorrhage, and she also had an innate disdain for her. The unlucky daughter also grew disgusted with her, so she just randomly named her and left her in the house to be raised.
Song Ru has a timid temperament and is very timid. Because she is not valued by others, she rarely leaves the house and has no sense of presence in the house.
If Hua Wu hadn't suddenly come over today, she would have almost forgotten that there was such a girl in the house.
Seeing Tang Ning frowning, Hua Wu said: "Girl, the third lady may have come here to deal with matters in the house, or else the servant will let the Hang guard drive him away?"
Tang Ning shook her head: "No, let her in."
The moonlight outside was cold and cold. Song Ru pinched her fingers with some fear. Her slender figure was particularly pale under the light of the lantern above her head.
She took a careful look at the tall mansion door in front of her, and couldn't help but feel a little timid. Just when she was hesitating whether to leave, she suddenly heard someone in front of the door calling her to come in.
Song Tangning was stunned for a moment when he saw Song Ru in the flower hall. The girl who came in was really shockingly thin.
She was obviously a noble girl in the Duke's palace, but her clothes were a little white from the washing. Even if she tried her best to dress properly, the waist of her skirt was too big, and it was too baggy to cover her withered figure.
"Second sister."
Song Ru's voice was very thin, and she was a little out of breath. After entering, she lowered her head and held her chest, looking timid.
Tang Ning was not as thorny towards Song Rushi as the Song family. When she spoke, she was gentle: "It's so late, why are you here?"
"Are you disturbing the second sister..." Song Ru grabbed her sleeves.
Tang Ning saw that her nervous fingers turned white and her back tensed up, as if she was afraid that she would disturb her, so she couldn't help but sigh silently: "No, it's just that it was dark outside, and I was a little surprised that you came over suddenly. "
"Hua Wu, go get some hot tea for Sanniang, and some snacks and fruits. They should be easy to digest."
Song Ru was startled and waved her hands quickly: "No, no, I'm just here to see my sister."
As if she was afraid that Tang Ning would misunderstand, she whispered,
"There is some chaos in the house. Brother and the others don't care about me. I came out secretly. Father and the others don't know..."
"I, I just heard that the second sister was unconscious, so I wanted to come over and have a look. Since the second sister is fine, I will go back first to prevent father and others from noticing."
Her voice was thin, her palm-sized face was tense, and she leaned towards Tang Ning and wanted to leave.
Tang Ning quickly stopped her: "Now that you're here, why are you leaving in such a hurry? Anyway, you said that the house is in chaos, so it doesn't matter if you stay a little longer."
"But……"
"Stop it."
Tang Ning waved to Song Ru: "Didn't you say you came here to visit me? I happen to be a little hungry too. You can have something to eat with me."
Song Ru was a little stunned, her eyes rounded when she raised her head.
"What, you don't want to?"
"No..." Song Ru said quickly, "I, I am willing..."
Song Ru's temperament is really timid, and the slightest movement will startle her into confusion.
She never seemed to know how to refuse and was afraid of making people angry. Tang Ning easily kept the person. When Hua Wu led Xichun and the others to bring snacks and tea, Tang Ning saw her swallowing in her throat, but she quickly Averted his eyes.
"Eat some with me. It's not good for me to eat alone." Tang Ning stuffed a piece of shortbread for Song Ru.
"Second sister..."
"Taste it."
Song Ru took a careful look at Tang Ning and saw a smile in her eyes. Then she relaxed a little and started eating the shortbread in small bites.
The little girl moved very lightly and ate very carefully. It was obviously a shortbread that was easy to fall apart, but she didn't even leave a single crumb behind.
Her little face was so pale that she had an astonishingly thin neck, and her small and pointed chin. Her sleeves fell down when she held the shortbread, and the exposed wrist bones were all bulging due to thinness.
Song Tangning looked at Song Ru and felt a little embarrassed. She had never paid attention to the sister of the third brother-in-law before. Because the third uncle did not like it, the legitimate children of the third brother-in-law also disliked her. In addition, Song Ru had a timid temperament and rarely interacted with others. Even the government There were times when she was nowhere to be seen at family dinners. Naturally, she, who was so "delicate", would not pay attention to Song Ru's situation beyond the third room.
Until she was imprisoned in her last life, this third sister, who had never been inconspicuous, was the only person in the Song family besides Hua Wu who had sincerely asked about her well-being.
She didn't dare to let her out, nor did she dare to antagonize Song Jinxiu and the others. She didn't even dare to say a word for her. She just secretly handed a few steamed buns after Hua Wu died and whispered, "Second sister, please be well." .
Every time she threw something in through the small hole in the wall, her wrists were as thin as if she had been living without seeing the light of day all year round.
Song Tangning saw that she had finished a piece of shortbread and handed her another piece of soft cake: "Eat slowly, there is more."
