The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 323 Sleeping
At Rongguo Mansion, Grandmother Jia could clearly sense that Granny Lai was in a very good mood today.

A hint of a smile appeared in her eyes.

As long as you relax, there's no day you can't get through.

After so many years of supporting each other, she hoped that Granny Lai could live out the rest of her life well.

It just so happens that she has been having trouble sleeping at night lately, so she has skipped her midday nap. She talks to Granny Lai every day, which helps her stay awake. People also see that she values ​​Granny Lai and tend to take better care of her.

"It's especially hot this year, so take some ice with you when you go back!"

"Eh!"

Granny Lai smiled and agreed, "Thank you for remembering, Madam. I heard that the price of ice is three times higher than in previous years because of the hot weather this year."

Even if there's ice, she won't take it home.

The old lady couldn't possibly give her ice every day.

Even if the old lady were willing to give her a reward, the second mistress would not agree.

Having enjoyed the coolness, they find it even harder to endure the sweltering heat.

Now that her family no longer has the means, she can no longer spoil her grandchildren.

So it's better to sell this ice.

If we exchange some money, we can buy another half an acre of land when the opportunity arises.

Now, Granny Lai is gradually accumulating wealth for her four grandchildren who have fallen from grace.

"is it?"

Grandmother Jia smiled and asked Yuanyang, "Did our family store a lot of ice last year?"

"There are plenty of them."

Yuanyang hurriedly smiled and said, "The young ladies are in charge of the management in the East Mansion. Since they didn't know how much ice to store, they went back to the old practice and even came to ask Second Madam. After all, they are all in the East Mansion, and the consumption in the East Mansion is definitely higher than in previous years. Second Madam calculated the approximate consumption per person per year for them and also assured them that as long as she stores ice normally, even if the East Mansion doesn't have enough, she can provide support."

"Haha, Feng girl is a good one."

Grandmother Jia was very pleased. “In that case, when you go to Granny Lai’s house later, Yuanyang, you can go with her and get her some more.”

"Yes!"

"Then this old servant will be ashamed to accept it."

Granny Lai quickly stood up and bowed with a smile, "Speaking of ice, this old servant still remembers that in the tenth year after you married into the family, the summer was also very hot, and we didn't have enough ice stored..."

"Yes!"

Grandmother Jia gestured for her to sit down and said, "It was my elder sister from the East Mansion who helped me."

Her mother-in-law only blamed her, without ever considering how many guests had visited their home that year.

Everyone needs ice, but seeing that the ice in the icehouse is running out and the price of ice outside is rising three times a day, she herself is becoming less willing to use ice.

In the end, her older sister helped her.

It's been many years since my sister passed away.

Even Jing'er is gone.

Grandmother Jia felt a little sad. "Judging by the time, it will be her sixty-ninth birthday in the afterlife in a few days."

"No!"

Granny Lai also showed appropriate sadness, saying, "There's a saying among the common people that nine doesn't last until ten. We can't go back to our old home in Jinling for the time being, but we can go to a temple and light an everlasting lamp."

She didn't mention the Iron Threshold Temple directly.

If this is said out loud, and something happens in the future, the old lady will definitely hold a grudge against her.

"In the past year or two, one misfortune after another has happened in my family. We should perform more religious rites."

Grandmother Jia had been persuaded by her. "Amber, go and invite the eldest mistress of the East Mansion over here."

"Oh dear, old lady, look at the sun outside."

Granny Lai quickly stopped her, "The sun is high in the sky, it's terribly hot, and isn't the First Madam of the East Mansion unwell? You should go find her now..."

"Then let's do it first thing tomorrow morning!"

Grandmother Jia made the final decision, "Amber, go over later and tell Madam Shen that I'll invite her to breakfast tomorrow."

"Eh~"

Amber readily agreed.

Granny Lai and Grandmother Jia talked for a while longer, and then left after Xing Shi and Wang Xifeng came to take over after their afternoon rest.

By this time, Nami Kuroiwa and Shunji Fukuyama were getting impatient.

It was hot in the gatehouse, and even hotter outside.

They were worried something might happen, and their restless minds only fueled their excitement.

When Granny Lai finally came out, the old woman who came to see her off brought a bucket of ice, and the two of them couldn't help but show a little joy.

"Take it!"

Granny Lai didn't actually want them to come into the mansion; the more people they met, the more dangerous it would be for the Lai family.

She didn't even want them to stay in the gatehouse, but they were determined to go in, so there was nothing she could do.

"Yes!"

Kuroiwa Nami lowered her head and took the bag, and the two of them accompanied Granny Lai out of the mansion.

But as soon as they left Ningrong Street, the meek and obedient person turned into Granny Lai. "Thank you for your understanding, heroine. I have done my mission well. The matter of leaving the city is most likely to be successful."

"That's good!"

Kuroiwa Nami couldn't help but think more highly of Granny Lai. "Tell me, how did you manage to get the old lady of this house to hold funeral celebrations for people?"

Learning more might be helpful for her future undercover work.

"Yes!"

Granny Lai was open and honest with everything she knew.

The old lady had been having trouble sleeping lately, so to prevent her from sleeping at night if she took a nap at noon, I talked to her, and then I talked about ice... I told her everything little by little.

So, it means we won't be able to confirm until tomorrow?

Kuroiwa Nami frowned slightly. "Why did you stop the old lady from inviting her on the spot?"

"...Even if I don't speak up to stop them, Yuanyang and Hu Po will offer their advice."

Granny Lai said, "Shen's status in the Jia family has long surpassed that of the old lady. In this sweltering heat, even if we went to call her, she wouldn't come. So, whether it's for the old lady's sake or to avoid punishment, they will advise her to change it to the evening or tomorrow morning."

If the old lady doesn't think of something, and the maids don't help her think of anything, they will all be punished afterwards.

In this grand mansion, which maid or servant who has climbed to a high position doesn't have some skills?
"Don't worry, I'll come over tomorrow at noon; there will definitely be good news!"

"Alright, I'll trust you one more time."

Kuroiwa Nami moved closer to the ice bucket area. "Let's do it again tomorrow."

"Yes Yes!"

Granny Lai glanced at the ice bucket and regretted that she couldn't exchange it for silver.

The next morning, Shen Ning indeed came over to freeload off Grandmother Jia's breakfast.

Rice porridge with green stems, cold noodles with shredded chicken, steamed buns with tofu skin, rock sugar bird's nest porridge, pickled bamboo shoot and chicken skin soup, lotus leaf and lotus seed soup, etc...

Shen Ning tasted a little of everything in a small bowl, but when it came to the lotus leaf and lotus seed soup, she could only look at it and couldn't eat a single bite.

Little Jia Yue, on the other hand, can try her hand at everything.

"Watching this child eat makes me unconsciously eat more myself."

The more Grandmother Jia looked at little Jia Yue, the more she liked her. "If you want to freeload a meal in the future, just bring her along. I'll make sure you eat well every meal."

"Hahaha, I knew it, Auntie is fickle."

Shen Ning smiled and rubbed her daughter's tummy. "Oh well, what can I do? This little one is my child. I'm magnanimous and won't be jealous of her."

"You, you~"

Grandmother Jia laughed, "Aren't you afraid that little Yue'er will laugh at you when she grows up?"

"My dear Yue'er, would you laugh at your mother?"

boo~
Little Yue'er tilted her head up and kissed Shen Ning, saying, "I love Mommy!"

In the child's eyes, there was only her.

Shen Ning hugged her tightly, smiling as she said to Grandmother Jia, "Auntie, see? I have a sweet little girl too." "Hahaha...you, you!"

Grandmother Jia was amused by her, "Luckily I also have a cotton-padded coat, otherwise you would definitely have gotten a beating."

"In that case, I should thank my sisters even more."

Several ice basins were placed in the room. To prevent herself from getting sick again, Shen Ning held Jia Yue and kept her away from them. "Come, my two sisters, please accept my greeting."

"This is what we deserve."

Jia Min pulled Jia Wen, who was trying to avoid her, and said with a smile, "Luckily, we both have daughters. Otherwise, with my sister-in-law like this, I would be eager to go back to Jiangnan and find Ru Haisheng."

"Pfft~~"

"Hahaha~~~"

The people in the room burst into laughter.

It took them a while to rest.

After the maids had finished tidying up, Grandmother Jia put her arm around Jia Min, who was sitting next to her, and then said to Shen Ning, "I called you over today because your mother-in-law's death anniversary is coming soon. People say that nine years is not enough for ten years. Do you have any plans for that?"

“Go to the Iron Threshold Temple to perform Buddhist rituals for three days. Also, isn’t the Mantou Nunnery always giving away steamed buns? So, for three consecutive days, give a thousand steamed buns each day.”

After a moment's thought, Shen Ning presented her plan.

She would never do something like lighting eternal lamps at a temple or monastery.

With that money, she would rather give it to the children in the orphanage to make them a set of clothes.

"In addition, I would like to make a set of clothes for each of the elderly and young people in the orphanage in my mother-in-law's name."

"...Also!"

Grandmother Jia preferred to perform religious rites and light lamps that burned continuously.

But Shen's actions were also acts of accumulating good deeds.

"Then my third sister, second sister, and I will each perform for Auntie for one day!"

Jia Min also quickly responded.

Jia Wen nodded in agreement.

The second sister in the palace would definitely be willing too.

"Then it's settled."

Grandmother Jia agreed, "Zhen'er and Lian'er both need to work now, which is perfect. Zhu'er's health is much better now, so why don't we let him handle the outside affairs?"

She used to worry because all the children were at home.

Now, Jia Zhen and Jia Lian, whom she least favored, are doing very well in the court, while Zhu'er has become idle at home.

Grandmother Jia felt sorry for her eldest grandson and wanted to find him something to do.

"I'll listen to my aunt."

Actually, there's nothing major going on, so it's fine to have Jia Zhu run errands.

Shen Ning agreed.

However, upon returning home, she summoned Jiao Da and asked him to send more men that day.

Although most of the Japanese in various places that could be captured have been captured, it doesn't mean that there were no Japanese who escaped.

In short, it's always better to be careful!
She thought that everything would be fine once she had explained these things, but little did she know that, with the help of Granny Lai, Kuroiwa Nami not only obtained the topographical maps of Tiekan Temple and Mantou Nunnery, but also figured out the entire surrounding area for dozens of miles.

The days passed by in their tension, and soon it was the eighth day of the sixth lunar month.

The Ningguo Mansion's carriage was sandwiched among the Jia family's many carriages. Hei Yana watched from afar, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Wash hands, burn incense, offer sacrifices, recite the eulogy, perform the kowtow, and burn paper money...

The process was quite elaborate. Shen Ning, Grandmother Jia, and others were dressed in full regalia according to their social status, and amidst funeral music and the chanting of sutras by Taoist priests and Buddhist monks, they completed all the necessary preparations.

It was so hot that even though there were many ice basins placed here, Shen Ning still sweated a lot.

"Sister-in-law, you don't look well."

Jia Min noticed her and said softly, "Why don't you go back inside and change your clothes, and rest for a while? We'll take care of things outside for you."

"Then thank you very much, sisters."

Shen Ning patted Jia Wen, who was equally concerned, and said, "I'll be right back."

Back in her own quiet room, the coolness of the room finally allowed her to catch her breath.

"Keep an eye out. Call me if someone calls outside."

"Yes!"

Xiaodong and the others were very responsible.

Actually, if the old lady of the West Mansion hadn't suggested it, according to the wishes of her parents, even if it were a grand affair, it wouldn't have involved so many people.
If you come to my home, perform a religious ceremony, light incense, burn some paper money, and send some clothes and food to the orphanage, then the matter is over.

Everyone can relax, and their wives won't have to go through all that trouble.

Several people were secretly criticizing Grandmother Jia.

The old lady is in good health, so she doesn't consider her wife at all.

My wife is afraid of the heat and wants to cool off, but she can't. Since the weather got hot, she has already fallen slightly ill twice.

now……

They could only pray that people outside would be understanding and allow their wives to rest a little longer in the house.

However, it is clearly not possible.

She was, after all, the head of the household.

Although no outsiders were invited, Shi Nai and his wife, as well as Shi Ding's wife, all came from the Shi family side.

Shen Ning couldn't hide, nor could she escape.

No one called her, but she felt it was about time and it was time for her to go out.

After a busy and chaotic day, she finally breathed a sigh of relief as dusk fell.

Shen Ning was too exhausted to take care of the baby, so Jia Wen kindly took Xiao Yue'er in.

With the children no longer making noise, Shen Ning, having finished washing up, lay on the rattan recliner and drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

The room gradually quieted down, but outside the temple, many people, eager to see the play on the stage, had come from afar.

That's how it is these days. There aren't many forms of entertainment. If you hear there's a show going on somewhere, many people will walk ten or twenty miles to join in the fun.

Some people even arrived in oxcarts or donkey carts.

Because the performances run from morning till night, the three troupes take turns performing.

Most of their belongings were kept at the temple, and the gatekeepers and patrolling guards couldn't help but take a second look when they heard the commotion.

Shen Ning fell asleep, and Wen Peilan and Xiaodong, who were accompanying her, also yawned a few times without realizing it.

The ice in the ice basin was still slowly melting, bringing them coolness and lulling them into a deep sleep.

Creak~
After a while, the door opened with a low thud, without disturbing anyone.

"They're all fast asleep."

Fukuyama Shunji, who was carrying the box in, was very satisfied. "Nami, we're about to do something great."

They originally intended to end the Shen family's life with a single blow.

But such opportunities are rare.

Just as Nami said, many of their people are still imprisoned.

If we could use her to save the lives of our people, or even ensure the safe departure of the leaders in the group, that would be ten times better than ending her life with a single blow.

Moreover, as long as Granny Lai's connection remains, there will be opportunities in the future.

"Shh~"

Kuroiwa Nami didn't have time to chat with him. "Hurry up."

She carried the large box over and roughly stuffed the soundly sleeping Shen Ning inside.

The two came quietly and left quietly.

The guards passing by glanced at the costumes on the box and walked past.

Once outside the Iron Threshold Temple and making sure no one was watching, the costume was flipped open, revealing the ordinary coarse cloth clothes of a commoner.

They carried it quickly to a donkey cart not far away, and no one noticed until it was quite a distance away.