Chapter 144 Sending New Year's Gifts

This shows that the incident ultimately planted a hidden danger in the Earl's mind. Therefore, to be on the safe side, she could not take any action for a long time to come until the Earl's doubts were completely dispelled.

When she came to her senses and started preparing for the New Year's shopping for the household, she discovered that the Su mother and daughter actually had the brocade worn by the imperial concubines in the palace, and that they had already made a fortune in the capital. It was obvious to anyone that the mother and daughter had made a fortune just from their business in the past few days.

She's so angry!

Therefore, she was even less willing than her daughter to spend money to support her arch-rival.

Seeing her mother's gloomy face and silence for a long time, Yu Qingyan didn't dare to speak again and could only sit timidly to the side.

Looking at her daughter's appearance, Madam Qiao couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "A few bolts of fabric are hardly worth this much? Quickly pull yourself together and put on the airs of a well-bred lady."

Your mother has already privately discussed your marriage with your maternal grandmother and several other high-ranking family matriarchs. As long as you can marry into a prominent family in the capital and secure your position as the matriarch, it will not have been in vain for your mother to plan for you.

As for other things, you don't need to worry about them. After all, our Earl's Mansion is the maternal family of that little slut Yu Qingci. With the end of the year approaching, the General's Mansion's New Year's gifts should be arriving in the next few days.

If that little wretch knew any manners, she would know that a piece of brocade should be included in the New Year's gifts to show respect to the elders in the household. Your grandmother always dotes on you; you can just ask her for two bolts when the time comes.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingyan's eyes lit up, and she agreed to do it.

The New Year's gifts from the General's Mansion have arrived. This is the first time Yu Qingci has sent New Year's gifts to the Earl's Mansion since she got married, so the gifts have to be extra important. Because she is a widow and cannot come back in person, she specially sent Granny Pei to show her respect.

After respectfully greeting and bowing to Madam Zhang, Granny Pei handed over the list of New Year's gifts.

Standing next to Madam Zhang, Yu Qingyan naturally took the list and said to Madam Zhang:

"Grandmother, let me read it to you and see what nice things my third sister has given you as a token of her respect."

After saying that, he began to read the list line by line:

A set of four scholar's items inlaid with silver wire in sandalwood, engraved with "Pine and Crane for Longevity";

Two wild ginseng roots from Changbai Mountain;

Six bolts of exquisite Shu brocade with twelve-color lotus scroll patterns, crafted by Suzhou embroiderers;

Four boxes of Imperial Secret Recipe Donkey-hide Gelatin Paste;

A pair of Yangzhou lacquerware food boxes;

Two boxes of sandalwood incense with carved lotus petal patterns;

A pair of gilded candlesticks...

After reading it all, Madam Zhang narrowed her eyes noncommittally, and after a long while, she said:

"Qingci is quite thoughtful."

This New Year's gift is indeed quite generous; no one can find fault with it.

Yu Qingyan's face showed undisguised disappointment; there wasn't a single piece of the Xia Guang Brocade inside.

Yu Qingyan immediately said, "Grandmother, I heard that recently everyone in the capital is proud to wear the 'Xia Guang Jin' brocade, but there are only a few cloth shops in the whole capital that sell it. Coincidentally, my third sister's dowry shop sells it."

A few days ago, my granddaughter went shopping with some friends. When they passed by the fabric shop that my third sister had given as part of her dowry, they saw that the business was booming. Everyone was going for the Xia Guang brocade, which shows how much money my third sister has made recently.

The granddaughter had assumed that her third sister would bring several bolts of brocade as a New Year's gift for her grandmother to show her filial piety, but to her surprise, she didn't bring even one.

Did my third sister forget? As far as I know, this brocade is worth three hundred taels a bolt on the market, and if you go too late, you can't buy it. It is absolutely priceless.

Could it be that my third sister is reluctant to give such precious fabric to Grandmother?

As soon as Yu Qingyan finished speaking, Madam Zhang's expression changed.

"Is this really true?"

Yu Qingyan nodded emphatically: "Of course, how could your granddaughter dare to talk nonsense about such a thing?"

Madam Qiao chimed in, "There's no Xia Guang brocade among the New Year's gifts? This is troublesome. I knew before that this kind of brocade was sold in San Yatou's shop, so I assumed that San Yatou would send a few bolts back to give to her mother. Therefore, I didn't include it on the New Year's shopping list. Now that San Yatou hasn't sent a single bolt, it seems I should send someone out to buy some."

"Nowadays, all the wealthy and powerful families in the capital are particular about wearing this kind of fabric. Our household should at least acquire a few pieces to make it look presentable."

The mother and daughter started talking in unison, and Zhang's temper flared up immediately. She said fiercely:

"Hmph! She's just a newcomer, with a stingy air about her. Does she think anyone cares about that kind of material? Let her hide it away, this old woman doesn't need her to show off!"

Qiao's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.

Seeing that Madam Zhang was enraged by the mother and daughter's words, Granny Pei calmly spoke up:

"Please calm down, Madam. My daughter originally intended to send you a few bolts of fine brocade as a gift, but you may not know that this material was actually brought back from the south by my wife, Madam Su, using her own money and sending her own merchant caravan."

We were lucky; it just so happened that the nobles in the palace were using this kind of material, which is how we seized a good business opportunity.

My wife was concerned about the hardship my daughter was facing alone in the General's Mansion, so she set aside a portion of her income and gave it to her so that she could earn some savings on her own.

My daughter knew that the old lady harbored resentment towards my wife, and was afraid that the old lady would be angry if she found out that the New Year's gift was actually something from my wife. After thinking for a long time, she finally dared not send that thing to offend you, which is why the Xia Guang Jin was not on the list.

However, my daughter said that after the New Year, the General's Mansion's merchant caravan will go south to purchase goods, and they will definitely choose the best to send to the Old Madam. I hope the Old Madam understands my daughter's filial piety."

Granny Pei addressed her daughter and mistress with impeccable mannerisms, which only fueled Madam Zhang's anger. Just as she was about to erupt in fury, Granny Pei continued:

"However, if the old lady wishes, this old servant will go back and inform my young lady, and ask her to send a few bolts of brocade as a gift to the old lady immediately."

Zhang's expression changed several times, but in the end she was too embarrassed to say that she wanted to send it over.

Everyone in the mansion knew that she disliked the Su mother and daughter. Since the Xia Guang brocade was purchased by the Su family, it seemed understandable that Yu Qingci dared not offer it to her as a tribute.

Zhang felt a tightness in her chest, but she still forced herself to speak:

"It's good that she's sensible, but this old woman doesn't care for it. Even if she brings it to me, I'll make sure you take it back exactly as it is."

Granny Pei smiled and said, "Actually, there was some brocade among the New Year's gifts sent this time. My young lady is very filial. She knows that the old lady does not like it, but the young master will definitely like it. Therefore, she made two brocade outer garments for the young master by hand and instructed this old servant to present them to the young master in person."

"As soon as I entered the manor, this old servant delivered the clothes to the Earl. I'm sure the Old Madam will see them when he arrives soon."

Upon hearing this, Zhang and the others felt even more suffocated, and for a moment the large main hall fell silent.