Chapter 136
Ping County
This is a county town that is neither too big nor too small. There are not many mountains in the county; it is mostly plains. I had heard about it before I came.
Of course, different places nurture different people, and their customs and traditions will certainly differ.
He hasn't been to many places, so once he arrives, he needs to settle down and familiarize himself with the area as quickly as possible. Here, he is the most important person.
He was the county magistrate, and below him were county assistants, clerks, and other officials. However, he brought Yingxiang with him when he took office, and his subordinates had already met him.
Everyone was somewhat surprised. They had thought that Wen Shi would bring his whole family with him, but the new county magistrate only brought his wife to take up his post. There was no other family or clan member present.
Every place has its own county annals, which often record the local customs, traditions, and various events. Of course, the people and events that make it into the county annals are not trivial matters, and this is also the fastest way to understand a place.
Privately, Wen Shi had already taken out many county annals from the library, intending to study them carefully.
The couple had only been there a short time, and during the day they inevitably had to socialize. He was busy in the front, while Yingxiang also had to socialize with some visiting women in the backyard.
The county government's backyard was a place where one could live directly. Wen Shi held the highest official position here, and correspondingly, he could live in the largest and most respectable courtyard. The two of them had never thought of living outside, so they settled down here as soon as they arrived.
There's not much to complain about. The yard is quite large and has everything you need. It looks a bit old, but it can still provide shelter from the wind and rain. If it were to be renovated, it would cost money.
If the county's funds are to be used for repairs, the memorial must be sent to the emperor, and only after his approval can it be done.
The courtyard is currently empty, but Yingxiang has already decided to plant some flowers and vegetables here and decorate it properly. It will definitely look beautiful next spring.
Besides the main house, there are four or five sizable side rooms, and the kitchen and everything else are very large, not much different from the mansion they built in Ping'an Village before.
That night, Yingxiang went to bed and saw Wenshi, who was still reading a book in his black nightgown, so she spoke directly to him.
"My lord, I want to go out tomorrow and hire a few servants."
Wen Shi is a newly appointed official. Things are better at the beginning, as there are always officials and servants. However, there are many visitors coming to the back courtyard, mostly ladies from the inner quarters. These past few days, she has been getting up early to prepare a pot of hot tea and some pastries, so that the tea is still warm when the guests arrive. She wants to make sure that everyone has a cup of tea, so that it looks presentable, otherwise she will be laughed at.
She doesn't accept gifts, but she still needs to show hospitality.
"Two aren't enough. I think we need to buy four. You need two too."
"You decide what to do. It won't be as convenient as it was before. It won't be entirely like living your own life behind closed doors."
Hearing this, he put down the book in his hand. There was no discomfort in his narrow eyes. He had to come to this point eventually. Local officials were not important in the capital, but here he was, in a sense, the most important.
There are some things he must be careful about. If someone were to impeach him later, it wouldn't do him any good. The emperor has always been very good to his subjects and very generous. He received rewards twice, totaling more than a thousand taels of silver.
In fact, most of the people who have come to visit these past few days are well-known figures in the county, or wealthy businessmen. They do business here, and to some extent, they also want to offer gifts.
He refused to accept the money, but he also stated directly that he wouldn't cause trouble for no reason. As long as they followed the law, it would be the same as before, and many people left with peace of mind.
His subordinates, though seemingly respectful and amiable, were mostly older than him. Wen Shilai wasn't there to just coast along; he wanted to achieve something significant.
Ping County has more than ten towns and dozens of villages, large and small. After he finishes his work here, he wants to take some time to go down there and see how the local people are living.
"If we need to clean the house and cook, we'll need two old women, otherwise we won't be able to manage."
Yingxiang sat on the bed and pondered. She always kept her word, so the next day she took some time to inquire about the market.
This time, she directly bought two young maids. Their original names were too common, so she changed them. One was called Chunyu (Spring Rain), and the other Xiahe (Summer Lotus), which were simple and pleasant to hear. The two were dark-skinned and thin, and they could serve people on a daily basis, such as serving tea when they came.
They had previously worked as maids in wealthy households, so they were quite adept at these tasks. As for why they were sold, it was because the family wanted to leave and didn't want to take them with them.
We'll buy two more maids to clean the courtyard, tidy the kitchen, and cook. We'll also need two servants. That should be enough for now.
After carefully putting away the indenture and making arrangements, Yingxiang decided that when she returned to the capital in the future, she would bring all these people with her. She was sure that when they returned, they would be able to save enough money to buy a house. If it wasn't much, she would buy a smaller one first.
Of course, thinking about these things now is a bit far off. There are plenty of empty rooms here, so it's easy to make arrangements. Once these arrangements are made, she'll feel more at ease when receiving guests, especially when she sees women who come to visit with their maids and servants. She can't keep personally serving tea and water to everyone.
She was neither a rich girl nor the daughter of an official; any woman with some experience and knowledge could tell at a glance.
But no one dared to mistreat her because of this; generally speaking, they treated her with great courtesy.
Times have changed, and she cannot afford to embarrass herself by letting outsiders laugh at her and her husband for being uncouth.
A month later, the couple had much less free time. They had already attended to all the social engagements. As the magistrate of Ping County, Wen Shi had begun to handle official business. In addition to judging and adjudicating cases, there were many other miscellaneous matters in the county that required his decision.
That afternoon, the weather was hot. Yingxiang was reading and drinking tea, holding a round fan and looking bored, when a letter arrived in front of her.
If the post is bright red, it means it's a happy occasion.
"Madam, this is from the Shao family. They say their matriarch will be celebrating her birthday in five days and they'd like to invite you to the banquet."
Yingxiang accepted the invitation. As for what to wear, she quickly decided to wear the red satin dress she had worn before. It wasn't a wedding day, so there was nothing inappropriate about it.
When Wen Shi returned at night, she opened the window, but the room was still unbearably hot. In the pond not far away, cicadas and frogs croaked incessantly.
"The Shao family is the biggest business family in the county. If they invite you, you should go."
Wen Shi did not object to this.
Yingxiang remembered that she had met Madam Shao before. She was dressed very elegantly and generously. Since she was here, it was impossible not to socialize. There would probably be many such occasions in the future.
She didn't really want to be idle. The county town wasn't as prosperous and wealthy as the capital, but with a little effort, running two shops could still be profitable, and she didn't mind earning less money.
Right now, she's not very familiar with this place yet, so she has to take it slowly and not rush it.
“Husband, we also need to get a carriage and a driver. We can’t rely on our legs to go out in the future.”
Wen Shi is a new official. Before his arrival, the people of the county were already talking about him. Now that he has successfully taken office, everyone is just curious and watching.
“I see there are stables in this yard as well.”
"Let's get one; it'll be much more convenient with a carriage."
"good."
"Buy a few more servants and maids. The current number is enough, but you will have visitors from time to time, and you will need to go out."
Wen Shi's words were brief and to the point, and Ying Xiang was not unaware of this.
She nodded. Given her status, and considering that she would need to maintain a certain pomp and circumstance when she went out in the future, there were plenty of rooms for the servants here, so even if she bought servants, she wouldn't be worried about not having enough room.
This cost a lot of money. Yingxiang first organized her subordinates. Now, there are six servants here, and soldiers in the front yard, mainly responsible for guarding this courtyard. The people living in the other small courtyards don't need to be taken care of.
Later, four more maids were bought, making a total of six. Including two maids who did odd jobs, a coachman, and a horse feeder, there were almost twenty people in total.
She promoted Chunyu to be the manager of the backyard and also told her what to do on a daily basis. The small courtyard gradually took shape and was quite different from when she first arrived.
She and Wen Shi are now completely free. They don't have to cook or do housework anymore. Of course, Wen Shi is very busy. Besides his daily tasks, he is always reading the local county annals.
Yingxiang thought that once the autumn chill sets in, she would have money and could open a new shop. Earning more money would always be good, but for now, she should familiarize herself with the business.
On the day of the old lady of the Shao family's birthday, Yingxiang got up early to start dressing up. She had her own aesthetic sense, and her makeup should not be too heavy or glamorous, just appropriate. She had already chosen her clothes.
She was still wearing a jade bracelet on her right hand, and she was also wearing a gold bracelet on her left hand.
After getting dressed, she stood in front of the bronze mirror to examine herself, and then tidied up her combed hair. It couldn't be too simple, but it also didn't need to be too complicated or heavy.
"Let's take the gifts and go."
The gift was something she asked someone to buy from a nearby pastry shop; it was a box of longevity fruits, which had a very auspicious meaning.
Inside the carriage, Yingxiang sat upright, holding a handkerchief in her hand. The road was not very smooth, and it was inevitably swaying.
Upon arriving at the Shao family residence, Madam Shao immediately came over to greet her as she alighted from the carriage.
Women's status is also dependent on men.
"Please come in, Madam."
The Shao family compound was very large, with five courtyards. Not all the wealthy people lived in the capital; there were many in other places as well. Yingxiang straightened up and walked inside with a smile.
Mrs. Shao was very hospitable, and she naturally responded in kind.
Celebrating an elderly person's birthday is a big event, and once the invitations are sent out, most people will come. Yingxiang doesn't like to put on airs, so she tries her best to remain calm.
In the past, when she attended banquets with Wen Shi, she could only sit at the back of the table, especially if it was a banquet hosted by her superiors.
But now, things have changed a lot. She went straight to the main table and sat next to the old lady of the Shao family.
The old man was quite old, but he was in good spirits. Yingxiang said a few kind words, and everyone around him echoed her sentiments.
For a moment, she was even a little dazed, but today was indeed not her birthday.
There are many merchants in Ping County, and many of them have dealings with the Shao family. The banquet was held in a very respectable and grand manner. Many of the guests had met Yingxiang before, but there were also some unfamiliar faces.
For example, she met her youngest daughter-in-law and youngest daughter.
When going out for social events, either the matriarch or the eldest daughter-in-law, who is in charge, are usually the ones in charge. Not all the women in a family can go out together. Daughters usually have the opportunity to accompany their mothers, unless it is a family banquet or the invitation indicates that relatives can be brought along.
Going out with the whole family without warning would make us a laughing stock.
Yingxiang wanted to get to know the people here, which wouldn't hurt. Everyone fawned over her, praising her from head to toe, and the Shao family was especially enthusiastic.
The weather was hot, so the banquet was held directly in the hall. With the doors closed and large blocks of ice placed inside, Yingxiang immediately felt most of the heat dissipate.
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