Chapter 129 You can never earn enough money.
Upon hearing this, Yu Qingci smiled but remained silent. Lu Yun Chu, listening from the side, pouted unhappily and said:
“How can this be? My sister-in-law kindly brought us some brocade to make new clothes, but Mother wants to sell it. I won’t allow it.”
Madam Ning felt a little embarrassed by her daughter's words and couldn't help but glare at her daughter reproachfully.
The daughter-in-law has always been generous to the mother and daughter. A few days ago, she specially sent in more than a dozen bolts of brocade of different colors, saying that she wanted to make some winter clothes for her and Yun Chu. She touched the brocade and found that it was indeed soft and smooth, and thicker than Yun brocade, which was very suitable for wearing in this season.
But when she thought about the price of this material, which had already soared to three hundred taels a bolt outside, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. Even when the General's Mansion was at its peak, she had never been willing to buy such expensive material, and now she was even more reluctant to wear it.
She only selected two bolts for her daughter, and put the rest in a trunk to be sent to the cloth shop to be sold.
Madam Ning scolded, "You child, you don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household. Your sister-in-law is only a few months older than you, and she's already started earning money to support the family."
You can't be as smart and capable as your sister-in-law, but don't waste money. If you really like that fabric, keep one bolt for clothes, and sell the rest.
"A bolt of silver costs three hundred taels. If we wear one less piece of clothing, the manor will earn three hundred taels more. You do the math and see which is more worthwhile."
Lu Yun Chu looked at her sister-in-law with a conflicted expression.
Yu Qingci smiled and said, "Mother, money can never be earned enough, and our family is not short of money now. It's not right for us to be reluctant to keep even a little bit of the good things that others are scrambling to buy."
The fabric I sent back was meant to make you and Yun Chu a few more new outfits; it was my way of showing filial piety. But you, dear old man, wouldn't even pick out a single piece and wanted to send it all back. Anyone who didn't know better would think I'm obsessed with money, unwilling to share even good things with family. Please stop trying to save us money.”
Unable to resist the persuasion of Yu Qingci and Lu Yunchu, Madam Ning finally kept the fabric.
The two women breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that she had agreed. Yu Qingci then ordered someone to bring out all the fabrics, and the two women began to carefully select them.
In the end, Yu Qingci chose several colors suitable for elderly people, such as indigo, bamboo green, and purple, for Madam Ning. She immediately called in the embroiderer to take her measurements and cut the fabric.
In addition, six or seven bolts of fabric in different colors were selected for Lu Yun Chu in one go. The measurements were taken and someone was asked to cut them, so that her mother-in-law wouldn't have to go back later.
As for herself, since she had no shortage of good clothes in her private treasury, she only kept two bolts of fabric for herself to make do with the occasion.
This provoked another scolding from Madam Ning, who, in her delight, pulled her daughter aside and began to lecture her again:
"You should learn more from your sister-in-law. If you are half as sensible and composed as her when you marry into another family, I will be at ease."
Lu Yun Chu then affectionately stepped forward and took Yu Qing Ci's arm, saying, "Of course I will learn from my sister-in-law, but I don't want to get married. I'll just stay at home and keep you company every day."
Enraged, the old lady raised her hand as if to slap her daughter's back twice. This brat dared to say such things again; she deserved to be hit. However, the force of the slap was only enough to kill a mosquito.
The three chatted and laughed for a while, then Yu Qingci started talking about things in the manor:
“Mother, the end of the year is approaching. We should still follow the rules for the New Year this year. It is not appropriate to have extravagant feasts. However, we cannot do nothing at all. We should reward all the servants in the mansion.”
This year, most of the servants left the manor, and those who remain are all loyal and devoted. We must not neglect these people. In my opinion, the year-end red envelopes should be doubled compared to previous years, and each person should also receive an extra set of winter clothes. Let everyone have a happy and joyful New Year. What do you think, Mother?
The more Madam Ning looked at this daughter-in-law, the more pleasing she became. Furthermore, the household accounts were overflowing with money, so how could she possibly disagree? She nodded repeatedly, saying:
"Alright, you can decide everything."
Wang, the old maid who was serving nearby, chimed in, "That's wonderful! On behalf of all the servants, I thank the old lady and the young mistress for their generous reward. This way, even if we can't enjoy much good food this year, no one will complain. The young mistress is so thoughtful."
Yu Qingci: "Then it's settled. I've already brought back the fabric for making clothes for the servants. Please trouble Granny Wang to instruct the embroidery workshop to finish making them for everyone as soon as possible."
Granny Wang: "There are only a few embroiderers left in the embroidery workshop. In the next few days, I asked them to hurry up and make two sets of winter clothes for each of the old lady, the young lady, and the young lady. The material should be 'Xia Guang Brocade'. After they are finished, they will make clothes for the servants."
Yu Qingci shook her head: "No need for that trouble. My mother, Yun Chu, and I will have our clothes made at Jinxiu Workshop under my name. It's a family-owned workshop after all, so it won't be too much trouble. The embroiderers in the manor can just focus on making clothes for others."
Granny Wang: That would be perfect. The embroiderers at Jinxiu Workshop are far more skilled than those in our household.
Amidst laughter and conversation, they finalized all the arrangements for the year-end.
The three women, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were chatting happily when a servant came to report that the second and fourth wives, who had moved out of the mansion, had come to pay their respects to the old lady.
Upon hearing that Madam Wei and Madam Ma had come to the door, the main hall fell silent.
Lu Yun Chu muttered under her breath, "They've all separated from the family, what's with this visit? I think they're up to no good. Mother, sister-in-law, let's not see her."
Madam Ning couldn't figure out why Madam Wei and Madam Ma had come to visit. After hesitating for a moment, she turned her gaze to her daughter-in-law, who was now her pillar of support.
Yu Qingci said, "Since they said they came to pay their respects, we should let them in. Otherwise, if the neighbors see this, they might think we are heartless and look down on the branch families that have been separated from us."
Hearing this, Madam Ning and Lu Yun Chu felt a little better. Yes, they had already separated their households. If they came to visit again, they would be considered collateral relatives, guests. With their daughter-in-law/sister-in-law there, there was nothing to be afraid of.
Old Madam Ning and Lu Yun Chu couldn't immediately guess why Wei and Madam Ma had come uninvited, but Yu Qing Ci had some guesses in her mind. She guessed that it was probably related to the Xia Guang Jin that was currently selling well on the market.
Moreover, given their personalities, if we don't let them in, they'll definitely cause a scene outside and refuse to leave. It's better to let them in and see what they have to say.
Wei and Ma were led in by servants.
Upon seeing Old Madam Ning, Madam Ma quickly stepped forward and greeted her warmly:
"Sister-in-law, we've come to see you. It's been a while since we last saw you. You look much better and younger."
Unlike my second sister-in-law and me, who had to worry about everything ourselves after we moved out, and who were constantly eating and sleeping poorly, we've aged quite a bit, hahaha.
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