Before dinner, the lady made an excuse that she had something to tell Zhen Jie'er and left her in the inner room. Eleventh Lady held Zhun Ge and called Xu Siqin, Xu Siyu and Xu Sijian to the hall.
"Sister Zhen will move to my place tomorrow. I have told the lady. You brothers can come to my place for dinner tonight to congratulate Sister Zhen on her new home." She looked at the three Xu brothers with a smile.
Xu Siqin and others all showed surprised expressions.
Xu Siyu was the first to come back to his senses. He looked at his mother and smiled, "What about Brother Zhun?" His eyes were deep, like the vast night sky, flickering with unknown light.
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "He is not young anymore. He can't play with his sister every day! He will stay with grandma and be taken care of by her. Zhenjie will move to my place temporarily."
Xu Sijian immediately grinned and said, "Okay, okay. Let's go to Fourth Aunt's for dinner tomorrow." He then said to Zhun Ge, "There's something delicious to eat!"
Zhun Ge looked at Xu Sijian with a smile: "There's something delicious to eat!"
Xu Sijian made a face at Zhunge: "What does it have to do with you if there is something good to eat? You are a little white rabbit, you can only eat grass."
Zhun Ge is still in mourning period.
He didn't understand what Xu Sijian said, but felt that Xu Sijian's tone was bad, so he retorted: "You are the little white rabbit. I am the big tiger."
Xu Sijian chuckled: "A big tiger being held by someone."
Zhun Ge was about to jump down to find Xu Sijian when he heard this. Shiyi Niang hugged him tightly and said, "Third Young Master, you said last time that you would take our Zhun Ge to go horseback riding. I think it's better to choose a day, so let's do it tomorrow!"
After hearing this, Xu Sijian smiled awkwardly and looked around as if he didn't hear anything.
Zhun Ge looked at Xu Sijian who was frustrated by Shiyi Niang's words, so he didn't jump down, but sat in Shiyi Niang's arms with a smile on his face.
Eleventh Lady whispered to Zhun Ge, "If someone says something to you, just say it back. Jumping down to settle the score is not what a gentleman does."
Zhun Ge listened and nodded.
Xu Siyu looked at the two of them with a dim gaze.
Xu Siqin hurried out to help: "Aunt Si, when do you think we should arrive tomorrow?"
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Just go and greet Grandmother."
Several people agreed to "definitely go when the time comes". The Third Master and the Third Mistress arrived, and Eleventh Lady took the opportunity to tell them that Zhen Jie'er was moving tomorrow and that she would invite Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian to come over for dinner.
The Third Master laughed and responded, and told the two brothers: "Don't be naughty."
Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian hurriedly agreed, and the couple went to pay their respects to the lady.
After the lady finished speaking, she looked at Eleventh Lady and smiled as she took Zhen Jie out for dinner.
After dinner, the Third Master asked Zhen Jie'er, "Is there anything missing in the house? Or do you want anything? Just tell Third Aunt and we'll send it to you."
Zhen Jieer said politely, "Grandma and mother are ready, there is nothing missing. Thank you, Third Uncle and Third Aunt, for your concern."
The Third Lady was still afraid of what the Third Master would say, so she hurriedly said with a smile, "There are a lot of good things in the mother's store."
The Third Master listened and smiled, and no longer insisted.
The wife told Madam Du to take Zhen Jie'er and Zhun Ge downstairs to rest, and whispered to the Third Master and his wife, "Tomorrow the young ones will go to celebrate Zhen Jie'er's move. You guys should come here early to eat, and we will play mahjong."
The Third Master and the Third Madam quickly responded.
Seeing that it was getting late, everyone went their separate ways.
* * * * * *
The next morning, Eleventh Lady went to the east wing first and saw that the floor heating was on and the furniture had been wiped clean. Then she went to greet the lady and pick up Zhen Jie'er.
Zhen Jieer wore a moon-white squirrel-skin jacket, a bright blue skirt, and the red-gold brocade bracelet given by Eleventh Lady. She kowtowed three times respectfully to the lady-in-waiting.
The lady's eyes immediately became moist as she looked at this.
"Get up, get up!" As soon as he finished speaking, tears fell.
Eleventh Lady hurriedly took out her handkerchief and wiped the corners of the lady's eyes: "She still lives in the same courtyard. She comes with me to greet you every day and comes to talk to you in her spare time."
"I know." The lady took the handkerchief from Eleventh Lady. "She is so small," she said, gesturing with her hands. "This is the first time she has left me since she grew up..."
When Zhen Jie'er heard this, she started crying.
Eleventh Lady looked at it and felt the same way - she seemed to have become the murderer who forced people to part and die, and her eyes became moist involuntarily.
"Stop crying, stop crying." The lady held Zhen Jie'er in her arms and wiped her tears. "Remember to listen to your mother when you go."
Zhen Jie nodded repeatedly, and Zhun Ge, led by her nurse, came in to pay her respects to the Madam. Seeing this scene, she started crying. For a moment, the room was filled with crying.
Eleventh Lady hurried over to comfort Zhun Ge.
The lady had suppressed her sadness and asked Shiyi Niang to carry Zhun Ge over: "Okay, okay, don't cry. Sister is going to live with your mother, you have to see her off happily." But no matter what she said, Zhun Ge kept crying.
"Brother Zhun, do you want to send my sister to my place?" Eleventh Lady said, "We are going to decorate my sister's house today. Do you want to go?"
Zhun Ge nodded repeatedly and looked at the lady with tears in his eyes.
The lady touched Zhun Ge's head and told Madam Du, "Take him over!" She then said to Shiyi Niang, "You don't have to come over later."
Mother Du smiled and said "yes". She, Shiyi Niang and Zhen Jie'er, who were reluctant to leave, said goodbye to the lady and went to Zhen Jie'er's residence.
Zhen Jie'er's things were packed, and the two big maids Xiaoli and Xiaoque and several second- and third-rank maids and old women were already waiting on the side. When they saw Shiyi Niang coming in, they all knelt down to salute. Zhen Jie'er asked her wet nurse Hu and several respectable maids to come forward and salute Shiyi Niang.
Eleventh Lady accepted the gift with a smile, but secretly counted the number of people in her heart.
A wet nurse, two big maids, two second-class maids, four third-class maids, four little maids, two rough servants... there are really a lot of people. It's okay to squeeze in with her for the time being, but it will be inconvenient for everyone if it lasts for a long time. It's better to find a separate yard for her in the back garden as soon as possible.
Eleventh Lady thought about it, and went to her own residence with Mother Du, Sister Zhen, and Brother Zhun.
From a distance, she saw a maid who looked like Qiuhong, the maidservant by Madam Wen's side, peeking out of the door. When she saw them coming, she immediately turned around and ran away.
Eleventh Lady smiled slightly.
Madam Wen is still thinking about her daughter!
After entering the house, Amber, who was waiting at the door, winked at Eleventh Lady, then bent her knees with the other maids to salute Zhen Jie'er: "Greetings, the eldest lady." She then stepped forward and introduced herself formally: "I am Amber who serves the fourth lady, and I salute the eldest lady!" As she spoke, she bent her knees and bowed.
Zhen Jie'er blushed slightly, but she accepted their greetings calmly and said, "Sister Amber, please stand up. We will live together from now on, and please give me more guidance, Sister Amber."
Amber said hurriedly: "Young Master, you are too kind. I am so embarrassed by your words!"
Zhen Jie'er asked her maid Xiaoli to give Amber a silver ingot worth eight cents: "Buy flowers for you." She introduced her wet nurse Hu Mama and her maids Xiaoli and Xiaoque.
Amber accepted it generously, knelt down again to thank Zhen Jie'er, and introduced Mother Tao, Dongqing, Binju, Zhuxiang and others.
Zhen Jie'er gave a reward, and Shiyi Niang and others went to the main house where she lived.
Amber, Mother Tao, Xiaoli, and Mother Hu accompanied them, while Dongqing and Binju stayed behind to help Xiaoque and others organize the cages brought by Zhen Jie'er. Eleventh Lady and Zhen Jie'er sat on the big kang by the window in the west room, one on each side. She put Zhun Ge on the kang to play, and asked the little maid to bring a brocade stool for Mother Du to sit on. She served tea and snacks, and personally introduced the situation on her side to Zhen Jie'er - for example, how many maids and servants there were, what their names were, what they did, when she got up, when she went to pay her respects to the lady, when she took a nap... Zhen Jie'er listened carefully and introduced the people around her. Eleventh Lady also asked Zhen Jie'er about her daily routine, and found that their schedules were similar, and said happily: "That's good, so you don't have to adapt here again."
Zhen Jieer smiled slightly, and Xiao Que came over and said, "Madam, Young Miss, everything has been sorted out."
Eleventh Lady smiled and pulled Zhun Ge: "Let's go see my sister's new house."
Zhun Ge had already become impatient by what he had been listening to. He cheered, pulled Shiyi Niang's hand and followed her to the east wing.
A picture of peonies and chicks was hung in the middle hall, a self-ringing clock and a blue and white porcelain vase were placed on the long table, a royal blue brocade cushion with round flowers was placed on the black lacquered armchair, and there was a pot of wintersweet as tall as a person in the corner.
Zhen Jie'er looked at the eyes as bright as morning stars, walked over and stroked the tender yellow petals of the wintersweet flower.
"Sister, your room is so beautiful." Zhun Ge shouted, pushing open the door of the northern side room and running into the inner room, "Sister, come and see, your bed is here."
Zhen Jie'er gave Shiyi Niang a confused look on her face and quickly went to the inner room.
There was a small lacquered bed exactly like the one in her warm room.
Her eyes were filled with tears, and she looked at Shiyi Niang with a smile: "Mother..."
Eleventh Lady took her hand and went to the inner room: "I saw that your bed is very beautiful. I looked in the wardrobe and found a similar one." Then she pointed to the bed board and said, "Yours is Five Goats Bring Good Luck, and this one is Magu Offering Longevity."
Sister Zhen kept nodding, but her tears couldn't stop falling.
Eleventh Lady took out a handkerchief and gave it to her: "Stop crying, today is a happy day."
Zhen Jieer took the handkerchief embarrassedly and wiped her tears.
Eleventh Lady asked Zhun Ge, "Do you think there is anything missing in my sister's room?"
Zhun Ge turned around with great interest and pointed to the windowsill in the inner room: "Put a high-footed plate there, and put oranges, apples, and chestnuts on it..."
Eleventh Lady laughed and said, "Our brother Zhun really knows how to enjoy himself."
Mother Du and Sister Zhen also laughed.
The atmosphere in the room is warm and wonderful.
A maidservant reported, "Madam, Aunt Qin and Aunt Wen are here to greet you."
I just asked how are you this morning, and now I am here to ask how are you again...
Eleventh Lady thought of the shadow that looked like Qiu Hong just now, and smiled faintly, "Please ask the two ladies to come in! The eldest lady is here, and it's a good time to greet her."
The little maidservant responded and left.
Mother Du hurriedly hugged Zhun Ge, but the expression on Zhen Jie'er's face was a little complicated.
After a while, Aunt Qin and Aunt Wen came.
Two people, one wearing a royal blue embroidered jacket and the other wearing a sand green embroidered jacket, walked in leisurely.
After paying respects to Shiyi Niang, Shiyi Niang introduced the two to Zhen Jie'er: "The one wearing royal blue is Concubine Qin, and the one wearing sand green is Concubine Wen." She pointed at Zhen Jie'er and said, "This is our eldest daughter."
The two of them knelt and saluted. Zhen Jie'er nodded and asked Xiaoli to reward each of them with two silver ingots worth eight cents.
Aunt Qin thanked her with a smile and took the money, but Aunt Wen's gaze lingered on Zhen Jie'er's face for a moment before she lowered her head, took the silver and thanked her.
The two of them bowed to Zhun Ge and greeted Madam Du. Eleventh Lady then asked, "What can I do for you, ladies?"