Someone looked over here.
Amber quickly embraced the little maid: "Don't cry, don't cry. If you attract others and make things worse, I'm afraid you won't be able to bear the consequences."
The little maid stopped crying and choked up, "I, I didn't see it..."
"Then don't cry!" Eleventh Lady said softly, "Take me to your Third Miss, I'll change my clothes, and no one will find out. Your mother in charge won't beat you either."
The little maid nodded with tears in her eyes and led her to the east courtyard in a panic.
Fortunately, the purification room was located in the setback behind the main house, and the Gan family opened a corner door between the setback and the east courtyard, so people could go directly through.
Although there were people looking at them strangely from time to time along the way, they were all maids and mothers. Eleventh Lady was calm and did not dare to ask questions. However, the little maid looked even more frightened, and someone else followed her.
Eleventh Lady couldn't help but look back.
She was a woman in her fifties. She was of medium build, wearing a camel-bottomed round-flowered silk jacket, her hair mixed with silver threads was neatly combed into a bun, and she wore a pair of red gold-filled bluestone longevity hairpins, and emerald earplugs. She had a white and plump face like a full moon, with relaxed eyebrows and eyes, looking kind and benevolent.
Eleventh Lady was a little undecided for a moment.
Mrs. Gan's main room only receives distinguished guests. This woman is unfamiliar, and her dress is too simple. If she is the housekeeper, she looks calm and generous, not like a servant. Or is it a guest who walked into the wrong courtyard?
The thought flashed through her mind, and she smiled and nodded at the woman.
The woman smiled and nodded at her, then hesitated for a moment and walked over: "Madam, do you know how to get to Grandma Gan's main room?"
Eleventh Lady suddenly realized.
This woman is probably a relative from Grandma Gan’s family.
She smiled and said, "I don't really know." Then she asked the little maid in a friendly manner, "Do you know where your eldest grandmother's main room is?"
The little maid nodded quickly and said, "Go out from the back door of the courtyard where the Third Miss lives, turn left, and walk forward. It's not far away!"
Eleventh Lady said to the woman, "We are just going to the Third Miss's courtyard...it's convenient for us all." She tactfully asked her if she wanted to go with them.
The woman smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Madam!"
"Madam, you're welcome!" Eleventh Lady smiled and walked towards Cao'e's courtyard side by side with the woman.
The woman pointed at the water stains on her body and said, "You are..."
The little maid leading the way in front trembled with fear.
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "I accidentally spilled tea on myself." She didn't say anything more.
The little maid turned around and looked gratefully.
The woman smiled, asked no more questions, and entered Cao'e's yard.
Cao'e's personal maid was standing on the steps of the main house, instructing the little maid. She knew Shiyi Niang, so she left the little maid and walked over to greet her: "Madam Xu!" Seeing the water stains on her body, she was surprised and said: "This is..."
Eleventh Lady naturally didn't need to explain anything to a maid. She asked directly: "Is your third young lady in the room?"
"Yes, yes, yes." The maid said hurriedly, "Please come in and sit down."
Eleventh Lady said politely: "You should go and report it first!"
The maid didn't dare to act on her own and quickly went into the house to report to her mistress.
Eleventh Lady said to the little maid, "Take this lady to your eldest grandmother! If anyone asks, just say that I just pointed you to help this lady lead the way. Don't say anything else. Got it?"
The little maid knelt on the ground when she heard it, and kowtowed to Eleventh Lady while saying, "Madam, I will never forget your great kindness."
Eleventh Lady just felt a headache.
Firstly, she was not used to it, and secondly, the woman looked like a smart person after seeing what the maid said, so she had to explain. Otherwise, if she told others about it unintentionally, her kindness would be in vain.
Eleventh Lady signaled Amber to pull the little maid up: "Hurry up! Be careful not to dirty your skirt and let people see the flaws."
The little maid stood up with tears in her eyes.
Eleventh Lady smiled and said to the lady, "Today is Miss Seven's good day, and we, as guests, would rather have less trouble than more."
The woman nodded with a smile: "That's exactly what madam said." But just as she finished her words, the maids surrounded Cao E and lifted the curtain to walk out.
Seeing half of the yard full of people standing in the yard, she was quite surprised. Seeing the water stains on Shiyi Niang's body, she asked in surprise: "What happened?"
"Nothing!" Seeing the maid's face change drastically, Eleventh Lady hurriedly said, "I accidentally spilled tea on myself, and I want you to give me some clothes to change first."
Cao'e came over with a look of bewilderment in her eyes. "Magenta, plain with a dark pattern of swastikas... This is the batch of Hangzhou silk that Jiangnan weaving factory presented as tribute last year, right? My mother got a piece of madder red and exchanged it with Madam Zhou for a piece of bright red to make a jacket for Lan Ting to wear when she recognizes her relatives. I'm afraid there's no such good material!"
The maidservant was already a little shaky. Eleventh Lady was afraid that if she continued to talk, the maidservant would fall to the ground, so she hurriedly smiled and said, "At this moment, who cares about fabrics? Miss San, please lend me some clothes to help me out."
Cao E saw that she looked a little embarrassed, and hurriedly said, "Madam, come with me!"
Eleventh Lady nodded to the woman and smiled as she instructed the maid: "Quickly take this lady to your eldest grandmother. Look at this time, the feast will be served soon!"
The little maid nodded with tears in her eyes.
The woman smiled kindly at Eleventh Lady, then followed the little maid through the alleyway of the ear room to where Grandma Gan was.
Cao E asked curiously, "Who is this person?"
The Gan family has a complex population and many in-laws. Cao E is a young lady in the boudoir, so it is normal that she doesn't know him. Eleventh Lady said, "They said it was a guest from your sister-in-law's place. He took the wrong road."
Cao E nodded, led Shiyi Niang into the house to change into a newly made lilac-colored Hangzhou silk right-fronted shirt, and then accompanied Shiyi Niang to the main house.
When everyone saw her suddenly change her clothes, they all teased, "Did she bring a box with her?"
"Tea spilled on me," Eleventh Lady explained with a smile, "so I borrowed a piece of clothing from Third Miss to wear."
Madam Zhou laughed and said, "Cao'e, this is your chance! She is famous for having too many clothes. Let her give you a new one!"
Cao E had a rather straightforward personality and would not laugh in this way, but she also did not want to spoil everyone's interest, so she just stood aside and laughed.
Eleventh Lady readily agreed, and the next day she gave Cao E a piece of bright red Hangzhou silk with a continuous swastika pattern.
"How thoughtful." Madam Gan held her hand and sighed softly, "At that time, I was only thinking about the Liang family's broad knowledge and not letting Lan Ting lose face, so I didn't care about Cao E."
Eleventh Lady just smiled at Madam Gan.
Or maybe, she just didn't want to make things too difficult for Mrs. Gan!
When Lanting got into the sedan chair, Grandma Gan was in the front hall helping Madam Gan to send off the new son-in-law. Lanting's sisters-in-law looked at each other, and each of them shrank back. It was only when Grandma Gan came over and gave the red envelopes to the sedan chair that the sisters-in-law reluctantly took out the red envelopes.
Grandma Huang San winked at Shiyi Niang.
Eleventh Lady pretended not to see it.
This is the bad thing about marrying off a daughter. Once the bridal sedan left, the house became quiet. People left one after another, and Eleventh Lady also said goodbye to Madam Gan.
Mrs. Gan tried to keep her: "It's rare for you to be alone outside. Mrs. Zhou and the others are not outsiders either. Learn to play cards with them to amuse yourself. Things at home are like grass. They grow again after you pull them out. They grow again after you pull them out. There's no need to waste any time at all!" Her tone was sincere, and it was obvious that she really wanted her to stay.
Eleventh Lady did not hide it and whispered, "I have a maid who has served me since she was a child. She got married on the 26th of last month and said she would return home today. I'm afraid she is still waiting for me at home."
Mrs. Gan heard this and said meaningfully, "Since you have been serving me since you were a child, you are naturally extraordinary. You should go back soon. I won't keep you here!" Then she stood up and saw her off personally.
Madam Zhou also asked Shiyi Niang, "What's the hurry? Let's have dinner first, then leave."
Madam Gan took the initiative to help Eleventh Lady cover up, and said with a smile: "With old people and young children at home, how can you sit still? Do you think everyone is like you and can do whatever they want?"
Mrs. Zhou was not happy with this and said with a smile, "Everyone is taking a break from their busy schedule!"
"Since you know she is taking a break from her busy schedule, you still drag her to play with you." She was very protective of Shiyi Niang. This surprised Mrs. Zhou.
Mrs. Gan said it casually. After she said it, she felt that as the host, she might be trying to drive the guests away. She smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Okay, okay, can you guys put the cards away quickly? This is just a waste of time."
Mrs. Zhou asked Shiyi Niang only to show that she wanted to keep her. As for why Shiyi Niang wanted to go home, Shiyi Niang didn't say, so she didn't want to ask. She followed Mrs. Gan's words and stepped down, smiled and said to Shiyi Niang, "I won't see you off, be careful on the road", and sent Shiyi Niang to the entrance of the yard, then turned around and pulled Mrs. Huang San into the house to play cards.
Madam Gan accompanied Eleventh Lady all the way to the Chuihua Gate, and only returned after she got on the carriage.
Eleventh Lady hurried and finally returned to Yongping Marquis' Mansion at dusk.
Binju was already waiting for her in the yard.
She wore a bright red jacket embroidered with yellow hibiscus flowers, had her hair done in a woman's bun, and had her bangs fixed with hair wax, revealing her fair forehead. Her eyebrows were trimmed into thin willow-shaped eyebrows, and she had pink lip balm on her lips. She looked more calm and less immature, like a young woman.
"Madam!" Bin Ju's eyes were moist and he kneeled down respectfully to salute her.
"Binju!" Eleventh Lady trotted over, grabbed her hands and looked left and right.
The joy of reunion turned into astonishment: "What's wrong with you?"
Eleventh Lady pouted: "I want to see if they bully you - make you chop wood, carry water, light fires, and cook every day!"
"No, no." Binju couldn't help but smile and stretched out her hand. "If you don't believe me, look."
There was a gleam of water in the corners of her eyes.
Eleventh Lady carefully examined her hand and saw that it was as white and tender as ever. She nodded with satisfaction and said, "You are very sensible!"
Binju couldn't help but shed tears.
Mother Song, who was standing by, saw this and said hurriedly, "Oh, what happened? Today is a good day for you to come back home. Madam has been looking forward to it. You should be happy, why are you crying?"
※
I will continue to talk nonsense today.
Pink ticket, pink ticket…one is worth two!
PS: Since I only asked the sisters for pink tickets yesterday, I also shouted today: "Brothers, don't forget to give pink tickets when reading books!"
O(∩_∩)o…haha
Also, the update is a bit late, so wait till tomorrow morning to read it!