The Second Aunt silently took the manuscripts, read them carefully, and then picked one out and handed it to the First Wife: "This is the best!"
The first wife was startled and said, "Isn't the one with a big 'Shou' in the middle good?"
The Second Aunt said calmly, "After all, the Fifth Miss is young and her writing skills are not strong enough. She didn't feel it when she wrote the small regular script with flowers on her hairpin, but when she wrote the large characters, it was too charming!"
As Wu Niang listened, her face turned red and white.
The teacher who taught the young lady also said this.
She was not convinced, and secretly found a famous calligraphy work to practice her calligraphy...
The eldest wife sighed after hearing this and handed the painting that the second concubine had chosen to the fifth wife: "Let's take this one!"
Taking advantage of the opportunity to pass it over, Eleventh Lady saw the pattern - it was the circular picture of a hundred years of longevity.
"Old people all like things that are round and perfect... let's go with this one!" The eldest wife's tone was somewhat tired, "Fifth Lady, please write it as soon as possible so that Eleventh Lady can embroider it."
How dare Wu Niang object? She took the pattern and knelt down to say "yes".
Second Aunt suddenly looked at Eleventh Lady: "So you have to embroider the 'Hundred Longevity Picture' during this period?"
Eleventh Lady responded respectfully, "Yes."
The Second Aunt nodded and stopped asking questions, which made the First Madam curious.
"We originally wanted to ask Eleventh Lady to help us make a few pairs of silk cords," the eldest aunt explained with a smile, "it seems that Eleventh Lady doesn't have the time for that."
Eleventh Lady smiled and glanced at the First Madam, as if she was reading her expression. Seeing that the First Madam was not displeased, she smiled and said, "Fifth Sister will need two more days to write. What kind of lace do you want to make? If there are too many, I'm afraid you'll have to wait!"
What I mean is that if there is not much work to do, I can still help.
"I made two capes for Brother Xiu," said the eldest aunt with a smile, "and I want Eleventh Lady to help make two five-bat cords."
Using a string to shoot out five bats is one of Master Jian’s unique skills, and he later taught it to Shiyi Niang.
Bat is the homonym of “福” (blessing). Five bats represent longevity, wealth, health, virtue and a good death. There is no more auspicious object than weaving five bats with a piece of thread.
The three-year-old Brother Xiu is the eldest son of the uncle and the apple of the eye of the eldest wife.
The expression on the eldest wife's face softened: "I wonder if those maids and wives are taking good care of him?"
Three years ago, the old man of the Luo family passed away, and the three brothers of the Luo family resigned from their official positions and returned to their hometown to mourn. On October 24th of this year, the three-year period will expire, and the three brothers must return to the Ministry of Personnel for reporting. The second and third masters brought their families with them. The eldest wife was worried about the family affairs, so she asked her son, daughter-in-law, grandson and Aunt Lu to go to Yanjing with the eldest master. First, there was someone to take care of the eldest master, and second, the son took his family to see his sister and brother-in-law, and took advantage of the power of Yongping Marquis to stay in Yanjing Imperial College to study, so as to participate in the joint examination next year - two years ago, the new emperor ascended the throne and opened the special examination, but Luo Zhenxing did not participate because of filial piety.
"Brother Xiu has his grandmother by his side," Wu Xiaoquan's family said with a smile, "don't worry!"
Since Eleventh Lady knew what the rope was used for, she immediately expressed her opinion: "I dare not say anything else, but I do have the skills to tie two ropes."
"That's great." The eldest aunt smiled and said, "The colorful silk threads from my embroidery workshop are all ready..." She actually looked impatient.
"Then go and help Auntie make silk brocade!" The eldest wife instructed Eleventh Lady with a smile, "I'll let Wu Xiaoquan's family accompany her and talk to her."
Hearing what was said, the two concubines, the Fifth Lady, and the Eleventh Lady all stood up and retreated.
The eldest aunt took Eleventh Lady's hand and said, "Come on, come to my place. I'll ask Caixia to make you some rose and lotus paste cake later." After a pause, she smiled at Fifth Lady and said, "Miss Fifth, come to my room and sit for a while!"
Seeing the insincere look of the eldest aunt, Wu Niang felt unhappy. Thinking that the two aunts were now just figureheads waiting to die, she lost the desire to socialize.
"No need." She said calmly, "I dare not be careless about what the eldest lady has told me to do."
The eldest aunt was about to say something, but the second aunt had already pulled the eldest aunt and the eleventh aunt back to their residence: "In that case, we won't stay. Fifth Miss, go and get busy!"
Eleventh Lady was dragged by the Second Aunt. She turned around and said to Fifth Lady, "Sister, take care," and then hurried away with the Second Aunt.
Wu Niang looked at the backs of the three people, curled her lips, and returned to Jiao Garden.
The eldest aunt couldn't help but complain: "Why do this? She is also a poor person!"
The Second Aunt snorted coldly and said, "Everyone in this room is pitiful. It's just that you are pitiful, and there are people who are more pitiful than you. Besides, we are all in this situation. It's just death anyway. What's there to be afraid of?"
The eldest aunt glanced at the somewhat bewildered Eleventh Lady standing aside, and finally held back what she had not said. She only smiled and greeted the Eleventh Lady: "Sit down, I'll go get the thread."
The two concubines lived next to each other, but the eldest concubine, in addition to worshipping Buddha, also liked to spend her days doing needlework for the children in the Luo Mansion. Eleventh Lady had some friendship with the two concubines. It was also because the eldest concubine heard from the housemaids that Miss Eleven was good at needlework and was the proud disciple of Master Jian that she wanted to ask Eleventh Lady to help embroider a Buddhist scripture. Later, after more contact, she found that Eleventh Lady had a gentle temperament. Although she didn't talk much, she acted steadily and generously, treated people gently and generously, and got along well with her. That's why she often invited her to her residence to sit, or she would go to Eleventh Lady's place to walk around, chat, and do some needlework. The second concubine was not interested in anything except worshiping Buddha. A few times when they met by chance, they just greeted her respectfully, and the second concubine nodded to her with a stern face and didn't say anything to her.
But today's situation is a little strange.
The eldest aunt went to get the thread. The second aunt not only did not go back to her room as usual, but instead instructed Caixia who was beside the eldest aunt: "Your aunt said that she would make rose lotus paste cake to entertain Miss Eleven, why don't you go quickly."
Thinking that the Second Aunt had a stern face for a long time, Caixia nodded and left.
She scolded her maid again: "What are you doing standing there? You don't even know what kind of tea to make when guests come. What can you do?"
Caiyun's face turned red after hearing this. She bowed to Shiyi Niang and turned around to change the tea.
Shiyi Niang hurriedly picked up the tea and took a sip: "This tea is excellent. Is it the top-grade West Lake Longjing?"
Second Aunt smiled, which was rare for her. "Yes, it is the best West Lake Longjing. But I also have Yuxi Tieguanyin from Fujian. You can try it!"
Eleventh Lady was secretly surprised.
Her current father, Luo Huazhong, the eldest master of the Luo family, was elected governor of Fujian for three consecutive terms but failed to move to another place, which he considered a great regret in his life. Because of this, he had deep roots in Fujian. Although he was in mourning at home, his subordinates who had received his favors in the past often sent him Fujian specialties. This Yuxi Tieguanyin is one of them.
Of course, Luo Huazhong, who had become a frontier official, had a certain weight in the eyes of the court and the emperor. As long as he was not involved in treason, he would have to return to the government sooner or later. Moreover, he was a relative of Yongping Hou. Those people would not be careless with him.
For a moment, she was in a state of confusion.
She felt like something passed through her mind and she wanted to catch it but couldn't!
Eleventh Lady couldn't help but look up at the Second Aunt - and then she suddenly discovered that the Second Aunt actually had a pair of eyes as clear as water, with a shimmering light that could captivate one's soul.
A very ordinary person suddenly shows extraordinary characteristics in front of you. Shiyi Niang suddenly becomes alert and thinks about what happened today.
Although the eldest aunt loves to do needlework for children, this child does not include the eldest young master - because in the Luo Mansion, he is not an ordinary child. She is also required to make a five-bat silk thread, which only she can do besides Master Jian...
"Take the jade pendant and shake it left and right in front of your eyes, staring at it as it moves. After a long time, you will also have a pair of eyes like this." Second Aunt suddenly smiled at her, the color in her eyes became more intense, "It's not too late for you to start practicing 0 from today."
Eleventh Lady pretended to be ignorant and looked confused.
The Second Aunt suddenly laughed: "A person as honest as Qingtong actually gave birth to a daughter like you. How interesting!"
Qingtong is Aunt Lu’s name.
"I don't understand what the Second Aunt said." Eleventh Lady remained calm.
"It doesn't matter whether you can understand or not, as long as you are not deaf." Second Aunt's expression was pleasant, as if she was not angry at Eleventh Lady's deafness, but admired it. "According to the date, the eldest master and the eldest young master should have arrived in Yanjing. I don't know what happened, but the eldest master and the eldest young master actually sent their capable people to deliver letters to the eldest wife one after another. After receiving the eldest master's letter, the eldest wife asked someone to ask you to make a screen. After receiving the eldest young master's letter, she sent Madam Xu to Ci'an Temple to deliver incense money, and also gave you the beautiful Amber beside her. Suddenly, she asked me and the eldest aunt to ask how to print a thousand copies of the Lotus Sutra... Don't you think it's strange?"
But does it take so long to get a line next door?
Eleventh Lady was already 90% sure that the two concubines had set a trap for her to fall into.
With one wife and six concubines, and a bunch of half-children fighting with each other, no one would believe that this family is as harmonious and friendly as it seems on the surface, with brothers being friendly and respectful to each other.
But no matter what the nature of this is, Eleventh Lady will not interfere in it - she is neither willing nor capable of doing so.
"The first wife is a Buddhist. She asked Madam Xu to go to Ci'an Temple to donate money for incense and asked Auntie how to print the Lotus Sutra. I think it's normal." She smiled at the second aunt, "As for rewarding me with a maid, to be honest, Dongqing and Binju by my side were also rewarded by the first wife. They are both very loyal and kind people. I really don't know where the 'strange' that Auntie mentioned comes from!"
"It's really nothing strange." The Second Aunt smiled happily under her gaze, "I'm just talking. Some people listen to me, but some people don't."
Eleventh Lady smiled but did not answer. She lowered her head to blow away the foam in the teacup and took a sip.
The room fell into silence.
"Caixia, she put the thread under my pillow, and it took me a while to find it." After a while, the aunt came out with a smile, "Sorry to have kept you waiting!"
"No!" Eleventh Lady smiled gently, "Second Aunt is with her!"
The eldest aunt smiled and nodded, and handed the silk thread to Eleventh Lady: "Take a look, is this thread okay?"
(There is one more chapter today!)