What Yuan Baozhu said made sense. She had just entered the family, and there were many things she needed to take care of in the future. It was very special to make hats with the white fox and give them to her father-in-law and sixth uncle, but if so, what would she give when the lady's birthday came or her father-in-law and mother-in-law's birthday came?
Jiang couldn't help but get anxious. But Xu Sizhun always just smiled and told her not to worry about these things. No matter how much more she asked, she couldn't get a single word out. She asked the maid to ask quietly, and she was told that Xu Sizhun was not in the outer courtyard these days, and that all the household affairs were handed over to the housekeeper Bai, who didn't know what he was doing.
What is he doing?
Jiang became a little anxious. It was the Dragon Boat Festival and she had to give gifts, so she asked Shiyi Niang: "How about I go to Sanjing Hutong?"
The third wife is sick again.
Eleventh Lady went to see it once and never went again.
There is no filial son for a long-term sick bed. She was sick every two or three days, and everyone knew that she was not really sick, so they either ignored her or just went along for the sake of appearance.
"You're pregnant." Eleventh Lady refused without a second thought, "Let your second sister-in-law go!"
"It's okay." Jiang smiled, "I'm in good health! Second sister-in-law still needs to go to Gongxian Hutong to meet fourth aunt and fifth aunt..."
She probably wants to go out and get some fresh air!
Since Jiang became pregnant, Xu Sizhun didn't let her do this or that. If it weren't for Wan San's wife saying that it would be difficult to have a baby, Xu Sizhun would have wanted Jiang to lie in bed every day.
"Then go ahead!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Just be careful. Don't disturb the fetus."
Jiang happily answered "yes" and went to Sanjing Hutong.
Jin was playing with her two children in the yard. The maids, daughters-in-law, and old women who were serving her were all smiling and serving beside her. Although they didn't laugh loudly, they didn't look depressed at all. It was obvious that everyone didn't take the Third Lady's illness seriously.
Seeing Jiang, Jin hurriedly asked her two children to come over to greet her and invited her to sit in the house.
"Sister-in-law is serving mother-in-law in her room. Judging from the time, she should be coming out soon." Jin said, personally bringing her a cup of hot tea.
Whenever the Third Lady suffered a loss at the hands of Fang, she would ask Fang, who was ill, to take care of her. This was an open secret in the family and no one would point it out.
"Then I'll go and greet Third Aunt too!" Jiang stood up.
"You are pregnant, so you should wait until my mother-in-law recovers before going!" Jin kept her.
Even though it was fake, she still had to do what she had to do. She was pregnant and it was not appropriate for her to see a patient.
Jiang didn't insist and chatted with Jin: "I heard from my husband that Third Uncle was transferred to Wucheng Bingmasi? Has he taken up the post?"
"He will take office after the Dragon Boat Festival." Jin's eyes smiled and turned into crescent moons when she heard it. "He will be the commander of the south city in the Wucheng Military Department. Although he is only a sixth-rank official, he is in charge of a region. It's not like in the palace, where you sound impressive but you have to be at the mercy of others in everything." She looked proud of it. Then she thought that Jiang was the legitimate daughter-in-law of the legitimate wife, and smiled, "Speaking of which, our husband still benefited from the fourth uncle. If it weren't for this relationship, how could his superiors recommend him to the military department among so many people? But my husband has been busy with the handover these two days and thanking his colleagues. Thinking that the fourth uncle's side is our family, I plan to go and pay my respects to the lady and the fourth aunt in two days."
Jiang knew that Jin was just being polite.
Although Xu Sijian's superiors did it for Xu Lingyi's sake, if Xu Sijian didn't know how to behave, they wouldn't give him that kind of face. When this matter reached the Yongping Marquis's residence, Xu Lingyi was a little surprised and smiled and said, "This kid is not bad."
"That's because Third Uncle is talented." As Jiang was talking, someone came in through the curtain and asked with a smile, "Who are you talking about who is talented?"
Jiang looked up and saw a young woman with a figure as tall as jade, wearing a ginger-colored silk jacket and a dark green undershirt, walking in.
"Sister-in-law!" She went forward to greet her with a smile. The three sisters-in-law sat down and talked for a while. Knowing that Jiang was here to give a festival gift, Fang went with her to the backyard to count the gift list.
Didn’t my mother-in-law say that these things can be done by the maids who accompany the car?
Could this be another trick Third Aunt came up with to make trouble for Eldest Sister-in-law?
Jiang was feeling upset and went to the backyard with Fang.
However, Fang pulled her to the side room.
"Tell me? What do you want to see me about?" She smiled and sat down on the Luohan bed side by side with Jiang.
Jiang looked at Fang in surprise.
Fang smiled and said, "You are pregnant and you still come to give us a New Year gift. What else could it be if you don't want to ask me for something? Tell me quickly, what happened?"
Jiang couldn't help but smile awkwardly.
Since Fang helped Xu Sizhun out that day, she had developed a liking for Fang. After several contacts, she felt that Fang was a generous and straightforward person who suited her temperament very well, and the two gradually became closer.
She originally just wanted to go out for a walk to relax. Fang was so frank that she seemed a little uncomfortable if she didn't say anything.
Jiang tactfully told Fang what had happened in the past few days.
Fang hid her sleeves and smiled: "It's not that easy. Since Fourth Uncle doesn't even want Fourth Aunt to know, Second Uncle must have gotten the news from somewhere else. And he only said that he might not come back until winter. You don't need to be so anxious, why not wait and see."
"Yes!" Jiang's eyes lit up, "How could I be confused?" She relaxed her brows, "Even if father-in-law comes back in winter, it won't be too late for me to send some medicinal herbs and the like to nourish father-in-law and sixth uncle when they come back!"
She couldn't help but pull Fang's hand: "Thanks to my sister-in-law for guiding me."
You must know the limit when speaking and doing things. If you are too close, people will dislike you; if you are too far away, people will resent you.
"I see, you are a new bride, the more you want to perform well, the more you worry about gains and losses." Fang smiled and changed the subject, "Have you thought about how to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival this year?"
"I heard that they want to have a banquet in the flower hall." Some things can no longer be said in depth. Jiang smiled and talked about family matters with Fang.
A maid came in and reported, "Madam, the young master said he would be back in the next two days. He asked the servant to bring you something."
Jiang was stunned when she heard this: "Isn't uncle at home?"
Fang smiled and said, "Your uncle doesn't have much to do at home, so last spring I handed over the farm that I brought as a dowry to your uncle. Your uncle goes out to collect debts four times a year. Occasionally he sells southern goods in the north or northern goods in the south, doing some small business to supplement the family income." She said it very subtly, but seeing how generously Fang spent money, I'm afraid this kind of business is very profitable.
Jiang smiled, and the servant brought in a red lacquered and gold-painted box.
"The eldest young master said this is for you. The master, the mistress, the third young master, the third young mistress and others came back with the carriage."
Fang asked the boy, "Why didn't the young master come back with you?"
The servant smiled and said, "Young Master still has two accounts to collect. He was afraid that Young Madam would worry, so he asked me to come back and report to her first."
Fang was relieved and gave the servant some silver. She looked up and saw Jiang smiling at her. She blushed and explained, "Your uncle is just like that."
Jiang looked at the box and smiled.
Fang was embarrassed.
"Oh my! How can this compare to Uncle making lanterns for my fourth brother and sister-in-law every day?"
Jiang was also embarrassed.
The two joked with each other, and seeing that it was getting late, Jiang got up and went back to the lotus garden.
Xu Sizhun was talking to Wang Shu. When he saw her come in, he said to Wang Shu, "Buy a hundred horses," and walked up to her with a smile: "You've been sitting in the carriage for most of the day. Are you okay?" He looked her up and down.
"I'm fine." Jiang said, her eyes fell on Wang Shu who was holding a ball of goose yellow gauze in his hand: "Why did my husband come back so early today? Is there anything going on in the outer courtyard?"
These days, Xu Sizun came back very early.
"Oh, the outer courtyard affairs are handled by Chief Steward Bai!" Xu Sizhun said nonchalantly, and helped her sit on the kang near the window, "I'll ask Wang Shu to buy some gauze."
"Why do you want to buy gauze?" Jiang smiled and said, "I still have some in my warehouse. If you need it, I'll ask Mother Yuan to give it to you. Why bother buying more?"
Jiang pretended not to know.
"No need!" Xu Sizhun scratched his head and said with some embarrassment, "The gauze I want must be thin and tough, and only Han Ji on East Street can customize it. Ordinary gauze is too thick."
"What do you want this kind of gauze for, my husband?" Jiang asked him with a smile.
"Make something." Xu Sizhun said vaguely, "By the way, my uncle has sent someone to deliver us fans tomorrow. You should prepare some money for the reward!"
This was the first Dragon Boat Festival after Jiang got married. According to custom, her family had to give her a fan and a mat.
Jiang smiled and agreed. Xu Sizhun said, "I have something else to do outside. I'll leave first!"
Didn’t you say that all the affairs of the outer courtyard were handed over to Chief Steward Bai?
Jiang thought for a moment and called Wang Shu in: "Why does the fourth young master want to order gauze?"
Wang Shu smiled and said, "...Then the young lady will know."
Jiang raised her eyebrows slightly: "Are you making lanterns?"
Wang Shu smiled awkwardly.
"The fifth day of the fifth month is both the Dragon Boat Festival and mother-in-law's birthday. Husband, do you want to make a unique lantern for her?" Jiang asked.
Now that he had been exposed, Wang Shu could no longer hide it, and murmured, "The fourth young master told me not to tell anyone... He planned to make everyone happy... He made not just one lantern, but nine hundred and ninety-nine lanterns, which will be hung in the back garden in the future. He invited the old lady and the fourth lady to Lingqiong Villa to enjoy the lanterns..." As he spoke, he became a little excited, "The lanterns cost three taels of silver each, and we will light them with white candles that we specially asked someone to order from Wanxian, Sichuan. The fourth young master said that they are brighter than the stars in the sky... When the time comes, the whole yard will be filled with lanterns, and the trees will be full of fireworks, like the Milky Way... The old lady and the lady will definitely like them..."
Jiang didn't say anything for a while before she said, "You can go down!" Her voice was low and full of fatigue.
Such a big gesture would definitely please the Madam and Madam. Why does the Fourth Young Mistress seem a little unhappy?
Wang Shu muttered to himself, replied "yes" in a low voice, and stepped back.
Jiang thought of Xu Siqin's steadiness, Xu Siyu's hard work, Xu Sijian's efforts, Xu Sijie's diligence... and then she thought of Xu Sizhun... When the father-in-law comes back and asks about it, how will Manager Bai answer?
That's why she feels uneasy!
Jiang felt powerless and sat blankly on the armchair until dusk fell.
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Post a draft first.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: The update is a little late, please get up tomorrow morning and read it!