Chapter 7: Thoughts

"It's just the right length." Eleventh Lady looked at it carefully for a long time. "Then I'll go back first. My mother gave me Amber as a gift today. I haven't seen her yet, and I don't know what's going on in the house. I have to go back and take a look. When the thread is ready, I'll ask Dongqing to bring it to you."

The aunt did not keep her, but smiled, nodded, and sent her out.

However, the Second Aunt said something indifferently when she was about to step out of the door.

"It's strange to say. Our eldest daughter gave birth to a legitimate son, but now he is four years old, but he is not yet the crown prince. Could it be that our eldest aunt has learned from the heavenly family and insisted on establishing the eldest son instead of the youngest, and the virtuous instead of the legitimate..."

Eleventh Lady paused.

At this time, Wu Niang had returned to Jiao Garden and was talking to Lian Xu.

"…The first wife said that the wild mushroom and pigeon soup was delicious. She also heard that the fourth master didn't enjoy his food these past two days, so she asked me to send it to the fourth master."

Wu Niang smiled and said, "Is my fourth brother enjoying his meal?"

Lian Xuan smiled and said, "It's sent by the eldest wife, so it's naturally delicious."

Wu Niang sighed, "There is no considerate person around my fourth brother... If there was someone like Sister Lian Xuan who understood his feelings, he wouldn't be uncomfortable every other day!" As she spoke, she gently put the candied plum in her hand into her mouth. Lian Xuan's heart was beating wildly when she heard this.

It was not easy to go from a third-class maid to a maid close to the eldest wife. She did not want to marry a servant, and then continue to be a servant after giving birth to a son, and become a maid after giving birth to a daughter... But among the masters in the mansion, the eldest master had his own servants since childhood, not to mention that the eldest young lady brought four more after entering the house; the second master died early; the third master was the legitimate son of the second wife, and it was not their turn to be attentive to the eldest wife; the fifth and sixth masters of the third wife were eight and five years old respectively. Only the fourth master, although he was born out of wedlock, but the eldest wife had to save face, and when the family was divided, she would give the fourth master a share more or less. Moreover, the Fourth Master had a gentle personality and was very considerate to the sisters around him. He even made rouge for his maid Di Jin himself... As for the appearance and character of the maids in the Manchu mansion, she thought she couldn't compare to Dong Qing in the Eleventh Miss's room. Could she be better than Di Jin, the ugly weirdo with sparse eyebrows and eyes? She couldn't help but blush with excitement.

The Fourth Master and his elder sister, the Fifth Miss, are the best of friends. She has been visiting the Fifth Miss frequently in the past two years, just so that the Fifth Miss can help with planning when the time comes... Unexpectedly, the Fifth Miss actually gave in today.

"How can I compare to Sister Dijin?" Lian Xuan stared at Wu Niang with his big watery eyes, as if trying to read some clues from her expression. "With her by the side of the Fourth Master, what else does the Fifth Miss have to worry about?"

Wu Niang's lips twitched slightly, as if she had something to say but didn't know how to say it.

Ziyuan, who was standing by, coughed softly and pointed at the teacup in Lian Xuan's hand: "Sister Lian Xuan, have a taste. This is the Da Hong Pao that the eldest lady gave to me."

Wu Niang's face changed when she heard Ziyuan's cough. She did not mention the matter of the Fourth Master, but instead followed Ziyuan's lead and said, "Sister Lian Qiao, how about trying this tea?"

Lian Xuan was furious and secretly blamed Ziyuan for being nosy. The Fifth Miss was already in a difficult situation. If she interrupted her, the Fifth Miss would definitely not mention the Fourth Master again... Such a good opportunity was ruined by Ziyuan. If she was not the maidservant of the Fifth Miss and was of the same age as the Fifth Miss, she would definitely follow the Fifth Miss to her husband's house in the future. She really wondered if Ziyuan had the same idea as herself. However, it was not certain. The eldest wife said that she loved the Fifth Miss the most, but if she really loved her, she should have found a husband for the Fifth Miss, who had already reached the age of marriage, when the old lady first fell ill, so that the 18-year-old Fifth Miss would not become an old maid after the three-year mourning period... It seemed that the eldest wife might not really treat the Fifth Miss as her own daughter. If I could think of it, Ziyuan should be able to think of it too. Rather than following the Fifth Miss and not knowing whether she will marry a lame or numb man, it is better to make plans early and follow the Fourth Master.

As the thought flashed through his mind, Lian Xuan couldn't help but turn his resentment towards Ziyuan into hatred.

If Shion really has this in mind, today is not the time to speak.

Then she thought about the fact that she still had work to do. If the eldest wife asked about it and she hadn't gone home yet, she would think that she stayed with the fourth master, which would not be a good thing.

She exchanged a few pleasantries with Wu Niang, then stood up and said goodbye: "...in case the eldest lady can't find anyone later!"

Wu Niang personally escorted her to the door of the room and said, "Since Sister Lian Xuan is busy, I won't delay you any longer. Let's sit together when we have free time."

Lian Xuan said a few polite words when he heard faint crying sounds coming from not far away.

She was stunned when she heard it.

Ziyuan smiled and said, "It's Sister Ziwei who is teaching the new maid. I don't know why, but people nowadays are not like us. If the sisters just mention something, they will remember it immediately and never forget it. Now it's like tofu dropped into the ash pond. You can't slap it or hit it. If you are not careful, they will punish you. I really don't know how to discipline them." She looked very sighing.

"Who said it wasn't?" Lian Xuan was relieved, and walked out with Ziyuan with a smile, "You don't know, the new girl Shuanghe in our house actually quarreled with Mother Yao... When we were trapped, we couldn't even think about it. Speaking of which, Mother Xu's work has been getting worse in the past two years, and the new people are getting more and more unruly. Once, the grandmother said that Mother Xu is getting older and she is not as good at disciplining people as before."

"After all, my sister works in the First Lady's house, so she has a lot of experience." Ziyuan said with a smile, "Unlike us, we become weak all over when we see Madam Xu, so we don't care about these things..."

As they were talking, Ziyuan escorted Lian Xu out of the garden.

Wu Niang has already called Ziwei over.

"...You are the head maid in my house. You should teach those little ones a lesson if they are disobedient. But this place is close to the main house. Qiu Ling has been sent out because of illness. If there is another bad one and the first wife asks about it, we will not be able to reply. Besides, her brother is still working in the accounting office."

"Miss, you are right." Ziwei said respectfully, "I was inconsiderate. But, I just slapped her a few times. Send someone to watch her for a few days, she won't go out and say anything nonsense."

Wu Niang nodded, gave a few more instructions, and asked Ziwei to leave.

After a while, Shion turned back.

She told Wu Niang what Lian Xuan had said to her: "... It seems that the eldest young lady is not very satisfied with Madam Xu." She thought of Lian Xuan's restless eyes. "Fifth Miss, are you really going to let Lian Xuan serve the Fourth Master?" She brewed tea for Wu Niang again and brought it to her. "She has such a strong personality and she has served the eldest lady before. If she goes to the Fourth Master's room, I'm afraid she will..."

"When did I say to let her go to the Fourth Master's room?" Wu Niang took a sip of tea. Her leisurely manner was exactly like that of the First Madam, but she didn't know it. "Besides, she is from the First Madam's room. Even the old master has no reason to arrange for her, let alone me."

Knowing that Wu Niang had no intention of bringing Lian Xu over, Ziyuan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The only person the Fifth Miss could really rely on was the Fourth Master. But the Fourth Master was a soft-hearted person, and if someone like Lian Xuan went there, it would be bad for their garden...

Wu Niang was thinking about something else and asked hesitantly, "Tell me, what did Lian Xuan mean by that?"

Ziyuan thought for a moment and whispered, "Is it because of the eldest lady's health... that's why the first wife sent Mother Xu to Ci'an Temple... to print the Lotus Sutra again!"

"That should be the case!" Wu Niang pondered. "It's only been a month since my father passed away, and I received a letter so soon. I can't think of anything else except my eldest sister's matter. Besides, she has been ill since she gave birth to my brother. If that's the case, then what does the first wife mean?"

Wu Xiaoquan's family used a handkerchief to put the peeled oranges in a small gilded dish, and took a thin silver pick to prepare to remove the white orange tangerine peel as usual. However, the eldest wife suddenly waved her hand and said, "So be it! I'm older, not like I used to be. I'll eat some orange tangerine peel to calm my nerves." As she said this, she let out a long sigh.

"What are you talking about, Madam?" Wu Xiaoquan's family followed her instructions and handed the small plate to her. "You are still young, and Grandma still needs your support... You can't say you are old at this time."

The eldest wife laughed and ordered Luo Xuan behind her: "All of you, leave!"

Luo Yu and others responded and left.

Seeing that no one was in the room, Wu Xiaoquan's family smiled and said, "The two young ladies have discussed something. When Miss Eleven saw the shape of the screen, she didn't say anything, but Miss Five complained that the combination of cocklewood and yellow poplar was not a good match. I think what Miss Five said makes sense, and Miss Eleven also said that for the time being, the words should be written according to the size, and she would embroider it first, and finally make the base and frame of the screen. It won't be too late to change the wood when Miss Five mentioned the wood..."

Before she could finish, the eldest lady waved her hand to signal her not to say anything more: "Just tell me, which of the two ladies is more confident about embroidering the screen?"

"Of course it's Miss Five." Wu Xiaoquan's family laughed, "When I went there, Miss Five had a lot of looks on her table, and she was letting Miss Eleven choose!"

"Oh!" The eldest wife raised her eyebrows, "Which one did Miss Eleven pick?"

Wu Xiaoquan's family laughed and said, "Miss Eleven seems to be undecided, so let Miss Five go and discuss it with the First Madam."

"What about Miss Fifth? Which one does she like best?"

"The one with the big characters in the middle." Wu Xiaoquan's family laughed, "They said it was the most suitable one because it has both big characters and small characters."

There are both large characters and small characters, which is indeed the most suitable - it is suitable for her to show off how good her handwriting is, right?

The first wife sneered in her heart: "It's a pity that the second concubine said that her calligraphy is not dignified enough."

"The first wife and the second concubine have good taste." Wu Xiaoquan's eyes rolled and he said with a smile, "I just can't see it. Just like the fifth lady, I think the one with the big words in the middle is better! But at least I have someone to keep me company."

"Oh?" The eldest wife looked at Wu Xiaoquan's family with a smile.

Wu Xiaoquan's family's hearts skipped a beat.

But having said that, he just kept holding on to it.

"And there's Miss Eleven!" She laughed, "At least I can pick out a good one, but Miss Eleven thinks everything is good."

(There will be another chapter soon!)