Mama Li and two maids helped with dinner. Jane Ning cooked more than a dozen dishes. It was not a big deal. She didn't have to wash or cut anything. Mama Li and the two maids were all capable people.
The men ate in the dining hall, while the women had their meal in the small flower hall. Mother Li, the maids, servants, and wet nurse set up another table in the flower hall, and Jane Ning did not interfere.
Mei Niang was a illegitimate daughter of a wealthy family. She had her own rules, and it was unacceptable for the master and servants to eat at the same table. Even in her own house, it was like this, Jian Ning knew that since they settled here, they had never had such a lively atmosphere. The two families knew each other very well, and there was laughter and joy everywhere.
Because Duan Xinyan was also a illegitimate daughter, she got along very well with Mei Niang. She called her "Sister Mei" all the time and was very generous with her money. She gave Xiao Yuer a gold and jade hairpin and Xiao Jiuer a jade unicorn pendant.
These valuables were the property saved by her mother, Min. After Concubine Li took charge of the household, she did not confiscate them. After counting them, she still kept them for her own safekeeping.
Mei Niang was reluctant to accept it at first because it was too valuable. Jian Ning smiled and said, "She doesn't give things away easily. It's better to keep it. She likes our Xiao Yu'er and Xiao Jiu'er, not because she likes you to give it to her."
"That's right." Duan Xinyan also smiled and said, "They both followed Jiajia and Yaoyao in calling me Auntie. I'm happy to give it to them. Besides, I only have this hairpin. If I give it to Jiajia or Yaoyao, they will definitely fight, and then the eldest sister will take it out on me again."
"It's as if your elder sister always takes it out on you. She's only willing to discipline you for your own good. If it's not for your own good, she won't even look at you. How could she be willing to restrain you? Everything is good or bad, and you can't decide for yourself." Mei Niang said, looking at Jian Ning with a smile, and then said to Duan Xinyan, "You are blessed. Your elder sister loves you. You should learn to cherish your blessings."
Duan Xinyan curled her lips, "Who knows if she loves me or not? I only know that she always uses her status as a legitimate daughter to pressure me."
Jian Ning rolled her eyes at her and said, "I can't even shut your mouth when eating. If you talk any more, I'll sew your mouth shut with a needle."
"Oh, that won't do," Mei Niang said with a smile. "Sister Yan's chatterbox is just adding to the fun. Besides, how are you going to eat or drink if you sew someone's mouth shut?"
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone in the room burst into laughter.
Before going to bed at night, Jian Ning remembered talking to Ding Youtian about the letter that Dabao wrote to Chen Qinian. Speaking of the letter, she naturally brought up her opinion of Chen Dazhi.
Ding Youtian said, "That's what you said. The governor is allowed to set fires, but the people are not allowed to light lamps. He wants to take the goods first and then pay for them, so he must try to please you. When I wanted to become your disciple, I also tried many ways to please him. What's the big deal? Didn't you lie to them, saying that the seeds were Qiaofeng's and the property was hers? You are allowed to deceive others, but others are not allowed to sell you a good thing, right?"
"Get lost! I didn't hurt anyone by lying. He stole the letter Baoer wrote to his son without asking his son's opinion. Shouldn't I doubt his character?"
"You are always right anyway. I am too lazy to argue with you." Ding Youtian lay down, turned sideways with his butt facing her.
"You have to be able to win the argument." Jian Ning crawled into the quilt. She felt that he was bumping her with his butt, so she turned sideways and nudged him with her butt in annoyance.
"Hmph!" Ding Youtian tugged at the quilt a bit too vigorously, which annoyed Jian Ning. She also tugged the quilt towards herself and turned to question him, "What are you humming about? Are you not convinced?"
"Don't bother making trouble, go to sleep. I'm too lazy to argue with you. You'll get angry and chase me away. Master scolded me last time, saying I was useless."
Jane Ning was suddenly amused. She turned around and put her arms around his waist. Her hands became dishonest. She rubbed her chin on his arm and chuckled, "So, are you useful or not?"
"It's up to Madam to decide." Ding Youtian was aroused by her and immediately turned over and pressed her under him.
The hooks on both sides of the bed curtain were lowered, and in a moment, the most primitive and unchanging rhythm of mankind was played leisurely in the tent.
After dawn, the two shopkeepers Chen and Tong came early to listen to the news. When they arrived, there was chaos in the backyard of the yamen. Erniu and Sanniu started making a fuss early in the morning, and Xiaojiuer also made a huge fuss.
Mei Niang gave Erniu and Sanniu a set of winter clothes each, but the two little ones insisted on wearing their new clothes to school and refused to go unless they were given them. The two red winter clothes were trimmed with snow-white rabbit fur at the collars. Jian Ning said they were to be kept for the New Year, but the two refused and started a quarrel.
If they don't make a fuss, Jane Ning might change them. If they start making a fuss, they will develop a habit of changing them, thinking that as long as they make a fuss, they can get what they want. Naturally, Jane Ning will not agree with them.
Erniu always liked to be pretty, so she made a fuss. Ding Youtian beat her a few times without saying a word because she was his sister. She jumped on her feet and burst into tears, "My sister also made a fuss, why did you beat me alone?"
"You're still biting Third Sister? I think the beating wasn't enough." Ding Youtian picked her up and spanked her on the butt a few more times, "Let's see if you'll learn your lesson the second time and keep biting me!"
Erniu rolled on the ground.
"If you don't get up, your mother will beat you soon." Jian Ning shouted.
On the corridor, Little Jiuer was crying at the top of his lungs. Old Qin and Blind Liu were going to the bookstore, and he wanted to go too. Yesterday, Old Qin had taken him there to show off, and when they got to the bookstore, he was so engrossed in listening to Blind Liu's stories and clapping his hands that he had no time to care about him. It was all Aunt Feng who took care of him.
Aunt Feng didn't want to go today. Yesterday, she helped Xiao Jiuer urinate a few times outside the bookstore. She didn't think much of it at the time, and a child's urine doesn't smell fishy. But Old Qin scolded her for it yesterday. Urine is always dirty. You think your child's urine is precious, but others might think so and blame her for peeing in someone else's doorway.
Little Jiuer loved to follow others. He grabbed the hem of Lao Qin's robe and cried, wanting to go play with him. The volume of his crying voice was no less than Erniu's. The two kids cried one after another. The two shopkeepers, Chen Tong, were walking towards them, following their crying.
"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you two." Jian Ning welcomed them to the small flower hall. Mei Niang coaxed Xiao Jiuer, saying that she and Aunt Jian would take him to the bookstore to find his grandfather. Only then did the little guy stop crying.
Erniu was also pulled up by Qiaofeng and taken to wash her face. Sanniu had stopped crying and made a fuss when Erniu was beaten, and she put on her old clothes obediently.
In the small flower hall, Mother Li poured tea for the two shopkeepers, Chen Tong. Jian Ning thanked her and told her to go about her business. Then she smiled and told them the result of the discussion with Ma Fuquan yesterday.
"From now on, you two won't have to pay the deposit upfront, and you'll only have to cover half of the travel expenses. If you're short on goods this month, you can go to the local escort agency and tell the manager, and they'll transfer more from a neighboring agency. If you have any unsold goods, you can also send them to the escort agency and have them shipped elsewhere. You don't have to worry about having unsold goods sitting on your hands. Is this a good idea?"
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