Extra Chapter 2: Embroidery
In the small, elegant courtyard, a few banana trees transplanted from the south swayed in the breeze. A half-open screen window peeked through the vibrant blossoms and green willows. A young woman in her early twenties, dressed in elegant attire, sat by the window, her head bent, intently threading her needle. A young maid with twin buns approached with a tea tray and whispered, "Fourth Madam, please take a rest. It's already noon. Let me massage your neck."
The young woman raised her head and said with a smile, "Okay." She put down the embroidery frame in her hand, picked up the tea and blew on it gently.
The maidservant pinched and pounded the young woman's shoulders and neck, muttering, "... Your shoulders are stiff, like wood. Grandma doesn't take care of herself. The Fourth Master will be distressed and give us a hard time later."
The young woman smiled shyly and did not answer.
She loved needlework since she was a child and was very good at embroidery. After she got married, she often made clothes and accessories for her sister-in-law, nephews and nieces, as well as her great-grandmother and mother-in-law who lived far away, and won a lot of praise.
Her husband repeatedly asked her to do less, but she only smiled shyly. That time, she finally asked back, "Do you know my maiden name?" Her husband, handsome and kind-hearted, suddenly started to tease her, "I know, it's Little Mouse." She feigned displeasure, but her husband, who was beaten so hard that he laughed, finally said, "Alright, alright, I dare not... Well, I heard my mother-in-law call you Erya."
She said shyly, "That's my nickname, I just called it that. I have a proper maiden name, it's Xiu Qiao." She stretched out her fingers and slowly drew two words in the air, with a hint of pride.
"My eldest and third sisters-in-law are so capable, knowledgeable, and insightful. I can't catch up with them even if I flatter them. At least I still have some work that can be presented to others. Let me show off my skills..." She lowered her voice, "It's cold, and Concubine Xiang's legs are not good. I'll make her a pair of leg guards."
Her husband's eyes were filled with love and affection. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "When it comes to studying and being a good person, I can't catch up with my two brothers. Let's be a perfect couple and stay together forever."
Xiuqiao's heart was filled with sweetness, and she felt as if she were about to fly. Her husband was considerate, gentle, and kind-hearted. There was no one superfluous in the house. Since their marriage, the young couple had always been sweet and happy, always discussing things with each other, and never once had they blushed.
Everyone said that she was blessed. Over the years, many sisters from families that had become rich together with the Shen family had married into wealthy families, but few of them lived as well as she did.
The Sheng family is a family of scholars and all the men in the family have made great achievements. The marriages of the girls are also good, and there are many prominent and powerful officials among their in-laws. They are truly rich and powerful.
The father-in-law was a kind and upright person (in Xiuqiao's eyes). Although he didn't like to see his daughter-in-law very often, he repeatedly taught his sons that they should first manage their family well before everything would go smoothly, and they must not do things that would bring disaster to the family, such as favoring a concubine and neglecting their wife.
Just because of this, my husband's third brother, who was famous for his literary talent in the capital, was beaten and scolded by his father-in-law more than once, and every time he had to rely on his third sister-in-law to save him.
Xiuqiao had witnessed this twice. Once, her third brother, while away from home, fell in with the wrong crowd and was led to a brothel, where he met a "remarkable woman" who sold her art but not her body. Her father-in-law was so frightened that he turned pale and imprisoned her for two months, forbidding her from leaving the house, and forcing her to copy the Sheng family precepts five hundred times—one of which was that no member of the Sheng family was to have anything to do with prostitutes.
In fact, Xiuqiao felt that her father-in-law had gone too far. Most scholars like to pretend to be cultured. Even her nerdy second brother had visited brothels. It was just a casual affair. No serious young man would take it seriously. Why should her father-in-law be so angry? After all, her third brother is her father, and it is too disrespectful.
Unexpectedly, the husband sighed and said, "You don't know, we had a great-uncle, a great-grandfather who left us a fortune, and we even had our own daughter. We had a wonderful family, but it was all destroyed by a prostitute. We younger generations didn't see it, but my father saw it with his own eyes."
Another time, two months before the Spring Examination, a maid serving in the third brother's study was suddenly reported to be pregnant. At that time, the father-in-law was trying his best to urge his son to prepare for the exam. When he heard about this, he immediately got angry and punished all the servants in the third brother's study. He also drove the pregnant maid back to the farm and said fiercely, "If you fail this time, I will not leave either the son or the mother."
Later, the third brother really passed the exam and was among the top few in the second class.
In fact, the third brother is very smart, has excellent literary talent, and is a warm-hearted person. Since the Sheng and Chen families got married, he has been very enthusiastic about taking Xiuqiao, the nerdy second brother, to see the world and attend the Jingyi Conference, and introduced him to many great scholars. The second brother Shen was overjoyed and repeatedly told Shen's father and mother that this marriage was a great one.
What the third brother lacks is the perseverance in his bones. He will fall down from time to time and needs someone strong and decisive to bring him back on track - such as his father-in-law, such as... his third sister-in-law.
In fact, although the third brother loves flowers and plants, he respects the third sister-in-law very much... well, almost in awe of her; however, the third sister-in-law is fair and just in her conduct and has great skills, so she deserves this respect.
At first, Xiuqiao was very frightened for a while because she thought her third sister-in-law was solemn and dignified, and not as amiable as her eldest sister-in-law. But as time went by, she found that her third sister-in-law was actually a very good person, and was willing to patiently teach her the principles of managing affairs and entertaining guests.
She happily told her husband about this discovery, but he laughed and said, "With Third Brother like that, if Third Sister-in-law doesn't keep a straight face and follow the rules, the house will be in chaos. As for Eldest Sister-in-law...you've seen Eldest Brother too. With someone like him, if Eldest Sister-in-law doesn't talk and smile more, how can we live like that?"
When talking about her elder brother, Xiuqiao couldn't help but stick out her tongue, indicating that she couldn't bear it.
The eldest son and daughter-in-law of the Sheng family were away on assignment. Xiuqiao had only met this eldest brother once, yet she felt even more nervous than when meeting her father-in-law. She wasn't the only one. In front of her father-in-law, her third brother would occasionally joke around, and they would discuss poetry together. But in front of his eldest brother, he could only stand still, his hands hanging down, not daring to even raise an eyebrow.
That year, the third brother's eldest son was able to speak and call people, and his baby voice was extremely cute. Seeing that his father-in-law liked him, the third brother wanted to bring his biological mother back from the farm, "...If it really doesn't work, you can ask my aunt to see the child. After all, he is her grandson..."
I heard that the third brother started crying as he was talking.
The father-in-law seemed to be a little soft-hearted, but unfortunately the third brother was unlucky. It happened that the eldest brother had to return to Beijing to report on his work for an urgent matter. When he learned about this, he immediately glanced at the third brother and he was immediately speechless.
"Why bring him back? He'll cause trouble to others again."
The eldest brother said nothing to his face. He turned and called the youngest brother, and the three brothers spoke behind closed doors. "Look at the sisters in the family. Except for the fourth sister, every one of them is happily married and has children around them. If it weren't for Aunt Lin, the fourth sister's marriage would never have ended like this! As a concubine, not only do you have no respect for the old lady and the mistress, you even disregard the master's opinions. You act recklessly. What do you rely on? It's just that you are your son!"
Xiuqiao had also heard a little about the story of the fourth daughter of the Sheng family. Back then, the young master of the Liang family hugged her in public and made the marriage a success, which was undoubtedly controversial. Although the Liang and Sheng families claimed that it was an accident, many families were secretly discussing it, saying that the Sheng family was not strict in managing the family, and that they allowed a concubine and a daughter-in-law to openly plot against the young master of a marquisate.
Finally, they became relatives, and a veil covered everything, and the gossip gradually died down.
"You're a father now. If you have a concubine in the future, she'll take advantage of your favor and become a bastard, and she'll do whatever she wants. After all, it'll only take a few years for her to come back. Do you think the Sheng family can withstand this kind of abuse?"
The eldest brother didn't speak loudly, his tone was light, but his words were like needles, and they were full of blood. The third brother was sweating profusely at that time, and almost cried in the end.
At this moment, the eldest brother suddenly softened his tone. He personally helped the third brother sit beside him and gently advised, "As men, we rely on our family background before we become adults, and on our abilities after we become adults. You are no longer a child at the feet of your parents. You have a wife and children, and you will have to support a family on your own in the future. If you don't have a firm plan and just act according to your feelings, aren't you just like a woman?"
"If you bear a grudge against my eldest brother, we brothers will have no further contact after our father passes away. Although we are not born of the same mother, we are blood relatives after all. Don't I hope for the best for you two in the future? Even if I can't expect you to bring honor to our family, you should at least be able to stand on your own feet. A real man should put right and wrong first, and affection second. This doesn't mean you should be heartless and ungrateful, but you should keep affection within the rules!"
According to my husband, in the end, the third brother hugged the eldest brother's legs and cried bitterly, repeatedly complaining about his mistakes, and swore to the sky that he would never be confused again and would always put the family first; the innocent younger brother was also reprimanded and made an oath together.
After the husband, who had been scolded silly, returned to the house, it took him a while to come to his senses. He hugged his beloved little wife and sobbed - this was the last attempt that Xiuqiao knew of by the third brother to take Aunt Lin back.
It is said that afterwards, the old lady also wrote a letter to her father-in-law, saying directly, "As long as she is alive, don't even think about taking Aunt Lin back." From then on, even her father-in-law was no longer mentioned.
"Grandma, why should you do this? My eldest brother has already convinced my third brother." Wouldn't this only make your children and grandchildren dislike you?
The husband sighed, "Grandmother is just like that. Although she doesn't like to talk, she's incredibly kindhearted. She's afraid of a rift between fathers, sons, and brothers, so she wants to take all the unhappiness onto herself."
Xiuqiao had not seen this grandmother many times. She was shy by nature and not good at finding topics to talk about, so she didn't know what to say in front of the old lady. She just felt that the old lady was a little cold and difficult to get close to. But in daily conversations, her husband always said that the grandmother was the most sincere person in the family.
After thinking about it for a while, Xiuqiao found that she had actually forgotten Wang. As a daughter-in-law, sometimes serving the mother-in-law is more important than serving the husband - but she does not have this problem at all, because her real mother-in-law stays in the ancestral temple in her hometown all year round.
What to do? Pray for the frail old lady.
It was a strange statement. Even someone as innocent as Xiuqiao knew there was something fishy going on, but she was obedient and timid by nature, and never asked questions that she shouldn't have asked.
While the main mother-in-law is away, there is a deputy mother-in-law to serve at home, Aunt Xiang.
Before her daughter got married, Shen's mother was worried about how she would get along with her stepmother-in-law. She couldn't take it lightly or seriously, but she didn't expect that all her worries were unnecessary.
Concubine Xiang was surprisingly sensible. From beginning to end, she simply addressed Xiuqiao as "Fourth Madam," treating her with the same respect and courtesy she had shown Third Madam Liu, never once commenting on her own son's affairs. Later, Xiuqiao learned that, shortly before their wedding, it was Concubine Xiang who had instructed her father-in-law to properly dismiss the two maids who served in her husband's household.
Xiang was not particularly beautiful, not even close to Jufang, the concubine who served her father-in-law, but she possessed a certain elegance and calmness. When she smiled, she resembled her husband, though her eyes betrayed a trace of care and weariness. Seeing her, even at her age, often standing in front of her father-in-law's house, opening the curtains and serving water and tea, Xiuqiao felt a pang of sadness.
Anyone with good sewing skills generally has good eyesight. Xiuqiao carefully observed Concubine Xiang's figure for a long time, then secretly made a set of intimate clothes. The soft cotton material was finely crafted, just like she would make for her mother. With a grateful heart, she made every stitch with great care. Then, she asked the maid to secretly deliver it to her.
Concubine Xiang collected the clothes and said nothing, but her gaze towards Xiuqiao grew even gentler, with a touch of poignant gratitude. Xiuqiao was delighted, and from then on, she began making small, intimate items: warm hats for winter, waistcoats for summer, soft, comfortable slippers, and delicate handcuffs. Concubine Xiang also secretly sent word to Xiuqiao to stop making them.
Xiuqiao nodded obediently, and after a while, she continued. Soon, her husband knew what was going on. That night, he sat with her in his arms for a long time, his head resting heavily against her neck. She could feel the wetness on her shoulder.
About half a year after she entered the house, Concubine Xiang suddenly fell ill.
It was only an accidental cold, but he had been ill for a long time. The famous old doctor in the capital sighed and said, "You have been overworked and worried, and as time went on, your body has slowly worn down." When he finally recovered from the illness, he had lost so much weight that his clothes seemed loose.
Xiuqiao suddenly remembered that year, the same thing happened to Uncle Shen's wife, Mrs. Zou. The doctor said that she had been toiling away for most of her life, worrying and torturing herself, and her inner self was hollowed out, so she couldn't even withstand ordinary minor illnesses.
Concubine Xiang had a miserable life since childhood. She was sold home without a father or mother and had no one to rely on in the mansion. The eldest wife had a bad temper, so she had to be careful in socializing. Concubine Lin, who was also favored, had to be on guard in every way and dared not show off. She had to tiptoe around for more than ten years, and finally got her son married and started a family, and he had achieved fame, but she still had to continue to endure.
Xiuqiao felt sad. One time when she went to visit a patient, when no one was in the room, she quietly leaned over and whispered in Xiang Niang's ear: "Aunt, you must take care of yourself and live a long life. I separated our family and I was counting on you to teach me how to live and raise my children."
Tears suddenly welled up in Xiang Yi Niang's eyes. She patted her hands weakly and whispered, "You are a good child. It is a blessing for the Fourth Young Master to have you as his wife."
If it were a noble lady from a prominent family like the eldest sister-in-law or the third sister-in-law, they might not be able to lower their pride and status; but Xiuqiao has no such burden at all. She is Mother Shen's caring youngest daughter. She has never learned any advanced etiquette since she was a child and is used to acting like a spoiled child to her parents. Now, if it were someone else, she would be able to do it with ease.
She often took advantage of the fact that no one was around to go up to Concubine Xiang and whisper in her ear.
"Auntie, my husband is still like a child. He studied until midnight yesterday and went to bed before his feet were even warmed..."
"Auntie, I told my husband to have a midnight snack, but he forgot while reading. He didn't listen to me. You can scold him later..."
"... Auntie, my husband's birthday is coming soon. Let's cook for him what he likes, okay?"
Perhaps because she had this thought, Aunt Xiang's spirits gradually improved, and she treated her more affectionately in private. However, she still didn't dare to reveal too much in public. The relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was like playing hide-and-seek, and they had a small, warm secret.
Others might not have known, but Xiuqiao always felt that her clever sister-in-law had noticed it long ago, but she just never pointed it out. Later, when the two sisters-in-law became familiar with each other, the sister-in-law once sighed and said, "Actually, Aunt Xiang... you and Fourth Brother are already very good together."
Xiuqiao understood what she meant.
Although Third Brother was superior to her husband in every way, there was one thing he was vastly inferior to. If Third Brother really took that restless Concubine Lin to live with him when the family split, Third Sister-in-law would be in trouble. Their two families had completely different views. Xiuqiao hoped for a quick split so she could take Concubine Xiang out to enjoy a peaceful life; while Third Sister-in-law hoped for a later split, ideally to outlive Concubine Lin first.
However, what kind of person is that Aunt Lin? She actually bothered Third Sister-in-law, who is so kind-hearted.
It was not until more than a year later that Xiuqiao had the opportunity to meet the legendary Aunt Lin, a powerful figure who was so favored at that time that even the wife of the first wife had to give way to her!
It was a summer morning. As usual, the third sister-in-law was going to the farm to visit Aunt Lin, and Xiuqiao was also going to the village to visit her seriously ill wet nurse. The two places happened to be on the same way, so the two sisters-in-law went together.
Xiuqiao knew that ever since her grandmother-in-law and mother-in-law left the house, Aunt Lin had often caused trouble for her third sister-in-law, and from time to time she would ask people to bring messages, saying that she was sick or dying. The third sister-in-law didn't want to ask her third brother to see Aunt Lin, so she had to go herself.
This kind of thing would certainly not be seen by others, so Xiuqiao was very clever and decided to part ways early to avoid embarrassing her. But that day, the heat came early. She was not used to the stifling heat of the capital, and the sedan chair was shaking violently. Before she was halfway there, she fainted from heatstroke and passed out.
When she slowly woke up, she found herself lying in a side room, with a simple straw mat beneath her. From behind the green bamboo curtain came the sound of low voices. Xiuqiao felt so weak that she could not cry out for a moment. She could only hear two voices outside the curtain that seemed to be arguing:
"...I advise Aunt to be quiet, my husband will not come. The master has already ordered that if my husband dares to come to see you, he will be beaten with twenty boards. If he dares to come again, he will be beaten with thirty boards. It will be so tiring. Aunt and my husband are mother and son after all, so please spare my husband the physical pain." The voice was light and soft, it was the voice of the third sister-in-law.
"Bullshit! I gave birth to him and raised him. Let alone twenty lashes of the cane, even if I died in his place, it would still be filial piety!" A vulgar and hoarse voice said insolently.
Could this be Aunt Lin? How could this be? Xiuqiao thought in a daze.
"Auntie still doesn't understand. If it were your legitimate mother, filial piety would naturally come first, but you, there's an 'aunt' before 'mother'. To put it bluntly, even if my husband were to one day be able to confer a title on my mother, she would first be the legitimate mother, and any remaining grace would then be yours. If you're so angry, don't be someone else's concubine in your next life. No matter how hard it is, at least you'll be married to her legally. This way, you can give birth to a promising son, and you can beat him or see him whenever you want. It'll save you from getting angry here, won't it?"
My third sister-in-law is quite good at talking. She is usually so dignified and reserved, but I didn’t expect her to be so mean and sharp when she turns to this.
Xiuqiao tried hard to wake up from her confusion - she could not hear the next few words clearly, she only knew that the unpleasant voice kept cursing and threatening, while the third sister-in-law was leisurely teasing and mocking, and had the upper hand.
"... Fine, you're relying on someone's support and you dare to be so rude to me. Just wait and see! When my son splits up the family and takes me out to be filial, I'll show you how I'll deal with you!!"
The third sister-in-law suddenly let out a high-pitched chuckle, with a hint of self-mockery, and then said lightly: "If that time really comes, I'm afraid you won't be satisfied."
"What did you say, you little bitch who has a father but no mother?!"
The third sister-in-law lowered her voice and said slowly, "Mrs. Lin, even to this day, do you still not understand why you were expelled from the mansion? My husband is actually the same kind of person at heart as my father-in-law. What they value most is not a virtuous wife or a concubine, but themselves. My father-in-law is obsessed with bringing glory to the family. If you are in his way, you must get out of his way. As for my husband, he enjoys singing to the wind and moon, living a carefree life."
Having said that, the third sister-in-law started to ridicule.
"It will take at least a decade for the family to split up. By then, my husband will have already established a reputation and status. Would he embarrass me, his legitimate wife, for a concubine whose name is not legitimate? Would he offend my Liu clan? Are my brothers and uncles dead? And my children, they will all be grown up, educated, successful, and married. I am their legitimate mother, so what am I?! Tell me, would my husband offend all of them for you? Would he embarrass himself in front of his noble, talented, and unconventional poet friends, classmates, and peers?!"
Xiuqiao could no longer remember what the two people quarreled about next. She only vaguely felt that the unpleasant sound was getting weaker and weaker, and then she felt dizzy and fell asleep again.
When she woke up again, she saw her third sister-in-law, looking dignified and noble again, sitting beside her bed with a smile: "Look at you, useless boy. Don't run around today. Go back home first."
Xiuqiao nodded repeatedly without saying a word about what she had just heard.
When she was helped out of the house, she saw a rough, middle-aged woman standing at the door. She was bloated and fat, and her beautiful features could be vaguely seen on her face covered with flesh. She was somewhat similar to her third brother and fourth aunt. Two maids tried to pull her back into the house, calling her "Auntie Lin" and so on.
So this is Aunt Lin? Xiuqiao felt slightly disappointed.
She had heard that when Concubine Lin first committed the crime and was banished to the farm, she remained restless, constantly plotting suicide and looking for an opportunity to escape. Wang Shi was in power at the time, and it would have been easy for her to deal with this former enemy. So, under the pretext of preventing Concubine Lin from committing suicide, she was imprisoned in a small mud house with only a single high window, and was given only three bowls of lard mixed with board every day.
Of course, Aunt Lin didn't really want to die, so she had to eat. Since she had nowhere to move, the more she ate, the more she wanted to eat. After half a year, she became a fat pig.
Xiuqiao shuddered secretly.
How vicious and cruel! He destroyed the beauty and gracefulness that a woman valued most.
I heard that this was an idea given by Wang's mother-in-law's sister. Later, this aunt disappeared and even the Kang family had little contact with them. Xiuqiao was relieved. She was very afraid of meeting someone who could come up with such an idea.
She didn’t tell anyone about what happened that day, and only told Shen’s mother when she returned to her parents’ home.
Mother Shen sighed and said, "Your third sister-in-law has had a hard time too. You don't have to be too sympathetic to that Lin guy. People like him are just getting what they deserve." She added, "Don't worry about all this nonsense. The most important thing right now is that you have to get pregnant quickly!"
Xiuqiao's eyes quickly dimmed.
Her family was wealthy, her lineage distinguished, and she enjoyed dignity wherever she went. Her mother-in-law wasn't around, her great-grandmother wasn't around, her eldest brother and his wife weren't around; her father-in-law was kind, her third brother was kind, and her third sister-in-law was even kinder. She didn't have to follow rules, no mother-in-law to serve, no sisters-in-law to bother with, and no philandering husband to worry about.
The only flaw in such a comfortable and leisurely life is that she is still not pregnant after nearly two years of marriage.
Her husband and Concubine Xiang treated her so well that she felt sorry for them. Xiuqiao tearfully suggested that she find a good-looking maid to start a family with. Before she could finish her words, Concubine Xiang scolded her back.
"Silly child, there are many women who wait three or four years after marriage to get married. How old are you? Besides, there are so many children and grandchildren in the family, so we don't need you to carry on the family line. Why are you in such a hurry?"
Xiuqiao was touched, yet increasingly remorseful, and she grew thinner day by day. Her husband, unable to bear this, decided to ask the old lady for help and to seek the help of the old lady of the He family in Baishitan. After several letters, the old lady agreed and said that the old lady of the He family would come to Beijing in six months. Then, she would spare her pride and ask her to come again.
"Really, can it really work?!" Xiu Qiao said with tears in her eyes, full of hope.
In order to comfort her, her husband patted his chest and praised the old lady's medical skills.
"You don't know, back then, my eldest sister also didn't get pregnant for five or six years. After asking Madam He to take a look, she had a boy at once, and then she had two in three years. Now she's almost forty, and she can't help it. Look, she's pregnant again! Over the years, the New Year's money we gave to my eldest sister's nephews and nieces alone is a huge amount! So, after asking Madam He to take a look this time, we might as well try our best to have children. At least we can get our money back, otherwise we will suffer a loss!"
Xiuqiao was honest and simple by nature, so she burst into laughter and did not suspect anything.
After Shen's mother learned about this, her eyes were red with emotion. She repeatedly said to Shen's father, "Old man, what did I say at the beginning? This is what we call a scholarly family. They have rules and regulations, and they are loyal and righteous. Those who have three wives and four concubines are just fake and pedantic!"
After laughing for a while, he couldn't help but talk about the daughter of the Zhong family.
Originally, Shen's mother had wanted to marry a daughter of the Zhong family, but Mrs. Zhong had instead set her sights on the son of the Guangdong and Guangxi Governor, Mr. Zhou, who was currently studying in the capital. The family was a distinguished one, but the Zhou family had four generations living under one roof, with three branches sharing the same household. There were so many uncles, brothers, sisters-in-law, and cousins in the family that Xiuqiao couldn't remember who was who after hearing the name several times.
The elder sister of the Zhong family has always been good friends with her. After she got married, she often went back to her parents' home to cry about the difficult life in her husband's family. She was so tired from morning to night every day that she had no time to rest, no good food to eat, and no good sleep to sleep. She was almost unable to hold on.
Xiuqiao felt that it was not the Zhou family's fault. They were just that kind of family and should have married daughters-in-law like the eldest and third sisters-in-law; they had been well-trained since childhood and knew how to deal with things appropriately, and could handle a large group of relatives with ease and without showing any timidity - how could families like hers and the Zhong family, which had become successful late in life, compare to them.
I remember that year the whole family gathered together for the New Year, and it also happened to be the old lady's birthday. We had a three-day banquet at home, and there were singing performances, acrobats, monks and nuns chanting sutras and praying for blessings. About fifty or sixty families came to celebrate the birthday.
What is the origin of each family? What is the generation of the female relatives who come to visit? How should they be addressed? How should the seating be arranged? Which families are at odds and shouldn't sit together? Which families are related by marriage, blood, or descent and should sit together? Which old ladies can't smell what kind of fragrance? Which ladies can't eat what kind of food? How should the carriages and horses be parked in front? How should the fodder be fed? How should the servants and drivers be greeted? How should the maids be greeted? How should the maids be accommodated? What are the personal belongings?
Her amazing sister-in-law, not even a hair out of place, not even a drop of sweat on her face, always had such a polite and friendly smile, and easily arranged everything inside and outside the house perfectly. While giving precise instructions to a dozen maids outside the door, she could also go to the banquet to serve food to the old ladies and tell jokes to entertain them. Many old ladies praised her.
At that time, Xiuqiao was stunned.
There was also my third sister-in-law, who was pregnant during the Mid-Autumn Festival that year. She had just come in and didn't know anything, but she smiled, shook her head and sighed, and with her big belly, she took care of everything with ease; she only needed to pick up her chopsticks, sit at the table and start eating.
Not to mention the master, even the subordinates are far inferior to him. The experienced mothers and daughters-in-law around the eldest sister-in-law and the third sister-in-law are all experts who can fight ten people at the same time. This is the result of the accumulated training of generations of servants.
Her family wasn't short of money, but how could they afford all that? She only had a few silly girls around her, only two years old, chosen for their honesty and kindness. Her only useful wet nurse had recently gone home to recuperate.
Forget it, I won’t compare anymore. Comparing yourself with others will only make you angry.
Besides, Xiuqiao has no competitive spirit, so she gets along well with her two sisters-in-law.
With this mentality, Xiuqiao continued to live her simple and happy life, embroidering, making sachets and clothes every day, eating and sleeping when she was fit to take care of her body, and counting the days until Old Lady He came to Beijing.
Perhaps it was because she had relaxed a lot, she had been gaining weight quite easily recently. Her husband was only happy to see her like this. As he watched her gradually become plumper, she loved to eat and sleep, and on this day he had even eaten more than a dozen apricots in one go.
Just then, Aunt Xiang came to deliver something. Xiuqiao enthusiastically stuffed half a basin of plump apricots into her arms and said, "Aunt, please eat, please eat. The apricots this time are especially delicious."
Concubine Xiang couldn't refuse, so she smiled and picked up one and took a bite. She immediately burst into tears because of the sourness and exclaimed, "How could you eat it when it's so sour!"
Xiuqiao said foolishly, "Is it sour? I don't think it's sour." It's so delicious.
Xiang Yi Niang's eyes gradually showed a radiance of joy. She touched her hair and said with a smile, "Silly child!" Then she turned around and asked the little maid, "Silly girl, how long has it been since your grandma changed her clothes?"
The little maid was stunned. "Oh, this, Madam taught me. I have memorized it. It seems to be quite a long time ago. Auntie, please wait a minute. I will go back to the room and look through the notebook."
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