Chapter 12 Chapter 12: The Autumn Song is also sad
Returning to the back room from the east wing, she kept thinking about how she could avoid going to her aunt. Pretending to be sick would not work, as it would delay her work, which would result in her wages being deducted. Moreover, this was not a real way to solve the problem. But if she wanted to frame others, that would be even worse. The people in the embroidery workshop were all here to make a living, and if they fought against each other, it would be a bad start.
Then, she would have to improve her needlework skills. Although her current skills were pretty good, they were far from Madam Chen's. If she really wanted to become like Madam Chen, she would have to read more flower catalogs, think more, and do more.
As long as one has real skills, one can make something come out of a crack in a rock.
For people like them who have no background, no connections, and no looks, the only thing they can count on is their own abilities. As long as she is really talented, even if she goes to live with her aunt, the eldest lady will take her back to make embroidery for her daughter's wedding.
Thinking of this, she felt a lot more relaxed.
Jinniang was still wondering whether she should tell the others, but then she shook her head. With what she could do now, she could only protect herself at best. Telling others would be betraying Yanhong.
As soon as she entered the door, she saw Qin Shuang'er being surrounded by people. When Jinniang asked, she found out that it was the Second Madam who asked her to embroider a picture of the Third Madam teaching her children. Jiang Shanjie also said, "The Second Madam is so generous. She gave her 500 yuan at once."
Five hundred dollars can cover half a month's salary.
Jinniang thought that there is always such a person in this world who gets news faster than you and has quicker methods than you. She had thought of a way out when she saw Qin Shuang'er's retreat. You know, the Second Madam is pregnant in middle age, and the Second Master, who has always been a playboy, is very excited when he heard about it. She helps the Second House with things, and the First Madam is reluctant to let her go.
However, this is also his ability, Jinniang stepped forward and congratulated him, saying: "It's just right that I can lend you the golden orange I just got, and wish you all your wishes come true in the future."
Qin Shuang'er smiled and said, "Thank you very much. I came here at the right time. Your cooking skills are also good. If the Second Madam asks, I will definitely mention you."
"Oh, then let me thank you first." Jinniang certainly knew that it was impossible for her to say good things about herself in front of the Second Madam. Since ancient times, people in the same industry have been enemies, just like Jinniang would not recommend her to others.
Qin Shuang'er breathed a sigh of relief. She was different from Jinniang, who would never go out except to measure or deliver clothes. Her oil lamp was used up the fastest because she would go out to make friends during the day and keep her mouth shut, and rush to work at night. This time, it was someone she met who told her the news.
The last time she learned that Fang Qiao Lian had a godmother, she also found a godmother. Unlike others, she had money. When she left home, her mother gave her ten strings of coins. She had been in the Zhou family for a month or two, and she had two taels and one hundred strings of coins in her hand. So he took a hundred dollars and found a godmother. The method of going to the Second Lady was what the godmother thought of. She gave all the rulers that she had secretly hidden to her.
But she wouldn't tell anyone the secret.
Compared to people like Qin Shuang'er and Jinniang who have their own ideas, Fang Qiaolian had a high fever the next day and said she had caught a cold. Jinniang knew it very well, but she still took care of her and went to the tea room next door to ask someone to prepare a pot of hot tea for her.
"Last time I heard Lan Xue say that they caught a cold and most of them just drank ginger tea, which made them sweat and they would be fine. So I spent some money to get some hot tea for you. You can drink it when you have time."
In order to avoid going to the aunt's house, it seems that everyone is trying hard, but in ancient times, colds were no joke and could really be fatal. It was not easy for these girls to go to the trouble of mobilizing a large number of people to invite doctors. It was often difficult for them to go out of the inner house. Even if they were really sick, they might be able to move out to recuperate.
Fang Qiao Lian drank a cup of hot tea and felt much warmer. She wanted to say something, but in the end she stammered a few times and remained silent.
Just when Jinniang turned around, she said "Thank you."
While the other three had already thought of a solution, Sister Jiang Shan only found out about it after the first month of the lunar year. She heard it from a fellow villager she knew, who worked as a servant in the third room and told her secretly.
Of course she knew that the lady-in-law was not a very nice person. The servants in the mansion said that she was very harsh and mean to the servants. If she went there, she didn't know what her situation would be.
Back in the sewing room, Chen gave her a reproachful look: "Sister Shan, where have you been? Look, Jinniang saw that I was too busy, so she took the initiative to make two headbands for the eldest lady. The second master of the mansion is about to get married, and I can't make clothes, shoes and socks for the young master. Qiaolian just got better and is helping with the work, but you..."
Qin Shuang'er is now helping the second house with its work and is turning a deaf ear to all this.
Sister Jiang Shan glanced at the rest of the people. Jinniang was skilled and hardworking, and the lady might want her, so she had nothing to worry about.
Jiang thought so too: "When she was in the boudoir, she was spoiled by the old lady, and her sister-in-law even wanted to be the housekeeper. Now her husband's family has fallen on hard times, and she returned to her parents' home and wanted to steal my things."
If the aunt asked, she would definitely not give it, but if the old lady asked, Jiang couldn't refuse.
Although Yanhong had a good relationship with Jinniang, she couldn't just stand there and help her: "It's better to delay it until the first day than the fifteenth. You didn't send anyone before because you hoped she would know better, but she brought up the old matter again today. Madam, you need to make plans early!"
Jiang thought that her sister-in-law had learned her lesson this time. No matter how angry she was, she would just cry to the old lady and let her speak for her so that she could not refute her. If there had been a quarrel before, she would not be afraid, but now her son was in a critical situation of getting married. The other party was the daughter of the Minister of Dali Temple. At such an important moment, no news of bad things happening in the family could be leaked out.
Otherwise, why would my sister-in-law Wu take the initiative to celebrate my aunt's birthday? It was just to make her happy and not feel resentful during these days. However, she really thought that everyone had given in and was afraid of her.
"Which girl do you think should be sent?"
Yanhong knew that this was also a test from the eldest lady. She wanted to give a better reply, so she said first: "If I were to say, they all have their own strengths. When our eldest daughter gets married in the future, there will be so many things to do, and it will not be enough for them alone."
"I thought so too." These people were bought by Jiang himself, so naturally he was unwilling to give them away.
Yanhong added: "Qin Shuang'er is already helping the Second Madam make things. It's not easy for us to ask her to come over, so let her go."
Jiang nodded: "I think so too."
"And Jinniang, she sews very quickly and well, and never slacks off. Let's keep her for our eldest daughter."
"That makes sense. The headband she made for me out of Zhang velvet is quite nice. I know her. How about the other two?"
Yanhong thought for a moment and said, "There are two left. One of them has caught a cold. Only Sister Shan is left. She is good at embroidering landscapes. She can embroider all the landscapes and pavilions that are embroidered on men's clothes."
She had explained all the pros and cons, and Jiang thought for a moment before saying, "Then send that Shan Jie there. We can't send someone who has caught a cold, otherwise the old lady will think I'm disgusting her, and who knows how much trouble will come out of this."
The news was quickly passed on by Yanhong to the sewing room. She said to Chen Niangzi, "The lady will live in our house in the future. The old lady said that they haven't bought all the clothes yet, so she asked a sewing maid to go there. The eldest lady said that Shanjie should go there, saying that she is careful and has a good temper."
Although Madam Chen just mentioned Sister Shan, she was also worried about her if she was asked to go to Madam Aunt now. After all, Madam Aunt was short of money and had a mean personality, and no one wanted to serve such a master.
But the servant had to follow the master's wishes. Madam Chen came to the sewing room and saw everyone busy. She felt a little bit sorry, but she still gritted her teeth and made up her mind to call Shanjie out. After a while, Shanjie looked depressed and seemed about to cry.
Jinniang looked up and felt very uncomfortable, as if she was hurt by her own kind.
Two maids also helped to deliver Shanjie's bedding to the aunt. Jinniang and the others each gave her a hand towel and comforted her that she would come back sooner or later.
"Please all say a few good words for me in front of Madam Chen." Sister Jiang Shan pleaded.
Jinniang said: "Don't worry, it will definitely happen."
Little did she know that when Sister Jiang Shan came to pay her respects to the aunt, the aunt gave her a rare plate of food and was very friendly to her. Mei Pan'er, who was standing by, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her mother's tone clearly indicated that she wanted the best needleworker to come over, but she didn't expect that the person who came was not Jinniang, but someone else. Her mother was not angry at all.
The aunt, Mrs. Zhou, pulled her daughter in and said earnestly, "Everyone in our Zhou Mansion is snobbish. If I were weak and could be bullied, they would not take my affairs to heart. I knew that your aunt would not be willing to give you a maid. If I asked directly, she would be annoyed by me. So I asked through your grandmother and pretended to ask for the best. She gave me a bad one because she was afraid that I would blame her. If I suppressed it, I would be a good person. You are thin-skinned, but in this world, unless you are a good person all your life, people will blame you if you do something wrong one day."
"So, I want to teach you to be a bad guy who is not easy to talk to. This way, whenever you do something good, everyone will be grateful to you."
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