Chapter 35 New Clothes
At night, Mei Niang half-leaned on the soft couch, instructing Cui Si and Cui Lian to massage her legs and feet. Cui Xi brought a bowl of lotus seed soup and stood by, feeding her mouthful by mouthful. Mother Wang ordered the maids to add two more pots of burning charcoal in the room, and sighed as she looked at her:
"You are so tired after a day, and you don't even feel like eating. What will happen in the future? You need to learn how to manage things. There is no rush. Your wife won't rush you. Take your time!"
Mei Niang swallowed the last mouthful of lotus seed soup, took the tea handed to her by Cheng Er to rinse her mouth, wiped her lips with a hot towel, and smiled at Mother Wang:
"Who said I didn't eat? Mom asked Cui Lian if she had eaten? I took her to eat in Third Madam's courtyard. I originally thought that with hundreds of people in a mansion, things shouldn't be complicated, but I didn't expect it to be extremely difficult to manage. According to the rules and regulations, there are already rules and regulations, and the eldest wife is sitting in Ziyun Hall for me, but she can't always be with me. I have to establish my own prestige, so I have to work hard, listen to the replies from the housekeepers, and personally inspect everywhere to get familiar with the situation in the mansion, and then see if there is anything that needs to be improved or increased or decreased, and perhaps establish some new ones. I need to establish better and more effective rules and regulations. I can only relax when everything is under control and settled. But it will not be easy within this month - the winter solstice will come in two days. After the winter solstice, the numbers in various account books need to be checked, the goods and money need to be stored in the warehouse, the end of the year is coming again, and we need to prepare for the New Year, prepare New Year goods and gifts for delivery... Oh, it's so messy and annoying, and I have to sort it out carefully! I might as well just take care of the affairs of the outer court. This inner court is a thankless job. If it weren't for... This lotus seed soup is very well made, but it's too sweet. I'll put less sugar in it next time!"
Putting down the handkerchief, Mei Niang leaned back on the pile of cotton with satisfaction: "You two are really smart and learn really fast. That's right! Just like that, identify the acupuncture points and massage them, it will be effective... It's a pity that I have free time now and can't play with Heng'er."
She looked at the door, where two maids were lifting the door curtain and going out. Madam Wang came closer and said, "They are very honest and dutiful. I have carefully questioned them and carefully selected them before they stayed. Madam is in charge of the entire mansion now, and it is different from before. She must have people around her. There are more than a dozen maids standing in the corridor. They are all strong and capable of seizing opportunities. I have tried my best to understand their background. These are the only older maids who go in and out of Madam's room. Cheng'er and Ping'er have also been brought up. There are seven new maids outside. Three of them were bought from human traffickers, and four were sent by the eldest wife. Needless to say, they cannot be used at will. They are only sent to do some external affairs."
Mei Niang smiled slightly: "Mom, let me do whatever I want. Whether it's good or bad, it will be revealed after a while. Then I will let you deal with it. I can find an excuse and send you anywhere!"
She asked Cui Si, who was concentrating on massaging her ankles, "You went to see Xia Lian, what did she say?"
Cui Si raised her head and said, "To answer Grandma, Xia Lian often came to ask me for embroidery patterns. Sometimes when I held Heng'er, she would tease him and talk to him. Heng'er probably recognized her. When he cried in Qiuhua Courtyard, Xia Lian would just hold him, so Grandma appointed her and the wet nurse to take care of Heng'er. As soon as I mentioned Grandma's words to Xia Lian, she agreed and said that she would only stay with Heng'er and would never leave him, except Grandma. No one could take him away from her! Miss Zheng would be careful and try not to let her get close to Heng'er!"
Mei Niang nodded: "Heng'er's nurse is too honest and timid, she must have been eaten to death by the mistress. Xia Lian is willing to work with the nurse to take good care of Heng'er for me. If there is anything, just let me know. I will thank her in the future. As for the cousin of the Zheng family, I don't remember how she treated me badly in the past. According to what you said, she is really annoying. I always feel that she will do something bad to my Heng'er!"
Cui Si hesitated to speak, and looked at Mother Wang with some hesitation. Mother Wang sighed, "Just say it in front of grandma, but don't make noise outside!"
Cui Si pouted: "I'm not a bird, when did I start chirping?"
Mei Niang, Cui Xi and Cui Lian couldn't help laughing when they saw her like that. Cui Si said:
"Miss Zheng's cousin is such a bad person! I can't even begin to describe how bad she has been to grandma!"
Cui Xi's eyes were slightly red. "At that time, we thought grandma was dying. We didn't dare to say anything when my cousin scolded Heng Ge'er, for fear that she would become the master of this courtyard one day and do something to Heng Ge..."
Cui Si made several spitting sounds: "She is worthy? I bet I don't love someone like her! Only Miss Zhuang's cousin..."
Cui Lian slapped her and said, "Shut up!"
Cui Si came over, her face flushed, and looked at Mei Niang carefully.
Mei Niang snorted softly: "Don't worry, your grandma is fine. Who cares which cousin she is? She is just a cousin and can't become a grandma!"
She frowned slightly, looked at Mother Wang and said, "But speaking of it, we still have to be on guard. Madam mentioned to me that she wants Miss Zheng to be our master's concubine!"
Mother Wang was stunned, and the maids were also stunned.
Seeing this, Mei Niang laughed and said, "Look at you, you are more upset than me. She likes me, right? Cui Si said that I don't like her. Let's think of a way to report to the Madam. It would be best if we send this cousin back to the Zheng family!"
Cui Si said happily, "Yes! It would be best if someone came to her house to propose marriage, whether as a wife or a concubine, and quickly carry her away so that she won't have to worry about me anymore!"
Mother Wang looked at Mei Niang carefully: "Madam likes Heng'er so much, it's obvious that she wants to rely on him for her old age. Now Heng'er is the apple of Madam's eye! If grandma told Madam that the cousin doesn't like Heng'er and is destined to be in conflict with Heng'er, maybe Madam would not have that idea!"
"Hmm?" Mei Niang's eyes turned, "Madam, isn't she most worried about Heng Ge'er now? If she holds Heng Ge'er, it means she holds the master's heart. The son is in the hands of her stepmother, so the master will naturally be more filial to her and listen to her. Madam will not like anyone who is not good for Heng Ge'er... This idea is really great! Mom is so smart, I didn't think of it."
Mother Wang breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Alas, you young people don't understand these things about fate and horoscopes, so you can't think of them!"
Mei Niang stretched lazily: "I am exhausted today, but I have gained a lot. I feel like I have accomplished a lot!"
Cui Xi said, "The people from the clothing shop measured grandma's back at Ziyun Hall today, and they came over to measure us too!"
Mei Niang nodded and said, "I told them to measure you too, so that no one is left out. The government allows each grandmother to make four sets of new clothes. I want to make six sets. You can make two sets of new winter clothes each, and we can make up the extra money ourselves. That Bai Jingyu is really unreasonable. I can't measure my new clothes when I'm sick, but he doesn't allow you to do it either. What kind of person is this! Cui Xi will make more trips starting tomorrow and tell them to tell them to make clothes for our courtyard with all their strength and put other things aside. Slow work makes fine work. They have to finish them for me no matter how hard they rush, especially the colors and embroidery. I will choose the best ones. If there is a slight deviation, or if the needlework is not satisfactory, those people will get out of the garment workshop! Her Baifu Embroidery Shop is famous for its excellent embroidery and needlework. It is not necessarily the case that all the maids she brought with her are capable. There are more than 20 people in the garment workshop. Does the Houfu have so much clothing needlework to do? And they are all her maids, which is not in accordance with the rules. Who knows if those people are eating the food and monthly salary of the Xufu to do her Baifu business? They must be disciplined! There are so many things to be busy with. The third grandmother said that she will accompany me to handle affairs in Ziyun Hall from tomorrow. This is the best..."
Mother Wang asked worriedly, "Where is the eldest wife..."
Mei Niang waved her hand: "Don't worry, the first lady understands very well. Everything is in my hands. I am the one in charge. The third lady is just here to help me with some chores. Even if the first lady comes, I will welcome her as well!"
Just as he was about to order someone to put on some hot water for a bath, the little girl in the corridor called out, "Master is back!"
Several people in the room were startled. Cui Si and Cui Xi quickly slid down from the couch and stood aside with Mother Wang in a proper manner. Cui Lian just walked to the door when she saw the curtain lifted and Xu Junying stepped in.
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