The courtyard was actually repaired very quickly. It was all finished by the time of the Beginning of Winter. While the weather was still not too cold, a craftsman was hired to paint the dustpan, the pillars outside, and the window and door frames. Then Xu Di invited the old craftsman to bring some precious wood that he had treasured for many years to make furniture.
Xu Di had already figured out the popular furniture styles of the era. Then, based on some furniture styles he remembered, he drew his own designs and asked a master craftsman to make a wardrobe, desk, and bookcase for him according to his drawings and actual dimensions.
That canopy bed was what Xu Di was most looking forward to, but because the master craftsman was a slow and meticulous person, he worked on it until the twelfth lunar month and still hadn't finished it. Because he had to rush home for the New Year, he agreed to come back and continue working on it after the sixteenth day of the first lunar month next year.
Xu Tao's wedding was set for February of the following year. After December, Yao became increasingly anxious. Finally, the old lady couldn't stand it anymore and invited her to her courtyard.
The old lady usually sat cross-legged on the large kang bed by the window in her banquet area. Whoever came to visit her would say a few words to her or have a meal with her. Every few days, Yao would come with her sisters-in-law to pay their respects to the old lady. But today, only Yao was invited by the old lady, and Yao felt a little uneasy.
The old lady picked up the small teapot used for guarding the border, intending to pour tea for Yao. Yao quickly took the teapot, poured a cup for the old lady, then poured one for herself. After putting the teapot away, she smiled and said, "Grandmother, your tea is the most fragrant. I must have a few more cups."
The old lady said with a smile, "I'll have Granny Shen pack two ounces for you to take home and drink slowly."
Madam Yao said with delight, "Grandmother, you still love me the most. Then I will accept your thanks. Thank you, Grandmother."
The old lady smiled and nodded, saying, "Yiyi, I've been married into our family for over ten years. I've watched you grow from a young girl into a mother. I think you're a good mother to all of us."
Yiyi was Yao's maiden name. Yao was called Yao Yiyi in her youth, but after marriage, she was always addressed by her surname. Even her husband, Xu Quan, called her Yao. Yao was used to it. So when the old lady suddenly called her by her maiden name, Yao was stunned for a moment, and then felt very complicated.
People all grow up, and in the process of growing up, they will encounter many things. As time goes by, many things that seemed important when they were young will gradually fade away. For Yao, after getting married, her maiden name has been sealed in her memory. Her husband's family calls her Yao, her own family calls her Great Aunt, and even her father has not called her by that name for many years.
Madam Yao snapped out of her daze, her expression somewhat complicated, and said, "Grandmother, why are you calling me by my name?"
The old lady said, "You are all my children. If I don't call you by your names, what should I call you? Yiyi, even though you are already a mother of three, in your grandmother's eyes, you are still your grandmother's child. Your grandmother invited you here today to ask if anything has happened to you recently."
Only then did Madam Yao realize that the old lady probably knew she was upset and in a bad mood last night. Because the tea served by the maid was too hot, Madam Yao smashed a cup and even wanted to punish the little girl. Fortunately, the nanny beside her stopped her and comforted her for a while. After that, Madam Yao felt much better.
Looking at Yao Shi's changing expression, the old lady said, "Grandmother knows you've worried a lot about Tao'er's marriage. If you have any problems, just tell Grandmother. If it's something Grandmother can help with, how could I not help?"
Madam Yao's eyes reddened, and she wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, saying, "Grandmother, I've been so worried about our second daughter's dowry these past few days. When we got engaged, the Feng family wasn't very prominent, but now Lord Feng is a high-ranking official. I'm terrified that something might go wrong with our second daughter's dowry and make us a laughingstock. Grandmother, you know how those petty people in the mansion ridiculed me when I married into our family. I really don't want my child to go through the same ordeal I did."
When Yao married into the Marquis's mansion, although the head of the Imperial Academy, Yao, had tried his best to provide her with the best dowry, the dowry was simply not impressive, as the marriages in the Marquis's mansion were usually with noble families. Some people in the mansion who were trying to climb the social ladder made fun of Yao, and some servants even made things difficult for her.
At that time, as a newlywed, Yao was embarrassed to talk about many things. She didn't know who to talk to when she was wronged. Her mother-in-law, Wu, didn't care about anything and spent her days in the courtyard, feeling melancholy. Her sister-in-law helped her grandmother manage the affairs of the household. Yao told Xu Quan about it, but Xu Quan, a man, had no interest in thinking about these things. It was only later that the old lady noticed something was wrong and made a decision for Yao, which allowed Yao to gradually gain a foothold in the household.
Yao was originally quite cheerful, but she was too shy to open up in an unfamiliar environment after marrying into the family. Later, she gradually opened up in front of the old lady, and with her good relationship with Xu Quan, the fourth mistress of the mansion was gradually recognized by many of the servants.
Yao Shi never dared to forget these past events. Today, when the old lady suddenly called her by her maiden name and asked her what was wrong, just like she did back then, Yao Shi felt very complicated. So she simply told her everything that was on her mind.
After hearing what Madam Yao said, the old lady understood what was going on and said, "Yiyi, the manor naturally has its own rules. Even when the eldest daughter got married a few years ago, it was done according to the manor's rules. The extra money was added by your sister-in-law. I also added some money for the eldest daughter at that time. I also told you that when the young ladies of this manor get married in the future, I would also secretly give them a sum of money as a dowry, following the example of the eldest daughter. It would not go through the public accounts, but through my private account."
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