Chapter 45 Chapter 45 My Mother's Family & My Husband's Family
As the carriage pulled out of the alley, Fang Ying and Li Chun discussed, "I remember we have a new set of bedding, right?"
"Yes, that set is thick. It's warm in our courtyard. You and Liu Lang didn't complain about being cold, so we kept it in the big box and never took it out to use."
"It's just the right thickness. I don't think Second Mother's room is very warm, so I don't want Sister Chu Yin to get cold. Go back and take it out to dry first, then let it air-dry overnight to prevent it from getting damp. Bring someone back tomorrow and help spread it out. That way I'll feel more at ease."
Lichun hesitated to speak, and Fang Ying asked, "What's wrong?"
"I felt that if word got out that I had sent another maid from the mansion to deliver bedding... it wouldn't sound good," Lichun explained carefully. "A set of bedding would take quite a large package. Carrying it from our courtyard to the second gate would have been seen by countless people. You've come back twice in the past few days..."
Fang Ying realized that the bag of copper coins was hidden in Lichun's cotton coat when he got on and off the bus today. No one saw it, and he never asked anyone to help him. However, it was impossible to hide it in a new thick quilt.
Lichun couldn't carry such a big bag by herself, so she needed someone to help. People would inevitably talk about what it was, and it would be difficult to stop the servants in the mansion from gossiping. Soon, all the sisters-in-law would know that she had been going back to her parents' home frequently in recent days and had specially asked her close confidants to send a set of bedding back.
"As for a set of bedding, it's not worth much, but the more it is, the more it will sound offensive when someone with ulterior motives says it..." Lichun observed his wife's expression and continued to persuade her carefully, "Why don't you ask someone to buy a good set from outside and send it over?"
Fang Ying frowned: "Where can I buy good ones outside right now?"
However, this matter was indeed a result of her impatience and taking things for granted. If her third and fourth sisters-in-law knew about this, they would either say that she was only thinking about supporting her parents and sending a set of bedding to her parents while Ji Yanlang was away, or that the Fang family owed the Ji family even a set of bedding, and that they wanted the house behind them, which was really hard to say.
"Why don't we ask Madam for a favor?" Lichun suggested.
Fang Ying pondered for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Let's go find my second sister-in-law."
Lichun secretly breathed a sigh of relief and praised with a smile: "My lady is really thoughtful. Second Lady has a shopping manager by her side, so there must be a way."
"Okay, stop teasing me." Fang Ying smiled. "It's obviously you who thought it through and reminded me in time, otherwise I would have made a fool of myself."
"My lady has been so preoccupied with so many things these days that she didn't think about this. Besides, it's a small matter like this that I should have remembered for you."
Fang Ying sighed, took Lichun's hand, and whispered, "Why is it so difficult for us women to do something?"
Lichun couldn't answer this question, so he could only help his wife warm her hands until they returned to the Ji Mansion.
Fang Ying went to see Li first, and had dinner with her mother-in-law. She explained Fang Chengxun's attitude towards the Zhang Xiong case. "As soon as I got home, I told my family to stop coming for a while. My son told them about what happened in the palace, and my father said he would handle it impartially. He also said that the story of the Fourth Prince going to see His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu and being scolded was spread throughout the government office."
Mrs. Li nodded. "I told you that your in-laws would handle the case impartially. Are you relieved now?"
Fang Ying smiled sheepishly: "You're just worrying for no reason."
"Not really. For a family like ours, it's normal to think a little further."
Fang Ying chatted with Li for a while. Seeing that it was getting dark outside, Li urged her to go back: "You've been out all day and you must be tired. Go home early and rest."
"Yes." Fang Ying agreed, took her leave, and returned to the courtyard. She was afraid that it would be too hasty to tell her second sister-in-law tomorrow, so she sent Lichun to see Yue Qing'e immediately, "Just tell the truth."
Lichun went away in response, and returned a while later with the reply: "Second Lady, please rest assured, leave it to her. I will send someone to deliver it tomorrow."
Fang Ying felt relieved. The next day, after her sisters-in-law had asked Li how she was doing, she took Yue Qing'e aside to thank her.
"Why are you being so polite to me? Besides, it's just such a small matter." Yue Qing'e said with a smile, "It's rare that you care so much about your sister from your natal family. You even went out of your way to ask for help so that she can learn to read."
Fang Ying shook her head. "I really didn't ask for this. I didn't expect it to work this way. I just complained to Congshan casually. It was she who came up with this idea."
"Really? Then she is truly beautiful and kind-hearted. No wonder the emperor took a liking to her and decided to make her his daughter-in-law."
"Yes, she is a really nice person, so I thought, I can't let anyone from the Zhou family suffer..."
Yue Qing'e patted Fang Ying's hand and said, "That's the truth. If you invite someone here, you have to treat them well and not let them down."
She was also impatient, and just after noon, she sent someone to reply to Fang Ying, saying that the things had been delivered to Fang's house.
Fang Ying waited until she went to Li's house for dinner before she carefully discussed the matter - she had not thought about how to tell Li before, because if she wanted to find a maid to teach Fang Quan, Li knew who could write and count, but she borrowed one from Zhou Congshan without even mentioning it. She didn't know what her mother-in-law was thinking.
But tomorrow she had to go pick someone up and send him to the Fang family. She had to go out and couldn't hide it any longer. Fang Ying bit the bullet and told the whole story from the beginning. At the end, she said, "Originally, the matter was not finalized, so I didn't report it to you..."
"So that's what happened. I thought the young lady from the Zhou family had some problems and needed you to go and help her out, so..." Li smiled, "I'm glad she's fine."
She breathed a sigh of relief, but Fang Ying was surprised. She didn't expect that even though she didn't say anything, her mother-in-law still noticed something.
Mrs. Li continued, "It's wonderful that you sisters can share what you need and help each other. Anyone who has served their madam must be very good at everything. Quan'er will benefit greatly from having such a close mentor, even if it's just for a few months."
Fang Ying nodded. "I also think that asking that sister to teach an eight-year-old girl is a waste of talent, but it's rare that she doesn't mind..."
"This is the law of fate between people. Since she is willing to go, there is no such thing as wasting her talent or being disdainful. Every towering tree grows from a small sapling. Respect her, don't belittle yourself, and don't be overly polite. With her background, she must know the importance of things. If you praise her, she will feel uncomfortable." Li said.
This was her mother-in-law's instruction. Fang Ying stood up and replied seriously, "Yes."
Li smiled and pressed her hand lightly, "Sit down and talk."
Fang Ying sat down as she was told, and smiled sheepishly, "Originally, I and Congshan were just casually discussing matters concerning her mother's family. I didn't expect her to bring up this idea, and I certainly didn't expect the person she was looking for was someone close to Madam Zhou. I just feel a little uneasy..."
Li heard a hidden meaning in her words. After a moment's reflection, she understood something. She dismissed everyone present, leaving only Xinmei. Then she asked slowly, "Are you worried about something? Are you worried that something might be missing at home?"
"Yes." Fang Ying didn't want to speak ill of her parents in front of Li, so she silently sorted out her words before continuing, "I didn't mention this to you first because of this. We still have some difficulties at home. I wanted to wait until next spring, when we move into a new house..."
Li understood: "It's indeed a bit inconvenient to have another person go there now, but haven't you made the arrangements? Since they're borrowed from the Zhou family, I believe they will definitely provide the best hospitality. As for the monthly allowance and expenses, they will be paid from you."
"I have the same plan. Then... I hope you won't blame me, mother?" Fang Ying asked carefully.
Li smiled and asked, "Why do you blame me?"
Fang Ying whispered, "I haven't reported this to you yet..."
"What's so strange about this? If you really come to me and tell me everything and ask me for help, I would be annoyed!" Li deliberately made a look of annoyance.
Seeing that Li really had no intention of blaming her, Fang Ying jokingly followed her words and said, "So Mother was already annoyed with us before."
"You've always been the least of my worries. If I have to worry about anything, it's only Liu Lang, the troublemaker." Li said jokingly, then turned serious. "This is originally your mother's family matter. If you think you should tell me and listen to my opinion, just say it. I won't be annoyed anymore. If, like this time, you feel there's no need to talk about it, and you whisper a few words with your sisters and come up with a solution, that's great too. I'd be happy to see it happen."
Fang Ying nodded and said embarrassedly, "I think too much. I've always been worried that you will blame me for going far away instead of near..."
Li smiled and said, "I knew you would think about this. Actually, finding someone from outside would be more suitable than someone from our family. You've been working with your sister-in-law as the housekeeper for two years now, so you should know that no matter how well you discipline these servants, they still tend to be judged by their wealth and status. When they go out, they're even more discerning than us masters, always finding fault with everyone they meet, especially their in-laws."
These words really touched Fang Ying's heart. She had seen the maids in her house comparing the families of her third and fourth sisters-in-law behind their backs before. These two families were much richer than the Fang family, so it was obvious that they were still talking about the Fang family behind their backs.
"If this person is chosen from my family again and lives in your parents' home, he will feel even more superior and might even ruin our good in-laws." Li shook her head. "So even if you told me, I would still send people out to look for someone else."
This was also what Fang Ying was worried about. No matter how bad her family was, it was still hers, and she couldn't let the people in the Ji Mansion look down on her. She laughed and said, "Sure enough, it's just my son who's being foolish. Mother knows all about the world, how could she..."
Li said, "Okay, stop trying to flatter me. Let's talk it out. Tomorrow you're going to pick someone up and send someone off. Do you want to prepare some gifts? Even though she's a maid, she was left behind by an elder, so it's hard to give her anything else. Bring a set of rouge and powder."
"Oh, thanks to my mother for reminding me, otherwise I really wouldn't have thought of it."
Li smiled, and after dinner, she asked Fang Ying to go back and rest early.
The next day, Fang Ying went to Zhou's house to pick up Chu Yin. Zhou Congshan joked, "I won't interfere with your business. I'll talk to you another day. Let's go to Fang's house first."
Fang Ying was suspicious: "Are you busy with something?"
"What could possibly happen to me? I'm just wondering if you've been out a lot lately and your sisters-in-law will complain if you come home too late again today?" Zhou Congshan glanced at his friend, "You don't know how to appreciate kindness."
"Then I'll invite you to visit me someday."
Zhou Congshan agreed and sent Fang Ying and Chu Yin out.
In the car, Fang Ying handed Chu Yin her monthly allowance and rouge and powder. "I'm your second sister, so I'll trouble you to take care of me."
"Don't worry, my lady. I will do my best." Chu Yin sat down and bowed as a greeting.
When they arrived at the Fang family, Fang Ying introduced Chu Yin to her stepmother Pan, and asked Fang Quan to come and pay her respects. Finally, she went to Fang Quan's room to take a look. The bedding was indeed brand new, thick and soft. She felt relieved, said goodbye early, and got on the car to return to the Ji Mansion.
When she arrived at Li's room, it was bustling with activity. Yue Qing'e was also there. When she saw her come in, she waved and said, "Come quickly, Liu Lang has a letter."
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