"Master!" This time, Xi Cha's voice was louder. She walked up to Lan Qin, holding a feather duster in both hands, and looked at Lan Qin with a slightly frightened expression.
"What's wrong! You're both getting on in years. If you don't get married soon, you'll be wasting your lives. Don't worry, even if you do get married, you can stay by my side and serve me. I'm reluctant to see you leave!" Lanqin quickly comforted Xicha, seeing her expression.
"Master!" Xi Cha was almost in tears, but she was relieved to hear Lan Qin's words.
"Alas, my girls, you can't stay with me until you're old, can you? You also need to get married, have children, and enjoy the joys of family life," Lanqin said.
"Master!" Xi Cha cried out anxiously again.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore," Lanqin said with a smile.
Meanwhile, when the Fourth Master returned, he had just reached the front gate when the eunuch at the gate bowed and reported to him that Lanqin had sent someone to invite him.
Fourth Master was taken aback, then a smile played on his lips. He thought to himself: Is this little woman afraid that I'll go see the new bride?
"Alright, sir, go wash your face and hair first. It's getting hotter and hotter outside," said Fourth Master.
Lanqin estimated the time and first ordered the maids to set up the dining table. Then she served the dishes that the Fourth Prince loved most, such as preserved eggs with minced garlic, beef with cilantro, stir-fried eggplant with bell peppers, shredded chicken with enoki mushrooms, and pickled fish, filling the small table to the brim. Lanqin had naturally inspired many dishes from later generations; for example, the pickled fish was her creation.
"So many dishes, is there something you want to tell me?" Fourth Master, dressed in casual indigo home clothes, asked Lanqin with a smile.
"Yes, we have something to ask of you, so we need to bribe you, Master!" Lanqin said with a smile, personally stepping forward, taking Fourth Master's hand, and leading him to the dining table.
Fourth Master looked at the little woman's smiling eyes and immediately asked, "What is it that makes you so attentive?"
Lanqin deliberately rolled her eyes and said, "You make it sound like I haven't served you well all this time."
Fourth Master couldn't help but raise his hand and tap Lanqin's nose, saying, "Speak, I'm not afraid of your troubles."
Lanqin smiled and pulled Fourth Master to sit opposite her at the table. Fourth Master looked at the table full of his favorite dishes and felt a warmth in his heart. The meals prepared by his little woman were always the most to his liking.
"Master, please enjoy this. This shredded chicken with enoki mushrooms is quite delicious." Lanqin personally picked up her chopsticks and placed some on the Fourth Master's plate.
Fourth Master looked at Lanqin with great enjoyment, then picked up a little and put it in his mouth. Lanqin specially ground the Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers into powder, then sprinkled it on the shredded chicken, added minced garlic and vinegar, and mixed it into a plate of spicy shredded chicken with enoki mushrooms.
"It's a little numbing and a little spicy!" Fourth Master said, but he really liked the taste.
Lanqin nodded and said, "Master doesn't like spicy food, so I had them add Sichuan peppercorns to bring out the flavor of the food. It's not very spicy."
"Hmm, very good. This sauerkraut fish also has Sichuan peppercorns in it, right? It tastes spicy and numbing." Fourth Master picked up another piece of purple sauerkraut fish and ate it.
"Yes, Sichuan peppercorns can be added to meat dishes. This can mask the fishy smell of the meat and make it taste refreshing," Lanqin said.
"Hmm, speak, what is it that made my concubine study Sichuan peppercorns so thoroughly?" the Fourth Prince said with a smile.
"My lord, I wish to find husbands for the older girls like Cui Niang and Nian Xue. They have been with me for so many years, and I don't want them to grow old by my side. They should also get married, have children, and enjoy the happiness of family life," Lan Qin said.
Fourth Master hadn't expected Lanqin to bring up this matter. He had never considered the issue of servants before; it was all based on custom. Women could be married off at 25, while men, being castrated, were confined to the palace or the prince's residence for life. Those servants who weren't eunuchs could leave if they wanted to quit. Of course, some had sold themselves, and they had to save enough money to redeem their contracts before they could leave.
"What, do they have something on their minds?" Fourth Master asked.
"No, it's what I want to do. My lord, I don't want to just send them away to get married like this. Instead, I want to find them good husbands. Do you understand, my lord?" Lanqin emphasized.
"You're going to find them husbands? Arrange marriages?" Fourth Master asked in surprise.
Lanqin blinked, nodded, and said, "That's right. I don't want my maids to marry just anyone. It's better for them to stay by my side. I'd like you to keep an eye out and see if you can find suitable people for them so they can continue to serve me."
"I'm afraid it will be difficult. Families with good social standing don't want to marry just a maid. Qin'er, or people like Cui Da and Cui Er, would be suitable?" Fourth Master said.
“Cui Da and Cui Er are fine, and there’s also Li Wei. They both come from poor backgrounds and serve you, Master. If you could arrange for my maids to marry one of them, that would be acceptable.” Lanqin knew that Fourth Master wasn’t just making excuses. Finding officials for Nianxue and the others was practically impossible. And those officials wouldn’t want to marry a maid.
"That's easy. Why don't you just ask Cui Niang to match Nianxue with Cui Da and Xicha with Cui Er? As for Cui Niang, I'll ask Li Wei." Fourth Master said.
“Okay, that’s settled!” Lanqin said.
"Hmm? Is there anything else?" Fourth Master looked at Lanqin, who was smiling at him, just like a smiling little fox!
“Grandpa, Ushiha and Bechuk don’t want to learn the zither!” Lanqin said.
Fourth Master raised an eyebrow and said, "We've already invited a musician, aren't we going to learn anymore?"
“Ushiha thinks the musician is too old-fashioned!” Lanqin said.
"As their mother, do you not want them to learn either?" Fourth Master looked at Lanqin and felt that she didn't really want to learn.
"Master? Does being a noble princess mean you have to be skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Can't we learn something else?" Lanqin asked.
"Learn what?" Fourth Master asked with interest.
“For example, horseback riding, cooking, tea ceremony, or gardening, none of them seem as boring as learning the zither!” Lanqin said.
“Manchu women all know how to ride horses. We’ll teach them that when they’re a little older! Cooking? Isn’t that something for chefs to do? They can learn tea ceremony, but it’s not very sophisticated. What is gardening?” Fourth Master said.
"My lord, cooking, tea ceremony, and gardening can all greatly enhance life. As for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, they are essentially spiritual pursuits, while what I'm talking about is indeed closely related to daily material life! I believe these are more practical for women than music, chess, calligraphy, and painting!" Lanqin said.
"Qin'er, don't forget, they are all my daughters!" the Fourth Prince said.
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