Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Update.
After Ji Xu came out from Mrs. Lai's place, he went to the servants' quarters and played with his sisters for a while.
The two sisters were talking about their mother behind others' backs. Ji Feng said:
"I asked Granny Sun about this, and she said that if a servant in the mansion wanted to redeem herself, she would have to pay ten times her market value in silver.
I asked her what the current market value of a large slave and a small slave is. She said a large slave is worth 20,000 and a small slave is worth 10,000.
I wonder if the price is the same in the mine where my mother is working. It's ten times that much, sister. How can we raise the money to pay for this amount of wealth?
Tian was a big slave, so if the salary was ten times higher, it would be 200,000 coins, which is equivalent to 200 taels of silver.
If they could afford such a large sum of money, most government offices would certainly release the person. However, Tian was detained in a mine, and it was not known whether her slave status belonged to the mine, the county magistrate's office, or even an illegal household.
She guessed it was the latter, because the mine strictly prevented the miners from entering and leaving and outsiders from approaching, and the number of meals delivered did not match the number of people.
Nowadays, slaves are regarded as private property. Every year, the county, prefecture and province have to register the slaves in each household, and the government keeps a record of it. Even a cow, a sheep or a cart has to be registered. This is the basis for paying the Suanmin money, which is the property tax. The more slaves there are, the higher the Suanmin money you have to pay.
If the slaves in the mines were a hidden population and were not registered, they could not only mine the mountains they conquered but also save a huge amount of property taxes.
If Tian was really a hidden illegal household, that was why Ji Xu felt it was not appropriate to directly ask his master to release her.
But even if they could be released, they did not have two hundred taels of silver worth their worth, and at most they only had twenty-five taels.
So Ji Xu thought that it would be a good idea to serve in the second master's courtyard and save money while finding out whether Tian was an illegal resident hidden in the mine by the county magistrate's office and looking for an opportunity to redeem herself.
Since this matter concerns his mother, Ji Xu also told his sisters about these plans, and also reminded them to keep it secret and not let anything slip.
Although the younger sisters were unaware of the twists and turns in the matter, they had seen Tian wasting away in the mine that day and were vaguely aware of the seriousness of the situation. They never mentioned in front of outsiders that they had gone to Youzhou to look for Tian. They only thought that the three of them had offended the local gentry and had left their hometown.
When Ji Xu returned to the second master's courtyard, he saw that the lights were already on and the maids were busy, carrying hot water towels, hot water bottles and washbasins in and out of the east wing. It was a grand scene.
"The Second Master got drunk at the banquet. Go to the kitchen and make a bowl of blood stuffing to sober him up."
Yu came out and gave Ji Xu some instructions, then called a little girl and took her to the kitchen.
The second master also has a kitchen in his courtyard. The maids usually cook here. If the master doesn't want to use the food in the big kitchen, he will ask the kitchen in the small courtyard to light a fire and cook separately.
"There's no raw blood here either. Little girl, what's your name? Go to the kitchen and ask Manager Zou for a bowl of raw blood. Cow's blood would be best, but pig's blood will be fine if that's not available. I'll serve you a bowl once I've prepared it."
The kitchen was located in the southeast corner of the courtyard. It was equipped with a ceramic stove, pots and pans, knives, chopping boards, shovels, gourds, brooms, and vegetables. The only thing missing was this bowl of raw blood, Ji Xu said to the little girl.
The little girl was originally a servant in the courtyard. When she heard that there was blood stuffing to eat, she went there happily and brought back a big bowl full of cow blood.
"Manager Zou said if it's not enough, go get more."
This blood filling, as the name suggests, is mainly made of blood. Sour vinegar and fermented black beans are added to enhance the flavor. It is cooked to help sober up, and tastes sour.
Ji Xu then cut off the heads and tails of the soybean sprouts, washed a cabbage core, and put it into the pot to cook together with the blood stuffing.
"I've never seen these two things added to blood filling."
Zhuo, who had just returned from running errands, saw this and said in surprise.
"Bean sprouts can also help with hangovers. Adding them to the filling makes it taste better than pure blood."
Ji Xu ground pepper into powder, added it to remove the fishy smell and enhance the flavor, and added some green juice squeezed from mustard greens. After cooking it, he served a bowl to Zhuo.
I smelled it first, and it didn't have the fishy smell of cow blood. I took a small sip and it was surprisingly sour and delicious. I gulped it down in a few gulps and finished the bowl. I felt warm all over and really wanted to have another bowl.
"The blood filling is ready."
Ji Xu held a lacquered flat plate with cloud patterns and a bowl of blood stuffing on it, and said outside the door.
According to her observation, the maids in the Second Master's courtyard were strictly divided into different classes. The maids who swept the courtyard were of a lower class and could not enter the master's room. Otherwise, they would be ridiculed by the older maids in the room, who would say that they were trying to climb up the social ladder, which was the least of their problems. The worst punishment would be to pinch their flesh and scold them until they cried.
Ji Xu had seen it before, but didn't want to rush in.
I saw that it was the one I had seen at the Winter Solstice Feast that day. She was dressed in dazzling colors. She glanced at the bloody thing and said:
"What's in here? Who told you to add these things?"
"They are yellow sprouts and cabbage cores, both of which are good for sobering up. You can try the water chestnuts first, and if you think they are good, you can give them to Second Master."
"Second Master never eats blood filling like this. Take it back and make it again." Xing instructed without even tasting it.
"Why do you have to do evil and embarrass others? The second master is flustered by the alcohol, why don't you bring it in for him to drink."
Yu hung a felt curtain inside and urged her to go, so Xing took it reluctantly.
The next day, Yumian happily came to tell her:
"Your place has been decided. The Second Master ate blood stuffing yesterday and gave the order after he sobered up. He wants you to work in the inner room and serve me personally."
The three big maids who served him personally were Yu, He and Xing. Now, Ji Xu from the kitchen had appeared out of nowhere, and everyone was jealous.
"Is it because her blood stuffing is better? Or is it because her mutton stuffing is better?"
He muttered behind her back for a while.
Upon hearing the news, Madam Qu sent someone to give her a set of elixirs. This elixir was vermilion in color and came from the Alchemy Building. It was said to strengthen the heart and body, something that even distinguished guests could only ask for. Ordinary maids didn't have such a blessing. Ji Xu, who shared a room with He, had seen her eat it before. Qing, who had never received such a gift, always looked resentful when she saw it. After the person left, she turned the elixir over in her palm, sniffed it, and tucked the box under her pillow.
"Your clothes are too plain. These are my clothes. Madam Qu gave them to me during the New Year holidays. I've never worn them once."
Ji Xu's new clothes still had to wait for the storeroom manager to measure her and cut the cloth. It would take at least three or two days to make them.
"You can wear mine first; it's brighter. When you go out into the yard, let others see it, so you won't lose face."
He was wearing a lotus-colored padded jacket and a pine-green cloth skirt. The shoes on his feet were Ji Xu's most respectable pair. The uppers were made of chicken-crowing cloth and the lining was also stuffed with cotton. He was reluctant to wear them when doing rough work, so in Luan's opinion, they were still too shabby.
But it was not noticeable under her skirt, so he just let it go. He looked at her face and the back of her head and said:
"Is this the only bamboo hairpin you have?"
I saw that Yu had a high bun with three hairpins on it, two earrings, and armlets on both hands.
In comparison, Ji Xu only wore a low bun with a bamboo hairpin, which was as plain as could be. Fortunately, she was fair and clean, with a delicate face, eyes like water, and cheeks like lychees, which made her charming without any embellishment.
Ji Xu said, "I have only been here for a short time and have not saved much money, so I cannot afford jewelry. Although this bamboo hairpin is inconspicuous, it is convenient to use."
"After all, it concerns the master's reputation. If you go out like this, others will think that the people in the Second Master's house are being treated harshly. But you have just come here and have been here for a long time. You have all these hairpins and jade bracelets."
Yu took off a hairpin from her head, picked up two earrings on each side, and put them on her one after another. She held her hand and nodded, saying:
"That's the way it should be."
After saying that, he led her into the second master's room.
"You can't be clumsy when serving your master. Watch us first, and you will have the chance to serve us yourself in the future."
Ji Xu agreed to all of them. She was used to wearing crotch pants, but this was the first time she wore a skirt with so much fabric, and she felt uncomfortable all the way.
Serving others is more tedious than cooking, but just because I became a first-class maid and could get an extra half-string of monthly salary, it was also a happy thing. I would go back and tell my two younger sisters, they would definitely be happy.
Entering the house, I saw the floor was clean and there were two green jade lamps with five branches. The lampstand was very prosperous and candles were lit during the day. Although the house was large, it was not dark.
Ji Xu had only heard of the short-legged, low couch in the palace, but this was the first time he saw such a large couch. It was one step higher than the ground and took up half of the room. There were shoes under the couch, and the couch was covered with crimson cloud-patterned brocade. There was a yellow pear wood table, and on it was a copper lamp with a waterfowl holding a fish, some wolf-hair and pine ink, and an unopened bamboo scroll.
A mink fur cushion was spread beside the table, and on the lattice there were lacquer boxes and vases of various colors, as well as various black iron and bronze objects, such as iron carts and bronze sparrows, all of which were unique palm-sized ornaments.
Seeing this, Ji Xu remembered what Grandma Sun said. When salt and iron were not yet taken over by the government, the ancestors of the Wang family had a unique ancestral iron smelting technique. Their ancestors became wealthy in Zhuo County by conquering mountains, mining, casting and smelting copper and ironware, and selling them to various ethnic groups. All the mines in the Zhuo County area belonged to the Wang family. At that time, the Wang family had a huge fortune and thousands of slaves. They enjoyed the pleasure of hunting in the fields and ponds, and were comparable to a king.
I remember that Ji Feng was shocked when she heard this and asked Grandma Sun: I thought the Wang family was rich and powerful now, but our ancestors were even more prosperous than they are now?
Granny Sun is an elder in the mansion, and these are things that have been talked about for generations. She said: Yes, it was more than ten times more prosperous than it is now, but the mines were closed and the iron smelting skills of our ancestors were gradually lost.
The lattice led to the inner room, where Xing hooked the curtain and He brought in hot water, a towel, and a basin of bamboo salt for washing.
The second master just woke up, wearing a loose curved collar shirt, sitting barefoot on the edge of the bed, washing in front of the water.
Yu also tied his hair and put on a crown for him, dressed him and tied his belt. He held things and Xiang passed them to him. He was always busy.
Ji Xu watched and truly understood the meaning of the phrase "stretch out your hand for clothes and they will come to you". After hearing Ji Feng say this for a long time, he couldn't help but sigh: He really knows how to enjoy life.
When I was watching, I accidentally met the eyes of the Second Master, so I put my hands in my hands and lowered my head, listening to him ask:
"I've seen you wear the hairpin and earrings she wears."
Yu said, "Second Master has a good memory. It was me who noticed that she was too plain and didn't want to bring disgrace to our courtyard by showing her outside, so I decided to put it on her."
The Second Master said, "Open the box and pick out two good ones for yourself, and give her the old ones."
There was admiration in the eyes of both Ying and He. Ying thanked them and asked for breakfast to be served outside. Afterwards, he opened the box, picked out a golden phoenix hairpin and a pair of chalcedony earrings, and put them on outside, receiving widespread praise.
"What's your name?" The second master remembered to ask her while eating.
On the first day of her work, Ji Xu received a hairpin and earrings. The hairpin was a copper hairpin with peacock and snake patterns, and was finely crafted. The earrings were plainer, but made of silver. The two together were probably enough to cover her two months' salary.
She made up her mind and felt brighter. When she heard the question, she asked:
"Ji Xu."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com