Chapter 66 There is hope
Seeing that Dongmai's eyes were wide open, Shangguan Jin quickly comforted her.
"Dongmai, let Aunt Xin finish speaking."
Dongmai then snorted and looked at Aunt Xin.
"Besides playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, what else can you do?"
"We have no shortage of people in our household who are skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting," Shangguan Jin asked.
Aunt Xin was taken aback, and then quickly thought about it.
"This servant also knows tea ceremony. I learned it from the nannies in the palace and I can brew tea very well."
"Even the Empress Dowager praised it," Aunt Xin said.
Shangguan Jin nodded.
I can tell, he really knows how to brew tea well.
With this level of tea ceremony skill, outside of Dongmai, she would definitely be no match for Aunt Xin.
“I don’t lack people to make tea. Think about it, what else can you do besides that?” Shangguan Jin continued to ask.
Aunt Xin lowered her head and remained silent.
What did she say?
Aside from these, all she knew was how to serve men; that's all the nannies the Empress Dowager had taught her!
Seeing Aunt Xin lower her head and remain silent, Dongmai felt a little sorry for her.
Look at him, he's been taught by others and can't even take care of himself anymore.
If you were caught in a war and went out to escape famine, you'd probably be abandoned as soon as you got out!
"Needlework? Kitchen work? Or housekeeping and accounting? You don't know any of these?" Dongmai asked.
Aunt Xin shook her head, then lowered her head and remained silent.
Shangguan Jin was speechless.
What standards did the Empress Dowager use to train these potential concubines?
Is it possible to simply change the entrance to the Empress Dowager's palace, hang a few lanterns, and then start waving handkerchiefs?
"Sir, please come in..."
"However, I can learn. I learn things very quickly. I can learn anything that you need."
Seeing that Shangguan Jin remained silent for a long time, Aunt Xin quickly expressed her opinion.
She could sense that if she were a useless person, she would most likely be kicked out of the manor.
Even if it was bestowed by the Empress Dowager, so what?
With the Duke gone, what's the point of keeping a concubine in the mansion?
She knew better than anyone that many noble families in the capital had lost their masters, and the concubines who had no children were all sold off by slave traders by the matriarchs of the families.
As for where they will be sold, nobody knows.
"I'm here today to ask you something. Since you don't want to leave, then stay in the manor!"
However, I still want to remind you of something.
Regardless of your initial purpose for entering the manor, the Duke's manor will certainly not tolerate anyone with disloyal intentions.
If you do something that disgraces the household, I don't care whether you were given the position by the Empress Dowager or not.
You have no choice but to be beaten to death or sold off.
Okay, think it over carefully. Whether you stay or leave is up to you.
Actually, there are quite a few shops in the capital run by women. If you want to open a shop or something, that's not impossible.
"With the savings you have now, you could open a shop," Shangguan Jin said calmly.
Aunt Xin remained silent.
Opening a shop in Beijing? It's not that simple!
Those shopkeepers may seem glamorous, but in reality, they all have powerful families backing them up.
"Yes, Madam is right! This servant will definitely think about it carefully," Aunt Xin said softly, bowing her head.
Feeling as if her efforts had been in vain, Shangguan Jin could only sigh.
Oh well, let it be!
Since Emperor Xiao Jing was paying for their living expenses anyway, he probably wouldn't feel comfortable withholding that small amount of money.
If they dared not give it to her, she wouldn't mind making another trip to the Empress's palace to beg for more.
"Good to know!"
"You can continue painting!" Shangguan Jin said, then took Dongmai and prepared to leave.
Aunt Xin was getting anxious when she saw that Shangguan Jin was about to leave.
She didn't know what she was in such a hurry for, but she subconsciously tugged at Dongmai's clothes.
"What are you doing?" Dongmai looked at Aunt Xin warily.
"Aunt Dong, can I... come to see you in the future?"
"I'll come to see you when you're not busy." Aunt Xin looked at Dongmai nervously.
"Why are you looking for me? We're not that close."
Besides, I don't know anything about music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, so why are you looking for me? To discuss these things with me? I don't have time for that!" Dongmai refused directly.
Aunt Xin quickly shook her head.
"No! I just want to learn something from you, not discuss music, chess, calligraphy, and painting with you."
"Learn something from me? Learn what? What do you have to learn from me?" Dongmai became even more wary.
Could it be that Aunt Xin wants to learn everything she knows so that she can then compete with me for favor?
Haha, back then Aunt Xin was not only skilled in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but also in needlework and other chores.
Will that young lady still like me? Everyone likes a smart person, right?
Dongmai immediately regarded Aunt Xin as her biggest rival in the competition for Shangguan Jin.
"I just want to learn some needlework from you."
I'm open to learning to cook; I can learn as long as you're willing to teach me.
Back when we were in the palace, the nannies didn't teach us these things, saying that these tasks would make our hands rough.
"That way the man won't..." Aunt Xin's voice trailed off as she spoke.
Winter wheat...
"But all those purses and such that I made were meant to be sold," Dongmai said, making things up on the spot.
"That's fine too, it's a skill to support a family!"
"Once I learn it, I'll at least have a job to support myself if I ever leave the manor!" Aunt Xin hurriedly said.
Dongmai glanced at Shangguan Jin, seeking her opinion.
Shangguan Jin nodded.
It's always a good thing to be willing to change.
"Alright! You can come to me later, and I'll teach you how to embroider little purses or something."
However, this can only be done after lunch and before dinner.
"I have to serve my young lady the rest of the time," Dongmai said.
Aunt Xin nodded gratefully.
"Okay! Then I'll come to see you at that time from now on."
I didn't learn it for nothing. If Aunt Dong wants to learn music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or anything else in the future, she can learn from me, and I will definitely teach her.
Alternatively, I can pay the tuition fee.
Upon hearing this, Dongmai helped Shangguan Jin walk outside.
Forget it, she doesn't want to learn those things.
So what if she knows those things? No one can learn them as well as she does!
After watching Shangguan Jin and Dongmai leave, Aunt Xin stood at the gate of the courtyard for a long time.
It wasn't until the little girl came closer.
"Aunt Xin, will Madam sell you again?" the little maid asked in a low voice.
Aunt Xin shook her head and smiled.
"Madam is charitable, she certainly won't sell to me."
"Daylily, following me has made you suffer, hasn't it?"
"No, my aunt is very tolerant and never scolds or beats me. I feel very comfortable here with her."
"But there's nothing to do every day, and I'm tired of counting ants," the little girl said with a smile.
Aunt Xin smiled and patted the little girl's head.
"It's okay, there's hope for the future!"
"Be good, we still have hope for the future."
The little girl seemed to understand but not quite.
The Duke is gone, what hope is there left? Has the concubine gone mad?
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