Chapter 8 emphasizes hard work and frugality.
What those noble families think is none of Shangguan Jin's business.
She calculates every day how many congratulatory gifts she'll receive, what to do with the valuable ones, and what to do with the ones that look presentable but aren't actually very useful...
Before she could even think it through, Lin's mother and Dongmai came to her with the account book.
"What? Is there a problem?" Shangguan Jin looked at the thick stack of account books, feeling a bit of a headache.
"Madam, the time is too short. Many ingredients need to be purchased on the spot."
"But after the merchants outside learned that our household urgently needed these ingredients, they started raising prices on the spot. The prices of those ingredients have increased by more than 50% compared to before," Lin's mother said angrily.
Dongmai also looked angry.
"Miss, if it's not feasible, we won't buy it. Let them rot in their hands."
Shangguan Jin glanced at the list prepared by Lin's mother.
Indeed, the handwriting flows smoothly, combining strength and gentleness, reminiscent of the styles of Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan. It's clearly the handwriting of my adopted eldest son, Shen Qingjun...
Before Shangguan Jin could even consider whether her son's calligraphy would fetch a good price at Sotheby's in later years,
Her eyes widened immediately.
What? Bird's nest, abalone, shark fin, fish maw, the eight delicacies of the mountains, the eight delicacies of the sea, things that fly in the sky, run on the ground, and swim in the water.
Camel hump, bear paw, monkey brain, orangutan lips, elephant trunk, leopard fetus, rhinoceros tail, deer tendon...
Shangguan Jin finally understood why people in ancient times would prepare for a single banquet several months in advance!
These are the ingredients...
Haha, if these ingredients were in later generations, they would not only be very expensive, but also very expensive!
The most crucial question is: how much money will it cost to buy all these ingredients?
She held a lavish banquet to amass wealth, not to scatter it.
Thinking of this, she angrily slammed the ingredient list onto the octagonal table beside her.
“No need to buy these!” Shangguan Jin said.
Lin's mother was stunned for a moment, but Dongmai breathed a long sigh of relief.
She knew that her mistress thought the same way she did, and wouldn't give those unscrupulous merchants the opportunity to extort money from the Duke's mansion.
"Madam, we don't have much stock in this mansion. Even what we have is mostly bird's nest, which is prepared for the old lady and for you."
If this were used for a banquet, it wouldn't be enough, let alone..."
“What I mean is, we don’t need these ingredients for this banquet,” Shangguan Jin said calmly.
Lin's mother didn't know what to say.
To be honest, she also felt the pinch; if she bought these ingredients, the money in her account would definitely not be enough.
However, those noble families are all competitive, and every family goes to great lengths to find rare and precious ingredients for their banquets!
This was the first grand banquet held at the Duke of Dingguo's mansion in three years, and it was also the old lady's birthday banquet, so there were bound to be many people watching.
If we're not well-prepared, won't that just give others something to talk about?
Don't make up a rumor that the Duke of Dingguo's mansion is destitute.
"Miss, you're right, we shouldn't buy these things."
How many of those people came here to eat properly? They served bowls of the finest bird's nest, but in the end, it was all taken away untouched.
"How many chickens do you have to buy for just one bowl of bird's nest?" Dongmai said with a pained expression.
Shangguan Jin also agreed with Dongmai's words.
How many of those people came here for a proper meal?
Such precious ingredients are ultimately wasted.
Shangguan Jin especially hoped that those who couldn't attend in person would at least send a gift and leave, so that everyone could save themselves trouble.
but......
“Dongmai is right. We don’t need to prepare those ingredients. Just prepare regular chicken, duck, fish, and meat,” Shangguan Jin suddenly said.
Lin's mother...
Dongmai's eyes lit up.
Yes, chicken, duck, fish, and meat are so delicious; they're so juicy and flavorful, and you can eat them all without making a sound...
"Madam, is this inappropriate?"
This is just a typical banquet at a wealthy family's house; there should be several delicacies on the table!
"Besides, we are the Duke of Dingguo's mansion." Madam Lin was a little puzzled.
Shangguan Jin also wanted to spend lavishly, but the Duke of Dingguo's mansion didn't have an inexhaustible gold mine. What was the purpose of her hosting a banquet?
Isn't it just about recouping funds?
After thinking for a moment, Shangguan Jin decided to come up with a plausible reason, otherwise she was afraid of dampening Lin's mother's enthusiasm for work.
“Mother Lin, you are an old woman who came with me from the Shangguan family.”
After entering the Duke's mansion, don't you know what kind of person the Duke is?
He despises extravagance and waste the most.
He often told me that when they were at the border, the soldiers felt like it was New Year's Day if they could have a sip of meat soup.
What we might look down upon as chicken, duck, fish, and meat are, in the eyes of the soldiers guarding the border, things more precious than delicacies from land and sea.
Our soldiers guard the border and protect our peace and security.
"If we waste money like this in the rear, spending hundreds or even thousands of taels of silver on a single meal, wouldn't that break the hearts of our soldiers?"
As Shangguan Jin spoke, she wiped the corner of her eye with a handkerchief.
Upon hearing this, Madam Lin immediately realized that the lady must be missing the Duke.
Yes, if the soldiers on the border could eat chicken, duck, fish and meat, that would be like living in paradise!
The Duke of Dingguo was a figure admired by military generals, so there must be a good reason why the lady did this.
"From this day forward, this standard will apply to all banquets held at the Duke of Dingguo's residence."
Come if you want, I don't care if you don't.
No matter what, I can't let those soldiers point and curse at the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.
Whenever she thought about things on a larger scale, Lin's mother felt that her brain wasn't up to the task.
The lady is the eldest daughter of the Shangguan family, and she was personally taught by the old master of the Shangguan family. She must have her own reasons for doing this.
As long as I follow Madam's instructions, I'm sure I won't go wrong.
"Alright, Madam, then I'll go and make the arrangements. Just arrange for chicken, duck, fish, and meat."
We should have plenty of these things on our estate. I'll send someone to buy them there!
As she spoke, Lin's mother picked up a piece of paper on the table with the words "precious ingredients" written on it, and took it away.
Shangguan Jin smiled and nodded.
Look, that's how simple and honest people were in ancient times. As long as they stood on the moral high ground, others could only look up to them.
Shangguan Jin was about to have a sip of tea when she saw Dongmai still standing there.
"Dongmai? Why are you still here? Aren't you going to help Lin Mama?" Shangguan Jin asked, somewhat puzzled.
Dongmai hesitated for a moment, thinking about how to tell Shangguan Jin in a more tactful way about something she had just learned.
But after thinking for a long time, she still didn't know how to be tactful, so she eventually gave up.
“Miss, the chicken, duck, and fish are cooked well and taste delicious,” Dongmai suddenly said.
"Yeah, I know. What's wrong? Are you planning to cook yourself?" Shangguan Jin teased.
Dongmai grinned, then suddenly said something.
"Miss, I just learned something."
"What is it? Tell me? Who's been slacking off and you caught them again?" Shangguan Jin continued to tease.
Winter Wheat didn't laugh this time.
“Miss, a few days ago when Zhuqing went out to buy embroidery thread for me, she passed by the most famous jewelry shop on Zhuque Street and saw the second young master of the Wuding Marquis’s family.”
After thinking for a long time, Shangguan Jin finally figured it out.
This second young master Song is the one who is engaged to Shen Qingyue, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Dingguo.
It wasn't the Shen family who wanted the engagement; it was the Empress Dowager in the palace who bestowed the marriage upon them.
Thinking of this, Shangguan Jin cursed the Empress Dowager.
That old hag, she's always trying to force men to take concubines or playing matchmaker.
Her people filled almost the entire court.
"Anything else?" Shangguan Jin pressed.
It's not like Dongmai would suddenly mention this guy out of the blue.
"Zhuqing said that Young Master Song went with a girl, and the girl seemed very intimate with Young Master Song," Dongmai continued.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
