A busy period of adjustment
Seeing that Shujia was in a bad mood, Wendu did not agree immediately and explained further: the men's meals would be cooked in the big kitchen, Huashan would eat with his grandchildren, and Wendu would eat in her small kitchen with her son. She would also open another small kitchen for Shujia. Shujia's small kitchen had another use - for her to practice the basic skills of making soup.
Once Shujia agreed, Wendushi would be relieved. As a sister-in-law, she couldn't set rules for her sister-in-law after her mother-in-law left home, and wait for her sister-in-law to finish eating before she could eat. In the past, when Shujia and Shuxian ate with Xiluoshi, Wendushi had to take care of her sister-in-law and wait until they finished eating before she could eat.
She felt that this was too blunt, and would make her seem too impatient, so she simply used the small kitchen as a cover. This was also to make things easier for Shujia: You can do whatever you want, just pay for it. If you do too much, it will be your fault - Wen Du also thought that it would not come to that point yet.
Wen Du also had another goal—to use this personnel exchange to establish some of her own staff in the household. This required Shu Jia's approval, which would make her look good. If she issued a harsh order right after her mother-in-law left, especially to her sister-in-law, it wouldn't sit well with anyone. It was already the end of September, and if she didn't help with the household chores, she'd be a laughing stock during the busy year-end rush.
Mrs. Wendu's arrangements were quite thorough. Shujia only needed to say "yes," and the family dream she had cherished since Hangzhou would be realized. Now she just blinked: "Should we just send people from the main kitchen, or find someone else? Will the main kitchen have enough staff? Who should I call in? Should we send the food from the main kitchen, or should we buy it separately and charge it separately?" There was something else she didn't say: how would the expenses and share of the bill be calculated?
It was pure reflex. Since her time in Hangzhou, Shujia had handled a lot of things. Now that something was put before her, her first thought wasn't whether she liked it or not, but the chain reaction. If someone was assigned, who would fill the original vacancy? How would the accounts here be managed? How could they be kept clear?
This reaction made her secretly alert. Could it be that Wen Dushi... had started to renovate the house? Having something to distract her was indeed a good thing. Shujia's homesickness faded a lot.
Wen Du was speechless for a moment. This sister-in-law was really difficult to deal with, or perhaps she was too thoughtful.
Shujia frowned. Everyone knows economies of scale: the more you centralize some tasks, the more cost-effective they become. For example, cooking, at least in the large kitchen, can save a lot of money on firewood—though, of course, in the Shi Mansion, it seemed unnecessary to save even that much right now. If you were just thinking about eating, there's no need for separate kitchens. Just separate eating areas, and have food delivered to you in a single, empty container. When Shuxian was learning to cook, she practiced in the small kitchen, and her meals were delivered by the large kitchen.
What is this sister-in-law thinking about?
A small kitchen was truly necessary; at least she needed to be able to make a few soups and possess a modicum of common sense. But then there was the problem: she was just practicing. If the food was done poorly, it wouldn't be edible, and the ingredients would be wasted—though Shujia thought that unlikely. If the kitchen manager wasn't experienced and the accounting went awry, it could probably be blamed on the "second girl practicing" excuse. Shujia would resolutely not take responsibility.
Wen Dushi hadn't really thought that much. Her plan was this: she would assign experienced cooks from the main kitchen to Shujia's place, and she would insert one or two of her dowry into the kitchen. This way, Shujia would also be using the elderly people in the mansion, and no one would find fault with it. Although she had given up the idea of replacing the elderly people in the mansion with her own confidants, she still couldn't be without a few of her own confidants in the mansion, right?
Seeing that Shujia did not agree immediately, Wendu said again: "Sister, you are used to someone's cooking, and you still ask him to come over. It's time for your sister to practice her hand. It's just the right time to do two things at once." Just agree. I don't want to abuse you. Even if I have some ulterior motives, I will not treat you unfairly.
Shujia quickly understood what Wendu meant, and her mind raced. Having a small kitchen would not only allow her to practice cooking, but also allow her to try making things she wanted to eat but couldn't due to family rules and customs. But... Shujia asked, "Where is the small kitchen? We're in the inner courtyard, so how can anyone come in and out as they please?"
Their family isn't a land of women; they still use male cooks in the kitchen. If the small kitchen were located in the inner courtyard, would you dare let a male cook in to try it out? If it were a female cook, wouldn't you let your sister-in-law use it without even knowing her skills? If the small kitchen were located outside...why would it even be there?! Would you dare let your unmarried sister-in-law go out and learn from a male chef?
Wen Du smiled and said, "I've already thought of this. The small kitchen is nearby. I'll have it ready in the next couple of days and assign a few servants. I'll discuss this with your brother and pick out a skilled cook."
Shujia said: "Also, when I was learning to cook, I was the one using the small kitchen. When I was tired and wanted to rest, they came in to cook? This would have to stagger the time, which is very inconvenient." The small kitchen was used for teaching, and now it has to serve as a service. It is still a small kitchen, which is obviously not enough and will easily delay the meal time.
Wen Du smiled awkwardly and said, "I didn't think it through."
After analyzing everything, it became clear that Wendu had no intention of treating her badly. Her purpose was probably to place someone close to her, or perhaps... she simply didn't want to eat together. Shujia knew what was going on and said directly, "Back when my eldest sister was home, she also learned some cooking skills for a few days, so a small kitchen was necessary. But we still eat with Mother. If we still follow Mother's rules, we can just have the main kitchen bring it to me. It's not far from my room, so it won't get cold."
This was considered an agreement, and Wen Du breathed a sigh of relief, quickly agreeing and promising to take care of everything in the small kitchen. Shu Jia smiled and said, "But there's one thing: I have to check everything they bring before it counts. If it's not useful, I won't take it. They can give it to whoever they want. And they have to deliver it to me promptly. I won't tolerate it if they delay my work."
Wen Du said, "Of course. I can't let you down even if I lose."
Wendu: I won’t treat you unfairly, so don’t get in my way.
Shujia: As long as you don’t go too far and don’t bother me, I won’t care about anything.
The agreement was reached, and the two sisters-in-law were very happy.
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After seeing Wendu off, Shujia's room fell silent.
The aunts exchanged glances, and Aunt Zhou stepped forward and said, "Young lady, your last few words were a bit harsh. It's all right, since Madam is going south, young lady should speak up. Establishing some rules will neither cause anybody to look down on you nor cause any trouble, and will make things easier for you in the future."
Banner girls are very strong-willed and have a lot of face at home, so the aunts are really afraid of conflicts.
Shujia smiled bitterly and said, "This is a sign of things to come." Of the current maids, Hongxiu had been with Shujia the longest. Since Chunxi and Xiaxi left, she had become the leader of the maids. She was also more straightforward and said directly, "Grandma is trying to assert her authority."
Shujia glanced at her and said, "If I were her, I would do the same." Hongxiu was dumbfounded. Shujia chuckled and reached out to rub her hair. Hongxiu blinked. Shujia couldn't help but say, "Put yourself in her shoes, my dear Hongxiu."
The phrase "empathy" is easy to say but difficult to practice. Sometimes people want to change, but due to various objective reasons, they can't. This also requires opportunity and talent. Under certain objective conditions and the limitations of the times, you can't imagine it. Even if you killed Kangxi, he wouldn't know about the atomic bomb. Similarly, if you killed him, he wouldn't know about parliamentary republics. It's impossible to understand.
Fortunately, Shujia was a time traveler. Even if she couldn't empathize with and understand the thoughts of various people, she had at least been baptized by the era of information explosion. She had a broader knowledge base and knew more types of people. It was easier for her to think from other people's perspectives, and she had a stronger sense of substitution. Even if it was not easy to put herself in other people's shoes, after receiving so much information, she could still draw out two similar ones for comparison.
This is probably the only benefit Shujia has gained from time travel so far.
Shujia thought, "A new bride, after all, has to wait on her mother-in-law first. She's been waiting so long, and now she finally has the chance, so of course she needs to take action." Wendu, married into the family as the eldest son's wife, the future mistress, how could she not have some ideas? She'll be the future head of the household, so of course she needs to slowly immerse herself in the family. If Shujia were in her position, wouldn't she also place a few trusted aides in the household to establish her authority among the servants?
As for the relationship between the sister-in-law and the sister-in-law, it wasn't good, nor bad, and Wendu hadn't been shortchanging her. With Xiluo Te away, Wendu would have assumed primary responsibility for domestic affairs. She would have demanded the rights that went with that responsibility, wanting to be the head of the household behind closed doors. Shujia completely understood; as she'd said, if she were Wendu, she'd have done the same.
Sooner or later, the younger sister-in-law would marry off, so starting here wouldn't cause a major family dispute. Even if she had a promising future, as long as she treated her well now, she wouldn't create an enemy later. It was just that Wen Du's intentions were a bit obvious, and Shujia saw through them. This sister-in-law was still naive compared to her mother.
Hongxiu muttered, "The Madam just left." Shujia smiled and said, "Come on, bring me the pair of shoes I made for Guanyinbao the other day. They're not finished yet."
Why bother with a conflict? Shujia only asked that it not be used as an excuse. She would take care of her own little piece of land and not take anything personally. Wendu could place whomever she wanted, a concubine or a confidant; the family would be hers from now on.
You can't expect her to be a young wife with no prestige, then suddenly tell her one day it's her turn to be the head of the household and instantly transform into a qualified mistress. By then, the servants would be so used to hearing from Xiluo that how could they possibly follow every order from Wendu? Even the most respectable family wouldn't be able to do that; it would be a period of adjustment.
Shujia would never be happy to see trouble happening in her mother's family.
As the saying goes, a new emperor appoints new ministers. Everyone has their own selfish desires, and finding a balance is the most important thing. Furthermore, Shujia still has confidence in Xiluo Te. When her mother returns, won't she still have to obey her mother's orders?
All she had to do now was take good care of her brother. Shujia bent her head to sew for a while, then felt her eyes dry. She stood up and sat at the desk. Qingjin brought two candles over, Zishang put away the needlework basket, and Lujin went forward to tidy up the desk. Shujia watched as Lujin ground the ink, opened a piece of paper, and wrote a few key points.
After finishing, he said to Lu Lu, "They've already agreed to go back and forth to the small kitchen. Go and take inventory of all the household items. We'll also make a list. From now on, you'll keep track of everything that comes in, how much we used, how much they sent, and what each item was. Starting tomorrow, you and I will work together to count and list everything in the house."
Hongxiu asked, "Miss, the things in the house are all counted. Do you still need to count them?"
Shujia nodded: "They have a count of what they are in charge of, but I haven't counted it yet."
Responsibilities were redistributed: Zichang was in charge of clothing, jewelry, and other valuables; Qingjin was in charge of finances; Hongxiu was in charge of personnel and external relations (including gossip); and Lujin was in charge of the flow of these items in and out. The remaining maids were assigned duties, such as sweeping and running errands. Shujia now used her courtyard as a training base.
After assigning the tasks, Shujia yawned and said, "Go to bed early. Mother has gone south, and Mafa is here. I have to go and pay my respects to her tomorrow."
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Although it was a small kitchen for Shujia, the stove wasn't built directly into her yard. Instead, it was set up in a building not far from the courtyard. Just as Wendu had described, it was tidy and fully stocked with all the necessary utensils. The cook who taught Shujia cooking was a specially hired cook.
Regardless, Wen Du had fulfilled her wish and, having agreed with Shu Jia, went to report to Fu Dali. Her reason was legitimate; Shu Jia should practice. With enough time, she needed to be fully prepared. A girl from our family should do her best.
Fu Dali specifically instructed, "As for my sister, my father and mother have entrusted her to us, there must not be any mistakes." Wen Du said angrily, "How could I not know this? The small kitchen has been newly cleaned, and the cook is also our servant, and the whole family works for us. My sister's meals will still be prepared in the main kitchen, according to the recipes given by mother."
Fu Dali hummed, then asked, "I'm not worried about my second brother. Guanyinbao is still young, so you should take care of him. You're his sister-in-law, so if there's anything you don't feel comfortable talking about or taking care of, come back and tell me, or ask your younger sister to help."
Wendu said, "Well, we have to report this to the old master tomorrow." Fudali said, "I'll talk to Mafa about this tomorrow."
The two of them talked about housework again and looked after their son before they rested.
Since then, the Shi family's life has been back on track. Small changes in the mansion are also continuing. Some people feel these changes, while others don't.
Those who followed the Second Young Lady could sense it. The servants in the household were still respectful to her, doing whatever she was told and providing her with all the necessary offerings. However, the subtle difference between those in power and those who advised them was something only she herself could understand.
Shujia, of course, also sensed something, but she just smiled. She was a girl, and she was going to compete with her sister-in-law for power? How foolish! Just be respectful, and don't be shortchanged.
She turned her attention to sewing, and every time she learned something new, she would use Guanyinbao as a test piece. This time, it was a forehead bag, and her craftsmanship was a bit unskillful, so Guanyinbao actually wore it too big.
The little boy was quite sensible: "It looks like a piece of clothing. It will be enough for me to wear until next year." The sleeves can be rolled up twice.
Shujia raised her eyebrows: "What are you mumbling about? Hurry up, pack up, let's go see Marfa."
“Oh~”
The sarcasm was so abominable! She reached out to pull the clothes off: "Don't wear them if they're too big." It was so infuriating. At Shujia's age, it was already good enough to make such clothes. It was November, and the lining had fallen out of her forehead bag. It was a huge project.
Shujia's craftsmanship wasn't particularly good, so she'd left plenty of margin when she cut it, allowing for trimming if any problems arose. Surprisingly, it went quite smoothly—though it was a bit too big. Now, being mocked by the little boy, she immediately became furious.
Guanyinbao pouted and hugged Shujia's waist: "Good sister, please put it on for me~ I know you love me~ Sister, since mother is not here, I will have a share in everything you do~" Her tone was full of twists and turns, and the lingering sound lingered in the air. Shujia shuddered: "I'm scared of you."
Looking down, Guanyinbao's eyes were red. Sighing, she, who had become a monk halfway through life and still had parents after more than three hundred years, thought about it, so how could Guanyinbao not think about it? But seeing him being silent recently, she thought he was too young to understand the sorrow of separation. She raised her hand and touched the half-baked head in her arms: "The New Year is coming soon, and we have to pack some things to send to my father and mother. Your handwriting is pretty good, you can also write a letter to my mother."
"real?"
"Of course. When we went to Hangzhou, my eldest and second brothers stayed in Beijing to study, and we corresponded." He squatted down, deciding to betray Qingde to make Zhengtai smile. "I still have my second brother's letter. There are so many typos. My father was furious when he read it. He kept a record of him for two years, and the first thing he did when he returned to Beijing was to beat him."
Guanyin Baoyi shuddered: "Let's go see Mafa quickly. I want to practice calligraphy when we come back."
Shujia: ...I don’t mean to scare you.
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It was November, and the Wendu family was busy with the New Year celebrations, so she had no choice but to invite Shujia over. Last year, she was pregnant and hadn't been able to help during the New Year celebrations. She knew a little about the Shi family's social circles, and asking the elders would give her some clues. But the problem was—she was pregnant again!
She was so busy with household chores that she didn't pay much attention to her health. She simply attributed her irregular periods to her busy schedule and took some medicine to relieve her stress. However, the medicine didn't work, so she had no choice but to send a doctor to see her. The doctor advised her to rest. Wen Du was anxious: "With all this trouble, where can I rest?"
The family had already given in. With the Empress' passing, the New Year celebrations wouldn't be too busy, and she figured she could handle it herself, ready to show off her skills. Pregnancy, childbirth, and confinement were the most delicate times for a woman, and even though Wen Du was strong-willed, she didn't dare take it lightly. They already had a son, so whether they gave birth or not didn't matter, but if she damaged her health, that would be a completely different matter.
Rong'er personally came to invite Shujia. When they arrived at Shujia's courtyard, Qingjin, who had stayed behind, came forward to greet her and ask Rongjie what she wanted. Rong'er said, "Grandma asked me to come and invite the young lady to discuss something." Qingjin said, "The young lady is in the kitchen right now. Please wait a moment, I'll go find the young lady. What does Grandma want?"
Rong'er said, "Grandma fell ill today..."
"ah!"
"My dear sister, I will go with you."
When they found Shujia, she was plating steamed rice cakes. Chinese university students, especially female students, were rare, having never secretly cooked in their dorms. Shujia was quite familiar with the kitchen, but even so, whenever she cooked, she was always watched by her two aunts, fearing any accidents.
The cook also said, "Miss, Grandma said you can't use a knife yet." The aunts immediately agreed. The cook said again, "Miss, Grandma said you can't fry or stir-fry yet." The aunts also agreed. Shujia was very discouraged. Now she could only throw the ingredients prepared by the cook into the pot and stew it.
Of course, she could figure out how much of each ingredient to use and how to combine them herself. After much persuasion, she was even able to knead the dough and make the dim sum herself, though she also couldn't fry or deep-fry. The cook said there had been accidents where someone had poured cold water into the hot oil, burning their face.
Shujia said, "Now that you've said it, I understand. Naturally, I won't do that." The cook refused to agree, saying, "All the kitchen work is done by us servants. It's enough for the young lady to know a little. She won't get her hands dirty." What if something else happened? The cook didn't dare take the risk. The aunts didn't dare either. Even Wendu was adamant.
Shujia had no choice but to work hard on researching soup and snacks.
When Rong'er came in, she didn't recognize Shujia at first. In order to cook, Shujia asked someone to find the Songjiang cloth sent by Shi Wenzhuo. Some of the cloth was plain, and she used it to make aprons with long sleeves, which looked a bit like the aprons that kindergarten children wear when eating.
Qing Jin waited until Shu Jia put down the plate before saying, "Miss, Sister Rong from Grandma's place wants to see you about something."
The maids and servants came over and led Shujia to the small room next to the kitchen, took off her apron, and helped her sit on a chair to drink tea and rest. Rong'er came over, and Shujia raised her chin, and the little maid quickly led Rong'er to sit on the chair below.
Rong'er sat down with her body leaning sideways. "Miss, there's something to discuss with Grandma."
In a large, long-established family, servants everywhere had a wide variety of kinship relationships accumulated over generations, making gossip effortless and rarely keeping secrets. Hongxiu had already passed on the news of the doctor's arrival to Shujia through her uncle, who worked at the second gate, and her aunt, who stayed behind at the Xiluo family's courtyard.
Shujia put down the tea bowl and said, "In that case, I'll go back and change my clothes." She was not being arrogant, but she had to go back to her room to see if Hongxiu had found out any new information.
Rong Er said anxiously, "My dear girl, this outfit is perfect for you. Grandma is expecting you."
Shujia was really surprised. Even if Wendu was slightly ill, it wouldn't make Rong'er so anxious. "What's going on? Explain it to me clearly."
Rong'er thought, I'm talking to a girl like you about gynecological problems? And she's pregnant... She could only mumble, "Grandma is pregnant again, you're going to have a nephew. Isn't this..."
Shujia said, "Let's go."
In Wendu's main room, the kang (kang) was warm. Shujia took off her coat as soon as she entered, but she still felt hot. Wendu, her head wrapped in a scarf, lay on the bed. "Is my sister here?"
Shujia saw that her face was a little pale: "You looked quite energetic yesterday, why did you suddenly look so different today?" Wendu said: "I didn't try anything yesterday, but I suddenly felt unwell today. I have to go to my aunt's place tomorrow. I don't want to delay things, so I found a doctor to check it out..."
The doctor said that Wendu must rest, otherwise she would be in danger of miscarriage. People are easily influenced by psychological suggestion. Even if the doctor said your illness was incurable, even if it was a misdiagnosis, it could still scare you half to death.
Shujia said, "Tomorrow... no, today, send someone to give a letter to my eldest sister, and go to my aunt's place together. My aunt is not an unreasonable person."
This aunt was a member of the Hesheli clan, one of Shi Wenbing's aunts. Her husband, a man named Chani, had died of illness shortly after becoming a general in Fengtian. Unable to bear the blow, the aunt herself fell ill and recuperated there. She only recently returned to Beijing, arriving two days ago. It was a privilege not to attend the funeral of my nephew, but now that he's here, I, the younger generation, must go and see him.
Wen Du said, "It can't be helped. Sister, please pay your respects to my aunt and madam on my behalf. When I can get up, I will go and kowtow to her myself."
Shujia said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. Tomorrow, when my brother is free, how about letting him go with us?" Wendu said, "You can handle it. This is one thing, and there is another thing. It's almost the New Year, and I don't think it will be successful. There is no one else who can take care of things here except you." Wendu sighed in her heart. She had wasted such a good time again.
Shujia said, "I don't need to worry about that. This year, there's a major event concerning the Queen, so we can't have too much excitement outside, and we won't have too many banquets. If there's anything I can't decide, I'll ask my sister-in-law."
The two sisters-in-law discussed the matter for a while. Wen Du called Rong'er, "You know everything that happened before. Tell the young lady that you should obey her orders these days and treat her the same way you treat me." She then said to Shujia, "This girl has been with me all the time. She knows everything about the family. Just treat her like your own servant."
There were accounts to settle and things to take inventory. Shujia even found time to send someone to visit Shuxian.
The person who went there brought back a message: "Grandma, Second Aunt, our eldest aunt... has sent someone along."
A daughter-in-law arrived at the Jiang family. She was dressed respectably and neatly. She came in and kowtowed, saying, "Our eldest grandmother sent me to tell my aunt and my daughter that she is pregnant and is currently taking care of the baby..."
What a coincidence! Shujia was happy for Shuxian, but also worried about her. At fifteen, she was about to become a mother. Wendu was ill, and Shujia said to her, "Let's send someone to see her now, but I don't know what to send." Wendu said, "I think the gift list from my parents' home that year is still there. You can just add a little bit. Let's send this person back first."
He immediately gave her money for announcing the good news and sent two respectable housekeepers to deliver medicinal herbs to Shuxian. Shujia had to write a letter when she returned, along with the New Year's goods sent to Fuzhou.
She sent someone to Dong'e's house on short notice. Shujia was still a young girl, and it would be foolish for her to socialize on her own. She had no choice but to ask Borjigit if she could spare some time to take her with her the next day. That evening, Borjigit replied: "Come to my place tomorrow morning and I'll take you there."
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The next day, Shujia boarded a carriage, accompanied by her maids and servants, to visit her aunt's mother. Fu Dali and Qingde escorted the car, without Guanyin, fearing it would bring bad luck to a young woman entering a funeral. The funeral had already taken place, but the two were cautious, fearing an accident would cause trouble for their parents.
First they went to Dong'e's house, met Borjigit, and then they got in the car and went to Chani's house.
Chani also had a residence in the capital, but it looked rather deserted. The atmosphere was heavy with grief for the nation and the loss of the head of the family. Fu Dali and his brother had stopped their horses at the gate. A servant went up to the door, knocked on the door, and after announcing his identity, a steward arrived to receive them. Fu Dali went to negotiate, and Qingde watched his sister's carriage enter the gate and be received by a maid inside. Then he turned and went in with Fu Dali.
Shujia was led in by the maids, passed through the hanging flower gate, and then turned around a side porch. She thought to herself, "These days, everyone's house looks the same. It's enough for a robber to just rob one of them."
Arriving at the main door of Hesheli's house, I saw a crowd of people standing under the corridor. Judging by their clothing, they could be divided into several groups. I heard someone inside say, "They're coming." I went inside and saw that, judging by their attire, the person sitting in the main seat must be Hesheli. I didn't recognize the person sitting opposite her. I had no idea who the other person sitting in the lower chair was.
Borjigit knew that the person sitting opposite Hesheli was her sister-in-law, Tongjia, the wife of Soetu, and that the one who had attacked was also Hesheli, Soetu's daughter, Wuyunzhu, the wife of the Grand Secretary, also known as Ruixian. Because Soetu and his wife had lost a daughter in infancy, they named this one Wuyunzhu in the hope of longevity.
Borjigit then introduced the three to Shujia, especially mentioning Wu Yunzhu as a talented woman. She then said to the three, "This is our third sister's granddaughter." A prayer mat was placed on the ground, and Shujia went forward to kowtow to Hesheli.
Tong Jia kept looking at Shu Jia, and Wu Yunzhu just looked without saying anything. After she finished bowing, she bowed to Tong Jia again and said goodbye to Wu Yunzhu. Tong Jia smiled and said, "We are relatives, but it's a pity that we are busy with things and can't see each other. I didn't know there was such a beautiful girl here." Wu Yunzhu said, "Don't mention mother, I didn't know either. My master even served in the same palace with her father."
Shujia said, "It's not my turn to show up in public. It's right that you haven't seen me. It's just that my fourth uncle's wife is back, my mother has gone to work with my father, and my sister-in-law is sick at home, so I had to shamelessly ask my seventh uncle's wife to bring her here." Then she bowed to Hesheli and apologized.
Tong Jia was curious about Wendu's illness, and Shujia replied, "I didn't quite understand. They just said she needed to rest. Well, next year I'll have a nephew." The women suddenly understood. Shujia offered her needlework to Hesheli, and Borjigit complimented her on her dexterity. They then discussed needlework for a while.
Tong Jia said, "Good needlework is hard to come by these days." Hesheli said, "This girl's needlework is much finer than ours when we were young."
Wu Yunzhu's expression remained expressionless. Shujia thought, perhaps talented women are somewhat detached from the mundane world. It was hard to say, though. Wu Yunzhu's aunt hadn't yet recovered from the loss of her husband, and it wasn't appropriate for her niece to be cheerful and cheerful. Shujia felt a little restless. The three of them were probably in the middle of a private conversation, and her presence seemed to disturb them.
Just as she was thinking about how to excuse herself, word came from outside that Fu Dali and Qingde were leaving. Shujia took the opportunity to stand up and say goodbye: "My sister-in-law is ill, and there's no one to take care of her at home. I have to go back. She said before she came that she would come back to kowtow after the New Year when she could get out of bed." Borjigit was not one to be tactless. She stood up and said, "I brought the person here, and I must send him back in the same condition."
As they left, Hesheli asked, "How was she?" Tong Jia smiled, "She's a well-behaved girl." From the moment she entered, Tong Jia had been assessing her. It was clear she'd been trained in manners, right down to the tone of voice. She even observed the maid who had followed Shu Jia in. "She's a well-behaved girl. What do you think?" she asked her daughter.
Wu Yunzhu said, "Her behavior is decent, and she seems well-educated." She rummaged through her purse and looked at the pattern. "Her needlework is quite elegant."
Because they were at Chani's house, Shujia couldn't express her gratitude to Borjigit. She simply said, "Thank you for making this extra trip." Borjigit said, "I won't listen to empty compliments. Send me two boxes of the bean flour rolls and perilla leaf cakes you gave me last time."
Shujia smiled and said, "I'll make it for you myself when I get home."
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In the car, Hongxiu whispered to Shujia, "Miss, Prime Minister Suo's wife has been staring at people. It's really scary."
Shujia said, "They are talking right now, we are disturbing them." She muttered to herself, there was evaluation in Tong Jia's eyes, what was she evaluating?
Before he could figure it out, he got home. He came back and told Mrs. Wendu that everything was fine: "The wife of Prime Minister Suo and the wife of the Grand Secretary Yi were there for a while and then they came back. There was nothing else." However, he had to express his gratitude to Mrs. Borjigit.
Wen Du said, "This is normal. During the year, I can't move, so you have to come out and ask the elders to help. Also, I have to ask for help from my uncle, the fourth old master's family. When relatives visit, I also need you to come along." Shu Jia said, "I almost forgot. I'll take care of it all tomorrow."
Wen Du said, "That's good."
After a light snack and a nap, he reviewed the gifts sent to Shi Wenbing's mother's family, adding two extra points to the Borjigit family, along with gifts from the Wendu family, the Xilut family, and Shi Wenying's family. Fortunately, Wendu had already prepared the gifts for Shi Lin, Shi Wenbing, and other expatriates, as they needed to allow for travel time.
Just when I was having a headache, the farm came to deliver New Year's goods. The harvest and the discounted silver had to be reconciled with the external accounts and then handed over to the internal accounts for disposal. I was extremely anxious.
Before Shujia could find Guan, Guan sent someone over first.
By the end of the year, there were many people visiting the Empress Dowager. Guan was summoned by the Empress Dowager because her husband was a royal guard. Speaking of their relationship, the Empress Dowager thought of Shujia again.
"I haven't seen that girl for a long time. Bring her here tomorrow to show me if she has grown taller."
Oh my God! You can't use child labor like this!
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