The second girl decorates the new house
Hangzhou was scorching hot in late May! The willow leaves drooped in the sun. Shujia, suffocating in the car, vaguely sensed it stopping in front of a house, then entering a gate and passing through another before a maid came over and said, "Miss Eldest, Miss Second, we're here."
Matron Wuya got out first, followed by Matron He and the others. Chunxi helped Shujia down. Shuxian's maids and matrons also helped her down. After stabilizing herself on the ground, Shujia looked up and, judging by the appearance of the house, she had reached the backyard. Surrounded by the maids and maids, the two sisters headed towards the main house.
From the outside, it looked like a series of five rooms. Inside, the rooms were separated by lace partitions and draped with green gauze curtains. The furnishings in the main room were simple. There were no paintings on the central wall, but instead, a long table lined the wall, topped with a small screen. Two bottles flanked the table, and two chairs sat side by side in front of it. There were also two rows of chairs on the floor. With the gauze curtains drawn, one could see the walls on either side—there were some hanging screens, but not much furniture.
Xiluo Te was already seated in a chair, and before her stood a middle-aged woman she didn't recognize. Shujia was certain she didn't recognize her. Her family had quite a few servants in Beijing, so it was normal for her not to recognize them all. This time, they had only brought about thirty or forty people with them, and after spending so many days on the boat, she had learned to recognize everyone. She had never seen this woman before, so she was obviously not one of her family.
As expected, the sisters met Xiluo Te, who offered them a seat. Shujia dusted the chair, finding it spotless, evidently cleaned. Xiluo Te then said, "This is the nanny from your great-aunt's place." The sisters stood up and called out, "Nanny." The woman repeatedly said, "I dare not," and then greeted the two young ladies. Xiluo Te said, "No need to be so polite. Even though they haven't met their great-aunt, they should still show some respect to you." She then asked for a stool to be brought for the nanny.
Shaoyao looked around and found a small stool from behind the partition. The maid thanked her and sat down on it. Xiluo asked her to continue, and she finally picked up the conversation. It turned out that when they entered the city, her great-aunt had sent her to meet Xiluo and her daughter and bring them to the house.
When officials first arrived, experienced officials would first stay at the post station, clean out their residence, and then move in. After all, who knew what the previous incumbent's departure had left behind? With promotions and demotions, they likely wouldn't have the energy to thoroughly clean every house they'd lived in before leaving. Even if they meticulously assigned it to their servants, they wouldn't be in the mood to do it properly. The time between leaving and returning would be long, and within two months, the steps would be overgrown with weeds.
This mansion wasn't as big as an earl's palace in the capital, but it was still quite large for Hangzhou. When the previous owner left, he'd taken most of his valuables, leaving behind some crude household items. Since he'd been dismissed from his post, he'd had no time to clean up, leaving the place in a state of disarray. Shi Wenbing's appointment came in March, and he was busy sorting out paperwork in Beijing and traveling. It was already late May, and the heat and humidity of the southern summer were perfect for plant growth, leaving the house truly desolate.
Shi Lin, as the governor, was in Hangzhou. After consulting with his wife, he sent someone to tidy up the house a bit, and it was now barely presentable. As for the furniture, he couldn't interfere, and since he didn't know the other person's preferences, he just did the simplest arrangement that would ensure daily living.
After explaining, the nanny continued, "Our mistress asked me to tell the eldest lady about my grievances. In such a hurry, I don't know what you and your master like, so I had to come here in such a simple manner. Fortunately, although Hangzhou is not as prosperous as the Emperor's Palace, it is still prosperous. If you need to buy something, it is not a big deal. But there is no kang here, so I am afraid it will be cold in the winter..."
?
It turns out that the seniority and titles in the Huashan and Shilin mansions are slightly different. In Shilin's family, he is the master, his wife is the madam, his nephew Shi Wenbing is the master in the servants' mouths, and Xiluo Te is the grandmother. But in Shi Wenbing's family, Huashan is already the old man...
That's a real mouthful. Okay, let's settle down first and revise it tomorrow.
Xiluo Te then ordered a reward for the woman and sent her maid to accompany her to Shi Lin's place to see Shi Lin's wife. She said, "We have traveled all the way here, looking disheveled and unkempt. It is really disrespectful to pay our respects to my aunt. Tomorrow I will bring my aunt's great-niece's daughter to kowtow."
————————————————————————————————————————
After sending the others away, he began to decorate the house. Since it was already mostly clean, it only needed to be detailed, which wasn't a big deal. He immediately divided the rooms. The house had three entrances, front and back. The front was the main hall, where Shi Wenbing met guests and held banquets. He then arranged his study, and in the courtyards to the left and right, he separated them into quarters for male guests and for Mr. Jiang and his staff. The second entrance was Shi Wenbing's private bedroom. With his study, this area was not accessible to outsiders.
Passing through another hanging flower gate was the main inner courtyard, the domain of the women. It was a large space, and since Shuxian was already grown up, she was given a small courtyard of her own, right next to the main courtyard of Xiluo's house. Xiluo looked at Shujia, thought for a moment, and then gave her a small courtyard as well, one in front of Shuxian's courtyard, and one behind, both on the east side.
Xiluo Te ordered the two western courtyards to be designated as guest rooms, locked up for now and ready for two days. There was also a garden in the back, which was also locked up while the living quarters were being cleaned up. She also checked the storeroom's doors, locks, walls, and floors, and sent someone to check the horse stables for security, before putting everything inside one by one. The three concubines moved in with Xiluo Te in the same courtyard, occupying the wing rooms. The maids and nurses occupied dormitories scattered throughout the back rooms.
After these arrangements were completed, Xiluo Te gave the order: "Have a few boys carry the large items to your courtyard, and have the maids take the personal belongings. The maids, please keep an eye on the girls, and the maids are not allowed to wander around. Wait until the boys have left before moving around."
Shujia's yard is not small, and it has side rooms. There are some bamboos planted around the yard, which looks very elegant.
Surprisingly, there was a small, though unused, kitchen. Shujia had already set her sights on it, but considering her age, she felt it was best to postpone her request until the right opportunity arose. (Rou: You're dreaming! I won't give it to you!) Her main room, a spacious three-room apartment, was under the direction of Madam Wuya, who was directing the servants to unload things inside. It wasn't much; Shujia's belongings consisted of a few locked boxes containing clothes, bedding, and books, with the keys in Madam Yin's possession. Two other maids also carried a small box, which Shujia had seen before; it contained valuable jewelry she had received from her elders over the years. Shujia also received a monthly stipend, but the amount was unclear and was kept with Madam Yin. She personally held the small box.
The maids' belongings consisted of a large bundle and a roll of bedding each. They carried the bundle themselves, and the bedding was brought in all at once and piled up in the side rooms.
After the servants had gone out, the action started.
Of course, they had to clean up the young lady's living quarters first. It was a bit of a mess, and Wuya Mammy was afraid Shujia might bump into something, so she strongly requested that she not follow. Shujia said, "It's my place, I have to see it." (It was leaky, still leaky) Wuya Mammy paused and said, "Whatever you want to arrange, just ask the servants to do it."
Shujia said, "Look at which end of the boat is. I'll live in the east end. I'll make the west room into a study and put my books there. You can do whatever you want in the main hall. Don't put too much stuff in the bedroom; it'll be stuffy. Spread out the clothes and shake them out. It's still early for sunset, so let's air the bedding first. It's very humid here, so you need to air it frequently. Put away the needlework and stuff and put it aside..."
Aunt Wuya: ...Miss, where is the embroidery room?
Looking back, the elderly women in the compound were stunned. They knew the second daughter was smart, never needing to be pushed to learn, and without the childish indecision, but they hadn't expected her to be so assertive. (Rou: You've exposed yourself, girl. We can't get cocky just because we have our own house. I understand, I understand why someone wouldn't be excited about a pile of bricks with only 70 years of ownership.)
Aunt Wuya narrowed her eyes, then immediately returned to normal: "What are you all looking at? Didn't you hear what the young lady said?"
It was as if a switch was pressed, and everyone in the yard started moving.
The moving luggage was light to begin with, so the bedding was hung out to dry on bamboo poles, and the furniture was freshly wiped. Thanks to the warm Hangzhou weather, the work dried quickly, leaving everything feeling fresh and clean. The three rooms were spacious, separated by partition doors. The middle room served as the living room, with simple furniture and two lantern stands holding lanterns.
The eastern room was the bedroom. To the north sat the bed, and beneath the south window stood a small table, flanked by two chairs with tea utensils. A finely woven bamboo mat was spread over the bunk bed, and a silk pillow and a silk quilt were laid out from bamboo poles. My great-aunt had thoughtfully added a canopy to the bed and, as a token of her affection, hung two sachets.
Against the east wall was a closet, and opposite it stood a dressing table. Shujia didn't have many dressing accessories—she had always been bald—just two combs, a brush, a glass mirror, and a small box containing a few hair ties. These were placed on the dressing table, looking a bit shabby. Next to the dressing table stood a basin stand with a copper basin on it. Chunxi wiped the stand again and placed Shujia's hand towel on it. He then took out a porcelain soap box and set it aside.
Shujia, quite satisfied, walked to the west wing. There, too, was a desk and a chair. On the desk lay a half-foot-high pile of books and the four treasures of the study. These were all books Shujia had read or was currently studying, including the two books Mr. Jiang had given her. Beneath the south window stood the zither Shujia used on the boat. Against the west wall stood a bookshelf—empty. Against the north wall stood a Luohan couch, atop which sat a kang table.
Nanny Yin said, "We just arrived, so this is all we can do. It can't be compared with home. Miss, just make do with it for now. When the master and the mistress have time, they will buy more things." Shujia didn't have any idea. When she was in Beijing, she was always needed for everything. Here, as long as she felt refreshed, it was fine.
After a hum, Shujia asked the maids how they were going to stay. Wuya Ma smiled and said, "We have our own place to live. There are several rooms around here. We're not staying with our families, so it's more than enough for us to stay alone." Shujia said, "I'm going to sit with Mother for a while. You guys go pack your things. If you need anything... go back to Mother and tell her. I'll be waiting for you there." She had all her things, but the maids might not have the same things.
Nanny He was surprised for a moment, and then said, "How can the young lady go there alone?" She and Chunxi accompanied them, while the others packed up their things in confusion.
Second girl, yes, yes.
Xiluo Te's family had already prepared everything and was listening to Zhang Lu's family's news, including information about the situation in a certain place. Shujia quietly sat down and listened until Shuxian arrived before dinner. After all, no one dared to ask for anything in such a chaotic time. The basic necessities had lasted them for at least two months on the ship, and any shortages had been made up. As for the rest, once they were settled, there was no shortage of things they couldn't fill.
————————————————————————————————————————
Because Shi Lin was here, no matter what everyone thought, at least it was a matter of respect for Shi Wenbing's family. Shi Wenbing's predecessor, Gao Guoxiang, was impeached by Left Censor-in-Chief Xu Yuanwen for allowing his soldiers to abuse the people. After an interrogation, he was dismissed and charged with crimes. Emperor Kangxi then appointed Shi Wenbing to replace him. Gao Guoxiang had a bad reputation in the area, but Qin Hui still had three friends. His colleagues in the area were still unsure how to view Shi Wenbing.
So Shi Wenbing instructed that the family must keep a low profile. At the very least, he had to meet Shi Lin first to inquire about the situation, and then go to the government office to meet with his superiors, colleagues, and subordinates to get a feel for the situation. Only after he had a rough understanding of the situation could he take any action.
So, on that day, Shi Wenbing exchanged pleasantries with his subordinates who had come to greet him, but did not immediately attend the welcoming banquet. Instead, he sent Zhang Lu with his note to meet his superiors first, explaining that it was getting late today and that he would review the official documents and seals tomorrow before making the final decision.
After leaving the general's residence in Hangzhou, it was already dark. Shi Wenbing returned home to find that his house had already taken shape. He nodded secretly, thanked Xiluo for her hard work, and called his daughters over, telling them to go to bed early and prepare to meet his great-uncle and great-aunt tomorrow.
Everyone was tired, so they skipped the formalities and washed up early to go to bed. Shujia returned to her room and found a basin of ice in her bedroom. Nanny Wang said, "This is something the Fourth Old Master sent." She was such a thoughtful person. Shujia said to Nanny Wang, "I have to see my great-aunt tomorrow. Nanny, find me some clothes. And I'll also need some of the lace I made on the boat."
By the time everything was packed up, Shujia was so exhausted that she fell into a deep sleep.
——————————————————————————————————————————
The sea of stars!
A deep blue sky, a handful of shining stars, a quiet place, a swaying boat...
Shujia swayed in her dreams. It was as if she were dreaming of jumping into the sea again. No, she was dreaming of throwing herself into the sea. Uh, it was the day she fell into the sea. That day was so beautiful. A certain fairy, finally having a vacation to travel, leaned against the side of the boat, facing the sea, spring flowers blooming. Suddenly, the boat shook. And she fell into the sea again...
A dying person's vision is pitch black. She was thinking, "When I die, I'll suddenly recall so many things from my life, but none of them are real!" Apart from this thought, there was nothing else in her mind.
Light exploded out of the darkness, and then she wore it.
What a terrifying dream! Shujia was determined to be awakened by it. She turned over and sat up. It was already daybreak. Summer nights are short, and she slept soundly until dawn. The night watchmen on the ground floor had already gotten up and even the mats on the floor were folded up. Chunxi had already fetched water and saw that she had already risen with the quilt removed. She hurried over to put on her shoes and said, "Miss, are you awake? It's just the right time to wash up and have some snacks. I'm afraid the mistress will be awake too."
Xia Xi also came in, holding the dress she had chosen yesterday. It was a small, bright red cheongsam with narrow sleeves and no collar. Paired with scallion green pants and red shoes, it looked... hilarious! She stood up, washed, combed her hair, and changed. She braided her pigtails and gathered her loose hair. Then, Nanny Wang came in with something that looked a bit like a forehead scarf and wrapped it around her head, covering up her loose hair.
Shujia suddenly felt like her head was a construction site, surrounded by boards, no matter how messy it was inside, she couldn't see outside = =
Nanny He watched from the side and said, "Now that the young lady has her own room, she should make a pair of slippers to wear. When she was little, she could sleep in the dark at home, but the boat was cramped and there was no room to move around. Tonight, after dinner, after washing up, or if she doesn't feel like sleeping, she can do some needlework and read a book. It will be easier to wear loose clothes in her own room."
From her tone, Shujia thought these slippers were probably just slippers. Although, as far as she knew, women with bound feet did wear bright red slippers to bed, but... that wasn't a tradition in her family, was it? Men are so perverted, they only admire deformed women. (Hey! You're getting off topic!)
Nanny Wang chimed in, "Yes, the girl is growing up, and it's time to pack up her things. Her dressing box, her jewelry..." Suddenly, she paused, "Our girl should get her ears pierced! The older girls already have them." Shuxian had pierced ears, but Shujia hadn't been interested and hadn't noticed. After all, three hundred years later, no one cared much about whether someone had pierced ears or not. But now, it was no longer necessary. The girl had to have pierced ears so she could wear earrings.
Oh my! Shujia was filled with grief! She was terrified of getting her ears pierced. Before she time-traveled, she hadn't had any. But then, pushed to the limit, her roommates all got theirs pierced, saying, "It doesn't hurt at all." Someone even offered to go along with her, and the enchanting young woman (Hey! That's so unprofessional! You should be the one to kidnap someone else!) followed suit. The supposedly painless piercing left her in excruciating pain, and the next day she transformed into Tang Sanzang... Her earlobes were swollen like the blessed earlobes of the Emperor's younger brother.
She pulled out the earplugs in a fit of rage, hissed in pain, and then applied iodine, only then did she feel alive again. Later, the piercing healed, and the mark was no longer visible. She also hated having her ears pierced, especially since everyone else who had had their piercings done was fine...
I hate wearing it! Whether it’s piercing my ears or traveling through time! Shujia thought bitterly.
While Shujia was drinking water (her habit was to have a glass of water in the morning, something she had been clamoring for and getting since she could speak), Wuya Ma and Yin Ma arrived, carrying a few small boxes. Seeing the conversation going on, they asked, "What are you talking about? It's so lively?"
Nanny He smiled and said, "Besides, the girl is growing up. There are some things that need to be considered. Uh, it's time to get a few more combs..."
Nanny Wuya nodded: "Yes, it's been a mess these past few days. When I have some free time, I will go back and buy some for Madam. This time we go south, we should keep everything simple. Now that we are here, we should buy some more." Nanny Yin also said: "I heard that the things of the barbarians are more exquisite than those in the north. It's just right. I should buy some delicate things for the girl. This is what girls from wealthy families should use." As she gestured, she suggested adding a screen not far from the bed, and the clothes rack beside the bed should be a little simple, etc.
Wuya Ma Ma leaned over and showed the box to Shujia. "Young lady, when you go out with Madam to visit the Fourth Old Lady later, please put the silk threads you make in this box and take them with you. You may have to meet other people in the next few days, so make sure you have a few extra copies to look presentable."
Shujia nodded in understanding, as if to say something was a packaging effect. After drinking the water, she said, "The maids are here, let's go to my mother's place." [1]
Xiluo Te’s courtyard was very close. When Shujia entered the courtyard, a maid said with a smile: “The second young lady is here? The eldest young lady hasn’t arrived yet. The mistress has already gotten up and should be ready to wash up by now. The master is also here.” Shujia said: “The eldest sister hasn’t come? Who of you will go and check on her? Tell her I’m waiting for her.” [2] The maids’ eyes were all over the place.
At that moment, Shuxian also arrived. The sisters' courtyards were one in front of the other, close to Xiluo's, but there was still a slight gap, just a word's time. Shuxian had originally gotten up earlier than Shujia, but she was three years older, and it was quite troublesome for a young woman to clean up, so she was a little late.
Seeing Shujia had arrived, Shuxian paused and immediately said, "Sister is here already? I'm late." Shujia said, "I just said a word, and mother is already up. Let's go in." Shuxian nodded and secretly made up her mind to come even earlier tomorrow.
————————————————————————————————————————
When Xiluotai saw her daughters, she waited for them to greet her and take their seats before asking, "Did you sleep well last night? Did you choose a seat after the change of venue?" Shuxian replied, "I slept well." Shujia smiled and said, "We came here from a boat, so of course we can sleep well here."[3] Xiluotai said with a smile, "You are so good. Are there any mosquitoes?"
Shujia blinked and said, "No, I slept well. When I woke up this morning, there was no red envelope..." Oh my god, what a leaky mouth! Shujia decided to talk as little as possible until her front teeth grew in. Aunt Wuya said from the side, "I lit some incense yesterday. It seems to have helped."
Xiluo Te smiled and said, "That's good. I'll give you a day off today. You don't have to go to school. I sent someone to tell Mr. Jiang yesterday. Your teacher must be tired from traveling, so he needs to rest for two days. You can also meet relatives and guests. But first of all, I'll make it clear that you are not allowed to play around. You must concentrate on studying and learning needlework in the next two days."
The two sisters agreed at once, and Xiluo Te said, "It's just right. I'll have some snacks now, and you can go and rest. After dinner, we'll go out to see your great-aunt." From beginning to end, Shi Wenbing only responded once when his two daughters greeted him. Shujia: ...
Soon, breakfast was served, consisting of nothing more than something to fill the stomach. Three concubines stood by to serve, and the two girls' nannies stood behind them, watching. Nanny Uya even stopped them from eating the sachima: "It'll hurt your teeth and make you look ugly."
Xiluo Te put down her chopsticks, looked at Shujia, and said seriously, "Madam, yes, Madam, please keep a close eye on her." Shujia put down her chopsticks and agreed. Over there, Aunt Zhang looked at Shuxian, who was also teething. Shuxian rolled her eyes at her. This custom of the biological daughter sitting to eat while the biological mother stood to serve was a long-standing one in this family.
Breakfast went by quickly, and aside from what Xiluo said, no one at the table spoke. After finishing his meal, Shi Wenbing rinsed his mouth, washed his hands, and wiped his mouth. "I'll go outside and take a look. I'll eat with Mr. Jiang up front later. After breakfast, we'll go to see my uncle."
The three of them stood up and responded. Xiluo Te straightened his collar and watched him leave. Shuxian and Shujia stood up together and were about to leave when Xiluo Te said, "Big girl, go see your aunt. Second girl, come here, I have something to say."
Aunt Zhang had originally served Xiluo Te, and now she was very happy to accept the order. After the mother and daughter said goodbye and left, Xiluo Te said to Li and Wang, "You don't need to set rules here today. Go and rest."
After everyone left, Xiluo Te beckoned Shujia over, pulled her into her lap, and asked her one question at a time: "Did you sleep well? Did you enjoy your meal? Is there anything you're not feeling well? Do you need anything else?"
She missed her sons. For the first time, her two precious sons were not around. How could a mother not worry? But her studies could not be delayed, and her husband's future could not be ignored. She had to separate from her children. Fortunately, she had her little daughter by her side, and Xiluo's maternal love was magnified to twelve points.
Shujia answered them one by one, then thought for a moment and said, "Madame He said she wanted to make me a nightgown. What's that?" Xiluo said, "That's right. Madame is really thoughtful. I see that the needlework has been settled today, so I'll make it for you tomorrow. I'll make one with a felt sole. It's soft and doesn't make any noise." Shujia asked, "Does my elder sister want one?" Xiluo said, "She already has one, so you don't have to worry about it."
Nanny Wang then reported, "There are a few things missing in the girl's room. Our girl is grown up now, and her dowry..." Xiluo Te moved back, put her hands on Shujia's shoulders and looked at her carefully, "That's right, you have let your hair grow, so you need to prepare hair combing tools, hairpins, hairbands... everything. I heard in Beijing that the barbarians have good craftsmanship, so it's a good opportunity to buy more for you." ← The uneasy mother was already thinking about preparing the dowry.
Having astutely grasped the Madam's train of thought, everyone began discussing the Second Young Lady's treatment. Nanny Yin brought up the issue of the screen, and Nanny He said, "The Second Young Lady is still growing up, so last year's winter clothes are no longer wearable. It's time to make new ones." Nanny Wuya then said, "It's time to find maids of similar age for her to use. Chunxi and Xiaxi are getting old enough to be married off or married off. If we find them now, I'm afraid they won't be suitable." Nanny Wang continued, "The Young Lady should also have her ears pierced. She's old enough to wear pendants."
Mrs. Xiluote's attention was diverted, and she thought about the problem they were talking about: "I will make a list and ask them to buy the things later. I will pierce her ears when the weather is a little cooler. The ears must not get wet. As for the maids... Didn't we bring people from several families here? I had noticed that there were similar maids for the sisters to serve." Everyone praised the lady for her wisdom.
Shujia had nothing to do and was leaning against Xiluo in a daze.
[1] [2] [3] The word "leaky mouth" has been translated here. All the following text will be translated normally unless necessary. The word "leaky mouth" is so pitiful!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
