Things about marriage
In the spring of the 25th year of the Kangxi reign, a selection of beautiful women took place. Shi Wenbing, the commander-in-chief, had already begun reviewing the number of candidates long in advance with his subordinates, including the lieutenants and assistant lieutenants. They visited families who had legitimate reasons for being unable to participate, such as being over the age limit, suffering from illness, or experiencing family bereavement. Finally, they submitted the final list.
In the Shi Mansion, Shuxian was dressed in a blue Manchu dress, as instructed. While she was still combing her hair, Shujia quietly approached. The expression on Shuxian's face was different from usual: a little nervous, a little excited, and worried in her eyes.
She whispered to her sister, "Is everything really alright? Will they give up the business?" Shujia approached her and whispered, "Don't worry. I asked my elder brother, and he said it was Mafa who did it himself."
Shuxian's mouth twitched. Is Marfa reliable?
Shujia said: "It should be fine."
Hua Shan was saving the country in a roundabout way, doing things through the Tong family, and he did it inconspicuously.
The Tonggiya clan, originally a Han army banner, was of similar status to the Shi clan. Tong Guolai also married a princess, but his daughter was very successful and gave birth to Kangxi, who was also very kind to his maternal uncle, and the Tong clan became increasingly prosperous.
Kangxi's biological mother died, but he had two brothers, the eldest Tong Guogang and the second Tong Guowei, who were the real uncles of the emperor.
Tong Guogang was an embarrassing wretch. Anyone dealing with him was even more unlucky than Hua Shan. He dared to cross Kangxi's side, clearly recommending someone out of personal motive. If Kangxi didn't agree, he'd practically flip the table, saying, "This guy's fine. If you don't agree, I'll be fired too." With someone else, Kangxi would have dragged him by the pigtail and sent him to Ningguta. And yet, he was Kangxi's uncle, and yet Kangxi put up with him.
Kangxi gave him face, so everyone had to give him face, especially Tong Guogang, who was a bully. If you confronted him, you would look like a nobody. So Tong Guogang was a bully in Beijing, so bully that even Suo Etu didn't dare to offend him.
It was difficult to flatter a man like this; his brain circuits were too bizarre. His eldest son, Orondai, was a similar type of person. Imagine a father and son like this, sharing common interests and hobbies. In their family, father and son were enemies. Tong Guogang threatened to kill his son, even asking Emperor Kangxi for permission to execute him for his unfilial son. How could Emperor Kangxi truly listen to him? He simply sent Orondai to serve as an official in a remote area.
The second son, Fahai, is not the bald guy in Jinshan Temple. He is the son of Tong Guogang and a maid. Tong Guogang treats him as if he is not his own son. Now that Fahai has shown his potential in learning, things have improved a little.
Compared with Kangxi's criticism of the Eighth Brother's background, they are really like uncle and nephew, all the same.
Hua Shan, who couldn't even get along with his own son, could actually get along with him. When they were upset, they would punch each other, and then go back to drinking and chatting. They were a strange couple. It was well known that Tong Guogang was a man who was fearless and spoke without restraint. Few people dared to talk nonsense with him. Mostly, he said something and the subordinates didn't dare to say a word. Tong Guogang was not afraid of offending others, but they were.
Who could Tong Guogang really look down upon? Neither Ming nor Suo dared to offend him, and even his words were like directing the ministers. Few dared to cooperate with him. It was a coincidence that he met Hua Shan, a man who also spoke with a certain lack of moral integrity. Their temperaments were truly compatible, and they became a pair of drinking buddies.
Tong Guogang was just chatting. He had already scolded Peng Chun before: "This kid is just lucky. He happened to be involved in this incident. What is there to be afraid of those Russians? If it were me..." bulabul...
Hua Shan was sweating, thinking to himself, "You've never really tried to fight someone to the death, but I know you're just talking nonsense." He said, "That's what I did. The master gave him face, didn't he? What did he say? Come, drink!"
Hua Shan was a scoundrel! He took advantage of the situation and climbed up the ladder. He ended up talking about the beauty pageant and even got Tong Guogang to speak first. Hua Shan said, "My two girls said they saw Peng Chun's girl in the Cining Palace..."
Tong Guogang took the bait and started asking what was going on. What happened to the Cining Palace? After all, Tong Guogang's brother Tong Guowei still had two daughters in the palace. Even if he didn't care, he still had to ask about the matter. Hua Shan started to talk nonsense.
He praised several members of the Mingzhu Party, saying their daughters didn't seem bad. My granddaughter came back and said, "This is so good, this is so good." He also said, "Our eldest granddaughter was born out of wedlock, and I'm afraid she'll have a hard time, so I hope she can get a name." "Just imagine how embarrassed I would be if she ended up in the hands of one of their daughters." Tong Guogang remembered this and told his wife, who then went to the palace to tell Imperial Noble Consort Tong Jia.
By the time the imperial selection took place the following year, Shuxian had been successfully eliminated. The three great officials in the palace had never shown much interest in Shuxian, and Tong Jia understood her intentions, so she successfully placed her name on the list without having to go through the trouble of asking for permission, and no one said anything.
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When the news came, the whole family celebrated.
Shuxian's smile deepened. Xiluo was also very pleased with the two aunts. Shuxian was only chosen by Tong Jia through cheating at the last stage of the formalities. Aunt Zhang's face turned as bitter as a gourd, and she bit her handkerchief in anger. "What should I do? What should I do? Are they so happy that the eldest daughter didn't get the selection? How does it bother them?!"
She was so angry that she went to find Shuxian. Shuxian asked with a smile: "What's the matter, Auntie?" Auntie Zhang quietly entered the room and pulled Shuxian's tongue: "Miss, how did you do this?" When she learned that Shuxian herself was happy with it, she stamped her feet: "Miss, you are stupid, how could you let it go? Arranged marriage is so grand!"
Shuxian felt helpless. Things had come to this point. She was about to marry off, and Aunt Zhang had to make a living at home. This wouldn't work. She tried to persuade her, "I think Aunt Zhang used to be so calm, but what's wrong with her now? To be honest, Aunt Zhang, even if it's an arranged marriage, who knows how it will turn out. I don't want to set rules in front of others, standing when others sit, wearing pink when others wear bright red. I begged for this, asked my sister to ask my elder brother, and finally, Mafa was asked to do it."
Aunt Zhang stopped talking.
Shujia was very happy. Her family was still capable. When it came to her, she could follow suit! Things that we had been trying so hard to accomplish but couldn't, were easily solved once the elders stepped in.
Over there, Shuxian was packing her things. Some of her frocks were still wearable, so she folded them and put them aside. Her blue cheongsam was of little use, so she folded it and put it at the bottom of her suitcase.
Shuxian was in a good mood, and the aunts didn't stop her, letting the two sisters talk. Shujia asked her how she felt. During the preliminary selection, Shuxian's face turned pale, but she didn't dare ask, for fear of irritating her.
Now that she could talk about it, Shuxian said, "At the beginning, Shenwu Gate was quite chaotic, with cars all squeezed in there. It took a while to get in, with several people in a line..." Her face darkened a little, probably because she had thought of something bad. She hesitated for a moment and didn't tell her sister about the physical examination. She only said that the first step was very simple, "It's all written on our signature slips, and the palace list also has everyone's background." She gestured, "The names of three generations of father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are all there, as well as their official titles and noble titles. Even if they can't read, they will be polite after looking at the long string of words on the signature slips."
"It's just that living in the palace is not very convenient. At home, there are a lot of people serving me, but when I get there, there are only two palace maids to help with more than ten people. Fortunately, my aunt told me that I learned to comb my hair first..." She talked a lot more about life. While listening, Shujia was planning the fact that she was not selected.
In the intercalary fourth month, a major event occurred, further solidifying the Shi family's conviction that "any contact with the eldest prince should be avoided, even if there is any possibility of contact." Kangxi decided to send the crown prince out of the palace to study and give lectures to Manchu and Han ministers in the Wenhua Hall.
According to Hua Shan and Shi Wenbing, who had returned from the court meeting, the Crown Prince's scholarship was truly remarkable, his ability to bring fresh perspectives to well-rehearsed classics, and his demeanor and manner embodied the bearing of a crown prince. The Emperor was clearly pleased and still supported him. Do you think the eldest prince would fare well against such a figure?
"No more talk, no more talk. It has nothing to do with us anyway. Our fourth grandfather has been appointed Governor of Yunnan, and we need to celebrate. Let's invite Shi Wenying and her family over for dinner and chat."
If you want to chat, there's plenty of gossip to share, like Kerkun becoming the emperor's in-law, his daughter Irgen Jueluo being betrothed to the eldest prince, and the dowry being counted quickly. Hua Shan smacked his lips. "He's following Mingzhu down the same path. He's courting death!"
The sons, nephews, and grandsons all pretended not to hear. Shi Wenying was secretly surprised. This old man was really right. Those two groups were making trouble every day, and the master was already impatient.
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Xiluo Te finally put her worries aside and turned her attention to arranging her eldest son's marriage. The rejected concubines had been released, and she began to inquire about other people and discuss matters with Shi Wenbing. Shi Wenbing had to listen to Hua Shan's opinion. Hua Shan said, "Don't get involved with those two families. Anything is fine."
Xiluo Te and Shi Wenbing had different priorities. One focused on a girl's appearance, character, family background, and parents, while the other focused on her background. The best ones were all taken by the emperor's family, so what kind of girl did you want to choose? A concubine like Shuxian, whose daughter was difficult to arrange, and Huashan's unfavorable marriage, were another matter. Such a situation was rare, after all.
Another reason is that there was a bereavement in the family, which delayed the election and caused people to be over the age limit.
Xiluo Te and Shi Wenbing had looked at several families, and the matchmaker had also sent a few, but they were all dissatisfied in one way or another, or had low personal qualities, or had their fathers died young or their mothers were ill. Xiluo Te had put in a lot of effort and had selected a few candidates, and asked Xiluo Te's sister-in-law to look at them first.
Shujia would have said that it's better to be older, so that the body can develop and be healthy. However, Xiluo Te didn't ask for her daughters' opinions, simply informing them, "I'm going to find a match for your eldest brother. Just be aware of this." Even Fu Dali himself couldn't express much opinion on this matter, unless he happened to know that there was something about the girl that was clearly not to his liking. This was a place where free love was not allowed; if things didn't work out, they would end.
Shujia had to deal with the added challenge of failing the selection, and now this even more daunting task had nearly turned her hair gray. Even if she didn't win, where would you find a good man to marry? The only men she'd meet before marriage who weren't members of her family, aside from the servants who drove her, would probably be the uncles who walked the streets.
When Xiluo Te was asking her sister-in-law to go and see the girl first, she turned around and saw her daughter with a bitter face, so she asked, "What's wrong with you?" The aunt smiled first and said, "Madam, there's no need to ask, and there's no need to be afraid, girl. I'll go and see her right away. If she has a bad temper, we won't marry her."
Xiluo Te said angrily, "She thinks too much." Shujia grinned and thought, "How could I be worried about my sister-in-law being in trouble? No matter how bad it is, it will be smoothed out in your hands, mother."
The two teased Shujia a bit more, and the aunt, having received the request, went ahead to check it out. Xiluo's sister-in-law came back and said that the girl was certainly willing, and that she was very pretty. If she could participate in the selection, she would probably have a bright future. Xiluo was moved, and her aunt said, "Why not just say that we will return the banquet and invite the mother and daughter and other guests. Say that our two girls are also returning to their parents' home, and that our nieces are also coming, and invite their daughter to come and have a chat."
Xiluo Te said: "Then I will wait for the news."
The aunt's banquet was quickly served, and Shuxian and Shujia drove to her aunt's house to meet their future sister-in-law. This was a brilliant move indeed. Because there were so many people, while some suspected ulterior motives, they were unsure of their true intentions. The girls and wives greeted each other, bowing and greeting. While their manners were generally good, several of them were unremarkable. Even Shujia, who didn't consider herself a beauty, found confidence in seeing some of them.
He was her own brother. They didn't interact much, but he wasn't a bad person to her. So Shujia's standards became unusually strict. Not only did she have to look at his appearance, but if he looked ugly, he wouldn't be accepted. If he looked frivolous, he wouldn't be accepted. If he looked delicate and timid, he would be eliminated... If he was too fat, he wouldn't be accepted. If he was too thin, he wouldn't be accepted...
For a while afterwards, this was the topic of discussion among the masters of the Shi Mansion. Fu Dali, perhaps embarrassed or perhaps he was hesitant to follow some internally circulated rule about "good young men in feudal society," didn't even ask. Shu Jia couldn't help herself and asked Xiluo Te, "Brother, why aren't you talking?"
Xiluo Te said half-jokingly, "Go ask him."
Xiluo Te had already asked Fu Dali what kind of wife he wanted, and had given her some criteria so she could have an idea. Now she was just teasing her daughter. Men really had a lot of requirements when it came to marrying a wife. Fu Dali came from a good family, and he himself was a guard, although only a blue feather, so his requirements were even more fussy and abstract.
According to Fu Dali, he wants a virtuous wife who is filial, capable of managing the household, kind to her siblings, and...
Because she was his sister, and because she felt her brother deserved a good girl, Shujia didn't curse out loud: "You're asking for too much! These days, are all good men like this?" Shujia was extremely worried.
Xiluo Te also required that the in-laws should not be difficult to get along with and should preferably be a legitimate daughter. Shi Wenbing had another set of standards.
Shujia thought to herself, we are all stupid. Just look at how picky our family is. Who knows what will happen if the emperor's family chooses a daughter-in-law. Our sister is pretty good. If the people in the palace are really picky, she will probably be rejected. Then what were all our worries and efforts before?
Finally, Ehai's daughter, Wendu, a Manchu of the Bordered White Banner, who lived nearby, was chosen. Wendu was over the age limit, having initially been caught up in the Three Feudatories. There was no other way, it was a natural disaster, but there were many over-age women due to the Three Feudatories. During the selection process in the 22nd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, her grandfather unfortunately died, preventing her from being selected that round. Wouldn't this year's selection have put her over the age limit? Ehai was also a capable person, having risen from a clerk to a cabinet secretary, and now held the position of doctor and assistant commander of the Imperial Clan Court.
Shujia remembered this Wendu. She wasn't much older than she thought, about the same age as Fu Dali, with long eyebrows and big eyes, and a very gentle look. Back in her room, she drew a 70% likeness based on her memories and showed it to Fu Dali. Judging by her brother's expression, Fu Dali was satisfied.
The two parties had several contacts back and forth, and Fudali also met with Ehai in an informal setting, and both parties were satisfied with each other.
Because they lived close together, it was easy to travel, and they knew each other's reputations. After finding an official matchmaker and matching their horoscopes, they began the formal marriage process. The Shi family would plan a courtyard for Fu Dali to live in, while the Wendu family would come to measure the house, make the accompanying furniture, and prepare a list of the dowry.
Then, an auspicious date was chosen and the engagement ceremony took place. The small engagement took place first, followed by the large engagement, so there's no need to go into detail. One of the items involved displaying the dowry: the amount of rooms, land, furniture, and valuables, all carried all the way from the bride's home to the bride's. At that time, customs were still relatively conservative, and people were more restrained in their weddings. Wendu's dowry was sixty-four loads of luggage, including a small farmhouse, various valuables, and furniture. She brought four maids, a nanny, and two families of relatives.
Shujia and Shuxian assisted Xiluo with all the running around. Shi Wenying was in Beijing, and her wife came to help. Shujia had seen this aunt before. Xiluo said that this was her second wife, her surname was Guan, and she looked pretty, but Shujia always felt that there was a hint of sadness between her brows.
Weddings are festive and busy, so it's best not to talk about irrelevant topics for now. Shujia put this aside for now and glanced at her sister-in-law's dowry. It even had a toilet. It was really... Even if she didn't get married, this property would be enough for her to live on.
Shujia had been quite involved in matters in Hangzhou, but now that the Earl's family was marrying off their eldest son, they didn't dare let her take charge. She had to stay at the sidelines, available whenever she needed help with writing or calculating. Furthermore, Xiluo Te had entrusted her with her youngest son, Guanyinbao, to look after from time to time.
Do you remember this Baozi? He was born at the end of the 22nd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. He's now four years old, but he hasn't even celebrated his third birthday yet. He's only been in this world for two years and eight months. After his birth, his family was busy, so he was raised by his maids. Once he settled down in Beijing, they had to prepare for the imperial selection, and he was ignored for a long time.
He was a good kid, not crying or making a fuss, so of course he didn't get much attention. When he calmed down, Shujia realized with guilt that her little brother could talk. She came over and played with him.
Guanyinbao was still being raised in Xiluote's courtyard and was well taken care of by the maids. Nanny Wang had originally followed Shujia, so it was convenient for her to talk to him.
The little girl was chubby, wearing a red bellyband over a small jacket in the summer, green pants, and red shoes. A longevity lock hung around her neck. When she waved her fat, lotus-root-like arms, the delicate bells on her bracelets tinkled. Being called "sister" by him made Shujia feel a little guilty.
Reach out and hug Guanyinbao, touch his little nose, and talk to him.
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The Shi Mansion finally has a proper mistress, but she is not yet able to manage the household and has to start from being a daughter-in-law.
When eating, she had to stand and serve the dishes. Even if there were seats, she couldn't sit down. She had to wait until everyone else had finished eating before she went back to her room to eat. Usually, when Xiluo talked here, she had a seat, but she was always ready to get up and serve her mother-in-law.
Shuxian had just passed the selection and was feeling relaxed when she saw her sister-in-law like this. Shujia was also terrified. She had never seen a daughter-in-law serving her mother-in-law since she came here. Xiluo Te was relatively easy to get along with, and her sisters weren't mean or shrewd. She had to work so hard...
Wen Du's dowry also included four maids and other accompanying family members, all of whom had to come and kowtow to the master of the mansion as a token of their respect. Shu Jia noticed that two of the maids were pretty, and she immediately realized that they were probably backup concubines.
Shujia became more and more determined to avoid selection, arrange her own marriage, and only marry into a family that was easy to get along with.
The broad wedding process includes returning to the parents' home and staying for a month. When Fudali accompanied his wife to return to the parents' home and stay for a month, Xiluo Te taught Shuxian: "Have you seen your sister-in-law? Learn from her. This is what a new daughter-in-law should do." The Shi family did not have many rules for daughters-in-law. Xiluo Te did not have a mother-in-law to control her when she got married. It was her first time to marry a daughter-in-law, so the rules were considered relaxed.
Taking advantage of the opportunity of marrying her daughter-in-law, Xiluo redistributed the household affairs. Fudali's courtyard was handed over to Wendu, and the remaining housework was divided among the two daughters. Shuxian had to learn some cooking skills, which meant memorizing a few recipes and making a few soups.
Mrs. Xiluo Te provided Shuxian with comprehensive bridal training, temporarily handing her over to manage her own small kitchen, with assistance from the Fuhai family. She also managed the purchasing, farms, and shops, though she didn't let go, allowing the two sisters to act as secretaries. She had already planned on the farms and shops that would be included in her dowry, and she wanted Shuxian to have a clear idea of what they were looking for.
With the addition of a new member, the household layout changed. Fudali's room had a small kitchen, and Shuxian, wanting to learn how to make soup, also opened one—all while the new house was being renovated. Shujia seized the opportunity to ask for practice, but was rejected. Shujia protested, "I want to learn, too." Xiluotai rebuked her, saying, "It's too early for you! Don't mess around." Shujia, dejected, looked over her notebook at the items she was responsible for.
This is the situation that Wen Du is facing. As an airborne troop, her superiors are looking at her in a testing manner, so she will probably have a hard time at the beginning.
The mothers and daughters were whispering to each other.
When she returned to her parents' home and was asked about her life at her husband's, Wen Du lowered her head and said, "He's nice to me, my sister-in-law isn't difficult to get along with, and my mother-in-law hasn't said anything." Then her eyes reddened and she said, "Mother, I miss you." Her mother patted her on the back and coaxed her, "That's how new daughters-in-law are. Your mother-in-law is pretty good. I hope you can give birth to a son soon."
He then inquired about household affairs, food, clothing, housing, transportation, and whether the food was delicious. Upon learning that Wendu had a small kitchen, he smiled and said, "That's good for you. We don't know what you're like, and we can't leave everything to you. Take care of your own affairs first, and let your mother-in-law see your ability, so she can feel at ease, right? Serve your mother-in-law well, and get along well with your sister-in-law..."
"Your sister-in-law is a sensible person. You should get along well with her," Xiluotai also told her daughter, reminding Shuxian, "You are about to be married. Once you get married, you will be on your own. The more you can do at home, the better. The more you can learn."
A daughter of one family attracts hundreds of suitors, and since Shuxian was rejected, many have come to her door with marriage proposals. Most of them are second sons, illegitimate sons, or those from side branches. When her family heard that Shuxian was only selected at the last minute, they looked at her with a higher regard. Everyone knows that the last one left, the better.
Xiluotai and Shi Wenbing looked around, but none of them were entirely satisfied. Some had too large a family, some were illegitimate children, and Shi Wenbing thought the boys had all sorts of flaws he didn't like. Shuxian had been invited to see a few plays with Xiluotai, and Shujia sometimes went along, too. It felt like the same gaze they'd previously cast on others was now being returned to them. It was truly unpleasant! Shujia wore a standard smile, but she was already grimacing inwardly.
In November, Shi Wenbing arranged a marriage for Shuxian. The man, surnamed Jiang, was a Han bannerman and his family was also a zuoling. The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate daughters was not significant, though that was before the selection process. After being eliminated, there was still a difference between legitimate and illegitimate daughters, and many families were reluctant to accept illegitimate daughters—the same was true when Xiluo Te was selecting a daughter-in-law for Fu Dali. Finding a suitable in-law for Shuxian proved challenging, but the child chosen was from a zuoling family under the Han Bordered Blue Banner. He was the eldest son of the principal wife, which met Shuxian's requirements.
Shi Wenbing was attracted by her honesty. The boy was sixteen years old and had just become a clerk. He thought he would have a bright future if he took his time. Marrying Shuxian into any of the other wealthy families would be a real pain, and some of the others, like Yiming and Yisuo, seemed unreliable. This family, however, was not a high-ranking official, kept a low profile, and led a comfortable life, making it a perfect match for a concubine's daughter.
This time, the Shi family was marrying off their daughter and dealing with dowry matters. Shuxian handed over her duties and focused on preparing for her marriage. Xiluo Te assigned Shuxian's household chores to her daughter-in-law and youngest daughter, personally presiding over the marriage of her concubine's daughter. The aunts withdrew from Shuxian's care, and Xiluo Te assigned a nanny to frequently visit Shuxian's courtyard to provide her with premarital counseling.
Shuxian was also busy, making purses and knitting lace, all of which were given as gifts, some for her in-laws' family, and some for her own family. Shujia said, "How can we finish all this? The ones for rewards are made by needlework experts, and the ones for the elders are made by you yourself." As she spoke, she handed Shuxian a small hand warmer to warm her hands.
Shuxian took it and said, "I know that too, but I feel uneasy if I don't do something now, and I can't sit still." Shujia hugged her and teased her. Shuxian stopped what she was doing and said seriously, "I won't be able to stay here for a few more days. There is something I must ask you to agree to before I can rest assured."
When Shujia asked what was wrong, Shuxian let out a long sigh: "After all, she gave birth to me. Sometimes she can act foolishly, but she's still honest. Now that I'm gone, she's even more confused." Shujia said, "I know that. Don't worry. Madam won't make things difficult for her, even for your sake."
Shuxian said, "But now that she's said that, even if she wanted to make trouble, she wouldn't be able to do so. I just ask you to be more tolerant." Shujia said, "She's an elderly woman, so I can't make a fuss about it. Hey, seriously, are you... thinking about your brother-in-law, like a rabbit in your lap?"
"You little girl!" Shuxian scolded with a smile, "I haven't even seen anyone yet, what are you thinking?!" Come over and tickle her. After a while of laughing and joking, Bixi came in through the curtain and said, "Big Miss, Second Miss, the eldest lady is here."
The two stood up to greet them. Wendu, wearing a bright red embroidered jacket and a necklace, also held a hand warmer, and walked in with a smile. The two sisters stood up and offered her a seat, and the three of them sat down. Wendu handed the hand warmer to her maid, Rong'er, and asked Shuxian what she was doing. After hearing that she was making a purse, she picked it up and looked at it, then recounted her wedding experience.
Shuxian listened attentively, advising brides not to drink or drink less water before the wedding and to hold the apple firmly. Unconsciously, their relationship grew closer. Wendu was quite good at socializing; casual conversation was the best way to get a woman accustomed to accepting you emotionally.
Shujia saw that the people who came to Shuxian's place in twos and threes were hiding in the corridor, not daring to come in, so she said goodbye. Her current task was to take care of the things at hand and not cause trouble. Wendu said, "I will go with my sister."
When she returned to the courtyard, she saw Hongxiu and Zishang talking. The aunts, noticing Shujia's return, asked, "Miss, have you met the eldest daughter? How is she?" Shujia replied, "She's gained a bit of weight." Chunxi came over and said, "Miss, something has been delivered from the farm. The mistress is looking for you."
She still has this job.
Before the New Year, the engagement was made, and several women from the Jiang family came to see Shuxian. They were definitely satisfied. Although the girl was a concubine's daughter, she had been raised by the mistress, and she was well-mannered, good at needlework, and even more beautiful. With that, the matter was settled, and Shuxian stayed in the courtyard, not going out.
First, to avoid shame, then to do needlework. Clothes and bedding, for example, require their own needlework, and purses are made by hand, which is more sincere. Especially with the New Year approaching, there are purses to be made for the New Year. Wendu sent a box of purses, saying that her maid made them, and asked her to give them to others and not to dislike them.
Shujia was so busy with needlework preparing the dowry that she couldn't handle it, so she asked the maids in her yard to help make some simple gifts for people as an emergency measure.
Shuxian held up two boxes of purses and chuckled. Zhenzhu came up to take some and said, "Miss, the eldest lady sent twenty, and the second lady also sent twenty. Add the thirty or so we made, and it's more than enough." Shuxian said, "They are so thoughtful."
She was both excited and anxious. Having her family care about her was a good thing; sticking together in her natal family meant she wouldn't be bullied by her husband's family. But getting married and moving into an unfamiliar environment was understandable, especially since she was only thirteen.
Shujia chewed her fingers in bed, completely bewildered: "How old is Big Sister? She wasn't eliminated because she was over the age limit. Why is she in such a hurry to find another team?"
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