Chapter 143: Visiting (Middle)

  "Do you know what that little fellow is called?"

  "Ah, I know," said Amber. "His name is Xiaoluckzi, about 9 or 10 years old. Yang Hui's ancestor made an excuse to barge into Xiaoluckzi's house and take a look. He said the child was very fair and clean, spoke eloquently and politely, and seemed to be able to recognize a few characters."

  He looks dignified and has good manners, and can even recognize a few characters... He is clearly the best candidate to be a personal attendant!

  The eleventh girl smiled slightly and asked Qin Niang: "...... Is there any news?"

  "I heard from the little maid beside Qin Niangniang that Qin Niangniang has not been feeling well lately, and her sleep is also unstable. Her maid Xinghua had someone go to Ci Yuan Temple to fetch some talisman water for her to drink."

  "Drink symbol water?" Eleventh Girl's eyes widened involuntarily.

  Amber nodded: "Qin's wife was very trusting of that Jining Shifutai, and every year she would donate incense oil money to Ciyuan Temple."

  Eleventh girl just wants to smile.

  There aren't many people at home, but there are a lot of gods being worshipped.

  She told Amber about the Lin family possibly letting her help with Hui's daughter's marriage: "Our two families live next door, and there must be older mothers at home who have dealings with them. Let's ask around about Hui's daughter's situation, so we can prepare." She also mentioned the matter of Golden Fish Alley, "The New Year is approaching, send someone to bring 50 taels of silver over. And pass on a message, let them have a peaceful New Year, and whatever matters can be discussed after the snow stops." Then she instructed Amber, "Tomorrow at Chou time, wake me up."

  Huang nodded and made a note of it, planning to wake up Shiyi Niang at Choushi time the next day.

  On a cold winter night, at the third watch, Shier Niang lingered in bed for half a day before getting up. After tidying up, she lay on the kang and ate an apple, but didn't see any sign of Xu Lingyi.

  She couldn't help but feel strange and sent Amber to take a look.

  After a while, Amber returned with an odd expression: "Madam Qiao is serving Master Hou his breakfast. The little maid asked me what I wanted and I just said I came to see if Master Hou had left for his morning court. Nothing else was mentioned."

  Several maids standing beside her lowered their heads and trembled with fear, the atmosphere in the room suddenly becoming somewhat heavy.

  Never thought Xu Lingyi didn't plan on coming...

  The eleventh daughter was not pleased.

  She hesitated and seemed about to speak, but stopped herself.

  Having lost face to this extent, I'm no longer afraid of anything.

  "What else is there?"

  Amber stepped forward and said in a low voice: "I heard that Master Hou spent the night at Madam Qiao's place yesterday."

  The eleventh girl felt very embarrassed.

  If you want to keep something secret, don't do it yourself. What's more, in her place, I'm afraid the three aunts have already sent someone to pay attention to every move. When it was Qiao Lian's turn to wait for bedtime, either Xu Lingyi had something on or she wasn't in the mood. Just yesterday, she spent the night there, and today early in the morning, she sent a capable maid to investigate the situation, if this fell into the eyes of someone with ill intentions... What kind of thing is this!

  She was secretly resentful of Xu Lingyi in her heart.

  Didn't I say I'd serve breakfast today? How can you go back on your word like that?!

  But in her heart, she knew she couldn't blame Xu Lingyi.

  Yesterday I just said so, Xu Lingyi also replied at that time, letting me not get up so early.

  How could I have made such a mistake!

  Or, I'm afraid of offending him!

  A thought flashed through his mind.

  The eleventh girl nodded secretly.

  Not bad. Said that today serving him breakfast, at the time was all because of the guilt after refusing him. So today will have such an action - feel that he let himself serve a meal of breakfast, it is considered to forgive their own inopportune refusal, making themselves more at peace with oneself.

  Thinking of this, she couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

  Am I being overly cautious?

  Without rules, there is no square inch. The man dominates outside, the woman dominates inside. Household matters should be decided by oneself. Whose house to stay in for a few days, although it was booked by myself, he also agreed. Since that's the case, what's there to feel guilty about?

  She thought about it and took a deep breath, feeling much more relieved in her heart!

  Amber looked at her for a while without making a sound, her face flushed red as she sat there, thinking she was feeling embarrassed, and hurriedly smiled: "The kitchen made a winter wormwood soup with black chicken this morning, I'll have someone bring you a bowl!"

  "Alright!" Xiāo Niáng nodded, "While you're at it, bring over that small box of mine with the embroidered goods. I'll take a look and see if there are any pretty yet simple ones. When Huì Jiě comes, we can show them to her as examples."

  Amber saw her gradually regaining her calm and composed demeanor, feeling delighted, and didn't dare mention anything about Master Hou, Aunt Qiao, or breakfast. She hurriedly smiled in response, while calling a small maid to bring out the breakfast, and led two small maids to bring out the boxes containing Eleventh Lady's embroidery.

  Eleventh Sister drank a bowl of chicken soup and sat down to pick things. Thinking that if Qian Jie came here, her brother would probably shout to come along, at that time she had to think of a way to lure him into her own room to play. Her mind kept turning.

  "Do you know what little boys like to play with?" she asked Amber.

  Amber was stunned, thought for half a day and shook her head: "I don't know!" After a pause, she asked softly: "Are you preparing to play with your brother?"

  Eleventh Sister sighed: "The things I played with at that time seemed not very suitable for Brother Yun."

  "Huangpo thought for a moment and said: 'Why don't I go ask?'"

  "Hmm." Eleventh Sister said, "You go ask around, and when you come back tonight, report back to me."

  Just then, Nanyang's wife arrived. Seeing Shier Niang already sitting on the large kang by the window, she was startled.

  Eleventh daughter explained with a bit of "this place has no silver three hundred taels": "Oh, in two days, the big milk from next door Lin's family may bring her daughter Hui sister to my house and let me help guide her needlework, take out the things from before and see if there are any suitable ones, and then make a model for her at that time."

  Nan Yong's wife smiled and said, "Do you have guests coming? Do you want me to help cut some window flowers to paste on them? It's almost New Year's, it's also festive." After saying that, she seemed a bit embarrassed and said, "My craftsmanship is average, I can only cut 'High Rise' and 'Year after Year Surplus'. The Du mom beside the old lady can cut anything - no need to draw patterns on red paper, just take scissors and cut. Whatever shape you think of, you can cut it out!"

  "Really!" Eleventh Sister had not thought of this, and laughed, "But you're a bit better than me, I can only cut 'double happiness' characters. One day we'll invite Mother Du to tell us how to cut window flowers."

  Nan Yong's wife looked surprised: "I'll join in too..."

  The eleventh girl thought of her children and said: "If you have something to attend to, then go ahead."

  Nan Yong's wife shook her head repeatedly: "I'm fine, I'm fine." She smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "I also want to follow Du mom to learn how to cut window flowers. It's just that I didn't dare to say it out loud."

  The eleventh girl smiled and said, "If you want to learn, just follow along and learn together. If you're worried about your daughter not being taken care of, bring her here. Anyway, there are many little maids in my courtyard, let them help take care of her."

  The sound of children's laughter is the most beautiful sound in the world!

  Nan Yong's wife burst out laughing when she heard this.

  Eleventh Sister then said to her, "Braid a peony bun for me, just like the one I wore when I went back to my parents' home, but not so high, it's too high and makes me look like I'm pretending to be an adult...". She whispered again, "Although I am actually an adult!"

  Nan Yong's wife smiled with pursed lips and went to the dressing table with Shiyi Niang. She styled her hair into a bun that was slightly shorter than the usual peony bun, without wearing hairpins like ordinary people, but instead inserted two half-moon-shaped combs inlaid with coral, tortoiseshell, and wax. A small carnation flower hung from her ears. Underneath, she wore a white silk jacket, over which she wore a lake-green silk cloak with plum blossom patterns, and below that, a pale green skirt with embroidered oil-green branch patterns. She stood tall and slender, fresh and elegant.

  The eleventh girl also thought it was good and smiled as she called for Hu Po to bring over the Bi Xi Yu's wristlet.

  The big red plum blossom is embroidered with two fingernail-sized jade butterflies in the middle of the intricate pattern, below which are long red tassels. As she moves her hands and feet, the big red color either falls into the lake or rests among the emerald green, making the whole person become charming because of this little bit of beauty.

  "The fourth madam is really beautiful!" The southern daughter-in-law looked at her with a gaze full of envy.

  The eleventh girl played with two jade butterflies and smiled: "A man relies on his clothes, a horse relies on its saddle."

  Nan Yong's wife gazed at her jade-like face, sparkling eyes, and thought she was even more beautiful than the flowing silk. However, she wasn't one to speak easily, but simply smiled at Shiyi Niang. Meanwhile, Shiyi Niang noticed it was getting late and took Hupo to see Madame Tai.

  Old Lady Tai got up early and saw Eleventh Sister. Her eyes lit up and she smiled: "A person should still dress up neatly."

  The eleventh girl smiled and looked at the fabric on her body: "It's good to have something from mother!" This was one of the fabrics awarded by Lady Tai a few days ago.

  The old lady looked and nodded slightly.

  Mom brought in the kang table.

  Eleventh Young Lady serves breakfast for Old Madam.

  The old lady pulled her down to sit together.

  The eleventh girl smiled with pursed lips: "I used a little bit of honey... and came after eating."

  When she walked closer, Mrs. Ta saw that her face was powdered, but it looked more radiant and white than ordinary people. At this moment, after listening to her, taking a closer look, she discovered that she had trimmed her eyebrows, and her red lips had a radiant glow.

  The old lady burst out laughing: "You little scamp."

  The eleventh girl smiled slightly, but secretly let out a sigh of relief in her heart.

  She hopes to maintain a good relationship with the madam, and also hopes that the madam can accept her way of life, including her favorite hairstyle... feeling that the madam is not a conservative person, then there was this attempt - fortunately, the madam did not dislike it, passed smoothly.

  As she pondered, she heard Old Madam laughing and instructing Du Mama, "Go, have the kitchen make some egg pastries."

  Eleventh Sister knew that it was a kind of cake-like thing, made with molds into shapes like plum blossoms, apricots, and peaches, each one only the size of a cherry. Usually they were made for her younger brother as a snack. But why did Old Mistress ask someone to make these at this time? However, these egg cakes were sweet but not greasy, melted in the mouth, easy to digest, and suitable for old people to eat.

  Du's mother glanced at Shier Niang and smiled as she went along with her.

  The eleventh girl was looked at with some confusion.

  The old lady smiled and said: "After all, you're young, only knowing how to love beauty - eat some eggs and fruit to fill your belly!" There was already a hint of teasing in her eyes.

  It was for myself all along!

  Eleventh daughter drank chicken soup in the morning, and also ate two pieces of mallet cake and two pieces of millet cake. She wasn't hungry at all, but didn't want to disappoint Madame's kindness. Seeing that Madame was in a good mood, she winked her eyes and smiled: "Is this something you used before? Otherwise, why do our family's eggs and fruits have so many molds?"

  The old lady just chuckled.

  The eleventh girl understood in her heart and made Old Lady Yu happy. She sighed and said: "It turns out that I was picking up someone else's wisdom."