Chapter Six: The Aunt

  The second aunt silently took over those manuscripts, carefully read them through, and then picked out one to hand to the madam: "This is the best!"

  The old lady looked stunned and said, "Isn't that one with a big 'shou' character in the middle good?"

  The second aunt said lightly: "After all, the fifth young lady is still young and her penmanship is not good enough. When writing that small cursive script of the flower pin, it didn't feel like much, but when writing those large characters in the square seal script, it's a bit too coquettish!"

  The fifth daughter's face turned red and white alternately as she listened.

  This was also said by the husband who taught Miss to read books.

  She didn't give up and secretly found a calligraphy master to practice writing big characters...

  The old lady sighed and handed over the one that Erniang had picked out to Wuniang: "This one will do!"

  Taking advantage of the opportunity to pass it over, Eleventh Sister saw the pattern - that round hundred-year-old picture.

  "The elderly all like round and full... this one will do!" Madame's tone had a few parts of fatigue, "Fifth Daughter quickly write it out, Eleventh Daughter good embroidery."

  The fifth daughter dare not have a dissenting opinion. Taking over the pattern, she knelt down and replied "yes".

  "Then it's time to embroider 'hundred longevity picture' during this period?"

  The eleventh girl replied respectfully with a "yes".

  The second aunt nodded and stopped asking questions, which made the big wife curious.

  "We originally wanted Eleven to help with a few more rounds of Luozi," said Big Aunt, smiling. "It seems Eleven doesn't have the energy for that anymore."

  Eleventh girl smiled and glanced at the old lady, as if looking for her expression. Seeing that the old lady was not displeased, she smiled and said: "Fifth sister's handwriting still needs two days of work. What kind of lace do you want to make? If there is too much, I'm afraid we will have to wait!"

  It means if you don't have much to live for, then it's still possible to help out.

  "I made two windbreakers for Brother Huan," said Big Auntie with a smile, "I want Eleventh Sister to help make two five-bat tassels."

  With one thread, five bats are tied up, it's one of Jian Shifu's special skills, later taught to Eleventh Sister.

  Bats are homophonic with "good fortune", five bats imply longevity, wealth, health, good virtue and a peaceful death - the five blessings. A string of five bats is the most auspicious object.

  Three-year-old Xiao Ge is the eldest son of Grandpa and also Grandma's favorite child.

  The old lady's expression on her face became very gentle: "I don't know if those maids and daughters-in-law are taking good care of him?"

  Three years ago, Old Master Luo passed away, and the three Luo brothers resigned from their official posts to return home for mourning. This year, on October 24th, the three-year period is over, and all three brothers need to report back to the Ministry of Rites. The second and third masters brought their families along, but the first master's wife was busy with household chores and couldn't leave, so she let her son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and servant girl Ru follow the first master to Yanjing. Firstly, there would be someone to take care of the first master, and secondly, it would allow their son to bring his family to visit his sister and brother-in-law, and under the pretext of staying in Yanjing for the Imperial Academy's examination next year - two years ago, when the new emperor ascended to the throne and granted an amnesty, Luo Zhenxing had a funeral at home and did not participate.

  "Brother Huan has a big nanny by his side," Wu Xiaoquan's family laughed and said, "You can rest assured!"

  While the eleventh girl knew what this rope was used for, she naturally immediately expressed her attitude: "I don't dare say anything else, but I do have some skill in tying two ropes."

  "That's great." The big aunt smiled and said, "The five-color silk threads in my Caixiu Workshop are all ready..." She looked like she couldn't wait.

  "Then go help your aunt with the embroidery!" The old lady smiled and instructed Eleven, "I'll have Wu Xiaquan's family keep me company and chat here."

  The two aunts, Wu Niang and Shi Yi Niang, got up and withdrew.

  The elder sister-in-law then pulled the eleventh sister's hand: "Come, go to my place, later I'll get Cai Xia to make rose lotus seed paste cake for you to eat." After a pause, she also smiled at the fifth sister and said: "Fifth Miss, why don't you come to my room to sit for a while too?"

  Looking at the big aunt's perfunctory appearance, Wu Niang felt displeased in her heart. She also thought that these two aunts were now just waiting for death with their positions and titles but no substance, and they didn't even have the energy to socialize anymore.

  "It's nothing," she said with a faint expression, "I don't dare to be careless about what the mistress has entrusted me with."

  The elder aunt was about to say something, but the second aunt had already pulled the elder aunt and eleventh aunt away: "Since that's the case, then we won't stay. Fifth Miss, hurry up and go!"

  Eleventh girl was pulled by Second Aunt, turned her head to Fifth Girl and said "Sister slow down", then followed Second Aunt hastily.

  The fifth daughter looked at the back of the three people and pouted, returning to the Jade Garden.

  The elder sister-in-law couldn't help but complain: "Why must it be like this? She's also a pitiful person!"

  The second aunt coldly snorted and said, "Who in this house isn't a pitiful person? It's just that you're pitiful, but there are those who are even more pitiful than you. Moreover, we've all ended up like this, whether horizontally or vertically, it's all just one death, what is there to fear?"

  The elder sister-in-law looked at the eleven daughter who was standing aside and somewhat at a loss, after all, she endured the unsaid words. She just smiled and beckoned to the eleven daughter: "You sit, I'll go get the thread."

  The two aunts lived next to each other, but the elder aunt, apart from worshiping Buddha, also liked to spend her days doing needlework with the young children of the Luo family. The eleventh daughter had some acquaintance with the two aunts, and it was the elder aunt who heard from the household servants that the eleventh miss was skilled in needlework, being one of Master Jian's favorite disciples, which is why she asked the eleventh daughter to help her embroider a Buddhist scripture. Later, after more contact, she discovered that the eleventh daughter had a gentle disposition, although she didn't speak much, but acted with stability and grandeur, treating people warmly and generously, and got along well with her. So she often invited her over for a chat or went to visit the eleventh daughter herself, doing some needlework and chatting idly. The second aunt, apart from worshiping Buddha, wasn't interested in anything else. A few times when they met by chance, it was just a respectful greeting, and the second aunt would respond with a nod, not saying much to her.

  But today's scene is somewhat strange.

  The elder sister-in-law went to fetch the thread, and the second sister-in-law not only didn't return to her own room as usual but instead instructed Cai Xia beside the elder sister-in-law: "Your family's sister-in-law said that you have to make a rose lotus seed cake to entertain Miss Eleven, why don't you hurry up?"

  The second aunt's face had been stern for a long time, and Cai Xia hastily responded and left.

  She scolded her maid again: "What are you standing there for? Guests have arrived and you don't even know what tea to brew, what can you do?"

  Caiyun's face turned bright red as she said it, and she gave a blessing to the eleventh daughter before turning around to change the tea.

  The eleventh girl hurriedly picked up her tea and took a sip: "This tea is extremely good. Is it top-grade West Lake Longjing?"

  The second aunt's face had a rare smile: "Not bad, it's top-grade West Lake Longjing. However, I also have Yuyi Tieguanyin from Fujian here. Try some!"

  The eleventh girl was secretly shocked.

  She is now the father, that is, the old master of Luo Fu, Luo Huazheng, who has been in Fujian for three consecutive terms as a governor and has not been able to move to another place, thinking it is a lifelong regret. Also because of this, he has deep roots in Fujian, although at home mourning, his former subordinates who had received his kindness often send him special products from Fujian. This Yuxi Tieguanyin is one of them.

  Of course, Luo Huazhong, who has become a high-ranking official, has a certain weight in the imperial court and in the eyes of the emperor. As long as he is not involved in treason, he will be reinstated sooner or later. Moreover, he is also related to Yongping Hou by marriage, so those people will not treat him lightly.

  For a moment, her mind was in a whirlwind of confusion.

  She felt something fleeting in her mind, wanting to grasp but couldn't catch it!

  Eleventh girl couldn't help but raise her head to look at Second Aunt - and then she suddenly discovered that Second Aunt actually had a pair of clear eyes like water, with a captivating sparkle in the ripples.

  An extremely ordinary person suddenly reveals an extraordinary quality in front of you, Eleven Lang suddenly becomes vigilant, thinking about what happened today.

  Although the eldest aunt loved to do needlework for young children, this did not include Young Master Du - because in the Luo household, he was no ordinary child. She also had her make a five-bat knot, a type of knot that only she and Jian Shifu knew how to tie...

  "With the jade pendant swaying back and forth in front of her eyes, her gaze fixed on it as it rotated. After a long time, you can also have a pair of eyes like this." The second aunt suddenly smiled at her, with an even more intense color in her eyes, "You start practicing from today, it's not too late either."

  The eleventh girl pretended to be unaware, revealing a face full of confusion.

  The second aunt suddenly burst out laughing: "Qing Tong is such an honest person, yet she gave birth to a daughter like you. How interesting!"

  Qīng Tóng is Lǚ Yí Niáng's name.

  "Second Aunt said something, I don't understand what she's saying." Eleventh Aunt remained expressionless.

  "It doesn't matter if you can't hear or understand, as long as you're not deaf." The second aunt's expression was calm and composed, seemingly unbothered by the eleventh aunt's feigned ignorance, even appearing to appreciate it. "Calculating the days, Master and Young Master should have arrived in Yanjing by now. Who knows what happened, but Master and Young Master each sent a trusted person from their side to deliver messages to Madame. After receiving Master's message, she called for someone to summon you as a screen. After receiving Young Master's message, she sent Permit Mother to Cian Temple to donate incense oil money and gave her that beautiful amber pendant... and suddenly called me and Big Aunt to ask about the printing method of one thousand copies of the Lotus Sutra... don't you find it strange?"

  But next door, taking a thread, does it take so long?

  Eleventh Sister was already ninety percent sure that these two aunts had dug a hole for her to jump into.

  A wife and six concubines, plus a large number of half-brothers and sisters, are at odds with each other. Even a ghost wouldn't believe that this family is as harmonious as it appears on the surface, with brothers and younger brothers getting along with each other.

  No matter what the nature of it is, Eleven won't intervene - neither willing nor able.

  "Madam had always believed in Buddhism, so she asked Mrs. Xu to go to Ci'an Temple to donate oil money and ask Auntie how to print the Lotus Sutra, I looked at it as usual." She smiled at Second Auntie, "As for rewarding me with a maid, to be honest, Wintergreen and Binju by my side were also rewarded by Madam, they are all extremely loyal and kind-hearted people. I really don't know where Auntie's 'strangeness' comes from!"

  "There's nothing strange about it, really." The second aunt-in-law smiled with pleasure under her gaze, "I was just saying that. Some people can listen to it, while others can't."

  The eleventh girl smiled but didn't answer, lowered her head and blew away the foam in the teacup, then took a light sip.

  The house fell silent.

  "This rainbow put a thread under my pillow and made me search for it in vain." Before long, the big sister-in-law came out with a smile, "Sorry to keep you waiting!"

  "No!" said Eleventh Sister with a warm smile, "Second Aunt is here to keep you company!"

  The elder sister-in-law smiled and nodded, handing the silk thread to Eleventh Sister: "Take a look, will this thread do?"

  There's still one more chapter today!