Chapter Seven: Thoughts

  "The length is just right." The eleventh girl looked carefully for half a day, "Then I'll go back first - today my mother gave me amber, and I haven't seen anyone yet, nor do I know what the house is like. I have to go back and take a look. When the hairpin is done, I'll let Dongqing send it over to you."

  The elder sister-in-law didn't keep her, but smiled and nodded, seeing her out the door.

  The second aunt said a sentence in an indifferent tone when she stepped out of the door with one foot.

  "It's strange to say. Our family's eldest sister gave birth to a son, who is now four years old, but he still isn't the heir. Is our family's eldest brother-in-law still following that outdated practice of prioritizing age over youth and virtue over birthright..."

  The eleventh daughter's footsteps faltered.

  At this time, Wu Niang had returned to Jiao Yuan and was talking with Lian Cong.

  "......Madam said that the wild mushroom and pigeon soup was well made, and also heard that Fourth Master had not been eating well these past two days, so she let me send some over to him."

  The fifth daughter smiled and said: "Then can my fourth brother eat well?"

  Lian Qiao smiled and said: "The food sent by the eldest lady is naturally delicious."

  Wu Niang sighed and said, "My fourth brother doesn't have anyone considerate by his side... If he had someone like Lian Qiao sister who knows what's hot and cold, he wouldn't be uncomfortable every other day!" As she spoke, she gently put the honeyed plum in her hand into her mouth.

  Lianqiao's heart skipped a beat as she listened.

  From being a third-rate maid to becoming the personal maid of the madam, it wasn't an easy feat. She didn't want to end up marrying a lowly servant and then having sons who would also become servants, or daughters who would go on to become maids... The masters in the mansion each had their own attendants who had been serving them since they were young, not to mention that the second madam brought four more with her when she married in; the second master passed away early; the third master was the eldest son of the second house, so it wasn't their turn to curry favor with him; as for the fifth and sixth masters of the third house, one was eight years old and the other five. There was only the fourth master, who although was born out of wedlock, the madam had to save face, and when the time came to divide the family property, she would give him a share. Moreover, the fourth master had a gentle disposition and was very considerate towards his sisters, and he even personally made lip balm for the senior maid in his household, Jin... As for the looks and character of the maids in the mansion, Wintergreen from Miss Eleven's room thought she couldn't compare to them, but surely she wasn't worse than that ugly and coarse Jin?

  Her face flushed with excitement.

  Fourth Master and Fifth Miss were extremely close, these two years he often visited Fifth Miss's place, all for the sake of Fifth Miss being able to help with arrangements when the time came... Unexpectedly, Fifth Miss actually loosened her tongue today.

  "I'm no match for Di Jin sister," Lian Qiao's big, watery eyes stared unwaveringly at Wu Niang, as if trying to discern something from her expression. "With her by Fourth Master's side, what does Fifth Miss have to worry about?"

  The girl's mouth was slightly ajar, as if she had something to say but didn't know how to express it.

  Zi Yun on the side lightly coughed and pointed to Lian Qiao's hand holding a tea cup: "Sister Lian Qiao, try some, it's Da Ye Niang's reward of Da Hong Pao."

  Wu Niang's face changed upon hearing Zi Yun's cough, and she didn't mention the Fourth Master again. Instead, she followed Zi Yun and said: "Lian Qiao sister, try this tea and see how it is?"

  Lian Qiao felt a surge of annoyance and secretly blamed Zi Yun for being too nosy - Fifth Miss was already in a difficult situation, and with Zi Yun's interruption, she definitely wouldn't mention Fourth Master again... Such a good opportunity had been ruined by Zi Yun. If she weren't one of Fifth Miss' senior maids and roughly the same age as her, she would have followed Fifth Miss to her husband's household in the future. She really wondered if Zi Yun was thinking along the same lines as herself. However, this wasn't certain. Eldest Madam said she loved Fifth Miss dearly, but if that were true, when Old Master fell ill, they should have quickly arranged a marriage for Fifth Miss, who had already come of age. That way, once the three-year mourning period was over, 18-year-old Fifth Miss wouldn't become an old maid... It seemed Eldest Madam might not truly regard Fifth Miss as her own child. If she could think of this, Zi Yun should be able to too. Rather than following Fifth Miss and risking marrying a cripple or a fool, it would be better to make plans early on and follow Fourth Master instead.

  A thought flashed through Lianqiao's mind, and she couldn't help but turn her resentment into hatred towards Ziyun.

  If Zi Yun really had this in mind, today wouldn't be the time for talking.

  Also thinking that there is still unfinished business on one's own body, if the big wife asks, she hasn't returned yet and still thinks she stayed at Fourth Master's place, it's not good after all.

  She chatted with Wu Niang for a few sentences and then stood up to bid farewell: "...... so that Madame won't be unable to find anyone later!"

  Wu Niang personally escorted her to the door: "Lian Qiao sister has something on, I won't delay any longer. Next time we have some free time, let's sit together."

  Lianqiao politely said a few words, and from a distance, there was a faint sound of crying and wailing.

  She listened and was taken aback.

  Zi Yun smiled and said, "It's Zi Wei sister teaching the new little maid. I don't know how it is now, but people are not like us in the past. When sisters gave a hint, they would immediately remember it and never dare to forget. Now it's good, like tofu that has fallen into the ash pit, you can't even pat it, let alone hit it. If something goes wrong, they will be so anxious that they don't know how to discipline them properly." She was indeed sighing with emotion.

  "Who says it's not." Lianqiao smiled and walked out with Ziyun, "You don't know, that new double荷 in our house actually quarreled with Yao Mama... In the past, we wouldn't even dare to think about it. Speaking of which, these two years, Permit Mama has been handling things less well than before, and the new people are getting more and more arrogant. Once, Big Nainai said that Permit Mama is old, and can't train people like she used to."

  "After all, sister is a big lady's housekeeper, with extraordinary vision." Zi Yun smiled and said, "Unlike us, when we see Mrs. Xu, our whole body goes soft, where can we still notice these things..."

  Two people talked, Zi Yun sent Lian Qiao out of the sedan garden.

  Wu Niang has already called Zi Wei over there.

  "...you are the big sister in my house, those little ones don't listen, teaching them a lesson is also necessary. It's just that this place is close to the main house, and Autumn Lotus has already been sent out because of her illness, if there's another bad one, Madam will ask us, we won't have a good answer. Moreover, her brother is still working in the accounting room."

  "Miss, it's a lesson." Ziwei said with an obedient attitude, "It was the servant's consideration that wasn't thorough. However, she only got a few slaps and nothing more. These past few days, someone has been keeping an eye on her, so she won't go out and talk nonsense."

  The fifth daughter nodded and instructed a few more sentences before letting Ziwei withdraw.

  After a while, Ziyun returned with some folded things in her hands.

  She told Wu Niang everything about Lian Qiao and what she had said: "...... it seems that the young mistress is not very satisfied with Xu Mama." She also thought of Lian Qiao's uneasy eyes. "Miss Wu, are you really going to let Lian Qiao serve Master Si?" She poured tea for Wu Niang again and handed it to her, "Her personality is so strong, and she has served under the eldest mistress before, if she goes to Master Si's room, I'm afraid it will be..."

  "When did I say let her go to the fourth master's house?" Wu Niang picked up the tea and took a sip, with a slow and elegant demeanor, like a big madam, but she didn't know herself. "Besides, she is a person from the big madam's house, even if it were the old master, there would be no reason to arrange for her, let alone me."

  Wu Niang didn't mean to bring Lian Qiao over, and Zi Yun couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

  Miss Wu could only truly rely on Fourth Master. Unfortunately, Fourth Master was a softie and someone like Lian Qiao would likely take advantage of them to the detriment of the women in the courtyard...

  Wu Niang thought of another matter and hesitated: "You say, what did Lian Qiao mean by that?"

  Zi Yun thought for a moment, then said in a low voice: "Is it because of the young lady's body... that Madam sent Permit Mother to Ci'an Temple... and also wanted to print the Lotus Sutra!"

  "It should be like this!" Wu Niang said thoughtfully, "Father has been gone for just over a month, and yet there's already a letter coming. Apart from Eldest Sister's matter, I couldn't think of anything else. Moreover, she's been ill ever since giving birth to Xiao Ge. If it really is like that, then what does Eldest Madam mean?"

  Wu Xiaquan's family used a cloth to put the peeled tangerines in a small mud-gold dish, and took out a long silver pick to remove the white pith as usual. But Mrs. Wu suddenly waved her hand: "Just leave it! I'm old now, not like before, eating some pith will help with digestion." She sighed deeply.

  "Big wife, what are you talking about?" Wu Xiaoquan's family brought a small dish to her side according to her words, "You're still young, Big Madam still needs your support... can't say old at this time."

  The lady smiled and ordered the attendants behind her: "You all withdraw!"

  Luo Qiao and others left at the sound of his voice.

  When the house was empty, Wu Xiaquan's family laughed and said: "The two ladies have a good deal. Seeing the screen shape, Miss Eleven didn't say anything, but Miss Five thought that the chicken wing wood matched with Huang Yang wood wasn't very good. I think Miss Five is right, Miss Eleven also said, temporarily first write the words according to the size, she will embroider first, and then make the base and frame of the screen, wait until there is the wood material that Miss Five said, it's not too late to change the wood material...

  Before she finished speaking, the lady had already waved her hand to indicate that she didn't need to say any more: "Just tell me, about the embroidered screen, which of the two young ladies is more confident?"

  "It's Miss Wu." said Mr. Wu Xiaquan with a smile, "When I went there, there was a pile of things on Miss Wu's desk, and she was letting Miss Eleven choose!"

  "Oh!" The old lady raised her eyebrows, "Which one did Miss Eleven choose?"

  Wu Xiaoquan's family laughed and said: "Miss Eleven seems to be indecisive too, let Miss Five go find the old lady to discuss it."

  "What about Miss Five? Which one does she like best?"

  "That one with big characters in the middle." Wu Xiaoquan's family laughed and said, "It says that it has both big characters and small script, which is most suitable."

  There are big characters and small characters, indeed the most suitable one is - suitable for her to show off how well she writes.

  The lady sneered in her heart: "What a pity, the second aunt said that her big character is not dignified enough."

  "It's still the first wife and second concubine who have good eyesight." Wu Xiaquan's family rolled their eyes, laughing, "I just can't see it. It's also like Fifth Miss, thinking that the one with big characters in the middle is good! However, at least I have someone to accompany me."

  "Oh?" The lady smiled and looked at Wu Xiaquan's house.

  Wu Xiaquan's heart skipped a beat.

  It's said that it has reached this point, but still stubbornly refuses to let go.

  "Look at Miss Eleven!" she laughed, "I can at least pick out a good one, but Miss Eleven thinks everything is fine."

  There's still another chapter later!