Chapter 2 Sisters

  According to the measurement of Eleven Niang, the Luo Mansion covers an area of about thirty mu. The east side is Zhī Yún Guǎn, the middle is Sì Zhī Táng, and the west side is Shuāng Xìng Yuàn. Behind the back door of Shuangxingyuan, there is a sluice gate leading to the outside river, which forms a lake. After passing through the sluice gate, there is a small courtyard with more than ten rooms, called Lín Fāng Zhāi. The east side of Linfangzhai is the back garden of the Luo Mansion.

  The Green Jade Pavilion is located in the northwest corner of the rear garden.

  Eleventh Sister brought Binju with her as she followed Yao Mama out of the Green Jade Building, passing through the corridor that connected the Green Jade Building and the Zhiyun Pavilion, and soon arrived at the Zhiyun Pavilion.

  As they entered, they met Mrs. Hsu leading four or five maidservants out of the house.

  Xu Mama is the most capable person beside Madame, assisting Madame in managing the household's finances and personnel. Yao Mama assists Madame in managing the household's daily trivial matters.

  The eleven-year-old girl respectfully called out "Mom".

  Yao's mother and Binju went forward to give gifts to Xu's mother and warmly greeted her: "What are you busy with?"

  Mrs. Xu was in her forties, plump and fair-skinned, although she was the most capable person by the madam's side, but whenever she saw someone, she would always have a smile on her face, and everyone in the Luo household, from top to bottom, liked to get close to her.

  She smiled and returned the courtesy to Shiyi Niang, then returned the courtesy to Yao Mama and Binju before saying: "The eldest lady sent me to Ci'an Temple to deliver the incense oil money."

  Mrs. Yao was shocked and said, "Didn't the abbot of Ci'an Temple come for it?"

  Mrs. Xu smiled and said, "The mistress wants to light another Longming lamp."

  Yao's mother found it even stranger.

  That Ci'an Temple is over 20 miles away from here and it takes a whole day for the round trip. If you want to go, why are you setting off at this hour?

  She wanted to ask again, but Mrs. Xu had already started chatting with the eleventh girl: "...... and also let you worry about it, specially letting Dongqing bring me some fermented yellow beans."

  The eleventh girl smiled politely: "It's not something good, mom don't be polite!"

  "You're too polite," said Mrs. Xu with a smile, "Wasn't it Wintergreen's sister-in-law who came last time? You also had Wintergreen bring me two jars then. I said at the time, whose craftsmanship is this, how can it be so delicious... I've lived for over 40 years and have never had pickled vegetables that taste this good..."

  One was ordered to see the madam, and the other was ordered by the madam to go on an errand. Neither of them dared to linger, they exchanged a few pleasantries and each went their separate ways.

  Madam Yao led Eleventh Sister to the east room on the first floor where Eldest Madam usually sat and rested: "Eleventh Miss, please sit down, I'll go inform Eldest Madam!"

  She left the Eleventh Sister and Binju on themselves and went upstairs. The little maids would serve them tea and refreshments.

  Binju didn't measure up the furnishings of the house.

  The front is black lacquer, with a Wanzi continuous head three-round Luo Han bed covered with tiger skin mats. On the small table on the bed are placed incised silk enamel Wen Wang tripods and incense boxes. On both sides of the high table are placed jade leaves and stone branches of the evergreen stone material bonsai, in front of the glass screen a too-teacher chair is covered with a stone green bottom golden money python chair cover, the floor tiles underfoot shine like mirrors, faintly reflecting human shadows...

  It's usually Dong Qing who accompanies Miss Eleven to Zhi Yun Guan, but this time Miss Eleven brought her instead.

  The furnishings of this house are quite different from what they were when she was here last time.

  The last time she came, there was still a mourning period, and everywhere was white and bleak, making people's hearts anxious. This time, however, there is a kind of icy elegance that makes her feel uneasy and ashamed.

  Binhu stepped forward a few steps, speaking in a low voice: "Miss Eleven, if by any chance... the matter of Dongqing can't be pushed away... you should just agree to it!" As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, and her gaze sparkled with unshed tears. "This was also what Dongqing told me to tell Miss before we left. She said that there are many places where we will have to make requests in the future, and it's not worth offending the Grand Madam over such a small matter..."

  Eleventh Girl stared at the tea cup with colored powder offered by Ma Gu without making a sound.

  Binju has been with her for three years and knows that she looks easy-going, but once she makes up her mind, nothing can change it. She couldn't help but advise her in a low voice: "If you're heartbroken about Dongqing sister, if you marry someone in the future, just make her your concubine. With someone to rely on, with Dongqing's talent, life will be just as good..."

  "Beware of eavesdroppers next door." The soft words from Eleventh Maiden made Binju's face flush red.

  She knew she was too impatient and quietly murmured "uh-huh", standing behind Shíyīniáng and didn't dare to speak again.

  When accompanying the room!

  Two girls want to get good results, but even if they have no choice but to take this path, it's not something they can control. They may still need to put in a lot of effort to navigate the situation.

  The eleventh girl couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  The Xiyue Pavilion was usually crowded with many ladies-in-waiting, and several concubines would gather in front of the mistress to make merry, creating a lively atmosphere. Today, however, she only saw a few young maidservants, each with a hint of caution on their faces... it felt like the calm before the storm.

  Was it Mother Yao who said something in front of Madame?

  Just like last time she induced the madam, saying that Yao's nephew relied on Yao being a servant in front of the madam to spy on the inner courtyard... The madam sent away her attendants in order to teach herself?

  The eleven-year-old girl's mind was racing quickly.

  This morning, when I was paying respects to the ancestors, Madame was fine, smiling and saying that her own-made yam cake was delicious, asking me to make a few more tomorrow and rewarding me with a golden-inlaid celadon longevity character jade hairpin... If anything unexpected happened, it must have been after I left... Unfortunately, Yao Mama followed closely behind me, so I couldn't get away, otherwise, the second-class maid Shanhu who has always been close to Dongqing would have asked her and might have known some clues...

  She touched the gold-inlaid celadon jade hairpin with the longevity character that she had deliberately put on earlier... hoping that Madame would see this hairpin later and remember her obedience and gentleness in front of her over the years, and be able to speak and act in a way that would save her some face.

  Eleventh girl was secretly planning in her heart, but her body was like a tightly strung string, always paying attention to the surrounding movements.

  Before long, she caught a whiff of faint sandalwood scent and heard the soft footsteps and rustling sounds of silk fabrics.

  The old lady often burns incense and worships Buddha, her body always has a faint scent of sandalwood...

  The eleventh girl hastily stood up, and just then the curtain swayed, a young girl wearing a crimson cotton-padded jacket supported a stately woman with a tall and slender figure as they walked in.

  Behind them followed seven or eight maidservants in a line, with Yao's mother among them.

  "Big wife!" Eleventh Sister smiled and went forward, supporting the other arm of the woman.

  "Look at you two!" The old lady smiled warmly and gently, "As if I were seventy or eighty years old and couldn't walk anymore."

  "Mother is still young, how can she not move?" The red-clothed girl flattered her, "It's us who want to take this opportunity to get close to Mother, you can't expose us." Her tone was coquettish and had a kind of naive and innocent air about it, making people feel that she was cute and lovable. As she spoke, she smiled and asked the eleventh daughter: "You say, is it not? Eleventh sister!"

  "Really! Eldest Sister." Eleventh Young Lady smiled brightly at her, seemingly admiring her lively and cheerful demeanor.

  This girl is Wu Niang, the sister of Shi Yi Niang. Luo Zhen Sheng, the fourth master of the Luo manor, is her younger brother by the same mother.

  Their birth mother, Ke, was the third among the concubines. Originally a personal maid who had served by the side of the first wife since she came from her natal home, although later she was promoted to be a concubine and gave birth to a son and a daughter, she still lived as before on the imperial couch outside the first wife's bedroom, serving the first wife with all her heart. The first wife also treated her very kindly, bringing up the fifth daughter and fourth son she had given birth to by her side, raising them in the same way as her own children, Yuan and the eldest son. Their relationship was not ordinary.

  The big wife saw her sisters being affectionate and added a few more satisfied smiles.

  She first patted the back of Eleven's hand comfortingly, then stretched out her index finger and tapped Five's forehead: "You're the only one who can do it! You even dare to bully your sister in front of me!"

  The words carried a kind of indulgent intimacy, and Wu Niang naturally didn't take Madame's words seriously. She giggled and asked Shiyi Niang: "Mother said I bullied you, tell me, did I bully you?"

  The eleventh daughter did not answer, but just covered her sleeves and smiled.

  Wu Niang pulled on Madame Wang's sleeve, coquettishly saying: "You see, you see that even Eleventh Sister has nothing to say. You're just being biased, afraid that Eleventh Sister will suffer a bit of grievance. Why don't you pity me? I'm the same as Eleventh Sister, can't bear any injustice!"

  The lady was amused by her children. She pulled Wu Niang's hand and sat on the couch: "Good, good, good. I wronged our Wu Niang and made Wu Niang suffer." Then she ordered the little maid to bring a brocade box for Shiyi Niang.

  "It's nothing!" Wu Niang pouted, sitting idly on the couch, but when she saw the maids bring in tea, she got up and handed a cup to Madame: "Mother, have some tea!"

  The lady smiled and accepted it.

  Wu Niang poured another cup for Shi Yi Niang: "Shi Yi Mei, have some tea!"

  The eleventh girl hurriedly stood up and accepted it.

  The fifth daughter poured herself another cup, then squeezed onto the couch next to the eleventh daughter and whispered in a voice that could be heard by the mistress: "Look at this tea... when I came earlier it was Longjing, now it's Wuyi. Mother is really biased!"

  A few words made everyone in the house laugh.

  The old lady pointed at Wu Niang and said to the people behind her, "Look, look, how did I end up raising such a naughty child, causing me trouble every day."

  The Fifth Daughter heard this and burrowed into Madame's bosom: "If the mischievous monkey doesn't cause trouble, who will?"

  The maid next to her also smiled: "That's also what the eldest lady is used to."

  The old lady held her forehead and exclaimed "Aiya", with a helpless expression.

  For a time, the house was filled with laughter and warmth, extremely lively.

  The eleventh daughter sat aside, covering her sleeve and smiling.

  The lady saw her and asked seriously: "I heard from Master Jian that you can now embroider double-sided embroidery?"

  The Luo family invited Old Master to teach their daughter at home, also invited the most famous embroidery master in Hangzhou Prefecture, Jian Shifu, to teach needlework at home, and let the aunt on the stove teach cooking private dishes of the Luo family.

  The eleventh daughter thought for a long time and chose to work hard on needlework and cooking.

  Dong Qing couldn't help but worry: "Women who are good at needlework and cooking are a dime a dozen, being able to recite poetry and paint is the real talent..."

  "I'll just do my part well, that's all." Shí yī niáng waved her hand at her, signaling her not to say more. "If I weren't afraid that the madam would think me stupid and wouldn't learn anything well, she'd look down on me later. I won't even learn this embroidery or cooking skills." From then on, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to learning needlework from Jiǎn shīfu. Jiǎn shīfu saw her diligence and was delighted to teach her, even passing on her own ultimate skill "double-sided embroidery" to Shí yī niáng.