Chapter 20 of Volume 1: Seeking Trouble

  Eleventh saw tenth's face gloomy, the black pupils seemed to have two fires burning, and thought of her pushing this body to the ground and losing her life, couldn't help but feel a tremble in her heart. But at this time, it was not the time to retreat, the more you retreated, the more others would think you were weak.

  She smiled brightly at Shiniang: "Mother did say that. I don't know when she'll leave either. Sister, do you have anything for me to bring along?" As she spoke, Shiyiniang's back straightened like a pine tree, and she suddenly had an air of dignity about her.

  Ten girls were stunned.

  Eleventh daughter did not dare to force her. If the two really made a fuss, no matter who was right or wrong, it would always give people a narrow-minded and sharp-tongued feeling. Otherwise, one slap would not make a sound, and how could the two sisters not take a step back? The old lady knew that although she would be angry with tenth daughter's violent temper, she would also blame herself for not knowing how to handle these conflicts. Perhaps, it would even make her image in the old lady's mind greatly discounted.

  She smiled and stepped back a few steps, saying: "Sister rarely comes downstairs, and I don't have anything good to entertain you here. Last time at the banquet, Fifth Sister gave me two packages of top-grade Xinyang Maojian tea. Sister knows that I'm not a connoisseur of tea, and what I drink is just like cattle chewing on peonies. Why doesn't sister try some and see how it tastes? If you think it's still smooth, I'll have Dongqing send some to Baizhi."

  The tenth girl couldn't help but sneer coldly: "It's really different after all, and there's even Xinyang Maojian!" The anger in her eyes decreased a lot.

  This person's temper is once and again, again and decline, three times and rest. If you can withstand her first blow and are willing to be humble, her anger will naturally subside.

  Eleventh Girl looked at her with a warm smile, then took off the cloak on her body and handed it to Amber, looking like she was no longer going out and sincerely entertaining guests. She also ordered Dongqing to brew tea and asked Binju to bring over the gray mouse skin cushion that Eleventh Girl often used to pad onto the stool so that Eleventh Girl could sit down.

  The girl's face cleared slightly.

  Who knows, Amber's eyes turned around with a smile: "Eleventh Miss, the old lady sent someone to call you... Otherwise, I'll go and tell Sister Shanhu that you're going immediately, and let her temporarily cover for you in front of the old lady?"

  The eleventh girl secretly cursed in her heart.

  Shi Niang usually can't stand it when someone uses Da Tai Tai to intimidate her.

  Just as she was about to scold Amber, the tenth girl's face changed and she took a step forward, almost flipping over the black lacquered round table in her room - this round table was made of purple sandalwood and was very heavy, she used force twice but couldn't flip it over, so she swept her sleeve across the table, causing the tea set to crash to the ground and shatter into pieces.

  Shi Niang's movements were very fast, and Hu Po was stunned like a wooden chicken.

  The eleventh daughter couldn't help but let out a soft moan.

  Every household's utensils are all first-class, changed according to the four seasons. The set of pink porcelain tea sets on the table is worth at least ten taels of silver... She has to compensate for it.

  The moment this thought flashed, Shining Maiden had already rolled up her sleeves and was charging towards her.

  Eleventh Sister knew that if Tenth Sister's fist came down, unless she was like before and beat herself half to death, otherwise, the big hat of "having no fraternal affection" would be placed on Tenth Sister, and she couldn't escape either... She just thought of raising her hand to protect her head, and as her eyes swept over Dong Qing's terrified face, her heart moved.

  If I really get beaten... can I not go to Yanjing then?

  In an instant, she forcibly suppressed her instinct to cover her head with her hands.

  "Miss Ten, you don't take care of yourself, but always think about Fourth Aunt instead!"

  In the midst of Amber's urgent cries, Dong Qing had already pulled Shi Niang behind him with one swift motion. The curtain swayed and Bai Zhi and Jiu Xiang rushed in, sandwiching Shi Niang between them, rendering her immobile.

  "You beastly dogs, do you still have your master in your eyes?" The tenth girl's temples bulged with blue veins, her eyes were bloodshot red, like a wild animal trapped in a cage, looking extremely frightening.

  Bai Zhi's face looked even worse, she nodded towards Shiyi Niang: "Miss Shiyi, our young lady was rude, we'll come back later to apologize."

  Jiuxiang also nodded apologetically at Shiyiniang and then the two of them pulled Shiying away.

  Shi Niang was shouting and struggling, her raised foot kicking over a small stool beside her. Bai Zhi and Jiu Xiang didn't say a word, but instead focused on exerting their strength to carry Shi Niang outwards.

  Both of them were tall in stature, and soon the tenth girl was carried out.

  "...You two little prostitutes, what benefits did that little hoof give you? Are you going to help outsiders instead of insiders..."

  "Miss Ten," said Bai Zhi with a hint of despair, "there's no need to scold us. We just don't want to end up like Bi Tao and Hong Tao!"

  The girl's voice stopped abruptly.

  According to the mothers at home, Bi Tuo and Hong Tuo were both beaten half to death and then sold into a brothel... They had all been serving Shi Niang since they were young...

  "Miss Ten, just stop it!" Bai Zhi's voice was laced with exhaustion. "What's the point of causing such a commotion? The mistress will still look down on you and Fourth Aunt won't be able to move out of that broken hut. You're already fourteen this year, at an age where many are already married and have become mothers, yet you haven't made any progress..."

  The sound gradually faded away, and it wasn't until a while later that the people in Shier Niang's house came back to their senses.

  "Miss, are you alright?!" Dong Qing grabbed Shi Yi's hand, somewhat excitedly looking her up and down, "Why didn't you dodge at all. If that slap had landed, it would have been disastrous..."

  As soon as she finished speaking, the door curtain was suddenly lifted, and a smiling round face appeared in everyone's line of sight: "Oh my, what's going on? Miss Eleven is throwing a big tantrum!"

  "Mom Xu!"

  Everyone in the house changed color slightly, and Dong Qing was about to explain when Shiyi Niang had already pinched her hand hard and smiled brightly: "Mom is a rare guest!"

  Mrs. Xu's eyes scanned the room, then she smiled and bowed to Eleventh Sister, saying: "The mistress ordered me to check on Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss's rooms to see if there's anything that needs to be added or removed. I didn't expect that Fifth Miss lacked two high-quality wolf hair brushes, while you here are short of a set of pink ceramic tea cups." As she spoke, she pursed her lips and smiled.

  The eleventh girl smiled: "Then trouble mom to help remember, and add it to us later." She walked around the broken porcelain on the ground and welcomed her into her own bedroom, "Mom, come in and have a cup of tea!"

  Mrs. Xu didn't even glance at the small stool that had fallen over by her feet and calmly followed Eleventh Sister into the bedroom.

  Amber was busy directing Zhu Xiang to serve tea and refreshments, while Dong Qing led Bin Ju and Qiu Ju to clean up the messy banquet area.

  Mrs. Xu picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea, leaning in to listen to the sounds from the resting place, but there was only a faint rustling sound.

  She couldn't help but nod secretly.

  Dong Qing and Bin Ju must have seen that there were guests, so they squatted on the ground with a handkerchief wrapped around their hands to pick up broken porcelain.

  Mrs. Xu put down her tea cup and Amber hastily handed over the account book she had already prepared: "Mom, please take a look."

  "In that case, I won't be polite." Mrs. Xu smiled and spread the account book on a nearby tea table, then took out a small box from her sleeve, opened it, and carefully put on reading glasses to examine it closely.

  Amber was secretly shocked.

  These glasses were brought from Guangdong by a brother of the madam's natal family when he was serving as an advisor there. Not to mention the Luo household, but in all of Yuhang, this is the only pair. Who would have thought that the madam would give them to Mrs. Xu... Thinking about it, I couldn't help but feel envious. To be able to live a life like Mrs. Xu's, it wouldn't be a waste of one's life!

  Eleventh daughter was thinking of tenth daughter.

  It is said that when the fourth aunt returned from Fujian, she immediately handed over all the account books in her hands. In front of the mistress, she was very cautious and did not dare to take a step out of line. If it weren't for the tenth girl getting herself into trouble, the mistress would really have no excuse to scold her... How could such a meticulous person raise a daughter as reckless and ignorant as the tenth girl?

  The two of them each had their own thoughts and remained silent. The rustling sound of Mother Xu flipping through the account book made the room even more quiet.

  After a long while, Mrs. Xu lifted her head, smiled and put away her glasses: "As the young lady said, the old lady usually rewards us with many things, so we don't need to add anything for daily expenses. However, since we are going to Beijing to celebrate Madam Xu's birthday at Eldest Aunt's house, it will be a grand occasion and we can't appear too shabby compared to the imperial family. The old lady has already ordered a set of coral and tortoiseshell hairpieces and a set of pearl and silver hairpieces from Old Jixiang for Eleventh Miss. I also saw the spring clothes that Eleventh Miss made a few days ago, which is just right, so we don't need to add anything else. But does Eleventh Miss want to add anything else?"

  The eleventh girl smiled and said, "I don't have anything else to add either."

  Mrs. Xu heard this and stood up with a smile: "In that case, I'll go back to the mistress!"

  Eleventh Sister got up to see her mother off: "Thanks for taking the trouble to come, Mom."

  "Miss Eleven is always so polite." Mrs. Xu smiled in response and bid farewell to Miss Eleven, then went to see the first wife.

  "What's going on?" Madame sat half-reclined on the luxurious couch in her bedroom, expressionless as she gazed at the maids tiptoeing around packing trunks and boxes.

  Mrs. Xu hesitated for a moment.

  The big wife stood up: "Come with me."

  Mrs. Xu responded with a "yes" and went down to the rest area on the lower floor with Madame Zhang.

  "What? Both of you young girls have made requests?" The mistress's gaze was somewhat chilly.

  Mrs. Hua busied herself pouring a cup of tea for Madame Wang, and smiled as she said, "I've taken a look at the things for both young ladies, and since you usually give them so much, and they've just had new spring clothes made, there's really nothing that needs to be added or subtracted. Privately, however, Fifth Miss mentioned wanting to buy two good wolf-hair brushes, which would only cost about fifty taels of silver. As for Eleventh Miss, she didn't mention anything... but when I went, I encountered something!"

  Something that a maid in the house is unwilling to say out loud can't be an ordinary matter!

  The old lady exclaimed "Oh" and sat up straight, with a tilted head as if listening carefully.

  Mrs. Hsu took two steps forward, lowering her voice: "Miss Ten went to Miss Eleven's room and made a scene, smashing everything in the room. When I went in, pretending not to know what was going on, I asked Miss Eleven, 'Miss Eleven, you have such a big temper.' But Miss Eleven just avoided answering... Madam, when you first chose Miss Eleven, I wasn't too pleased about it. I thought she wasn't as good as Miss Five, who has a brother at home... Now it seems that she's actually a kind and gentle soul."

  There will be an update tonight, just a bit late, so everyone can check it out early tomorrow morning! (*^__^*) Hehe......