Chapter 25: The Swallow's Capital (Part 2)

  The lady said hastily, "No need to change the date... You go back and tell Yuanniang that I will definitely be there tomorrow afternoon."

  "Mother Tao responded with a 'yes', and called in the maid who was following her, presenting the gifts sent by Luo Yuanniang: "Some medicinal materials, for Master and Mistress to nourish their bodies."

  The lady smiled and let Mrs. Xu take it.

  Coral said to Jin Zhu: "Aunt Tao, please take a seat."

  Old Mother Tao repeatedly said "I don't dare", and again delayed, saying: "The Grand Lady is tired from the journey, and our family's lady is also waiting for me to return with news. I'll just go back first, and come again tomorrow to escort the Grand Lady over."

  The lady thought for a moment and said: "There's still plenty of time tomorrow. You go back and tell Yuanniang the news, so she can rest assured."

  Mrs. Tao got up and bid farewell after hearing this, and Mrs. Xu personally saw her out of the door.

  The old master stood up: "Everyone go rest now. We'll have dinner together tonight."

  Everyone in the house responded with a loud "yes". Mrs. Xu and others stayed to serve the old lady, while Luo Zhenxing and the eldest wife led the others out of the door one by one.

  A stout woman with a smiling face stood under the eaves, waiting. Seeing them come out, she went forward and paid her respects to Luo Zhenxing, then reported to Madame: "Madame, the girls' quarters have all been cleaned up, and the trunks of the elder lady have all been taken down. The count is correct, but I don't know which ones belong to which room..."

  This woman's surname is Hang, she was a secondary wife of the old master and also his capable mother.

  Old Lady Dai listened and smiled at the Fifth Daughter and Eleventh Daughter, saying: "An inch of land in Yanjing is worth an inch of gold, not like Yuhang, the house is a bit small. Your father and mother live in the main house, and you two are settled in the back wing room. Please don't mind, sisters, just make do with it for now."

  Her smile was warm and gentle, her words soft, making Eleven Maiden involuntarily praise her in her heart.

  The lady from the Gu family was indeed a true-born lady of Jiangnan, although she knew that the first wife treated these concubines with sweetness on the surface but bitterness inside, her actions and demeanor remained gentle and elegant, not losing the bearing of a noblewoman.

  Eleventh Girl smiled and thanked her: "Thank you, Auntie!"

  The fifth daughter pulled the hand of her elder sister-in-law: "Look at what you're saying, are we all people who don't know what's proper? This house is only this big, Father and Mother occupy the main hall, we occupy the back wing, and Elder Brother and his wife will have to live in that humble abode. The humble abode faces north and south, cold in winter and hot in summer, and it's also near the outer courtyard, noisy and chaotic...Elder Brother still has to study..." As she spoke, her eyes were already brimming with tears, "Sister-in-law, you're making us feel utterly ashamed."

  The old lady was quite moved after hearing this.

  It's hard for Wu Niang to know her own goodness. She still has to point out her kindness in front of her husband Luo Zhenxing... No wonder everyone says that Wu Niang is clever and charming, really likable.

  Her smile held a hint of intimacy: "Sister, don't say that. You are ladies from the inner chambers, not like us, who can live adjacent to the outer court!"

  Lu Zhenxing's face relaxed and a smile appeared in his eyes as he said, "Alright, the sisters have been troubled on the road for over a month, and Eleventh Sister is still seasick. You quickly take them to rest now!"

  The old lady respectfully replied with a "yes", the tenth and eleventh daughters bowed to Luo Zhenxing, greeted Liu Yiniang, and followed the old lady to the back house. Then Luo Zhenxing also came out of the Chuihua Gate and returned to his own residence, the Daozuo House.

  Jiang's mother then called for Ziwei from Wu Niang's house and Huopo from Shiyi Niang's house to follow Hang's mother to divide the boxes.

  The main house of the Houguo House is the same as that of the Zhengyuan House, with five rooms and an ear room on each side. The east and west wings have three rooms each, also with an ear room on each side. However, there are no fish tank or flower rack in the courtyard, and the pagoda tree in front of the steps has been replaced by a weeping willow.

  The old lady smiled and said: "You see which one you like, just choose one!"

  The fifth daughter hurriedly said: "Little sister, you choose first! I don't care where I live!"

  The eleventh girl didn't say much more and smiled: "Sister is older, so I'll live in the west wing then!"

  "How can that be?" Wu Niang smiled and said, "Your body is still weak, you'd better stay in the east room!"

  "I'll get off the boat and rest for a bit. It's no big deal!" said Eleventh Sister with a smile, "I'll stay in the eastern room, and you can have the western one, sister!"

  The Fifth Daughter still wanted to yield. The Old Lady laughed and said, "You don't have to push each other around, I think, just as the Eleventh Sister said, she is the younger sister, living in the west wing, you are the older sister, living in the east wing is fine!"

  "Let's just go with what Big Sister said!" she exclaimed, already panting and looking like she was exerting herself.

  "Alright, you all take a break! I'm leaving first. Still need to prepare dinner."

  Two men saw off Big Grandma: "Let Auntie take care of it."

  "I'm the one who's supposed to be in charge, why should I bother?" She smiled and went out the door. Wu Niang and Shi Yi Niang returned to the house. Shi Yi Niang gave a bitter smile as she faced Wu Niang: "Sister, I need to take a rest..."

  "Go on!" The Fifth Daughter smiled and turned away to the eastern room, without even a polite greeting.

  Zi Yuan hastily followed Wu Niang into the house.

  Eleventh girl looked at Fifth girl's back and smiled helplessly.

  Since she showed her intention to be interested in Luo Yuanni, Wu Niang had a subtle hostility towards her. If she really wanted to compete with her for something... she was afraid that it would lead to eternal hatred!

  "Miss, Fifth Miss..." Dong Qing also saw some clues, "You'd better find an opportunity to explain it to her. Otherwise, this misunderstanding will only deepen!"

  "I have it in mind." Eleventh Young Lady didn't want to discuss this further.

  The current situation is unclear, so it's better not to act rashly!

  She was supported by Dong Qing back to the house.

  On the west side of the room, there was a large kang near the window, with small tables on either side, covered with crimson woolen blankets. Four armchairs were arranged on each side, forming a resting area. Near the window in the corner was a desk, and to the left was a bookshelf. A small eight-step bed was placed in the center of the room, and behind it was a small heated alcove.

  The eleventh girl looked very satisfied.

  It would be even more perfect if Wu Niang didn't live next door!

  She was thinking to herself.

  Dong Qing and Bin Ju looked at each other in surprise: "What kind of arrangement is this? There's a small loft behind the bed, but no brazier, yet it's warm and cozy." He also reached out to touch the kang by the window, "It's also hot."

  "The south and north are different," said the eleventh daughter with a smile. "The south is humid, so you have to live upstairs, while the north is cold, so you have to sleep on a kang."

  "How did you know, miss?" Qiuju smiled brightly as she sat on the bed in the warm pavilion.

  "It's because you've read books!" The introverted Zhu Xiang seemed very excited, more than usual, "Miss has read so many books, of course she knows everything!"

  It's not something she learned from books, but what she saw and experienced herself when she traveled all over the place.

  Eleventh Young Lady smiled but didn't answer. A young maid who looked unfamiliar came in and reported: "Miss Eleventh, Sixth Aunt has arrived."

  Everyone was stunned.

  The sixth aunt has lifted the curtain and entered.

  "Miss Eleven!" She smiled and greeted Eleven warmly.

  Dong Qing and several others busied themselves, collecting their smiles and standing solemnly to one side.

  "Auntie, how did you come!" Eleventh Sister smiled and replied, "Quickly enter the house and have a cup of tea!"

  Qiu Ju busied herself fetching a stool for Liu Niang, while Dong Qing found a wooden bucket of warm water in the corner of the next room to make tea for Liu Niang.

  Sixth Aunt smiled and waved her hand: "I won't sit down, I still have to serve the old lady's rest. I came just to ask," she said, hesitating for a moment, the smile on her face also had a few points of bitterness, "I just want to ask Miss Twelve, is she okay?"

  The eleventh girl secretly sighed in her heart.

  A child travels a thousand miles, and the mother worries. When she left, Fifth Aunt cried loudly, similarly, Sixth Aunt here is thinking of young Twelfth Aunt, probably also tossing and turning!

  "It's great!" Shiyi thought Liu Yiniang was a very clever person. "In the past few days, I've been staying at home embroidering screens every day. Wu Jie and Shi Niang often go to Mother's side to show their filial piety. Twelve Mei sometimes also goes to Mother's side to accompany her sisters in laughter and conversation. Twelve Mei even made silk flowers with gauze to give to Mother, and Mother couldn't tell the difference between real and fake... Her hands are very skilled."

  Sixth Auntie let out a sigh of relief and smiled, "In that case, I won't disturb Eleventh Miss. Speaking of which, Fifth Auntie and I also lived in the same house for five or six years, if you have anything, just come find me directly."

  "Thank you, Sixth Aunt." Eleventh Aunt didn't know if the Eldest Lady knew that Sixth Aunt had come to her place, and she was also afraid of being seen by Fifth Aunt, so she naturally didn't dare to keep her. She made an excuse that she felt dizzy and asked Dongqing to send Sixth Aunt out of the door.

  Sixth Aunt had just left when Amber returned with the trunk.

  Dong Qing first opened the trunk containing bedding, then made up the bed in the warm pavilion, fetched water to help Shiyi Niang wash and rest, leaving Zhu Xiang to watch over her. Only then did he and Hupo take Binju and Qiujin to open the trunks and gather their belongings.

  The eleventh girl slept for a while and got out of bed feeling refreshed and invigorated.

  She carefully looked at her face in the mirror: "Have I gained weight again?"

  "Your face has shrunk to the size of a palm," Dong Qing was inserting two thumb-sized pomegranate flowers into Shi Yi Niang's hair, "Are you still shouting about losing weight?"

  The eleventh girl smiled with pursed lips.

  Amber urged Eleventh Sister to hurry up: "I saw Fifth Miss set off for Old Madam's place already."

  Eleventh Girl didn't dare to look in the mirror again, put on a rose-red gray squirrel fur cloak and hurriedly went to Madame's place. She finally caught up with Fifth Girl before she entered the door and they entered the house one after another.

  Two women stood in front of the door curtain, being attended by a maid who was helping them remove their cloaks. Fifth Sister gazed at Eleventh Sister with a hint of a smile: "Can't tell that you're ill, little sister - your hands and feet are so quick!"

  The eleventh girl smiled brightly at the fifth girl and scolded: "It's all sister's fault for leaving without calling me!"

  The fifth daughter smiled coldly and was about to say something, when the curtain on the other side was already lifted, and Xianghu came out laughing: "Madam is waiting for the two young ladies!"

  The two of them stopped talking and entered the house one after another.

  In the next room, a black lacquered square table and eight black lacquered chairs with crimson cushions were set up, and chopsticks and dishes were already arranged. Several young maidservants stood under the canopy, while Mrs. Lai, Lu Qiao, and others gathered in front of the large kang by the window - Brother Rong's cheerful laughter kept coming from there.

  "Madam, Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss have arrived!" Xianghu reported with a smile. The crowd dispersed, and Eleventh saw the old master and madam sitting on either side of the large kang, while the kang table had long been moved to who-knows-where. Xiao Ge was doing flips on top, and Dà Nǎinai was afraid he would fall off, so she stood in front of the kang with her arms outstretched to protect him.

  "Alright, alright." The old master smiled and hugged Xiao Ge, "Let's go eat!"

  Brother Wang had an unfinished expression on his face and twisted his body as if he wanted to turn over.

  Luo Zhenxing, who was standing aside, turned serious: "Still not standing at attention for me?"

  The brother listened and didn't dare make trouble again, obediently lying on the old master's body without daring to move.

  The big wife on the other side was helped by Du Wei to put on her shoes while laughing: "Aren't you afraid of scaring the child?"

  Third Brother immediately lifted his head from Old Master's embrace and gazed pitifully at Madame.

  The old lady stretched out her hand and hugged Xiao Ge in her arms: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Grandma is here!"

  Luo Zhenxing looked at his mother with a mixture of laughter and tears, wanting to speak but hesitating.

  "Grandma looked over and hastily shifted her gaze: 'Father, mother, please take a seat! I'm sure the two sisters are also hungry!'"

  Everyone's attention was indeed diverted, and the lady even complained: "Why did you come now?"

  The fifth daughter smiled and said: "Waiting for sister!"

  Eleventh Sister suddenly exclaimed: "I overslept!"

  The old lady burst out laughing: "Well, isn't he honest!"

  The eleventh girl blushed and lowered her head, causing everyone to burst out laughing.

  Considering how hardworking Xixi is, everyone should give her more support...