Chapter Sixteen: The Situation (Part Two)

  Wu Niang had already handed over her duties and was stuck with Madame every day. When Hupo and the others went, she wasn't there.

  They were received by Ziwei.

  She smiled and poured tea for the two of them: "Amber sister is a rare guest!" Her tone was affectionate, but not respectful.

  In the past, Amber was a person of Mrs. Dai's, now she is a person in Miss Shiyi's house... Everyone is the same. No, based on the dignity in front of Mrs. Dai, Miss Shiyi can't compare to Miss Wu!

  Amber can't hear anywhere.

  But that's just human nature...

  She smiled faintly: "Originally wanted to let Miss Five help with an idea, didn't expect that Miss Five went to Madame's place!"

  Zi Wei was slightly stunned.

  Amber explained, "You also know that our young lady hasn't left the house for days, focusing solely on embroidering a screen. Coincidentally, this morning, Madam called over the needlework sisters to take measurements for Eleventh Miss's new clothes. Four camisoles, six undergarments, four embroidered skirts, one woven skirt, one moonlit skirt... plus four undershirts, four undershorts, six pairs of shoes, and twelve pairs of socks... Previously, it was always Wintergreen Sister who helped with these tasks. This time, Wintergreen Sister is helping Eleventh Miss with her embroidery, so I didn't want to disturb her. Thinking that Fifth Miss has the best taste - even when Madam makes new clothes, she often lets Fifth Miss help with the planning - I thought of asking Fifth Miss for some advice."

  Ziwei gazed at the fleeting smugness in Amber's expression and smiled coldly in her heart.

  She didn't come here for advice, she clearly came to show off!

  "Why don't you just follow what our young lady is doing?" Ziwei's expression was light and calm. "This morning, the needlework aunts also arrived at Jiao Garden, saying they were ordered by the eldest madam to make spring clothes for the fifth miss. It's also four pieces of silk clothing, six pieces of lining, four pieces of embroidered skirts, one piece of comprehensive skirt, one piece of moonlight skirt, plus four pieces of undergarments, four pairs of socks, twelve pairs of shoes and twelve pairs of stockings. Our young lady went to see the eldest madam, also for this matter - first to kowtow and thank her, secondly to listen to the eldest madam's opinion, what kind of fabric? What color is good?" As she spoke, she picked up the teacup and took a light sip, smiling and saying, "Speaking of which, sister Huipo is serving by the side of the eldest madam, and is in charge of jewelry and clothing. Helping the eleventh miss with her clothes is not a difficult task!"

  Binju heard and frowned involuntarily.

  Everyone says that Amber has a gentle and kind personality, so why did she say such reckless words at the Green Bamboo Building?

  "It's just that I wanted to ask Miss Wu what colors she has done." Binju smiled and took over the conversation, not wanting Amber to say anything else that might offend anyone, "so as not to repeat things, which is always unpleasant."

  Me too.

  Zi Wei's eyes flashed, and she smiled: "Our young lady means that the cambric should be made in moon white, crimson red, pine green, and ginger yellow, each one piece. The half-arm and sleeve should match these colors, one rose red, one pomegranate red, one big red, one grape purple, one grass green, and one lotus root color. As for the skirt, the pick-up skirt will be made in white. Two pieces with a hem, two pieces without a hem. The comprehensive skirt will be made in bean green, and the moonlight skirt will be made in true purple. As for the undergarments, socks, and shoes, they will naturally be the same as usual."

  She said, while secretly remembering it in her heart.

  "Our young lady also wants to make two main waists, two moonlight skirts." Ziwei's eyes sparkled, "The old lady specially instructed Liu Jia's aunt to help with the work."

  Liu's sister-in-law was the most skilled needlework artisan in the Luo estate.

  "It's also because our young lady at home isn't as skilled with embroidery as the eleventh miss, whose work is renowned in Hangzhou Prefecture," Ziwei said with a smile, covering her sleeve. "Otherwise, why would it have startled Liu Shi - she's the companion of our eldest young mistress."

  This is obviously telling them that what Miss Eleven has, Miss Five also has; what Miss Five has, Miss Eleven may not necessarily have.

  Binju's face turned pale. But it wasn't because of Ziwei's sharp words, but rather because of Hupo's showy behavior.

  "Miss Five and our family's young lady learned from the same master, it's just that our family's young lady loves embroidery a bit more, while your family's young lady loves calligraphy a bit more." She said a few flattering words to Miss Five with a smile, then stood up to bid farewell, "You're busy here too, we still need to help Eleventh Miss pick out fabrics and choose colors!"

  Ziwei didn't keep them either, and she sent them out of the door in a lukewarm manner.

  On the way, Binju thought of Huopo's origin and could only hold back her anger and tactfully bring up what had just happened: "...Our family's young lady has always been gentle in nature. Whatever good things there are, she naturally lets go first to her sisters, especially when it comes to food and clothing, which she never makes a fuss about or takes seriously."

  Amber smiled and said, "It's all my fault. I didn't think that a careless remark would offend Sister Ziwei. She won't blame us, will she?" But the words that came out of her mouth did not show any concern.

  Binju knew she didn't take her own words to heart and secretly sighed in her mind.

  She doesn't have the qualifications to say that, but Miss does! However, Miss's priority is embroidering the screen, how can she be distracted at this time? Let's wait until the embroidery is done before saying anything. If not, I'll just pay more attention to her myself.

  In an instant, the two had already descended from the corridor.

  Amber smiled and said to Binju: "Sister, if you have something to do, go back first! I'll go to Liu's wife's place for a while."

  Binju was shocked: "What are you doing?"

  "Didn't you say you wanted to help Miss pick out fabrics and colors? How can you help her choose if you don't go to Liu's wife's place to see what kinds of fabrics and colors they have?"

  Binju hastily got up: "You clearly know that I was just making polite conversation, how can you take it seriously? The people in our house never go out, if you have anything to say, wait until you get back and tell Miss."

  Amber smiled and said, "Miss is wholeheartedly making a screen, how can we trouble Miss for such a small thing." As she spoke, without waiting for Bin Hua to respond, she turned around hastily and headed west, "Sister, don't worry, I'll be right back!"

  Binju stomped her foot and hurried forward, pulling her back to the Green Yun Lou: "I'm not stopping you, I just need to report to Miss first!"

  Eleventh Sister is embroidering a lotus-leaf pouch there.

  Dong Qing was also embroidering a lotus-leaf pouch, just like Shiyi Niang.

  She embroidered while complaining: "This year everyone knows you're rushing to finish the embroidery screen, and they won't blame you for being impolite if it's not sent."

  Ever since the 11th daughter's needlework had some small achievements, every year before the Spring Festival, she would embroider a large pile of pouches and give them to the Luo family relatives who came to worship on New Year's Eve.

  The eleventh girl smiled and said: "I'm just tired of embroidering longevity screens, so I'll change hands."

  Dong Qing hurriedly put down what she was doing and helped her onto the bed: "If you're tired, take a rest."

  The eleventh girl was just about to smile and decline when a little maid reported that Hupo and Binju had arrived.

  The two of them were taken aback for a moment and immediately retracted their smiles. The eleventh daughter sat down in front of the embroidery frame, while Dong Qing went to lift the curtain: "What's going on?"

  Binju and Amber walked in, saying that Amber was going to Liu's sister-in-law to change the color and fabric of the clothes decided by Shiyi Niang in the morning.

  Eleventh Sister gazed at Amber's innocent face and pondered for a moment before asking her: "Why change?"

  "Miss, your figure is still slender, and your skin is as delicate as condensed fat, almost translucent. I thought of selecting a few pieces of soft and elegant silk fabrics to make spring clothes for you..."

  Before she could speak, Shiyi had already nodded: "You were originally in charge of your mother's clothes and jewelry, so you naturally have a better eye for these things. You take care of this matter."

  Amber smiled and went away with a response.

  Binju sighed: "Miss, you don't know, the fifth young lady's spring clothes this time are all bright colors. If we follow Yu Huo's words and make some light and elegant colors, wouldn't that be a fight with the fifth young lady? This is what you hate most."

  Eleventh Girl was taken aback and asked Binju: "What colors did Fifth Sister choose?"

  The beach chrysanthemum spoke softly.

  The eleventh girl laughed and said: "What are you worried about? Don't forget, this whole thing was done by Amber."

  Binju vaguely understood a bit, but still felt it was somewhat improper.

  "She hesitated and said: 'Anyway, she is now a member of our household, we can't just let her run wild like this, can we?'"

  The eleventh girl heard this and smiled as if she knew something: "She won't go on a wild adventure."

  Binju was about to say something, when Dongqing, who had been watching from the side, smiled and stepped forward: "Now it's more important to finish embroidering the screen. Other things can be discussed later!"

  She naturally didn't say anything else, and retreated with a bow. But in her heart, she couldn't put it down, sitting in the resting place listening to the commotion outside, wanting to ask Xun about the situation at Liu's house.

  Before long, she heard Xin Mama greeting someone: "Miss Amber, you're back!"

  Binju stood up and tidied her hair, sitting quietly there waiting for Hupo to come in.

  The footsteps approached gradually, but passed by outside the door.

  The beach chrysanthemum was taken aback.

  Rise and lift the curtain to look outside.

  Just then, Amber turned and entered the suite.

  The suite has stairs leading up to Tianyi's place upstairs.

  Is she going to Miss Ten's place?

  An idea flashed through her mind and she was secretly surprised. She thought of what Amber had said to Wu Niang earlier, and she felt that her guess was not wrong.

  Hesitating for a moment, Binju followed him.

  She had just gone up a few flights of stairs when she heard Amber's voice: "...and I've made twelve pairs of socks."

  Then there was Baizhi's forced enthusiasm: "Miss Eleven is a tall and slender girl, unlike the young ladies in our household who make several boxes every year, with their hands full to the brim."

  "Who's still short of clothes and can't even dress up properly!" Amber laughed, "It's just adding a few pieces to get some freshness!"

  "Yes!" Bai Zhi's voice was somewhat strained. "It's just that our young mistress has a strange temper, making clothes is not as good as buying a few books back to make her happy!"

  "So it seems Miss Shi didn't make any clothes this time?" Hu Po's voice was slightly excited.

  Binju heard this and got very angry, shouting downstairs at Hupo: "Miss is waiting for you to respond!"

  Amber didn't say anything else and went downstairs with a smile.

  Binju's face turned red with shame as he apologized to Baizhi: "She is from the main wife's quarters..."

  Before she could finish speaking, Bai Zhi had already grasped her hand: "Little sister, don't say anything else. I know in my heart."

  "It's probably because there are many things to attend to with the needle and thread, so it has to be done in batches." She couldn't help but comfort Bai Zhi, "In two days, the tailor will come to take Miss Shijiu's measurements."

  Bai Zhi couldn't help but smile bitterly: "The young ladies in the mansion have their clothes tailored, I'm afraid they won't even make any for the tenth miss? However, the tenth miss is older, yet she let the eleventh miss surpass her... We're already struggling, and from now on, our days will only get harder."

  (The red envelope brought Zhou Hei Ya delicious food... She even went to gather with them, I'm so envious...)