Chapter 94: Accompanying Room (Part 1)

  Mrs. Tai heard that she was going to take over Yuan Niang's dowry house and dispose of it herself, but she wasn't surprised. After all, the people who came with Luo Yuanniang from the Luo family were her dowry house, and after Yuanniang passed away, they should have been inherited by Zongge. Now that Zongge was young, handing them over to someone else would inevitably lead to rumors, so it was better for herself, as both Zongge's stepmother and aunt, to take care of them than anyone else.

  She smiled and nodded in agreement, saying: "I'll go back later to see the companion of the elder sister. How to arrange it, I will come to ask for your advice again."

  Madam nodded.

  Then a little maid came in and reported: "The third madam has arrived."

  "Let her in!" The old lady smiled and responded, and Eleventh Sister personally lifted the curtain.

  The third wife brought in a maid wearing a green jacket and the maid was holding several account books.

  Eleventh Girl couldn't help but take a glance at the maid. With her delicate eyebrows and beautiful eyes, it was surprisingly the same Autumn Silk who had asked her if she was tired in the backyard that day.

  "Third Sister!" After exchanging greetings with Eleven and Third Madam, they nodded towards Autumn Brocade.

  Qiu Xiang's face showed embarrassment, and she looked down somewhat uncomfortably. Was it the change in status that made her like this? But then again, Qiu Xiang didn't seem like that kind of person. Otherwise, she wouldn't have chased after him to ask questions that day!

  Eleventh Sister was startled and Third Shu immediately took her hand: "Oh dear, how can we trouble Fourth Brother and Sister!"

  As a newcomer, it's better to do more of these things like serving tea and pouring water, and lifting the curtain to welcome guests.

  "Third Sister-in-law is being polite!" She smiled back at Third Madam and then stood behind Eldest Madam, yielding the eastern kang head where she had just sat to Third Madam.

  The third madam hesitated for a moment and finally did not sit down, standing in front of Tai Furen.

  The old lady smiled and asked the third lady: "Is there anything difficult?"

  The three madams looked at Shiyi Niang, wanting to speak but hesitating.

  The eleventh girl smiled and said to Tai Fu Ren: "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave first."

  The old lady nodded and smiled: "If you have nothing to do, come over to my place this afternoon to play cards."

  Playing cards is not free, and there are benefits to bringing color... The relationship at home has not been figured out yet, but it's fallen into another vortex of right and wrong, which is unwise. Moreover, once the head is opened, it's likely that you'll have to accompany the madam to play cards in the future, delaying your own affairs. But the madam's words can't be refuted, so it's best to pretend to be silly on the card table and let the madam give up voluntarily.

  A thought flashed through her mind, and Eleventh Sister smiled: "Alright. I won't know how to do it anyway. It's just right that I come to ask for your guidance, Madame."

  The old lady smiled and said: "You go! There must be a lot of things waiting for you in the hospital."

  The eleventh daughter made a curtsy and was about to take her leave.

  The third lady stopped the eleventh daughter and said hesitantly: "To mention it, this matter also has something to do with your fourth brother's wife... You just came in, I was afraid that if I said it, you would not be happy in your heart. If I didn't say it, I wouldn't know what to do..."

  The eleventh girl saw a flash of surprise in Tai Furen's eyes.

  It's clear that Madame didn't know about this matter.

  "Exactly as Third Sister said, I've just entered the door and don't know many rules. If I unintentionally offend anyone, please, Third Sister, point it out to me."

  The old lady nodded slightly after hearing this.

  The three madams saw it, and a few awkward expressions appeared on their faces: "It's like this. Fourth sister-in-law, you also know that fifth sister-in-law is pregnant, and the astrologer has calculated that she clashes with those born in the year of the cow. I had Qiu Xiang make a list of all the people in the mansion born in the year of the cow. And as for fourth sister-in-law's place..." She glanced at Madame Tian again as she spoke.

  The eleventh girl smiled slightly. Before the engagement, the two families would discuss the betrothal gifts, and the man's family would prepare a list of their property to be given to the woman's family, while the woman's family would also prepare a list of dowry to be given to the man's family. It seemed that Third Madam had specifically investigated her... Dong Qing was born in the year of the cow!

  If all the house heads have to avoid her, she naturally can't stand out alone. But if it's just her as a house head, this matter is probably not that easy.

  She glanced at Tai Fu Ren.

  Madam Tai's face showed hesitation.

  She had made up her mind about the attitude of Tai Fu Ren. Shi Yi Niang smiled and said: "But is there anyone belonging to the Cow in my place?"

  The three madams smiled and nodded, taking the account book from Qiu Xiang's hand: "It seems there are four. One is Dong Qing who serves beside her younger sister, one is a companion called Chang Jiuhé, one is Wan Yizong's eldest son Wan Da Xian, and one is Liu Yuanrui's second son Liu Shengchun."

  That is to say, out of five people she pulled in, four were involved.

  "Marriage is a big deal, and we should follow the rules. Third Sister-in-law gave me the list, I'll just hand it over to you according to the list." She also said, "I don't know where these people will be assigned. Speaking of which, I have two dowry houses myself. If they can be used, Third Sister-in-law just needs to speak up."

  The three madams heard this and laughed, saying: "It's not to the point of having to move the houses under the daughters-in-law's names..."

  "Eleventh daughter's words reminded me." The old lady suddenly interrupted the third lady's words, "Yi Zhen also has a maidservant belonging to the cow. Although it is said that these people are avoiding things for Lao Wu, if they spread out, others will think that our family is driving people away."

  "Mother!" The third madam's expression was somewhat urgent, "I didn't mean it that way..."

  The old lady shook her head: "You don't have to rush, this was my intention, you just followed orders. It's just that the initial consideration wasn't thorough enough, and I didn't think it would involve so many people. I think this way, each house will take care of their own people. This way, each house won't be short-handed either."

  At this point, no one dared to refute it. The third madam immediately smiled and agreed, instructing Qiu Xiang: "You give the names of the people belonging to the fourth madam's house to the fourth madam."

  Qiu Ling responded in a low voice with "yes", but her gaze at Shiyi Nang was somewhat different.

  The eleventh daughter silently smiled and accepted the paper note that had been written in advance and inserted into her account book, then bid farewell to Madame Tai: "This is a top priority matter, I'll go settle these people first."

  The old lady saw that she didn't say a word, not only obeyed, but also did it quickly and efficiently, smiled with satisfaction: "Go!"

  Eleventh brought Amber out of Ta Furen's courtyard.

  "Madam, are you really going to send them away? Those four attendants were originally from Yuhang, we don't know anything about them. If we do this, others will think that we're afraid of the people in the third house..."

  "I know!" Eleventh Sister smiled and said, "However, things always have their good and bad sides. Maybe this is a good thing after all!" As she spoke, she gazed towards the residence of Fifth Madam with a smile.

  They returned to the house, and Tao's mother was still there waiting.

  The eleventh girl decided to cool her down a bit and called for Amber to bring over some of her spare rooms.

  Amber went out at the sound of her voice and called four maidservants from the adjacent rooms.

  It was four rooms, so it was four families, all rushing in together, and the house was immediately packed.

  Except for Jiang Bingzheng and a woman wearing a green velvet cloak who were stealing glances around, everyone else hung their heads and didn't move.

  Eleventh Young Lady had Amber check the attendance roster.

  Knowing that the woman in green velvet was Liu Yuanrui's wife, she remembered it in her heart.

  She also noticed Wan Da Xian, the eldest son of the Wan family - a young man who looked very spirited, with an honest face and was the same age as Dong Qing.

  Eleven girls stayed with Jiang Bingzheng and four others to chat.

  "...so all those born in the year of the Cow must temporarily move to the countryside."

  "Madam, this won't do," Jiang Bingzheng said immediately. "If we let them get away with this, how can we get anything done in the future?"

  The eleventh girl smiled and nodded slightly: "Then what's your plan?"

  Jiang Bingzheng immediately laughed and said, "I'm a foolish person, what idea do I have? Everything is up to the lady. If the lady tells me to go east, I will not go west; if she tells me to go west, I will not go east." He then asked the three people behind him, "Don't you think that's right?"

  Liu Yuanrui and Chang Jiuhé nodded repeatedly, while Wan Yizong just lowered his head.

  Eleventh Brother let Jiang Bingzheng and Liu Yuanrui, Chang Jiuhé step down, leaving Wan Yizong to speak.

  "How do you see it?"

  Wan Yizong was extremely surprised. He remained silent for a long time, then showed a resolute expression and said in a low voice: "We are newcomers, it's better to follow the crowd."

  Knowing how to wash his fingernails clean shows that he is a person who has high demands on himself; being able to say what he just said shows that he is a very practical person.

  The eleventh girl was very satisfied with him and said: "Why did you want to be my companion?"

  She saw that Wan Yizong's family was dressed neatly and elegantly. She believed that he should have been doing quite well in his original place too.

  Wan Yi Zong said respectfully: "There are more opportunities in Yanjing!"

  "Oh? What opportunity are you referring to?"

  Wan Yizong said, "In Jiangnan, land is scarce and households that can afford to hire people to manage their farms are even fewer. I have three sons, and if they don't learn a trade, they'll end up as lowly laborers. The north is different, with large estates of over a thousand mu being common... so I followed him here."

  His voice was calm and steady, but the beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed his tension.

  The eleventh girl smiled and asked her: "I only know that I brought two estates as dowry, one with more than 500 mu and the other with more than 300 mu, both in the Wanping area. But I don't know what these two estates are planted with? What is the harvest per season? Whose fields do they border? Can you come back to me within five days? Is there any difficulty?"

  Wan Yizong raised his head and stared at Shier Niang in shock, only speaking after a long while: "This humble one obeys."

  The eleventh daughter served tea and he bowed his body and retreated.

  "I have a four-entry courtyard in the north of the city, don't I?" She ordered Amber, "Let Dongqing take some money and temporarily settle everyone there. We'll figure out who goes where later!"

  "Would you like to call in Jiang Bingzheng and the others for questioning as well? Otherwise, I'm afraid Wan Yi will become the target of public criticism..."

  It's just that he needs to become a target of public criticism, then he will realize that only by following himself can he survive.

  The Eleventh Young Lady smiled and said: "Not for now. Let's see how the Wanyi Sect handles things first!"

  Huangpu didn't dare say anything else and called in Taomama. Then she went to Dongqing's place to pass on Shier Niang's words.

  Listening to Mrs. Tai's tone, Yuan Niang temporarily handed over the people who stayed behind to Tao Mama to manage. Firstly, she was not a proper mistress and couldn't make some decisions; secondly, now that Third Madame was in charge - unlike before when Yuan Niang was watching from the side, independently managing the household expenses. When one dynasty falls, another rises, and good jobs like this steward's position must have been replaced with her own people - someone like Tao Mama who only gets two taels of silver as monthly allowance, let alone others. Without other income, relying solely on the monthly allowance to make ends meet, it's easy to imagine how difficult life is.

  She was anxious to find her own reason, and it goes without saying!