Chapter 54: Marriage (Part 1)

  "Quickly, quickly, quickly!" Dong Qing hurried off to inform Shiyi Niang.

  Eleventh Sister let Amber accompany Tenth Sister to pick things out, and herself changed into a casual outfit and went to the mansion of the Eldest Lady.

  In the courtyard, I met Mrs. Xu.

  She politely greeted Shiyi: "You've come to see Madame?"

  "Really!" Eleventh Sister smiled and chatted with her, "You're busy!"

  This was a polite remark, but who would have thought that Mrs. Xu waved the things in her hand: "The two hundred-year-old ginseng in the warehouse of the big wife, let me send them to my aunt."

  So many things happened yesterday, I'm sure Mrs. was worried sick.

  Eleventh Girl smiled at Mrs. Xu and then lifted the curtain and entered the main hall.

  The old master is out, and the mistress is eating breakfast alone. In front of her is a bowl of plain porridge, and on the table are four or five small dishes.

  "Has she eaten?" She asked with a smile, and before Eleven could respond, she instructed Xianghua beside her, "Get a bowl and chopsticks for Miss Eleven."

  Eleventh girl has eaten... but she can't refuse this kind of intimacy from her leader.

  Smiling gratefully, she sat down and Coral gave her a small half bowl of white porridge.

  It's really true that it's easy to be an official when there are people in the court. Amber and Coral get along well, and Coral also takes good care of the people in Shiyi Niang's house. Knowing that Shiyi Niang had eaten breakfast before coming, the porridge was only half a bowl - both following the mistress's intention and avoiding leaving leftovers and losing etiquette.

  The eleventh girl smiled at Coral with gratitude.

  Coral knew that Shíyī Niáng understood her good intentions and smiled too.

  Everyone quietly finished their meal, and Eleventh Sister followed Eldest Mistress to the large kang by the window in the western wing.

  The mistress complained: "This bed is neither a bed nor a couch, with cushions it's hot, without cushions it's hard... Our eight-step bed and arhat bed are still better."

  Eleventh girl helped the old lady onto the kang, and pushed open half of the window. The cool breeze carrying the freshness of spring rain rushed in.

  "I'll make you a few bamboo mats!" said Eleventh Sister with a smile, "It's more comfortable this way."

  The madam smiled and nodded: "You always think so thoroughly." And took her hand, "Let Shi Niang pick out clothes in your room? I'm troubling you."

  "There's no need to be resentful." Eleventh Sister said with a smile, "After a hundred years of cultivation, we can cross the same boat. My tenth sister and I are sisters in this life, but who knows if we'll have this good fortune in the next life? What are a few pieces of clothing and jewelry?"

  The old lady smiled and nodded, saying: "Don't worry, I have a plan in mind, I won't overdo it with you." She then called for Feicui and Daini to come and open the trunk, carrying the eleventh daughter over to look, "I want to reward a few dresses to Shanhu and the others. Your eyes are good, help me take a look."

  The eleventh daughter was slightly stunned.

  This was all done by Wu Niang in the past...

  She smiled and nodded in agreement, her expression unreadable.

  The lady's smile had reached her eyes.

  A few people spent the morning hours selecting from among the beautiful and elegant clothes of Madame Wang.

  At noon, Mrs. Lai invited Shiyi Niang to lunch and then served her as she took a nap. Just as Mrs. Lai lay down, Dà Nǎi arrived.

  Just now when I was having lunch, you didn't come, but now you're here...I also thought about what happened yesterday with Da Nai and Shi Niang, they came back early, but today they haven't been seen all morning...there must be something you want to report?

  Eleventh Sister made an excuse to go and make tea for Big Nai Nai, hiding in a nearby ear house.

  The old lady saw Shi Er Niang leave and her face immediately fell: "Is there any news?"

  "Ask clearly. It was Weiyuan Escort Agency who sent her here. Who the entruster is, but they won't tell us no matter what. Ask about the security deposit, and they keep their mouths shut. My wife's humble opinion is that we can only ask around at home. Someone was sent to Yuhang yesterday."

  "You've done a good job!" The old lady's face slightly cleared up, "Something must have happened at home... Let's talk about it after the person we sent returns. During this time, take good care of Shi Niang and don't let her run around or speak nonsense." She coldly hummed, "Which two maids are serving by her side now?"

  "One was called Jinlian and the other Yiping, both of whom were originally second-class maids by my side."

  "It's a good thing you helped me out." The old lady was quite emotional, "Otherwise, it would have been a complete mess."

  "See what I said." Da Nai humbly said, "I also followed your instructions." As he spoke, he pulled out a few silver tickets from his sleeve and smiled, "This is the 1,200 taels of silver you gave me last time. The household expenses were only a bit more when we first arrived, but later each month was only 70 or 80 taels, so I took out over 600 taels to supplement the household expenses. Here's the rest back to you!" As he spoke, he handed the silver tickets to Madame.

  "Foolish child, what's mine is yours." The old lady didn't take it, "You keep it, buy some rouge and a jade hairpin to wear instead."

  The old lady was about to decline, but the mistress had already said: "I still have something to entrust you with."

  "Please speak." Seeing Madame's sincerity towards herself, Dà Nǎi accepted the silver note.

  The old lady said with a sigh, "You young people are clever. When you have time, go to the Western City Gate and take a look at the new style, and add some dowry for Wu Niang and Shi Niang."

  Dà nǎi wēi wēi yǒu xiē chī jīng，dàn shì gōng shùn de yìng le "shì"

  Madam Yu hesitated for a moment, then added: "Let's just limit it to 500 taels of silver per person!" She also asked Eldest Sister-in-law, "Isn't 500 taels enough?"

  When Da Nai married over, not counting the land and other things, she spent almost 5,000 taels of silver. Five hundred taels of silver is not a lot, of course. But Wu Niang and Shi Niang are different, they are concubine daughters...

  She smiled hastily: "Not less, not less. The way of spending money also depends on how you spend it."

  The daughter-in-law understood her meaning, and the old lady nodded in satisfaction, saying: "Later we'll discuss it together, to see if there's anything else that can be moved from Yuhang, so as not to spend more money buying land and houses."

  Dai Nai nodded hastily and a little maid came in to report: "Permit Mother is back!"

  "Come quickly!" The mistress hurriedly took off her shoes and entered, while Mrs. Xu lifted the curtain and came in.

  "How is she?" Madame Wang asked anxiously, "Is Yuanniang all right?"

  Mrs. Xu bowed to the madam and said with a smile, "Don't worry, everything will be fine. This morning, the lady of the Xu family went to the residence of Marquis Yongchang Huang to pay her respects to Mrs. Huang. She wants to ask Mrs. Huang to make an appearance to test the attitude of the Jiang family. Just wait for good news!"

  The old lady clasped her hands together and bowed westward: "Amitabha! If you bless our family's Jun Ge to get everything he wants, I'll definitely cast a golden statue for you at that time."

  Both Da Nai and Xu Mama burst out laughing, and Xu Mama added: "You just wait for the golden leaf to be prepared! I heard from Tao Mama that this morning, before leaving, the old lady specially went to see Big Auntie and told her about the Jiang family's affairs, and even asked which one was better?"

  The old lady listened with great delight and smiled: "Of course, it's better for a daughter from the Jiang family!"

  "Even Big Aunt said so," Mother Xu said with a smile. "She even tried to reason with Madame Tai, but in the end, Madame Tai didn't say anything and left Yongchang Marquis's residence."

  "She has always been clever." The daughter could arrange her husband, and the old lady listened with a smile on her face, asking Mrs. Xu: "Have you eaten yet?"

  Mrs. Xu smiled and said: "The eldest aunt gave some snacks, aren't you hungry? Is there something on your mind, Madam?"

  The lady ordered the kitchen to send some food to Mrs. Xu, and then said: "I was just about to settle accounts with Xing's wife, you came back at the right time."

  She had barely finished speaking when a little maid came in and said: "Lady, the master wants you to prepare a table of wine. Mr. Qian has arrived!"

  Dà nǎi heard this and slightly furrowed her brow, but still instructed the little maid: "You go tell Hang Mama to do it as we did before."

  The little maid went out at the sound of her voice.

  The lady seemed to be thinking of something and asked her maid: "At this time, we should prepare for the wine banquet... but is there anyone who often comes to stir up trouble?"

  Dà nǎi xiào dào: "dǎ qiū fēng yě bù zhì yú, zhǐ shì lái de qín. Měi cì lái le, jiù bǎ zijiā lǐ de dōng xī dōu xǐ huì de tiáo yī biàn, shén me Lǐ jì dǎ de tài shī yǐ ah、Sòng shòu méi de bǐ xǐ ah、Duō bǎo gé de láng háo bǐ, yàng yàng dōu rèn dé. Yán jiāo zhī jiān yòu cháng cháng yì lùn nǎ jiā jiǔ lóu qì pài, nǎ jiā de chá lóu de chá hǎo hē, jìn rì yàn duō shàng le shén me yang de xīn xì, shuí shuí zhǔ yǎn, tā yòu qù nǎ wèi dà rén jiā bài fǎng guò, jiàn le xiē qí liú wù…… bù sì zhe máitóu kǔ dú de rén."

  The old lady's expression turned serious - she was most afraid that her son would indulge in the pleasures of the capital and lose his desire to study hard.

  "What's his name? How old is he? Where is he from? Is he a monitor or a protected student?" He asked very carefully.

  Da Nai estimated that he was also very attentive to this, and answered quite smoothly: "This person is called Qian Ming, with the courtesy name Zi Chun, from Yichun, Sichuan. He is two years older than Xiang Gong and is a scholar by birth. It's said that his family still has several mu of land, and judging from his demeanor, he doesn't seem like someone who is impoverished either. But it's just that the way he looks at things with a straight gaze makes people feel uncomfortable."

  "Is that so?" The old lady was somewhat surprised, "Being able to come to the Imperial Academy to study should still have some talent. You can't judge people by their appearance and be lazy with others. Don't look down on the young or look up to the old, who knows when this person will become a high-ranking official!"

  "Mother, rest assured," said Dai Nai hurriedly. "Every time he comes, I treat him to good wine and meat. Last time he said that the crystal stew at Chunxi Building is delicious, so I even sent someone to buy it from Chunxi Building to entertain him."

  The lady nodded in satisfaction and thought for a moment before saying, "Since Brother Xing has guests, you go ahead and attend to your business! I have Mother Xu here with me!"

  Da Nai smiled and went out, with a maid bringing in a bowl of fried silver fish, a bowl of stir-fried chives and eggs, and a bowl of white rice.

  Eleventh Girl saw it and brought in two cups of tea.

  "Has the elder sister-in-law left yet?"

  Mrs. Xu was sitting on a small stool eating when she saw Eleventh Sister come in and hastily stood up.

  The old lady suddenly remembered something and said with a smile: "You can also go back and rest!"

  The eleventh daughter asked for it in vain and left with a smile.

  After dinner, Mrs. Xu and her mother-in-law discussed the preparation of dowry for her marriage.

  "...the Huai River has flooded several times, and the land is barren. However, that was your dowry..."

  The lady said with relish: "Let's not bother about these things anymore. Let's get rid of all those burdens."

  Mrs. Xu responded with a "yes", and carefully calculated the accounts with Mrs. Dai: "In that case, we still have a mountain forest in Yuxian County, where only miscellaneous trees can be planted. Last year, a piece was cut down and sold for over 60 taels of silver..."

  "This is also included."

  Mrs. Xu nodded and picked up her pen to make another entry in the ledger.

  "Right on time, Tao Mama has arrived beside Yuan Niang!"

  Mrs. Dai and Mrs. Xu were taken aback for a moment, and Mrs. Dai asked worriedly, "Has something unexpected happened?"

  (Update is a bit late, same old story, don't wait, come back tomorrow morning to see...... hehe......)

  Also: I recommend a book.

  Book number: 1517235

  Dào yāo jīng, shì wǒ hòu fǔ cǎi qí piāo sàn; jiào fū xù, tā suǒ móu zhǐ wèi fū qī xiàng bàn zǐ sūn píng ān.

  Translation:

  The demon slayer, vowed to make the Hou Mansion's colorful flags scatter; teaching her husband, all she planned was for the couple to be together and their children to live in peace.