Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 200 - 1: The First Day of the Twelfth Month

Susu wore a set of camel wool thermal underwear, over which she put on a light yellow jacket, further covered by a long coat with a standing collar made of Shu brocade with silver-red fold-branch floral embroidery and a purple lambskin lining. Below, she wore a skirt made of light apricot-colored floral-patterned embroidery with a gray mouse fur lining, and on her feet were a pair of delicate little boots lined with pearl fur and covered in red deerskin. Before going out, Qi Qiao and Fen Dai helped her put on a cloak made of bamboo green plain dorno cloth lined with lynx fur, with the edges of the snow hat and cloak trimmed with white fox fur.

Shuimo handed Susu a hand warmer made of silver-red fox fur with a purple copper hand stove the size of a palm in the middle. Once fully dressed, Susu felt she had turned into a ball and could hardly walk.

The four little maids wore thick new cotton-padded jackets and pants underneath, topped with gray mouse fur jackets as a special reward from Susu. On their heads were rabbit fur caps, and they wore fox fur neck warmers. Seeing them, Susu couldn’t help but recall a phrase from her past life, "No buying and selling, no killing." Once they stepped outside, the cold wind blew, and Susu was greatly relieved that there were no animal protection laws in ancient times; otherwise, many people would freeze to death.

Susu wasn’t a harsh "employer". As soon as autumn ended, the winter clothing had already been distributed on the estate. The thick cotton clothes used as much cotton as two sets of ordinary people’s cotton clothes, and each person had two sets, plus a fur jacket for everyone.

The highest quality was fox fur, first-class was gray mouse fur, second and third-class were rabbit fur, and even the rougher servants had a dog fur jacket. Driving a carriage in winter was a tough job, so Susu also rewarded them with a three-piece sheepskin set—jacket, trousers, and boots.

When Susu went out, it was still dark, and without sunlight, the cold wind was biting. Susu, upon seeing the weather, thought it might snow later today, and quickly asked Shuimo to return to the main courtyard to find a wolf fur blanket for the coachman from the storeroom, since making a big cloak and cape was too late; at least it would help block the cold wind.

It wasn’t until she got into the carriage, where a charcoal brazier had been set up, that Susu finally breathed a sigh of relief after taking off her white fox fur neck warmer, muttering inwardly, what a cold day!

On the front corners of the carriage, a windproof lamp made of glass was burning on each side. The coachman was a steady man in his thirties or forties, knowing the importance of safety for the master over everything, and the carriage took a quarter of an hour longer than usual to reach the Capital at a leisurely pace. By then, it was almost eight o’clock, fully daylight, and various stalls and shops began opening for business.

Seeing there was still time, Susu first took everyone to have breakfast, and then went to Jinyinman Tang.

Susu was wrapped up like a bear, but thankfully no idle ladies from other families were out to buy jewelry in such weather, otherwise they’d think some bear from the mountains had come down to become a demon. If Miss Zhen didn’t know Fen Dai and the other three girls, she wouldn’t have recognized who had come.

Knowing it was the esteemed guest their master instructed them to wait for, Miss Zhen quickly came forward to greet, "Miss, you’re here. Our master is waiting for you upstairs!" Susu nodded, glanced at the four little maids, and said, "I’m going to meet an old friend. Let Miss Zhen get you a private room and double-check the contract with the jewelry I ordered, and calculate the wages after I’m done."

The four maids who followed Susu had long mastered one of a maid’s survival skills—"to say nothing unnecessary and ask no questions"—nodded their heads obediently.

Miss Zhen summoned a maid to lead Susu upstairs while she personally attended to Fen Dai and the others, as the jewelry Susu ordered was too precious, especially the ones Susu had designed herself, each comparable to the treasures of Jinyinman Tang.

Miss Zhen dared not leave it to just anyone to handle casually, unlike Susu who appeared carefree or perhaps bold and wealthy.

Actually, Susu wasn’t carefree or bold and wealthy; it was just in her eyes, those things, however precious, couldn’t compare to the affection between sisters.

The maid quietly left after showing Susu to the private room she had been in last time. Susu knocked on the door three times, and soon Ruan Qiniang opened the door herself!

Once inside the private room, Susu quickly took off her cloak. Jinyinman Tang had used a fireplace, and going upstairs, she immediately felt warm and started to sweat.

Ruan Qiniang and Ruan Shiniang only felt their eyes light up, looking at Susu, who was in ordinary attire, they were amazed.

Today, Susu styled her hair in a crescent moon bun, with the loose hair below tied into small braids with red silk threads, and a string of colorful tourmaline beads wrapped several times around the bun. On either side of her head was a pink dyed fox fur ball, resembling a pair of fox ears, appearing playful and cute.

She wore a pair of watermelon tourmaline butterfly earrings, which didn’t move at all as she walked, demonstrating her graceful demeanor.