Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 30 - 13: Auspicious Occasion (Part 2)

In the first month of the lunar year, the Song Family held a seven-day banquet, a grand celebration of flowers and fireworks. It wasn’t until the end of this month that things quieted down. The Old Madam called her three sons over for a private talk, after which the gentlemen became more discreet in their actions. The new emperor has just ascended the throne, and even the position is not stable. If the Song Family brings trouble upon themselves, the emperor would not be able to help.

As soon as the month ended, the Old Madam had the eldest master spend a large sum to invite two experienced maids from the Capital. They had both served in the palace and were there to teach the young ladies etiquette. Even the masters and servants in the estate needed guidance. Additionally, a female tutor was hired to teach the girls to read and understand principles, along with some arts like music and calligraphy. The Old Madam sighed privately, "The eldest daughter-in-law and the second daughter-in-law are going to ruin the next generation of our Song Family’s daughters!" She hoped the maids and tutors had some methods.

The study in Sui’an Hall was also readied. When the little maids were free, they were allowed to follow Susu to learn a few words.

The newly arrived female tutor was originally a lady from a prestigious family. Her fiancé died of illness before they could marry, leaving her with the reputation of being cursed, and by twenty, she had not married. After her parents passed, her brother and sister-in-law wouldn’t accept her, so she began teaching in wealthy families. Hearing that there was a particularly studious little maid in the Old Madam’s courtyard, she called Susu over. Upon meeting her, she realized Susu was indeed outstanding, and learning of her background, she grew fond of Susu’s nature, often sharing books with her. It led to a friendship despite their age difference.

At the end of the year, during the first month, everyone was busy. The maids, both big and small, didn’t even get a break. Susu, Ning Cui, Bisi, and Yang Liu were kept running in circles. The hand warmers they promised to make for the Old Madam and the sisters in the chambers were not finished until the first month was over.

Not mentioning others, the Old Madam looked at the pair of hand warmers in Autumn Fragrance color embroidered with the Eight Treasures lotus-patterned satin edged with white fox fur. Her face warmed with a little embarrassment at the sight of the four young girls, their cheeks red from the chill, "It’s thoughtful of you," she said with a smile, trying on the hand warmer on the spot, finding it warm and well-colored in embroidery. She declared it perfect for the next day. She turned to Amber behind her, smiling broadly, "From those little novelties that came over the other day, let the four sisters choose a couple of pieces and give each two gold ingots."

The four of them quickly thanked the Old Madam, who smiled and said, "When you’re all doing so well, of course, I must reward you." She then turned to Zhen Zhu, "These days everyone has been busy, haven’t they? Make arrangements to give each of them two days off, in turns." The maids in the room were overjoyed and thanked the Old Madam profusely.

At this point, Amber returned with a box and four pockets, "Let me be lazy, pack them together, and let the girls share them in their rooms." She opened the box to show the Old Madam. The latter merely glanced and smiled, "I know you’re lazy, but don’t be stingy. Add a packet of the little pearls from your Third Master for your sisters, let them string them, and take a good box to the four girls. Remind the wet nurse and the maid of Sixth Sister to keep an eye on them and ensure they don’t put them in their mouths."

Upon hearing this, Dong Song and a few other second-class ones pretended to protest, "Old Madam has new favorites and forgets the old ones, loving sisters but not us." The Old Madam tapped Dong Song on the forehead with a laugh, "Haven’t you seen all the good things, and now you fight over these little things with your sisters! Bah, Amber, give them something to appease their shallow folks." Dong Song laughed like a blossoming flower, "We’ve seen much good, but what the Old Madam gives is different!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The four returned joyfully to the backyard with their rewards. Yang Liu, always impatient, opened the Purple Sandalwood Box, inhaled sharply, and exclaimed, "My goodness, did Sister Amber make a mistake?"

Susu and the other three gathered around, equally surprised. It took a moment before Ning Cui spoke, "Would Sister Amber make a mistake? Besides, the Old Madam has already seen it." Although Susu felt the Old Madam was extraordinarily generous, she wasn’t too surprised: "It should be fine, the Old Madam said Sister Amber is to reward with what came from the outside. In these days I have helped Sister Amber, the jewelry pieces I’ve seen amount to several chests, more precious than these by far! These are nothing in comparison." Susu couldn’t say too much, but the other three were nonetheless astonished.

In the Purple Sandalwood Box were eight pieces of jewelry: four translucent water apple-green ice jade bracelets, two red gold hairpins set with lotus seed-sized rubies in a cloud design, two red gold magnolia hairpins set with a dozen tiny blue sapphires, and a packet of drilled pearls of various sizes. Although they weren’t genuine pearls like the East Pearl or South Pearl, they were rare for their roundness and luster, with colors ranging from pink to pale yellow and milky white, totaling nearly a hundred pieces.

In Great Chu, there was only one Royal Pearl Farm, but its techniques were unlikely to be as advanced as modern times, even a bean-sized cultured pearl demanded several silvers, and such a pack might be worth a hundred or eighty silvers, not to mention the jewelry pieces.

Inside the four pockets were two begonia-shaped gold ingots, each weighing six qian. In silver, a gold ingot was worth six taels. But just for making a hand warmer, how could there be such a large reward?

Privately, Susu secretly asked Amber. Sister Amber poked her little nose hard with her long pink fingernail, stained with Balsamine flower juice, leaving a red mark. "You overthink it, those things are nothing to the Old Madam. She understands who is sincere with her."

Showing off her wrist, she wore a bracelet blue like the sky with white streaks resembling clouds. "This is newly rewarded by the Old Madam, each Maid received one. I chose a blue one, Sister Zhen Zhu’s was a red gold Hong Fei, Jade chose one that could drip with green, and Agate picked a violet one. Just a single bracelet is worth eight hundred taels,"

Amber observed Susu as she spoke, noting the coolness in Susu’s eyes, devoid of greed or jealousy, liking her even more. She took two exquisite small rings, crafted in red gold inlaid with white jade rings, from the makeup box and gave them to Susu. "Here, take them to play. What the Old Madam gives, we accept. As long as you serve her well, when you get married, you’ll probably have several chests full of things saved up."

Susu ran away blushing, "Sister Amber, you’re being improper. You’ll marry first." Amber discussed this with the Old Madam privately, and the Old Madam nodded, "Observing her during this time, she does seem good. Although promoted, I haven’t seen her act arrogantly. Now, it appears she’s cautious in her actions. You should teach her more in the future."