Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 34 - 17: Return to the Manor

In the evening, every household on the manor had a dinner even more sumptuous than the New Year’s Eve feast. The Manor Head also announced the good news that the Old Madam was waiving this year’s land rent, and everyone was immersed in joy.

The village chief, although regretting that Hong Sheng did not pursue a good future for himself, knew that this child had strong principles and that the Old Madam of the Song Family was benevolent and would not mistreat him.

In private, the Old Madam also asked Susu what reward she wanted. Susu thoughtfully said, "I am the Old Madam’s maid, even if I risk my life it is my duty. Susu just wants to stay by the Old Madam like the older sisters do, and when I reach the right age, buy a few acres of land and visit Old Madam often."

The Old Madam laughed and said, "Alright, then stay with me. When the time comes, I will keep my eyes open to arrange a good match for you."

Susu was not shy, just smiled while looking at the Old Madam.

The Old Madam, having seen much of the world, did not let fear paralyze her. After resting for a day or two, she continued with her activities, only this time ordering the surroundings to be cleared and traps to be set.

Susu also seized the time, asking the housekeeper to purchase and send a piece of fine green Ge cloth to the manor each day. Ning Cui, Bisi, and Yang Liu all helped make two sets of clothes to be sent to the benefactor who saved a life.

Hearing that the young man knew some characters, Susu also wrote a letter to express her heartfelt gratitude.

Having stayed at the manor for almost a month, in mid-April, the Eldest Master personally came to fetch the Old Madam.

Aunt Yue and Liu Li were pregnant, and the manor was in chaos. The Eldest Master requested the Old Madam return to assert control, and with reluctance, everyone began to pack their luggage.

Before leaving, Susu asked someone to send a pair of shoes to the young savior, Hong Sheng, and then boarded the carriage to return to the city.

As the carriage gradually disappeared, a figure quietly emerged, holding the shoes with a complex expression.

...

The group from the Song Mansion returned to Sui’an Hall after nearly a month of absence, and the first thing they did was bathe, washing away the dust from their journey.

The maids who played in the wild quickly refocused, and their yelling and playing in the countryside seemed like a dream, only evident in their retelling of the thrilling events, making Sister Amber and Mrs. Qin repeatedly terrified and insisting that the Household Doctor carefully examine the Old Madam again, much to her helpless amusement.

On the surface, Sui’an Hall had not changed much, but internally it was a bit different.

Some people were no longer present, others received generous rewards. Although Susu remained a maid, her monthly salary and allowances were quietly raised to the highest level. Even those who knew this couldn’t be envious because Susu earned it with her life.

The Old Madam still often called Susu and the younger maids for entertainment, but she clearly favored Susu more, regularly having her read scriptures, something others couldn’t envy, as Susu was so literate!

By the end of May, as the weather gradually heated up, the Song Family also started distributing new seasonal clothing.

The flowers in the garden bloomed beautifully. The Old Madam would also take a few granddaughters to stroll in the garden, and Sister Zhen Zhu turned eighteen.

...

The maids in the Old Madam’s room would be married off at around eighteen, so Sui’an Hall was bustling with activity.

Stewards from all corners, the Manor Head, and even matchmakers invited by wealthy families outside came in an endless stream.

The older and younger maids would seize the chance to tease, making Sister Zhen Zhu hide in the main room often.

Sister Zhen Zhu’s family, though born as household servants, were not from any notable family. Her parents were merely laborers; she had a younger brother three years younger.

It was because Sister Zhen Zhu served as the head maid in the Old Madam’s courtyard that her family gained some status.

Sister Zhen Zhu cared for her parents and had no intention of marrying outside the family. After two months of selection, a family was finally chosen. They too belonged to the Song Family; the man managed the master’s carriages and horses, the woman was a steward in the laundry room, and they had two sons. The eldest had left the household register and served as second steward in the Song Family’s rice business; he was also the future brother-in-law of Zhen Zhu.

The Old Madam was very open-minded in these matters, specially inviting someone in. Sisters hid behind the folding screens while only Susu, being small, stayed with the Old Madam and saw everything clearly.

The man was average-looking but not dull, otherwise, he wouldn’t have become the second steward at the age of twenty-one or two. However, he wasn’t a sweet-talker either. After privately inquiring about his character, it turned out he was rare in his honesty and filial piety. What the Old Madam valued was that his entire family were good people, not harsh by nature.

The Old Madam considered every aspect for Sister Zhen Zhu, making her so touched she rarely shed tears in front of the younger maids, saying she didn’t want to marry and just wanted to stay with the Old Madam. Susu also sighed to herself, saying this was the best arrangement for a granddaughter!

By the end of August, both families kowtowed to the Old Madam and exchanged ’Gengtie’ — the engagement deeds — formally establishing the engagement, with the wedding set for next spring. Susu also witnessed the complexity of ancient wedding customs.

Even though Zhen Zhu was a maid, the Old Madam would not let her be wronged. Every step of the Six Rites of marriage was done with the utmost dignity. The Old Madam declared that Sister Zhen Zhu could embroider her wedding dress in the garden and she would only leave the manor at the year’s end, giving Zhen Zhu’s family time to prepare a fitting bridal room.

Sui’an Hall bubbled with laughter and joy, while from the main house came the news that Aunt Yue, four months pregnant, miscarried and due to heavy bleeding, might be unable to conceive again. The Eldest Master was clamoring to divorce his wife; the First Madam sought life and death. Later, the Old Madam, who hadn’t set foot in the main house for nearly ten years, personally stepped in to take charge.

The First Madam, after all, held a noble title and had borne the legitimate eldest son and daughter. The Eldest Young Master was already nominated as the Princely Heir, so dismissing the First Madam was not feasible. However, the First Madam was confined to the main courtyard, the Eldest Miss moved to Yayun Pavilion, and under the strong insistence of the Eldest Master, Aunt Yue was promoted to be a Concubine, managing the main house’s household affairs.

After all, the Song Family came from a merchant background. In a truly profound aristocratic family, having a concubine would be inconceivable. Though the Old Madam knew it was inappropriate, she couldn’t overrule her son. Moreover, a woman unable to have her own children was pitiful, and the Old Madam was not heartless, thus a Lady Yue was added to the Shun’an Earl Mansion.

The Old Madam remained outwardly calm, but who would have thought that once she returned to Sui’an Hall, she fell ill, alarming all maids, old and young, who began to wail. Zhen Zhu and Mrs. Qin stepped up to manage affairs. This illness frightened the three Masters, with troubling matters no longer daring to reach Sui’an Hall. The granddaughters, along with the maids, worked hard daily to cheer up the Old Madam, eventually nursing her back to health.

As for the Eldest Miss, with a mother like that, now at thirteen, despite having a governess forcefully instructing her, she deviated nonetheless. Luckily, with a competent father and grandmother, plus a strong younger brother, a marriage was arranged with the legitimate second son of a Magistrate’s family. Not a prestigious family, nor as the lady of the main household, it was a lower marriage. With the backing of the Shun’an Earl Mansion, her disdain for mundane matters would not lead to major errors.

Curiously, despite the First Madam’s calculating and duplicitous nature, she raised a daughter only interested in the arts and oblivious to worldly affairs. In contrast, the Second Madam, for all her pretentiousness and vanity, raised a daughter much like the First Madam. Although not fond of her grandmother, upon seeing the Eldest Miss move into Yayun Pavilion, as if gaining some benefit, the Second Miss also clamored to move in.

This was quite a scene. The Eldest Miss, Second Miss, followed by the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Miss, all came to pay respects to the Old Madam. The atmosphere was quite perplexing, even making Susu lose her appetite.

Even though the Eldest Miss was engaged, she still did not wish to learn managing affairs post-coming of age, practicing the qin daily. As she practiced, the Second Miss would compete and practice as well. The staff at Sui’an Hall had to fall asleep to the sound of qin each night, making it unbearable in just a few days. The Sixth Miss, being young, would cry due to lack of sleep, so the Old Madam ordered that the two Misses only practice for a bit in the morning to avoid tiring themselves. The two Misses reacted as if gravely wronged, leaving the maids at Sui’an Hall utterly exasperated.

Subsequently, the wages of several governesses visibly increased. The Old Madam sent Mrs. Qin with this message: "Our family’s daughters are destined to be proper wives. It is fine if they do not know other things, but at least they must manage their dowries and understand some everyday matters." Thereafter, the governesses began to provide examples and reasoning, helping the Eldest and Second Miss understand household management and daily affairs, reducing the sound of the qin, allowing everyone to sleep peacefully.