Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 36 - 19: Time Flies

After the New Year, joyful news arrived from the Capital: Lady Xi, who was over thirty, was pregnant. The Shun’an Earl Mansion was in an uproar, and a great number of precious items, together with a large amount of Silver, were transported from Yangzhou to the Capital. Despite the toil, the Old Madam also followed the Earl into the Capital, all because the Emperor kindly allowed Lady Xi’s family to visit her in the Capital.

Due to the limited number of Maids, each Maid was eager to go to the Capital. Susu said she was originally from the suburb of the Capital and thus didn’t need to join the bustle. Because of this, Susu stayed behind, making the Old Madam value her character even more highly.

From Yangzhou to the Capital and back again, the journey took nearly half a year. By the time the Old Madam returned, Sister Zhen Zhu had already been a new bride for three months. Susu and a few other Maids who didn’t go to the Capital joined the festivities. Although the Old Madam wasn’t present, the wedding was conducted in a dignified manner. On the third day of marriage, Sister Zhen Zhu and Brother-in-law Zhen Zhu kowtowed outside Sui’an Hall. The Third Madam, following the Old Madam’s instructions, prepared a carriage full of gifts, greatly honoring Sister Zhen Zhu.

Upon her return, the Old Madam gave another stern lecture to the entire house, similar to last time, emphasizing caution and humility. The Song Family was known for treating their servants kindly; no one wanted to be thrown out on the streets, akin to some rules for official households.

Time flowed like water, and Susu grew more beautiful each year. When she met the masters and young masters who came to pay their respects, they couldn’t help but glance at her. Over the years, the Old Madam, touched by Susu’s thoughtfulness, cherished her even more, raising her like a granddaughter. She would often sigh while looking at Susu’s face. Usually, Susu was not allowed to leave Sui’an Hall, and Susu was content with this.

Five years passed just like that, and in those five years, the changes in the Song Family were earth-shattering. Lady Xi gave birth to a Princess, but sadly, her health was affected, making future pregnancies difficult. Nonetheless, she was promoted to the Second Rank Consort. On the Princess’s first birthday, the Emperor bestowed favors on the Princess’s family, granting them an Earl Mansion in the Capital. The primary wife and Second Wife moved into the Capital three years ago, and the elder master was appointed to the Ministry of Revenue. The second master also became an official and took a concubine to the coast. The Old Madam and the Third Family stayed in Yangzhou, as most of the Song Family’s relatives were there, and it was essential to have someone oversee the foundation and retreat of the Song Family.

Susu was thirteen, having been in this world for six years. Sister Amber married three years ago, Dong Song was promoted, and Susu became a second-rank Maid. Half a month ago, Sister Dong Song also got married, making Susu a true Maid, the youngest Maid at Sui’an Hall.

The Mids and second-rank Maids she once knew well all married long ago. Initially sharing a room, Susu, Bisi, Ning Cui, and Yang Liu became first-rank in the Old Madam’s room. They spent more time together than with their own parents, forming sisterly bonds long ago. The other three were also sixteen, standing tall and graceful.

The whole Yangzhou Prefecture knew that Maids from the Old Madam’s room at Shun’an Earl Mansion were unmatched even by daughters of landowners. Not only were they beautiful and well-behaved, but they were also literate. Although they had decent dowries, many suitors came in an endless stream.

As dawn broke, Susu opened her eyes and checked her pocket watch beside her pillow. It was a few minutes to five. Once a late riser, Susu had long developed the habit of early to bed and early to rise. Staring at the embroidered pink cherry blossom-patterned bed canopy, Susu lay in bed for about five more minutes before lifting the canopy and climbing out of bed.

Now that she was a Maid, she had her own room. Not only was it more spacious than the room she had as a little Maid, but it was also divided into a bedroom, living room, and bathroom, with all furniture made of red rosewood.

Susu first circled around the screen outside the bedroom to the living room. In the center of the living room was a set of tables and chairs with a complete tea set painted with the design of magpies on plum branches. Below the southern window, a low couch was covered with a silver-red soft rug and a bamboo cooling mat, with a small table on top. It was summer, and in a blue and white vase, several budding lotus flowers were placed.

Susu first drank a cup of warm white water from the tea pot, took a breath, then opened the door. A little Maid who had been peeking in quickly brought in hot water when she saw the door open.

Not needing the little Maids’ service, Susu washed her face and brushed her teeth, returned to the bedroom, opened the four-door wardrobe inlaid with mother-of-pearl and carved lotus pattern of red rosewood to choose attire. Only then did she sit before the dressing table with a large mercury mirror, using a small box of snow cream costing ten taels of silver to apply on her hands and face.

She wasn’t fond of rouge and powder, opting instead for a light pink cream rouge for her lips. Her long, shiny black hair was tied into a childish hanging bun with straight bangs covering her smooth forehead, concealing a bit of her beauty. She wore only two pearl flowers on her head, along with earrings, bracelets, tied a sweat cloth, and hung a sachet and a handkerchief. Having tidied up, she left the room, greeted along the way as "Sister Susu."

Someone patted Susu on the back, and she turned around, smiling, "You’re up early today!"

The newcomer wore a silver-red fine gauze blouse, with a moon-white pleated skirt, a long green silk sash at the waist, a sachet dangling from it, her hair in a double spiral bun, adorned with a pair of red gold inlaid with pearl hairpins. Her round face had apricot-shaped eyes, and her ear lobes, shaped like ingot, wore red gemstone earrings. It was Yang Liu, who had grown up with her. Although she seemed carefree, her actions were flawless, and now she took over Sister Zhen Zhu’s duties, becoming the Maid Steward at Sui’an Hall, making the little Maids feel like mice in front of a cat.

Yang Liu laughed and said, "How could I not get up early? Today is Mrs. Zhao’s visiting day, and for years, whenever she comes, you look forward to it like the stars and the moon. If I don’t entertain well, our Sister Susu might spare me no mercy."

The two of them laughed and joked as they arrived at the main house. At this time, the Old Madam hadn’t gotten up yet, and it was Ning Cui who kept watch at night, while Bisi, due to her excellent embroidery skills and attention to detail, managed the Old Madam’s clothes and accessories.

After Ning Cui went to the backyard to wash and change, the Old Madam soon lifted the bed canopy and got up. Susu and the three Maids, together with six second-rank Maids, attended to the Old Madam’s dressing, washing, combing, and adorning. Perhaps it was because the days had been pleasant these past few years, and Susu, whenever free, coaxed the Old Madam into applying a face mask or soaking in a milk bath. As a result, the Old Madam appeared even more youthful than a few years ago.

She wore a light purple undergarment, a coat of flesh-pink base with auspicious patterns and dark blue floral brocade facing, paired with a sapphire floral brocade knee-length blue and white horse face skirt. Her round hairstyle was adorned with only a longevity-character mutton fat jade hairpin and a fine blue inlaid with pearl bat-patterned headband, with two mutton fat jade carved bracelets on her wrists, and white jade gourd earrings hanging from her ears.

Susu selected a floral-shaped collar button made of red gold inlaid with white jade and red gemstone from the jewelry box to pin on the upright collar of the undergarment, jesting, "I feel like switching places with Sister Bisi, spending all day transforming the Old Madam into a Fairy. How rewarding!" The Old Madam chuckled, "An old woman like me, a Fairy? Just hoping they don’t mistake me for an old witch, that would be a blessing!"