Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 70 - 20: Four Little Ones

In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of August. The Old Madam was going to the palace to visit Consort Xi and the Little Princess. She was so excited that she couldn’t sleep for half the night and woke up before dawn. By the time Susu arrived, Ning Cui had already helped the Old Madam wash up.

Susu looked at the pocket watch hanging on her collar. It was only six o’clock. "I thought I was still groggy! You’ve been quite tired these days, why don’t you sleep a little longer?" The Old Madam laughed and said, "It’s just talking, how could that be tiring? It’s you all who are working hard. Even if I was truly tired, thinking about going to the palace to see the Lady and the Little Princess, I couldn’t sleep."

Ning Cui put the handkerchief away and poured a cup of warm water for the Old Madam before saying, "I didn’t know until now that the Old Madam can get so excited."

Just as she was speaking, Yang Liu and Yun Duo came over on duty. They heard Ning Cui saying that the Old Madam had talked with her for half the night. Yang Liu looked at the Old Madam’s expression and said, "Good news brings a good spirit, the Old Madam doesn’t look like she hasn’t slept half the night."

While serving the Old Madam breakfast, since they were going to the palace, to avoid the embarrassment of changing clothes in front of nobility, she only ate half a bowl of bird’s nest porridge and two small steamed buns. Because Nanny Qin and Yang Liu were going to the palace with the Old Madam to serve her, the Old Madam asked them to eat a bit too.

Soups and broths couldn’t be used much, so Susu packed the already-cooked mung bean soup and sour plum soup, handed them to Yang Liu, and stowed them in the carriage. They could drink them after coming out of the palace.

Logically, Susu was the Old Madam’s favorite, and bringing someone to the palace was a grand honor. If bringing a maid, it should have been her. But Susu’s face was too noticeable. If she were to go to the palace and catch the attention of a noble, even if Susu was willing, how would Consort Xi feel?

The Old Madam feared Susu might overthink, so she had explained a few words to her when chatting last night. Susu naturally understood but was still moved by the Old Madam’s consideration. After all, no matter how favored she was, she was a servant. Even if the Old Madam didn’t mention it, it would be expected.

After breakfast, they assisted the Old Madam in washing her face again, then helped her dress in formal attire. The Princely Heir also brought his younger siblings over to pay their respects to the Old Madam. It’s worth mentioning because the First Madam had been sent to the Song Family’s villa in the suburb of the Capital, the Old Madam also excused the Second Madam from paying her respects on the first and fifteenth, to avoid mutual displeasure.

Because Consort Xi had specially requested the Emperor, mentioning that she hadn’t seen her niece since her birth, the Emperor kindly granted permission for some of the older girls from the Song Family to accompany the Old Madam into the palace. At this moment, the Old Madam saw that the five girls, the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Misses, were all dressed appropriately. Each of the five girls had their own style. Even the Fifth Miss, who usually dressed as if someone had wronged her, didn’t dare offend the Old Madam today and wore new clothes and exquisite ornaments.

The Old Madam nodded in satisfaction and said, "When Grandmother returns tomorrow, I’ll have the embroidery room make you some of the popular half-sleeves and short skirts from the Capital. After the fifteenth, when we invite some familiar guests over, you must entertain them well." The girls were naturally very happy.

Afterwards, the Princely Heir took his younger brothers back to the outer court to study, while the Old Madam took the girls in a carriage into the palace.

With the master not present, the servants of Sui’an Hall had their own affairs. Ning Cui and Susu exchanged a few words and then returned to their rooms to catch up on sleep; she was truly tired. Yun Duo, having just become the chief maid, had previously followed Bisi, but now that she was taking over, she had to adapt. With the move as well, everything needed to be reorganized, so there was no leisure.

As for the maids below, finally getting some free time, Susu told them to go play in the backyard garden, but they were not allowed near the theater backstage, where there were little actors hired from outside. The Old Madam worried they might set a bad example for the maids.

With nothing to do, Susu went to the small storeroom. On the fifteenth was the Little Princess’s birthday. In previous years, the Old Madam had always gone to great lengths to find interesting trinkets to send to the Capital. This time, being able to celebrate her granddaughter’s birthday in person, she had naturally to choose carefully.

Ning Xiang and Wu Tong were both young, and Susu didn’t want to suppress their childish nature, so she sent them out to play. But suddenly recollecting something, she called out to them, "If you see Chun Feng, tell her to come find me. I’d almost forgotten that matter."

In no time, Chun Feng came in, her face flushed and out of breath. "Sister, did you have orders for me?" Susu first wiped her sweat, then said, "It’s my fault for not explaining clearly—look how I made you rush. Fortunately, there’s nothing major; there’s something I want to give you."

Saying this, Susu handed her a small Yellow Flower Pear Box, "This is a hair ornament that the Old Madam meant to give you when you first arrived. These past days have been busy, and it got delayed. The rest is for you; take it to wear."

Chun Feng didn’t hesitate, smiling as she received it. "My elder sister said you and her are alike, and not to see you as an outsider." More than that, her grandfather had long told her to learn from Sister Susu.

Chun Feng’s father was also an attendant of the Elder Master, thinking even more astutely than Yang Liu’s father, so he was sent early on by the Elder Master to the Capital to manage some business ventures. Chun Feng was born in the Capital and had never returned to Yangzhou. Though this was her first time meeting Susu, she’d heard of her long before and was dazzled upon seeing her, becoming Susu’s fervent admirer within days!

Hearing this, and seeing how clever she was, Susu laughed, "You little trickster!" She said, removing from her wrist a Shrimp Shrimp Bracelet of red gold inlaid with pearls and giving it to her to wear. "Go play; Ning Xiang and Wu Tong are about your age, get along well. In this household, you’re considered an old hand now; help them out." Chun Feng gladly agreed and happily left.

Chun Feng thought to first take her things back to her room, only to find Ning Xiang, Wu Tong, and another in-house girl named Qing Zhu there. Seeing the box in Chun Feng’s hand, Ning Xiang smiled and said, "What good thing did Sister Susu give you? I remember the Old Madam wanted to award you hair ornaments that day."

Qing Zhu, who had also come from Yangzhou, was the child of Liu Da and his wife in the small kitchen and knew that Susu was most generous and added, "What Sister Susu gives won’t be anything mediocre." All four of them understood that living together wasn’t a coincidence but a favorable situation. They had already exchanged greeting gifts earlier on, resembling how Susu, Yang Liu, and the others were back in the day. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Chun Feng boldly opened the box. On the top lay a Begonia palace flower, embellished with petals adorned with small pearls, exquisitely crafted. Beneath it were a pair of gold bracelets carved with double fish playfully swimming, a pair of flower-shaped gold earrings, four or five small rings inlaid with gemstones and pearls, and a box of imported snow cream. Chun Feng also placed the Shrimp Shrimp Bracelet from her wrist inside. Though not someone easily awed, even she had to admit that Sister Susu was truly generous.

Ning Xiang and Wu Tong seemed nonchalant about it; only Qing Zhu showed some envy. Wu Tong said, "What Sister Susu gives you, you should take it. Even when I first arrived, I got several items. Yet, that Shrimp Shrimp Bracelet, take good care of it—it’s one thing to have gold and pearls, but gifts from the palace are a different matter entirely."

The palace-made jewelry Chun Feng had only ever seen on her aunt, Yang Liu’s mother, who treasured it carefully and only wore it on important occasions. She hadn’t expected Sister Susu to give her such precious items offhand. It was then that Chun Feng understood why her grandfather had instructed her to learn from Sister Susu—to be granted is one thing, but being dignified is another.