Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 49 This Person, Aunt Wen

As dawn broke, Yunyi Academy was already bustling with activity.

After the young lady finished dressing up, and while they were having breakfast, the eldest young lady arrived with two maids. Today was the first day of resuming the traditional greetings, and the eldest young lady had come early in the morning to find the second young lady so they could go to Yun Gui Courtyard together.

Meng Shu was placing a crystal-clear steamed bun on the Second Miss's plate when the Second Miss said, "I won't eat anymore. It's not good to keep eldest sister waiting. Meng Shu and Rui Zhu will come with me. The rest of Meng Zhu can be distributed to the servants."

The eldest daughter's marriage has gone through several procedures, including betrothal, engagement, name inquiry, and auspicious date selection. Only the groom's family needs to set the wedding date after the betrothal ceremony. Tang Xian originally planned to marry off his daughter at the end of the year, but Aunt Liu made a scene with tears and sobs. She only has one daughter, and she is marrying far away, so she wants to stay a little longer. After all, the eldest daughter only came of age at the beginning of the year and is only fifteen years old this year.

Meng Shu vaguely overheard Dong Gua gossip that the wedding date might be arranged after the imperial examinations next spring, so that the young master could return to Lin'an to escort the bride.

Aunt Liu seemed to have truly come to her senses, and understood that her daughter would always rely on her maternal family after marriage, especially the eldest son, a young scholar with a promising future. Therefore, these days Aunt Liu went to Yun Gui Courtyard every day to serve the lady.

When Meng Shu and the others arrived at Yun Gui Courtyard, it was still early. Aunt Wen had already arrived with the third and fourth young ladies. Upon seeing the second young lady, she immediately stood up and bowed. The second young lady curtsied and went into the inner room with the fifth young lady to see her sister. Meng Shu and Rui Zhu followed, carrying a lacquer box.

Inside the box was a cloth drum, slightly longer than a palm, with three sides connected as one. Each small drum had pellets on both sides, and when shaken, it made a clattering sound. It was specially found by the Second Miss for Xiao Qi to play with.

Little Seven, wearing a diamond-patterned bib embroidered with lotus flowers, lay quietly in her soft cradle, blinking her bright, clever eyes. As the cloth drum made a sound, her eyes immediately brightened, making her look extremely adorable.

Not long after, the head maidservant of the lady came to deliver a message that the second young lady had brought the fifth young lady back to the flower hall. Tang Xian and Madam Yun were already seated at the head of the table, and Aunt Lu had also arrived with the sixth young lady.

The eldest daughter, along with her younger sisters, paid their respects to their parents and then sat down according to their age. The concubines, however, had to stand. In a prominent family, concubines would be nothing more than high-ranking servants, required to serve the mistress day and night. Madam Yun was kind and did not mistreat them.

Meng Shu and Rui Zhu stood behind the second young lady, concentrating on making vases. Tang Xian held a folded invitation in his hand. After reading it briefly, he turned to his wife and said, "The Song family of Jinnan has sent a letter. According to the date in the letter, they will send someone to hold the 'betrothal ceremony' within seven days after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Madam has just finished her 'month of maternity leave,' so I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you with some extra work."

After giving birth, Madam Yun nourished herself with soup every day, and she became much plumper, and her complexion recovered well. At this moment, she said lightly, "Husband, you are too kind. During the days of being pregnant with Xiao Qi, I have troubled my mother to manage the household affairs. Shuang'er's betrothal ceremony cannot be delayed. I will discuss it with my mother later."

The dowry for the Tang family had been prepared long ago, and this was merely an addition to make up for any shortfall. The betrothal ceremony was one of the "six rites," a day chosen by the groom's family to deliver the betrothal gifts. Aunt Liu was uneasy upon hearing this news, as she had heard that County Magistrate Song had two sons, and she wondered how his family viewed Shuang'er.

"Granny Gao is about to return to the capital. Is the ceremony ready?" Tang Xian clearly took this matter very seriously.

Seeing that her daughter's every word and action was well-ordered, Madam Yun also held Gao Mama in high esteem. "I heard that Gao Mama likes to listen to operas. Today, the old lady invited Yuquanzi, a famous actor from Lin'an, to perform at Fu'an Residence. As for the ceremony and the gifts from the Marquis's mansion..."

When the topic of holiday gifts came up, Madam Yun's eyes twitched. "We've been preparing them these past few days, just waiting for the old lady's approval."

Tang Xian nodded in satisfaction, ignoring the watery eyes of Aunt Lu and Aunt Wen, and said he had something else to do before getting up and going to the front yard.

After Tang Xian left, Meng Shu felt that everyone in the flower hall, except for the madam, instantly relaxed. Then, Madam Yun asked a few questions about how the eldest young lady was learning manners from Granny Yuan, and also specially instructed the second young lady that she was being personally taught by Granny Gao. She said that they should say goodbye properly these few days and leave some lingering affection.

Seeing that half an hour had passed, Wei Mama, who was beside Madam Yun, whispered a reminder that it was time to go to Fu'an Residence to pay respects to the old lady.

Just as Madam Yun was about to speak, Aunt Lu suddenly stepped forward, took Madam's sleeve, and said softly and weakly, "Madam, the second young master is still an infant. I hope you will let him stay at Fengyin Courtyard for a few more days."

The room fell silent after he said that.

Meng Shu opened her big, round eyes wide. What was Aunt Lu up to? She looked down at the second young lady and saw her holding a handkerchief, staring intently at Aunt Lu.

Madam Yun remained calm and composed, her gaze not falling on Concubine Lu. Wei Mama, standing nearby, immediately stepped forward and pulled Concubine Lu away, saying, "What are you saying, Concubine? Do you not wish to raise the Second Young Master and intend to entrust him to our Yun Gui Courtyard?"

Aunt Lu was visibly stunned upon hearing this, her eyes reddening slightly as if she had suffered a great injustice. Seeing that Madam Lu's expression remained indifferent and she did not respond, she felt as if her heart was being fried in oil.

Aunt Liu seemed to have just come back to her senses from the matter of betrothal. Upon seeing this, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she said, "If Aunt Lu hadn't brought it up suddenly, I would have forgotten that Madam is the second young master's legal mother. Our eldest master has few male heirs, so it is only right that Madam personally raises him."

Aunt Liu was smug, thinking she had guessed the lady's thoughts. She believed that by pushing things along, she could surely please the lady.

Aunt Wen leaned slightly to the side, remaining silent and seemingly lost in thought, treating herself as a mere decoration.

However, Meng Shu noticed that Madam Yun's gaze had just fallen on her.

After a long while, Madam Yun said calmly, "What does it matter where he is raised? The children in the manor will always call me Mother, no matter when or where. Although you are just a concubine, just focus on raising him. However, the atmosphere in Fengyin Courtyard is too effeminate. Don't let the Second Young Master become too delicate."

Each of the three concubines in the household had their own reasons for being brought in.

Aunt Liu was taken in by Tang Xian because Tang Xian had received a favor from her father in business. On his deathbed, he entrusted his son to her, and Tang Xian had no choice but to take her in. Moreover, she married into the family in the same year as Madam Yun. Tang Xian did have some dissatisfaction with Aunt Liu, but she accepted it after Ping An gave birth to her legitimate son.

Moreover, she observed coldly that Tang Xian only favored her out of gratitude. Aunt Liu was not particularly beautiful, simple-minded, and loved to think she was clever, so their relationship gradually faded.

Aunt Lu was also brought into the household because of business. Speaking of her husband, he was also inexperienced and suffered many losses in his early years, resulting in him owing too many favors.

However, Aunt Lu was timid by nature, but she had an extraordinary talent for incense making. In the eyes of outsiders, she was a remarkable woman. She lived quietly in Fengyin Courtyard and gave birth to a sixth daughter who was also talented in incense making. Tang Xian was always very satisfied with her, but he did not favor her.

As for Consort Wen, she was quite troublesome. She was the illegitimate daughter of a sixth-rank official, and she was beautiful and charming. She also had some collateral ties with the old lady's maternal clan. When she first entered the mansion, she was very arrogant for a while because the old lady doted on her.

Especially after she became pregnant with twins, Tang Xian and the old lady pinned their hopes on her womb to be fertile. However, things didn't go as planned, and she gave birth to the third and fourth young ladies. Moreover, due to the difficulty of twin pregnancies, her health was damaged and she could no longer conceive. In recent years, she has become more submissive and restrained, but her scheming is undeniable. She openly and secretly sows discord between Liu and Lu. Last year, she even tried to take over the management of the household. Fortunately, the old lady, who has lived a long life, is extremely shrewd and did not give her the opportunity.

Madam Yun's grandfather was the Minister of Revenue during his lifetime. Although she came from the lesser-known fourth branch of the Minister's family, she grew up in the capital and her experience and knowledge were naturally much greater than those of the three concubines. Madam Lu's sudden crying today was clearly instigated by Madam Wen.

Because of Aunt Lu's delay, it was indeed getting late, so Madam Yun got up and led everyone to Fu'an Residence.

Upon entering the courtyard of Fu'an Residence, one is greeted by a vast expanse of chrysanthemums in full bloom. Madam Yun walks at the front, speaking calmly and unhurriedly:

“Look at the old lady’s garden. Flowers bloom all year round. But these flowers are arranged in a well-organized and orderly manner.”

Flowers have their place, trees have their place, but if a tree happens to be planted in the most scenic spot, the old lady will only find it an eyesore and, before it grows up, will order the gardener to cut it down.