Zhou Shaojin just smiled and said nothing.
Zhou Chujin just thought that her sister was being naughty, so she nagged her for a few words and then put the matter out of her mind.
In the afternoon, Zhou Shaojin went to Hanbi Mountain House to copy scriptures. Biyu and Feicui were discussing what birthday gift to give to Old Madam Guo. Zhou Shaojin then remembered that September 9th was Old Madam Guo's birthday.
I should join in the fun too.
Zhou Shaojin asked Biyu: "What did everyone give as gifts in previous years?"
"It's just a bunch of small stuff." Biyu said a little embarrassedly, "The old lady is very considerate of us. The reward she gave us is more than the money we spent on birthday gifts. We are embarrassed to give her something very expensive."
Zhou Shaojin thought about the last time that Old Lady Guan asked her to embroider a headband for Old Madam Guo, so she thought about embroidering two headbands and two pairs of shoes and socks for Old Madam Guo as birthday gifts.
Zhou Chujin also thought it was good and said, "What good things does the eldest house have? No matter how rare the gift is, it won't be rare. Make a few small things yourself, but the gift is small but the sentiment is great."
The fourth room cannot be careless.
Old Madam Guan said, "In previous years, when I celebrated my birthday, the gifts from the eldest branch were very generous. This year, Shao Jin is copying scriptures in Hanbi Mountain House, and the two branches are visiting more frequently than usual. The gifts for the old lady's birthday must be increased by 10% compared to usual."
Mrs. Miao was a little worried.
On Mrs. Guan’s birthday this year, the eldest branch of the family gave her four sets of clothes, as well as a string of nanmu Buddhist beads and a red sandalwood walking stick. The fourth branch of the family added 10% to the gift. What should they give as a gift
Zhou Chujin suggested to Mrs. Miao: "Why not give her a birthday screen? Last time the second house's ancestor celebrated his birthday, I saw a guest gave her a screen with a picture of Peng Zu wishing a happy birthday. Why don't we give her a screen with a picture of Shou Gu wishing a happy birthday?"
Mrs. Miao also thought it was a good idea and called the steward in to look for the screen. However, Cheng Xu was very distressed.
He was still in a bad mood when he went to Hangzhou Prefecture. When he arrived in Hangzhou, his friends welcomed him. During the conversation, they talked about current affairs, the most important of which was the court's plan to dredge the Tongzhou River. Some said it was good and some said it was not. In the end, no one could convince anyone else, so they started making a bet.
Cheng Xu's heart moved at that time, and he thought that if he made a bet with his mother using his future... maybe he could successfully marry Zhou Shaojin!
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it made sense. When he heard that Zhou Zhen was leaving for Baoding on the seventh day of the first lunar month, he could no longer sit still. He hurriedly said goodbye to his mentor and rushed back. Although it was late after all, he had made up his mind and was not disappointed. It was just like a little bird in his heart, he couldn't help but want to see Zhou Shaojin and say a few words to her.
Unexpectedly, she was still avoiding him as before.
Is Zhou Shaojin not interested in him, or is he concerned about the difference between men and women
He felt that he had to find a way to figure it out.
But she always avoids me. When can I have a good talk with her
Cheng Xu was restless at home.
Huanxi had always been good at reading people's expressions, and he quickly figured out Cheng Xu's annoyance. He whispered, "Master, the old lady's birthday is coming!"
Cheng Xu understood and was overjoyed. He patted Huanxi's shoulder heavily, rewarded him with five taels of silver, and lay on the drunkard's chair thinking about what he should do when the time comes.
Each family started sending Mid-Autumn Festival gifts.
However, the Duke of Liang's Mansion sent people to Jiuru Lane to announce the death.
Zhu Pengju's wife died of illness.
Old Mrs. Guan couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
Mrs. Miao said with vigilance, "In previous years, wouldn't it have been sent to the steward of the outer courtyard? Why did they send a funeral notice to our house today?"
Old Madam Guan's expression gradually became serious, and she instructed Madam Miao: "Send someone to keep an eye on the outer courtyard manager, and also pay attention to the Shaojin sisters."
Mrs. Mian nodded.
Ah Zhu sent a nanny over to say that her sister-in-law had passed away, and the flower-viewing party that had been planned could not be held, so she asked them to be more tolerant.
Sister Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Ji all wrote letters to comfort Ah Zhu.
Because there were elders present, the Duke of Liang's Mansion only planned to keep the body for seven days before burying it.
Cheng Ji and Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but feel a little indignant when they talked about it: "… At least they have to stop for 21 days, right? This is too hasty? Is there no one from Madam Zhu's family who will speak up?"
Zhou Shaojin tried to comfort Cheng Jia against his conscience: "It may be because of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Besides, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Duke Liang and his son will go to Beijing, so they will not be in the mood to prepare for the funeral."
Cheng Ji still felt aggrieved and muttered, "Even if this is the case, isn't there still the Chief Secretary? Do they still have to smash the pot and beat the spirit themselves?"
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to change the subject and said, "I heard that Luoyang sent a lot of gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Is that true?"
Cheng Ji nodded uninterested and said, "It was sent by my cousin from the Li family. He said it was to thank you for your hospitality last time and he said he would come to visit again in a few days."
Zhou Shaojin laughed in his heart.
Li Jing must have taken a liking to Cheng Ji just like in his previous life.
Cheng Ji has someone who likes him, so no matter what happens in the future, at least he has someone to rely on.
Although it is a bit selfish to think this way, Cheng Ji is her childhood playmate, while Li Jing is a stranger whom she has only met once... Bodhisattva, please forgive her for being partial!
Zhou Shaojin encouraged his sister to make mooncakes: "… We will give a little to each family as a token of our appreciation."
Zhou Chujin's cooking and needlework were not as good as Zhou Shaojin's in her previous life, but she was very good at making dim sum, especially seasonal rice dumplings, moon cakes, spring rolls and so on.
She couldn't help but feel her heart beating fast.
I'm going to get married in two years. If I teach Zhou Shaojin these things, he will be able to make them himself and give them to others during festivals. This will at least please the elders and make my sister's life easier.
The two sisters asked Ma Fushan's family to buy some ingredients, including five-nut rock sugar filling, red bean paste lotus seed filling, preserved vegetable sesame filling, rose brown sugar filling... and so on, and made a basket of them. Then Zhou Shaojin drew a "fragrant osmanthus tree" pattern and asked Ma Fushan's family to print it on the paper box. In addition to sending one copy to each room, they also sent one copy to Ah Zhu of the Duke of Liang's mansion and Xiaoshan Congguiyuan.
Cheng Ji found the food delicious and sent Cui Huan to ask for the mooncake with preserved vegetable and sesame filling.
Zhou Shaojin asked Chunwan to pack a box for Cheng Ji.
Old Lady Guan sent someone to invite Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin to Jiashu Hall to talk.
"Do you know what it is?" Zhou Shaojin asked Si'er quietly.
Si'er smiled and said, "The Liao family from Zhenjiang came over to give a festival gift, and said they wanted to pay their respects to the young lady."
Brother-in-law’s house
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but frown.
In the previous life, the people from the Liao family in Zhenjiang who sent holiday gifts never came to greet my sister. Did something happen there
But please don't let it be caused by her rebirth. Otherwise, she will regret it to death.
Zhou Shaojin went to Jiashu Hall uneasily and waited in the ear room for a while before he met Zhou Chujin who came with Mrs. Mian.
Zhou Chujin had apparently already washed and dressed up at Madam Mian's place. She wore a silver-red silk bodice, a white satin embroidered skirt, and southern pearl earrings on her ears. Her face was lightly powdered and rouge applied, making her already beautiful face like a lotus even more gorgeous and radiant.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but smile.
Fortunately, I was smart and didn't dress up, so I served as a perfect foil for my sister.
Zhou Chujin's face flushed red, and he gently pinched his sister's face and said, "What are you laughing at?"
Zhou Shaojin winked at his sister mischievously and said, "Sister, be careful. The person sitting in the room may be the respectable mother of the Liao family, but there may also be a servant from the Liao family sitting in the tea room."
Zhou Chujin's face turned even redder, and he said, "You are so sharp-tongued, let's see who dares to ask for it next time!"
Zhou Shaojin giggled and walked into the hall arm in arm with Mrs. Mian, who was laughing non-stop beside them.
Zhou Chujin had no choice but to follow in.
When Zhou Shaojin heard someone talking in the banquet room, he quickly let go of Madam Mian and stood behind his sister.
Mrs. Miao looked at them and nodded secretly, then took the two sisters into the banquet room.
Old Madam Guan was sitting on a Luohan bed, and a woman wearing a parrot green burnt cloth vest was sitting below her.
Hearing the noise, she turned her head.
Zhou Shaojin was shocked.
The person who came was actually Nanny Zhong, the most intimate person to my sister's mother-in-law.
When Nanny Zhong saw the two sisters, her eyes lit up and she quickly stood up.
Zhou Chujin guessed that this was someone from the Liao family and couldn't help but take a look at him.
The woman was about fifty years old, with a white, plump, round face. She smiled before she spoke and looked very kind.
She felt relieved and she and her sister bowed to Old Lady Guan.
Old Madam Guan pointed at Madam Zhong and said, "This is from the Liao family. Her husband's surname is Zhong."
"I dare not, I dare not." Nanny Zhong said repeatedly, kneeling down and bowing to Zhou Shaojin and her sister.
Zhou Chujin turned sideways and nodded to Nanny Zhong, completing the formality.
Sister Zhou Shaojin sat next to Old Lady Guan. Nanny Zhong spoke a few words to Zhou Chujin in a friendly manner and then stood up to say goodbye.
Zhou Shaojin winked at Shi Xiang.
Shi Xiang followed him out, and when the fourth room gave her a reward, she went over and put the two silver ingots Zhou Shaojin had prepared into Nanny Zhong's hands, smiling and saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Nanny. This is the wine our eldest lady bought for you."
Nanny Zhong didn't hesitate to thank them with a smile, then left Jiashu Hall with the two maids.
Zhou Shaojin asked: "Why did the Liao family send someone here? Why did they just leave like that?"
Old Madam Guan laughed and said, "I just came to see Chu Jin."
"Why do you want to see your sister?" Zhou Shaojin was a little puzzled.
"Silly girl!" Mrs. Miao tapped Zhou Shaojin's forehead and said, "When the Liao family gets married, they have to send someone to take a look, right?"
No one was sent to check in the previous life!
Zhou Shaojin muttered, "Didn't I read it when I made the order?"
"How old was your sister then?" Mrs. Miao said with a smile, "How old is your sister now?"
"You! Stop teasing the children." Old Madam Guan smiled, looking at Zhou Chujin, but said to Zhou Shaojin, "I heard from the Gu family that your sister is not only good-tempered, but also dignified and generous, and very beautiful. The Liao family was curious and couldn't help but send someone to take a look."
"Then this should be a good thing, right?" Zhou Shaojin asked for confirmation.
"Of course it's a good thing!" Old Madam Guan said with a smile, "If you have a good reputation before you get married, it will be easier for you to gain a foothold in your husband's family in the future."
That's good!
Zhou Shaojin smiled with narrowed eyes.
I feel like I finally have something to be happy about after my rebirth!
※
Sisters, today’s extra update!
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)