Zhou Shaojin felt that Chengchi was like a mountain in the fog. It seemed clear, but if you wanted to look closely, you couldn't see it at all.
Zhou Chujin, who received two hundred taels of silver from Li, discussed with Zhou Shaojin about the return gift: "We can't just give it to her for free, right? It would make us look stingy. Gold and silver jewelry and the like don't seem sincere enough. Food and daily necessities are too far away, and I'm afraid they will go bad on the way before they are delivered..."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "Then let's make a few more winter clothes for Daddy and stepmother! I think Daddy likes them very much."
Zhou Chujin thought about it and realized that there was really nothing more suitable than this.
It’s just that both Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin seldom make clothes for men. There’s nothing wrong with Li’s clothes, but she’s not sure about Zhou Zhen’s clothes.
Zhou Shaojin thought of the Cheng family's sewing room, and relying on her own good needlework skills, she said, "Why not ask the tailor who often makes clothes for Uncle Mian to give some pointers?"
Zhou Chujin nodded in agreement.
Zhou Shaojin wanted to go back from Hanbi Mountain Villa early.
This was the first time since she started copying books in Hanbi Mountain House.
Mrs. Guo couldn't help but wonder, "But what's going on in the house?"
"No, no." Zhou Shaojin smiled, "It was my father's birthday a few days ago. I made two pieces of clothing and sent them to him. My father praised me. My stepmother also specially sent two hundred taels of silver to me and my sister. So I thought about making two more winter clothes for my father..."
She told Mrs. Guo what had happened.
Madam Guo laughed and said, "I thought it was a small matter. Isn't it just to make two pieces of clothing for your father? Just ask the sewing room in the mansion to help with a few patterns. Why do you need to hire someone outside? No one outside can match the craftsmanship of the master at home."
Zhou Shaojin knew that the Cheng family had a sewing shop and employed the best tailors and embroiderers in Jiangnan, but they only made clothes for the old man, master and mistress of the Cheng family's first and second houses. Even Cheng Wen didn't dare to trouble them.
At least the fourth room didn’t ask the Cheng family’s sewing room to make clothes…
She couldn't help but be moved.
How are the top tailors and embroiderers in Jiangnan different from ordinary tailors and embroiderers
Zhou Shaojin considered: "Is this appropriate?"
"What's inappropriate?" Old Madam Guo said with a smile, "If you sisters are not filial to your parents, I will let the sewing room do it for you." As she spoke, she called Biyu in, "You accompany the second young lady to the sewing room. See what the second young lady wants to ask, and let them tell her properly."
Biyu responded with a smile and took Zhou Shaojin to the sewing room.
On the way, she told Zhou Shaojin about the situation in the needlework room: "There is a master Hu who is in charge of the needlework room. He only makes clothes for the old ancestor. The clothes of the masters are all made by his apprentices... The lady in the embroidery room is named Zhang, she is only in her early twenties, and she just entered the mansion last year. The bright red horse-faced skirt with hundreds of flowers and butterflies that the lady wore on her birthday was embroidered by her. The butterflies are lifelike and seem to be about to fly out. Even the old lady said they were good when she saw them. These days, she is following the old lady's orders to help the second lady embroider a swaddling cloth with hundreds of children playing with a baby..."
Cheng Xiao is due in September. The Cheng family will have baptism ceremonies, full-month ceremonies and hundred-day ceremonies. This swaddling cloth is one of the gifts that the in-laws must send for the full-month ceremonies.
Zhou Shaojin asked: "Is there any news from cousin Xiao?"
Biyu smiled and said, "Last time I sent a letter back, it said that everything was going well. The midwife and the midwife have been invited to our home..."
The two chatted as they reached the sewing room.
The Cheng family's sewing room is not big, it is a small courtyard covering an area of no more than one or two acres, with three-meter-wide side rooms on all four sides. In the courtyard there is an old locust tree with a thickness that can be hugged by two people. Its crown is like an umbrella, shading the sun and making it look very cool, a bit like the layout of a northern courtyard house.
When they walked in, the yard was very quiet. Seven or eight women were sitting under an old locust tree, concentrating on doing needlework. Needlework purses and small bamboo baskets were hung on the bumps on the trunk of the old locust tree. The atmosphere was warm and peaceful.
Seeing someone coming in, the women who were doing needlework just looked up quickly, glanced at him, and then lowered their heads to continue working. No one came forward to talk to him.
Zhou Shaojin and Biyu were left there.
Biyu looked at Zhou Shaojin apologetically and whispered, "There are many things to do in the needlework room, and they are very trivial. They are not very good-tempered, so please don't take it to heart, Second Miss." Then, she took a few steps forward and said loudly, "Is there anyone here? We are from Hanbi Mountain House. We have something to ask you."
Zhou Shaojin smiled.
Biyu has a really good temper.
I guess the people in the Cheng family's sewing room are not busy, but they just have bad tempers, right
However, since I'm here, I have to take a look before leaving.
A thirty-year-old woman wearing an apron walked quickly out from the east wing.
She was neatly dressed, smiling attentively, and wearing a thimble on her hand. She greeted Biyu enthusiastically: "It's you, young lady! What instructions does the old lady have for you?" As she spoke, she glanced at Zhou Shaojin with an unconcealable amazement in her eyes.
Biyu smiled secretly, pretending not to see anything, and explained her purpose.
"It turned out to be the young lady from the fourth room." The woman looked surprised, took a look at Zhou Shaojin, and welcomed Zhou Shaojin and Biyu to the east wing. She served tea and said with a smile: "Miss Biyu, it's right that you brought the second young lady to see me. I am the one who makes the clothes for the masters now. I wonder what kind of clothes the second young lady is going to make for Mr. Zhou? When will she wear them? I have never been to Nanchang Prefecture. Is it colder or warmer in winter than here..."
On the west side of the three-square-foot open hall in the east wing, there was a large chopping board, and seven or eight women were sitting around it, doing needlework in silence.
Zhou Shaojin sat at the round table in the hall. She smiled and said, "I have never been to Nanchang Prefecture, so I don't know what the weather is like in winter. I think my father must have enough clothes, but this is just my filial piety. Master, just recommend a few styles to me."
"Miss Second, wait a minute!" the woman said, turning around and hiding behind the screen next to her.
A little maid said at the door: "Is Madam Wang here?"
The woman came out from behind the screen with a frown on her face and asked, "What's the matter?"
The little maid smiled and said, "Madam Wang, don't you remember me? I know Hong Rui, who is beside the eldest lady. Our eldest lady wants to embroider a cloak with the words 'step by step promotion' for the eldest young master. The eldest mistress heard that it would need black jade for the eyes, but she couldn't find any at the moment, so she sent me to see if you have any?"
"Wait!" the woman called Madam Wang said impatiently, turned around and went back behind the screen.
Hongrui was inevitably a little embarrassed, but she still smiled and greeted Zhou Shaojin and Biyu: "Which room are you from, sisters? You look unfamiliar? I'm from the second room, serving beside Grandma Shi."
That is, the maid of Zheng, the wife of Cheng Zheng, the second wife. I don't know if she came as a dowry or a servant of the Cheng family
Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded to her, and Biyu introduced Zhou Shaojin to her in a low voice.
Hongrui could tell at first glance that she was someone who knew what was going on. She hurried forward to greet Zhou Shaojin, and affectionately called Biyu "sister".
Madam Wang found four or five pieces of clothing and said, "This is for everyday wear at home, the sleeves and other things should be loose... This is for visiting friends and guests, so you should choose some stiff and wide fabrics, and the shoulders and sleeves should also be made to fit closer..."
Seeing that she was very knowledgeable, Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but prick up his ears to listen.
Hong Rui was naturally left aside.
She also kept her composure and quietly followed them and listened to what Lady Wang said.
Someone outside the door called out, "Who's on duty in the house?"
The sound is crisp.
Madam Wang was talking about the important part, but she ignored him and continued talking to Zhou Shaojin.
There was a slight noise outside.
"Minghe girl, you are here!"
Upon hearing the voice, Madam Wang's face changed color and she ran out, leaving Zhou Shaojin and the others behind.
Zhou Shaojin and others were confused.
Outside the house, Wang Niangzi's flattering voice could be heard: "Ms. Minghe, why are you here? It's so hot. If you have something to say, just let the maid tell you. Why do you come here in person? Look at how sweaty you are. Come inside and rest..."
A clear female voice laughed and said, "Nothing much. Sister Nanping said that the summer socks you sent over last time were very well made, and she wanted me to make a few more pairs..."
"What's the matter?" Lady Wang asked with a smile, "Who wants it? How big should it be? I'll send it to you tomorrow morning."
Who is this
Zhou Shaojin looked towards Biyu.
Biyu smiled and said, "If I'm not mistaken, it should be Minghe, the head maid in the Fourth Master's room!"
Speak of Cao Cao and he will appear.
She had wanted to inquire about Jiying's matter before, but unexpectedly she met the servant in Cheng Chi's house here.
Zhou Shaojin was stunned.
A clear female voice laughed and said, "There's no need to be so anxious. Aren't you guys busy preparing the full moon gift for Second Aunt these days? It won't be too late to prepare ours after Second Aunt's things are done."
"It's just a few pairs of summer socks. How can I not spare the time?" Madam Wang patted her chest and accompanied the visitor to the east wing.
Zhou Shaojin sat up straight.
Madam Wang walked in, hugging a woman in her twenties, with fair skin, thick eyebrows and big eyes, wearing a lake green Hangzhou silk jacket.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin and others, she was stunned and said, "Biyu, why are you here?"
Biyu smiled and walked forward to Minghe, bowing, and said, "I am following the old lady's orders to accompany the second young lady to find some clothing samples..."
The two men met each other.
Madam Wang smiled flatteringly and said, "After all, they are not outsiders. This is the second cousin of the Zhou family... and this is the servant of the second wife..." She pointed at Hongrui.
Minghe nodded towards Hongrui, but then he knelt down and bowed to Zhou Shaojin politely.
"Miss Minghe, there's no need to be so polite." Zhou Shaojin greeted her politely, "Are you working in Uncle Chi's house? It seems like you rarely go to Hanbi Mountain House?"
Ming He laughed and said, "I am a laborer in the master's house. How dare I go to Hanbi Mountain House and embarrass myself?"
Her tone was cheerful, which made Zhou Shaojin feel favorable towards her.
Madam Wang took out a few pairs of summer socks and asked, "Miss Minghe, what kind do you want?"
Minghe flipped through them, pointed at two pairs, and said, "Why don't we make a few pairs like this?"
Madam Wang agreed repeatedly.
Zhou Shaojin discovered that the summer socks she wanted were women's style.
Who is Minghe running errands for
Zhou Shaojin thought of Ji Ying, who was dressed in black and had a noble temperament... She couldn't help but ask, "Is there any difference between these socks? Why did Miss Minghe choose these two styles?"
"There's no difference." Minghe seemed to find her words funny and said, "I just think these two styles are better looking."
Zhou Shaojin was embarrassed.
※
The evening update is still at the old time...
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)