Foster son and husband

Chapter 38 New Clothes
At Chenshi, Mei Niang, surrounded by a group of women and maids, stepped into Ziyun Hall.

The sun had only shown its face for a few days, and the sky was gray again. It wasn't snowing but it was surprisingly cold. Her new clothes were not ready yet, so she still wore the begonia red thin cotton gown with pinched waist and yellow sleeves. Copper hand warmer, wearing a phoenix-patterned cloak that Xu Junying brought back from the old lady's room, combed in a high bun, with a golden phoenix spreading its wings and holding a precious pearl, walked proudly past two rows of housekeepers who were waiting to answer, with an expression of Solemn and elegant, the women in charge looked at her with the same respect as they looked at the eldest wife back then.

This grandma is really not a vegetarian. I only heard that she was weak and cowardly. Because she came from a small family, she was not welcomed by old ladies and wives. Less than three days after she married into Xu's mansion, the uncle went to war. She lived in her own yard. He lived quietly, gave birth to Brother Heng quietly, and how many of the housekeepers had seen her face?There is no reason to want to mention her.After surviving from a serious illness, she turned out to be a different person, just like when she jumped out of the coffin and frightened people to death. She was a housekeeper and director, and her method was impressive. She took care of everything in just two days The mothers-in-law are so docile and obedient, no one dares to gossip.

Not to mention the eldest wife sitting on the sidelines, the wisdom and transparency of the eldest and young mistress are enough to be admired by the housekeepers. She seems to be born to be a housekeeper. Once she has read the accounts and the steward explained the reasons, she can understand it clearly. , Two things that seem to be irrelevant, after going back to her, she can point out the connection between them, what are the advantages and disadvantages of handling them together or separately, if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, why don't you think about it?If you want to follow the old path, you will waste manpower and financial resources in vain, and you will not be able to do things as you would like if you made a big detour.... In terms of rewards and punishments, the distinction is even more clear, fair and just.

In three days, Mei Niang made the stewards go from contempt and distrust to complete admiration.

It wasn't all luck, she had worked hard, since Xu Junying threatened to refuse to let the housekeeper that night, she mobilized all the cells in her body, her brain was working at a high load, she turned on the lamp all night to look through the account books, and went to Ziyun Hall to listen to the stewards' reply during the day , pay attention to all the details they said, and send Mama Wang and Cuixi to go down to observe and understand the truth from many aspects. With the support of high-level leaders, the ability will definitely keep up, and I am afraid that these people will not be able to be stabilized!
Meiniang just sat down on the carved wooden chair in front of the hall when Ning Rulan came in and said with a smile:

"My sister-in-law is too punctual, she never misses a moment, it seems that I was too lazy in the past!"

Meiniang smiled and got up to meet her, Ning Rulan hurriedly stepped forward to support her, and sent her back to her seat, Meiniang said:
"If you want to do it, you have to make a show, otherwise you just don't care about anything. Wouldn't it be pleasant to fall asleep in the room! I used to be the one who can sleep the most and love to sleep late, but now I can't do it anymore. I have something on my mind and I am urging me Woolen cloth."

Ning Rulan took the teacup from Cheng'er and said, "Sister-in-law is so conscientious, she is someone who can do great things!"

Mei Niang took a sip of her tea, tapped her lips with a kerchief and said angrily, "You're making fun of me? I'm a miserable person!"

"It's hard work like you, then I'm willing too!"

The two sisters-in-law chatted and joked for a while, drank tea, and began to listen to the stewards' reply. After discussing some matters, Mrs. Zheng came over, followed by women and servants. Er, couldn't help herself, stood up abruptly, Madam Zheng looked at her with a relaxed expression, Meiniang quickly walked a few steps, and together with Ning Rulan saluted Madam Zheng, Madam Zheng nodded, went to the upper seat and sat down, Glancing at the remaining seven or eight stewards, he smiled and said:
"Even if I don't come here, you can manage things on your own. Tomorrow is the winter solstice, and it's getting colder and colder. I won't suffer from this, so I just leave it to you. If there is any big event that you can't deal with, people will go back to Qiuhuayuan I'll just say it!"

Meiniang leaned over and responded: "Wives-in-law follow your wife's wishes!"

Heng'er in the nanny's arms yelled at Meiniang twice, and Mrs. Zheng looked at him dotingly:
"Hey, who are you seeing? Go ahead and say hello to your mother!"

The nanny was almost dragged by Heng'er's momentum, and rushed straight to Meiniang. Meiniang hugged Heng'er and hugged her tightly, suppressing the joy in her heart, and asked Heng'er to face Madam Zheng and teach him :

"Heng'er should thank grandma, Heng'er is so naughty, grandma took it with her, I don't know how hard it is!"

Mrs. Zheng smiled with satisfaction: "Grandma is not working hard, grandma is happy to have Heng'er by her side!"

Ning Rulan approached, touched Heng'er's soft and pink face, and stretched out her hand: "Third Aunt hugs Heng'er, okay?"

Heng'er looked at Ning Rulan with a pair of clear and bright eyes, and stretched out his chubby hand to touch her hand. Everyone thought he would lean over to be hugged by Rulan, but he suddenly turned around and snuggled into Meiniang. In her arms, both hands tightly hugged Mei Niang's neck, as if she was afraid that Ning Rulan would hug him and never return him to her mother's arms.

Meiniang's heart was sore, hugging her son, her eyes turned red instantly.

Ning Rulan sighed slightly, Mrs. Zheng sat on the top and watched, put away her smile and said: "Okay, don't just focus on having fun, and delay the business. And the teachers in charge should hurry up and go. Tomorrow is the big festival, everyone. Have you arranged such things? The most important thing is the new clothes to be changed during the winter solstice. I heard that some servants in the front yard didn’t get them. What’s the matter? Who cares about this matter, come out and answer!”

Mei Niang patted Heng'er, glanced at the women in charge, and said:

"Reporting to my mother: Mama Cai, who is in charge of the kitchen and food warehouse, has already called back, and all the dishes for the festival have been ordered. The livestock for the sacrifice tomorrow morning has been selected and raised in another yard, and some of the various sacrifices have already been prepared. Get ready, some do half of it, just wait to get up in the middle of the night to cook it, and serve it on the table while it is hot. The ancestral hall has been wiped again two days ago... As for the new clothes, Mother Qiao, although you are not in line, But the eldest lady asked, you just talk about it!"

Mother Qiao, who was in charge of the clothing workshop, walked out of the queue, buried her face, and didn't dare to lift her head: "Return to the eldest wife, eldest grandma, and third grandmother: the garment workshop has been busy these days, and most of the people in the house are busy. After receiving the new clothes, the dozen or so housekeepers in the front yard who were sweeping the courtyard could have received the new clothes today, but... just..."

Mrs. Zheng was impatient: "Just what?"

Qiao's mother turned her face slightly, and took a peek at Mei Niang: "My son suddenly added clothes to Tsinghua University. Needless to say, grandma, the six sets of robes ordered must be carefully crafted. Miss Cuixi is watching closely every day, chasing after handovers. Goods, girls and women also have two sets, and the embroiderers in the clothing workshop who are quicker in the past two days have been ill again, it is really... hard work!"

Mrs. Zheng looked at Mother Qiao: "What do you mean, because the Tsinghua Institute suddenly needs to make clothes, they can't make other people's new clothes as scheduled? The Hou Mansion has always attached great importance to the winter solstice festival, and everyone in the mansion will have to change into new clothes tomorrow." , you are the person in front of the second wife, and you have been in charge of the mansion for many years, have you ever seen a year where the new clothes of the servants are missing in the solar terms?"

She looked at Mei Niang: "Kilometer makes four new clothes for grandmas, but why do you want six? This matter has something to do with you, what do you do with it!"

Mei Niang hugged Heng'er, stood on the left side of Mrs. Zheng, and said calmly: "This is my daughter-in-law's fault. She has been ill for a long time. Now she is wearing old winter clothes. Some are narrow and some are wide. It’s getting worse. I always worry about dressing when I go out every day. I ordered six pieces in a hurry. Except for the four pieces made by Kilometer, the other two pieces were paid for by my daughter-in-law. They were all made according to other grandma’s pattern embroidery. I didn't ask for too much refinement... The new winter solstice clothes in the mansion were made as early as a month ago. My daughter-in-law asked, in order to catch up with the work, in addition to dozens of people in the garment workshop, I also took a lot of needles and threads from various courtyards Well-done servants, if you send in more servants, why can’t you make clothes for the whole family in a month? The daughter-in-law is sick and can’t take care of herself. Are you coming back? Tomorrow is the holiday, if you really can’t make clothes, then that’s fine, Tsinghua University doesn’t care about it, just rush to make new clothes for the servants in the front yard. Let people see your old clothes for the holidays, and they will make fun of our shabby residence!"

Mrs. Zheng remained silent with a sullen face. Mother Qiao's head hung down to her chest, and she stood there motionless. Ning Rulan looked at Mrs. Zheng, walked up to Mother Qiao, and said angrily:
"How does mother manage this? Why did Tsinghua University miss out on making new clothes? The eldest grandma is sick, and the maids and women around her don't make clothes anymore? , how can someone treat people like this? I remember that the new clothes were changed in the winter solstice mansion last year, and it was too late to send them to the hands. Why did the garment workshop not make progress? One month is enough time, and so many more people have been sent. Why can't I make it out? Let's ignore my mother's fault today, go back and tell them immediately: let alone only six pieces of grandma's new clothes, even if there are sixteen pieces, I have to hurry up and send them to Tsinghua University before dinner. Together with the maids and women! As for the servants in the front yard, they must be driven out if they don’t sleep, and handed over to them before the third watch!”

Qiao's mother lowered her head and took a step back, facing the top deeply, and hurried down.

Mrs. Zheng frowned slightly, and said to Ning Rulan: "Mother Qiao was your mother-in-law's personal girl. Back then, she was assigned Zou Danian, who was in charge of hospitality in the front yard. I think she is quite stable. Let her take care of a few things. After Mrs. Chen fell ill the year before last, she offered to take care of the clothing factory, and since there was nothing wrong, she took care of it, but it is not as good as it is every year!"

(End of this chapter)