The Concubine's Survival Manual

Chapter 2

"I'll see my wife in a while, so don't be timid."

Mother Wang led Seventh Lady on the corridor, giving orders all the way.

"You seldom meet your sisters, so you may not be able to recognize them for a while. Now in the wife's room, there are probably only the second lady and the fifth lady. They are both your sisters, so don't be rude."

"Yes." Seventh Lady whispered softly, holding Mama Wang's hand, looking left and right along the way, showing no signs of stage fright.

Mother Wang felt a little strange.

Seventh Lady has been living with Jiu Yiniang in her hometown in the northwest since she was born. She only arrived in Suzhou last year, and Jiu Yiniang fell ill. one side.Such a small child is going to meet a strange aunt soon... Why doesn't she know how to be afraid?
Are you too smart to be afraid, or are you so stupid that you don't even know you're afraid?
Mama Wang suddenly had some doubts about her presumptuous assertion, in case this Seventh Lady is a stupid person...

It's not like Jiu Yiniang doesn't understand her daughter, right?Mother Wang glanced at Seventh Lady, and felt that she was overthinking again.Jiu Ge'er is a bold character, maybe siblings love each other, and even Seventh Lady is also naturally bold.

Even though she thought so, she still reminded her one more thing.

"If you make a fool of yourself in front of your wife... you will be in trouble." She deliberately showed a bit of viciousness. "Although the wife is kind, the well-behaved nuns around her are not so easy to talk to. Slapping palms and not allowing dinner—these are all light!"

Seventh Lady still looked calm and breezy, looked up at Mama Wang, and said softly, "Got it, Mom. I won't embarrass you."

Mother Wang suddenly couldn't see through Qin Niangzi.

They passed through Baifang Garden and entered the main courtyard. In the main courtyard, a group of little girls were moving out bundles of furs and silks in boxes. All the good things from my husband’s house were moved back to my mother’s house.”

Mother Wang said to Qin Niangzi with a little pride, "Your elder sister is also a concubine, and she was also raised under the wife's lap...Look at the boxing gift she gave! Such a big yard can hardly fit in."

Seventh Lady tilted her head to look at the large wooden boxes and baskets of lychees and grapes in the yard, and nodded enviously.

Mother Wang suddenly felt that she had seen through Qin Niangzi again.

They entered the main courtyard from the backyard gate. The main courtyard is different from the southern courtyard. The main room is located in the middle of the courtyard. The roof has two or three layers of eaves. The figures on it are very finely carved and pasted with gold leaf. , piercing eyes.

A girl came out to greet her, and asked Mama Wang with a smile, "Mama Wang came here early today? Which family's baby is she leading? I think it looks very pleasant."

Mother Wang made a serious face, "This is Seventh Lady."

The girl whispered, and quickly saluted Qiniangzi with a smile, "I have seen Qiniangzi in Lichun."

Qin Niangzi moved half of her body away with a smile, "Hello, sister Lichun."

Lichun also smiled sweetly. She was wearing a brand-new bright yellow satin jacket and a sky-blue jacquard horse-face skirt. Her hands and body were exquisitely dressed. Standing beside Seventh Lady, she looked more like a Miss. "Miss Seventh came to the main courtyard seldom. I was blinded for a while and admitted my mistake. My wife just took a nap, and I haven't eaten any snacks yet... I'll go and repay it." She turned around and hurried into the main room. Seeing Qin Niangzi standing on the ground, the maids who came in and out came to ask.

"Mother Wang, did this fur go to the small warehouse or the official warehouse?"

"My wife said to store the lychees in the cellar and take them out to entertain guests after the New Year's Eve. But most of this basket has turned black, what should mother do?"

"Good mother, this piece of satin was dirty when it was brought in, can I cut that part off? It's not a weight, mother, don't come to trouble us."

Qin Niangzi knew that Mama Wang was a big celebrity around her wife.Ms. Wang put on airs and replied repeatedly.

"I received it from Guan Zhongkuli. My wife doesn't like this kind of material."

"Let's eat San with you, it's cheap for you little hoofs!"

"When it's cut, put it aside and don't put it in the warehouse. I'll ask my wife after a while to deal with it—you guys are becoming more and more careless in your work. This golden unicorn satin costs dozens of taels of silver per piece." , did you get it from Taodeng?"

The maids all lowered their eyebrows and went to work quietly.It seems that although Madam Wang is a popular person around the wife, her popularity is not very good.

Qin Niangzi stood for a while, and Li Chun came out with a smile.

"Qi Niangzi, go in quickly. My wife is very happy to hear that you are here. Mom, my wife said, I told you to watch these little hoofs put the New Year gifts into the warehouse, and come in later to reconcile the account."

Seventh Lady reluctantly glanced at Wang's mother, and Wang's mother felt that she had some responsibility. She pressed Seventh Lady's shoulder, let go of her hand, and watched Lichun lead Seventh Lady into the dark main room, then Turning to watch the little girls moving things.

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When Qiniangzi entered the main room, she felt dark in front of her eyes, and she could hardly see anything. Lichun led her around a screen, and the room was bright again—the side of the main room facing the main entrance was filled with shining glass windows.

Lichun led her around another Duobaoge, lifted the glass bead curtain, and led Qiniangzi into a bright bedroom with a smile.

There were six or seven people standing, sitting or lying in the bedroom. The seventh lady glanced at them, and saw two girls dressed as young ladies sitting on chairs, two or three maids dressed as servants, or sitting on the chairs. On the small machine in front of the chair, or standing behind the bed, in the middle of the room is a big rosewood bed with golden lacquer and mother-of-pearl. On the bed lay a little boy and a middle-aged woman with luxurious clothes and a rich face. Sitting on the edge of the bed, talking softly to the little boy.

"Your seventh sister is here, why don't you get up? What are you doing?"

Qi Niangzi landed on her knees in a regular manner, kowtowed, and raised her head, "Xiaoqi pays my respects to my wife."

The eldest lady turned her eyes to look at her, with a little smile in her eyes, "Hey, you have grown up."

Seventh Lady got up again and turned to her two sisters. "Xiaoqi pays respects to Second Sister."

"Xiaoqi pays respects to Fifth Sister."

The second lady with a cold expression stood up and nodded, accepting her half-gift.The pretty fifth lady rolled her eyes and snorted, don't even look at her at first.

Seventh Lady stood up calmly, bowed her head and tied her hands, and stood on the left hand side of the eldest wife.

The eldest wife was a little more surprised when she looked at Qin Niangzi's eyes.She also didn't expect Qiniangzi to deal with it so gracefully, and she couldn't find a single fault.

"Xiaoqi, sit down." The eldest lady smiled, and turned her head to comfort the little boy on the bed. "Brother Jiu, look, Xiaoqi looks exactly like you. He's just taller than you."

The little boy got up straight away, staring at Qin Niangzi up and down with his big black grape-like eyes.

"Mother lied to me." He pouted. "This man is clearly as tall as me."

"What is this person? It's your seventh sister." The eldest lady said with a smile, and glanced at Fifth Lady again. "Don't be led by your Fifth Sister. She has no rules, and you will follow suit."

Fifth Lady snorted again, crossed her arms and raised her head high.The eldest lady gave her a white look, and said, "I hear you two getting angry all day long, and Fifth Sister doesn't know how to give way to younger brother."

Ninth Brother became complacent, and the eldest wife continued, "Ninth Brother is also ignorant, and Fifth Sister has a bad temper, so you just follow suit—come back and tell the master to beat you carefully."

With a slight smile on her lips, Seventh Lady sat comfortably and listened to the deep love between the eldest wife and the ninth brother.

The eldest lady felt a little boring.

Brother Jiu slipped out of bed, and ran to Seventh Lady in his middle coat, "Are you Seventh Sister?"

"Ninth Brother, I am your Seventh Sister." Seventh Lady couldn't help laughing.

Everyone laughed, Lichun laughed the loudest, and the maid standing beside Wu Niangzi's chair also laughed wantonly.

Wu Niangzi couldn't help laughing secretly.Brother Jiu's face flushed red, he walked back to the eldest wife and plunged into her arms, refusing to come out again.

The eldest lady looked at Qiniangzi softly, patted Brother Jiu on the back, and asked, "Is Qiniangzi literate?"

Seventh Lady's expression darkened, she stood up and said.

"Returning to my wife, Xiaoqi didn't go to school."

"It's because I have too many things to do, so I forgot. The daughter of the Yang family needs to know a few words." The eldest wife said, "Look at your smart face, and you have reached the age of school. In a few days, I Say hello to sir, and ask Bai Lu to pick you up to school."

A maid who was standing by the bed hurriedly responded, and Qin Niangzi glanced at her and smiled slightly.Bai Lu was wearing a jade-colored cloud satin jacket, and her whole body was half-new. It seemed that although it was not as beautiful as the beginning of spring, it was still a good material.

The eldest wife stopped talking, and Seventh Lady stood up and said, "Then, Xiaoqi is leaving."

The eldest lady smiled and nodded.Second Lady and Fifth Lady both turned their heads to watch Bai Lu stepping up to lead Seventh Lady out of the door, even Ninth Brother raised his head and stared at Seventh Lady's back with her mouth curled up.

It wasn't until Seventh Lady went out and Second Lady, Fifth Lady, and Ninth Brother went to play in the yard that the eldest lady's face darkened.

"Where's Madam Wang?" she asked.

Mother Wang quickly entered the back room.

"I told you to go see Jiu Yiniang's illness, why did you bring Qi Niangzi back?" the eldest lady asked slowly while blowing on the boiling hot tea.

Mother Wang's heart tightened, and soon, she relaxed again.

"Return to Madam." She knelt down, approached the eldest wife on her knees, and said softly, "Si Yiniang went to the southern courtyard yesterday, and she really wanted to take Seventh Lady into her own yard to raise her."

The eldest lady frowned.

"It's weird..." She murmured, looking through the shiny glass window at the figure of Brother Jiu running around in the yard. "Why did Fourth Aunt suddenly feel better?"

Ms. Wang has been with the eldest wife for more than 20 years. She knows the eldest wife's temper, so she didn't say much, just lowered her head, waiting for the eldest wife to ask questions.

The eldest wife really asked, "How much benefit has Jiu Yiniang given you?"

Mother Wang showed the gold bracelet on her wrist to the eldest lady.

When the eldest lady saw it, she knew that the gold bracelet had three or four weights.

"This is Jiu Yiniang's jewelry at the bottom of the box." Wang Mama said, "I still remember that year when she gave birth to Seventh Lady and Nine Brothers, the wife took this gold bracelet from her hand and gave it to her."

The eldest lady looked far away. "It's been another five or six years in the blink of an eye."

Mama Wang just smiled and didn't speak.

Jiu Yiniang sent out all the jewelry at the bottom of the press box, it can be seen that she really wanted Seventh Lady to come to the wife's yard to support her.The conditions offered by Si Yiniang must not have moved her heart... How did Si Yiniang make the conditions, and why did she want to drag Qin Niangzi into her yard?

The eldest lady's eyes turned cold.

During dinner in the evening, the eldest wife casually mentioned the matter of Qin Niangzi. "...Jiu Yiniang seems to be getting weaker. I thought, Miss Qi is only six years old, she was separated so early, and no one taught her how to raise her eyebrows and lower her eyes. When she comes to her in-law's house, she will inevitably be looked down upon by others."

Master Yang thought for a while before he remembered that Qin Niangzi is Brother Jiu's twin sister.

"Then you can figure it out." He said casually. "For a daughter's family, it's enough to know a few words and embroider a few flowers."

"It's Brother Nine's twin sister after all." The eldest wife said softly, "I thought, the second sister is going to get married soon, and the fifth sister is rough-tempered, but it's the seventh lady. I'll take a closer look today, it's a Quiet, just to be with Brother Jiu."

"It's best if you are willing to live in your own yard." Master Yang's eyes softened when he looked at the eldest wife. "It's just you who sent the eldest sister off, and Zhanyan is going to send the second sister out again. In a few years, the fifth sister will reach the age of marriage. It's really hard work to take care of the seventh lady."

The eldest lady lowered her head and smiled shyly, "Isn't the concubine all from this family?"

Seventh Lady was taken over to the eldest wife's house to support her, so it was settled.

That night, the eldest wife asked Bai Lu to instruct Jiu Yiniang to tidy up Qi Niangzi's clothes and sundries, and tidy up the room on the east side of the west wing.

"Jiu Yiniang is still sick in bed..." Mama Wang hesitated.

"If you want to pick it up, you have to pick it up now." The eldest wife was a little unhappy. "Jiu Yiniang is just my aunt after all. People who are about to die have bad luck on them. If Seventh Lady enters the main courtyard, you send her to take a bath to wash away the bad luck."

Mother Wang felt a little chilly, "Yes."

The eldest lady changed her smiling face again, called Brother Jiu to her side and asked, "Your seventh sister is coming to live in the main courtyard, and she will play with you, are you happy?"

Brother Jiu blinked and looked at Mama Wang.Mother Wang's heart has long been raised.

"Will love come?" Brother Jiu thought for a while, and ran away again after leaving this sentence.

The eldest lady laughed lightly. "This brother Jiu is really..."

Before she finished speaking, Mama Wang breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Brother Jiu is a bit younger after all."

It is precisely because he was raised by his wife at such a young age that Brother Jiu does not recognize his biological mother and twin sister at all.

The eldest lady became pensive again.

"Forget it, let Seventh Lady live there until the end of the year." She said lightly. "Find a time tomorrow and bring Jiu Ge'er to meet Jiu Yiniang... After all, it's the birth mother. If she's sick like that, Jiu Ge'er should also do her filial piety."

"My wife is virtuous." Mother Wang said hurriedly.The wife asked Brother Jiu to see his biological mother, and the fourth aunt couldn't find any faults, she could only praise the eldest wife for her virtuousness.Otherwise, if the biological mother is so sick and the son won't even let him see him, the eldest wife will appear a little heartless.

The eldest lady touched her cheek and sighed, "Seventh Lady and Nine Brothers really look alike. I'm afraid the siblings won't be able to recognize which is which."

The eldest wife's younger siblings are naturally the second wife. The second master Yang was an official in the capital, but he left the second wife in the old house across the street.The second wife would come over every three to five days and rush through the door, and when she saw Brother Nine, she would always love her and pet her again and again.

Mother Wang's heart tightened again, she wondered, when will the eldest wife decide to take Qin Niangzi into her yard to support her?

After all, it's not a temporary idea today.

No one can figure out what the eldest wife is thinking.

(End of this chapter)