Chapter 127: Handling (Middle)

  The wind and snow grew stronger, the roof and treetops were buried in the vast white snow. Only the big red lanterns hanging under the eaves swayed with the wind, casting a bright red glow on the snowy ground, like the joyful voices and laughter coming from inside the house, exuding a lively atmosphere.

  "...on the one hand, holding the husband's ruler and dancing, on the other hand, reciting 'heroic spirit comes to fight', the husband came in, the third brother was frightened, and the ruler fell immediately."

  The old lady pointed at Xu Siyan and laughed: "This child is really mischievous."

  "Grandma, don't listen to big brother." Xu Siyuan crawled up onto the kang and into Madame's arms, "The ruler didn't fall down, it was because I saw husband coming, so I put it down. It wasn't that it fell down, it was me who put it down..." He stubbornly insisted on the difference between "fell down" and "put down".

  Three brothers came to greet the old lady and other elders, only the eleventh daughter was serving on the side, without the usual restraint, teasing each other to amuse the old lady. The old lady saw the lively atmosphere, naturally letting them make a fuss. Duan Ge'er saw that his original position had been occupied by Xu Shaojian, pouting and rushing to the old lady's back, rubbing his small face against the old lady's neck, being coquettish.

  Xu Suiwen, sitting at the edge of the kang, just smiled faintly when he saw him. Xu Suiqin, on the other hand, went to pull his younger brother Xu Suijian: "How old are you now? Still crawling into grandma's arms! Be careful not to tire out grandma!"

  Old Lady Tai hugged Xue Baochai: "Don't worry, don't worry. Grandma likes you!"

  Xu Si Jian also became somewhat sensible, knowing when to stop. After clinging to Madame's bosom for a while, he sat down beside her with a smile and asked Jing Er: "Sister, what did you do today?"

  "Brother Qiang said in front of Sister Zhen: 'We jumped rope today.'"

  "You're always playing with girls' toys." Xu Siyuan pinched his little brother's face, "One day follow me, we'll ride a big horse."

  "Really? Third Brother is really going to take me horseback riding?"

  Xu Siqin burst out laughing and patted Tongge's head: "He himself is just riding a stick as a horse..."

  "Big brother!" Xu Si Jian's face turned red with anger as he glared at Xu Si Qian.

  "Alright, alright, alright. I won't say anything."

  Old Lady smiled and asked Wei Zi: "Why haven't Third Master and Third Madam arrived at this hour?"

  It's already late in the afternoon now, usually by this time everyone has arrived.

  "Wei Zi hastily smiled and said: 'Someone has already been sent to urge them!' He also said: 'I'll go take another look!'"

  "Third Brother, when are we going horseback riding?" asked Xu Sui's younger brother as he circled around Xu Sui.

  Zhen Jie'er smiled with pursed lips.

  Xu Si's face turned red like silk, and he said vaguely: "When the time comes, I will naturally call you to go!"

  Eleventh Sister smiled as she watched these children from the side, but in her heart, she was thinking about the porridge shed.

  I don't know if Xu Lingyi has arrived at Fucheng Gate yet. With such a big snowstorm, I wonder how those refugees are doing? Since the people below all know that they have changed to moldy rice, I don't know if it's been spread out or not... I hope this matter can be solved quickly without startling others! At least save face. As for other things, that is Xu family's internal affairs, it's better to discuss them behind closed doors!

  As she was lost in thought, she saw Wei Zi smiling brightly as she accompanied Third Madame into the room.

  The eleventh daughter was taken aback.

  Every day, San Ye and San Fu Ren are always together, going out and coming back at the same time.

  The old lady was also surprised: "Where's Lao San? Why didn't he come with you?"

  The third lady smiled and stepped forward to pay her respects to the elder lady, saying: "These days, the third master is afraid that something will happen at the rice shed, so he has been keeping watch at the Fucheng Gate. Today's wind and snow are too great, I'm afraid he'll be late on his way back. I've already sent someone to look for him." She also said: "Don't worry, I saw that the weather was bad today, so I especially had the third master take a sedan chair."

  The old lady nodded: "That's good."

  Eleventh daughter smiled and went forward to greet the third madam, several children came forward to pay their respects to the third madam, Xu Si Jian met his mother, chattering about school things, the atmosphere was very warm.

  A young servant came in and reported: "Third Master said, let the elderly lady and the ladies eat first, no need to wait. He met with Lord Hou and the two brothers are patrolling together."

  What a coincidence?

  The eleventh girl was taken aback for a moment.

  The old lady laughed and said: "In that case, we won't wait any longer!"

  The maids and old women got the news, and they quickly laid out chopsticks and bowls.

  The three madams supported the old lady to sit in the upper seat.

  "This snow doesn't know when it will stop!" Madame Tai was worried, "Nor does it know if it will affect next year's farming?"

  "A great snow indicates a bumper harvest." The third wife smiled and said, "I suppose it won't come true!" As she spoke, she wrapped her chopsticks in a handkerchief and handed them to the elder lady.

  Old Lady Wang took up her chopsticks: "Today we're having hot pot, so let's all sit down together, young and old alike."

  As people get older, they just want some excitement. Everyone knows that, and since the Xu brothers aren't here, everyone is gathered around Madame Tao laughing together.

  A dish of mutton hot pot, in addition to chicken, duck and fish meat, there is a plate of bright yellow bean sprouts, a plate of crystal clear red radish, a plate of green and oily small bok choy, and a plate of crispy and raw cucumber.

  On a day like today, having several dishes on the table requires some thought.

  The children all looked delighted, even Xu Sichen, who usually seemed a bit mature for his age, couldn't help but smile.

  The old lady looked at the third lady and a satisfied smile appeared on her face: "I've troubled you."

  The three madams smiled with a gentle breeze and light clouds, but a hint of complacency flashed in their eyes: "It's just arranging for you to eat and wear, this little thing can still be done." As she spoke, she glanced at the eleventh lady.

  The eleventh girl smiled slightly at her, but in her heart she didn't think so.

  She wants to do things to the best of her ability, even if one day she becomes the mistress of the house, so that there will be something to compare with her predecessors and successors. If she does well, it's what she should do; if she doesn't do well, it's because she's not capable... Even Tao Mama has specifically talked to her about this matter. She said that in the past few months since Third Madame took over managing the household, many people have been let go and expenses have decreased compared to when Yuan Niang was in charge. At first, the mothers of the housekeepers were just pretending to agree with the mistress's face, but now they all praise her for being clever and thrifty, and some even say that "Third Madame is at a disadvantage because she's not the legitimate daughter".

  The eleventh girl was not very worried.

  So-called downsizing or cost-cutting, it all belongs to the category of replacing the old with the new. As long as there is replacement, there will be changes, and as long as there are changes, there will be people who are not satisfied... Just like Wang Anshi's reform. Although everyone knows that this thing is good, when it harms their own interests, I'm afraid the word "good" won't be praised so enthusiastically.

  The mistress was having the young maids serve dishes to the children and hadn't noticed the situation between the two, only asking: "Has it been sent to Danyang?"

  The three madams immediately smiled and said: "These radishes and small cucumbers are cold foods, afraid that she will not feel comfortable after eating them, so each one only sent a little over."

  Madam nodded her head in satisfaction once again.

  Xu Suiyu and his younger brother Zhenji were both in mourning, so they picked some vegetables and sat down separately.

  After dinner, Mrs. Tai personally escorted Xu Sike and Xu Xuan to the door, repeatedly instructing the maid: "Be careful, don't slip!"

  The maidservants all trembled with fear, hastily answering "yes", but Xu Siqian smiled and said: "Don't worry, grandmother, we're all grown up now, even if we fall into the snow it's no big deal."

  "What nonsense are you talking about?" The third wife immediately scolded from the side, "If you hit somewhere, it's not fun!"

  Xu Siqin seemed to be afraid of his mother's nagging, and pulled Xu Sijian to hurry outside: "Grandma, we're leaving. We'll come back tomorrow morning to pay our respects!"

  "This little brat..." The third madam was so angry that she stomped her feet.

  "That's just how half-grown kids are!" The old lady gazed at the two brothers walking further and further away under the red lanterns, smiling as she said, "In the past, whenever I nagged your fourth brother, he would run as far as his legs could carry him. I think that Qin'ge's temperament is not like your third brother's, but rather more like your fourth brother's!"

  The eleventh girl's heart skipped a beat as she looked up at Third Madam, and her eyes indeed sparkled with surprise.

  "Like Master Hou, ah!" Her face smiled like a flower, "Like Master Hou, who is both literary and martial, with food to eat!"

  The old lady smiled and returned to her room with the help of a maid.

  The third lady spoke in a low voice to the old lady: "I have something I'd like to discuss with you?" As she spoke, she glanced at Eleventh Sister.

  Eleventh Sister heard the sound and knew it was elegant, smiled and said: "Sister, I'll go brew a cup of tea for you." As she spoke, she and Wei Zi retreated to a side room.

  Wei Zi then asked Eleven to make tea. She invited her to sit in a nearby armchair, and the little maidservants hurried over with a brazier. Wei Zi first poured a cup of tea for Eleven, and only then began pouring tea for Madame Tai.

  Then there was a little maid peeking in and out of the door of the ear house.

  Wei Zi looked at him with a frown, then continued to brew tea as if nothing had happened.

  Although they were maidservants, they also had their own social circle.

  The eleventh daughter pretended not to see and took away the tea, going into Madame Tai's room.

  The servants in the house had all withdrawn, and Sanfu's words seemed to have come to an end. She was now massaging Taifu's legs with a beauty roller.

  Seeing Shiyi enter, Old Madam said: "Discuss this matter with Shiyi! After all, she is the child's mother!"

  The eleventh girl was shocked upon hearing this.

  The smile on the face of the third wife had a few points of embarrassment, and she said: "It's like this. I see that the maids in both Qingge and Rongge's houses are not young anymore, and I'm afraid they might cause trouble, so I want to let them go early..."

  What's being sung again?

  Eleventh daughter brought tea to Mrs. Tai, smiled and said: "Brother Yu and Brother Qin usually live in the outer courtyard, I pay less attention to them, and didn't think about it. Let Third Aunt worry." First, clarify one's own responsibility, "Since Third Aunt thinks it's necessary, it must be an urgent matter, our Brother Yu will follow Brother Qin." Again, pushing the responsibility of replacing someone onto Xu Sike, the son of Third Madam.

  She said, looking at the old lady: "If this matter is settled, I will start helping Brother Yu tomorrow to select a few decent maids?" No matter what the third wife means, she cannot let the maids and servants around her spoil Brother Yu - after all, he is Xu Lingyi's son, the eldest of the fourth house, and should set an example for his brothers. "When the time comes, I will send them to you for training and then have them serve Brother Yu." Let the old lady take charge of Brother Yu's household, in case there are any unexpected situations where she is taken advantage of by the third wife, her own responsibility will be smaller.

  The three madams listened with changing expressions.

  The old lady nodded directly: "Since the eleventh girl also agrees, it's settled then. We'll take care of this before the end of the year."

  Both of them respectfully replied "yes".