Chapter Eleven: Reaction (Middle)

  Idle person?

  This person is really good at doing nothing!

  Sometimes at Mrs. Dai's, sometimes at Miss Wu's, and then again in the warm pavilion of this Green Bamboo Building... I'm afraid there isn't anyone lazier than her!

  Ziwei sneered inwardly, but her face was all smiles as she exchanged a few pleasantries with the Wu family. Then, she handed over two packages to Hupo: "It's Xinyang Maojian tea. Miss is busy with the embroidery screen, so I'll give you a gift instead, Sister Hupo."

  Amber accepted the tea leaves and politely asked her to sit aside.

  Zi Wei declined her invitation: "Miss can't leave people in front of her, and the new little maid who just arrived is sick. I won't sit down, let's gather with sisters another day."

  Everyone is serving in front of their master, and the master's errands are the most important.

  Huangpu didn't want to retain her, and waited for her to bid farewell to the Wu Xiaquan family before sending her out.

  Two people walked to the eaves, where they met Coral, Jade, Agate and Duwei, Dujuan and others surrounded by a group of young maids carrying red lanterns.

  Everyone couldn't help but exchange a few more pleasantries.

  Ziwei knew that the purple flowers represented the fifth daughter sending tea leaves, and because there was no one serving in front of the fifth daughter, they couldn't stay long. After exchanging pleasantries, everyone said goodbye, and Huopo took over to send them off. Xiangru and several others were served by a young maid who lifted the curtain and entered the warm pavilion.

  The masters were divided into three, six and nine grades, and the maids were no exception, and they were also divided according to their masters' ranks. Xianghu and several others were from the mistress's quarters, so they were naturally considered noble guests. As soon as they arrived, the atmosphere changed.

  Wu Xiaquan's family took the initiative to greet them, while Yutong and Yuhuai helped Binju entertain the guests, either by helping to remove their cloaks or by moving chairs. Some even instructed Qiujun, Zhuxiang, Bai Zhu, and Jinzhu to help serve tea and snacks. For a time, the sound of jade pendants swaying, the rustling of clothes, and the chirping of greetings wove together into a lively scene, although it was noisy, but also very festive.

  Amber sent Ziwei back, and Coral and the others either took out handkerchiefs or towels, or presented her with a jade flower, amidst another round of laughter and chatter. When Dongqing led the servant girl carrying the food box over, everyone pushed and yielded to one another, taking their seats in order of precedence.

  Wu Xiaquan's family naturally took the upper seat, with Amber as the host, sitting beside them. Wintergreen was about to push Wu Xiaquan's family to sit in the lower position, but Wintergreen raised her hand holding a bowl of braised meat and smiled: "Which sister is everyone prepared to serve?"

  With a flick of her emerald eyes, she immediately pointed at Binju: "Today, let you be the host."

  Binju smiled and went to take the fire-roasted meat from Dongqing's hand: "Sister, please sit down, I'll serve our honored guests."

  Wu Xiaoquan's family also pulled her hand: "Sit down, sit down. There are no outsiders here."

  Amber saw, stood up: "Sister is busy for me today, I don't want to disappoint sister's kindness, so I sat here. If sister doesn't sit, I will be even more uneasy."

  Dong Qing was adamant, but Coral thought that every time the sisters gathered together, Dong Qing was always the one sitting in a lower seat, helping to serve soup and tea, and pour snacks. What's more, this time it was her own home where they were having dinner, and if they continued to argue like this, it would spoil the atmosphere. She also thought that in the future she would be living with her good sister, Jade, who had been suddenly taken away by the mistress, and wasn't as close to Miss Eleven as she was. If at a critical moment she could speak up for Jade in front of Miss Eleven, Jade's life would be much easier. So she harbored a flattering attitude.

  She smiled and pulled Dong Qing's hand: "Since that's the case, then sister will sit next to me!" She said, sitting down beside Wu Jiaxiao.

  In this way, although Wintergreen escaped sitting in the second seat, it also sat in the next-to-next seat.

  Jade was the most sensitive one, looked at Amber standing and then looked at Coral sitting down. She sat down next to Amber: "Then I won't be polite, sit across from Sister Coral."

  If we delay any further, it would seem a bit petty. Dong Qing could only pretend to sit down at the foot of Shanhu: "Sisters are also too polite."

  Those who can enter the mansion of a wealthy lady are all clever people.

  Du Wei pushed the jade chair to sit beside Fei Cui: "Sister, let's sit down, our legs are all sore from standing." As she spoke, she sat down on the last seat opposite Wu Xiaoquan's family. Du Juan also didn't stand on ceremony and smiled as she sat next to Du Wei.

  Binju looked at Song and let out a breath of relief, inviting Yutong, Yucai, Bai Zhu, and Jinzhu to sit at another table.

  Someone lifted the curtain and peeked inside.

  Qiu Ju's eyes were sharp and she shouted: "Bai Zhi sister, why have you come at this time!"

  Everyone looked back with expectation.

  Then I saw a tall and slender woman walking in.

  It was none other than Baizhi, the senior maid of the Shi family.

  She came in and gave a courtesy bow to her sisters-in-law: "I'm late, please forgive me, sisters!"

  Amber and Wintergreen stood up, Rain pushed herself up and pulled her to their table: "Today all the sisters are here, you're late this time, no excuses will do. Later on, you'll have to be fined three big cups!"

  "Good sister, I've put in a lot of effort for this." She said, pulling out a large red folded handkerchief and an olive green silk scarf from her sleeve: "This is the gift that Jiuxiang and I prepared for you to meet with." Then she bowed to Dongqing: "We won't drink today, but another day my sister and I will host and invite our sisters to drink. We'll also go visit Miss Eleven and thank her for thinking of us."

  Feicui heard her say something pleasant, and thought of the last time she promised to give herself a purse with a golden silk embroidered vine flower. In the end, when she got the purse in her hand, it only flashed golden silk thread... She smiled and picked up the conversation: "Bai Zhi sister, since it's changed day, I don't know which day it will be changed to?" The tone was inevitably tinged with a few hints of sarcasm.

  Bai Zhi's face turned red: "When you're free, I'll invite you."

  She also wants to be a good person in front of her sisters, but she really can't be that kind of person.

  "I don't know when sister will be free." Feicui raised her face, smiling at her, "Last time accompanying tenth miss to pay respects to the old madam, sister had promised Duwei that little maid's shoes... until today we haven't seen them."

  Her face turned alternately pale and red, her lips moved slightly, but all that could be heard was a faint murmur, yet no one could make out what she said.

  Coral didn't frown, but smiled and took Bai Zhi's hand: "She is someone who would pull out the iron rooster's hair when she sees it, we all avoid her, but sister doesn't know this person, and ran into her. Looking at Xu Pei again, "Since sister can't rest, we also can't stay long, let the little maids pick some dishes for sister to take back, and fulfill the elder sister's wish."

  Amber didn't want to come out in front of so many people, afraid of hurting Dong Qing's face.

  Dong Qing thought that Mrs. Tai would let Amber take care of the affairs in Miss Eleven's room, and since there were many of her former colleagues inside, she should give face to herself too, so she stood still without moving.

  Wu Xiaquan's family glanced at him and quickly lowered their eyes, fiddling with a wine cup in their hands as if they hadn't seen anything.

  This suddenly cooled down the atmosphere.

  Her face turned red and green, and she said in a low voice: "No need. Eating and drinking, when did we ever have less? It's just that I think it's rare for sisters to gather together like this..."

  Although she didn't know why Dong Qing and Hu Po weren't speaking, Bai Zhi's awkward expression was noticed by Qiu Ju. She couldn't care about many things, and smiled as she instructed Zhu Xiang: "Bai Zhi loves to eat pan-fried silver fish, Jiu Xiang loves to eat cured goose neck, quickly open the food box and find them. Let Bai Zhi bring them back. It's a pity for me, I also love to eat that cured goose neck, I originally wanted to use Jiu Xiang's name as an excuse to have one serving..."

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  The woman who was carrying a food box on her side immediately brought two dishes of food to the table.

  Bai Zhi looked at the two bowls of dishes and saw that they were indeed there. In his gaze towards Dong Qing, he felt a few strands of gratitude.

  Everyone has their own difficulties... She understands it personally.

  Lianlian shook her head: "It's so cold today, I even brought a lantern... Thank you all for your kindness." She grabbed Qiujie's hand and wouldn't let her pack the dishes into the food box, but she didn't dare say anything about "next time" anymore.

  Everyone urged for a while, and finally let Qiujie take two dishes, each taking half and putting them in one bowl, using a food box to send Baizhi out the door.

  Shanhu said to Feicui: "Among us sisters, Baizhi and Jiuxiang are the most difficult. Why must you always be so petty with her?"

  Feicui is a strong-willed person, and in front of so many people, she couldn't help but mutter to herself: "I didn't wrong her, she had promised Duwei shoes back then..."

  "This is getting further and further away from the point." Yumi also felt that Feicui shouldn't be arguing with Momiji in this situation, "Momiji is just someone who likes to make promises..."

  Dong Qing saw that they had differing opinions and feared a dispute would arise, so she hastily laughed loudly: "You sisters shouldn't just focus on talking, be careful the dishes get cold!"

  Coral knew she had misspoken earlier. Smiling, she took the wine jug from the little maid and poured a drink for Wu Xiaquan's family, joking: "Although it can't compare to the five-tael silver per jar of Jinhua wine that Mother usually drinks, this is the thought of the eleventh young lady, after all, it's different."

  Wu's mother smiled and nodded at Shanhu's forehead: "You're a clear-headed one."

  Everyone burst out laughing again.

  "Outside the curtain came a clear and crisp voice: 'Mom said who is sensible?'"

  Before the words had fallen, she saw Luo Qing walking in wearing a stone-colored fox fur cloak. Under the lamp light, her black hair sparkled with dew drops.

  Everyone in the room was stunned, and it wasn't until a moment later that they slowly got up.

  Wu Xiaquan's eyes flickered and he was the first to laugh: "Luo Qiao, you're late, penalty drink, penalty drink!"

  Hearing the sound, Qiujie came back to her senses and quickly went forward to take the cloak that Luoqiao had taken off: "Sister Luoqiao, is it snowing outside?"

  It was then that everyone discovered that there were still a few unthawed snowflakes on her temples.

  Wu Xiaquan's eyes lit up even more, while on the other hand, Hu Po's face turned slightly pale.

  "Luo Qiao sister, you are a rare guest." Hu Po had already stepped down to welcome her and pulled Luo Qiao's hand to let her take her own seat, and also asked Zhu Xiang to refill the bowls and cups.

  Luo Qiao covered her mouth and smiled: "How did you snatch the host's position!"

  Those corals also stepped down one after another, all wanting to yield their seats.

  Dong Qing took advantage of the commotion to call Bin Ju over: "Quick, go to the kitchen and have Cao Mama make some sour fish slices." He also sighed bitterly, "She's never been interested in such things, even when Fifth Miss hosts a banquet, she never attends. Who would have thought she'd come!"

  Binju pinched the pouch in her sleeve and looked embarrassed: "It's already late, the big stove in the kitchen has been extinguished for a long time, and it's hard to talk to Aunt Cao..."

  On the other side, Amber saw Dong Qing calling Bin Hua, who had already taken note of it quietly.

  After a few more refusals, Luo Qiao sat in Shanhu's seat, and Shanhu sat in Duwei's seat. Duwei went to another table and sat with Yutong and others, and they rearranged the dishes and utensils again.

  Amber eyes swept a glance, already somewhat understood. She called Binju quietly, slightly turned her body, and handed the letter with the purple willow's gift to her: "Steep this tea later!"

  Binju responded accordingly.

  Just found something hard in hand, amber had stuffed something in.

  It feels solid and heavy in hand, although it's small in size but has some weight to it.

  She was slightly surprised and involuntarily pinched her hand.

  Amber nodded and smiled at her: "Better get some hot water for a soak..."

  Binju understood. Facing Amber, she nodded: "Don't worry, sister, I'll go to the kitchen and have someone bring some hot water over."

  The two exchanged a smile, and suddenly there was a kind of intimacy that came from sharing a common secret.