bookcurios Chapter 58 Education
Chapter 58 Education
At noon, the masters gathered in the flower hall for lunch. No one knew what tricks Madam Yun had used, but the old lady looked much better. With a smile, she directed the maids to dismantle the crabs and instructed the fifth young lady not to overeat.
Hua Ying stood by and poured a cup of warm yellow wine for Tang Xian, Madam Yun, and the two concubines. Tang Xian seemed unconcerned about whether Concubine Wen was there or not. He stood up, raised his cup, and said a few words of filial piety to the old lady.
With the maids from Fu'an Residence attending to her, the Second Miss sat upright, feeling much more relaxed thanks to her appropriate attire. She waved one hand behind her back, signaling Meng Shu and the others to leave and not serve her.
Whether or not Madam Yun noticed, she smiled and told Wei Mama to take the maids down to eat. Soon the ladies and women of the mansion would arrive, and Meng Shu and the others would still have things to do.
So Mengzhu and her maids thanked their mistress and went with Wei Mama to the small kitchen and dining room.
Donggua was already waiting. When he saw Meng Shu and the others coming over, he hurriedly waved and said, "We don't need to squeeze in here. The others in the room aren't here. I've set out the food in the room. Let's go over quickly."
Ruizhu had a smug look on her face, thinking that "it's easy to get things done if you have connections in the court." She said, "Little sister Donggua, it's not good to invite Meng Shu to eat alone. Do Mengzhu and I get any?"
Donggua chuckled and tapped her head. She used to frequent Yunyi Courtyard and had become quite familiar with Ruizhu and the others. "Of course, everyone gets a share. Hurry up and go. I really put in a lot of effort today. I made a lot of noodles and dumplings for Master in exchange for a small jar of chrysanthemum wine."
Meng Shu's eyes lit up. Steward An's chrysanthemum wine was exceptional, with a pleasant fragrance that was perfect for women. Even the Fifth Miss loved it. Because it didn't make her drunk, Madam Yun had allowed her to drink it a few times.
Eight plump crabs were laid out on a cypress wood table. The maids, of course, were not so refined, nor did they need the eight crab-eating tools to make eating crabs a more elegant experience. So each of them held one, cracking it open with a "crack," "crack," "crack," and taking a big bite.
Both Jinan and Haijin Town are located near rivers and the sea, but crabs are not easy to come by in rural areas. Meng Shu could only eat them when her uncle sent her a basket before the Mid-Autumn Festival when he was still alive. Now, after many years, she has rediscovered the taste of crabs and has a special feeling in her heart.
Taking another small sip of chrysanthemum wine, the lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth is truly delightful.
"By the way, since Green Willow and the others didn't come to Fu'anju to serve us, did they still have crabs?" Ruizhu asked, shaking her head as she ate, surprisingly remembering Green Willow.
Donggua shook his head. "The main kitchen should also have some, but the masters eat at Fu'anju, so the other servants don't know if they'll have the chance to enjoy it."
Green Willow was obedient and submissive, and got along well with Ruizhu and Mengzhu at Yunyi Courtyard. Meng Shu was busy fighting the crab in her hand and didn't say a word.
Ruizhu only asked once and then stopped talking, clearly not really concerned.
Halfway through, Donggua clapped his hands, got up, took out a porcelain jar from the cabinet, and asked Meng Shu to move the kettle aside.
"The last pomelo drink failed because I cut it whole like a winter melon. The chef said I had to peel off the thick peel and remove the membranes attached to the flesh. I made it again, let's try it."
Upon hearing this, Ruizhu put down her chopsticks, stuck out her tongue, and said, "Um... Sister Donggua, we're done eating."
Mengzhu also put down her chopsticks, but couldn't bear to refuse Donggua's kind offer.
Meng Shu leaned over to take a look. The jam was a rich color and had a refreshing grapefruit scent. She joked, "It should be done. Let's 'test the medicine' for Donggua. If it really works, Donggua can share some of the reward with us."
Donggua, seemingly oblivious, scooped up a full spoonful. Meng Shu diluted it with warm water, tasted it first, and then suddenly slammed her hand on the table, exclaiming, "It's done! It tastes better than Donggua drink!"
Having spent so much time with the Second Miss, Mengzhu couldn't help but cough lightly, unable to maintain her composure.
"...Let me have a taste."
In the end, all four were impressed by the pomelo drink, unanimously agreeing that it was perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, and had the unique refreshing aroma of pomelo. Meng Shu hurriedly asked how much Dong Gua had made.
It just so happened that the chief physician's eldest apprentice was also in the small kitchen, so Meng Shu had him examine the body.
Then, led by Mengzhu, the four of them went to Fu'anju in a grand procession.
The old lady couldn't help but smile when she saw the plump winter melon, with a hint of anticipation: "Come here, little girl, have you made something new again?"
In the end, Donggua received a lot of rewards from the old lady, which he then took to Fu'anju to share with Ruizhu and the others. Ruizhu and Mengzhu naturally refused, but that's another story.
The second young lady looked at her three smiling maids beside her and felt very proud.
"Mother, why don't we serve this pomelo drink to the ladies at tonight's banquet? It's something unique to our household."
Madam Yun smiled and rewarded Steward An with a winter melon. Tang Xian had not yet left his seat. He naturally did not like the drink, but he said to the old lady, "Mother is good at choosing and employing people. Even the small kitchen of Fu'an Residence is full of talented people."
Hearing her own son flatter her so much, the old lady became even more energetic. "Let Donggua stay in the small kitchen and let An Mama teach him carefully. When Wan'er comes of age, we'll open a small kitchen in Yunyi Courtyard and let Donggua go there to serve her."
Manager An was overjoyed. She only had one daughter who lived far away in Jinan, and she truly treated Donggua like her granddaughter. She hurriedly and gratefully pulled the stunned Donggua down to kneel and express her gratitude, as if Donggua would be on a bright future and bring glory to her ancestors if she followed the second young lady.
Although Meng Shu really wanted to work with Dong Gua, she felt uneasy, as if her heart was hanging in mid-air.
The second young lady had not expected the old lady to make such an arrangement. Following the rules, she got up and thanked the old lady first, then said that it was not good to take away the old lady's favorite food, and that she would send some fresh food to Yunyi Courtyard in the future.
Madam Yun, contrary to her usual behavior, said softly, "Wan'er, please don't refuse. It's all thanks to the old lady."
The old lady nodded slightly and pointed at Meng Shu, "Donggua and Shu'er in your courtyard have always been good friends. It's good that they serve together and have each other's company."
These words worried Meng Shu even more. How could a master who was always high and mighty care whether a servant had a companion or not?
Tang Xianwen remained noncommittal after hearing this, saying, "The old lady can arrange it as she sees fit."
Before long, it was afternoon. First, two young ladies arrived with their children. Then, women who were on good terms with the Tang family and the wives and daughters of the shopkeepers came to the Tang residence in twos and threes. All the maids in the residence were busy, and the stage on the right side of Fu'an Residence began another lively scene.
After one act of the play after another, Aunt Lu finally couldn't sit still any longer. She carefully got up and asked the madam and the old lady for leave. The old lady was listening attentively to Yuquanzi's play, and waved her hand when she heard this.
After Aunt Lu left, the old lady sighed softly, "In the end, she is someone who cannot be brought to the table. No matter how much she is praised, she is still not worthy. If things continue like this, I hope that Quan'er will not be spoiled by her."
Madam Yun was not unaware of the old lady's implied meaning, but she was unwilling to personally raise Quan Ge'er.
With her birth mother still alive, even if she were to raise him, there would be endless entanglements and only added trouble. Besides, her own son was so outstanding that, regardless of whether he passed the imperial examination next spring, she should start looking for a suitable daughter-in-law. Naturally, her feelings for Quan Ge'er had faded considerably.
Therefore, Madam Yun said calmly, "Mother, don't worry. My husband and I have mentioned that when Quan Ge'er is a little older, I will send him a letter to the Yun family in the capital to begin his studies at their private school."
The Yun family in the capital is considered Lady Yun's maternal family. The head of the Yun family is a third-rank official, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who is Lady Yun's uncle. (Lady Yun's grandfather was a retired Minister of Revenue, who has since passed away.)
The old lady was obviously hearing this news for the first time. Knowing that her son was the most promising, she was greatly relieved: "This is excellent. Lin'er also received his early education at the Yun family. Our Quan'er will benefit from his stepmother's blessings and will have a good future."
Madam Yun could only think, "I hope so," when she heard the words "May everything be alright from now on." If Quan Ge'er turned out to be a good person and knew his place, she would naturally be happy to be his kind stepmother. Otherwise, she wouldn't really put much effort into caring for a son born to a useless concubine.
Even the best show must eventually come to an end. As the music of zithers, drums, gongs, and cymbals fades and the lanterns are lit, the Tang Mansion's night banquet slowly begins.
The front and back courtyards were filled with wealth and luxury, and even the extravagance of the capital could not compare. The clamor was so loud that the round moon could not help but peek out early, sprinkling its moonlight.
The old lady changed into a set of fine clothes and personally led Madam Yun, the two aunts of the Tang family, and a group of female relatives in the moon worship ceremony. The second and fifth young ladies, as legitimate daughters, followed closely behind, while the three illegitimate daughters, except for the fourth young lady who was absent, were last in line.
After the moon-worship ceremony ended, the old lady, exhausted from the day, went to her room to rest early. Madam Yun took care of the evening banquet and the subsequent lantern blessing ceremony.
Although the second aunt arrived late in the afternoon, she had already heard that the fourth young lady had been confined and naturally knew about the baby's first birthday celebration. Looking at the radiant second young lady among the crowd, she suddenly said:
"It's certainly gratifying that Lin-ge'er seized the prefect's official hat, but what you all don't know is that my second niece is truly astonishing..."