Xiqiu was sitting at the edge of the kang, just finishing the last few stitches on the cloak, without saying a word.
With Lady’s thunderous thods, Madam Wang’s influence, which had lasted for over ten years in Tong Mansion, had finally dissipated like smoke. A figure that had been active for so many years had completely retreated from the stage of Tong Mansion.
With Tong Xiyang’s room emptied, Lady transferred two second-class maids, Xiuyun and Liuzhi, there from her own room, and also bought four young maids and two servant won, adding a nanny to make up for the staff shortage in Tong Xiyang’s room. As a result, Xiqiu also gained a nanny. Lady remarked that as the young ladies were growing up, and she had forgotten about this in her busyness, she now rembered to make ands!
Perhaps to maintain balance, or maybe it was because of the recent bustle in the household, Lady dealt lightly with Sixing, Siliu, and Nanny Duan. Sixing and Siliu each received ten strokes, while Nanny Duan, being older, received five strokes and was sent back.
Lady did a favor by having the new nanny, whose family na is Song, escort Sixing and Siliu back. The new nanny, tall and thin, with a fair round face and a line of freckles along the cheekbones, looked a bit harsh. Her eyes shone with shrewdness. Upon entering, she surveyed Xiqiu’s room several tis, as if inspecting like Lady herself, according to Siliu.
Xiqiu smiled and asked her to dispense with formalities and sit on the stool at her feet. Nanny Song refused, so Xiqiu jested, "Nanny, there’s no need to stand on ceremony. Since we will see each other daily, maintaining such a formality constantly would be too tiring." Only then did Nanny Song half-sit down. Xiqiu instructed Chunyan, "Brew so Laojun i, it’s Nanny’s favorite." Chunyan smiled and went to make tea.
Nanny Song was secretly taken aback. She had just arrived in the mansion, and yet the Sixth Miss already knew what tea she favored. As she pondered this, she glanced at the Sixth Miss. Xiqiu sat upright with a faint smile, holding a tea cup of colored porcelain official kiln, leisurely sipping. Amidst the steam, her thin face seed to be veiled in mist, particularly her eyes which smiled as if sothing was flowing beneath them, though it was not clear what.
She recalled Lady’s words, "The young ladies in the house have grown up, so I’m sending you to assist them as they prepare for marriage, given your experience..."
Nanny Song’s initially arrogant deanor softened gradually. She wondered: Had Lady ever seen this side of the Sixth Miss?
Her thoughts shifted, and she heard the Sixth Miss ask with a smile, "Where are you from, Nanny? How are you addressed? Why haven’t I seen you before with Lady?"
"My family na is Song," Nanny Song replied with a smile. "Previously, I was in charge of managing Lady’s dowry estate. A few days ago, Lady personally inspected it and brought back to be assigned to the Sixth Miss."
Xiqiu was mildly surprised. Lady dismissed the caretaker of the estate, could it be to give the house to Tong Xiyang as a dowry? Though Tong Mansion is a fifth-rank official, the old master had saved a considerable amount of wealth. Even though it’s not as prosperous as before, marrying off a few daughters shouldn’t be difficult, surely not needing Lady’s possessions.
Despite her inner confusion, she smiled and said, "So that’s how it is. Nanny is indeed capable, for my mother wouldn’t entrust the estate to just anyone." Nanny Song laughed. At this mont, Chunyan brought tea, and Nanny Song accepted it with a slight bow. Xiqiu instructed Chunyan again, "Inform the kitchen to prepare extra dishes tonight to welco Nanny Song."
Chunyan agreed with a smile, causing Nanny Song to stand up in shock, "How can I impose like this!" Xiqiu waved her off with a smile, "Nanny just arrived, and she will oversee the maids. After today, no one will dare take liberties. A al will give Nanny a chance to et the maids."
"The young miss is indeed considerate!" Nanny Song didn’t say more but smoothed her Qiuxiang-colored overcoat, without further decline.
That evening, Xiqiu had the table set in Sixing and Siliu’s room, and everyone shared a al together. During the al, while Xiqiu went to wash her hands, Chunyan quietly asked her, "Miss, now that Nanny Song has arrived, what about the keys to the room..."
Xiqiu looked back at the dim night, smiled, and said, "They are just objects, give all the keys to her!"
Chunyan was startled, "Miss, your possessions are all in there."
Xiqiu looked at her with a smile, "My possessions aren’t things in a box, they are you all... No matter who Lady sends in, they can’t be taken away."
Chunyan blushed and fell silent. That night, she handed all the keys to Nanny Song, who declined them, saying, "You’ve been with the miss for so many years, and I’ve just arrived. How can I take on such an important task? It’s better if you keep the keys, I might need to seek your advice often, so why bother with these formalities!"
Seeing her earnest expression, with no pretense, Chunyan took the keys back.
Xiqiu remained silent, but inwardly sighed: It seems Lady was truly startled by Tong Xiyang’s matter, even assigning such a shrewd person to her room.
For several days, tranquility returned to Xiqiu’s area, while Tong Shen Zhi maintained a perpetually long face. Even when visiting the inner courtyard to pay respects, it was only when Lady was busy or when she had to go out, showing face before quickly leaving for the library.
Tong Minzhi, on the other hand, showed even more obedience, visiting only in the morning and evening, spending most of his ti reading in his room. Yet, occasionally he would hover near the First Master’s study...
Xiqiu, along with Tong Xiyan and Tong Xiyu, went to visit Tong Xiyang. Despite the usual friction, at this point, words were aningless. Moreover, even though there was reluctance, respectability had to be maintained, especially with the First Master still in the mansion.
The three entered the courtyard, and the newly appointed maid Xiuyun greeted them with a smile, curtseying and saying, "The Third Miss is indisposed to greet guests; would the three young misses follow in for a cup of tea?"
Xiqiu slightly raised her eyebrows, noting that this Xiuyun seed to be on a level above Moxiang.
The trio entered Tong Xiyang’s room. It was Xiqiu’s first ti in Tong Xiyang’s bedroom: delicate purple gauze curtained like flowing sand, a treasure cabinet held cloisonné enal incense burners, gold-inlaid jade pots, and double-handled jars of green porcelain official kilns, all extraordinary pieces. She showed a surprised expression, which prompted Tong Xiyan to tug at her sleeve and whisper, "The items Mother found in Madam Wang’s room are even more valuable than these."
Xiqiu frowned, pondering where Madam Wang could have acquired such things. It could only have been through gifts while accompanying the First Master in his office over the years.
It was unclear if the First Master was aware of this.
Xiuyun lifted the purple gauze, revealing a light pink silk canopy. Tong Xiyu’s eyes instantly filled with envy, and Xiqiu looked up only to see the hooks on each side of the canopy were a pair of finely crafted, vivid white butterflies, lifelike in appearance, which were said to be new products from the Treasure Pavilion this year.
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