RATMOFANF: Chapter 45

 Character Glossary

· Shen Jingxiu (沈静姝): The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife. The new matriarch of the Zhenguo Duke Manor.

· Xu Wanning (徐婉宁): Li Xian's wife.

· San Guniang (三姑娘): The Third Young Lady, Li Ling's younger sister.

· Li Yu (李玉): The Fourth Master, Li Ling's half-brother. The Duke's illegitimate son.

· Uncle Fu (福叔): A senior steward of the manor.

· Zhou Momo (周嬷嬷): Li Yu's wet nurse.

· Danzhu (丹朱): One of Jingxiu's maids.

· Ziyun (紫云): Shen Jingxiu's chief personal maid.

· Chen Momo (陈嬷嬷): The stewardess serving San Guniang.

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Chapter 45: Managing the Household (2)

After Shunxi withdrew, effusively thanking her, the stewardess Zhou Momo entered from the outer room and reported, "Madam, the Yongyi (Marquis) residence just sent an invitation. It says the Third Young Master of their Fourth Branch is getting married on the eighth of this month and invites our household to attend the ceremony."

The Yongyi Marquis residence was Xu Wanning's maternal family. This Third Young Master was her cousin, son of paternal uncle.

Jingxiu took the invitation and asked Uncle Fu, "What is the usual amount for gift money in the household's social exchanges?"

Uncle Fu replied, "For marriages and betrothal gifts in ducal, marquis, and first-rank official households, it's three hundred taels. For earl and second or third-rank households, it's two hundred taels." As he spoke, he had someone fetch the record book and presented it to Jingxiu. "This is the detailed record. Please review it, Madam."

Jingxiu flipped through it and had a rough idea. She then summoned the steward in charge of the storerooms and had him bring the storeroom records. After looking through them from beginning to end, she pointed to items recorded in the records and instructed the steward, "Take out this 'Hundred Sons' Ruyi Screen' and this set of red kiln porcelain, pack them well. Also, withdraw three hundred taels in silver notes from the accounts and have them ready. I will take them when I go to the Yongyi Marquis residence on the eighth."

After the steward withdrew, Jingxiu turned to Danzhu and instructed, "In our courtyard's small storeroom, I remember there is a gold-thread nanmu dressing case. Take it out, along with two sets of headpiece jewelry, and pack them together."

Danzhu couldn't help but lean close to Jingxiu's ear and mutter, "Miss, shouldn't the gift for the Yongyi Marquis residence come from the household funds? Why are you adding your own things?"

Jingxiu replied in a low voice, "What comes from the public funds represents the relationship between our manor and the Yongyi Marquis residence. What we are giving represents the personal regard of the Heir and myself. It's different."

Danzhu pouted. "The public funds cover it. That gold-thread nanmu dressing case was a wedding gift from your maternal aunt. It's very valuable."

Jingxiu patiently replied, "No matter how valuable something is, it's a pity to let it sit idle unused. Putting things to their proper use is the right principle."

Just then, Chen Momo, the stewardess from San Guniang's courtyard, came in. Seeing Jingxiu, she reported respectfully, "Madam, this old servant has come regarding the matter of the monthly allowance for the Third Young Lady's schooling."

Jingxiu asked, "Has there been some issue with Third Younger Sister's school allowance?"

Chen Momo replied, "According to the rules, the school allowances for the young masters and young ladies of each branch are fixed. But our Third Young Lady is different. Besides attending the family school daily, she also goes to the official school several times a month. The round-trip carriage costs, refreshments and tea at the school, and social interactions with the young ladies and instructors there incur quite a bit of extra silver each month. So, the Third Young Lady would like you to allocate an additional fifty taels of silver monthly for her school allowance."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

This Third Younger Sister was utterly pampered and spoiled; how could she lack this bit of silver to spend? Her making such a fuss was undoubtedly for show, aimed at others.

Among the young masters and young ladies of the manor, the Third Young Master had been taken by Li Ling to the army camp. The two eldest young ladies from the main branch, being born of concubines, were already married. Those currently attending the family school were the Third Young Lady and the Fourth Master.

The Third Young Lady was a legitimate daughter, eligible to attend the official school. The Fourth Master was an illegitimately born and naturally did not have this qualification.

No need to ask; this Third Younger Sister had probably had some disagreement with the Fourth Master recently. Coming to demand this privilege today was again to show off in front of the Fourth Master.

Such a childish temperament!

Jingxiu replied,"The monthly school allowances for the young masters and young ladies of each branch are fixed. I cannot make an exception for the Third Young Lady. This silver cannot come from the public funds. Go back and tell the Third Young Lady that if her school allowance is insufficient, the Heir and I will provide her with these fifty taels monthly."

Chen Momo was well aware of the Third Young Lady's temperament. Hearing Jingxiu's words, she could provide an answer to her little mistress. She smiled and withdrew.

By the time Jingxiu had handled all affairs properly and left the conference hall, the full moon had risen in the sky.

Jingxiu was walking back to Qingfeng Yuan with Ziyun when they happened to meet Zhou Momo from the Fourth Master's household near his Zhuxuan Tang.

Zhou Momo was carrying a food box and bowed to Jingxiu in greeting.

Jingxiu looked at the food box in Zhou Momo's hand and asked, "It's so late. Has the Fourth Master not eaten yet?"

Zhou Momo lifted the food box in her hand and replied, "The Fourth Master has been studying hard in his study. At dinnertime, he said he wasn't hungry and didn't eat. Now he feels hungry. This old servant just went to the kitchen to get him some food."

Jingxiu stepped forward and opened the food box. Inside were two already cold steamed buns, a plate of thoroughly chilled marinated vegetables, and another plate of pickles.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. "Why are you giving the Fourth Master just these things?"

Zhou Momo's eyes dimmed, her face falling. "The stoves are closed at this hour. Where would one find hot food?"

The main courtyards in the manor had their own small kitchens. The Fourth Master, being a son of a concubine, naturally did not receive this privilege. But even if the stoves were closed, it shouldn't be impossible to prepare a single bowl of hot rice. This was clearly the servants below judging people by their status and bullying them.

Jingxiu handed the food box to Ziyun, who stood nearby, and said, "Take Zhou Momo to the kitchen. Relay my instruction: have them restart a small stove to prepare a meal for the Fourth Master. Also, tell the kitchen steward that from tomorrow onward, because the Fourth Master studies diligently, they are to prepare supplemental nightly late-night supper for him and deliver it to his study."

Zhou Momo said apprehensively, "How can this be allowed? Madam, this old servant knows you mean well, but if others find out, who knows how they might make things difficult for us."

Jingxiu reassured her, "If anyone gives you trouble in the future, you can always report it to me."

Zhou Momo choked up momentarily, not knowing what to say.

Ziyun advised, "Don't worry, Momo. Today, I am taking you to the kitchen on our Madam's orders to relay the message. How would they dare make things difficult for you after this?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhou Momo bowed deeply to Jingxiu, wiped away a tear, and said gratefully, "In that case, this old servant thanks you on behalf of our Fourth Master."

Ziyun, following Jingxiu's orders, took Zhou Momo to the kitchen to relay the instruction. Everyone there was shrewd. The kitchen steward immediately had a stove lit. In a short while, they had prepared four dishes, one soup, and two varieties of pastries, neatly packed in a food box, which the steward personally handed to Zhou Momo with a smiling face.

Zhou Momo was Li Yu's wet nurse. In all these years, she had never felt as gratified as she did today.

Seeing Zhou Momo enter carrying the food box, Li Yu's gaze moved from his book. "You seem to be in a good mood today, Momo."

Zhou Momo smiled as she laid out the dishes from the food box one by one. "Brother Yu, come and eat quickly."

Li Yu put down his book, walked to the table, looked at the sumptuous meal, glanced at Zhou Momo, and said mildly, "No wonder you're in a good mood today."

He raised an eyebrow. "It's rare. What medicine did they take today? They didn't give you a hard time?"

Zhou Momo placed the bowl and chopsticks before him and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Brother Yu. From now on, those snobbish servants won't dare to bully us anymore."

As she spoke, Zhou Momo recounted the earlier events to Li Yu.

"This Second Madam is truly a good person," Zhou Momo praised Jingxiu from the heart.

Li Yu put down his chopsticks, his face gloomy. "What good people are there in this manor? She's just newly managing the household, putting on an act to gain a good reputation."

Zhou Momo replied, "The Second Madam is different from them. She's not that kind of person."

Li Yu said coldly, "I see no difference."

Zhou Momo knew he was stubborn and didn't press further. Picking up the chopsticks, she served him food, urging, "You've been buried in your books since returning from school. Eat quickly."

Mentioning school reminded Li Yu of the anger he suffered from the Third Young Lady at school today. Impatiently, he threw down his chopsticks and said hatefully, "They're all birds of a feather."

(End of Chapter)

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