Chapter 7: The Expert in Winning Favor

As soon as she spoke, it took everyone by surprise. The pastry-making woman was the first to ask, "No copper coins? Are we really distributing silver? My goodness, our lady is truly generous. No wonder she is a young lady from a marquis's family in the capital; she really treats us servants with kindness."

As the year-end approaches, even the usually adept Xiao family finds it somewhat overwhelming. Providing new clothes for the servants, collecting rents from the estate, auditing the shop accounts, and purchasing New Year goods—each of these tasks is a significant undertaking. Fortunately, the four maids and three or four housekeepers around the Xiao family are all experienced and have been assisting in managing affairs regularly, which proves to be quite helpful at this time.

"Miss, take a break for a moment; this bird's nest soup is best enjoyed while it's hot." Qiaohui served the bird's nest soup, ready to attend to the young lady.

While Aunt Fang was still inquiring about what the Second Young Lady had said, the courtyard of Aunt Jiang was also bustling with activity

Qiao Dan smiled and said, "This rock candy bird's nest has been prepared early and is simmering on the stove. However, the mother in the kitchen mentioned that she is making lotus cake. I thought that my aunt has always loved this dish, so I waited for a while.

At this moment, Xie Mingfang noticed that Xie Shuyuan was only focused on talking to Xie Minglan, and her face was filled with displeasure. She bit her lower lip, wanting to interject a few words. However, she had not yet fully recognized the Thousand Character Classic, so how could she recite poetry? The teacher said they would wait until spring to teach them poetry, and she thought to herself as she looked back at Xie Minglan.

Just now, Madam sent someone to deliver items to the young lady and the aunt, which is why it was delayed a bit. The young lady's rock sugar bird's nest is ready, and she is still waiting to use it. Qiaodan has a gentle temperament and usually speaks politely. Moreover, Aunt Fang always gives rewards, so the staff in the kitchen quite like her.

Miss Qiaodan is currently making steamed lotus cakes in the kitchen. Aunt Fang has always loved this delicacy, so why not wait a moment and take a plate back with you?" The woman who had previously received a reward for the peach blossoms said to Qiaodan in a flattering manner.

It was just the day before yesterday when I went to school. The young lady lowered her head to glance at the embroidery frame in her hands, her face revealing a hint of grievance

Although Xie Shuyuan was busy, he still took the time to check Xie Qingmao's homework and then went to the main courtyard to see the twins. Once he found some leisure, he realized that it had been quite a while since he last saw his two daughters

These several families sent their invitations quite early, but they were all for the purpose of attending a gathering. Of course, other invitations were mostly hoping to visit the residence, which is generally a customary practice for subordinates to pay New Year visits to their superiors. Last year, starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, the Xiao family took the children who were able to go out to visit quite a number of households.

The children understand that their mother is working hard, so today they are not crying at all. The young lady no longer likes milk; instead, she prefers to eat some porridge. Su Yun is currently attending to Xie Qingxi, and in her view, this sixth young lady is simply too easy to take care of.

The Xiao family sent people to deliver items to each small courtyard. Those who received the gifts naturally expressed endless gratitude. However, once the visitors departed, each person had their own thoughts.

Moreover, a concubine's daughter raised by her legitimate mother has a distinct advantage when it comes to marriage proposals. Although the Xiao family would not harm the concubine's daughters, they also did not consider how to elevate their status. The family would certainly provide the appropriate shares due to them, and occasionally, they would reward a few young ladies with gifts. Everyone in the household praised the Xiao family for their virtue and kindness.

When Xie Qingxi heard this news, she was drinking porridge. Nowadays, she increasingly disliked the wet nurse's milk. Although the Fourth Young Lady was only a little over half a year older than her, it seemed that she had already left her far behind on the path of vying for favor.

This year, Suzhou has experienced favorable weather, and the harvest from the farm is quite good. The farm manager has already sent over this year's New Year goods, along with the rent for the year. Through the screen, the Xiao family met with several stewards from the farm, inquired briefly about matters concerning the farm, and generously rewarded them with various gifts before they departed.

She has never found the fourth sister so annoying; now she would rather that the eldest sister were her biological sister instead.

Xie Shuyuan naturally looked down upon the belongings of these children, but he did notice that this necklace was indeed exquisite. He had also heard from the Xiao family that they intended to give each girl a necklace at the Treasure Pavilion

The steamer in the kitchen is emitting steam, and the sweet aroma is gradually spreading. Qiaodan thinks that the young lady is chatting with Aunt Fang, so she is not in a hurry and simply stands by to wait for a while

Madam, please take a rest. In such a short time, I have even met the steward from the estate. Granny Zhuang is the wet nurse of the Xiao family, and she is probably the one who cares the most for Xiao.

As the end of the year approaches, the household not only needs to be cleaned but also requires preparation for the New Year goods. Ever since Xie Shuyuan arrived in Suzhou, he has sent a considerable amount of New Year goods back to the capital every year. The Xiao family began their preparations a month ago, and only yesterday, when the goods were finally loaded onto the ship, did she feel at ease

Since the beginning of the year, the Xiao family has received countless invitations, among which are both superiors and subordinates of Xie Shuyuan. However, when it comes to superiors, there are only a few; apart from the two governors of the Suzhou Provincial Government, there are only a handful of officials such as the Inspector and the Chief Commander.

"Have the collars made for a few young ladies at the Treasure Pavilion been retrieved?" As the New Year approaches, Madam Xiao, as the legitimate mother, must prepare gifts for several of her stepdaughters. She simply ordered several identical collars at the Treasure Pavilion, and aside from the different engravings on each, no one could find any faults.

Three months ago's turmoil has left no trace in the current Xie family, and the precocious Fourth Miss has not had any reputation spread outside. The old woman guarding the second gate is a long-time servant of the Xie family, yet due to the gossip about her master, she was dismissed without hesitation.

Aunt Jiang noticed his displeased expression and, fearing that the second young lady might also incur his displeasure, quickly signaled to the fourth young lady, Minglan. Thus, Xie Minglan sighed inwardly and immediately approached Xie Shuyuan, saying in a delicate tone: "Father, Aunt has recently taught me a poem. May I recite it for you?"

Xie Minglan, being still quite young, could only style her hair into two flower buds. Adorning her head was a chain made of crystal beads, each bead slightly tinted with blue, sparkling and translucent without a trace of impurity. These beads were all polished from the same piece of crystal. Previously, Xie Shuyuan had sent them over for Xie Minglan to play with. Aunt Jiang had originally intended to carve the crystal into hairpins, but Xie Minglan was very insistent on her idea, and in the end, Aunt Jiang could not persuade her otherwise and had to agree to let her have the beads made instead.

Aunt Zhu immediately sent a maid to inquire about what the other two aunts had received. With so many people in the residence, gossip was inevitable, especially since the madam had sent someone out to deliver items, which was witnessed by several individuals.

A few days later, Xie Shuyuan had someone craft a gold-inlaid jade peony necklace from the treasure, and as soon as it was completed, he personally sent it to Aunt Jiang's courtyard through a young servant.

Before long, the lotus cakes that Qiaodan was waiting for came out of the oven. She placed a plate in the food box, handed some reward money to the old woman, and then carried it away. Meanwhile, Taohua was still waiting for the golden silk jujube paste cake, but her ears were perked up, listening to the commotion over here

Although the concubine greets the madam every day, the young ladies raised by the concubine rarely come to pay their respects. Apart from the eldest young lady, who comes every other day, the second and fourth young ladies seldom visit.

Peach Blossom and Qiao Dan both served by the side of the concubine, naturally felt superior compared to those who worked in the kitchen. Upon hearing the words of such a lowly maid, they couldn't help but sneer, but after exchanging a glance, they turned their heads away again

Although Xie Shuyuan was assigned to Suzhou, shortly after his family settled in Suzhou, the Xiao family privately discussed with Xie Shuyuan the purchase of two estates in the suburbs of Suzhou. One estate covers over a thousand acres, of which several hundred acres are specifically cultivated with high-quality rice varieties such as Bijing rice and Yanzhi rice, exclusively for the use of the Xie family, while the remaining land is leased to nearby tenants

Xie Mingfang was originally the only daughter of Aunt Jiang, but ever since the arrival of Xie Minglan, Aunt Jiang had to care for both of them, inevitably leading to a decrease in her affection for Xie Mingfang. Moreover, Xie Minglan was exceptionally gifted; she could speak at just one year old and could read after only one lesson.

Father, today the lady sent a gold necklace to Minglan and my second sister, and the necklace is quite beautiful. " As she spoke, Xie Minglan had the maid bring over the gold necklace she received, presenting it to Xie Shuyuan with a sense of pride: "Mine is engraved with a pattern of begonia flowers, while my second sister's is engraved with peonies.

As the year draws to a close, it is not only the Xiao family that is busy; even Xie Shuyuan is swamped with work. The achievements of this year are crucial for assessments, and even though Xie Shuyuan has connections in the capital, he does not dare to be careless. Fortunately, Suzhou has experienced favorable weather this year, and even the tax revenue has increased compared to previous years. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, his assessment this year is bound to be excellent.

After Aunt Jiang walked away, Xie Mingfang glared fiercely at Xie Minglan, her face filled with displeasure: "You always know how to put on an act, clearly wanting something deep down, yet you still present this facade."

"Oh dear, Xiaochun, are you about to be promoted?" The pastry chef, known for her tendency to exaggerate, immediately asked upon hearing this: "I see that several first-class maids in the madam's quarters have an air about them that is no less impressive than those young ladies outside."

Another maid of the Xiao family, Hongyun, was currently attending to the Sixth Young Master. Ever since the two young masters were born, Suyun and Hongyun had been serving them closely. Although they were somewhat distanced from the Xiao family, neither of them felt anxious; who did not know that the two young masters were the apple of the Madam's eye? Those who could serve by the young masters' side were all trusted confidants of the Xiao family.

She rarely cried as much as the Sixth Young Master did. Aside from her dislike for the wet nurse's milk, she could eat the meat porridge and steamed egg custard with great appetite. Su Yun wished she could burn incense to express her gratitude to the Buddha for allowing her to serve such a good-tempered master

Aunt Jiang glanced at the second young lady who was already holding the collar in her hand, then looked at Xie Minglan. Before she could say anything, Xie Minglan leisurely remarked: "Aunt, since my second sister wants that collar, then let her have it."

Xie Shuyuan, who came from the imperial examination system, not only placed great importance on his son's studies but also felt compelled to assess his daughters when he saw them. He asked Xie Mingfang a few questions, but she answered hesitantly, which caused him to furrow his brow.

Aunt Fang, upon hearing her words, hurried over and coaxed, "My dear girl, this rock sugar bird's nest is truly a wonderful thing, especially nourishing. You have always been weak, and the doctor has advised that you should take good care of yourself. Moreover, this is a special treat from the lady for you; others wouldn't even have the chance to enjoy it."

Those servants who were bought to serve in the mansion after the Xie family arrived in Suzhou were not as experienced as the old woman guarding the corner gate. Upon witnessing the fate of Zhang Mama and this woman's family, they also became more obedient and compliant.

As soon as Qiaodan arrived, the chef who prepared the bird's nest smiled and approached, saying: "Miss Qiaodan, why are you late today? I was still thinking of having Xiaoxia deliver it to Aunt Fang's courtyard later."

After Xie Shuyuan listened to Xie Minglan recite the poem in a sweet voice, he asked her with satisfaction, "Lan'er, do you understand the meaning of this poem?"

This year, it is estimated that I will still have to pay New Year visits to these few families. However, it is fortunate that Xie Shuyuan has a good father; even his direct superior must speak politely to him. After all, the Ministry of Personnel oversees the promotion and assessment of officials throughout the country

Upon seeing that the lady had sent someone to deliver something, the second young lady eagerly wanted to take a look. Aunt Jiang, who had always doted on her daughter, handed her the box containing the jewelry. At a glance, she was captivated by the necklace engraved with peony patterns inside. She reached out to take the necklace and said to Aunt Jiang: "Aunt, I want this."

Aunt Fang was naturally unaware of this aspect. Upon hearing Xie Mingfang's words, she was first taken aback, and then quickly asked, "When did the second young lady speak to the young lady about this? Why didn't the young lady mention it to me earlier?"

Xie Shuyuan gently touched her little head and began to explain to his daughter with a cheerful smile. The father and daughter spoke softly to each other, sharing quiet words and light laughter.

Due to this matter, Granny Shen has frequently brought it up in front of Madam Xiao, saying that Concubine Jiang lacks propriety and that both of her daughters have also lost their manners. However, Madam Xiao herself has three sons and is currently raising two younger ones by her side, so she naturally does not intend to keep the daughters born of the concubine close to her.

"The Fourth Girl is truly considerate; at such a young age, she already knows to be courteous to her elder sister." Aunt Jiang smiled as she gently patted Xie Minglan's head

Xiang Yun is currently in charge of the jewelry in the Xiao family. It was she who went out when the manager of the Treasure Pavilion visited the residence last time. She immediately replied: "I sent someone to the Treasure Pavilion yesterday to inquire, and the manager said that due to the busy year-end period, it is likely that this collar will take a few more days to be delivered. Additionally, the jewelry for several concubines will also be sent over together in a few days"

"Daughter doesn't know, so father, please teach her." Xie Minglan said innocently, shaking Xie Shuyuan's arm.

Xiao Shi is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yong'an. While at home, her biological mother naturally took her under her wing and taught her meticulously. Although she usually learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting to cultivate her temperament, she did not neglect the matters of household management at all. Therefore, even though in the capital, her mother-in-law tightly controlled the household affairs, when they arrived in Suzhou, she did not show the slightest bit of fluster.

Xiao looked at the two children playing joyfully in the pit today, a contented smile on his face: "These two little ones are not causing any trouble today. Have they been fed?"

Xie Minglan merely smiled, yet did not speak

Xie Shuyuan was truly pleased with his daughter's obedience. He patted her head and said with a smile, "Lan'er is really well-behaved, knowing to be courteous to her elder sister at such a young age. Since Lan'er likes it, father will make it for you."

Xie Mingfang was rendered speechless by her words and immediately fell silent. She did not want to give away what she had just obtained, especially since she had always liked peonies, and her husband had also said that the peony is the king of flowers. With this thought in mind, Xie Mingfang couldn't help but tighten her grip on the gold necklace in her hand

Xie Mingfang furrowed her brows and after a long pause said: "Earlier, my second younger sister had a falling out with me over the matter of the lady rewarding me with bird's nest. She claimed that the lady was biased, only giving good things to me. These past few days at school, my second younger sister has been unwilling to speak to me."

I heard that the lady has given generous rewards to Aunt Fang and the young lady. The young lady serves beside Aunt Fang, so naturally she has more information than we do here in the kitchen. I wonder how the lady will distribute the rewards this year.

Su Yun was using a silver soup spoon to feed Xie Qingxi meat porridge. The porridge, made from high-quality green japonica rice, was thick yet not mushy, and the meat within was particularly fragrant and delicious. Naturally, Xie Qingxi preferred eating meat over milk. However, it was unfortunate that there was an early-witted Fourth Young Lady ahead of her, making it difficult for her to gain a reputation for being precocious.

As the year-end approaches, the two young masters are still quite small, and the charcoal in the house has been lit early. Xie Qingxi is bundled up tightly; due to wearing too many layers, she sometimes slides down as soon as she is set down to sit. Even the usually stern Xiao family cannot help but laugh heartily at her sprawled-out appearance.

Not long after, Zhenbao Studio delivered the collars made for several young ladies, along with the jewelry crafted by the Xiao family and several concubines.

The Xie family rose to prominence through the imperial examination system, and by the time of Xie Shuyuan, it was already the third generation in officialdom. Therefore, he naturally placed great importance on his sons' education; both Xie Qingjun and Xie Qingmao began their studies at the age of three. Now, for his daughter, the young lady is five years old this year, and Mrs. Xiao has specifically hired someone to teach her reading and embroidery.

Before long, Aunt Fang's maid, Qiaodan, also brought over a food box. In recent days, the young lady had been coughing a bit, and the madam had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare a bowl of rock sugar bird's nest for her every day. Ever since the incident with Mama Zhang, the kitchen no longer dared to treat the young lady lightly.

The kitchen, being a place where people from various courtyards come to fetch food, is often bustling with many voices. Thus, most of the news from the residence tends to spread from here. Taohua, who is beside Aunt Zhu, brought some silver coins and requested the kitchen matron to prepare a plate of golden silk jujube paste cake, saying it was what Aunt Zhu wanted to eat. Naturally, the kitchen matron was pleased to receive the reward and promptly got to work.

Another farm, however, is specifically dedicated to livestock breeding. Although the residence of the Xie family is large, it is ultimately not suitable for raising animals within the estate. Moreover, with hundreds of servants in the Xie household, they consume at least two pigs daily, not to mention the chickens, ducks, fish, and sheep. If they were to purchase these items daily from outside, not only would the expenses be considerable, but the quality of food would also be a concern. Therefore, the Xiao family decided to establish a separate farm solely for the purpose of raising livestock.

"Auntie, why don't you tell the concubine?" Aunt Fang has only one daughter, so naturally, she wishes to keep her in the palm of her hand at all times. Her cautious and meticulous nature is such that both the young lady and Aunt Jiang could end up in a fierce confrontation.

Because she was facing Xie Mingfang, Xie Minglan was not afraid of revealing the old filling inside her tender shell. She smiled and asked, "So if I ask my second sister for it, will she give me this collar just because I am her younger sister?"

"In fact, I prefer the peony pattern of Second Sister," Xie Minglan said with a pained expression. "However, as the saying goes, 'Kong Rong gave up his pear.' Second Sister always thinks of me when she has something delicious, so naturally, I should give way to her. Father, don't you think so?"

I heard my mother say that the lady means this year's reward does not require copper coins Yet before Qiaodan could speak, a maid dressed in a green jacket interjected

Since the second daughter is only a few months younger than the eldest, they decided to let her study as well. However, Xie Mingfang seems to be inherently unsuited for academic pursuits; after a few months, she has only managed to learn the "Thousand Character Classic." In comparison to Xie Minglan, the difference is indeed significant. Their parents have always favored the younger child, and Xie Minglan is much more intelligent than Xie Mingfang. Not to mention, even Xie Shuyuan and Aunt Jiang now show more affection for Xie Minglan.

The young girl sat by the pit holding an embroidery frame. Although she is only five years old, she has already begun to learn needlework. When Aunt Fang was serving in Xie Shuyuan's room, her needlework skills were quite remarkable, and all of Xie Shuyuan's personal garments were made by her. Therefore, Aunt Fang had the young girl start learning embroidery early on, and now she has made some progress.

As she spoke, she opened the food box and brought over both the rock sugar bird's nest and the fluffy cake.

"Who says otherwise? The madam said everyone has worked hard for a year, so we all deserve some New Year's money to celebrate the festival." The maid said proudly, glancing at Qiaodan and Taohua as she continued, "My mother also said that after the New Year, a few sisters in the madam's house will be sent away. At that time, my mother will ask the housekeeper to let me serve in the madam's courtyard."

It is said that a prefect can accumulate a fortune of one hundred thousand taels of silver in three years, not to mention that Suzhou is located in the prosperous Jiangnan region. Xie Shuyuan is known for his integrity and uprightness in office, yet during these two years as the prefect of Suzhou, he has indeed amassed quite a considerable fortune compared to when he first arrived.

Xie Mingfang looked up at Aunt Fang and asked, "Aunt, I no longer cough, so I don't need to take this anymore."

In the evening, Xie Shuyuan, who had not visited for a long time, suddenly arrived at Aunt Jiang's courtyard. Overjoyed, Aunt Jiang immediately instructed someone to take her two daughters to the east wing. However, since Xie Shuyuan had not seen the two daughters for a long time, he insisted that they both stay.

At this moment, Xie Minglan leisurely glanced into the box, only to find another identical collar inside, but this one was engraved with a pattern of begonia flowers

Xie Qingxi silently sighed in her heart; it seems that even for a master of reincarnation, one still has to vie for favor when the time comes

As the year draws to a close, everyone wishes to celebrate the New Year well. After a year of hard work in the household, it is only natural to desire some silver to enjoy the festivities. Upon hearing the old woman bring up this topic, others began to chime in, mostly expressing concern about this year's year-end bonuses.

When Qiao Dan returned, Aunt Fang saw that she had taken so long and asked, "Why are you so slow today? Is it inconvenient in the kitchen?"