Chapter 38: New Clothes

At the Chen hour, Meinang, surrounded by a group of maids and women attendants, walked into Zi Yun Hall.
The sun had shown its face for a few days, but the sky grew gloomy again. It wasn’t snowing, but the cold was unusual. Her new clothes hadn’t been finished, so she was still wearing the light cotton robe in sea red with a waist-tied pattern, with a brass hand warmer hidden in her sleeve. Over it, she wore the phoenix-patterned embroidered cloak that Xu Jun Ying had brought from the old lady’s room. Her hair was styled in an elegant high bun, with a golden phoenix hairpin fluttering and holding a precious pearl, her footsteps swaying. As she passed the rows of stewardesses waiting to report back, her demeanor was dignified and graceful. The stewards looked at her with the same respect they once showed the eldest madam.

This eldest young lady was truly no easy figure. Previously, she had been thought of as weak and timid, from a small family, not valued by the old or the madam. After she married into the Xu family, her husband left for the battlefield within three days, and she lived quietly in her own courtyard, never leaving, silently giving birth to Heng Ge’er. Few of the stewards had even seen her, and when they spoke of her, it felt irrelevant. After a serious illness, she was like a changed person. Just as when she had risen from her deathbed, frightening people into unconsciousness, she now managed the household with skill. In just two days, she had won over the stewards, who now fully respected her without daring to mutter a word of complaint.

Not only was the eldest madam supported by the presence of the madam, but her intelligence and natural ability to manage made her admired by the stewards. It was as if she was born to manage. After a single review of the accounts, and listening to the stewards’ reports, she grasped the entire situation. She could find the connections between seemingly unrelated matters and see the pros and cons of dealing with them separately or together. If the benefit outweighed the harm, why stick to the old ways? Why waste manpower and resources? She had a sharp mind and keen judgment, managing affairs with a method that made people marvel, and her approach to rewards and punishments was clear and fair.

In three days, Meinang had turned the stewards’ initial skepticism into complete admiration.
It wasn’t all luck; she had worked hard. From the night Xu Jun Ying had threatened her to prevent her from managing the household, she activated every ounce of her energy. Her mind worked at full capacity, and she stayed up late reviewing accounts, while also paying attention to the stewards’ details during the day. She had Wang Mama and Cui Xi gather information from all sides and observe the true situation. After meetings, she stayed close to Madam Zheng, humbly seeking guidance, discussing problems with Ru Lan. With hard work, wisdom, and support from higher leadership, her abilities improved, and there was no fear of failing to manage these people.

As soon as Meinang sat down on the carved wooden chair in front of the hall, Ning Rulan entered, smiling and saying, “Eldest sister in law, you’re so punctual. Not a moment late, while I was too lazy before!”

Meinang smiled, standing up to greet her. Ning Rulan quickly stepped forward to assist her back to her seat. Mei Niang said, “If you’re going to do it, do it properly. Otherwise, it’s better to not manage anything and just sleep all day. I used to love sleeping in, but now I can’t, with all these worries.”

Ning Rulan took the teacup that Cheng’er handed over and said, “You’re so diligent, eldest sister in law, you’re definitely someone capable of big things!”

Meinang sipped her tea, lightly pressing her lips with a handkerchief and scolding, “Are you mocking me? I’m a poor soul!”

“Well, if being a poor soul means being like you, I’d wish for it too!”

The two of them laughed and chatted for a bit, had some tea, and then began to listen to the stewards’ reports and discuss matters. Madam Zheng then entered, followed by her attendants. Meinang immediately saw Heng Ge’er in the wet nurse’s arms and, unable to help herself, stood up suddenly. Madam Zheng, with a relaxed expression, glanced at her, and Meinang hurriedly stepped forward with Ning Rulan to greet her. Madam Zheng nodded and took her seat, then glanced over the remaining stewards. With a smile, she said, “Even if I don’t come over, you all should be able to manage on your own. Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice, so it’s even colder. I don’t want to suffer, I’ll leave it to you. If there’s anything urgent, send someone to the Qiu Hua Courtyard to report to me.”

Meinang bent forward and responded, “We will follow the madam’s instructions.”

Heng Ge’er in the wet nurse’s arms called out to Meinang, and Madam Zheng looked at him with affection. “Oh, who is this? Go on, ask your mother for blessings.”

The wet nurse, almost pulled by Heng Ge’er’s enthusiasm, hurried over to Mei Niang, who took Heng Ge’er into her arms, holding him tightly. She tried to suppress the joy in her heart and directed Heng Ge’er to face Madam Zheng, teaching him, “Heng Ge’er should thank grandmother. Heng Ge’er is so mischievous, it must be very tiring for grandmother to take care of him.”

Madam Zheng smiled contentedly. “Grandmother isn’t tired, she’s happy with Heng Ge’er by her side!”

Ning Rulan approached, gently stroking Heng Ge’er’s soft, pink face and extending her hand. “Third aunt wants to hug Heng Ge’er. Is that okay?”

Heng Ge’er looked at her with wide, clear eyes and reached out to touch her hand. Everyone thought he would lean toward Rulan, but he suddenly turned and snuggled into Meinang’s arms, hugging her neck tightly, as if afraid that Rulan might take him away and not return him to his mother.

Meinang felt a pang in her heart, and her eyes instantly became red.
Ning Rulan sighed quietly, and Madam Zheng, sitting above them, observed, then said with a more serious tone, “Alright, enough playing around. We have official matters to discuss. Let’s get the stewards to hurry up. Tomorrow is the big festival, have all preparations been made? First and foremost, the new clothes for the Winter Solstice. I heard that some of the housemaids in the front courtyard haven’t received theirs. What’s going on? Who’s in charge of this? Speak up!”

Meinang gently patted Heng Ge’er and looked at the stewards, saying, “Madam, Cai Mama, who is in charge of the kitchen and pantry, has already responded. The necessary dishes for the festival have been ordered. The livestock for tomorrow’s sacrifices have been selected and kept in another courtyard. Some of the offerings are prepared, and others are half-done. We’ll steam them tonight and serve them hot on the offering table. The ancestral hall was cleaned two days ago… As for the new clothes, Qiao Mama, though she wasn’t assigned to this task, the madam asked about it, so please explain.”

Qiao Mama, in charge of the clothing workshop, stepped out, her head bowed, not daring to raise it. “Replying to the madam, eldest madam, and third madam, the clothing workshop has been busy lately. Most of the people in the mansion have received their new clothes, but the ten or so housemaids in the front courtyard were supposed to get theirs today, but…”

Madam Zheng interrupted, irritated, “But what?”

Qiao Mama stole a glance at Meinang before continuing, “Recently, extra garments were ordered for Qing Hua Courtyard. The eldest madam’s six sets of robes require detailed craftsmanship, and Miss Cui Xi has been supervising closely. The maids and stewards also have two sets each, but… a few of the embroiderers who were faster got sick, so… it’s been a bit difficult.”

Madam Zheng frowned. “So, because of the extra clothes for Qing Hua Courtyard, you couldn’t complete the new clothes for the others on time? The mansion has always paid attention to the Winter Solstice. Everyone, from top to bottom, is supposed to receive new clothes. You’ve been working under the second madam for years. Have you ever seen the new clothes for the servants missing during the festivals?”

She looked at Meinang. “Why are you ordering six sets of clothes for yourself, when it’s usually four for everyone else? What’s going on here? This matter concerns you, so deal with it.”

Meinang, still holding Heng Ge’er, calmly replied, “This is my fault. I’ve been ill for so long, and now I’m wearing last year’s winter clothes. Some are too tight, others too loose, and they’re not presentable. Every day I worry about what to wear, so in a rush, I ordered six sets. Aside from the four sets for the madam, the other two sets I paid for myself. They are made following the same design as the other madams, and I didn’t ask for anything too fancy… The Winter Solstice clothes were started a month ago, and I checked with the workshop. In order to meet the deadline, aside from the dozens working at the clothing workshop, extra maids with good needlework skills were recruited from each courtyard. How could they not finish the work by the due date?”

Everyone fell silent as Meinang spoke with sincerity.