Chapter 40: The Second House (Part 2)

Bai Jing Yu raised her hand to smooth her temple and looked at Mama Qiao. “Our madam is unwell. She gets headaches and feels uncomfortable with the slightest breeze or noise. You want to talk to her about this? I think it’s better you don’t.”

“But…” Mama Qiao hesitated.

Bai Jing Yu smiled slightly. “The garment workshop may seem to be under Mama’s care, but in reality, I have arranged for people to manage the work. I had mentioned it to Madam before. Though the Second House has the salaries of the master and second master, the expenses are high. You’ve seen it yourself. The masters have social obligations and gifts to exchange in the official circles, with colleagues exchanging funds, sending gifts sometimes it’s thirty, fifty, or even several hundred taels of silver. If they casually reward servants or helpers, they need at least a couple of taels to save face. How much personal silver have I spent over the year to clear Madam’s accounts, to buy her expensive supplements, oils, fabrics, and gifts? Even silver wrapped and sent to her room. Does she not have a sense of all this? If I hadn’t been calculating and working, could the Second House have been so prosperous these past two years? Relying solely on the meager salary from the public office, Madam doesn’t have it that easy three days, two days she sends gifts to temples, making offerings to monks, lighting longevity lamps everywhere. When returning to the Gui family, the gifts for her mother and uncles fill several carts! Mama, don’t worry. If there’s anything to say, I’ll say it. When Madam returns, I’ll handle it properly.”

Mama Qiao smiled obsequiously, not daring to say another word.

Bai Jing Yu glanced at Mama Huang, who then went to lift the embroidered curtain of the room and entered the adjoining room. After a moment, she came out with a small, flat blue cloth pouch, handing it to Mama Qiao with a smile.

“You’re just in time. Last night, Grandma asked me to find you. I got busy for a while and completely forgot, what a fool I am! This is from Grandma. The New Year is coming soon, and the family should have something to look forward to. Take it and buy some New Year goods, make your children some new clothes, and give out a little bit of New Year money!”

Mama Qiao immediately responded, “This is too much!” She pretended to refuse but glanced hesitantly at Bai Jing Yu.

Bai Jing Yu smiled. “Mama, take it. You’ve been running around all year, working hard. During holidays, there’s always something to show appreciation. This is fifty taels in silver notes, take a look.”

Mama Qiao took the small pouch from Mama Huang, her face lighting up with joy. “Oh, oh, how could I look at it? Grandma is always so considerate of us servants. I, old as I am, won’t forget her kindness. Thank you, Grandma, for your generosity!”

She bent her knees and performed a courtesy. Bai Jing Yu waved her hand. “Mama, you have things to do, go ahead. The garment workshop will be taken care of, don’t worry, you won’t be troubled.”

Mama Qiao hurried to flatter her with a few more kind words, showing her loyalty, before leaving with the silver, escorted by Mama Huang.

Bai Jing Yu immediately arranged for staff, keeping Xiang Xue by her side to serve her. Mama Huang was instructed to take all the maids and female servants who knew needlework, splitting them into several groups to quietly head to the garment workshop.

Xiang Xue served Bai Jing Yu with tea, when suddenly, the wet nurse entered carrying the eldest daughter. The three year old girl had her hair styled in two small buns, her face round and fair, wearing a matching red cotton jacket like her mother’s. She entered the room, pouting her lips, her eyes watery with an expression of grievance.

Bai Jing Yu’s heart ached so much that she forgot to drink her tea. She reached out and pulled her daughter onto her lap, asking the wet nurse what had happened.

The wet nurse hesitated for a long time, eventually explaining. Bai Jing Yu felt a rush of anger.

The two children had been playing together when they quarreled over a puppet. The eldest daughter hit the second son, Shen Ge’er, but he didn’t cry. However, the Fifth Mistress, Fang Shi, rushed over, holding Shen Ge’er and asking, “Where did he get hit? Does it hurt?”

Shen Ge’er suddenly burst into loud cries. The master, who had been drinking tea with Concubine Yan, rushed out, took the puppet from the eldest daughter, handed it to Shen Ge’er, and told Fang Shi to comfort him slowly. Without even sparing a glance at the crying eldest daughter, he waved his hand to have the wet nurse take her away.

She was just a concubine’s eldest grandson, how could she compare to the legitimate eldest granddaughter? The master showed such clear favoritism! He didn’t care about the eldest daughter’s feelings, and it was truly too much.

Bai Jing Yu was still trying to calm her anger when suddenly the door curtain was lifted. Second Master Xu Jun Lang entered, wearing his official robes. He had a stern expression, not acknowledging the greetings from Xiang Xue and the wet nurse. He walked straight to the small table and coldly stared at Bai Jing Yu.

Bai Jing Yu felt uneasy under his gaze and, unable to figure out what she had done wrong, finally spoke gently, “Did you just return from the office? Are you hungry? Let Xiang Xue help you change clothes and then we’ll have lunch together. Lian’er is here too, we can all eat together.”

The eldest daughter climbed off Bai Jing Yu’s lap, walked around the small table, and nestled next to Xu Jun Lang, calling softly, “Father.”

gently touched his daughter’s face and said to the wet nurse, “Take her down. From now on, the eldest daughter will stay with Madam and be taught by the tutor about proper manners!”

Bai Jing Yu was stunned. “What did you say? I’m fine here, but now you want Lian’er to go and learn manners from the madam? Am I not her mother, capable of teaching her myself?”

Xu Jun Lang ignored the wet nurse as she took the daughter out, signaling Xiang Xue to leave as well, before turning to Bai Jing Yu and angrily said, “You call yourself a lady from a distinguished family, yet look at what you’re doing!”

Bai Jingyu had never seen him so angry before and was taken aback. “What have I done?”

Xu Jun Lang sneered. “What have you done? You’ve forgotten already? You had Xiang Rui summoned here, and with her frail body, how could she withstand kneeling before you? Now she’s lying there, blood everywhere, unconscious… Xiang Rui is your maid, you gave her to me, but now you want to resent her? The child in her belly was a gift your mother earned by fasting and praying. If anything happens to her or the baby, Bai Jing Yu, just wait and see!”

The master favored Shen Ge’er and neglected the eldest daughter. The maid’s unborn child wasn’t even born yet, and now her husband was defending her. The men in this family were all so despicable!

Bai Jing Yu was filled with rage. She glared at Xu Jun Lang. “A lowly maid, do you think I would resent her? Why don’t you see how ill I am? Do I have the energy to resent anyone? I was just worried. I called her to teach me about childbirth. She chose to kneel to me, could I possibly go down and help her up? Don’t talk about a child who hasn’t even been born yet if it had died in her belly, what of it? A bastard child, what’s so precious about it?”

Xu Jun Lang’s face turned green with anger. “What about a bastard? He is still my son, from the Xu family. Why don’t you give me a legitimate son to see? We’ve been married for four years. I’ve been waiting for you, yet you’ve only given me a daughter, Mei Lian. Last year, when Mother gave me Chun’er, she got pregnant after just six months, but then she disappeared when I went on a trip with Lord Lin. Don’t think I don’t know everything… Bai, I’ve tolerated you because your grandfather helped me during the imperial exams. But you can’t push me too far. I don’t have a son yet, and people mock me, making my mother worry. It’s all because you, as a proper wife, are here in the house. But if you play tricks and stop me from having an heir, I won’t forgive you!”

Bai Jing Yu began to cry. “So that’s how it is? You were good to me before, only because of my grandfather’s favor? Now that he’s passed away, you don’t care about our marriage anymore?”

Xu Jun Lang slammed the small table. “What nonsense are you talking about? Since I married you, how have I treated you? You know in your heart!”

“Four years of marriage, how have I treated you, Xu Jun Lang? Honestly, tell me, was it good or bad? I haven’t given you a son yet, but I’m still young. Don’t you think I’ll have one in the future? You say I’m not virtuous, yet I’ve given you Chun’er. Xiang Rui and Xiang Xue are the most beautiful and gentle maids I have, what else do you want from me?”