Chapter 50: Meinang’s Busy and Tiring Days

For ten consecutive days, Meinang was as busy as a spinning top, unable to stop. As the year came to an end, many joyful events unfolded. Ning Rulan’s brother welcomed a son, her cousin got married, the Ning family had new additions, and there was a large celebration with banquets. Her eldest uncle was celebrating his birthday, and her little aunt had moved into a new home. The joy in her maternal family was overflowing, and Meinang couldn’t even attend all the feasts. In the meantime, all the matters of the Hou family were handed over to her to manage. She spent her days submerged in endless reports and instructions from the household servants, realizing just how many tedious tasks there were. On regular days, she would just focus on the main issues and leave the details to the managers, but as the year-end approached and she had just taken charge, she had to personally oversee every matter to ensure the Hou family would enjoy a joyful, stable, and festive New Year. It was exhausting, but she aimed to avoid any mistakes.

The snow began to melt, and though the cold seeped into the bones, the warm room in the old lady’s Jin Hua Hall kept a spring-like warmth. Yet, Meinang accidentally caught a chill and suffered for two days with a runny nose, headache, dizziness, and general body aches. She took her regular medicine, but it didn’t help. She even called for the imperial physician, who prepared herbal decoctions for her every day, which made her even more irritable.

One afternoon, after finishing her work in the Zi Yun Hall, Meinang was told by a young maid that Heng Ge’er was napping in Qui Hua Courtyard. Cui Xi advised her to go to Qui Hua Courtyard to eat something, but before she could leave, Rui Xue from the old lady’s room came in with a smile, greeting her and saying, “The old lady took a short nap and just woke up. She asks if the eldest lady has some time?”

Meinang quickly stood up, smiling, and said, “I was just about to go over.”

Cui Xi opened her mouth to say something, but Meinang shook her head. She wasn’t very hungry, and if she went back to eat lunch before visiting the old lady, who knew what the old lady would say behind her back.

For the past few days, Meinang had been going to the old lady’s room around noon. The maids, Rui Xue and Rui Hong, loved when she came. Only when Meinang arrived would the old lady be willing to eat porridge, drink soup, or take her medicine. But, of course, this came with the condition that Meinang would remove her shoes and sit by the bed, massaging the old lady’s body tirelessly. Meinang would knead from head to toe, applying the right pressure while telling stories or jokes to cheer her up. While the old lady was pleased, Meinang was exhausted.

As usual, she continued massaging the old lady, working on her shoulders and neck, combing her hair, and gently pressing her fingers along the old lady’s body. The old lady lay on the bed, relaxing, smiling softly as she murmured, “Hmm, today is much better. My head doesn’t hurt, and my shoulders and neck feel much lighter. Otherwise, my arms and legs would feel so heavy, I wouldn’t even be able to lift them.”

Zhuang Yu Lan and Xu Xiao Min sat beside them, watching. Xu Xiao Min said to Meinang, “Eldest sister in law, teach me. Let me massage the old lady, and you take a break.”

The old lady chuckled and replied, “No need, your strength is too rough, it hurts.”

She opened her eyes slightly and looked at Xu Xiao Min. “You know, this shoulder and leg pain started when I gave birth to your father. At that time, your grandfather and I lived in Yu Yang City in the north for two years. It’s an extremely cold place, and I was raised in the south, so my body couldn’t bear it. Even though I took great care during your father’s birth, the cold still got to me, and since then, every winter, my bones ache terribly. You little ones should learn from your eldest sister in law and massage my shoulders and legs.”

“Grandmother has worked hard,” Xu Xiao Min said. “We remember your kindness, grandmother. We’ll learn from eldest sister in law and take good care of you too.”

As the elderly and younger family members chatted casually, Meinang knelt by the bed, massaging the old lady’s arm until she was on the verge of exhaustion. But the old lady remained silent, showing no signs of asking her to stop.

Finally, when it was almost dark, the grandchildren began arriving, some invited, some not, filling the room with excitement. The old lady smiled and asked for help to get up, while the maids, Rui Xue and Rui Hong, helped her fix her hair, put on a head covering, and provided hot water for washing her hands and face before dinner.

At this point, Meinang’s face had turned pale, and she felt utterly drained. Her stomach was empty, but she had no appetite. While everyone sat down to eat a hearty meal, she stood behind them, adding ingredients to the hot pot, dishing out food for the old lady, and ladling soup for the young master and young miss. Inside, she fumed: “Human rights, equality, compassion… Do these gluttons and parasites understand?”

She had tried to ask for the right to sit and eat with everyone, and though no one objected and the old lady agreed, after a few days, Madam Zheng came to scold her. “As the eldest daughter in law, you shouldn’t let the younger sisters in law eat at the table in front of the old lady. Even the concubine’s wife shouldn’t be at the table. This is disgraceful, you’ve forgotten your manners. If this word gets out, you’ll be ridiculed. As a wife, I haven’t taught you well, and now you’re causing embarrassment.”

Meinang said nothing, but in her heart, she saw the truth about the old lady. Her kindness was just for show. She would let you pass if you followed her rules but would create another obstacle to stop you once you were comfortable.

After being scolded by Madam Zheng, Meinang realized her mistake and became more disciplined. She remembered her “manners” and “upbringing,” continuing to please the old lady but no longer acting naïvely. The old lady was no longer a game.

Once the others had eaten their fill, the old lady motioned for Meinang to sit down. As soon as she did, her body, especially her legs, felt like they were falling apart. Under such circumstances, it was impossible for her to care about anyone else. Every day in the old lady’s room, she served the young master and young miss, dishing out food and soup, but she didn’t have the energy to pay attention to Xu Jun Ying’s expressions anymore. Even when sitting next to Zhuang Yu Lan, drinking bitter tea or eating sweet fruit, she no longer felt uneasy. She was simply too tired, silently drinking soup and eating, just wanting to finish the meal quickly. She was impatient with the dull conversations and tea gatherings, and when she excused herself to the old lady, explaining that she had to wake early to handle the household matters, the old lady waved her off, saying, “You’re tired too. Go rest.”

Unable to visit her son during the day, she could only pass by Qui Hua Courtyard at night, standing outside and listening for any sound of Heng Ge’er crying. When she confirmed there was no noise, she rushed back to Qui Hua Courtyard to do the one thing that still excited her reading the ledgers.

No matter how tired she was, every night, she would take a bath, relax with her hair loose, and wear her silk quilted robe. She would sit on the soft couch, flipping through the accounts, looking at the physical and silver ledgers. Each entry was a number, but in her eyes, it was piles of gold bars and silver ingots. Whether it was gold coins, silver bills, or actual goods, all were locked in the storerooms as dead items. She wanted to make them come alive, put them to use, and make money from them. How could she make the eggs from chickens and eggs give birth to chickens? She racked her brain, thinking daily about how to use other people’s capital to earn her own.