Chapter 7

Chapter 7

In the main residence, the matriarch's chamber was bustling with activity. After finishing their studies, the young misses gathered there for conversation. Laughter and chatter filled the room, creating an ambiance that was delightfully soothing to both the ears and the eyes.

"Mother's side is always so lively. Shan'er just loves it here," said Fang Shi, holding her daughter who was not yet a year old. The infant, Li Shan, clapped her hands in delight as soon as they entered.

The matriarch's face radiated with joy. "Quickly, bring her over to me."

Fang Shi carefully placed Li Shan in the armchair where the matriarch was seated.

Lady Elder extended her index finger and gently tapped on Li Shan's little fist that was clenched: "There's been a bit of a cold spell these past two days. Children are still delicate, you should think about dressing warmly."

"Yes."

Li Shan looked at Lady Elder with her big eyes, changing her clenched fist into applause: "Attention, attention." Despite her stammering, everyone understood what she was trying to say.

Lady Elder's face lit up with joy: "She knows how to call me grandmother now. She learns to speak quite quickly; she's a clever one."

Since Lord Elder had gone out to meet friends and wouldn't return until late, Madam Ning asked, "Mother, should we serve the meal now?"

"Serve the meal."

This meal proceeded in accordance with the usual customs of the Marquis's residence, where only the young ladies joined the matriarch at the table. The sons' wives and grandsons' wives did not dine here; a reasonable arrangement considering they each had their own husbands and would naturally share their meals with them—a harmonious union as it should be.

Serving the elders during meals is a duty expected of a daughter-in-law, but the Marquis's residence isn't overly burdened with rules. Meng Die would assist in laying out the tableware and occasionally serve dishes at the beginning, yet more often than not, it was the elderly madam's trusted senior maids, Thousand Layers and Peppermint, who attended to these tasks.

Meng Die heaved a silent sigh of relief within; the relaxed atmosphere she had experienced that morning was not an anomaly after all. Indeed, the marquis's residence was not overly burdened by strict rules and regulations. Her mother-in-law was kind and did not make things difficult for her, which explained why her grandfather had spoken so highly of the excellent family values upheld in the marquis's household. In some households, mothers-in-law would insist on having their daughters-in-law attend to their every need day in and day out—a trying situation that could only be described as utterly disheartening for the wives involved.

After the meal, Madam Elder turned to Fang and said, "You may take Shan'er back first."

"Yes, I'll be on my way then," Fang replied, bowing respectfully before leaving with Li Shan, who couldn't stop yawning.

The matriarch beckoned Meng Die over and gestured for her to sit beside her. "What do you usually do at home?"

Meng Die was an expert at appearing obedient. "Apart from learning embroidery and managing household affairs with my mother, I spend my leisure time reading and studying with my brothers."

The matriarch's eyes crinkled in a smile as she addressed the other girls seated nearby. "Your second sister-in-law comes from a family of scholars. They all have a great command of knowledge. I recall Li Yan mentioning some confusion about a book recently. Now, you can feel free to ask your second sister-in-law for help."

"Second Sister-in-law, I'll seek you out tomorrow," said Li Yan, the thirteen-year-old legitimate eldest daughter of the third branch.

Young Miss Li Rui chimed in, "I'll come too."

Meng Die's lips curled up. She understood that the old madam was worried about her loneliness and had intentionally arranged for the young misses to get closer to her, to alleviate her solitude. "With you all here, my place will be bustling with activity."

After exchanging a few more lighthearted words, the ladies-in-waiting took their leave. They had yet to have dinner, and apart from Meng Die, the other women's husbands had returned home, awaiting their reunion as couples.

Upon returning to Qixia Courtyard, Xing Huang promptly set the table for dinner. Meng Die instructed Lu Wei, "Tomorrow, bring out the several bottles of flower essences I made last year."

"Understood."

Observing Meng Die finish her meal, Lu Wei promptly inquired, "Madam Second, we brought quite a number of books with us. Should we take them all out now? Should we place them in the existing study or set up a new one?"

Meng Die was taken aback; she had indeed never considered such trivial matters. "What's the original study like? Is there still space available? Forget it, I'll go take a look myself. It will help with digestion."

"Madam Second, why not inspect the entire courtyard? That way, you'll have an idea which room would be suitable for what purpose. If anything doesn't fit, we can always rearrange it."

Meng Die agreed with Lu Wei's suggestion.

Qixia Courtyard was a two-section compound. The first section consisted of three main rooms, with the central one serving as a reception hall for guests.

To the east lies the living and sleeping quarters, consisting of two bedrooms and an antechamber. One smaller bedroom with a heated brick bed is used in winter, while the larger one serves for spring, summer, and autumn, currently occupied by Meng Die. The outer chamber is where the maid who stays up all night resides.

On the west side, there's a spacious study room, partitioned within to contain a small hidden storage area, perfect for storing valuable items not frequently accessed.

On either side of the main house are two annex rooms. The eastern annex is inhabited by Xue Qing and Xing Huang, while the western one remains unoccupied for the time being.

The east and west wings mirror the layout of the main house, albeit with slightly smaller rooms, intended for the children. Currently, the eastern wing is empty, whereas the western wing houses various silks, satins, medicinal herbs, and other items that Meng Die brought with her.

The second courtyard is identical in layout to the first but is completely empty.

Meng Die twirled around and said, "There's no need for anyone to come this way unless it's necessary. Just clean the area regularly."

"Yes."

"Let's go to the study." The study was the main focus, as Meng Die's books and writing supplies were still packed in boxes, waiting to be unpacked.

Xing Huang pushed open the door to the study, revealing its entire layout at once. How could one describe it? The study could only be summed up in two words: practical and unpretentious.

There were no common decorative green plants or intricate ornaments within. Instead, on the western and northern walls stood tall bookshelves, lining the space against the walls.

To the south, by the window, one would typically find a desk and chair, ideal for reading with ample natural light. Instead, there was an unusual rocking chair, a rarity in any study, positioned where the desk should be. Beside it stood an uncommon high-legged table, its height perfectly suited for reaching from the comfort of the rocking chair.

The conventional desk and chair were squeezed into the southwest corner. The tabletop held nothing more than a teapot and several cups, devoid of the usual incense burner.

Xing Huang's eyes widened. "Did the marquisate inquire about Second Madam's interior arrangements and alter them accordingly?"

"Fanciful talk," Nurse Fan chided gently. "How could the marquisate ask such a question?"

"If it wasn't changed at the last minute, how coincidental can it be? It resembles Second Madam's arrangement at home, especially that rocking chair and high-legged table. She loved to read and enjoy snacks in her rocking chair."

Meng Die's face flushed, but she remained stubborn. "This position is comfortable. Many people enjoy it."

Lu Wei gave Meng Die a glance but didn't expose her. How many times had Madam lectured her at home about this very casual habit? Meng Die mentioned 'many people,' but those likely only included Second Lady and the yet-to-be-met Second Master.

Swiftly changing the subject, Meng Die said, "There aren't many books here. It seems Li Erlang isn't much of a reader." She swore she wasn't trying to deflect attention; saying there were few books was no exaggeration.

The bookshelf on the west side was entirely empty, while only a quarter of the one on the north side was occupied. This indicated that Li Erlang was an honest man; if he didn't like reading, he wouldn't fill his shelves with books just for show.

"Given the size of these bookshelves, why not place the books right here, Second Lady?"

"Very well," Meng Die nodded and casually walked over to the bookshelf, pulling out a volume that showed signs of frequent handling with a deep crease on its spine. The cover, however, was still spotless and well-preserved.

The book bore the four dignified characters, "Tai Bai Yin Jing." Meng Die had heard of it but never read it; it was an ancient comprehensive military treatise written by scholars of old.

Placing the book back in its place, she randomly picked up another one, which also showed obvious signs of wear on its spine. It was titled "Tai Gong Liu Tao," another highly renowned military text. Meng Die had skimmed through it before but didn't delve deeply into its contents.

With the book in hand, she settled comfortably into a rocking chair and opened it to the first page. To her surprise, there were annotations! She examined them closely and found that they were Li Ai's insights and some strategic countermeasures he had contemplated. It was clear that he had invested considerable effort.

The handwriting, while unremarkable, held her interest. A pleasing curve formed at the corner of Meng Die's lips as she immersed herself in the reading.

The following morning, after the customary greetings and the breakfast feast, the young ladies indeed arrived in each other's company.

Currently, there are a total of ten young ladies in the Marquis's residence who have not yet married. Li Hui, being of the previous generation, is not inclined to join in the playful activities of the younger ones. Among those of Meng Die's generation, the eldest is Li Jin, the eldest illegitimate daughter of the first branch. She is also the illegitimate younger sister of Meng Die's husband, Li Ai. Both Li Jin and Li Ai are fifteen years of age; however, Li Ai was born on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, while Li Jin's birth came on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. Consequently, she has yet to undergo the hairpin initiation ceremony, which marks a woman's coming of age.

The youngest was Li Shan, born to Concubine Fang of the fifth branch; she was too young to attend today.

"Second Sister-in-law."

With the arrival of the young ladies, Qixia Courtyard instantly came alive with activity.

The second daughter of the Wu family, Li Yu, who was five years old, held her small face in her hands and blinked her big eyes as she asked, "Second Sister-in-law, you're not really going to make us study, are you?"

The little girl had inherited Wu's good looks, and this gesture of hers was so adorable that it tugged at people's hearts. Meng Die's brows relaxed as she said, "You don't like studying?"

"I don't," Li Yu replied promptly, without the slightest hesitation.

Li Yan approached Li Yu and gently stroked her little face. "Second Sister-in-law, you didn't know. Little Yu says those characters look like tadpoles. Who has ever seen a fish liking tadpoles?"

This reasoning immediately filled the room with laughter.

Amidst playful banter with several young maidens, time flew by quickly. Meng Die entertained them with lunch at Qixia Courtyard and, before they left, gifted them some floral water. "This floral water is homemade, distinct from rosewater. It's not edible; its primary use is to scent clothing."

"To scent clothing?"

"Yes, it works similarly to incense. If you keep clothes and the floral water together in an airtight space for two or three days, the garments will acquire a subtle, lingering fragrance," Meng Die paused, making sure they understood before continuing. "I always found that clothes scented with incense had too strong a smell, and if not scented, unused clothes would still develop an odor, especially winter attire. So, I started using this method instead."

"Wow, that's fantastic," Li Can's face lit up. "I don't particularly like the smell of incense either. Even when the servants use a little, I think it's too overpowering."

"I'll give it a try too. Thank you, Second Sister-in-law."

Having bid farewell to the young ladies, Lu Wei promptly asked, "Shall we change your clothes?"

Despite it being the beginning of the year, today's revelry had indeed been rather intense, leaving Meng Die drenched in sweat. She straightforwardly replied, "I'll take a bath."

After a day of playful activities, Meng Die's relationship with the young ladies had significantly deepened. During the evening greetings, they all had plenty more topics to discuss, chatting and laughing together, much to the old madam's satisfaction. Her efforts had not been in vain.