Chapter 121

Chapter 123: Offering Porridge (Part 1)

"Very good!" Hearing Eleven Miss ask about something he was familiar with, Lord Xu snapped out of his reverie, a satisfied look in his eyes. "Each family has set up their porridge shelters, and we'll start distributing porridge early tomorrow morning. I've checked the grain preparations, and supporting it for a month won't be difficult."

Eleven Miss nodded. "That's good to hear! As long as we can make it through this winter, things will improve by next spring."

Lord Xu nodded, took a sip of his tea, and asked, "Who did we assign from our household to help cook the porridge?"

Since they were setting up porridge shelters for charity, it was only natural that the women of the Xu family be involved. However, having them directly serve porridge was out of the question. A workaround had to be found. Each household sent their most senior nannies to assist. These nannies merely sat in the sheltered cubicles inside the porridge shelters, chatting while the older women and servants handled the actual work.

"From our household, it's Madam Tao!" Eleven Miss said with a smile. "Second Brother's wife sent Nanny Xiang, Third Brother's wife sent Nanny Gan, and Fifth Younger Brother's wife sent Nanny Shi."

Lord Xu hummed in acknowledgment. Eleven Miss called Late Spring to help him change clothes and warmed the bed using a hand warmer, attending to Lord Xu as he settled down for the night.

Nanny Gan ordered someone to bring over playing cards. "Let's not just sit around doing nothing."

Everyone turned to Nanny Gan.

Now that the third wife was managing the household, Madam Du couldn't exactly disregard Nanny Gan's status, so she smiled in agreement.

In such cold weather, who wouldn't want to avoid the cold?

Everyone let out a sigh of relief and took out some small change to play card games.

When it was time to serve the porridge, they dropped the cards and went to the porridge shelters to supervise the older women and servants. Ragged men, women, and children crowded together, pushing forward. Strong officers cracked their whips in the air, the sound snapping loudly, deterring the surging refugees and shouting at them to line up.

Those who received the hot porridge mistook the well-dressed nannies for members of the Xu family and kowtowed in gratitude.

In that atmosphere, it was hard not to feel proud.

That evening, when they returned to their rooms, they couldn't help but vividly recount the events to their respective wives.

Eleven Miss said with a smile, "Since that's the case, Nanny, please take extra care over the next few days!"

"Don't worry, Madam." Nanny Tao said with a smile. "I will stand together with the other nannies."

Eleven Miss nodded.

Nanny Tao then asked about Lord Xu spending the night with Qin Yi the next day. "Did Lord Xu say anything?"

"He didn't say anything," Eleven Miss thought about how everything was as usual the previous night. "I was wondering if I should send some clothes for Lord Xu."

"That won't be necessary," Madam Tao said with a smile. "Lord Xu has clothes in every room."

Eleven Miss breathed a sigh of relief.

If they had to send clothes, it would feel like moving house.

That evening, the two went together to the elder madam's place for dinner. Everyone was talking about the porridge distribution. As the third master and third wife were the main figures this time, they were quite enthusiastic and returned home late. Qin Yi had already waited with a young maid at the eastern side gate.

Seeing Lord Xu and Eleven Miss, she quickly knelt down to greet them.

Eleven Miss smiled and parted ways with Lord Xu at the eastern side gate, heading straight back to her room.

Amber wanted to move to her bed to be on night duty, but Eleven Miss sent her back to the eastern secondary room. "You weren't this diligent before!"

Amber was at a loss for words.

Eleven Miss didn't understand her intentions. She said with a serious expression, "Go to sleep! I'm not an inexperienced young girl; I have a clear understanding of things!" She then smiled and said, "If I get bored, I'll call you in the middle of the night to chat. You're not allowed to plead inability to get up."

Amber, seeing that she was still in the mood to joke, felt relieved and nodded repeatedly before going to the east wing to rest.

Lying alone in the wide bed, with someone else breathing beside her, there was an inexplicable sense of desolation. At first, Eleven Miss really wasn't used to it. But thinking that she had to wake up early the next morning to pay her respects to the elder madam, and wondering how many people would be watching her expression, she counted sheep to fall asleep.

When she woke up in the hour of the Ox, it was quiet all around, yet she faintly heard the sounds of Lord Xu rising and washing from the east wing.

It was impossible to hear anything across the alley!

Habit was truly a terrifying thing!

Eleven Miss closed her eyes, burrowed into the warm quilt, and fell into a deep sleep again.

By mao-zheng, she woke up naturally.

Amber and Lu Yun had already prepared the washbasin and warmed her clothes, awaiting her rise.

"The Marquis has already left for the early court," Amber helped Eleven Miss dress. "He had breakfast with Lady Qin. A message came from the small kitchen that Lady Qin requested water in the middle of the night."

"I understand," Eleven Miss nodded, thinking it inappropriate to have Amber relay such messages. "From now on, don't concern yourself with these matters!"

Amber wanted to say something but stopped, eventually nodding.

After freshening up, Lady Qin and Lady Wen came to greet her.

Lady Qin's face was flushed with shyness, while Lady Wen's eyes kept moving over her face, as if trying to discern something.

Eleven Miss gave a faint smile, asked about Qiao Lianfang's illness as usual, and exchanged a few pleasantries with them before getting up and going to the elder madam's place.

It was so cold, yet the third and fifth madams had arrived earlier than her.

Both greeted Eleven Miss with smiles, though with a hint of curiosity in their expressions.

Eleven Miss found it somewhat amusing.

She had known from the beginning that Lord Xu had concubines and children when she married into the Xu family. Was it necessary to cry and make a scene just because what she heard became what she saw? People often lost sight of their situation, forgot their original intentions, and lost their goals when circumstances changed. That was the real danger!

She had never forgotten the emotions she carried when she married into the Xu family!

Eleven Miss greeted them with poise and grace, and together they went to see the elder madam.

The elder madam was sitting by the window, watching Chun Ge and Zhenjie play a string game.

As soon as Eleven Miss entered, the elder madam's gaze settled directly on her.

Another one probing...

Eleven Miss remained composed, smiling as she bowed to the elder madam.

The elder madam, seeing her gentle smile and composed demeanor, nodded approvingly, a look of unmistakable satisfaction and contentment on her face.

Eleven Miss secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she had passed the test.

Chun Ge and Zhenjie, seeing the elders enter, quickly got off the kang and bowed to everyone. Young maids brought stools and placed them in front of the kang.

The third madam brought up the matter of the porridge distribution. "It's so cold; I want to give each of the mothers and servants helping at the porridge shed an additional thirty wen a day. Even though they are family, we can't let them work for free. What do you think, is this feasible?"

"Your calculations are quite precise," the elder madam smiled. "We're not short of a few coins. Go ahead and earn that reputation."

Madam San quickly stood up to thank the elder madam, "You are truly benevolent, Mother."

The elder madam then asked about Madam Xiang, who was attending Second Madam, "She’s just here to fill a role. Let her return to West Mountain soon! Yizhen is already short-handed there, yet we dragged her all the way here."

"That's right," Madam San smiled, "But this is a great meritorious deed. Second Madam just wanted to contribute. It’s only natural." She then mentioned Madam Du, "...She’s getting old too. If she catches a cold or develops a cough, it won’t be good!"

The elder madam nodded, "You’ve thought it through."

Madam San then conveyed the elder madam's wishes to Madam Xiang and sent her back to West Mountain. She also discussed with Madam Tao and Nanny Shi, "Starting tomorrow, Madam Du won’t go to the gruel kitchen... Both of you can go every other day. At least there’s still Sweet Madam there."

Both were relieved and exchanged smiles with each other, thanking Madam San before leaving.

"Do you see any potential issues?" Fifth Madam asked, absentmindedly rubbing her slightly protruding belly. Nanny Shi handed her a crystal plate with sliced apples, "Third Madam always has a lot of ideas. It’s hard to be certain!"

Fifth Madam pinched a piece of apple with a blue enamel fruit fork and brought it to her mouth, "Just keep an eye on Madam Tao. If she goes every day, then you go every day too. If she goes every other day, you do the same."

Nanny Shi hurriedly smiled and agreed, "Yes."

"Every other day?" Eleven Miss was a little surprised, "Was it always like this with the gruel distribution, or is it Third Madam’s idea?"

"It’s always been this way," Madam Tao smiled, "With the New Year approaching, there’s too much to handle at home. We’ve assigned special people to be in charge there. No one has the time to go every day. It’s always been every other day."

Eleven Miss nodded, "Then let’s follow the old rule. But you should also stay alert in case Nanny Shi goes and you’re left behind. It wouldn’t be good."

Madam Tao hurriedly said, "Don’t worry, my lady. We’re neither in charge nor following. We don’t want any rumors spreading that we’re competing with Third Madam."

"As long as you know what’s going on!" Eleven Miss said. At that moment, Lord Xu returned home.

Madam Tao quickly retreated.

Eleven Miss called Xiayi to help Lord Xu change his clothes.

"What did you do at home today?" Lord Xu wiped his face with a steaming cotton towel and glanced at the sewing basket on the kang, "Still working on needlework at home?"

"I did some needlework in the afternoon," Eleven Miss smiled, "I went to sit with Mother for a bit in the morning."

Lord Xu nodded and changed his clothes before going to see the elder madam with Eleven Miss.

As soon as they entered, Eleven Miss heard the elder madam laughing heartily.

She was puzzled.

She wondered who could make the elder madam so happy.

When they lifted the curtain and entered the west chamber, Eleven Miss saw a strange woman in a lilac jacket sitting on a stool next to the elder madam’s kang, chatting with her.

As soon as the woman saw Lord Xu and Eleven Miss looking over, she immediately stood up, "Lord! I, Xiangyi, offer you my greetings!" She bowed deeply.

Lord Xu smiled and nodded, "So it’s Xiangyi!" with rare affection.

Eleven Miss couldn’t help but examine the woman.

She was in her forties, with a square face and a tall, sturdy build that appeared somewhat bulky.

Noticing Eleven Miss’s curious expression, Madam Du hurriedly explained with a smile, "Fourth Madam, this is Xiangyi, who used to serve the elder madam. You haven’t met her. She and her family manage our Xu family’s estates in Henan. Hearing that the lord had married a new madam, she took the opportunity to come and pay her respects while delivering New Year goods."