Chapter 10 part 2 National Scholar
Naturally, Su Wanniang did not know this. She hid the parcel and thought about what she would say to the proprietor of Guangyi Pavilion.
Even though she knew that they would be out of the Mansion on the 15th of the first month, and that Guanyi Pavilion was right next to the lantern market, how could she go in openly? She was now Shen Wen's maid, and Shen Wen would definitely be with Shen Xiang, so how could she leave them alone?
Generally speaking, "children look forward to the New Year, adults look forward to leisure", and it is only right that children like the New Year the most. The old Furen and Yang Shi felt that Shen Wen was the youngest child and must be the one who was most eager to celebrate the New Year. Therefore, towards the end of the New Year, they paid the most attention to Shen Wen. The entire Marquis family made new clothes, but the red dress given to Shen Wen had the largest and most colourful flowers embroidered on it, and she was given an equally large red head flower, thinking that this was the most festive way to celebrate.
As a result, when the family celebrated New Year's Eve and the first day of the new year, Shen Wen was the most eye-catching, like a big red ball walking around. Shen Wen exchanged the twisted knee pads she made for the old Furen and Yang Shi for heavy silver and gold jewellery, and felt that it was well worth it, so it was no big deal to make everyone laugh.
She was thinking about the upcoming lantern festival at the Marquis of Changle's residence. In her previous life, she did not remember receiving such invitations. The Marquis of Changle's residence was the maiden family of the current Empress, and was the First Prince's parent family. The invitation to the lantern festival should be the First Prince's intention. It seems that accepting Su Wanniang into the House has caught the attention of the First Prince, who would definitely come to check it out at the lantern festival.
On the second day of the first month, after some dinner among the entire family, the maids served tea and while the old Furen and Yang Shi chatted with some of the older children, Shen Wen took a few fruits from the table and quietly wrapped them in a handkerchief and put them in her sleeve.She did it carefully, looking as if she thought no one had seen her. Shen Xiang looked out of the corner of her eye and laughed poof, whispering, "Don't you have any in your yard to take at this hour?"
Shen Wen also whispered, "I don't have any of these in my courtyard, I have to get some so I can give them to Zhang Jiejie, she gave me some good snacks that time!" The Zhang Jiejie she was talking about was naturally Zhang Yunjin, the second young lady of the Pingyuan Marquis Mansion.
As soon as Shen Zhuo heard this name, her ears perked up and she peeked over, asking in a small voice, "When are you going to meet Zhang Jiejie? Why didn't I know?"
Shen Wen stared innocently, "We don't see her? It's New Year's Day, she's my best friend, how can we not see her?" The tone is full of rightfulness.
Shen Xiang laughed and pushed Shen Wen, "What's your Best Friend? How old are you? She is more like my best friend."
Shen Wen looked at Shen Xiang aggressively, "How come it's not mine but yours? She hasn't given you that many treats!"
The people around heard it and laughed. The old Furen smiled and said, "Well, it's also Wen Er's best friend, Xiang'er be generous."
Shen Wen immediately looked at the old Furen with a smile and said, "Can I go and see her then? The snacks and fruits I had left for her or something will go bad if it's any later."
The people laughed again.
The old Furen said, "Wen Er is not a mouse, how did she know about storing the things?"
Shen Xiang said, "You have been keeping the snacks for so many days or don't give them to her!"
Shen Wen said anxiously, "What do you mean by so many days? It's only a few days. Then let's go see her tomorrow!"
Yang Shi shook her head with a smile and said, "It's the New Year, you can't run around. You disturbed people last time you went there, you'll have to place an invitation for them to come this time."
Shen Wen squirmed in her chair and said, "I only want to see Zhang Jiejie, I don't want to see anyone else."
Yang Shi said, pretending to be serious,"How can we be so rude? You need to be invited to all of them to be nice. Last time you were there, didn't the Zhang family's eldest son come to accompany you? This time he has to be invited too. Besides, it has to be said that they can bring whoever they want, in case that Zhang family sister of yours wants to bring a female companion."
Shen Wen pouted, "Zhang jiejie is mine! She only gives me snacks!"
Amidst everyone's laughter, Yang Shi reprimanded with a laugh, "You cautious child, a few treats and you've been bought." She turned her face to Shen Yi and said, "Send an invitation for the Eldest Gongzi of that House, let's set it for the eighth day of the first month." Shen Yi replied.
Yang Shi said to Shen Xiang, "Invite the young ladies of that House, remember that both young ladies must be invited, whether the eldest young lady comes or not is her business, but our side must be polite." She also ordered someone : "If that House replies to the invitation, you should make more snacks and treats for the guests that day, and reciprocate the gift for Wen Er." Everyone laughed again.
The Old Furen said to Su Wanniang, who was standing behind Shen Wen, "Keep an eye on your young lady, don't let her give those overdue fruits or anything else to the guests." Su Wanniang responded with a smile.
Shen Wen lamented, "I've kept it all for nothing?" With a sad look, everyone laughed again.
When they returned to the courtyard, Shen Wen whispered to Su Wanniang, "Quickly send all the fruit and snacks you have saved over the past two days to your mother and brother, don't wait for them to go bad."
Su Wanniang also whispered, "So Miss has been taking all these things for the past two days just to see Miss Zhang Liu?"
Shen Wen replied quietly, "Not really, it's to make an excuse for us to go to Guangyi Pavilion." Su Wanniang seemed to have an understanding.
She wrapped her things and Shen Wen also insisted that she should take five taels of silver and went out of the Marquis's Residence to the small courtyard a street away. As soon as she entered the door, her young brother ran over and hugged Su Wanniang's leg. Su Wanniang couldn't cry during the first month, so she held back her tears for some time, and smiled as she handed the small bag in her hand to her brother, "Open it quickly, it's from Miss, lots of snacks and fruits."
The younger brother happily took it, ran to the table and opened it, sighed, picked one up and ran to the bedside to hand it to Pan Shi who was sitting up. Su Wanniang went up to help her mother up and said with a forced smile against her will, "Mother looks much better."
Pan Shi sat down steadily, took the snacks and said to the little boy with a smile, "Go and eat one too." The little boy immediately ran to the table, sat down and picked up a dim sum, and slowly ate it.
Pan Shi quietly put the snacks back into Su Wanniang's hand and whispered: "I can't eat now. Before the new year, the niece of He Mama in the Mansion came over every day, helping to clean up the house and buy New Year's goods. I wanted to pay for the silver, and she said that He Mama had already paid for it."
Su Wanniang remembered the extra silver that Shen Wen had asked her to give to her nursemaid He Mama before the New Year, and thought that this was the reason. She and Shen Wen are hardly ever apart for a moment, but Shen Wen still manages to find opportunities to entrust He Mama behind her back for fear of embarrassing her to her face, which shows Shen Wen's intentions. She was grateful for a moment and said, " He Mama is ......" She put "is Miss's nursemaid, I think it was Miss who ordered it." She swallowed the words and said instead, "A kind person."
She had already seen Shen Wen's character in the past few months in the house: a person who was clearly fathomless, but had to appear mindless and foolish on the surface. Although sometimes she still felt that everything was just a figment of Shen Wen's imagination, and see a bow reflected in a cup as a snake (unnecessary suspicions) and every tree or bush an enemy soldier (panic and treat everyone as an enemy). She had to be careful to maintain Shen Wen's facade, not to let down the trust and kindness she had received from him.
杯弓蛇影 bēi gōng shé yǐng–lit. to see a bow reflected in a cup as a snake (idiom); fig. unnecessary suspicions
overly fearful
草木皆兵 cǎo mù jiē bīng–lit. every tree or bush an enemy soldier (idiom); fig. to panic and treat everyone as an enemy
to feel beleaguered
Thinking of what Shen Wen had said about her father, Su Wanniang lowered her voice and asked, "Mother, did father say anything to you before the accident?"
Pan Shi's expression changed and she first looked slightly sideways at the little boy who was eating a snack, then lowered her eyes, took Su Wanniang's hand and said, "Where did it say anything? He never talks to me, a woman, about official matters."
Su Wanniang tightened her hands and was just about to ask again when Pan Shi raised her eyes to Su Wanniang and said, "You are well in the Marquise mansion, I can last a day, if I go one day ......"
Su Wanniang interrupted, "Mother, don't say such things!
Pan Shi continued, "Just take your brother into the Mansion, don't care about the Su family's family motto, it's important for people to live. If their family cannot support your brother, you have to find him a job. If that Mansion wants a book boy or something, let your brother go."
Su Wanniang shook her head and said, "Mother, you will certainly be fine, I am earning enough money to support you. I've even hired a woman to help you out every day after the New Year."
Pan Shi sighed and said, "How much does it cost to hire someone?"
Su Wanniang was busy saying: "There is not much, my monthly silver is enough. Miss ......" She changed her tone again, "Miss asked me to manage the money, so that I can also pick up the pieces when it's urgent."
Pan Shi immediately glared and gathered her breath to say sternly, "You must not covet her money! Your father managed the gold and silver, but never ......" she stopped, covering her mouth and coughing.
Su Wanniang was busy stroking her chest and kept saying, "Mother, what are you talking about? I won't do anything bad, if I really need money, I'll borrow it ......"
Pan Shi coughed and said, "Can't borrow ...... money! It would be a bad thing ...... you can't ...... I'd rather die ......"
Su Wanniang nodded her head vigorously, "No borrowing, no borrowing ......"
The little boy ran over and also helped to pat Pan Shi's back while saying, "No borrowing! I can earn money too ......"
Su Wanniang smiled tearfully and rebuked: "What earning money? Go away! Study your writing well, I have to see your homework!"
The boy waved his hand and said, "I've done it already, I can even write."
Pan Shi coughs and pushes Su Wanniang: "You go ...... teach him words, I'll rest ......," saying that she closes her eyes and lies down, no longer looking at Su Wanniang.
Su Wanniang covered her mother with a blanket and went to the side to watch her brother's homework and teach him a few more words, but in her heart she repeatedly thought about her mother's words just now: she did not look at herself when she talked about her father. Speaking of money, her mother meant to say that her father had not embezzled money. Did her mother know that her father had been wrongfully accused? She just didn't want to tell herself? Was letting her brother into the Mansion meant to protect him as well? ......
"Sister, what are you thinking about?" Her younger brother shook Su Wanniang's arm, Su Wanniang smiled, "Nothing, random thoughts." She now somewhat understood why Shen Wen wanted to find herself, there were words that needed to be talked to someone, otherwise it was too tiring to just catch them in her mind.
