"Yangzhou?"
Upon hearing this place name, An Ruosu didn't think much of it. However, An Ruoyu, who had been following Zhou Shuyu all day and thus knew some inside information, felt a stir in her heart and couldn't help but glance at her younger sister.
"What is it, Second Sister?" An Ruosu cast a puzzled look her way.
"Nothing," An Ruoyu shook her head, a trace of confusion also appearing on her face. "I'm just wondering—it seems our family doesn't have any relatives in Yangzhou. Where could these two be from?"
An Ruosu knew that her sister had been learning household management from their mother since the beginning of the year, so it wasn't surprising that she knew which relatives the family had. Thus, she didn't think too much about it and smiled, saying, "Who knows? Perhaps some local official from Yangzhou is about to be promoted and sent people in advance to pave the way, just in case."
Such matters were quite common in the capital. Although An Jieshan wasn't an official in the Libu, the Hubu where he served was also not to be underestimated. It was perfectly normal for people to come seeking his favor.
These were all major affairs, not something their generation could meddle in. After a few playful exchanges, the two sisters turned their attention back to Diancha.
Fortunately, An Ruosu had some talent. Although she couldn't yet create intricate patterns, she could whip up a bowl of fine, dense foam.
An Ruoyu nodded in approval. "Not bad, not bad. For a beginner to reach this level already surpasses ninety percent of people in the world."
An Ruosu laughed. "Sister, you're just teasing me. More than ninety percent of people in the world probably never even come into contact with this. Of those who do, half don't have the spare money to use fine tea cakes as playthings."
An Ruoyu found this strange. "At such a young age, how have you developed such a compassionate heart?"
An Ruosu gestured for the maids to clear away the tea set while smiling. "I was just speaking casually. How did it turn into compassion?"
This was a trace left by the education she had received in her previous life, something that hadn't been completely erased even after so many years in ancient times. If she had to explain, where would she even begin?
Since she couldn't explain, she simply wouldn't.
Luckily, An Ruoyu had only asked casually and had no intention of probing further. Seeing the maids already starting to tidy the tea set, she said to An Ruosu, "Didn't Bihe from your room go to collect a lot of silk thread? Let's go to your room. We can all help sort out those threads and wind them onto spools."
The group went to An Ruosu's room, where Honglian and Bihe were sitting by the window organizing the silk threads. Seeing them arrive, they hurriedly stood up to welcome them and instructed the younger maids to bring stools and serve tea.
An Ruosu had someone bring out the chair she usually sat in for her sister to use, while she took another. An Ruoyu didn't decline and waved her hand at Honglian. "Don't bother serving tea. We just inhaled a bellyful of tea fragrance and really can't drink any more right now."
Honglian smiled. "Then I'll have the kitchen send over two bowls of silver ear soup."
An Ruoyu nodded, indicating it didn't matter either way. But An Ruosu said, "Bring me a bowl of silver ear soup. If there's bird's nest, bring that for Second Sister."
She herself didn't eat bird's nest, but all the women in the household besides her were fond of it. Back in Shandong, which year didn't the medicinal shops send seven or eight catties to their home?
After moving to the capital, the herbal medicine shops that had good bird's nest naturally caught wind of it and came. Zhou Shu had already arranged for seven catties of premium bird's nest each year for making congee, along with twenty catties of medium-grade every six months to be used as a side dish in banquets, replacing vermicelli.
Therefore, their kitchen always had several bowls of bird's nest porridge prepared daily.
The two sisters had been studying and playing together since early morning, so An Ruosu naturally knew that her second sister hadn't eaten her bird's nest yet today.
An Ruoyu, understanding her thoughtful intention, couldn't help but smile and say, "I thought you disliked the taste of bird's nest, so I planned to have it after my afternoon nap."
An Ruosu replied, "I just don't like eating it. As long as I don't have to eat it, smelling it is fine. Second sister, please go ahead and eat yours; don't worry about me."
An Ruoyu sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with you. You can eat white fungus, so why can't you eat bird's nest? Although white fungus and bird's nest are quite similar, which noble family's ladies, madams, or young misses don't eat bird's nest?"
An Ruosu said, "I just don't like eating it. I only avoid it myself and don't stop others from eating it. Who could possibly find fault with me for that?"
At this time, white fungus had not yet been cultivated artificially, and wild-collected white fungus was as precious as bird's nest, actually not cheap at all.
However, the last imperial consort of the previous emperor loved bird's nest. Not only did she have a bowl of bird's nest porridge morning and evening for beauty, but she also used bird's nest as a side dish for all three daily meals.
As the saying goes, "When those above have preferences, those below will surely follow." Whatever the nobles in the palace favored, the powerful families in the capital would elevate to the skies.
Since then, the status and price of bird's nest completely overshadowed white fungus, and many imperial recipes also spread from the palace. Any family with some wealth would imitate the palace by using bird's nest like vermicelli in their banquet dishes.
Someone like An Ruosu, who wouldn't even taste half a bite, was truly an oddity.
While the sisters were talking, Bihe and Chan'er each brought an enamel openwork silver-inlaid tea tray to serve the two sisters their soup.
An Ruosu wasn't very thirsty and only took a couple of sips to moisten her lips and throat before raising her hand to signal Bihe that she was done.
An Ruoyu, however, ate most of her bowl of bird's nest, rinsed her mouth with jasmine tea, and while wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, said, "I'm tired of this rock sugar bird's nest. Another day, tell the kitchen to come up with new recipes."
Just then, the sound of the curtain rustled, and Xiaoyu walked in gracefully, beaming with smiles, "Young ladies, the mistress asks you to go to the main room to meet the guests."
An Ruoyu then asked, "Are they the ones who came today? Dressed in Yangzhou style?"
Xiaoyu replied, "Exactly those four. They are originally the stewardesses from Master Lin's family in Gusu. Recently, Master Lin passed away in Yangzhou, leaving only an orphan and a widow.
The Lin family had few branches, and Master Lin had no close relatives within the five degrees of mourning, leaving no one to support them. Lady Jia, the matriarch of the Lin family, originally had her maiden family in the capital. For the sake of the family estate and her descendants, she has decided to take her son to the capital after the intense mourning period."
The two sisters exchanged glances, both understanding the situation: Master Lin had no close relatives within the five degrees of mourning, but the Lin family in Gusu still had people. Seeing the mother weak and the son young, many would inevitably covet their family property. Lady Jia taking her son to the capital was, frankly, a move born of necessity.
At this time, An Ruosu had not yet realized that this combination of "Lin and Jia" was the one she was most familiar with in her previous life.
Therefore, while listening to Xiaoyu's account, although she sympathized with the Lin mother and son, she was more inclined to watch the drama unfold, not thinking of meddling in others' affairs.
After all, she was only six years old now and couldn't even leave the house—how could she manage other people's business?
However, there was one thing she didn't understand.
"The Lin family has sent their steward's wife, not Madam Jia herself. Why summon me and Second Sister? Is their household's steward's wife so important that we must attend?"
Xiaoyu understood the situation clearly, and An Ruoyu also had some idea. But both knew that for the time being, the master and mistress did not intend to let An Ruosu know, so neither spoke of it.
An Ruoyu covered up, saying, "Since Mother has called us, she must have her reasons. We should just go. After all, both of us are unmarried young ladies. Even if we make a slight breach of etiquette, who would seriously hold it against us?"
Hearing this, An Ruosu thought it over carefully and found it reasonable. She nodded and said, "Then Second Sister, go back and change first. Wait for me to change into something suitable for receiving guests, and we’ll go together."
"That’s exactly what we should do." An Ruoyu took her leave.
The two sisters each changed into Jifu, passed through the courtyard gate, entered through the back door of the main courtyard, and followed the Chaoshou Youlang into the main hall.
Seeing that Zhou Shuyu was not there, Xiaoyu quickly stopped a cleaning maid to inquire and returned with a smile. "The mistress has taken them into the inner hall for tea."
The group then passed through the main hall into the inner chamber, where they indeed found Zhou Shuyu seated. Below her, four women dressed in a style different from that of the capital sat slightly sideways on stools.
Upon hearing the announcement that the two young ladies had arrived, the Lin family’s women immediately stood up, stepping aside to bow to them. "We servants pay our respects to the two young ladies and convey Madam and the young master’s greetings."
An Ruoyu, beaming with a smile, raised her hand in a gesture of support. "Please, sisters-in-law, no need for such formalities. You are older and were sent by our elders. Do not humble us sisters."
An Ruosu followed quietly behind her sister, smiling softly. When her sister returned the courtesy, she did the same, acting as if she were a pre-programmed AI.
Yet she keenly noticed that the gazes of the four Lin family women lingered on her a little too long. However, since there was no malice in their looks, she paid it little mind and followed her mother’s summons to sit on the footstool beside Zhou Shuyu.
An Ruoyu, being of age, could no longer cling to her mother like a child as her younger sister did. A maid brought her a high stool, placing it opposite the four Lin family steward’s wives. Clearly, her mother intended for her to take on the role of accompanying the guests.
The Lin family woman in the dark brown jacket smiled and said, "Both young ladies have grown as fresh and tender as spring onions. It shows how well you, Madam, have nurtured them."
Zhou Shuyu was inwardly proud of her daughters, but she knew when to be modest. Waving her hand, she replied, "These sisters of mine are merely passable. When it comes to character, appearance, and learning, I only admire your Madam. Before she married, she was truly a lady of noble birth, a woman of exceptional talent among her peers. From what I’ve observed over the years, no one has yet matched her."
Hearing this, the Lin family woman in the dark green cloak laughed, covering her mouth. "That sounds familiar. I hope you won’t be angry with me for saying this, but when we were at home, we often heard our Madam praising you in the same way. Now hearing you praise her in return, it seems like mutual admiration—both thinking highly of the other."
Everyone was taken aback for a moment before understanding dawned, and laughter rippled through the room.
Zhou Shuyu was both annoyed and amused, pointing at her and saying, "I really ought to give you a good thump. Every word I said came from the heart, each one sincere and true, but with your twisting of it, it sounds as though I were feeding you empty platitudes."
The one in dark green quickly rose, half-jokingly bowed, and pleaded, "Madam, please be magnanimous and at least grant me a chance to explain. The goodness of our mistress, we naturally know it well—it matches exactly what you said. And what our mistress says about you, we’ve observed coldly and found not a single word amiss. Truly, as the ancients said, 'Birds of a feather flock together.'"
She kept saying "our" this and "our" that, confusing quite a few people.
An Ruosu nestled in her mother’s arms, laughing along with everyone else.