Full House Spring

Chapter 40 Tricky
Xia Li had no idea what Lu Lingchuan was thinking.

Anyway, he is not in her life plan. It is more important for her and her grandma to live a good life.

There were many gossipy people in the mansion, and even though the old lady and Xia Li didn't tell Madam Xie, what Lu Qinghe did still reached her ears.

When night fell, the moonlight sprinkled on the snow, creating a faint blue glow. Nanny Xie carried a lantern and walked towards the main room with one step deep and one step shallow.

Shi Mi heard the noise, opened the door and saw her, exclaimed: "It's so cold, why are you here, old lady, I'm on duty here."

Aunt Xie had a dull expression and said in a gentle tone, "I am old and sleep less. I want to chat with the old lady. You can go to the side room and sleep. I will call you if there is anything."

Shi Mi turned around and looked at the old lady to see if she had anything to tell her. The old lady waved her hand and said, "You go and have a rest. Let Alan accompany me."

The old lady's loneliness and solitude are not something a young maid can understand. Talking to Nanny Xie at night can bring her some comfort.

Shi Mi left obediently. After Aunt Xie closed the door, she walked to the bed and undressed the old lady. Then she helped her lie down and covered her with a quilt. There was a floor heating in the room, so it was not very cold.

The old lady was used to leaving a candlelight before going to sleep. When Aunt Xie lay on the couch beside her feet, she chuckled and said, "You old thing, you are not here to accompany me. You are here to speak up for your granddaughter, right?"

Madam Xie folded her hands on her abdomen and said calmly, "I didn't say anything. You were the one who started the conversation. It's mediocre people who are not envied. My girls are outstanding in every way, so it's inevitable that they attract attention. But the eldest girl is too petty."

The old lady nodded unconsciously and said in a dissatisfied tone: "She has been competitive since she was a child, and she has always fought with her sisters for everything. Now that she has grown up, her horizons have become narrower. She can't even tolerate a maid. I'm afraid she won't be able to achieve great things in the future."

Aunt Xie had been with the old lady for most of her life, and had long understood her temperament and what she could and could not say. She said quietly, "There is no need to wait until the future. She is already at the age of marriage, and the wives with good eyesight will not choose her as the wife of the clan leader. She is just blocking the way for other girls."

Noble families are very particular about rules. If the eldest daughter does not marry well, her younger sisters will definitely be affected.

The candlelight in the room was dim, and I couldn't see the old lady's expression. She said meaningfully:

"Among my grandchildren, only Lingchuan and Wanqiao are worthy of my attention. I don't expect the maids to be of great use. It's enough for them not to bring disgrace to the family."

Madam Xie frowned slightly and said calmly, "The eldest lady's intention to please Consort Shu is too obvious. If she succeeds by chance, I'm afraid the mansion will be in turmoil."

The old lady drooped her face and said indifferently, "Shufei has taken a fancy to the girl from the Duke of Yu's Mansion. Qinghe can't compare to her. I'm afraid she will do anything to make a stupid move. Her absence in the past few years has already aroused speculation. If she is confined to her house and not allowed to see anyone, who knows what people will say about her. It will be even more difficult for her to find a decent husband..."

Even if she disliked the eldest girl, she could not ruin her future. Girls would always get married. Nanny Xie could vaguely sense some things, but she was used to being cautious and would never reveal them casually, not even to Xia Li. The more she knew, the more disadvantageous it would be for her.

Madam Xie considered and said, "It depends on the Duke's opinion. If he likes the Third Prince and wants to get the eldest daughter in, there is nothing you can do."

The old lady couldn't help feeling disgusted when she thought of this. She said angrily:
"Jian Xing is like his father in this regard. He is greedy for more and has no regard for the family's reputation for a woman. He is eager to please them and wants to give his heart and soul to them. The Song family is also very stupid. They have been married for more than ten years and can't see the trick."

Madam Xie sighed and said, "One is my biological sister, and the other is my husband. The eldest wife is someone who has rules ingrained in her bones. How could she think deeply about this?"

The old lady was angry at her for not fighting back, but she still valued her eldest daughter-in-law. She said in a deep voice:
"When Song Shiyi came for the position of Duke's wife, I knew she was a disaster. She bewitched Jian Xing and then had an affair with His Majesty.

Jian Xing is so shameless that he can't marry his elder sister so he comes to harm his younger sister. If Shi Wei hadn't reluctantly offered her, I would never have agreed to let her marry me."

Madam Xie knew very well that no matter what the eldest wife looked like and had a personality, this marriage would be successful. The old lady would not quarrel with the Duke at that critical moment. She comforted her:

"The Duke is much more mature and stable now. He should not be as reckless as he was when he was young. The eldest girl is the eldest daughter after all. She should not act recklessly..."

The old lady sighed and said, "All I can do is leave a way out for my children and grandchildren. I can't do much else."

Matron Xie said in a very light voice: "It's a pity for Prince Hui. He fell from the position of Crown Prince to the mire, and now he is walking on thin ice..."

The old lady said firmly: "This is only temporary. The former crown prince is a man of great strategy and decision-making. He is outstanding. King Hui is a good father to me. He will not lie dormant for too long..."

Nanny Xie didn't know why, but a thin layer of cold sweat appeared on her back. She pursed her lips and said nothing in the end. She only thought secretly that she should help Xia Li escape from slavery and gain freedom as soon as possible.

After an unknown amount of time, she heard the old lady's even breathing. Only then did Aunt Xie close her eyes, shut the door to her thoughts, and fall asleep peacefully in the silence...

Early the next morning, the servant from the outer courtyard finally brought the tongtuo wood that Xia Li was going to use. Many people did not understand the idea of using wood to make flowers. Even the old lady was holding a piece of wood and didn't understand what it meant.

But the old lady was very considerate. She didn't have to be on duty during the days when she was making the peonies, so she just focused on making flowers.

The sun was shining brightly outside and a lot of the snow had melted, but the wind was too strong and objects were blown all over the road. Xia Li had to move the low table under the window frame so that it could get enough sunlight and was very convenient for doing handicrafts.

Maidong and Elsholtzia were afraid that she didn't have enough manpower, so they came to find her after they finished their work. Xia Li was taking out the core at the moment, and seeing the white wooden core on the coffee table, Maidong picked it up curiously to play with it.

"Xia Li, this tongtuo wood core looks very special, how can we use it to make a peony?"

Xiangru silently picked up a piece and examined it carefully. Xia Li kept moving his hands and smiled, "You will know in a moment. If you are here to help, don't just stand there and watch. Help to extract the core."

Xiangru looked at Xia Li's face and said softly, "We will help you take out the wood core and leave. We won't learn from you, don't worry."

Xia Li is not a person who likes to keep her secrets. Even if they can see how to do it, so what? Not everyone can make realistic flowers. This not only tests hands-on ability, but also aesthetic talent.

She smiled and said, "Don't make a fuss. If you are interested, you can learn from me. It's just like the velvet flower hair accessories. Knowing how to make and making them look good are two different things. It's a good thing for you to learn more skills."

Xiangru's eyes flickered slightly. Xia Li treated people sincerely, and there were only a handful of people in this mansion who were kind to her. Looking at her graceful profile, his heart softened unconsciously.

Maidong didn't think too much about it. She picked up the tongtuo wood and started working. Xia Li gave the core-taking task to the two of them. She took the razor blade and paper herself. This was a delicate job. The paper could not be sliced too thin or too thick. If she was not careful, it would be torn. She was extremely careful.

When Madam Xie came to see, she saw three maids, each busy with their own business. She left quietly without saying a word. Xia Li used scissors to cut the paper into petals of different sizes. Qian Cao came to see the desk and the low table full of petals and exclaimed:
"This has to be very detailed. A peony has countless petals. Too many or too few will not look good. How many petals are needed to make the finished product?"

Maidong rubbed his sore neck and said, "I don't know either. Look at how much wood core I took out. I had to slowly slice out the paper and then cut it into petals. It took several steps. I'm very strong and I ruined a lot of it. It's a pity."

Xiangru was more patient than her. She was learning Xia Li's method and slowly cutting a piece of paper. She took the time to glance at Qiancao and said calmly, "Please forgive me, sister Qiancao. We are all too busy. Please take a look at it yourself."

Xia Li was so absorbed in her work that she hardly paid attention to anyone. People who were familiar with her knew this. Qian Cao smiled and said, "Just keep busy. The old lady sent me here to take a look. I'll take a closer look so that I can learn from her later."

Xia Li turned around and picked up the cut petals, placing them on a wet towel to increase the humidity. The humidity needs to be moderate. If it is too dry, it will easily break, and if it is too wet, it will be difficult to shape.

Then she began to pinch the petals. After pinching the petals, she had to arrange them in layers and paste them on to make the flower shape more natural.

Qiancao watched intently as a peony was born right under her nose. She couldn't move her feet as she wanted to see the effect of the peony after it was colored.

Xia Li really did not disappoint her. She took a brush and dipped it in the prepared paint, coloring it little by little. Even the gradient color of the petals was handled very delicately. After adding the stamens and branches, it became lifelike.

Qiancao was deeply shocked. This peony was unique and exquisite whether made into a bonsai or a hanging screen. She couldn't wait to share it with the old lady.

In fact, not only Rubia cordifolia was stunned, but Ophiopogon japonicus and Elsholtzia ciliata were also stunned. The realistic effect was incomparable to that of velvet flower.

Maidong murmured, "If I put this together with the real peony, I'm afraid I won't be able to tell the real from the fake."

Xiangru now understood why Xia Li didn't keep her secrets. She could see it with her eyes, but her brain and hands might not be able to replicate it as there were too many details to consider.

Xia Li heard what Mai Dong said and said with a smile: "You can't find real peonies this season, but I can make some chrysanthemums and put them together with the real ones so that the masters can see the difference."

Mai Dong smiled and said, "I think it's feasible. Anyway, there is a lot of wood here, and the materials are sufficient. It can also be regarded as trying to make the old lady smile."

Xia Li was a person of action, and she acted as soon as she was told. After working day and night to make the bonsai peony, she also made several pots of chrysanthemums in different colors, and let the ladies appreciate them when they came to pay their respects.

Lu Qinghe was punished by her brother to copy the female precepts before she was released from confinement. She looked bitter and resentful. The mother and daughter were walking on the way to Leshou Hall. Song patiently advised:

"Don't be so stern when you meet your grandmother later. Old ladies like likable girls."

Lu Qinghe raised a sarcastic smile and said without hesitation:

"Mother doesn't need to coax me. Grandmother has never liked me. No matter whether I cry or laugh in front of her, I am still not pleasing to her."

Song said unhappily, "At tomorrow's plum blossom viewing banquet, do you want your grandmother to save face for you and praise you in front of other ladies?"

Lu Qinghe said stubbornly: "If I am not good, the old lady will also lose face, and she will definitely not belittle me in public."

Song felt her temples throbbing again. She said angrily:

"She doesn't belittle you, but she won't pay any attention to you either. There's a shortcut you can take, but you insist on being stubborn."

Lu Qinghe wasn't really an idiot, she said submissively:
"Don't worry, mother. I will never go against the old ancestor today. Even if she scolds me, I will swallow my anger and never refute her."

Song was too lazy to argue with her and continued to remind her, "As for Xia Li, don't deliberately find fault with her. She is a good girl who follows the rules. Don't be prejudiced against her."

Lu Qinghe said in a dissatisfied tone: "My eldest brother has already punished me for her. Mom, can you please stop mentioning her? I am tired of hearing her."

Seeing that they were about to reach Leshou Hall, Song simply stopped talking and the mother and daughter quickened their pace. As a result, before they entered the main room, they heard Luo laughing heartily. Song looked suspicious, not knowing what was going on inside.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, they saw several pots of chrysanthemums on the ground. They were of various colors and shapes, and were very pleasing to the eye. Mrs. Luo said loudly:

"Sister-in-law, come and have a look. Mother said there are two pots of chrysanthemums made in summer. Whoever finds them will be rewarded by her."

Song was shocked when she heard this. She didn't notice that there were fake flowers among them. She said in disbelief, "No way, they look real to me."

Luo smiled and said, "That's right, I also find it incredible, but mother won't lie, let's just get closer and look for it."

Xia Li stood obediently beside the old lady. Even though she was wearing the most ordinary clothes, Lu Qinghe could still see her at a glance. She lowered her head and looked carefully at the bonsai chrysanthemum. There was no difference visible to the naked eye.

Song bent down from time to time to take a closer look. It seemed difficult to tell the real from the fake. She said with a gentle look in her eyes, "Xia Li girl, don't keep us in suspense. Which pots are fake?"

Xia Li stepped forward and bowed. She said in a light voice, "Look at this pink and green pot. Touch their petals."

Song and Luo followed her instructions and touched the petals gently. Luo exclaimed, "Ah~ These petals feel like paper, and they feel different from real petals."

Song also took it out. Lu Qinghe stared at the pot of pink fake chrysanthemums and raised his voice slightly, "You can make the chrysanthemums so realistic, I think the peonies won't be bad either. Hurry up and take it out. Don't keep us in suspense."

Xia Li said softly, "Thank you for your compliment, young lady. It's up to you to decide whether the peony is good or not. If you don't like it, just leave it to the old lady."

The old lady smiled and said, "Leave it all to me. I'm sure it will be the first peony banquet in Kyoto in the cold winter."

Mrs. Luo said impatiently, "Xia Li girl, if there is any extra, give me another basin. I can afford five hundred taels of silver."

Lu Qinghe said anxiously: "Aunt, I ordered this peony. Even if you want it, you have to step back."

(End of this chapter)