Chapter 67: Golden Threads Wrap Around the Silk Fan

  "Really!" The maid smiled and said: "What the old lady dreamed of specifically, we servants naturally don't know. But it's said that it's related to an unfulfilled wish of the old lady's, so she inquired and asked if there was a Cibei Temple on Purple Jade Hairpin Street in Beijing. Unexpectedly, it really existed! The old lady immediately made arrangements, had the family pack up, and brought her family here with great fanfare."

  "Ah-ha!" I nodded: "That's really stylish."

  "Xiao Man, who are you talking to?" a clear, cold yet sweet voice said.

  I and that girl looked up, only to see Miss Yihuan standing inside the west window, frowning and pointing at us with a silk fan wrapped in gold threads: "You two go talk elsewhere, don't make noise here. However, Xiao Man, you're really idle today, chatting at the door, just wait for me to tell Housekeeper's wife, she'll deduct half a month of your silver rice."

  That little servant took one look, hastily confessed her mistake, and retreated with a series of "yeses", I quickly wanted to lift my foot and leave, but unexpectedly Yihuan Miss blocked me, saying: "You this little maid, aren't you because Old Lady praised you for resembling me a few times, so you want to truly consider yourself as someone important, and get entangled with the maids of my household."

  "I hastily said: 'Mei Cai doesn't dare, Mei Cai will retreat now, doesn't dare to say more and provoke Miss's anger.' While bowing my head and backing away."

  "Hmph, come back!" Miss Yi Wan said imperiously: "Who allowed you to leave? Am I just a decoration? You people in the capital are known as the etiquette capital, how is it that you haven't even read books, and your parents didn't even bother to teach you some manners?"

  She listened to Yiwang's words, and I naturally had a belly full of fire in my heart. However, arguing with her would definitely make me look like someone who doesn't know their place. So I suppressed the unhappiness in my heart and said: "Miss, what instructions do you have? Meicai will listen carefully."

  "If you want to say that I'm giving you advice, then I don't dare to do so." Yihuan Miss glanced at me sideways: "However, looking at your arrogant face is not pleasing to the eye, and I just want to teach you what's called discipline."

  "Haha, you're quite bold, aren't you? You can't even follow the rules yourself, yet you're trying to teach others!" It was Old Lady Ning who had arrived with the help of her maid, and she saw her laughing and said: "Yihuan, Yihuan, look at you, showing off your claws like that, bullying people. Does this look like the behavior of a well-bred young lady?"

  "No matter how I look, I am a thousand gold lady." Yihuan said proudly: "This little girl, no matter how much she looks like me, is just a rustic who doesn't look like a prince even if she wears dragon robes."

  "Yihong, you're being too unreasonable and overbearing. Mei Cai is here to deliver food for our family's memorial service, not a servant born into our household. There's no need to be so petty. If someone shows respect, it's their generosity; if they don't, it's their own business. Don't try to force the issue anymore."

  "Old lady, how come you also like that little girl?" Miss Yihong heard this and stomped her foot in a tantrum: "I won't listen, for the sake of outsiders, you're actually scolding me!"

  The old lady didn't even bother to acknowledge Yihua, but instead took my hand and smiled: "My granddaughter at home doesn't understand things, good child, it's a pity for you."

  Just as I was about to respond, Miss Yihuan threw the golden silk fan heavily onto my forehead, instantly dazing me with stars in my eyes. A large red skirt flashed before my eyes, and then Miss Yihuan stormed off with a huff.

  "This child!" Old Lady Ning stamped her foot and said, "It's all because I've spoiled her that she has a crooked face!" She hurriedly pressed my forehead with her hand: "Are you okay?"

  I hastily shook my head: "Don't worry about it, old lady, this little thing is nothing." As I touched the corner of my forehead, a lump had already formed, and it was burning hot to the touch, so painful that I gasped.

  Old Mrs. Ning exclaimed: "Quickly, support Mei Cai into this room and get her two pieces of ice!"

  Busy with the maid came, without saying a word, dragged me in, used a silk handkerchief to wrap two rare ice cubes in summer, and pressed them onto my forehead.

  "I hastily said: 'Old lady, ice is precious, it's a pity to use it for plum blossoms...'"

  "What a pity!" Old Lady Ning sympathetically applied an ice pack to my forehead: "A young lady's family, the most important thing is her appearance. If that foolish Yihua were to hurt you, how would we be able to explain it? Even our Ning family wouldn't be able to afford the compensation!"

  "The old lady was too serious, Miss wouldn't be so ruthless, it's just that Mei Cai didn't understand and offended Miss."

  The old lady scolded: "You're really a foolish and straightforward one, getting hurt like this, yet still willing to talk to Yihuan. This is actually something that can be said, the third young lady's temper and personality were also cultivated by me, so I'll apologize on her behalf..."

  "Old lady, it can't be helped..." I hastily waved my hand and said: "Plum blossoms can't stand it..."

  "Don't mention it, I'm delighted to see you." Old Lady Ning was amused by my flustered appearance: "Tell me, people who look similar yet have vastly different personalities are really helpless. What's your zodiac sign, by the way? Ah, and do you like tiger oil?"

  "Plum blossoms belong to dragons."

  "It's not a coincidence, that Yiniang is also the same, a great match. Old Lady Ning smiled: "Girl, over the years, I've been quite accurate in judging people, and you will be someone of high status in the future."

  I smiled and said: "Thank you for your kind words, Auntie. From now on, I hope that Mei Cai will be safe and sound, and continue to help Father run the pastry shop, which is already my greatest wish."

  "The golden hairpin cannot be buried in the snow." Old Lady Ning smiled and said: "There will always be that day."

  Before returning home, Old Lady Ning gave me a lot of silver again and told me to buy some clothes, hairpins and skirts, dress up nicely, don't waste your youth.

  Although uneasy in her heart, she couldn't bear Old Lady Ning's repeated insistence and had to accept the silver. She left the other courtyard and headed outside.

  Just then, he met the colorful strip of Dharma Master, but saw that the small and thin body of the colorful strip of Dharma Master was still standing upright, with a solemn expression, holding a stack of scriptures, about to go to the monk's quiet courtyard.

  "I was busy and greeted: 'It's actually Master Cai Tiao, today you also have things to attend to? Mei Cai has been polite.'"

  Cai Tiao Daoshi saw me speaking to him in a polite and courteous manner, and couldn't help but feel a bit proud, so he straightened his back and said: "This monk also bows, Mei Cai Shizhu has courtesy, this monk follows the order of his master, to take some scriptures to this courtyard."

  I remembered the little girl in green clothes I saw last time, and asked hurriedly: "Master Cai Tiao, forgive me for being talkative, is there also a little girl like Plum Vegetable helping to run errands and tidy up in this quiet place?"