Chapter 147 – Guest
Yu Tang spent half a day immersed in her thoughts until she was called over by Madam Chen to learn how to make Double-Ninth Festival cakes.
Polished glutinous and round-grained rice were soaked overnight and grounded into a paste. Dried red and green fruits were shredded, brown (yellow) sugar, chestnut powder and lard were mixed to form a syrup, and the layers were spread on the Steamer basket …… Her mother’s Double ninth cakes were a little different from others. Usually, people used brown (red) sugar, red beans and lard, but theirs was made of brown (yellow) sugar and chestnut powder, which made it white as snow, with the unique fragrance of chestnuts, and not greasy, and was especially popular with Yu Wen’s friends. So every year, the family made large batches to give away to others at the Double Ninth Festival.
This year, they added Ma Xiu’s family to the list.
Madam Chen quickly chased Yu Tang off, saying “Make it a quick trip, we still have to go to Uncle Wu’s house for dinner later.”
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Yu family invited the Wu family over for a crab feast. For the double-ninth festival, the Wu family similarly invited the Yu family over to enjoy crabs.
Yu Bo’s family was also invited to join.
“Okay.” Yu Tang answered cheerily. She went to change her clothes and carried a batch of freshly baked and still piping hot double-ninth cakes to the Zhang family.
Ma Xiuniang had not yet regained her former svelte figure, whilst Qing’er was getting chubbier and chubbier, like a glutinous rice ball. Although she was still unable to stand, she was unwilling to lay quietly in people’s arms, demanding to be held upright with her little head in their arms, and wanting them to walk around so that she could see different things and surroundings or else she would burst into tears.
“You must have spoiled her rotten during the earlier months!” Ma Xiuniang complained as she carried her daughter around the house, feigning displeasure at Yu Tang, “You owe me. Just wait and see.”
Yu Tang smiled sheepishly at Ma Xiuniang.
Ma Xiuniang finally managed to coax her daughter to sleep and gave her to the nursemaid to carry her away, and only then did she have time to sit down and talk to Yu Tang.
“Haven’t your family decided on a marriage yet?” She was very concerned about this matter. She continued, saying “Otherwise, you can just get married out. I think your cousin is a great person, he can support the family while you look after things at the side lines, and your parents won’t be left without someone to look after them.”
Yu Tang had no desire to get married, so she responded offhandedly as she changed the subject to the Zhang family’s affairs. “I heard that Mr. Zhang became a private tutor, is he planning to study further?”
Ma Xiuniang was also worried about this as she replied, “Qing’er’s father is a fast and good learner, so if he doesn’t further his studies, it would be a waste. However, he is also very stubborn. After Qing’er was born, the family was in great need of funds and I wanted to contribute by using my dowry, but he adamantly refused. In addition, my younger sister-in-law will soon be getting married……”
She let out a sigh.
Only then did Yu Tang share her earlier ideas, “…… Perhaps, you could ask Mr. Zhang to help supplement my family with a few design paintings for our lacquerware store? Do you think it’s okay if we don’t mention his name, and if anyone asks, we’ll just say that my brother painted them?”
Many scholars and learned people were ashamed of compromising themselves for the sake of money. Since Mr. Zhang was only an ordinary scholar, if he were to enter the courts, helping a bookstore to transcribe books would be a honorable profession, but helping a merchant to draw patterns for the sake of earning silver would be selling his talents, considered as degrading oneself to the level of a common craftsman and would adversely affect Mr. Zhang’s reputation.
If anyone else had suggested this, Ma Xiuniang would have thrown him out without a second thought, but as it was Yu Tang who said this, and she knew Yu Tang very well, that she was trustworthy, resourceful and a keeper of secrets. However, she couldn’t decide on Mr. Zhang’s behalf if he was willing to do so.
“Let me ask him for you!” Ma Xiuniang dared not make any promises, “If he is willing, why would I stop him?”
Yu Tang breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the Yu family’s lacquerware shop was restored, business was not as good as before. It was mainly because during the incident of the Changxing Street Fire, many people in Lin’an City who needed to buy lacquerware were forced to go to Hangzhou City to purchase them. Upon arrival, they discovered that the lacquerware shops in Hangzhou City not only sold more items than the Yu family’s shop, but also had new designs and styles. Thereafter, several wealthy families in Lin’an began to go to Hangzhou to buy lacquerware, and as it was always the wealthy whom they earned the most of their profits from, it thus adversely affected the family’s business.
After the Double Ninth Festival, the Pei family invited Yu Tang over as a guest. This time, Yu Tang was prepared, bringing not only the silk flowers she made in the past few days, but also osmanthus cakes made by Madam Chen.
This year’s freshly candied osmanthus cakes were fresh and fragrant, and the cakes were like white like snow, sprinkled with golden flakes, which wets the appetite.
Grand Madam Pei ate two pieces in a row, and Chen Daniang dared not let her eat any more pieces, saying “You should at least save a few pieces for the rest of us to try.”
Grand Madam chuckled heartily and rewarded them with the rest of the snacks.
Yu Tang was overjoyed and said, “If you like it, I will bring more for you the next time.”
“More importantly, this osmanthus cake is very well-made.” Grand Madam praised, “Is this also your mother’s handiwork? It seems that she does a great job with confectioneries.”
Yu Tang smiled happily.
As Ji Daniang watched on, she went to call for the seamstress who was waiting in the receiving hall.
The seamstress was an older woman in her forties, and she brought along two women of twenty-five or twenty-six years old. The seamstress was plump, like a soft steamed bun, and her eyes could hardly be seen when she smiled. The two women, on the other hand, one was skinny and quiet, the other was slim and tactful.
The trio came in and bowed to Grand Madam and Yu Tang.
Grand Madam had Ji Daniang help the seamstress to her feet, and after accepting the courtesies of the two ladies, she pointed to Yu Tang and explained, “This is one of my nieces, surnamed Yu.” She also pointed to the seamstress and said, “This is the owner of the Golden Silk House in Hangzhou, whose husband’s family name is Wang, so you can call her Wang Daniang.” As for the two ladies, she only vaguely pointed and did not say how to address them, obviously not remembering their names.
Immediately, Wang Dainiang said astutely, “These are my two apprentices, her husband’s family name is Li and the other husband’s family name is Zhou.”
Yu Tang went forward and greeted them.
Wang Daniang repeatedly exclaimed that she did not dare to accept her greetings, while the two ladies turned to the side, not daring to accept her courtesy.
Grand Madam was unconcerned as she addressed Wang Daniang, “I heard that you brought over some new materials from Suzhou this time. Please show them to me.”
Wang Daniang immediately responded and went with her two apprentices to carry in seven or eight pieces of fabric, unfolding them one by one and showing them to Grand Madam and Yu Tang, saying “Look at this moon-white embellished silk, in previous years it was either woven with floral or watercress patterns, but this year it is Buddha’s Eight Treasures, and because it is made of silver silk thread, from a distance it looks like a plain silk, but when you get closer, you can see the shiny embellishments. …… and this one, it is a dark green with embroidered small white chrysanthemums, simple yet elegant, perfect for making outer garments. This is also good for making cloaks when winter comes. I also brought some mink fur, but although it’s good quality, it’s not as grand as what you have in your household, so at most you can only use it for as a head covering….”
YuTang didn’t know if the materials were new, but the colours were all black, white or dark green, all of which could be worn during the mourning period, so clearly they were chosen with great care.
However, grand Madam was quick in pointing out, “Didn’t I inform you that I have a niece here? Why are all the materials still so plain?”
Wang Daniang and Yu Tang were both stunned.
Grand Madam was already pulling at the Gesi Tapestry cloth with cranes motifs, saying with distaste, “The pattern is too old-fashioned. Aren’t there any woven with cherry or apricot and plum motifs?”
Wang Daniang reacted quickly and said, “Yes, yes, yes! I didn’t know what Lady Yu liked, so I didn’t dare to bring too many patterns here. I’m sending someone to get them now. It will arrive first thing tomorrow.”
Grand Madam skimmed her lips and said “If we wait on you, it will be too late. Madam Chen, take my keys and go to the storehouse. Pick out a few pieces of fabric suitable for young girls to wear for Lady Yu.”
Chen Daniang smilingly answered and went away.
Yu Tang, however, involuntarily drew in a cold breath.
This was no ordinary reward.
She was about to reject it, but Grand Madam had already spoken, “I like dressing up young ladies. Madam Ji, go and invite Eldest Miss and the other ladies to come over and we’ll make some clothes for them too.”
Yu Tang could not decline any further. She smiled and thanked Grand Madam, and even joked, saying “Thanks to your grace, I can wear clothes made by masters in Hangzhou, and so this year, it will be my turn to shine.”
Grand Madam chuckled, waving her hand unconcernedly, and called Yu Tang over to discuss the style of the clothes: “I remember last year it was fashionable to have the twelve-pleated skirts, are they still the same this year?”
Wang Daniang laughed as she replied, “This year, the Yuehua skirt is now in fashion, it has a hundred pleats, and spreads out like a circle skirt. This summer, almost all the women in Hangzhou have one. Grand Madam, you have a svelte figure and would look good in it.”
As she said this, she held out a skirt for Grand Madam to look at, but out of the corner of her eye, she examined Yu Tang.
She didn’t know what kind of relationship this Lady Yu had with Grand Madam. She had been making clothes for Grand Madam for the past seven or eight years, but this was the first time she had seen this lady. Still, she was really pretty! It’s just that all of Grand Madam’s relatives on her mother’s side of the family were all tall, but this Lady Yu wasn’t tall or short, so she didn’t look much like Grand Madam’s relatives. But to have Grand Madam assist in making her clothes, it was clear that she was quite well liked by Grand Madam.
Thinking of this, she furtively glanced towards her apprentice, Lady Zhou, indicating that she should pay attention to Yu Tang’s preferences. Next time, she would come prepared and recommend fabrics and styles according to Yu Tang’s personal preferences.
Lady Zhou nodded and set her sights on Yu Tang.
Yu Tang paid no attention to this, thinking that since it was a reward from Grand Madam, there was no need to be shy. When Chen Daniang opened Grand Madam’s storehouse and brought over a pile of flowery and fancy fabrics, she picked out a pale, almost white-washed, watery green silk fabric and smiled, “This material looks good.”
Chen Daniang glanced at Yu Tang imperceptibly, thinking in her heart that it was no wonder Third Master held Lady Yu in high regard. Although Grand Madam asked her to find some bright and colourful fabrics to make clothes for the young ladies, but still, it was the mourning period for Grand Elder, so even if she had to choose, she should not choose fabrics that were too bright. Therefore, she took some plain fabrics in aqua green and sky-blue. However, unexpectedly, Lady Yu was also a tactful person, not picking those Shu brocaded silk or Chinese silk tapestry, but picking this piece of silk from Hangzhou called Baishuiqing.
Grand Madam obviously saw it too, and said with a smile, “This material is too simple and plain to be worn during the New Year’s, I think that sky-blue one is better.”
xkurohana 