Chapter 45 Rouge Mask
After breakfast was served, Mengxi waited on the second master. The second master was eating the delicious meal. Seeing Mengxi's pale face, he said:
"You can go down, Hongyu will be here to serve you."
"Then enjoy your meal, Master. I will go and pay my respects to the old lady first. Master, do you have anything to say to her?"
Xiao Jun was slightly stunned after hearing this. Mengxi fainted yesterday. After the doctor examined her, he also met the doctor. The doctor said that her body had suffered great damage. It seemed that she was better now, but for some reason she had never been recuperated. Now she looked energetic, but in fact her body had been hollowed out long ago. She was just a floating spirit. If she was not recuperated in time, she would collapse soon.
Only then did he believe that she was indeed exhausted in the pavilion that afternoon and was supported by the Third Master. He only blamed him for being too reckless. Thinking of Yuan Pa on their wedding night, he had a preconceived idea that she was unfaithful and misunderstood her.
Zhichun came over to report that the second wife had woken up. He was drinking tea in the Hongyu Room. He breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that, but he didn't know how to face her. He was the future head of the family and a real man. How could he admit his mistake to a woman? He simply stayed in the Hongyu Room and didn't go to see her.
He had not originally expected her to prepare breakfast for him, and he thought in his heart that she should rest for a few more days, but he would never say this out loud. Seeing that she had prepared breakfast and brought it in, he had no choice but to let her do it. Eating the delicious meal, his stomach felt better and his heart softened. He looked up at her pale face and remembered the doctor's words not to let her work hard. He felt sorry for her as she was too fragile, so he wanted to let her go down and rest.
Unfortunately, Mengxi obviously didn't understand what he meant. She thought he didn't want to see her hanging around in front of him, so she simply moved away. Thinking that she should pay her respects to the old lady, she said it out loud.
Is it necessary to be so polite to your own grandmother? Filial piety is enough in your heart. Besides, didn't the old lady say that she only needs to serve him in the courtyard and doesn't need to go to pay respects for the time being? When Xiao Jun heard that she wanted to pay respects, he secretly blamed her for being nosy, but he couldn't say to her to just go down and rest. After a long time, he raised his head and said:
"Go, say hello to the old lady for me."
Mengxi quickly agreed, bowed slightly to the Second Master, and walked into the east room holding Zhiqiu's hand.
Sitting in front of the dressing mirror, she adjusted Zhiqiu's newly tied lily bun, handed Zhiqiu a jade butterfly hairpin, pinned it in her hair, and looked at her sideways, nodded with satisfaction, and found that her face was a little pale. She never used rouge, the ancient technology was too backward, and most of the rouge contained lead, which was too harmful to the skin, so she never let the maids apply it on her face, like smearing the wall. She thought that she would have time to make some herself in the future, but at this time, facing the too pale face in the mirror, she was afraid that the old lady would not be happy, so she turned back and told Zhiqiu:
"Use some rouge"
"Grandma, why are you doing this? The old lady has told us not to pay our respects," Zhiqiu said with concern.
Mengxi sighed secretly. Now she had given the order, but if she didn't go to pay respects when he wanted to divorce her, she would be accused of being unfilial and arrogant because of her favor, which would be a big sin. Thinking of this, she became more cautious. She had no capital to stand on her own at the moment and had to rely on the Xiao Mansion, so she couldn't make any mistakes.
Seeing that the old lady had postponed the visit to the ancestral temple, she had a bad feeling that something bad was going to happen, or that the old lady knew something? But she didn't do anything because of the half-month deadline she had set earlier.
She took the rouge from Zhiqiu's hand and gently and carefully patted it on her face. After a while, a rosy face appeared in the mirror:
"That's good. Women should be the most beautiful at every moment."
"Second Madam is naturally beautiful. When she is dressed up like this, she is even more stunningly beautiful," Zhiqiu said, turning his head to wipe the moisture from the corners of his eyes, pretending to be nonchalant.
"You should stay in the courtyard today and continue to learn the rules. I will go out and call Hongzhu to accompany me to Shouxi Hall later."
Mengxi saw Zhiqiu's actions in the mirror, but pretended not to see it and said lightly.
"I will accompany you there, it will be the same if you come back later to study. I am a little worried about you, Madam."
"You go ahead. The old lady is very strict with her rules. You just entered the mansion. Don't let her see anything wrong."
"Yes, I'll go call Hongzhu right away. I will learn the rules well and not embarrass Second Madam," Zhiqiu responded and turned to call Hongzhu.
Holding Hongzhu's hand, Mengxi walked out of the main house and saw that the Second Master had finished breakfast and was walking in the courtyard with Hongyu. When passing by the Second Master, Mengxi stepped forward and bowed:
"Second Master An"
"Hello, Second Master." Hongzhu also stepped forward to greet the Second Master.
When Xiao Jun saw that rosy face, he suddenly became angry. He didn't like her like this. He felt like she was wearing a mask, a gorgeous mask made of rouge, blocking everyone who tried to get close to her. Why was she so strong? He couldn't understand her more and more, and his face darkened.
Mengxi sighed secretly when she saw him, thinking that he didn't want to see her. She bowed and supported Hongzhu and walked slowly towards the second door. Hongzhu looked at the second master's face, which suddenly darkened , and sighed secretly, what's wrong with this lady's fairy-like appearance? Why did she and the second master hate each other? It was just a pity for them, the servants.
Xiao Jun stood in the yard, staring at Mengxi's gradually receding figure, his brows twisted into a knot.
When they arrived at the gate, the maids and old women had already prepared the sedan chair and were waiting there. Hongzhu helped the Second Madam into the sedan chair and was about to lower the curtain when Mengxi's voice came:
"Hongzhu, come up too."
"Second Grandma"
"Come up!"
“This is against the rules”
"I feel a little dizzy, come up and support me"
After hearing what Second Madam said, Hongzhu hesitated for a moment, stepped into the sedan chair, lowered the curtain, and ordered the sedan chair to be lifted. She saw Second Madam leaning against the sedan chair with her eyes slightly closed. She sighed and said:
"If the Second Madam is not feeling well, you don't have to work so hard. Just take good care of the Second Master. The old lady won't blame you."
After waiting for a while, there was no reply from Second Mistress. Hongzhu thought she was asleep and kept silent. Suddenly, Second Mistress asked:
"Hongzhu, do you know how the monthly salary is distributed in the mansion?"
"Replying to Second Madam, the monthly salary has different rules for different statuses: for example, the monthly salary for maids and servants outside is 5 cents of silver, the monthly salary for a small maid following the master and mistress is 1 tael of silver, the monthly salary for a senior maid is 2 taels of silver, the monthly salary for a concubine is 6 taels of silver, and the monthly salary for Madam is 12 taels of silver..."
Mengxi listened, nodded, and asked casually:
"If I want to leave the Xiao Mansion, are there any rules?"
"Second Madam, do you want to leave the Xiao Mansion?"
