Chapter 8: Tea
"Everyone get up and set the table," Xiao Jun glanced at Hongzhu and Hongyu who were kneeling on the ground and said coldly.
Hongzhu and Hongyu quickly got up, winked at the maids to go out, fetched water and washed a towel, wiped Xiao Jun's face and hands, moved the table in front of the bed, set the table, and served Xiao Jun porridge.
The Second Master did not use Mengxi to serve him as he did in the morning. She sat upright on the chair with a pale face. The maids were even more cautious, fearing that they would make any more mistakes and anger the Second Master. The room was so quiet that the only sounds could be heard, including the sounds of dishes and chopsticks and the Second Master drinking porridge.
At this time, a maid came to report that the old lady wanted Mengxi to go to the upper room to get tea.
Hongzhu hurried over to help Mengxi wash and dress, and put on the bright red wedding dress again. She left Hongyu to serve Xiao Jun, and then helped Mengxi out of the upper room. The maids and old women had already prepared a sedan chair, and the group hurried to the old lady's upper room.
Arriving at the old lady's place, Mengxi got off the sedan chair, held Hongzhu's hand, and entered the hanging flower gate. There were corridors on both sides, and a hall in the middle. There was a large marble screen with a rosewood frame. After turning around the screen, there were three halls, and behind the hall was the main courtyard. The seven upper rooms in the front were all carved with beams and painted with rafters. In the middle was a large red gold plaque with three large characters written on it: "Shou Xi Tang". There were deer-roofed side rooms at both ends of the main room, and side rooms with mountain-crossing corridors on both sides. There was also a side room on the south side of the side room. Entering the main room, after turning around a huge pine and crane longevity gold silk nanmu screen, you can see the old lady, the eldest master, the eldest wife and others sitting upright in the hall.
Mengxi walked forward slowly, knelt in front of the old lady, and kowtowed three times. A maid had already prepared tea and brought it on a tray. Mengxi took the tea and raised her hands high above her head:
"The granddaughter-in-law offers tea to the old lady, may the old lady be blessed"
The old lady took the tea, opened the lid, took a sip, and placed it on the table beside her:
"Since the establishment of the Great Qi Dynasty, our Xiao family has been famous and wealthy for five generations, and has been passed down for a hundred years. We are no less than a small family. Jun'er is the next head of our Xiao family, and we cannot afford to make any mistakes. Since Xi'er has married into our family, you must remember the rules of our main clan and abide by them at all times. Don't say that this Xiao Mansion cannot accommodate you. From now on, Xi'er must respect your father-in-law and mother-in-law, serve Jun'er, and treat Jun'er's children well. Do you understand?"
The old lady said, Mengxi, from now on in my Xiao family you must be filial to your parents, treat your children well, and be obedient. Otherwise, I will divorce you.
"My granddaughter-in-law will listen carefully to the old lady's teachings. Thank you for your teachings. I will keep them in mind and abide by them at all times," Mengxi kowtowed and replied.
The old lady waved her hand, and a maidservant came over with a tray. On it were the gifts that the old lady had prepared, which were a pair of fine white mutton-fat jade bracelets and a silver hairpin inlaid with flower filigree. Mengxi kowtowed to thank her and took them. She turned around and handed them to Hongzhu, who helped to receive them. She then served tea to the eldest master and the eldest mistress in turn. The eldest master and the eldest mistress also gave them a few words of lecture, telling them not to forget the rules of their ancestors, to be filial to the old lady, to their parents-in-law, to take good care of their husbands and children, and so on. Mengxi thanked them in turn and took the gifts. The eldest master gave her a pair of hairpins and a jade pendant, while the eldest mistress gave her a copy of "Female Training" and a copy of "Female Precepts", and Mengxi accepted them all calmly.
After serving tea to the old lady, the eldest master, and the eldest wife, the old lady ordered the maid to lead Mengxi to meet Xiao Jun's family. It turned out that the eldest master was named Xiao Dianzhi, the fifth generation of the Xiao family, with one wife and three concubines, the first wife Cui, the first concubine Wang, the second concubine Zhang, and the third concubine Li. Xiao Dianzhi had three sons and two daughters. The eldest daughter and the second son were born to the first wife Cui, the eldest son Xiao Qing, born to the first concubine Wang, 22 years old this year, the third son Xiao Yun, born to the second concubine Zhang, 16 years old, the second daughter Xiao Hua, 17 years old, born to the third concubine Li. She married Situ Shou, the second son of the Situ family.
Under the introduction of the maid, Mengxi paid her respects to the eldest master, the eldest grandmother Zhang, and the third master in turn. Then the three concubines behind Cui came over and paid their respects to Mengxi in turn, and Mengxi returned the greetings in turn.
The laws of the Great Qi Dynasty stipulated that a man could have three wives and four concubines, but only the legitimate wife was the real master, and the other wives were slaves. Even a concubine had to regard Mengxi as the master.
After serving the tea, the Taijun asked someone to help Mengxi sit down below Grandma Zhang, and a maid served tea to Mengxi.
"Xi'er, I heard that you cooked porridge for Jun'er yourself today," the old lady asked coldly after Mengxi sat down.
Mengxi was shocked. The Xiao Mansion was so big, but the news of what he had just done reached the old lady. How deep was the water in the Xiao Mansion? He hurried forward and knelt on the ground:
