Chapter 28: The Residence of Silken Veils (Part Four)

When Summer Lotus and Winter Snow heard Autumn Leaf lose her temper, they hurried forward and asked, “What’s going on?”

Autumn Leaf, fuming, replied, “The Ancestor asked me to tidy up Brocade Courtyard. I went to collect the necessary items first, but Madam Liu, who opened the storeroom, said it was full and she didn’t know where the things from Brocade Courtyard had been stored. She said we’d have to search carefully. After a long search, all we found was a screen; nothing else turned up. I was afraid to disturb the young lady’s rest, so I brought bedding and sheets to make her bed first. Now I’ve come back, and the rest is still missing.”

Summer Lotus and Winter Snow glanced at Madam Liu. She quickly stepped forward and said, “Misses, the Brocade Courtyard hasn’t been occupied for years. Its things were moved deep into the storeroom and are hard to locate.”

Winter Snow sneered, “Seems you’ve forgotten who’s in charge now. You’re bold enough to lie to us!”

Knowing she couldn’t hide it any longer, Madam Liu steeled herself and confessed, “Misses, to tell the truth, the items from Brocade Courtyard were long ago taken by the First Lady for her own courtyard.”

Summer Lotus’s temper flared. “The First Lady has such audacity? Brocade Courtyard has always been reserved for the next head of the clan, and its furnishings are the finest. How dare she take them for herself?”

Madam Liu inwardly lamented her predicament and hurriedly said, “The First Lady insisted on taking them—there was nothing I could do to stop her!”

Summer Lotus grew angrier. “Why didn’t you report it to the Ancestor?”

Madam Liu, trembling, replied, “I dared not. If I reported such a thing, I’d surely be sold out of the household.”

Summer Lotus was about to retort, but Winter Snow tugged at her sleeve and called Autumn Leaf over. The three walked a few steps away, making sure no one could overhear. Winter Snow said, “I think the young lady is easy to get along with. Let’s ask her first.”

Summer Lotus, still angry, said, “Isn’t this a slap in the Ancestor’s face?”

Autumn Leaf sighed, “Since Twelfth Lady left home, the Ancestor has neglected household affairs, giving the First Lady more power.”

Summer Lotus and Winter Snow thought of Twelfth Lady and sighed as well.

Sighs aside, the matter had to be dealt with. Winter Snow said, “This must be reported to the Ancestor.”

Autumn Leaf nodded, “I’ll go inform the Ancestor. The young lady’s side is up to you.”

The three shot Madam Liu a glare and strode off.

Madam Liu collapsed to the ground, certain she’d be sold off this time. At her age, to be cast out of the House of Silk and Brocade was surely a death sentence.

Tao Ming was happily playing with the two little ones when she heard voices outside. “Miss, we’ve returned.”

She slipped on her shoes and stepped out, seeing Summer Lotus and Winter Snow at the door. She asked, puzzled, “Didn’t I tell you to rest? Why have you gone out again?”

Summer Lotus, still agitated, replied, “Miss, we thought the storeroom was taking too long to deliver the furnishings, so Winter Snow and I went to urge them. But Madam Liu, who manages it, said all the items from Brocade Courtyard had been taken by the First Lady. I couldn’t stand it and argued with her.”

Tao Ming laughed, “Such a trivial matter—hardly worth the fuss.”

With that, she began rummaging through her Starshift Bag, first pulling out an aluminum kettle for boiling water and placing it on the table, then four glass cups. After some thought, she brought out a travel thermos and said, “Take me to where you boil water later; I’ll show you how to use these.”

She walked into the bedroom and said, “Softie, Glutinous, time to go play outside. Children need exercise to grow tall.” She gathered up the toys from the bed.

The two little ones, hearing they could play outside, hurried to slip off the bed and put on their shoes.

Once their shoes were on, Tao Ming took one child in each hand and left the bedroom.

Summer Lotus and Winter Snow were still examining the items on the table when Tao Ming emerged. Summer Lotus asked, “Miss, are these glass cups? I’ve seen glassware before at other estates with the Ancestor, but never so clear and bright as these.”

Tao Ming, seeing her excitement, smiled. “Do you like them? I’ll give you a few to play with.”

After all, Tao Ming had bought mountains of household goods—these glass cups came in boxes of four, two hundred milliliters each, with thousands of boxes stocked at a wholesale price of barely two coins per box.

Summer Lotus hesitated. “I’ve heard glassware is very expensive—each worth ten Red Crystal Coins. Would it be appropriate for you to give them to us?”

Tao Ming inwardly rejoiced, the more expensive the better! But she kept that thought to herself and said, “Don’t worry. If you take good care of Grandmother, the gift won’t be wasted.”

Summer Lotus finally grew cheerful, while Winter Snow remained silent.

Softie said to Glutinous in her heart, “Mama is lying.”

Glutinous replied, “Mama is winning their loyalty.”

Softie asked, “How do you win loyalty?”

Glutinous thought and replied, “It’s like giving you a lollipop so you behave.”

Softie squinted, “Mama is cunning.”

...

Tao Ming was unaware of the children’s inner conversation. She asked Summer Lotus, “Is a Red Crystal Coin money?”

Summer Lotus took out two items and handed them to Tao Ming. “Miss, the white one is a White Crystal Coin, the yellow one is a Yellow Crystal Coin. I don’t have any Red or Purple Crystal Coins.”

Tao Ming examined the round coins, which felt like polished minerals, about three or four millimeters thick. The white was slightly translucent with some impurities, about three centimeters in diameter. The yellow was more transparent and a little smaller.

Curious, she asked, “Which is worth more, white or yellow...” She wondered if they’d understand the word ‘value.’

Summer Lotus was quick and replied, “Miss, one Yellow Crystal Coin is worth twelve White Crystal Coins. One Red Crystal Coin is worth twelve Yellow ones, and one Purple Crystal Coin is worth twelve Red.”

A base twelve system, again! How troublesome for accounting.

Thinking, Tao Ming asked, “What can you buy with one White Crystal Coin?”

Summer Lotus considered. “Two months ago, I left the estate and could buy two meat buns with one White Crystal Coin. Just the day before yesterday, it would only buy one.”

“Has your pay increased?” Tao Ming thought a White Crystal Coin must be about one yuan, but with prices rising, she’d better ask.

Summer Lotus was confused. “What is pay?”

Tao Ming explained, “It’s your monthly allowance.”

“No, my allowance hasn’t increased, but since my food, clothing, and lodging are provided in the estate, I hardly need money.”

Apparently, the maids knew little of life outside the estate.

That conversation ended, Tao Ming asked, “Do you all four take care of Grandmother together?”

Summer Lotus replied, “Miss, Grandmother is usually attended by Madam Li. The four of us just do the rough work.”

Upon hearing this, Tao Ming placed five sets of glass cups on the table. “Everyone gets a share.”

Summer Lotus picked up a set, feeling the packaging. “Is this box made of paper? I’ve never seen paper so white.”

Tao Ming paused, remembering Tao Banxia had mentioned there was no papermaking here. “You know what paper is?”

Summer Lotus replied, “A few years ago, the Celestial Emperor issued a decree on paper, but it wasn’t this white or fine.”

Tao Ming nodded, thinking someone may have already brought Earth’s technology here.

Winter Snow tugged Summer Lotus. “Miss still needs water!”

Summer Lotus quickly packed up the boxes, grabbed the items from the table with Winter Snow, and led Tao Ming to the small kitchen.

Outside, Tao Ming noticed the little maids working in the courtyard were gone, which pleased her greatly. She was a healthy adult with hands and feet—why should she need others to serve her?

In just a few steps, they reached a row of rooms on the right; the one closest to the main house was the small kitchen.

Winter Snow pushed open the kitchen door. “Usually, kitchens in courtyards are at the back, to keep smoke away from the masters. But Twelfth Lady liked to try new foods, so the Brocade Courtyard kitchen is closer.”

Tao Ming didn’t mind, since she wouldn’t be staying long anyway. But that love of food must be inherited by her and Softie.

Entering, Tao Ming saw the familiar rural-style brick stove, with a few cabinets and shelves—bare and empty.

Seeing the stove opening nearly a meter across, Tao Ming worried, holding the aluminum kettle to the opening. “It can’t possibly fit.”

Summer Lotus laughed, “Miss, that’s for big pots to boil bathwater.”

She then fished out a metal item from the cabinet, resembling a simple modern gas stove, set it on a metal rack, and said, “This is for small pots.”

Tao Ming remembered seeing similar stoves in the Lotus Spoon City Museum, though those were made of clay. She’d admired ancient ingenuity, and now she found the same in Weishui.

She taught Summer Lotus and Winter Snow how to use the kettle and thermos. Both were amazed—the thermos had no array or formation, yet could keep water hot for hours.

Tao Ming wanted to try herself, but had no idea how to start a fire with wood, so she took the two children to stroll in the courtyard.

Only a slanting, egg-yolk sun remained in the sky, signaling the day’s end.