Chapter 2

As she walked to the main room, Shushu heard Jueluo's voice inside.

"Gege is growing up, we need to add four more summer outfits, two in pomegranate silk, that color is bright... The other two robes should be made of solid gauze, Gege doesn't tolerate heat..."

"The window screens in Gege's room need to be replaced, use the jade-colored soft gauze, and use the leftovers to make curtains..."

"Every morning, prepare a bowl of bird's nest soup for Gege... We bought two pounds of bird's nest before, and there's still one pound in the storeroom..."

Each item was related to her, and Shushu felt her eyes well up.

Although three years ago, she had a fever and regained her memories, knowing that she had lived a life in a modern era without imperial power and with the freedom of the internet, it did not affect her happiness in this life, all because she had the best parents and family in the world.

"Gege has arrived..."

A maid saw Shushu and, while greeting her, lifted the curtain to welcome her in.

In the side room, Jueluo was sitting by the kang, around forty years old, wearing a purple-red silk robe, with a long braid coiled into a single bun on her head, and no other adornments except a string of sandalwood beads on her collar.

Several housekeepers stood with their hands hanging, listening to her instructions.

Seeing the young lady arrive, Jueluo closed the account book, dismissed the housekeepers, and instructed the maid beside her, "Go and make a bowl of almond tea for Gege, and add a plate of dried meat..."

Hearing about food, Shushu couldn't help but touch her stomach, feeling a bit hungry.

Jueluo, seeing that the young lady's clothes were loose, patted her back with concern, but scolded her, "It's all because of your father spoiling you. How old are you to still be picky about food? You're not as sensible as Xiao Liux. You're so thin, it hurts to touch..."

Xiao Liux is Shushu's younger brother, who is seven years old.

Shushu also felt sorry for herself. She was nearly 1.7 meters tall and wasn't fat before the selection, weighing around 100 pounds. After half a month in the palace, she lost about ten pounds and looked thin.

It wasn't that she was deliberately picky, but the palace's food was really not commendable.

Especially for their batch of selected ladies, the dishes provided were fixed. The meat was either pork or chicken, either stewed or roasted. The vegetables were only cabbage and radish, and even the stir-fried dishes tasted like they were boiled, full of vegetable smell, making it hard to eat.

Shushu had to rely on steamed buns and milk tea for every meal to avoid starving.

"I want to eat mutton hotpot and braised mutton. Next time when Zhuliang and the others are on leave, let's order more dishes from the restaurant..."

As Shushu spoke, she herself became hungry, her mouth watering.

Shushu is the eldest sister, with five younger brothers, all of whom are in school. The three older brothers are in the Eight Banners Right Wing School and the Main Red Banner School. Because they commute, they leave early and return late, and can only be seen during their leave.

Jueluo, seeing the young lady showing her childlike side, became even more indulgent: "If you want to eat, just eat. It's not a rare thing..." She couldn't wait and immediately instructed the maid to go to the kitchen: "Go to the mutton shop and buy a young lamb, about six months old. Also, get several types of vegetables from the restaurant, especially the cucumbers and spinach that Gege likes, and buy more from different places..."

Shushu's eyes lit up, and she added, "Also, go to the fish market and buy a few pounds of river fish to make fish balls. Mother likes that... Father likes fried tofu, so buy a few pounds of tofu to fry at home. The ready-made ones outside are not clean, and they use old oil. Go to Xisi to buy chess piece pastries; Fusong and Zhuliang like to eat them with the hotpot..."

It was just an ordinary day, but the mother and daughter were enthusiastically planning a big meal, not minding the chatter.

Besides their own family of nine, they also thought of the mother and daughter from the neighboring Bo family.

Since it was a spontaneous idea, it wouldn't be proper to invite people to eat on the same day, as that would be considered impolite.

Jueluo said, "Later, send a leg of lamb and two pounds of cucumbers over... Your uncle and cousin are weak and focus on health, they don't eat out-of-season vegetables. Only your cousin Amu likes to eat cucumber strips in noodles..."

Shushu, hearing this, remembered the chewy and refreshing noodles and also became hungry: "Then let's make noodles tomorrow morning, cucumber noodles and mutton noodles..."

"How many stomachs do you have, thinking of one thing after another..."

Jueluo complained but still instructed the maid to write it down.

After Shushu ate half a plate of dried meat and drank a bowl of almond tea, she remembered the main matter and told Jueluo about Gui Dan's complaint.

Jueluo, who was not as gentle as before, immediately frowned: "What kind of poor family is this? How can they act without rules? Even the real imperial family treats us politely, let alone a mere concubine's family. If they want to sue, let them sue. It's not us who will be embarrassed! What do princes fear? The Emperor has over a dozen princes..."

Shushu couldn't hide it and waved to dismiss the nanny and maids. Then she leaned close to Jueluo's ear and whispered the "hidden details."

Jueluo was taken aback, then smiled and glared at her daughter: "This stubborn and petty attitude is just like your father. But if a few words from the elders can solve it, why make such a fuss... Do as you please, as long as you don't suffer any loss..."

* * *

At dusk, after a day of running errands, Cousin Fusong returned.

Fusong is one year younger than Shushu, the eldest son of Shushu's uncle. He lost his mother at birth and was not accepted by his stepmother, so he grew up in the Dong'e family. He and Shushu are like twins, with one resembling their father and the other their mother, and their bond is as strong as that of real siblings.

Because of his family's status, he cannot fill the position of a noble, nor can he be registered as a common banner man. Fusong is destined to be a free man. In the past six months, he has become Shushu's right-hand man, helping her manage the family's shops.

Today, Fusong went out at Shushu's request to find the craftsmen from the Imperial Workshop who had worked for Gui Dan, and obtained the necessary testimony through threats and bribes.

"That bastard really did a sloppy job... He found the people himself but didn't even think about a sealing fee, just gave them two taels of silver as wages... They cursed him in their hearts, there's no precedent for such a thing..."

Fusong drank tea in large gulps, with a hint of disdain: "Those fake jewelry pieces were made in a workshop associated with the Imperial Workshop, and they even recorded it in the workshop's ledger, how stupid..."

Shushu put away the testimony, knowing that this matter was now secure.

Fusong put down his teacup, curious: "Will Gui Dan really compensate for the shop? What if he refuses?"

Shushu was very confident: "Even if he is unwilling, there will be someone who is willing... The more noble the status, the more they value their reputation... A prince would never stoop to this level. It's more likely that Gui Dan, accustomed to his ways in Shengjing, acts without restraint..."

* * *

Dinner was in the main room, starting only after the brothers from the school returned.

Qi Xi and Jueluo sat at the main seats, with Shushu on the left and Fusong on the right, and the other sons sitting between them according to their age.

Fusong, as a guest, should have sat at the head of the younger generation, but the Dong'e family treated him like one of their own, so he sat after Shushu.

In the center of the table were two copper hotpots, one with mutton and sour cabbage, the other with mutton broth and fish head. There were also various dishes for the hotpot: eight plates of mutton, two plates of mutton and coriander balls, two plates of fish balls, two plates of spinach, two plates of cucumber slices, two plates of fried tofu, two plates of black fungus, two plates of vermicelli, two plates of mung bean noodles, two plates of chess piece pastries, and a large bowl of pear and silver ear fungus soup, which was a gift from the neighbor's wife.

Qi Xi, looking at the fish balls in front of his wife and the fried tofu in front of him, smiled widely: "I was just thinking about eating this, our eldest daughter is so filial and considerate... If I relied on these brats, I'd be starving..."

Shushu personally served a large fish head to Qi Xi: "It's my fault for being unfilial, making Father and Mother worry..."

Shushu had been in the palace for half a month, and she wasn't the only one who had lost weight.

Jueluo, originally robust, didn't show it much, but her round face had become more oval. Qi Xi, on the other hand, was visibly thinner, with sunken cheeks and dark circles under his eyes.

Qi Xi, looking at the fish head, thought that the young lady was already sixteen. Even if she were granted a favor to choose her own husband, it couldn't be delayed for long. He felt a lump in his throat and turned to his wife: "Maybe we should have our eldest daughter stay... I can't bear to let her go to another family..."

Jueluo glanced at her husband and didn't respond.

They had only one precious daughter, and the couple had considered the idea of keeping her, but after some inquiries, they gave up the thought.

Who from a proper family would agree to be a son-in-law? Those who would agree often came from families with flaws, and how could their character be guaranteed?

Why should a good girl, with a complete set of virtues and a capable family, settle for such a son-in-law?

Qi Xi sighed, and Jueluo, worried about the younger ones, instructed her eldest son Zhuliang and nephew Fusong: "Watch the younger ones eat the fish, don't let them get stuck with bones... Especially Xiao Liux, who never learns. He always gets his throat stuck with fish bones... Don't give him fish meat, just let him eat the fish balls..."

Shushu comforted Qi Xi: "Father, I'm not in a hurry to get married. I can wait until I'm twenty... I won't leave the Main Red Banner, so I can come back easily..."

Qi Xi had the same plan, not wanting his daughter to marry far away, and nodded repeatedly: "That's right, we won't let her marry far away..."

Zhuliang, hearing this, hesitated and looked at Shushu, wanting to say something.

Shushu directly passed him a chess piece pastry, and Zhuliang took it with both hands, wisely keeping quiet.

Xiao Liux, enjoying the fragrant fish balls, looked at Jueluo with a serious expression: "Mother, can I be a little Gege too? I don't want to study with the teacher, I want to learn about good food with Big Sister..."

In the Dong'e family, the eldest son Zhuliang is "Little Two," and the youngest son is "Little Six." Some might think they are ranked with their cousins, but in fact, they are ranked after their eldest sister Shushu.

Jueluo thought for a moment and shook her head at her youngest son: "No, who has a dark-skinned little Gege? That would be a problem. You should focus on your studies and make a living when you grow up..."

Xiao Liux's face crumpled: "But the Three-Character Classic is too hard..."

Shushu comforted him: "You're just starting, don't worry. Come over in the evenings, and I'll help you..."

Xiao Liux beamed: "Good, good, I'll come to see Big Sister every day..."

Qi Xi glanced at his youngest son disapprovingly, remembering something: "Don't bother your sister, focus on your studies... In a few days, I'll take you to the palace... The Emperor is selecting attendants for the Fifteenth Prince..."