Chapter 169: Life in the Boudoir
The whole family was adapting to their new life.
Jiang Mianmian adapted especially quickly.
She moved into her own boudoir. Next to the bedroom, there was a small side room, which normally would have a maid on duty to attend to the young miss if she needed anything in the middle of the night.
Aunt Yin said that a young lady from a powerful and noble family would normally have at least eight people serving her.
Two personal senior maids, two room maids, two rough-work maids, one wet nurse, and one elderly woman.
The personal senior maids were equivalent to modern private butlers.
One was responsible for daily life, the four treasures of the study, as well as needlework, spices, clothing, antiques, and calligraphy/paintings; in short, she handled the higher-end items. Another was responsible for managing finances, and yet another for personnel, managing the maids below them.
Specific tasks like tea and meals, which required close attendance, were handled by the lower-level maids.
Other tasks like tending to flowers and plants, decorations, and cleaning were done by the rough-work maids, as they didn’t need to be in close attendance.
If they were to go out, noble young ladies would also be provided with female bodyguards.
All-around senior maids were not just private butlers; they also doubled as female bodyguards.
For example, Aunt Yao, who was by Old Madam Jiang’s side, was this type. Aunt Yao had great martial arts skills and also managed all the big and small matters and maids around Old Madam Jiang.
There were also maids in the room specifically responsible for combing hair, specifically for blending spices, and so on.
As long as you could think of it, no number of people would ever be enough.
Therefore, it was understandable that someone like a princess would have dozens of people serving her.
Extrapolating from this, a male master with a wife, many concubines, and many children would have a house full of servants. So, the hundred-plus servants sent by Official He were not many at all.
It wasn’t an exaggeration.
It was the basic equipment for a normal powerful and noble family.
Of course, Qin Luoxia was not overwhelmed by this sudden explosion of wealth.
Take it slow.
She wasn’t used to managing people yet. Having so many maids and manservants all of a sudden didn’t seem right, and she would have to adjust to them everywhere; she might even get manipulated.
Although Great-Aunt said, “If you don’t like them, just sell them,” weren’t there still many messy and horrifying things in big families? Her husband was like this; even in the Jiang Family, he hadn’t lived well, and he had plenty of maids and manservants around him.
So, Qin Luoxia only gave her little daughter one chubby maid, Pang Ya, who looked strong, could work, and didn’t have too many schemes.
Great-Aunt would probably take care of the rest.
She also chose two plain-looking ones for Sister Yu.
After all, Sister Yu was already married and had more things to deal with.
Even with these two plain-looking ones, Qin Luoxia still had to worry more. She felt that Sister Yu’s schemes weren’t as good as the little one’s.
It would be good to first train the two maids who looked a bit clumsy.
Take it slow, no need to rush.
She chose two people for herself as well, an elderly woman and a maid, who looked capable.
As for her husband, she chose a literate manservant.
For Feng Ge’er, she also chose two manservants, no maids.
She chose a bunch of little maids for Great-Aunt, letting Great-Aunt teach them slowly.
Besides the maids, Official He had also prepared a great many other things.
In Jiang Mianmian’s view, she could basically move in with just her bags.
Everything regarding clothing, food, housing, and transportation had been prepared.
Clothing: A lot of fabric was sent, along with embroiderers and tailors, so they could start making clothes immediately after measuring.
Food: The kitchen seasonings, as well as coarse grains, fine grains, vegetables, meat, and eggs were all prepared. Not only was food for humans prepared, but plenty of forage and beans for livestock were also ready. Cooks, kitchen maids, and kitchen staff were all fully equipped.
Housing: Every room had been cleaned, and the beds and the four-piece bedding sets all looked new. They could sleep immediately.
Transportation: Carriages were provided.
In accordance with the Official Rank of a Commander, they were provided with carriages, as well as the horses to pull them, and mules, which were more docile.
So, regarding transportation, there had to be at least two employees: one driver and one person to maintain the “engine” (the person feeding the horses and mules). If the family had many members—some wanting to go shopping, some wanting to attend gatherings, some wanting to go to work—one driver (to drive the carriage) was not enough; there had to be at least two.
Anyway, in ancient times, to have a superior, high-class, and comfortable living condition, one had to have many people serving.
Calculating it this way, the house was full of people, but it really wasn’t many.
Little classmate Jiang Mianmian was working hard to adapt to a life of power and wealth at home.
Jiang Changtian took his son and son-in-law to the government office to take up their posts, also adapting to a life of power and wealth.
Jiang Changtian adapted even faster.
He looked exactly like a second-generation heir from the capital coming down to gain experience; he didn’t look like a Rebel at all.
His robes were elegant, his long hair fluttered, and even his speech was ethereal.
Who had been spreading rumors yesterday that the new Commander Jiang was super fierce? This must be a distortion of the truth. How could such a beautiful young master be fierce?
Could it be that Xiao Fengxian had seen Commander Jiang’s beauty, felt ashamed of her own, and died of shame?
And so, a new version of the rumor truly emerged.
The newly appointed Commander Jiang was so beautiful that upon seeing him, Xiao Fengxian was stunned, felt ashamed of her own appearance, and committed suicide…
Of the two legends, the latter was spread more, and everyone believed it more because it had a twist and a sensational part. Xiao Fengxian was beautiful enough; she was the kind of Xiao Fengxian who could ruin a family. To be able to make Xiao Fengxian feel ashamed and commit suicide—what kind of beautiful man must that be?
When Official He went back to report to his superior, he was asked about this gossip: “Is that Commander Jiang really more beautiful than Xiao Fengxian?”
Official He nodded, at a loss for words.
No, although Lord Sima was more beautiful than Xiao Fengxian, Xiao Fengxian was indeed killed by Lord Sima’s people, not suicide.
But the leader was no longer listening and had already let his imagination run wild.
Official He couldn’t very well drag him back to explain.
“Is Commander Jiang satisfied with our arrangements?”
Official He nodded slowly.
His job was to make people satisfied. If they weren’t satisfied, it meant his work was not up to par.
“Invite Commander Jiang to all the upcoming banquets and activities. Make sure to let Lord Sima feel the hospitality of our Prefecture City’s officialdom.”
Official He nodded obediently.
“And tonight’s welcome banquet?”
“Go, make sure everyone goes. Everyone must show respect, and also take a good look at this legendary Commander Jiang who is more beautiful than Xiao Fengxian.”
Several people in the government office laughed.
Official He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but closed it again. Forget it, you will know when you see him yourselves.
Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once.
Tonight, Father was out socializing and didn’t come home for dinner.
Big Brother and Brother-in-law were also out socializing and didn’t come home for dinner.
Dinner was made by the cook.
Perhaps he was putting in all his effort to impress his masters, so he made it very sumptuous.
Jiang Yu was very expectant, not even caring about the Big Brother, husband, and Father who hadn’t come home.
She circled the table several times.
She was glanced at several times by Great-Aunt.
It wasn’t until Mother went back to the room and brought out a whip to check its sturdiness that Sister Yu stopped her strange behavior of circling and wiping drool.
As a result, when she ate, Jiang Yu was a bit dazed and greatly disappointed.
She ate it all up solely out of respect for the food; it was all fine grains and various seasonings, which were rare things.
She was a bit confused. Was the food in the Prefecture City this bad? That couldn’t be.
Could it be that they looked down on their family for being from the countryside, so they deliberately caused trouble and gave them a cook who couldn’t cook?
Sure enough, Great-Aunt said that the outside world was very dangerous and the schemes were too deep. If it weren’t for her good sense of taste, she would have almost been fooled.
Jiang Mianmian was used to the food made by Sister and Mother, so she was a bit picky. The food made by the people here was indeed a bit indescribable, though the plating was quite good.
Qin Luoxia didn’t say anything.
Aunt Yin also ate silently, eating very little.
In any case, there was quite a bit left over, which was very wasteful and didn’t fit their family’s consistent style.
Aunt Yin said: “Bestow these leftovers to the people in the Song and Dance Troupe.”
Jiang Mianmian had asked for those nine people, collectively referred to as the Song and Dance Troupe.
Qin Luoxia nodded, that was fine too.
Jiang Mianmian felt a tiny bit strange in her heart. Sure enough, not eating leftovers and bestowing them to others was a “favor.”
It seemed she had read about this kind of plot before.
Seeing the little girl’s surprised expression, Aunt Yin gently touched her head and said: “For those in power to bestow food is a form of intimacy. Although our conditions are better now, if you go to the market, there are still people renting bones to take home to boil. A large bone can be rented several times.” (Note 1)
Jiang Mianmian’s mouth opened slightly.
Those who rented bones to take home—to get the maximum value for their money, would they lick the bones?
She was grateful to her parents for being hardworking and enterprising.
No need to rent bones to take home to boil, otherwise, just thinking about it…
They bestowed the leftovers and received the tearful gratitude of the members of the Song and Dance Troupe.
Jiang Mianmian felt that except for the youngest girl who seemed genuinely grateful, everyone else was just thanking them as a routine. There was a tiny bit of gratitude, but not much.
Sure enough, the kind of thing where bestowing a meal of leftovers gains loyalty didn’t exist; it was anti-human nature.
At night, Jiang Mianmian lay in bed, recalling the day.
She had met more people today than in the past few years combined.
It was busy and bustling until dark, and she inexplicably felt a sense of being integrated into this society.
After saying goodnight to the Ant by her bedside, Jiang Mianmian fell asleep.
Before falling asleep, she thought that the new fabric in ancient times shouldn’t have formaldehyde; it didn’t even have a smell, which was quite good.
In the haze of sleep, she felt Father and Mother come over. Father kissed her, and then they left.
She slept soundly.
She let out small snores.
In late autumn, on the young lady’s big bed, covered by thick, tightly drawn curtains.
In the outer room, a chubby maid slept a bit restlessly, always feeling like an elderly woman was staring at her, and there seemed to be too many Ants on the floor in the room; she had to get up early tomorrow to clean.
(Note 1: The statement about renting bones comes from page 317 of The History of Food in England. In the Victorian era, to show their status, the wealthy would prepare a lot of food for every meal but wouldn’t eat it. This became a benefit for the cooks and servants. They would collect the leftovers to sell at the market. At the same time, there were vendors at the market who rented out bones by the hour for making soup. I found this content amazing when I first saw it, so I expressed it in Great-Aunt’s language. If you are interested, you can check out this book; it is very interesting.)
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