Chapter 322: Chapter 322: The Task for the Aunt
Men have it good with beautiful women, especially men of ancient times, who could raise one concubine after another without a hint of guilt, focusing solely on their own pleasure.
Just like the men of the Song Family.
Song Ci snorted, those damn men.
Concubine Mei and Concubine Shui heard the snort and trembled with fear, almost kneeling down.
"Madam, on this Mid-Autumn Festival, your humble servant made a pair of soft shoes for you, wishing you good health," Concubine Mei said, taking a pair of shoes from the maid behind her and offering them with both hands.
Song Ci raised an eyebrow, shoes for her?
How sensible.
She looked at Nanny Gong, who came forward to take the shoes from Concubine Mei and placed them in front of Song Ci.
Song Ci took them and examined them closely; they were embroidered shoes for home use, soft, made with silk, and adorned with patterns of the character for "fortune," very delicately made.
One shouldn’t hit a smiling face; Song Ci looked at Concubine Mei and said warmly, "Well done, you put a lot of thought into this."
Concubine Mei’s heart was filled with joy, and she said somewhat excitedly, "Your humble servant thinks of you daily, Madam, and has not much to offer. I thought you should be comfortable at home, so I made these shoes, hoping you wouldn’t mind."
This flattery and bootlicking almost made Song Ci shiver, she smirked and said, "You’re thoughtful."
Concubine Mei was a bit shy and said, "Just a pair of shoes, it’s not worth mentioning."
Seeing this, Concubine Shui also gracefully stepped forward and raised a headband, saying, "Madam, your humble servant also made you a headband, wishing you long life and happiness."
Nanny Gong took it again, glanced over it, and noted the fine stitching and excellent embroidery.
At the sight of the headband, Song Ci felt like crying.
Headbands, especially those in deep-colored fabric and brocade, only reminded her of her old age, alas.
"You did well too," Song Ci praised.
Concubine Shui breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, "I don’t know what Madam likes, if you instruct me, I will certainly make it for you."
"These things, the maids and women usually do them, you should keep your hands delicate, so the Old Master won’t look at them unfavorably," Song Ci said.
The two women’s faces stiffened, a bit at a loss.
"I’m a blunt old woman, and I speak straightforwardly, I won’t beat around the bush with you," Song Ci looked at the two and said, "I don’t like concubines serving at my side, so I never call for you. It’s not because I have a problem with you; it’s that I don’t want to. Your role is to serve the Old Master well."
"Serving men requires skill too, it isn’t just about going along with everything. While being delicate flowers, you also need to be understanding flowers; you need to be sensible and reasonable, not let him act recklessly. Especially for you as concubines, you’re young now, but what about when you’re old and lose your looks? You have no children, and if the man tires of you and takes in new ones, what will you do?"
Their faces turned pale, clutching their handkerchiefs tightly.
"So as concubines, you must be skillful ones. Keeping the man by your side is a skill; making yourself his last woman is even more so, don’t you think?"
Concubine Mei and the others were dumbfounded.
It sounded as if Madam was trying to hand over the Old Master to them.
"Hold your ground, fight together, keep the Old Master tightly by your side, don’t let those flashy vixens outside seduce him, prevent him from causing trouble outside, and that’s the task I’m giving you," Song Ci said, looking at them, "In this way, even if you have no children by your side, the Song Family will take care of you till old age, with no worries about food or drink. This is my promise to you!"