Chapter 307: Chapter 134 What, You Want to Climb into Grandpa Chen’s Bed (10,000 Words for Subscription)_4 Chapter 307: Chapter 134 What, You Want to Climb into Grandpa Chen’s Bed (10,000 Words for Subscription)_4 Su Yunjin glanced at the menu and couldn’t help but feel heartache. Two taels a day equates to sixty taels a month and over 700 taels of silver a year. This was simply too expensive.
Actually, Chen Jie knew it was not expensive.
Because the Chen Residence provided meals, this table of twelve dishes seemingly served only for their family of four, including Xiao Hu.
In reality, there were also four maidservants, four servants, house slaves, and the guards of the Chen family.
Out of these twelve dishes, there were six meat dishes, which the family could feast on without restraint.
But they definitely could not finish all of that, and the rest would be shared among the maidservants, servants, and others, with each perhaps only getting a small piece of meat and a few vegetarian dishes.
That is to say, when Chen Jie’s family ate, they determined the day’s meals for the entire household, maidservants, and servants, dozens of people.
Had it been like before, with just one dish, these maidservants and servants would just have to stare longingly.
Once these points were explained to her, Su Yunjin was no longer troubled.
Although she had been accustomed to frugality, she also knew that she now was the Lady of the house and had to have a “big picture” mindset.
Ruirui was thoroughly enjoying himself by this time, wolfing down his food with relish. He snatched up a large meatball with his chopsticks and devoured it eagerly, with soup splashing everywhere.
“Mmm, this is so delicious.”
Ruirui spoke excitedly and then pointed at a roast chicken on the table, “Sister, I want the chicken leg.”
Hearing this, Su Yunjin stood up and first looked towards Chen Jie, inquiring if he would like it, as one must always prioritize the head of the family.
Chen Jie shook his head, then glanced at Xiao Hu.
Xiao Hu also shook his head.
Only then did Su Yunjin tear off a chicken leg and placed it in Ruirui’s bowl.
Su Yunjin sat down, then suddenly noticed Yin Hongmei. The poor young girl was sincere and pitiable in her heart.
Other maids were sixteen or seventeen, but she was only twelve, skinny and small, and having been treated harshly for a long time, her complexion was somewhat jaundiced.
Su Yunjin stood up and said, “Hong Mei, come and eat!”
Yin Hongmei shook her head; as a personal maidservant tasked with serving the family’s meals and adding soup, she could not presume to sit at the table. That would be overstepping her bounds.
Su Yunjin knew that this girl had her own principles and sighed, looking at Chen Jie.
Chen Jie spoke, “You are the Lady of the house. You can make decisions regarding the household affairs.”
He then continued to eat. Today’s stir-fried prawns were well made; the chief cook was skilled.
Su Yunjin then got up again, tore off the other chicken leg and handed it to Yin Hongmei, saying, “Eat.”
“Madam, I will not eat.”
Su Yunjin looked at her and said, “You tough girl, don’t compete with me here, remember, though you call me madam, you can consider me a sister.”
With that, she stuffed the chicken leg into Yin Hongmei’s hand.
Yin Hongmei looked at the chicken leg without saying a word. For origınal chapters go to novelꜰire.net
“Eat,” Su Yunjin said.
Yin Hongmei lowered her head and said, “I will eat it later when I go back.”
“Alright then,” replied Su Yunjin. She knew it was no use to force the girl.
By this time, Ruirui, while eating his chicken leg, said, “Sister Hong Mei, chicken legs are so delicious. Why aren’t you eating?”
Yin Hongmei replied, “I will eat it slowly later.”
She then wrapped it up in a cloth.
Su Yunjin did not persist and simply continued with her meal.
After having her fill, Chen Jie left the table, and Su Yunjin took Ruirui and left. At this time the maidservants and servants began to clean up the table.
The leftovers from today’s table would be their dinner.
The maidservants and servants of the Inner Hall ate what the family left behind, rich in oils and flavors. However, the yard workers outside did not enjoy such treatment, receiving mostly the remnants from the kitchen with scarcely any meat dishes.
Large households did not have the custom of making separate meals for the maidservants and servants.
But Su Yunjin, with her kind heart, knowing that the leftovers would be the evening meal for the servants, deliberately ate more vegetarian dishes and left more meat to ensure the maidservants could also have a taste of meat, for they were all people living hard lives.
Chen Jie, unbothered by the affairs of the inner court, now brought Xiao Hu to the backyard and then asked him what he learned from Uncle Fu.
“I’ve learned the Five Tigers Breaking Door Saber,” replied Xiao Hu.
Chen Jie nodded and then spoke, “Hu Zi, for Weapons Mastery, the Five Tigers Breaking Door Saber is sufficient. Today, I’ll teach you a Hand Technique.”
“Water Manipulation Palm!” Chen Jie said slowly, deeming the Water Manipulation Palm—a Cultivation Technique of Energy Transformation Martial Arts—suitable for Xiao Hu at the moment.
Xiao Hu was utterly loyal to him, so as a confidant being groomed, how could he not impart some quality Cultivation Techniques?
Chen Jie initially wanted to teach the Stone Breaking Hand, a Martial Art much more powerful in attack than the Water Manipulation Palm. With the Seventeen Dragon Capturing Palms in his arsenal, the Stone Breaking Hand was no longer a secret culmination of his teaching, thus it could be taught, but the significance of this technique differed.
It couldn’t be passed on.
Because according to rules, only the successor of the White Tiger Hall could learn the Stone Breaking Hand.
Therefore, Chen Jie could only impart the Water Manipulation Palm to Xiao Hu.
The Water Manipulation Palm consisted of twenty-four forms which Chen Jie taught to Xiao Hu without reservation. Xiao Hu learned quickly as his natural talent in Martial Arts was greater than Chen Jie’s.
Of course, Chen Jie’s strength did not lie in his natural talent for Martial Arts.
And so, Chen Jie continued to instruct Xiao Hu in the Water Manipulation Palm, while inside the house, Su Yunjin was teaching Su Yunrui how to write.
The little one had spent the day indulging in play, and upon returning home, it was natural to make up for the day’s missed lessons.
Yin Hongmei, as a personal maid, accompanied them throughout.
After teaching Su Yunrui for a while, Su Yunjin saw Yin Hongmei watching and said, “Hong Mei, do you know how to read and write?”
Yin Hongmei shook her head.
Su Yunjin thought for a moment and said, “Come sit down, I’ll teach you.”
Su Yunjin smiled, had Yin Hongmei sit down, and then said, “From today onwards, you’ll join Ruirui in learning to read and write with me.”