A mediocre person from a mediocre background

  On a winter afternoon, the sun lazily shines on the carved red lattice windows of the Wen Mansion, casting a soft and serene atmosphere.

  "Miss, Auntie Xu from next door is here!"

  Jiuer was sitting in front of a Huangli wood square table, embroidering a brocade carp picture. At this time, the door was pushed open and Qingtao led in a woman wearing a purple round-necked narrow-sleeved jacket with kind eyebrows and eyes.

  "Oh, Auntie, please come in!" Jiuniang hastily stood up to greet her.

  "Auntie, please sit down!" The young apricot who was sitting on the other side of the table and playing with a ball also put down what she was holding and brought over a stool.

  "Qing'an, bring that bowl of Laojun eyebrow tea that Mother rewarded you with the day before yesterday for Aunt to try!" Jiuniang ordered Qing'an.

  "It's better not to, miss!" But Auntie Xu quickly stopped her, "Since Third Madam has given it to you, it must be something good, so you'd better keep it and drink it yourself. I don't know how to appreciate it, besides...I couldn't sit still, that's why I came over to pass on a message for your aunt."

  "Oh, how's Auntie?" Jiuniang immediately asked.

  "Don't worry, miss. These past two days, Auntie has been sending over not only hot dishes from the kitchen, but also better-tasting ones than usual. And these two days, Auntie hasn't complained of feeling unwell again." Xu Ayi said with a smile.

  "Is that so? Then I can rest assured." Jiujie'er heard this and couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

  Money can make a ghost grind a mill; it seems this is true everywhere!

  Whether it was in the previous life's rapidly developing modern society or in today's deeply secluded courtyard of a noble family.

  She was originally an excellent teacher at a certain university in the 21st century, but in order to save a student who jumped off a building, she unexpectedly found herself transformed into the Ninth Young Lady of the Ningping Marquis Manor of the Wen family in Bianzhou City during the Da Yue Dynasty.

  Reborn once again, and it's as a rich young lady. Originally, this should be a very fortunate thing, but unfortunately, this rich young lady has that special identity - born out of wedlock!

  This is the ninth sister of Wen's family. The father of Wen Jiu Jie, Mr. Wen Chong Hu, was originally a concubine son, and Wen Jiu Jie was also a concubine daughter of this concubine-born old man.

  And her birth mother Xu Yiniang was a rough servant girl, once Wen Chonghu got drunk and pulled her onto the bed in a daze, afterwards there was this Wen Jiuniang, then she was dismissed.

  It can be imagined that Wen Jiu's sister is a very embarrassing existence in this Hou Fu, although from the highest power holder Li Lao Tai Jun to her biological mother San Furen Jiang Shi, no one has been harsh on her.

  But with such an identity, in this complex and intricate Houmen where four generations live together, it's not an exaggeration to say that her situation is no better than that of a humble maid.

  Since the autumn coolness, Mrs. Xü had been suffering from gastrointestinal disease. The doctor instructed that the food she ate must be hot, but unexpectedly this requirement could not be met, and the dishes sent from the kitchen were always cold.

  Sometimes the little girl next to Xu Yiniang would also use that small wind furnace for brewing tea and medicine to warm up, but that small thing couldn't be used for much, so Xu Yiniang mostly ate cold leftover rice for every meal, and her stomach problems persisted for a few months without getting better.

  She was worried that it would become a big problem in the long run, so she gathered all her own money and went to bribe the kitchen manager.

  What else can be done?

  Inside the grand mansion of a wealthy family, all sorts of darkness and unwritten rules... Of course, it's also the most realistic!

  "Miss, this is what your aunt asked me to bring over!" At that moment, Aunt Xu suddenly said, handing over a purse while speaking.

  "Ah..." Jiujie was taken aback.

  Auntie Xu had already opened the purse and found it filled with several tens of taels worth of official banknotes.

  "Where did this come from?" Jiujie's eyebrows were already deeply furrowed.

  "Auntie said..." Xu Ayi lowered her head, speaking in a low and ambiguous tone, not directly answering Jiu Si Er's question. "You're also grown up now, you should buy some jewelry and makeup, how can you not have some personal belongings? And she stays indoors all day, doesn't need to go out, so..."

  "So let Auntie pawn that three-winged swallow hairpin of hers, shall we?" Jiu Xiaoyu interjected in a serious tone.

  Auntie Xu didn't say anything, she just nodded.

  "Auntie, take this money back and go redeem that hairpin tomorrow!"

  "But...young lady..."

  The ninth sister ignored her and took action, putting all the official tickets into the lotus bag, then stuffed the bag back to her.

  "Girl..." Xu Aunt couldn't help but choke with emotion, "Your mother gave birth to you, she was blessed."

  Jiuer's bright eyes also welled up with tears.

  This Aunt Xü, although weak and incompetent, of low status, is however the best person to her in this different world.

  During the Spring Festival, sometimes the old lady would reward her with some snacks and whatnot, but she couldn't bear to eat them, wanting to save them for her.

  Every time she goes to see her, she can't sit for a while and keeps urging her to leave. But when she really leaves, she always leans against the door frame, staring blankly until she can't see her anymore.

  Loving her daughter, yet fearing that her daughter would be at odds with her and her stepmother due to herself, this conflicting emotion is also the deepest interpretation of motherly love.

  Every time she faces her, it always makes her think of her mother who is separated from her by space and time, wondering if she is still safe and sound...

  ……

  "Miss, on my way back just now, I met Seventh Sister. She's gone to Third Sister's Lotus Pavilion again."

  After sitting for a while, Aunt Xü left and Qingtao went to see her off. She also took the opportunity to go to the sewing room to get some threads, but as soon as she came back, this little girl eagerly ran to Jiusi's side.

  "Oh, is that so?" Wenjiu sister just smiled and pursed her lips, "What's the big deal? Seventh sister and third sister have always been close, now that third sister is getting married soon, it's natural for them to visit each other often."

  "Is it good?" Qing Tao listened and slightly curled her lip in disdain, muttering softly, "Not at all..."

  "What's going on? You know again?"

  The ancient boudoir life, seemingly leisurely and comfortable, is actually boring and tedious, especially for Jin Chun, a modern person who stays at home every day, doing needlework and embroidery, which is really suffocating.

  These two little maids by her side, one with a gentle and reserved demeanor like a green apricot, the other lively and playful like a green peach, yet both equally loyal and devoted, accompanying her day after day, just like a splash of color in this dull life, bringing her much comfort and joy.

  Looking at this little girl's appearance, she couldn't help but want to tease her...

  "I'm not the only one who knows, many people in the mansion have seen it with their own eyes. This Seventh Young Lady is clearly favored by both the Madame and Old Lady, and now she's even talking about a good marriage, climbing up the social ladder..."

  The little girl couldn't help but giggle and looked at me with a smile, without any hint of resentment, and immediately spilled everything out like a burst bean.

  "You'd better shut up, or no one will take you seriously and sell you out!" It wasn't until Qing Xiang scolded her with a stern face that she finally stopped talking.

  Wen Jiu saw her sister, but just smiled.

  Wen Qiemei was one year older than her, thirteen years old this year, beautiful and clever, but unfortunately, her status was the same as hers - a concubine's daughter.

  Madam Li had four sons: Wen Chongjiang, the eldest, and Wen Chonghe, the second, were born to her husband's first wife, while Wen Chonghu and Wen Chonghai, the third and fourth sons, were born to a concubine.

  This Seventh Sister is actually the daughter of Wen Chonghai, the Fourth Master, and also a concubine's daughter. Her mother used to be the senior maid beside the Fourth Master.

  As the lowest-ranking member of this noble family, without any external help, in order to stand firm and not be eliminated, it is necessary to humble oneself, try to please others and curry favor. It's understandable.

  After all, being young and inexperienced, it's inevitable to be a bit reckless and impulsive, bringing trouble to others...

  "Miss, Third Miss's wedding is approaching soon. What do you think we should fill in the dowry chests?" At this time, the green apricot suddenly came up with a sentence.

  This remark made Wenjiu's little face suddenly darken, and the annoying topic came...

  She didn't take the pawn ticket for the hairpin from her aunt, not because she had money, but because that thing was the most precious thing of this poor woman, how could she take it.

  After today's incident, the old wooden box at the bottom of her cabinet was completely empty.

  She had never missed those two periods as much as she did at this moment, but unfortunately there were still many days before her next period.

  She has always been frugal, and when her sisters asked her out, she would not join in, fearing they would return the favor; even things like jewelry and cosmetics were all allocated by the household, never purchased outside, yet her finances remained tight.

  There's no way around it, living in this vast Hou Mansion requires some greasing of the wheels. If there are weddings or birthdays and whatnot, expenses will be incurred as well.

  "Girl, or else..." Looking at his own daughter's furrowed brow and slender figure, Qing Tao couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. After thinking for a moment, he stammered, "Or else... we'll just leave everything blank, anyway... Third Miss doesn't lack anything, don't look at me like that, I'm telling the truth... That day, Qing Ye told me she went to deliver something to Third Miss on behalf of Old Lady Dai. Third Miss was delighted and casually rewarded her with half a silver ingot. Isn't it what you always say, Miss? 'Adding flowers to brocade is easy, but sending charcoal in snowy weather is hard'?"

  "Pfft——" Just because of her out-of-tune words, the green apple that was staring at her was amused, "What are you talking nonsense? What's with painting flowers and delivering firewood, can't you say something like adding flowers to brocade or sending charcoal in snowy weather?"

  "Flattering me, aren't you......" Qing Tao's face turned red with embarrassment from Qing Xing's teasing, and he scratched his head, but still stubbornly said, "Actually... actually it's about the same, hehe, miss, don't you think?"

  Wen Jiu's sister couldn't help but laugh with her head thrown back and forth, but after laughing, she let out a silent sigh.

  Although they were both young ladies from a noble family, their circumstances were worlds apart ——

  Not to mention the eldest daughter of the Marquis's family, Wen San Jie, who is her own sister and the biological daughter of Madam San, which one is like herself, calculating every day?

  No one else, no one helped him but himself.

  In fact, she had no one to rely on, and when necessary, she still had to take care of her own mother, just like today...

  "...whether others are short of it or not is one thing, as sisters, this dowry for marriage is a must, otherwise it's impolite. You're the eldest daughter after all, how can you not even understand this basic etiquette..." On the other side, Qing Xiang was scolding Qing Tao for her previous reckless and thoughtless words.

  Wen Jiu's sister heard this and felt even more anxious and depressed.

  In her past life, she had always been living an independent and self-sufficient life, working as a teacher with a stable job while also running a small craft shop on the side, earning a decent income, and enjoying a fulfilling life.

  It just so happened that a kind rescue mission brought him here, and he ended up living a parasitic life dependent on others.

  As for fate, she really can't help but resent it...

  "Girls, why don't we learn from other families' girls and embroider things to sell..." Seeing Wen Jiu's unpleasant expression, Qing Xiang couldn't bear to scold Qing Tao anymore, and after thinking hard for a while, she started to come up with a plan.

  "No way!" But before she could finish, Wenjiu had already categorically refused, "You know the old lady's temper, if it really reaches her ears, we're done for."

  Qing Xiang was stunned and didn't say another word.

  The ninth sister also fell silent.

  In this luxurious mansion, there are many people with different mouths and unpredictable hearts. Once you make a wrong move and violate the rules, the consequences will be unbearable.

  She can only try her best to be careful and cautious, doing well in being a low-key and unobtrusive person, so that she can live a more peaceful and down-to-earth life...

  The house suddenly fell silent, with only the autumn wind blowing gently through the gap in the window and stirring the curtains.

  "Oh dear, Sister Cuiqiao, what's that you're holding? Come on, come on... let me help you!" Just then, the little maid guarding the gate outside suddenly spoke up.

  Several people in the house couldn't help but lift their heads and look outside.

  "It's nothing much. Eldest Aunt has arrived with some candles, and Third Aunt asked me to send a few packages over to the young lady." A crisp voice replied.

  "Candle......" Wen Jiu's sister heard this and couldn't help but brighten up in front of her eyes, having an idea...

  ……

  Digression

  Friends,