Dressed as a farmer's widow, she brought her daughter to stock up on food and reached the top

Chapter 438 Cultivating Confidants

After Xiuying carefully explained a series of important matters to Wang Dali, she turned and walked towards the yard.

Before she entered the yard, Yang's mother saw her from afar and immediately ran over with anxious steps.

Mother Yang's face was filled with concern. Before she even arrived, her voice reached her: "Xiu'er, Taohua will be coming of age in a few days, and our row house has been smoothly repaired. But you, instead of worrying about such an important matter as Taohua's coming-of-age ceremony, are busy setting up some stoves in the back mountain and burning something. What on earth are you doing?"

Xiuying gently took Yang's mother's hand, patted it tenderly, and said, "Mother, don't worry. I've always been thinking about Taohua's coming-of-age ceremony. Look, our older servants are all experienced. They used to work in wealthy families and are familiar with all the rules and procedures. Leave the coming-of-age ceremony to them, and there will be no problems."

Xiuying paused for a moment and continued, "Besides, I've already carefully prepared the dress Taohua will wear for her coming-of-age ceremony. I picked it myself, and I guarantee she'll look stunning on that day."

"That's good, that's good." Mother Yang gently nudged Xiuying, pointed her finger in the direction of the main hall, and said distressedly, "Xiu'er, go eat quickly. There's still some food in the pot for you."

"This food has just been taken out of the pot and is hot. Dongmei is a very considerate child. She knows you are busy and doesn't want to disturb you. Look, she has heated up the food twice, just hoping that you can have a bite of the hot food as soon as possible." Mother Yang said naggingly.

Xiuying walked into the main room and saw Dongmei placing the freshly heated food on the table in an orderly manner. Even the white rice was still steaming.

"Madam, please eat quickly." Dongmei said softly with a gentle smile on her face.

"Hmm." Xiuying responded softly, looking at Dongmei with gentle eyes. After a moment's thought, she slowly said, "Dongmei, you've been here for a while now. I've seen how you've behaved during this time. You're meticulous and reliable. Taohua's coming-of-age banquet is in three days. I've thought about it and decided to entrust you with such an important matter. Please don't let me down."

Dongmei was so surprised by Xiuying's words that she was momentarily stunned. Her eyes widened and she stammered, "Ah? Me?" Uncertainty was evident in her eyes.

"What, you don't want to?" Xiuying held the bowl of rice steadily in her hand, picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, paused, and slowly raised her eyes to look at Dongmei.

"No, ma'am, I do!" Dongmei quickly came to her senses, waved her hands hastily, and said firmly, "Don't worry, I will definitely do it!"

She was both surprised and apprehensive. She hadn't expected the Madam to entrust her with such an important matter as the coming-of-age banquet. After all, in her impression, the Madam always valued Wang Daya and entrusted her with many important matters. But this time, she unexpectedly gained the Madam's trust.

Xiuying gently picked up a piece of greens with her chopsticks, slowly put it into her mouth, chewed it slowly for a few times, and then said slowly, "Dongmei, go ask the older women in the family to help you. For Taohua's coming-of-age banquet, whether it's the arrangement of dishes or the layout of our courtyard, you two should discuss it carefully. However, in the end, the decision still lies with you. After all, I believe in your ability, and you are always meticulous and thoughtful in your work."

Xiuying looked at Dongmei gently and continued, "Also, from now on, the arrangements for the Second and Third Young Miss' coming-of-age banquets will be handed over to you. This is not only a sign of trust in you, but also an opportunity for you to train. You will be able to shoulder heavier responsibilities in the mansion in the future."

"Madam, don't worry! I will do my best and will never let you down!" As soon as she finished speaking, she bowed respectfully and turned to walk towards the yard.

Xiuying looked at Dongmei's departing back and nodded with satisfaction. Wang Daya's ability to do things was indeed outstanding. In comparison, although Dongmei was slightly inferior in some aspects, she was meticulous and could manage trivial matters in an orderly manner.

Xiuying knew that cultivating talent was crucial to the family's long-term development. She had already made a calculation: if Taohua were to marry into the Chen family, the complex affairs within the family's vast estate would undoubtedly be complicated. Taohua would need to be surrounded by trustworthy and capable people to gain a firm foothold in the vast compound and navigate its complexities.

After all, the intrigues and social dynamics within the inner chambers are as dangerous as the ever-changing landscape of business. A single misstep could lead to irretrievable ruin.

And Dongmei, after careful training, is very likely to become Taohua's capable arm.

"Mom, we're back!"

Xiuying looked up and saw her daughters, including Lamei and Xiaolaoliu, walking briskly into the yard.

Lamei and Xiao Laoliu each held a bowl firmly in their hands, and the bowl was filled with the white frost they had found.

Lamei walked up to Xiuying with a smile, handed her the bowl, and said, "Mother, Cuihua asked Tian Guilan to get this frost. Look, this is all the frost they could find on the walls of their house."

Then, Xiao Laoliu also hurried forward and handed the bowl in his hand to Xiuying, saying excitedly: "Mom, there are these. This is the white frost I found at the old village chief's house."

Xiuying stared at the half bowl of white frost in her two daughters' hands and couldn't help but sigh secretly. This little bit was far from enough. It seemed that she had to find a way to get more.

"Oh, mother, Dafu and Dagui went to our bamboo mountain to dig bamboo shoots, but they ran into the formation set up by my second sister and got trapped inside and couldn't get out." When Lamei said this, the corners of her mouth rose slightly, and she was obviously quite proud of this.

Little Laoliu also hurriedly said, "Mom, I told Tian Guilan that the formation was set up by my second sister, and we have to wait for her to come back to break it. Humph, who asked them to steal our bamboo shoots? They should stay in the mountains for a longer time to learn a lesson!" Little Laoliu put his hands on his hips, with an angry look on his face.

Xiuying smiled dotingly, raised her index finger, and gently touched Little Six's cute nose, her eyes full of love. "Little Six, and Little Seven, I'll leave this matter to you two."

Little Six and Little Seven looked at each other and said in unison, "Got it, Mom. Don't worry! We'll get it done right!"