Caring for the Future Emperor

Madam Xu gave her instructions, and Nanny Sun respectfully assented. After Madam Xu finished speaking, Nanny Sun suggested, "The fabrics in storage that Madam just mentioned, though all of superior quality, if Madam says their patterns are now outdated, they will surely seem even more so next year. It would be better to take them out and have them made into clothes for the senior maidservants in the masters' chambers and the male servants attending the young masters. Otherwise, if kept indefinitely, they might grow moldy, and then they would be unusable."

The proverb says, "First look at the clothes, then look at the person." If the senior maidservants and male servants are neatly dressed, outsiders will view their masters more favorably.

Madam Xu pondered for a moment, found it reasonable, and nodded in agreement.

At this moment, Xue Qing Ning suddenly remembered something. She put down the white porcelain spoon in her hand and said to Madam Xu, "Mother, for that Young Master Lin, please also have two sets of winter clothes made for him."

Hearing this, Madam Xu turned to look at her in surprise.

This was not the first time. Whenever allowances were distributed to the young masters in the estate, Xue Qing Ning would always remind her not to forget Young Master Lin. But in truth, Madam Xu felt she had no need to concern herself with Young Master Lin; after all, he was merely the younger brother of a concubine from the Third Branch. For a concubine's younger brother to reside within the estate was already unprecedented, but who could blame her paternal uncle for doting so excessively on that concubine? He treated her every word as an imperial edict, following her every whim. Madam Xu's sister-in-law, fearing her husband, allowed such a situation to unfold.

Now, Xue Qing Ning evidently treated Young Master Lin differently as well. That Young Master Lin indeed possessed a handsome countenance...

Madam Xu couldn't help but worry, her gaze subtly appraising Xue Qing Ning. Her expression was very proper, devoid of any maidenly shyness, indicating that when she spoke these words, there was no ulterior motive in her heart. Moreover, she was only eight years old; what could she possibly know?

Madam Xu felt relieved, yet couldn't help but feel curious, so she asked, "Why do you always remember that Young Master Lin, never forgetting to remind me about his share?"

Xue Qing Ning thought to herself, *How could I not remember him? Lin Xing Cheng is the male lead in this book; he will become emperor later.* She recalled that in the original work, their First Branch and Lin Xing Cheng initially had some animosity, but because Lin Xing Cheng doted excessively on her cousin, Xue Qing Quan, and felt guilty towards Xue Qing Quan, he ultimately did not hold it against their First Branch. On the contrary, he allowed their First Branch, along with Xue Qing Quan, to benefit from the saying "when one person attains enlightenment, the whole family benefits," rising in official ranks.

But even knowing that their First Branch would ultimately have a good outcome, treating this future emperor well now certainly wouldn't be wrong.