Lady Zhang instructed to let Yan Daopo in. The young maid went out, and after a while, led Yan Daopo in. Yan Daopo entered, shook her dust whisk, and with a full smile, saluted Lady Zhang to greet her.
"Greetings to Madam. Madam looks even better today!"
"No need for so many courtesies, quickly co and sit to talk." Lady Zhang, who liked to hear flattering words as everyone does, smiled and beckoned Yan Daopo, "Doesn’t the temple have rituals? How co you have ti to co to today?"
Yan Daopo, smiling, walked up to Lady Zhang, offering a basket she held. Inside the basket were two packages of exquisite pastries.
"The rituals are done, and I thought of you, Madam. You are always the most reverent and sincere towards the gods and Buddha, the greatest benefactor to our temple. These offerings have celestial aura and blessings. I specially chose the best to bring them for you to taste." Yan Daopo said with a smile.
"How can I eat what a monastic prepares? Where do these co from?" Lady Zhang laughed.
"These are not my own; these have celestial aura and blessings, sothing you deserve, Madam." Yan Daopo quickly added with a smile, "Rest assured, these are very clean."
"You are thoughtful, I will accept them." Seeing Yan Daopo’s insistence, Lady Zhang nodded and called for the young maid to take the basket.
Seeing Lady Zhang accept the pastries, Yan Daopo then sat down on the chair beside her.
"What about the young lady?" Yan Daopo asked, glancing around after she sat, "Why is she not with Madam, is she in her own room?"
"She is not at ho." Lady Zhang replied, "She went to the Shen Family. Ninth Miss Shen has a cold these days, they are on good terms, so she went to visit today."
"Oh." Yan Daopo voiced, then smiled, "I dare not speak in front of the young lady, afraid she will scold for being slick-tongued. But now that she isn’t here, I have the boldness to say this. Of all the young girls of the Prefecture City of her age, none compare in looks, speech, or manners.... truly... she stands out in a crowd..."
Saying this, Yan Daopo raised her thumb while gauging Lady Zhang’s expression.
Lady Zhang felt happier hearing soone praise her children than when they complinted herself. Even so, she remained modest in her words.
"She is just a young girl, not worthy of such praise. My daughter, her character and temperant are indeed comndable." Though she said not to praise, Lady Zhang couldn’t help but comnd her daughter.
"Such a smart and elegant girl, I wonder which family will be blessed to marry her." Yan Daopo looked at Lady Zhang and continued to smile.
Lady Zhang smiled but did not respond to Yan Daopo’s comnt.
"Madam, I have a good marriage proposal to ntion for the young lady, perhaps you would like to hear it?" Yan Daopo leaned forward, looking at Lady Zhang, smiling again.
The verbal engagent between the Shen and Lian families was already well-known in the Prefecture City. People like Yan Daopo, who could enter any inner chamber and were particularly well-inford, certainly knew about it.
"Thank you for your efforts." Lady Zhang said. Since she had already agreed to Shen Liu’s proposal, and both families were satisfied with the arrangent, she naturally would not take note of any proposals from Yan Daopo. "There’s no need to trouble yourself anymore. Manman’s marriage is almost settled."
"You should have also heard so rumors, right?" After finishing, Lady Zhang asked Yan Daopo.
Yan Daopo chuckled.
"Oh dear, then I must congratulate Madam. So, the rumors are true!" Yan Daopo got up and saluted Lady Zhang, "This is truly a match made in heaven. Sixth Master has good insight. Our young lady is greatly fortunate. Madam yourself must have accumulated blessings for your children!"
"Just keep this to yourself, and don’t go shouting about it. Sixth Master’s family is not like ours; they are connected to the heavens. It has to be confird when they return from the Capital City." Lady Zhang instructed Yan Daopo.
"Rest assured, Madam, I have the insight; I understand these intricacies very well." Yan Daopo nodded hastily.
"Madam’s family has so many good things happening, no wonder Madam looks better every day." Yan Daopo glanced at the maid standing in the room and then turned to Lady Zhang, "But I see that amidst Madam’s joy, there seems to be a tiny bit of..."
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