Chapter 283: Backyard Dispute (13)
The Emperor, upon hearing the news, was both excited and concerned.
Excited because the other party was of a noble family and might be persuaded to join his court, but concerned because at such a young age, the individual was unruly and defiant, not easily subdued.
Once a Great Grandmaster decided to do sothing… there was no stopping them.
“Your Majesty needn’t worry too much. Perhaps we can think of sothing else. That girl is not so inflexible; she still has a mother…”
The little old man whispered so words into the Emperor’s ear.
The following day, Su Li was reluctant to wake up from bed, still not fully awake from the ruckus they caused the night before. After getting back into bed, it had taken a long while before falling asleep again amidst the tossing and turning.
Early in the morning, Gai Yinyin was bubbling with enthusiasm in the kitchen, experinting with new types of breakfast treats.
Recently, Su Li had a whole box of books collected for her, and it seed that so of these books included manuscripts and notes related to culinary arts.
Su Li closed her eyes and took a deep sniff with her nose, a tantalizing aroma lingering persistently.
Outside the door, Gai Yinyin carried a plate of delicately beautiful cakes, knocking at the door.
“Get up quickly and try the delicious food I made.”
Gai Yinyin only knocked symbolically a couple of tis before pushing the door open and entering.
This place had always been their private space for mother and daughter; things were pretty casual on a daily basis.
Su Li begrudgingly opened her eyes and pinched a small, rabbit-shaped ice cream, placing it in her mouth.
Now her mother was acting more and more like a child. If things didn’t go her way, she would nag like Tang Seng reciting scriptures, in a gentle, persistent manner.
It was enough to wear down anyone’s temper.
The ice cream lted in her mouth, the soft and sticky texture made Su Li’s eyes narrow with pleasure.
“Tasty.”
Gai Yinyin lifted her chin slightly with a small sense of pride, “I knew it. Back in my boudoir, my needlework and culinary skills were quite good. Even the female teacher who ca to instruct in the mansion praised as being gifted.”
“Mmm, mmm, it’s very tasty.” Su Li, not bothering to wash up, pinched another small piece and started eating.
While Su Li and her mother Gai Yinyin were enjoying themselves, the sound of a bell rang from outside.
Since their family estate was large and they had yet to hire any servants, there was a distance between their inner courtyard and the main gate. Su Li had specifically hung a bell on the corner of the roof, which served the sa purpose as a doorbell in the modern world.
The world was full of skilled and clever craftsn, and Su Li only needed to outline her ideas before these artisans created sothing very much to her liking.
Gai Yinyin looked curiously toward the bell hanging outside the door, “Why do I feel like our house has had more visitors these past few days than in the past few years combined?”
Su Li reminded her, “Mother, have you forgotten about the Duke Ying family?”
Gai Yinyin puffed up with an air of delicate defiance, trying to appear fierce, “They haven’t given up yet and dare to co back?”
Su Li: “You should know the temper of that family better than I do.”
Huffing, Gai Yinyin stuffed the plate of cakes into Su Li’s arms and rolled up her sleeves, “Hmph, I’ll go and drive them away.”
Su Li: “…..”
Her mother seed to be getting more lively.
Su Li quickly got dressed as well. Gai Yinyin had already rushed out like a little cannonball.
The door without a naplate gathered a crowd of people, and the clamor outside could be heard from a distance.
Gai Yinyin propped up her buttocks and peeped through the door crack, her face devoid of the earlier fury, now tinged with a mix of guilt and breathlessness.
Seeing Su Li approaching leisurely, Gai Yinyin quickly whispered and pulled Su Li aside, “Ah Lee, I, I think I heard Old Madam’s voice.”
After hearing this, Su Li promptly opened the door.
Outside, Old Madam from Duke Ying Mansion was being supported by her attendants, standing with her cane waiting at the door.
The scene was rather grand, with two carriages parked outside, and nurous servants and followers.
The crowd surrounding them was abuzz, all whispering and discussing among themselves.
So were bold enough to strike up a conversation directly with the servants from Duke Ying Mansion.
“Are you saying that the granddaughter of Duke Ying Mansion lives here?”
“So Old Madam personally cos to invite her granddaughter back to the mansion, and she is keeping her waiting outside? That seems terribly unfilial.”
“When did Duke Ying Mansion have another young miss?”
“Born by the forr madam? No wonder her manners are so poor.”
“….”
The various discussions were unceasing, Old Madam remained nonchalant, with her eyelids drooped, seemingly pondering sothing, and did not order the increasingly unseemly chatter to be stopped.
Upon opening the door, Gai Yinyin heard everything and imdiately got as incensed as a pufferfish.
She scolded outside with a charming voice, “What nonsense are you all gossiping about?”
Old Madam followed the sound and looked up, unsure, and called out, “Are you Yinyin?”
Gai Yinyin awkwardly greeted Old Madam with a bow, then hid behind Su Li.
She didn’t know how to face the old lady of Duke Ying Mansion.
Su Li said, “What’s the aning of this gathering? Disperse, there is no miss from Duke Ying Mansion here.”
“Everyone in the Capital knows that Duke Ying and his wife are deeply in love, having together brought forth two daughters and a son…..”
Old Madam cut Su Li off, looked deeply into Su Li’s eyes for a long while, then suddenly smiled, “You must be the daughter born by Yinyin, my eldest granddaughter, right?”
“The affairs between the elders years ago are largely unknown to you; there were many misunderstandings and secrets. Once you return to the mansion, I will explain everything to you in detail.”
Following this, Old Madam turned to Gai Yinyin with a tone of unwilling reproach, “Children are ignorant, but as their mother, shouldn’t you be too?”
“I know you hold grudges against Duke Mansion, but the child is still the blood of the Su Family; you can’t teach her to be estranged from her kin.”
“You left in a huff before, and I had no knowledge of your whereabouts. It’s only after so many years that we managed to find you again… Look what you’ve turned the child into….”
Old Madam spoke these stern words, taking so breaths, then cald her emotions slightly before continuing solemnly, “Moreover, the child is no longer young, having reached an age suitable for marriage discussions. Once back at the mansion, it would be good for her father and to seriously discuss the matter, so we don’t delay the young lady’s lifelong prospects.”
The old are wise in their ways, as Old Madam spoke with a tact that was very impressive.
Not only did the surrounding onlookers have a very good impression of Old Madam, but even the angry Gai Yinyin’s face flashed complicated emotions.
She annoyed herself with a pat on her head, reflecting how many years under her daughter’s shelter had made her forget that her own child was also just a girl in her teens.
By then, she too had co of age to marry.
On one hand, Gai Yinyin was unwilling for Su Li to have any contact with Duke Ying Mansion; on the other, she knew a few of Old Madam’s words were quite true.
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