Chapter 624: Chapter 566: Full of Gunpowder Smoke_1 Chapter 624: Chapter 566: Full of Gunpowder Smoke_1 Because of the arrival of Mrs. Guo and her daughter, the Guo Residence in the Ningn Prefecture beca bustling with activity. Before the banquet on April 20, families of officials and aristocratic family won ca to visit.
The affairs of the Duke Residence naturally attracted attention and beca the topic of conversation. Even though Daohua hadn’t set foot outside, she had already heard a fair amount of gossip. Among the things she heard, the most frequent were the various ladies’ praise for Miss Guo.
Talking about how she was blessed with a beautiful appearance and a lustrous complexion; how she was graceful, elegant, and had upstanding character. So were overly flattering, even going as far as to say that no woman in Zhongzhou could match her.
After hearing this, Daohua just laughed and cast it aside from her mind. At the mont, she had important matters to attend to and lacked the leisure to indulge in gossip.
Old Madam Gu seed to have a recurrence of her chronic illness. During Daohua’s last visit to Taohua Village, she saw the old woman looking increasingly frail, and her master’s eyes betrayed his worry and urgency. She was now pondering how to arrange dicinal als to alleviate Old Madam Gu’s condition and at the sa ti nourish her health.
Daohua carefully selected the processed dicinal herbs from her space and took out so of the food grown there. She was currently packing, preparing to attend the Guo Residence’s banquet and then head to Taohua Village.
Once she was done with her tasks, it was already dinner ti.
On the way to Songhe Courtyard, Wang Manman ntioned the gossip she heard that day, “Miss, today a matchmaker brought several maids around the age of fifteen or sixteen to the Little Prince’s mansion.”
Daohua raised an eyebrow, “Xiao Yeyang’s mansion doesn’t have a single maid, which in the eyes of those two nannies from the palace, must seem incorrect and abnormal.”
Wang Manman pouted, “The Little Prince is not currently in the mansion, and those two nannies have taken it upon themselves to do this without his permission; they do not fear that the Little Prince will bla them when he returns.”
Daohua smiled, “They are not ordinary nannies. One represents the Empress Dowager, the other represents the Emperor. Even if Xiao Yeyang is the master of the house, he wouldn’t dare to be too harsh. Besides, they are here to take care of Xiao Yeyang’s daily life. It makes sense to add a few more maids to the house to assist, given the shortage of hands.”
Wang Manman frowned and muttered, “Miss, I heard that the maids brought by the matchmaker were all quite good-looking.”
Daohua turned her head to look at her, laughing, “What are you worried about?”
Wang Manman moved her lips, hesitated, but eventually said, “Miss, I heard from other officials’ maids… there are quite a few stories of maids seducing their masters. So shaless ones even…”
Daohua smiled and asked, “Even what?”
Wang Manman frowned, “Even shalessly climbed into their master’s bed.” After finishing, she looked worried, “The palace has already sent four Palace Maids, and now they’re selecting so many more maids. If the Little Prince…”
Pausing, she glanced at Daohua, “What if the Little Prince is tempted, what then?”
Seeing Wang Manman’s worried face, Daohua was sowhat speechless, “What is there to fret about? If Xiao Yeyang isn’t interested, who can seduce him?”
Wang Manman, anxious about her miss’s nonchalant attitude, said, “But what if the Little Prince can’t control himself?” After speaking, her face turned red.
She was older than her miss and knew a bit more, especially since she often dealt with the won in the residence and had heard bits and pieces about the matters between n and won.
Daohua furrowed her brow, silently murmuring after a while, “What’s the use of a man whose body and heart are both impure?” With that, she quickened her pace, saying no more.
…
On April 20, the ladies of the Yan Family went with Madam Li to attend the banquet at the Guo Residence. Mrs. Guo did not co out to greet the guests, instead sending the butler to lead them inside.
“This Mrs. Guo really knows how to hold her status. When we went to the Dong Family for a banquet, Madam Dong ca out to et us in person.”
Yan Yile muttered quietly.
Yan Yihuan glared at her sister, pulling her a few steps behind the others before whispering, “The Guo Family’s background stems from the Duke Residence, a position of prestige, naturally they would not stoop to greet us personally. Don’t speak recklessly; be careful that our aunt hears and sends you back ho.”
Yan Yile pursed her lips and said no more.
Soon, the Yan Family mbers t Mrs. Guo and her daughter.
Upon eting, Madam Guo warmly took Madam Li’s hand and cordially exchanged pleasantries with her.
Madam Li knew this might be due to the assistance her family had previously offered to Governor Guo, so she responded with a smile and appropriate courtesy.
Seeing that Madam Li did not beco overly ingratiating in response to her deliberate closeness, Madam Guo’s smile grew wider. She found it easy to get along with soone who knew their place, and she wouldn’t mind getting closer in the future. Then, her gaze shifted, and when she saw Daohua behind them, her eyes flickered.
It seed the rumors were indeed true; the eldest Miss of the Yan Family was a splendid beauty.
At that mont, Guo Xueming was also observing Daohua.
Daohua, of course, was sizing up the young lady from the Duke Residence as well.
The two exchanged glances, then both lifted appropriate smiles on their faces and curtsied in greeting.
Madam Guo observed that Daohua was reserved and composed, not in the least bit less poised than her daughter. Thinking of the rumors about Yeyang’s closeness with the Yan Family, her brows knitted imperceptibly.
She didn’t really want to consider her daughter as a match for Yeyang, partly because of the barren relationship with the Little Prince’s sister, and partly because of Xiao Yeyang’s terrible character when he was younger.
Yet, with her daughter’s marriage prospects not going smoothly, and Yeyang being a potential candidate, she didn’t want him to get entangled with any other young ladies.
It seed she needed to find out more about Yeyang’s relations with the several Misses of the Yan Family.
Although she pondered so much internally, Madam Guo’s expression did not reveal a thing, and she continued to greet other guests with Madam Li, smiling all the while.
anwhile, Guo Xueming led Daohua and several others to where the young ladies were gathered.
As soon as Daohua arrived, several girls stood up and ca over to greet her with smiles.
Seeing Daohua so well-received, Guo Xueming’s smile remained unchanged.
Daohua herself was observing Guo Xueming, noting her spring breeze-like smile, how she treated every young lady present with neither excessive familiarity nor aloofness, maintaining a comfortable distance. She couldn’t help but inwardly comnd, “Truly worthy of being a daughter of the Duke Residence, she attends to every detail flawlessly.”
Around noon, Madam Guo, seeing that all the guests had arrived, prepared to lead everyone to dine.
However, at that mont, a panting nanny ca hurrying over and whispered a few words in Madam Guo’s ear, causing Daohua to see a crack appear in Madam Guo’s ticulously maintained smile, sparking her curiosity.
Soon after, everyone saw Madam Jiang and her daughter approaching with smiles.
“Yuan Sister, you ca to Zhongzhou and didn’t even tell . You didn’t invite to today’s banquet either, but, you see, I thickened my skin and ca myself,” said Madam Jiang with a laugh as soon as she arrived.
Suppressing her anger, Madam Guo replied with a forced smile, “I wouldn’t dare to invite Madam Jiang rashly. The distance from the provincial capital to Ningn Prefecture is not short. If sothing were to happen to you on the road, not even ten of could bear the responsibility.”
Madam Jiang laughed and continued the conversation, “Thank you for your concern, Sister Yuan. You’re right, it is indeed a long journey from the provincial capital to Ningn Prefecture. However, that issue has now been resolved.”
Saying this, she looked around at the other guests with a smile.
“As everyone knows, my daughter Jingwan is sowhat frail. Ever since we ca to Zhongzhou, my husband has been inquiring everywhere, and recently we finally found a famous doctor in Ningn Prefecture. In the next while, Jingwan and I will be staying in Ningn Prefecture.”
Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces registered surprise, and Madam Guo felt her temples throb violently.
Daohua stood among the young ladies, silently watching this tense scene unfold. She glanced at Guo Xueming beside her and saw her smile undiminished, her gaze toward Jiang Wanying tender and amiable. Daohua couldn’t help but think to herself, “She’s a master at this.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)