Chapter 261: Chapter 102: Old Madam Passes Away_2 Chapter 261: Chapter 102: Old Madam Passes Away_2 Lian Dongfang also held back his tears, and Old Madam had likely sensed these days approaching, hence everything that needed preparation had been prepared.
As soon as the Chief Steward received the ssage, he hung white cloths on every door from the main gate to the inner house. Everyone changed into mourning clothes as quickly as possible from top to bottom; he also sent people to inform relatives and friends about the death.
The mourning shed was quickly set up.
Lian Dongfang’s morial to the Emperor had been written early, and it was presented as soon as Old Madam passed away. The Ministry of Rites responded imdiately to such matters, except when it concerned indispensable advisors to the Emperor or generals currently at war; generally, all others would be granted a response.
Old Madam was in her fifties this year, not a remarkably long life, but she had died a natural death. People on good terms with the Lian family ca in droves to offer their condolences, and even if they did not send their children, they still sent funeral rituals.
As a granddaughter, and only nine years old, Yueyao only accompanied the family to cry at the spirit’s presence; no other tasks were required of her.
After crying at the spirit’s presence that day, Yueyao returned to Lanxi Courtyard with her eyes red and swollen from the reflection in the mirror. Keeping mourning was a tiring duty, and these past two days, Yueyao had felt her strength waning.
Hua Lei hurriedly brought over a bowl of prepared Job’s tears, red beans, and lotus seed porridge: “Miss, have a bowl of porridge first.” Every day after crying at the spirit’s presence, she would always drink a large bowl of porridge.
Yueyao took it and ate everything in one go. Crying at the spirit’s presence was physically demanding, and she needed to eat more to maintain her strength.
Setting the bowl down, Yueyao asked, “How is Tingzheng?” Tingzheng was even weaker than her, and it was uncertain whether he would endure this without falling ill, which would be dreadful.
At this thought, Yueyao shuddered. In her previous life, Tingzheng had developed a high fever around the ti of their grandmother’s death. Delay in tily dical attention had missed the critical treatnt window, and by the ti the doctor arrived, it was already too late.
Yueyao felt sowhat helpless, recently engulfed in grief and had even forgotten such a crucial matter. Yueyao quickly called for Qiao Lan, “Please fetch Nanny Deng imdiately. Tell her I have sothing important.”
After Nanny Deng arrived, Yueyao communicated the essential precautions: “Nanny, with the weather being so hot and Tingzheng’s health so poor, I’m worried he won’t survive this period. During this ti, please take extra care of Tingzheng and ensure that those around him are also attentive.”
Nanny Deng nodded and said, “Miss, don’t worry, I will take good care of the young master.” Although Nanny Deng had her own interests, she devoted herself entirely to taking care of Tingzheng when by his side.
Trusting Nanny Deng, Yueyao decided not to say more, instead ntioning, “Nanny, we should prepare so dicinal herbs in Changqing Courtyard. Now, during the mourning period, the mansion is very busy. Should soone catch a cold or fever, it’s good to be prepared if no one can be found. I have quite a few dicines here; you can take them with you and keep them there later.”
After a mont of hesitation, Nanny Deng replied, “Okay.”
Yueyao pointed out many more precautions for Nanny Deng to follow, which Nanny Deng noted one by one. Nanny Deng then said affectionately, “Miss, you must also take care of your own health. Look, Miss, you’ve lost weight these past days.” Seeing the hard-recovered flesh gone again filled Nanny Deng with sorrow.
Yueyao nodded and said, “Don’t worry, Nanny. Besides eating three als a day, I also eat supper and drink refreshnts. Nanny, I will not let myself fall.” If she were to collapse at this critical mont, Tingzheng might also be jeopardized, so she would absolutely not allow herself to fall.
Nanny Deng wiped a tear and said, “Okay.”
Yueyao had begun to copy scriptures again since the day the Old Madam passed away, but now she wasn’t as relentless as before, copying for only an hour a day. Once the ti was up, Yueyao would go to sleep.
When Hua Lei saw Yueyao had finished copying the scriptures, she imdiately asked Qiao Lan to fetch so black rice porridge from the kitchen. Yueyao chose the vegetables bought daily, but how they were cooked was the Kitchen Maid’s concern. However, the midnight snacks were always planned by Yueyao herself. Yueyao’s own midnight snacks were always whole grains, and of course, she often ate milk and egg custard, additionally having a bowl of sheep milk each al, which was considered very good nutrition.
As for Hua Lei and Nanny Hao finding it odd that Yueyao chose to eat coarse grains, Yueyao always smiled lightly and did not explain much, simply saying, “Eating more grains keeps diseases at bay.” She knew this was hard for others to believe, but it was her personal experience. She rembered the Great Grandmaster saying that ladies and young won from noble families were too pampered, eating only the finest als, unaware that it was actually the grains that were more nourishing.
Yueyao deeply felt this, having frequently fallen ill at Lian Mansion in her past life when she lived on luxury, yet when she moved to the Nunnery and ate grains, she stopped getting sick; thus, Yueyao strongly believed in the Great Grandmaster’s words and now followed this dietary habit consistently. However, as a daughter of a noble family, if she ate coarse grains for three als, it would surely be a laughing matter. Yueyao knew her health was important, but she also did not want to stand out, so she cleverly crafted her midnight snacks accordingly.
At that mont, Yueyao felt that owning a small kitchen was indeed a brilliant decision. The breakfast was always excellent, and she ensured she was full during lunch and dinner, regardless of the quality of the food. Being full gave her strength, and she did not want to faint halfway through.
If Yuebing fainted halfway, it would be seen as utmost filial piety; if she fainted, at most she would earn a reputation for being physically frail. It couldn’t be helped, after the grandmother’s passing, the Lady family controlled the fate of maids and servants in the inner house, and they naturally obeyed the Lady family.
After finishing her midnight snack, Yueyao did not copy scriptures but went to practice her calligraphy. Yueyao had been practicing plum blossom script from the beginning and had never missed a day.
Nanny Hao could only sigh at the Third Young Lady’s enduring spirit, saying, “With such determination, the Third Young Lady might well beco a master of calligraphy in the future.” Maintaining such daily consistency was truly not easy.
Yueyao’s daily activities naturally did not escape the Lady family’s notice.
One day, in front of maids and old nannies, Yueying asked Yueyao, “Third younger sister, I heard that every night after the vigil, you still eat a midnight snack? The Grandmother has just passed and hasn’t even been buried yet, and every day you eat well and sleep comfortably. Grandmother treasured you so much before her passing.”
The maids and nannies looked at Yueyao in surprise after hearing this.
Yueyao calmly replied, “After the vigil, I still have to copy the ‘Diamond Sutra’ for Grandmother until the Chou Hour. If I don’t eat sothing to sustain , I will not be able to hold on. I need to eat a supplental al every night just to barely keep going, while my second sister hardly uses half a bowl per al and yet she manages to keep up the vigil for Grandmother. Not only has she not lost weight, but her complexion even looks better than mine. Third younger sister truly admires the second sister’s good health…” Yuebing’s complexion hadn’t been very good, as staying up all night on vigil didn’t allow much room for rest, so how could her complexion be good. But compared to Yuebing, who had lost a lot of weight and whose complexion was pale as paper, Yuebing looked much better.
Everyone bowed their heads upon hearing this.
A breeze blew, feeling comfortably cool on their faces, but Yueyao’s heart was sinking inch by inch. She had thought Yuebing would be the one to cause trouble, but it turned out Yueying was the first to start. Did this an the Lady family had already won Yueying over, and now they couldn’t wait to move against her? This was a very bad sign for her.
Yueying, hearing the veiled ridicule, whispered in defense, “Third younger sister, my health isn’t as good as yours, but I’m not like you either.”
Yueyao looked at Yueying as if she were a monster and finally said, “I hope eldest sister doesn’t faint in front of Grandmother’s spirit. If so, it would also disturb Grandmother.” Her health had been excellent; in the past six months, she hadn’t even coughed once, and the only ti she took a leave from her husband was because she needed a rest due to overexertion. However, she could not understand how that could be an excuse for Yueying to attack her. It was utterly ridiculous.
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