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Zhuang Ruolan escorted the two out of the yard entrance and returned, then slumped onto the bed, remaining silent for a long while.
Cai Yun asked, "What’s wrong with the young lady?"
Zhuang Ruolan replied faintly, "It’s nothing, just recalling so things." When she was Miss Lian, Zhuang Ruolan and Ping Yajing along with Cui Muyan were sworn sisters, but later, she and Cui Muyan fell out over so matters. Now, thinking back, Zhuang Ruolan still harbored so lingering feelings.
Cai Yun knew the worries of Zhuang Ruolan’s heart, "Young lady, those things are in the past, don’t think about them. You’re pregnant too, you shouldn’t stress yourself."
Zhuang Ruolan nodded and said, "Yes, it’s all in the past. I’m quite well now."
On her way back, Mingzhu relayed to Madam Ping what Yueyao had said. Mingzhu told her, "Sister-in-law, Yueyao said she read it from a book; she’s not sure if it’s useful or not."
Madam Ping appeared thoughtful. She didn’t know if the thod ntioned was effective, but the earlier remarks were right—she desperately wanted a son, to the point of losing sleep at night.
Mingzhu thought of her mother pressuring her daily and said, "Sister-in-law, Yueyao wouldn’t make up such a reason. If it might work, why not give it a try?"
Madam Ping smiled and asked, "How do I try?"
Mingzhu replied, "Sister-in-law, the scenery at the Sumr Mountain Villa is quite nice; you could stay there for a while."
Madam Ping shook her head, "There’s a mountain of affairs in the mansion; I can’t leave."
Mingzhu hesitated and then said, "Sister-in-law, usually what Yueyao says makes sense. Just try it! If you’re worried about affairs in the household, you could delegate them to ." Mingzhu had a blind faith in Yueyao, always believing in her correctness.
Madam Ping said, "Let think about it." Leaving the Marquis’ household would take so ti.
Back at the Marquis’ household, Madam Ping discussed the matter with Ban Shan and expressed her hesitation, "Do you think this thod really works?"
Ban Shan’s eyes sparkled, "Mistress, I think Miss Lian speaks sensibly, it might really work! Let’s give it a try!" Seeing Madam Ping’s indecision, Ban Shan prepared her plea inwardly, "Mistress, we should give it a try! If this continues, the Princely Heir won’t be able to withstand the pressure either. To put it harshly, if another woman from the second branch was to bear a son, the mistress’s days would indeed beco tough."
Madam Ping hesitated for a long ti, "But what if it doesn’t work?"
Ban Shan smiled and assured, "Mistress, it’s not like you’re taking any dicine, there are no side effects. If it doesn’t work, think of it as just taking a break. You’ve been busy every day, never having a real day of rest." The Marquis’ household had too many affairs, and Madam Ping spent all her ti managing them.
Ban Shan beca more convinced that Yueyao made sense. The Imperial Physician had declared their mistress to be in fine health. Despite all the secret recipes for bearing children she had consud, she still couldn’t conceive; stress might be to bla: "Mistress, how about we consult the Imperial Physician?"
Madam Ping still couldn’t make a final decision, "Let think about it." Even if she really needed to take a break, she had to make proper arrangents for the affairs of the mansion first.
Ten days later, Doctor Zhang announced that Yueyao had recovered. During the half month, Lady Cheng and Ma Peng hadn’t visited Yueyao. However, the first thing Yueyao did upon exiting the residence was to pay respects to Lady Cheng.
On the day she stepped out, Yueyao dressed vibrantly. She wore a fruit-green cross-collared shirt with a butterfly pattern made of gold-threaded coins and paired it with a goose-yellow hundred-pleated skirt. Her hair was adorned with an exquisite jade-studded pearl gold hairpin and Beeswax Stone Bead Flower, her ears dangled with a pair of red gold with purple crystal pendants, and her neck was adorned with a gemstone necklace.
Previously, Yueyao’s attire had been modest, as per her own request. Now, the clothes were all arranged by Zhuang Ruolan, who wasn’t one to favor flashy appearances herself but thought Yueyao dressed too plainly, so she chose more eye-catching outfits for her. Zhuang Ruolan believed that won ought to dress beautifully. Old age wouldn’t permit such fashion.
Yueyao knew Zhuang Ruolan ant well and didn’t refuse. In truth, she was just accustod to plainer clothes, not that she disliked beautiful garnts.
Upon seeing Yueyao’s attire, Lady Cheng snorted coldly. Looking at the girl’s rosy complexion and radiant skin, who would guess she had just recovered from a serious illness? Seeing the jewelry on Yueyao worth thousands of silver taels, veins bulged on Lady Cheng’s forehead.
Yueyao’s visit wasn’t out of genuine respect for Lady Cheng; she ca rely to fulfill her obligations. After kneeling to greet her and seeing that Lady Cheng didn’t prompt her to rise, Yueyao stood up on her own.
Lady Cheng frowned, "Could it be that you left the Lian Mansion because you disrespected your elders? This is indeed an irreverent child."
Yueyao responded calmly, "Auntie jests. It was uncle who missed and hence invited over to the household."
Speaking of Ma Chengteng, Lady Cheng still showed so apprehensions. When she returned, Ma Chengteng had told her that if she dared stir up trouble again, he would imdiately send her back to her hotown.
Lady Cheng had spent over a year in her hotown, enduring much suffering, and she shuddered at the thought of returning to her own family’s ho. Therefore, since her return, aside from making life difficult for Zhuang Ruolan in terms of food, clothing, and living expenses, she hadn’t caused any trouble. Now that Yueyao brought up Ma Chengteng, Lady Cheng, despite her resentnt, didn’t dare to trouble Yueyao.
The courtyard of Madam Tang was very close to the Upper Chamber and didn’t require a detour. Yueyao left her courtyard and went to where Madam Tang lived.
Lady Cheng did not exempt Madam Tang from paying her respects just because she was pregnant. She didn’t interfere with Madam Zhuang because Ma Peng was not her biological son and Madam Zhuang was not her legitimate daughter-in-law, but Madam Tang was indeed a legitimate daughter-in-law. Unfortunately for Lady Cheng, Madam Tang was not made of clay, and previously she kept a low profile only to secure her position—a bit of trouble was acceptable. But now that she was pregnant, even a slight carelessness could cause her to lose the child, so after serving Lady Cheng, Madam Tang complained of stomach pains.
The doctor who took her pulse said it was a disturbance in the womb and that she needed careful nurturing.
Upon hearing the news, Ma Chengteng severely reprimanded Lady Cheng and warned her that if she couldn’t behave herself, she had to choose between the Family Temple and her hotown.
Lady Cheng was infuriated beyond words, but before her anger had subsided, Ma Yue ca over and furiously quarreled with her, causing Lady Cheng to faint on the spot. Thereafter, Lady Cheng did not dare ask Madam Tang to co and serve her again, but she kept this grievance in her heart.
This was Yueyao’s first visit to Madam Tang’s courtyard, and as soon as she stepped inside, she detected a faint scent of sweet clover.
On the long table in the main hall was a three-legged gilt incense burner, from which plus of smoke wafted upwards. The scent Yueyao slled ca from this burner.
The first thing that caught her eye upon entering the room was a rosewood screen elaborately carved with the eighteen Arhats and inlaid with ivory flowers, reflecting an ancient bronze mirror. The Treasures Pavilion in the room displayed items such as a blue-and-white porcelain plum vase, a coral bonsai, and a Purple Flower Kiln porcelain vase emanating an enticing gold light...
Yueyao was secretly astonished; she wondered if the furnishings in the room were genuine. If they all were authentic, and not fakes, they would be worth a great deal of money.
Upon seeing Yueyao, Madam Tang smiled and said, "Please, co in and sit."
Yueyao smiled and replied, "Thank you for having , cousin-in-law."
The Maid brought over tea and pastries, followed by two more maids carrying fruits. Yueyao was surprised to see waterlons along with cherries and strawberries in the crystal plate: "Cousin-in-law, it’s only early April, how co there are waterlons?" Cherries and strawberries were in season, but waterlons should have been available around May. Having waterlons at the end of February was exceptionally rare.
Madam Tang laughed and said, "These were grown in the heated greenhouse on the manor, not many were planted, just enough for our own consumption." The greenhouse Madam Tang ntioned was part of her dowry manor, where she specifically grew off-season vegetables. From last winter till now, the Ma’s Mansion had a rich variety of vegetables on the table, all thanks to Madam Tang’s contributions.
Yueyao took a piece of waterlon and ate it, smiling as she said, "It tastes very good." Yueyao felt the taste was only average, not as sweet as it would be in May or June, but having waterlons in this season was still a rare treat.
Compared to the waterlon, Yueyao ate more of the strawberries and cherries.
As Yueyao was leaving, she washed her hands and, seeing that the basin was made of gilded silver bronze, felt very surprised about Madam Tang. Such decorations seed to announce her wealth. Although her everyday attire was sowhat luxurious, it wasn’t this extravagant. Truly established families, like Marquis Jingning’s Residence, a centuries-old noble family, favored understated luxury in their decor, not this display of affluence.
Yueyao silently mused this over, but her face showed none of her thoughts; after a few more words she said, "Cousin-in-law, I still need to visit Eldest Cousin-in-law."
Madam Tang didn’t detain her, "Do co over to our courtyard when you have ti."
After sending Yueyao off, Madam Tang instructed a servant to send strawberries and cherries to Begonia Garden.
Madam Tang’s maid, Su Zhen, whispered, "My lady, Miss Lian isn’t one with shallow perceptions; quite rare indeed." Not to ntion Miss Ying, who had seen their house’s furnishings and was visibly awestruck, even Miss Lin was blown away. But Miss Lian, from the mont she stepped in until she left, had maintained a composed expression without being astonished by their arrangent.
Madam Tang didn’t adorn the house so opulently to flaunt wealth, but because she had grown accustod to such settings from her maiden days. As long as she didn’t use items beyond her ans, no one in Ma’s Mansion would interfere with how she decorated her own room.
Madam Tang smiled and said, "If this cousin were simple, she wouldn’t have been able to suppress all the legitimate young ladies of the mansion. If she were simple, that would be strange indeed."
Su Zhen nodded in agreent, "Madam is right."
Madam Tang waved her hand dismissively, "Don’t waste your thoughts on it; this cousin and I will only maintain a cordial relationship on the surface. I just need to treat a few sisters equally, that’s all." She had long seen that Yueyao did not like her and her mother-in-law, nor her husband. In such an environnt, it would be impossible for Yueyao to grow close to her.
Su Zhen felt sowhat regretful.
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