Tang Xiyue listened to their discussion and felt the sa as his companions; the managent here had prepared specialties for them!
They wanted to transport so part of it to their hos, and a small portion to the Capital City!
However, with honey, chrysanthemums, and other floral teas on their list, they intended to bring them along!
They would also take so fresh fruits and grains—these delectable items, once in the Capital City, would be sorely missed!
Moreover, bringing these items to the Capital City would help alleviate any issues of acclimatization to the soil and water there!
Si Ma Roui, along with the other companions and so young n who were preparing, had already packed so goods, getting ready to set out early the next morning!
Those returning to the estate had already embarked on their journey ho, determined to enjoy fishing and various toys in the estate one last ti before leaving!
The companions heading back to the county had already set off as well, planning to make the most of the afternoon and evening for final preparations with their families!
Si Ma Roui stayed by Ye Fengqi’s side, not returning to the estate with her.
Instead, she followed Ye Fengqi back to her family ho, ready to persuade her family if they disagreed!
Unconcerned with the discomfort of her nstrual period, Si Ma Roui selflessly ddled in others’ affairs!
She learned from the maid that so won easily enter into their nstrual cycles, which signifies that they have matured, as all won must endure the monthly ordeal!
Listening to the maid’s explanation, Si Ma Roui was puzzled as to why won should suffer such inconvenience and pain during these tis!
She learned from the maid that it is an essential passage for every mistress; if it did not manifest by the ages of eleven or twelve, it would certainly co by fifteen or sixteen!
If by sixteen or seventeen it still had not occurred, then such a woman would be considered imperfect!
This imperfection could an being unable to have descendants or bear children.
Si Ma Roui could not understand why this was so!
Too embarrassed to ask such questions and overwheld by the day’s many events, she did not have ti to fret over her shyness regarding these matters!
She kept her thoughts to herself and planned to ask her mother about them when she returned in the evening.
Si Ma Roui knew that the honey from the farm was excellent, and over the years, since they had gotten to know the Ye family, they often ca here and frequently received such gifts!
Her mother’s frail health had improved upon consuming the honey along with the fruits, vegetables, grains, at, eggs, and fish from here. As opposed to the at they usually ate on the grassland, the taste was different, reinforcing the belief that plant-based food was healthier!
They discovered that even farm-raised produce could be eaten healthily. Her mother’s frail health, initially due to a poor response to the local environnt, had improved because of proper care, allowing the whole family to grow stronger!
Having spent these years by her mother’s side, Si Ma Roui could feel that after her mother’s health improved, there was no need for outsiders to manage the household, and the situation among the siblings had gotten better!
This situation, of course, displeased the father’s concubines, but they could not make much trouble. With her fierce nature, she helped by her mother’s side. After discovering her mother’s improved health, a strong, protective instinct erged, no longer allowing her to appear weak!
Si Ma Roui had co to the Ye family not for the first ti, and whether the Ye family mbers were sincere or not, willing or not, they all exhibited joyful expressions!
Aunt Lai was becoming less and less favored in the house, but given her body was still recovering, she couldn’t employ her previous strategy of regaining favor by bearing another child—it just wasn’t an option at the mont!
Moreover, the Old Master during this period had allowed two temptresses into his room and never visited her small quarters again, where only she, her daughter, and the wet nurse resided!
She used to think the small house was quite tiny, after all, when the Old Master was there, she shared a room with him, the wet nurse and daughter shared another, and what remained were a storage room and a small kitchen!
In such a modest space, devoid of the kind of yard and multiple rooms that the rich enjoyed, it would be impossible to accommodate any more children—it simply wasn’t big enough!
The small house that once seed too cramped felt too large now, all because the big bed was empty and lonely with only her in it.
When she had the Old Master’s support, she could afford to challenge the young madam, the ladies, and even Mrs. Lai, who was an aunt by marriage; she could even go to the extent of striking her own daughter Wu Ruyi!
But ever since the Old Master lost interest in her, she had no outlet for her temper, no one paid her any attention—she felt she was considered less significant than even a maid!
With the status of a concubine, though she didn’t have to do manual labor, in a certain sense, she was nothing more than a tool for bearing children!
Having borne a daughter, she couldn’t lean on her family for support either. During this ti, her younger brother and elder brother both secretly approached her—Li Zhihao, who used to manage the estate, had left, and now a young, inexperienced child was in charge of such a profitable estate!
They wished, at the very least, to secure a managerial role for themselves and make so money out of it!
Aunt Lai had once harbored the ambition to manage the estate, yet not even with the Old Master’s backing could she achieve it!
Now she deeply regretted her impulsiveness, for back then she had the chance to beco a concubine to the Eldest Young Master, but in a fit of anger at him and her aunt, she turned him down.
To refuse such a dashing and suave Eldest Young Master, and instead marry an old man; moreover, one who was so promiscuous!
An old man at his age still persistently took in one concubine after another, seemingly risking his own bones to ruin!
When Aunt Lai saw Si Ma Roui, the daughter of the County Magistrate’s house, arrive, she had returned with the family’s Ladies. It seed that this affluent young woman was rather amiable in making friends with the family’s Ladies, which spoke poorly of her judgnt in choosing friends.
These days, Aunt Lai had learned from the other concubines how to buff shoes and had spotted the young madam’s maid welcoming guests outside.
The young madam also ca out to greet the visitors; besides the Ladies’ maids receiving the guests, those two concubines also made an appearance.
Aunt Lai thought to herself that apart from Mrs. Li, even though she had given birth to a daughter, when it ca to receiving guests, it would not be the turn of other concubines if she did not step up.
With that thought in her mind, she broke her usual deanor with a smile, "Young madam, are we receiving guests?"
"Hmm," Mrs. Li couldn’t figure out what Aunt Lai was up to today, which play she intended to enact, but Mrs. Li was sowhat uneasy about her being here, fearing she might offend the distinguished guests!
"Fourth Lady, we’re entertaining the County Magistrate’s daughter! Fourth Lady, please invite the Lady to co over to our house more often," proposed Aunt Lai with a hypocrisy befitting a weasel, to which Ye Fengqi pouted and huffed dismissively.
"Is my business any of your concern?" replied Ye Fengqi.
Si Ma Roui was ushered to a chair in the drawing-room, and when Aunt Lai, this kind of concubine, ca to serve her, Si Ma Roui did not even spare her a glance. What was a concubine anyway? All of them were the sa, with no exception. Si Ma Roui had seen enough of the tricks played by the concubines of her father’s household.
This Aunt Lai from the Ye family was no simple character, either. Si Ma Roui had visited this place several tis before and knew that Aunt Lai did not follow the rules, daring to dine with the master as if she were an equal.
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