Chapter 49
Chun Xi followed from the back as she trembled in fear, her heart silently admiring her lady for being able to stand next to Duke Ding without batting an eyelid. She then remembered the word her lady spoke before.
"Maybe I and Duke Ding are a match made in heaven."
Chun Xi thought, maybe her lady would really get married to Duke Ding, becoming the duchess and let Heir Xie regret. Thinking like this, Chun Xi became happy.
She no longer felt that Duke Ding was scary.
But she still did not dare to get near. Her lady was indeed fierce, she was not scared of a person like Duke Ding.
The land Duke Ding Residence claimed was very big. After walking through the fake mountain and veranda. On the way, the fragrance of flowers was apparent. The servants in the residence were mainly soldiers and a little part was female servants and old female servants. Seeing Duke Ding coming back to the residence, they all greeted him with respect, and then they all stared tongue-tied as the expressionless Duke Ding conversed with the delicate beauty by his side.
They wondered who this lady was, actually not fearing the duke.
Maybe Duke Ding Residence would soon welcome a new female master.
Thinking like this, the gaze the servants used to look at Jiang Ningbao silently carried respect.
Duke Ding Xie Heng noticed the change with the servants and his steps slowed and walked shoulder to shoulder with the little lady with no expression.
Duke Ding Residence, Thriving Joy Hall
The incense in the hall wafted into the air. Aside from old servant Huang, all the servants were instructed to get out.
Old Madam Xie whose hair was all white elegantly sat on the purple wingceltis wooden armchair carved with luan bird pattern. She wore a cyan satisfactory dress and her hair was combed neatly. Her pair of eyes were bright and sharp, her whole self seemed spirited.
"Is she not here yet?" Old Madam Xie stretched her neck to look at the main door once in a whole and asked anxiously.
Old servant Huang shook her head and she infused the teapot with water for the old madam and smiled, "Old madam, the duke and Jiang fourth miss met at the main gate and they are walking here together."
"According to Xie Qi, the duke even spoke about the matter of the battlefield to Jiang fourth miss."
Old Madam Xie was moved and could not help but blurt out the secret she kept for the past twenty years, "It seems that Jiang family's little lady is really the fated person for my son."
The high monk once said that only the fated person would not be affected by A'Heng's ominous air.
Old servant Huang widened her eyes and she felt muddled.
"Fated person?"
"After A'Heng was born, the high monk in Clear Water Temple sent a paper with the claim that said A'Heng's ominous energy is too strong and could not live past his prime, but there is a single way out. As long as he met his fated person, then he would be wealthy and high-ranking with children and grandchildren."
"A pity that the high monk went out to travel ten years ago and has not returned. I am not sure if Jiang family's little lady is my son's fated person or not. A few days back, I went to Clear Water Temple to invite Monk Gao to read Jiang family's little lady's eight characters. Monk Gao said that Jiang family's eight lady is very special and very matching with my son's."
Old Madam Xie was crying tears of joy. She had been keeping this secret in her heart for too long. It was so long that with only two years left to her son's lift, Old Madam Xie was despairing.
Now, it was finally extreme adversity in the beginning of luck, dispelling the clouds and seeing the sun.
Old servant Huang suddenly realized what was happening.
No wonder the old madam placed this much importance on Jiang fourth miss. Before, it was not like there were no women with special destiny who wanted to get married to the duke, but once they got near the duke, their faces turned white and they almost fainted. There was a noble lady who persisted until seven days, but then she got sick in bed and almost died.
Old madam's face became heavier and heavier, even feeling slight despair.
And then, she suddenly adopted a relatively old child to be put under the duke's name which old servant Huang could not understand. Now, she finally understood the reason why the old madam did that.
The old madam did not want the nobility the duke fought so hard for to be taken back by the imperial family.
At the same time, the successor of the duke residence could not be too small so she chose the smart and good looking oldest son of Xie clan's second branch.
He was not given the official title of heir because the old madam was still bearing hope of the single living chance the high monk said. The old madam was waiting for that single chance.
And now, she had finally found it.
Chapter 50
Old servant Huang was happy for the old madam.
"Congratulations, old madam. The duke will live to hundreds and have kids and grandchildren."
"That's right. The only regret is my body is frail. I don't know if I have the chance to see my biological grandchild to grow up." Old Madam Xie was very happy and could not help but felt a little greedy.
The main hall was silent.
Old servant Huang did not know how she should cheer the old madam up. She could only change the topic carefully and speak of happy things with Old Madam Xie. Around fifteen minutes later, Old Madam Xie had felt better.
At this moment, an old servant announced the arrival in front of the door of the main hall.
"Old madam, the duke and Jiang fourth miss arrived."
As the old servant said this, Old Madam Xie sat straight and tidied her dress nervously. She stared at the door of the main hall with eyes carrying worry. Her heart felt a little sour and longing, and there was more of the happiness for meeting her son soon.
Hearing Xie Qi's word, A'Heng's ominous energy worsened.
When Old Madam Xie was thinking randomly , Jiang Ningbao hugged a small delicate wine jar and entered Thriving Joy Hall at the same time as Duke Ding Xie Heng. Chun Xi and Butler Zhao were left outside and did not enter.
The man was tall and handsome, the female was delicate and beautiful.
They looked like a pair.
Old Madam Xie saw the two people entering at the same time and her eyes were lit up, especially when she saw the little lady wearing a light blue dress standing with her son. She revealed a happy smile.
After Duke Ding Xie Heng entered the main hall and went to the center, he stopped and did not walk forward. He gazed that the white haired Old Madam Xie from afar and his heart felt stifled. He subconsciously rubbed the buddhist bracelet he wore and he did his best to restrain the ominous energy.
Especially the thick ominous air stored in his pair of eyes.
Xie Heng did not dare to get near his mother, afraid that his ominous air would make it difficult for his mother.
Old Madam Xie was old. That year when she gave birth to Xie Heng, she was wounded and was always sickly. She looked older than the old noble madams her age.
"Mother!" Duke Ding Xie Heng moved his lips and stared deeply at Old Madam Xie then lowered his eyes and spoke the word with much difficulty.
Old Madam Xie saw that her son was standing that far from her and did not dare to look at her. She knew that her son was afraid of wounding her and her heart felt sour. Her pair of eyes greedily took in her son and there was a layer of tears glistening her eyes.
As a mother, how could she be afraid of her own son?
"A'Heng, you.....are you well?"
Xie Heng pulled the corners of his mouth, wanting to smile, but he realized that he could not so he hoarsely answered, "Son is alright, letting mother be worried."
"As long as you're alright, mother is happy," Old Madam Xie saw her son like this and her heart was stifled, but she still squeezed out a happy smile.
A'Heng's condition, Xie Qi would report once in a while. Old Madam Xie was clear on it and she understood the reason her son did not dare to go back to the residence.
He did not even dare to go back to his own home.
Old Madam Xie shed tears. The more she thought about it, the more the heartache. At last, she could not help but cry as old servant Huang tried to appease her on the side.
Duke Ding Xie Heng saw his mother crying and he wanted to go up and comfort his mother, but knowing his condition, he only gripped his fists and his thin lips were pursed into a line, not daring to go nearer.
Seeing this scene silently, Jiang Ningbao felt sour and sad.
So Duke Ding also had such a weak side.
Chapter 51
After Old Madam Xie cried, or maybe Jiang Ningbao's appearance let her see hope, Old Madam Xie regulated her emotions and took the handkerchief old servant Huang gave. She looked at the little lady who stood there silently with warmth.
"This must be Changning Count Residence's fourth lady, right?"
Jiang family's fourth miss was as the rumor said to be beautiful and the way she carried herself was very good.
Old Madam Xie nodded in satisfaction.
Old servant Huang at the side also had a very good impression on Jiang Ningbao.
This Jiang fourth miss was the duke's fated person. Later, the duke would need her help to get past thirty.
Jiang Ningbao smiled and hugged the small wine jar as she stepped forward. She saluted to Old Madam Xie, "Ningbao greets the old madam."
Old Madam Xie saw that not only Jiang Ningbao had delicate features, her eyes were also clear and she conducted herself magnanimously with no fakeness. Her heart took a liking and the heartache before was forgotten. Old Madam Xie's smile became more amiable and intimate.
"I've heard Little Zhao mention you. Meeting you today, you are indeed very good, a good lady."
Jiang Ningbao curved her eyes and smiled, "Thanking the old madam for the praise." And then she put forward the small and delicate wine jar. "Old madam, this is the wine I brew myself. It can cure the small sicknesses in the body and the effect is very good."
After saying that, Jiang Ningbao turned her head back to look at Duke Ding Xie Heng who was standing at the center of the hall. She added with a trace of embarrassment.
"I heard that a few years ago, Sir Duke was wounded. This medicinal wine can also heal hidden wounds and recuperate the body."
Old Madam Xie was at first curious what was inside the earthen jar. Hearing that it was the medicinal wine the little lady made herself and glancing at the movement of her son, her eyes flashed with laughter.
Her son was cold, like a piece of wood. It was good that Jiang family's little lady took the initiative.
Old Madam Xie smiled as she let old servant Huang to receive the small earthen jar, "Ningbao girl is considerate. Hearing you, I do want to taste how good this medicinal wine is."
After that, Old Madam Xie turned to her son and smiled in teasing, "A'Heng, you see how considerate the little lady is toward you?"
Duke Ding Xie Heng: "....."
Old Madam Xie did not expect her cold son to respond. She only wanted to help the little lady.
"Old madam, you can open the lid now to taste it."
Jiang Ningbao heard Old Madam Xie calling her intimately with 'Ningbao girl', her eyes rippled with laughter and her lips slightly curved.
Duke Ding Xie Heng stood straight at the center of the main hall. Seeing her mother and the little lady conversing happily, faces carrying smiles, the usually cold heart of his felt a trace of warmth.
But once he thought of the act of his adopted son forcing his mother to agree to annul the engagement, Duke Ding Xie Heng's eyes could not help but have a trace of ominous air emerging.
"Alright alright. Old servant Huang, have you heard Ningbao girl's words?" Old Madam Xie turned to look at old servant Huang. Thinking that this little lady would be her daughter-in-law, she could not hold in her smile.
Old servant Huang nodded with a face full of smiles, "The servant will open the jar." As she spoke, she only used a little strength to open the lid of the jar. A burst of warmth and medicinal scent and wine scent spread out from the little jar.
Only the scent diffused out, the people smelling it felt their body turned at ease.
Old Madam Xie sighed in surprise, "Smelling this medicinal wine smell, I feel that my body turns lighter. I can't wait to drink a large mouthful of the medicinal wine to try the effects."
"Old madam, this medicinal wine can only be drunk in a small cup every time." Jiang Ningbao said with a soft voice at the side. Her heart was moved by Old Madam Xie's trust.
'Medicinal wine' this kind of thing, most people would first find doctors to check before drinking and they won't drink at the spot.
But Old Madam Xie did this.
Jiang Ningabao did not know that Duke Ding Xie Heng and Old Madam Xie had long known that she was the master behind Jinjiang Teahouse and they knew that she was good at brewing wines. Hearing that this was the wine she brewed herself, they were filled with anticipation.
Old servant Huang took out the lid and cloth, a denser smell of the wine burst.
Old Madam Xie took a deep breath of the medicinal wine smell.
"Quick, pour me the wine."
Old servant Huang smiled, "Old madam, don't be anxious. This servant is pouring you the wine." As she spoke, she cleaned her hand in the bronze bowl and dried her hands, then she took out three clean white small cups from the tea set and poured three glasses of medicinal wine.
The medicinal wine was clear and translucent, faintly yellow. The smell of the medicinal wine and the density made the people revel in it and their bodies became more at ease.
"Ningbao girl, why don't you take a cup to give to A'Heng so he can taste it?" Old Madam Xie pointed to one of the cups on the tray and did not forget to make opportunities for Jiang Ningbao.