Inside the package was a rectangular wooden box.
When it was opened, there was another wooden box inside.
Yan Yan took the box out. This wooden box was much more exquisite than the one on the outside. The surface was carved with fine decorative designs and inlaid with gems of various colors. It looked incomparably gorgeous.
Yan Yan had seen quite a lot of rarities but she still felt a little startled. This was because she had actually never seen many of the gems before.
There was a strangely shaped little golden lock hanging on the side of the box. If Yan Yan was from the modern world, she would have been able to tell right away that the lock was in the shape of a heart. On top of the lock was a delicate little key, under which was a small piece of paper. There were several words written on it: Use this key to open my heart.
Yan Yan thought: this little fatty Luo, acting mysterious on purpose!
She put the little key into the lock and gently gave it a turn. The box opened. At this moment, due to Luo Huai Yuan acting mysteriously, Yan Yan felt a little nervous.
She slowly opened the box. There wasn't anything mindblowing inside. There was a reflective brass surface, upon which stood two little people.
These two little people were made extremely exquisitely. They weren't like those porcelain dolls seen in the markets. It wasn't clear what the material was made out of, but they truly looked like miniature versions of the people. Even more interesting was that both of them were wearing a set of clothing. Yan Yan could tell these clothes were handmade. They were exquisite and cute.
The tiny people's postures were very strange. They were leaning forward. One was a girl. Her hair was done into two circular buns and she wore a set of pink colored skirt and jacket. She had an ornamental flower in her hair and a gold necklace around her neck. Her facial features were extremely lifelike.
The other was a chubby boy. His round body wore a cyan robe and there were two large eyes on his chubby face. Even the eyelashes were visible. He was also slightly leaning forward, his face brimming with happiness.
Yan Yan had never seen such dolls before. They were actually so realistic. She even felt that boy was very familiar. After looking properly for a moment, she realized it was clearly a miniature little fatty Luo. She then realized that the girl was clearly her.
She wanted to touch them admiringly but also didn't dare do so. She was deeply afraid of breaking these dolls. There was a piece of paper inside the box with a few words written on it. Yan Yan followed the written instructions and slowly turned the handle on the side.
It could actually really be turned. Faint sounds could even be heard from inside the box. When it was turned until it could no longer be turned, Yan Yan let go. A clear melody suddenly sounded from the box, giving Yan Yan a fright.
Looking back inside the box, the two little dolls actually started moving slowly with the music. She was truly startled. But what startled her even more was yet to come....
She watched the two little dolls spin a couple of times and slowly get closer, closer and closer again....under Yan Yan's wide-opened eyes, the two little dolls' lips locked in a kiss.
Yan Yan's face immediately turned red and her mind became a mess.
This, this, this....
That crisp melody still sounded out....
The tone was extremely simple but it created an unknown melody that was very pleasant.
Yan Yan wasn't able to snap out of it until the melody stopped and the two little people returned to their original positions. It was as though she had imagined everything. She blinked her eyes and then turned the handle again. Comapred to her previous careful turning, her movements were much faster this time.
Then came the crisp melody once again, and the two lifelike little dolls approached each other under Yan Yan's eyes....
She wanted to have it stop, but didn't know how to do so. She could only stare blankly as the little dolls spun closer and further, closer and further....
There was a letter inside the lid. Yan Yan unconsciously took it down and opened it.
Little sis Ah Yan, if I said I liked you, how would you react? I've always, always liked you. I've liked you for a long time. I want to take you as my consort!
There were only a few words inside but they shattered Yan Yan's entire being to pieces.
.......
The melody had stopped at some point.
Yn Yan swiftly closed the lid with trembling hands. She even knew to lock it with the golden lock. She then held it in her arms and didn't really know what to do.
After thinking for a while, she went inside her bedroom and put the box into the little cabinet inside her palanquin bed. She then flopped onto her bed, wondering how things became this way.
Little fatty Luo likes her? He's liked her for a long time? Just when did it start?
If Luo Huai Yuan had just written a love poem or something, Yan Yan probably wouldn't have such a large reaction. She had never liked such literary things after all. It was because this was too blunt and too honest. It was honest enough that Yan Yan couldn't avoid it!
I want to take you as my consort!
In Yan Yan's mind, Luo Huai Yuan was just a friend whom she got to know at her most indecivise moment.
Because of this, she treated him differently. First of all, Yan Yan was quite impressed with him, and felt he was very resourceful. Compared to him, she was clumsy and only knew to hit people when angered. Every step of his plans would strike people in their weakspots, to the extent that those being screwed over wouldn't know what hit them.
But this sort of impression was only temporary because little fatty Luo messed around too much. He liked joking around and also liked acting weird.
Anyone who used to be impressed by him would be speechless after seeing his antics and weirdness.
They had gotten more and more familiar with each other, and it wasn't too far off from her relationship with Yan Mo. After he went to Fujian, they hadn't seen each other for three years. However, they remained in contact the entire time. It could be said that Yan Yan was the only person in the world who knew what Luo Huai Yuan had been up to abroad.
This included Lady Hui and those guards. Because they had acted separately, they weren't too clear of the overall picture....
While she knew many things about him, he knew many things about her as well.
They were too close, close enough to know each other's deepest secrets. Yan Yan had even thought that little fatty Luo would probably be her closest friend in this life.
But how did this turn into liking?
What did liking mean?
.....
Seeing the miss hide in her room without coming out, the few maids were extremely curious.
Yi Meng was the one who brought the thing over so Mei Xiang and the rest all looked at her.
Yi Meng waved her hands, "I also don't know what was inside. It was a little box, and wasn't too heavy."
Without any conclusions, they could only continue to wait.
With the sound of crashing thunder, it started pouring outside. It was like a hole had appeared in the heavens and water was being poured through it.
Yi Yun ran in from outside, her hems and shoes soaking wet. "Luckily I hurried back after seeing things not looking good. Otherwise I would have been drenched."
"Wait, you didn't manage to get the stuff?" Yi Yun's hands were completely empty.
As the weather started changing a few days ago, the summer clothes could gradually no longer be worn. The senior maids of the Ningxiang Chambers had decided to fetch the estate's allotted autumn clothing for themselves and the junior maids. Although they normally didn't wear what the estate handed down, they could give it to the little lasses under them. Unexpectedly, despite having gone over twice, they didn't manage to get anything.
Servants in the estate got clothes for every season based on their level. Those first ranked maids like Mei Xiang's group got pretty decent things. The estate sometimes handed out clothes and sometimes handed out material for them to make clothes themselves. No matter what, there would always be something. But now that it was getting cold, why haven't they allocated the clothes yet?
Yi Yun nodded. "We've just come back from the manor so we didn't know about it. I heard others saying that the previous season's hadn't been handed out yet either. Many people are complaining endlessly."
The group looked at each other, their expressions weird.
"What hasn't been handed out yet?"
Yan Yan walked out. Nothing could be seen from her expression.
Yi Yun summarized the situation.
"We aren't lacking in these things. When the rain stops, I'll go discuss with my mom. If the estate isn't handing them out, we'll make our own. We can't drag things out while waiting for them."
"Miss, we aren't actually lacking in clothing. You often bestow cloth to the servants. Even the junior maids and grannies aren't lacking, let along us servants. We just went out of habit." After speaking, Yi Meng also relayed all the rumors and gossip going around these days.
As of now, the estate cared less and less about appearances. Those above didn't give any silver, making it difficult for the managing grannies and managers to operate. To put it plainly, everyone underneath them worked for the sake of silver. Now that today's wasn't given and tomorrow's was delayed, there would inevitably be discussions amongst the servants.
Chen-shi was having a hard time managing the household at the moment. Especially since she didn't have much past experience.
When Xue-shi was in charge, she would listen to the old madam on the surface but actually knew what to do better in her heart. But Chen-shi couldn't do this. Whatever the old madam said, she would carry out obediently. For example, she obediently dealt with the servants' allowances. Also the estate had several suppliers of cloth. Due to the large volume, they could purchase on credit and didn't need to pay right away. They could wait to settle accounts later.
But Chen-shi saw there wasn't much silver left in the account and nothing new showed up. She went to find the old madam. The old madam naturally delayed where she could and avoided what she could. She gave the order to skip the summer allotment for the servants. This had happened before in the past. After all, they needed to control their expenses. But skipping two seasons in a row inevitably made the servants gossip.
The rain came quickly and went quickly as well. Some little lasses who understood farming commented that this year's harvest wouldn't be good. It was harvest season now but the weather was so strange. Wouldn't the people relying on the crops suffer?
Seeing the rain stop, Yan Yan went over to the Jinse Pavilion.
After she explained the situation, Shen Yi Yao very straightforwardly said to have the cloth businesses under her send over a batch. Having been the mistress for so long, she knew servants didn't require much, but should be given what they were owed. Otherwise, if they started slacking, who would handle their affairs?
Back onto the topic of the weather. Since Shen Yi Yao had a lot of farmland and businesses under her name, she understood the effect of the weather on the harvest quite well. Seeing this autumn's weather, she had some idea of what was coming. The spring and summer had been good. It was only when it was harvest time that the weather suddenly changed. There would probably be quite a few farmers who would be crying over spoiled crop.
"Mom has already given the orders. Once the situation is confirmed, we will waive the rent for the tenant farmers."
After speaking, Shen Yi Yao continued; "You haven't seen your Auntie Fang in several years. Last time she asked about you at the Yiyong Marquis Estate. They've arranged a chrysanthemum viewing banquet at their estate in a couple of days. Come along with your mom at that time. Bring the eldest and fourth misses along as well.
Yan Yan nodded.
***
Hearing about the chrysanthemum viewing party, Yan Ru and Yan Ling were immediately thrilled.
They set even stricter standards for themselves and often bugged Nana Chang to pick out their shortcomings. They then bugged Yan Yan about the Yiyong Marquis Estate's situation, deeply afraid of messing up.
Everyone had some idea of what it meant to attend this banquet. This counted as them formally entering society. There would definitely be many noblewomen at the banquet, and there would be some who had younger generations who were ready to discuss marriage. Most of the wealthy daughters in the capital found their marriages this way.
After Xue-shi found out, she braced her heart and spent her silver to buy some jewelry for her daughter. Even Yan Ling had a set. These movements were naturally noticed by those paying attention.
In the blink of an eye, the day arrived. When they went to pay respects at the Rongan Hall, Yan Yan saw Yan Ru and Yan Ling full of smiles. The two had faint bags under their eyes. It was clear they didn't get much sleep.
Normally, after they paid respects, the old madam would have everyone disperse. In the past she would still have them stay for breakfast but this hadn't been done in a while. Unexpectedly, she didn't let them leave after they paid respects.
"Old second daughter-in-law, it looks like you're heading out?" The old madam's voice was weird.
Shen Yi Yao nodded and merely answered yes.
"It doesn't seem quite so simple. Since you're even bringing the eldest lass and fourth lass, might as well take the second, sixth and seventh lasses along."
The old madam made it sound like a minor thing. Everyone's gazes couldn't help but focus on Shen Yi Yao.
Yan Yan wasn't pleased: "Grandmother, my mom is taking me to Auntie Fang's estate. We're going to be guests and haven't seen them in a while. Eldest sis and fourth sis are coming along with me as playmates. What performance are you having us put on by making mom bring them?"
"Since they are playmates, isn't it better for there to be more?"
"Do you think it's good to bring so many people when we're guests at someone else's place?!"
Yan Yan's tone was rather impolite and the old madam's face sank. Yan Ru and Yan Ling looked at each other while Xue-shi's brows were tightly furrowed. Chen-shi half lowered her head. Yan Qian was looking over intently.