Seeing Chu Lian nod in satisfaction, Senior Servant Zhong had the urge to cover her face in shame.
When they were done with breakfast, Chu Lian rested for an hour before heading to Qingxi Hall to give her daily greetings to Matriarch He.
The matriarch was already getting on in age, so she didn't sleep much, especially in a hot summer like this. She had already been up for a while.
When Chu Lian reached Qingxi Hall, the matriarch had just finished her breakfast.
Chu Lian greeted her in the traditional manner of a junior family member, and Matriarch He waved her forward with upturned, smiling eyes. "Sanlang's wife, come sit by Grandmother's side."
Chu Lian sat down on the low stool a step below the matriarch. She looked at Matriarch He as she asked, "Grandmother, is there any news from my husband?"
She had just been married to He Changdi for a few days and the two of them hadn't consummated their marriage. He Changdi had even treated her with the equivalent of a cold shoulder. No matter how outstanding his looks were, Chu Lian had no feelings for him at all.
She was simply acting the part of a devoted wife for the matriarch's sake.
Although she didn't like He Changdi's actions, she liked the matriarch. Since the second day of her marriage, during the tea ceremony, she could see the genuine care and concern this old granny held for her.
Chu Lian wouldn't let anyone who treated her well be sad.
Matriarch He sighed and stroked Chu Lian's soft hair. "That Sanlang is really Sanlang's wife, please don't worry too much about him. I've already asked Dalang to send people out with inquiries. There'll be news soon."
Chu Lian obediently nodded; she didn't look like this news particularly surprised her, or was anything really special. However, it was this lack of expression that caused the matriarch's heart to ache in sympathy.
She had been the one to plead with the empress dowager for a girl from House Ying, but now, that girl had to suffer living like a widow while her husband was still alive. Thus, she felt a little more guilty compared to the other members of the family.
Chu Lian noticed the gloom creeping onto the matriarch's face and hurriedly tried to change the topic. "Grandmother, what did you have for breakfast today?"
Immediately after she asked, Chu Lian almost blushed with shame. What was wrong with her? The only topic she could come up with was related to food?
However, she couldn't take back her words, so the only thing she could do was suppress her blush and look up at Matriarch He. The matriarch could see the embarrassment on Chu Lian's face, so she burst out into laughter.
"What's wrong? You didn't have enough to eat in your own courtyard?"
Chu Lian blushed at Matriarch He's teasing. Of course she had eaten her fill! Half a basket of soup dumplings had gone into her stomach! Even now, Chu Lian still felt bloated.
Matriarch He was already old. Her daughters had already left the estate a long time ago, and her daughter-in-law had given birth to three sons. When Madam Zou had married into the estate, she had already been over twenty years old. Matriarch He hadn't had the company of young ladies around the age of fifteen like Chu Lian in a long time, so she cherished seeing her innocent reactions even more.
When she saw that Chu Lian was already flushed and didn't know how to answer, the smile on her face grew. "Grandmother doesn't have a very good appetite in the summer. I only ate half a bowl of red birds nest. When you return to your courtyard, I'll let Senior Servant Liu bring half a kilogram of it for you later. You're still growing at your age, so you should make sure you have enough nutrients."
Although Chu Lian had never eaten red birds nest before, as an experienced gourmet enthusiast, she knew that red birds nest was the best quality of birds nest available. Most of the nobility in the Great Wu Dynasty ate white birds nest, two whole grades lower than red birds nest.
Matriarch He's red bird nest probably couldn't be bought with money, and most likely came from the palace. The matriarch was good friends with the empress dowager, so it had probably been a gift.
Chu Lian didn't dare to accept something that the empress dowager had given to Matriarch He.
She quickly shook her head. Grandmother, "there's no need for that. My body is perfectly healthy! If I take in more nutrients, I'll get fat!"
"You're worried about getting fat with such a tiny figure?" Matriarch He smiled broadly.
"Grandmother, if you really want to give it away, why not give it to Mother instead?"
Matriarch He froze for a moment and sighed. "Child, you're always thinking of others."
Chu Lian looked up at Matriarch He's affectionate expression. "Mother is my husband's very own mother. How could Mother be counted as an outsider?"
Warmth suffused Matriarch He's heart and she poked Chu Lian's little nose. "Sanlang's wife, you really are such a good child. Alright, Grandmother will send some red birds nest to your mother. You had better take some back with you too."
Since the matriarch had already put it this way, it would be unreasonable if Chu Lian continued declining.
Eldest Young Madam had arrived outside sometime while they were talking. She just so happened to overhear Matriarch He's words upon entering. She lowered her head and frowned a little.
Since Madam Zou's back was to the light, no one noticed the expression on her face.
A maidservant lifted up the curtain at the entrance of the room and let Madam Zou in.
"Grandmother." After Madam Zou bobbed in greeting, she sat at Matriarch He's other side.
Matriarch He smiled as she looked at Madam Zou. "Dalang's wife, why have you come here so early?"
There was no change in the expression on Madam Zou's face at all. The corner of her lips lifted elegantly. "Grandmother, have you forgotten? It's rest day for all the stewards in our estate today."
Every day, Madam Zou had to listen to all the stewards of every courtyard in the estate make their report. She would only come to Qingxi Hall to greet the matriarch when she was done. After that, she would visit her mother-in-law.
"That's right, it's the sixteenth today. Grandmother's forgotten all about the date."
Madam Zou exchanged small talk with the matriarch for some time, but seeing that Matriarch He didn't mention the red birds nest at all, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Matriarch He picked up her teacup and took a sip. "Dalang's wife, it's your grandfathers longevity feast tomorrow, isn't it?"
Madam Zou smiled as she nodded. "It is! Grandmother still remembers such a date! Granddaughter-in-Law thanks Grandmother in place of Grandfather."
"Child, you're being too polite."
While sitting on the other side, Chu Lian hadn't expected the topic to be diverted to the feast. She tried to shrink into her seat and hide her presence.
Why don't you guys attend the longevity feast by yourselves? Please, please, please don't remember to invite me along!
However, the heavens didn't listen to her pleas.
Matriarch He suddenly changed the discussion. "Sanlang's wife has just married into the family, but lately, she's only spent time alone at home. Why don't you bring her along with you when the time comes?"
Matriarch He would be attending the feast as well, but the old madams had their own circles. It wasn't suitable for a young lady to join them.
Since Chu Lian was a newlywed and Madam Zou was still young, it would be better for Madam Zou to introduce some of the young madams of the capital to Chu Lian.
Chu Lian's body stiffened. She hadn't expected Matriarch He to suggest that she follow Madam Zou to the feast.
She wanted to speak up and reject the offer, but this wasn't the right time for her to speak.
She could only pray silently in her heart. Madam Zou, please don't agree to it!
Madam Zou was a sweet-tempered person, so she didn't hesitate as she replied, "Yes, Grandmother. Please don't worry. I'll bring Third Sister-in-Law with me tomorrow and take care of her."
Matriarch He nodded in satisfaction.
He Changdi had just left home, and there hadn't been any news of him yet. She wanted to help Chu Lian take her mind off her missing husband, so she had made the suggestion to Madam Zou. However, her good intentions had actually caused more trouble instead.
Chu Lian was suffering inwardly beyond words, but she couldn't show any of it.
She could only brace herself and agree to the outing.
The two granddaughters-in-law sat with the matriarch for a while longer before they took their leave to visit their mother-in-law.
Countess Jingan's condition wasn't too good today. When Chu Lian arrived for her visit, the countess was still asleep. Madam Zou and Chu Lian sat in the outer room for ten minutes before leaving and returning to their respective courtyards.
The next day, Chu Lian was to follow her sister-in-law, Madam Zou, to the Dingyuan Estate for the longevity feast.
When she woke up in the morning, Senior Servant Gui and Xiyan helped Chu Lian into the dress they had already picked out. Since she was still a newlywed madam, they had chosen a brightly coloured dress. It matched perfectly with the ruby hair ornament Chu Lian had.
Before leaving Songtao Court, Senior Servant Zhong suddenly coughed once. Chu Lian turned around and gave Senior Servant Zhong a weird look before realisation dawned on her. She then ordered, "Xiyan and Wenqing will serve me at the Dingyuan Estate today!"
The two maidservants obediently agreed. Senior Servant Zhong shot a look at Wenqing. Before they left the courtyard, she even whispered a reminder into Wenqings ear. "Remember what I said last night. If you slip up, just wait for your punishment when you return."
Wenqing nodded fervently. Rest assured, she wouldn't let any men near Third Young Madam at all. For the sake of her delicious meals, she was going to fight with all her might. Any shameless man who wanted to snatch her Third Young Madam away would be beaten down without mercy!
Luckily, Senior Servant Zhong wasn't able to read Wenqing's thoughts. Otherwise, she probably would have puked up a mouthful of blood.
Girl, that wasn't what she instructed you to do last night!
When they reached the screen at the entrance of their estate, Chu Lian was invited by Senior Servant Liu to take Matriarch He's carriage. Madam Zou boarded another carriage with her two daughters, Little An and Little Lin, while her husband, He Dalang, followed next to the carriage on horseback with the guards.
Their party left the Jingan Estate and made their way towards Marquis Dingyuan's estate.
Matriarch He's carriage wasn't very big, but it was comfortable inside. Senior Servant Liu sat by the matriarch while Chu Lian sat opposite them.
Senior Servant Liu had a round fan in hand and was gently fanning the matriarch. Matriarch He was wearing a dark purple eight-bolt dress, as well as an emerald green headband embroidered with a pattern for fortune tied around her head. Her white hair was held up by a long hairpin made out of carved jade. She looked like a noble old madam, subtle and dignified.
"Sanlang's wife, have you visited the Dingyuan Estate before?"
When Matriarch He spoke up, Chu Lian realised why the matriarch had invited her to share her carriage today.
The matriarch wanted to give her some pointers on the connections between the people of the Dingyuan Estate.
Although she knew a little about the events of the novel, there was a limit to how much could be conveyed without diverting too much from the plot. She couldn't possibly know about the relations of every single family in the capital, so she shook her head honestly.
Matriarch He was very satisfied with her honesty, so she quietly revealed everything she could.
House Dingyuan was Madam Zou's maiden family. They were flourishing in terms of population, and Madam Zou was Old Marquis Dingyuan's eldest legitimate granddaughter. Imperial Consort De had come from the Dingyuan Estate, and was Old Marquis Dingyuan's daughter.
However, it had been many years since Consort De had entered the palace. She had only given birth to a single daughter, who had unfortunately passed away at the age of five.
Princess Leyao looked quite similar to Consort De's deceased daughter, so amongst the many princes and princesses in the palace, Consort De's favourite one was the ten-year-old Leyao.
By the time they reached the Dingyuan Estate, Chu Lian had already been given a clear picture of House Dingyuan's situation.
In summary, Marquis Dingyuan was one of the Emperor's most trusted officials, and they couldn't afford to offend them
When Matriarch He noticed the slightly overwhelmed expression on Chu Lian's face, she smiled and patted Chu Lian's hand in comfort. "Don't worry, Grandmother told you all this just to let you understand what's going on in the Dingyuan Estate. As for the rest, don't think about it. Just follow your sister-in-law. She'll take good care of you."