Ch. 265 Eldest Madam Returns
On the following day, Matriarch He's health had deteriorated so much that she was too weak to get out of bed. He Changqi had suddenly become the only master in the entire estate who was entirely healthy and normal.
He Changqi was actually mired in his own worries, and he was in no mood to celebrate New Year's. Each day, he would leave early in the morning to search for any news of the situation in the north, only returning late at night. He even used his connections to send a request to Princess Wei.
Early this morning, the silent and subdued entrance of the Jing'an Estate suddenly turned lively again.
A few carriages marked with the flags of the Jing'an Estate stopped in front of the gates.
Following that, a green-clad maidservant jumped out from the lead carriage before quickly placing a wooden stool beneath its door. She lifted up the curtain covering the entrance and carefully helped out the person within.
The first to emerge from the confines of the carriage was a young lady wearing a dark green hood. She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She had a slender figure, dressed in a plain-coloured vest over a russet dress. Closely following her was a middle-aged woman.
The woman was slightly plump and was wrapped in a brocade cloak. Her hair was combed up into a conch shape, with only a simple silver hairpin to decorate her black hair.
She turned her head slightly and patted the young lady's hand, as if to reassure her.
Her face actually held some resemblance to House Jing'an's matriarch.
"Nianzhen, this is your grandmother's home." He Ying's voice was clearly emotional right now. The gaze she was directing towards House Jing'an's gates were filled with both yearning and greed.
Pan Nianzhen hugged her mother's arm tightly. Her narrow eyes filled with uncertainty and envy as she took in the large, luxurious gates of the Jing'an Estate and the roofs of the buildings within.
She gulped nervously and said, "Mother, Grandmother's home is so huge. I've never seen such a large courtyard in my whole life. Can we stay here forever from now on?"
The corners of He Ying's mouth tilted upwards. "Of course. Since we've returned, no one can chase us out!"
Senior Servant Liu hurried over with some servants in tow after receiving the report from the gatekeepers.
Ever since He Ying had married into the Pan Family, far away in Siyang, they hadn't met in decades. Now that she was meeting the He Family's former Eldest Young Miss again, a mix of emotions welled up within Senior Servant Liu.
She walked up to He Ying and bobbed in greeting towards her, together with the servants behind her. It was only after a respectful pause that she raised her head and said, "Eldest Madam, it must have been a long journey for you. Please, follow this servant into the estate."
Even though it had been many years since they had last met, He Ying was able to recognise the senior servant who was even more well dressed than she was.
"Senior Servant Liu, I hope you've been well since we parted."
After saying so, He Ying rearranged her expression into a frown as she took in the servants who had come to welcome her together with Senior Servant Liu. All of a sudden, she let out a mocking peal of laughter. "I see that we're not that welcome after all, since you've only sent servants out to welcome us back."
Senior Servant Liu's expression changed. She pressed her lips together and just barely managed to hold back the sharp words bubbling up within. Then, Senior Servant Liu respectfully lowered her head as she replied, "Eldest Madam might not have gotten the news yet. None of the male masters of our house are home right now. The matriarch and the countess are both sickly and bedridden, so the honour of welcoming you has been left to this old servant."
He Ying's brows drew together. "Mother is sick?"
Senior Servant Liu nodded, her heart clearly aching for the matriarch. "Eldest Madam and Miss Pan, please enter first and listen to this old servant's explanation later."
It was only then that He Ying stopped talking and let the maidservants help her and her daughter into the estate.
The news had been sent to Qingxi Hall already. Perhaps due to the pending reunion with the daughter she had been separated from for decades, the matriarch was much more spirited than the two days before. She forced herself out of bed and on her feet.
The matriarch let her maidservants help her dress before letting Muxiang escort her to the hearth in the parlour. It was there that she awaited the arrival of her long lost daughter.
Matriarch He's old eyes remained fixed on the entrance the whole time. Eventually, she urged, "Muxiang, send someone to ask if they've entered the inner court."
Muxiang covered her lips and smiled. "Of course, this servant will go now. Please don't worry, Matriarch. Eldest Madam has already entered the estate, it will only take her a moment to arrive in the inner court. Senior Servant Liu has even sent out sedans and specially arranged for the most fleet-footed menial servants to carry them. They won't be delayed."
The matriarch sighed. "I know that, but I just can't help myself."
Just as Muxiang walked over to the parlour entrance and lifted up the heavy drapes covering them, she spotted Senior Servant Liu leading a group of people down the corridor. She turned around joyously and said, "Matriarch, Eldest Madam has arrived!"
"Quick, welcome them in!" Matriarch He was so happy she almost leaped up from the hearth, giving Muxiang a fright as she hurriedly went over to support the matriarch.
The haughtiness on He Ying's face immediately faded the moment Senior Servant Liu lifted the curtains.
Once she entered the parlour, she fixed her eyes on the old woman sitting by the hearth. Tears seemed to spring to her eyes almost instantly.
"Mother!"
Matriarch He looked down upon the daughter who had left her as a young lady and grown into a middle-aged woman. Her old eyes looked hazy as tears welled up in their corners.
"Miss Ying, come to Mother's side and let Mother take a good look at you."
He Ying ran forward and threw herself into Matriarch He's arms. The mother and child who had been separated for years hugged each other tightly and cried their hearts out.
Pan Nianzhen was at a loss for what to do. She shrunk back and looked up at the kindly matriarch sitting at the head of the room before her attention was attracted by the sumptuous luxury of the parlour furnishings. Her eyes darted here and there, looking over everything with desire.
Senior Servant Liu and Senior Servant Zhou were afraid that the matriarch's fragile health would decline even more if she went through more emotional upheaval, so they hurriedly spoke words of reassurance. "Matriarch, now that Eldest Madam is back and the New Year is coming, you should be happier! Miss Pan is watching from the side!"
As expected, with the reminder that her granddaughter was watching, Matriarch He slowly got her emotions under control. She let go of her daughter and dabbed at her tears before finally getting a good look at her daughter. When she was satisfied, she turned her gaze to her granddaughter, Pan Nianzhen.
He Ying pulled her daughter closer. "Nianzhen, this is your maternal grandmother. Quick, greet her."
Pan Nianzhen was a little timid. She darted a glance at the kindly yet intimidating old lady before her and greeted in almost a whisper, "Grandmother."
"What a good child!" The matriarch reached out and took Pan Nianzhen's hand in her own. She carefully looked over the young lady before asking, "How old is Nianzhen this year?"
He Ying looked at her daughter with pride. "Her coming of age ceremony was done just this summer, so she'll be sixteen this coming year."
Sixteen years of age? That was considered an adult woman in the Great Wu Dynasty. It was also the right time to start preparing for marriage and it wouldn't be good to tarry on that matter.
An idea sparked to life within Matriarch He.
She let the two ladies sit down next to her. At the same time, she had also noticed that they were dressed in rather plain and shabby outfits.
He Ying seemed to have sensed her mother's measuring gaze. She lowered her head in shame.
The matriarch frowned. "Why are you dressed in this manner?"
He Ying glanced at her mother. Her lips parted, as if she wanted to speak, but it seemed like her shame was holding her back.
"Even if you don't want to dress up, you should have given Nianzhen a few good dresses at least. She should be dressing prettily at her age."
Once Matriarch He had spoken, He Ying could no longer hold back and said, "Mother, it's not that I'm not willing to, but I just don't have the money right now."
Matriarch He stared in disbelief. "Did you spend all of the taels I gave you back then?"
He Ying acted aggrieved when reminded of the money she had been given. "Mother, it's been so many years. How could there be anything left from just a few ten-thousand taels?"
Matriarch He deeply regretted that she hadn't raised Miss Ying properly.
She was actually dismissing several ten-thousand taels. How could several ten-thousand taels be a small amount?
That was enough to buy at least ten or more storefronts! Even if they did nothing with the storefronts and just rented them out, they would still be able to live much more comfortably than they seemed to be now. She would at least have the money to make some new clothes and accessories for her daughter.
The frustration within the matriarch almost shot through the roof after that casual comment from her daughter.
However, as angry as she was, she couldn't just let her daughter and granddaughter continue dressing so shabbily.
She looked her daughter up and down once more before saying, "The two of you can stay in my Qingxi Hall for now. You're about the same size as I was back then, so you can take some of my clothes for now. Muxiang, lead Eldest Madam over to the storehouse in a while."
Muxiang respectfully acknowledged the orders.
Matriarch He looked at the timid Pan Nianzhen and faced a dilemma.
Pan Nianzhen was fifteen this year and in the prime of her life. Matriarch He didn't have any clothes suitable for her to wear. Even if they ordered the seamstresses to rush out something, it would still take a few days. It was already close to the year's end, so the clothes stores outside were all closed. They wouldn't be able to buy any ready made dresses. It was really a tough problem for the matriarch.
Senior Servant Liu was observant. She smiled and whispered a suggestion to the matriarch.
"Matriarch, why don't you send someone over to Third Young Madam's courtyard to ask?"
Now that Senior Servant Liu had reminded her, realisation dawned upon the matriarch. That's right. Sanlang's wife was also fifteen. Although the two young ladies were a little different in size, it wasn't so drastic.
"Xiangyun, take Miss Pan over to Sanlang's courtyard and borrow two outfits for the time being. Get our seamstresses to measure the two of them tomorrow afternoon to make some outfits they can wear," Matriarch He instructed Senior Servant Liu.
Once those details were settled, Matriarch He held on to her daughter's hand and started chatting about their past memories.
He Ying wanted to get closer to her mother, so she put all her efforts into caring for the matriarch. They started talking about He Ying's childhood and kept chatting until it was time for the midday meal.
In the afternoon, they had lunch served in the parlour of Qingxi Hall. Matriarch He shared the meal together with her daughter and granddaughter.
On the table was Eight Treasure Duck, boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chilli, Pingqiao tofu, pork strips in chilli sauce, and meatballs in clear soup. There weren't that many dishes, but He Ying and her daughter were stunned.
They had never eaten or even seen such exquisite dishes before.
The parlour was filled with the fragrance of food.
"Mother, what... what is all this?" He Ying pointed at the dishes and gulped.
Matriarch He puffed up with pride at the mention of the food. "These dishes were all taught to our estate's cooks by Lian'er. They're much better than what we had before. Come, have a taste! Nianzhen, start eating!"
He Ying found it strange. "Mother, who's Lian'er? One of your maidservants?"
Matriarch He glared at her daughter upon hearing her ask such a question. "What nonsense are you speaking? Lian'er is your niece-in-law! She married Sanlang this year in early autumn."
He Ying's eyes almost bulged out in shock. "Sanlang is married?"
"You silly child. Have you forgotten everything as the years passed? Sanlang is already twenty this year; important matters like marriage can't be delayed!"
Upon hearing her mother's reply, a trace of disappointment flashed across He Ying's eyes.
"Alright, that's enough of that. Let's eat first. Once we're done, Xiangyun will explain everything that has happened in our estate."
None of what her mother and grandmother were talking about had gone into Pan Nianzhen's ears. She had just taken a bite of the Eight Treasure Duck and almost swallowed her tongue along with it because of how tasty it was. She couldn't help but think: how could there be such delicious food in the world?
Ch. 266 Borrowing Clothes
Although Pan Nianzhen had heard her parents talk of the riches and luxury of the capital in the past, it was nothing compared to seeing it for herself.
Setting aside the exquisite decorations, clothes, and jewellery, even a simple meal here was a hundred times better than what the wealthy in Siyang had.
If even House Jing'an was living in such luxury, one could just imagine how amazing life was in the house of a first rate noble.
Pan Nianzhen felt that she had made the right decision to come to the capital with her mother. It was no wonder that her mother missed the capital so dearly.
Once she thought of it this way, Pan Nianzhen began to envy the noble ladies who grew up here.
She stealthily glanced at Matriarch He who sat at the head of the table. Even though the capital was so rich and lavish, even though House Jing'an was obviously thriving, it wasn't until autumn this year that her grandmother had allowed the two of them to return. Pan Nianzhen had the inklings of a grudge in her stare.
It had been a long time since Matriarch He had been this happy. She kept adding food into their bowls. Satisfaction warmed her heart as she watched them enjoy their meal.
No matter what He Ying had done in her youth, she was still Matriarch He's very own flesh and blood. Matriarch He only had this one daughter. Now that decades had already passed, her daughter had likely undergone enough suffering and hardship in the outside world to learn her lesson. It was fine if her daughter now returned to stay and pass her days happily with her again.
As for this granddaughter of hers, Matriarch He planned to treat her well.
The six dishes should have been more than enough for the three of them, especially since the matriarch had a small appetite. There should even be leftovers. However, all of the plates were completely wiped clean. When He Ying and her daughter were done, there was no longer any food left in sight. They had even used some plain buns to soak up all the remaining gravy from the sliced pork dish.
It was only after setting down their bowls and chopsticks that the two finally noticed the discomfort from their bloated stomachs. When they looked again at the messy table, as thick-skinned as she was, even He Ying's face flushed red.
The servants waiting on them all wore awkward expressions. Even Muxiang's stare was filled with contempt.
The matriarch, on the other hand, had a gentle look in her eyes. She asked sympathetically, "Have you had your fill? If you want more, I'll have the kitchen cook a few more dishes."
He Ying quickly shook her head. "It's fine, Mother, we're already full."
As they had eaten too much at lunch, He Ying and her daughter rested in a side room in Qingxi Hall for over two hours. When they woke up, Senior Servant Liu led Pan Nianzhen to Songtao Court to borrow some clothes.
Once they arrived at the entrance, Senior Servant Liu happily introduced the place to her. "Miss Pan, this is the residence of Third Young Master and Third Young Madam."
Pan Nianzhen looked into the courtyard. Although it was winter, it didn't seem chilly here at all. There was even some greenery left in the garden amidst the decorative mountains, and off to the side were patches of wintersweet flowers.
She looked at the place with admiration and envy. Back in Siyang, only the family elders would get to live in a courtyard as lovely as this. The junior members of the family wouldn't get a turn at all. So this was how her older cousins had been living, having such a wonderful environment all to themselves their whole lives.
Senior Servant Liu wasn't bothered by her silence. She just continued introducing the interesting things in the courtyard, not knowing if Pan Nianzhen was actually listening.
In the main room of Songtao Court, a servant had just informed Xiyan, Senior Servant Gui, and the others of this matter.
Xiyan was in the middle of cataloguing all of Chu Lian's accessories together with the other servants.
She had heard from some of the servants in the outer court that an Eldest Madam had come to the estate, but she hadn't expected that Eldest Madam to bring her daughter over to Songtao Court.
She put down the register, and brought the servants over to welcome her.
Pan Nianzhen was politely escorted to the main room of Songtao Court, while Senior Servant Liu tactfully explained the situation to Xiyan.
With a slight smile, Xiyan said, "Since that's the case, please follow this servant, Miss Pan."
Pan Nianzhen carefully sized up the decor in the main room of Songtao Court. As her gaze swept the room, a book placed on the side table caught her eye.
That was the book that Xiyan had been using to catalogue Chu Lian's accessories. Pan Nianzhen's appearance had been so sudden that she had forgotten about the catalogue, even though she had ordered the servants to put the jewellery away. Xiyan had left it open on a little table near the hearth. It was unfortunate that it caught Pan Nianzhen's eye.
At first, Pan Nianzhen had just glanced at it due to curiosity. However, when she read the names of the accessories recorded on the book, she was first startled before swimming in envy.
Golden hairpin with sapphire and jade inlays, Eight Treasure hairpin with pearl chains, dangling hair ornament shaped as a blooming blossom with rubies... The names of some of these accessories leaped out at first glance- they sounded like they were worth a few hundred taels at least!
In Siyang, even the provincial official's wife didn't own such jewellery.
Pan Nianzhen was overcome with jealousy. In her mind, Chu Lian was merely the wife of the third young master, but she had so many expensive accessories! What about the wives of the first and second sons then?!
Xiyan, Senior Servant Liu, and the others didn't notice where Pan Nianzhen's gaze had been directed. Xiyan continued with a smile, "Miss Pan, please follow this servant, Third Young Madam's clothes are all in the bedroom."
Although Chu Lian wasn't home, Xiyan still followed their standard procedures and switched out the clothes in the closet for ones suited for winter.
Once the closet was opened, it became too dazzling for Pan Nianzhen to behold.
Her mouth was agape as she looked at the various winter clothes in disbelief. Her eyes were filled with greed.
When Xiyan looked towards the fragile-looking Miss Pan, she noticed that something was amiss with her gaze. She turned her head to check what she was looking at. When she realised that Miss Pan was eyeing the clothes in the closet, her brows knit together.
Xiyan suppressed the displeasure in her heart and tried her best to remain calm. "Miss Pan, Third Young Madam's winter clothes are all here. These were all newly made this year and Third Young Madam hasn't worn them yet. Please go ahead and pick a few from here."
The clothes that Xiyan had pointed at had been made by the seamstresses in the estate and were part of the regular allowance sent to every member of the household. There were six sets in total, all made to Chu Lian's measurements. There were high-quality dresses, fur-lined jackets, vests, and cloaks.
However, Pan Nianzhen's eyes landed on another chest of clothes off to the side. The outfits in that chest were just too outstanding. One of the full-length dresses was even decorated with black pearls the size of rice grains. The pearls followed a winding pattern on top of the dark-coloured dress. It was the epitome of understated luxury. Pan Nianzhen couldn't help pointing at that outfit, her eyes glistening as she said, "I'll take that set then."
Xiyan followed where Pan Nianzhen was pointing. The moment she saw the outfit Pan Nianzhen wanted, her expression changed and she took a deep breath. Xiyan used all her patience to explain, "Miss Pan, I truly apologize, the winter clothes in this wardrobe were all bestowed to our Third Young Madam by Princess Wei. We can't give them to you."
What? Bestowed by Princess Wei?
Although her hopes had been crushed, Pan Nianzhen refused to give up.
"Can't I just borrow these and wear them for a bit?" Pan Nianzhen asked, using a slightly whiny tone as if she had been bullied.
Xiyan was stunned. She didn't expect this Miss Pan to be stubborn to the point of ignoring what Xiyan had spelled out for her.
Princess Wei doted on Chu Lian, so she had sent a whole chest of clothes over at the end of the year. The clothes in the closet could all be lent to Miss Pan, but the outfits bestowed by Princess Wei truly couldn't be lent to her. Their own mistress hadn't even worn them once yet, so it would be bad if Princess Wei found out that the clothes had been lent to others.