Chapter 69 Aunt, if you trust me, why not let me give you some advice?

Deng Jinniang arrived at the Du residence on the twelfth day of the first lunar month. As she was in a hurry to go to the capital, she arrived a day earlier than the letter had been sent. Rong Shi had originally arranged for the three siblings to go on a lantern viewing trip for the Lantern Festival, but due to Jinniang's last-minute arrival, the accompanying personnel had to be adjusted.

As the elder brother, Du Heng, with Wanyi and Su Ying, along with his attendant maids and servants, would have been almost adequate. But now with Jinniang, Du Heng alone was no longer sufficient, so Rong Shi specially dispatched Li Mao, who had replaced Du Shun as the manager of the front courtyard.

Although Li Mao had just been promoted to the position of manager not long ago, he had been in charge of external purchasing affairs for many years, and Rong trusted him.

In addition to having an additional manager, Taoxi was also assigned to accompany Su Ying. Jinniang, who did not have a personal maid, was accompanied by Du Heng's maid Chunnuan.

Before setting off, several people went to pay their respects to the old lady.

The previous sutra offering had been a solemn Buddhist ceremony, but this lantern festival was their first real outing after three years of mourning. The old lady, unwilling to dampen the young men's enthusiasm, simply warned them, "Don't let your time slip by in your playfulness," and "Be mindful of the crowds," before not keeping them any longer.

Afterwards, the group went to Cheng's house.

......

Ever since she found out that Rong had arranged for the brothers and sisters to go out and watch the lanterns during the Lantern Festival, Cheng was extremely angry.

Originally, no one was around to listen to her complaints, but now that Jinniang had finally arrived, she couldn't help but say, "She herself has no children, so she doesn't have to worry about you sisters' safety. Every year during the Lantern Festival, there are tragic incidents of young ladies and children disappearing. I wonder what she's really thinking."

Jinniang had already had some doubts about the Rong family being the head of the household. After hearing her aunt openly express her dislike for the Rong family, she had a rough idea in her mind.

Cheng was her aunt and Du Heng's mother, so she was naturally with Cheng. She then said, "Aunt, why don't you try to persuade her? I don't think Second Aunt is unreasonable. If you explain the pros and cons to her, maybe she won't go."

"You think I didn't stop you?"

Cheng sighed and looked around, as if she didn't want anyone to hear.

Then, discouraged, he said, "The day I set out to look for Rong, your cousin Heng came looking for me. He said the Lantern Festival outing was his idea. Wanyi will be coming of age this year, and maybe she'll be married next year. If I don't take my sister out for a walk, I'll never find such a good day again."

Upon hearing this, Jinniang's heart softened. Her cousin truly doted on her sister, Wanyi. If her cousin hadn't remained calm yesterday, her aunt's panic would have put her in a state of panic. A man who cared so deeply for his family and could handle things on his own was truly rare.

She couldn't help but speak up for Du Heng: "Aunt, Cousin Heng is a reliable person. You don't have to worry about him being around. Besides, I'm here to accompany Sister Wanyi!"

Unexpectedly, Cheng said: "If Heng'er only took you and Wanyi with him, I wouldn't be so worried. But..."

Cheng hesitated to speak, obviously hesitating whether she should tell Jinniang the next words.

Deng Jinniang had noticed something during the two days she had been here. It seemed as if her aunt's hands and feet were tied up, and she rarely liked to leave the East Courtyard.

Although she didn't know what happened to her aunt, but whether it was right or wrong, as her niece, she was naturally with her aunt. Just like Su Ying, because of her kinship, she must be with her second aunt Rong.

What's more, she has made up her mind to get close to her cousin, so she needs to gain her aunt's trust.

So, she walked up behind Cheng, rubbed her shoulders, and expressed her loyalty: "Aunt, Jinniang came to the capital this time to share your worries. If your niece doesn't side with you, will she side with someone else?"

She paused for a moment, as if waiting for Cheng's reaction.

Cheng Shi didn't say anything, as if she was pondering something, so Jin Niang continued, "Although I've only been here a few days, I already feel that Auntie is a little bit upset. If Auntie doesn't mind, could you tell me about it?"

"My family is a large one in western Fujian. Before we moved to Fuzhou, we had several branches living under one roof. It was always trouble in one house today, or in another tomorrow. You know my mother's temper, so no one dared to bully her. I've been influenced by her since I was a child, and I've learned a lot about human relationships and social conventions."

"Aunt, if you trust me, could you please let me give you some advice?"

After Xue Yuan left, no one offered to rub Cheng's shoulders anymore. Sometimes she thought that the jewelry Xue Yuan sold was indeed old, and the styles she didn't like. But in the end, she had done something dirty that she shouldn't have done, and as the owner, she had lost face as well.

After Songying arrived, she was incredibly meticulous and impeccable. This not only left her with no place to vent her frustration, but also made her unhappy. She was just worrying about not having anyone close enough to offer advice. So, when she dozed off, Jinniang offered her a pillow.

Cheng happily pulled Jinniang to her side and looked at her carefully.

Zhenzhen is a beauty. I just wanted her to surpass Su Ying and let Heng Ge'er know that there are always people better than you before he makes a real move.

Unexpectedly, she was much smarter than he thought.

Cheng Shi made up her mind and stroked the back of Jin Niang's hand. "Did your mother tell you why she sent you to the capital?"

When Jinniang heard this, she knew her words had worked. She quickly knelt before Cheng, her cheeks flushed, and nodded, saying, "Mother told me so."

"Mother told me to obey my aunt. If she thinks I'm good, I'll stay and take care of her. If she doesn't want me anymore, I'll kowtow to her, thank her for her upbringing over the past year, and then go home."

Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, feeling very satisfied. After saying "good girl", she pulled Jinniang up, and whispered in her ear all the resentment she had felt since Su Ying came home, telling her niece who had rekindled her hope.

......

Wanyi had long known that her brother was going to take them out to enjoy the lanterns, and she had been looking forward to it immensely. However, although her mother didn't say it, she looked displeased, so much so that these days, she didn't dare even mention the word "outing" in front of her mother.

They had expected their mother to repeat her instructions before they left, insisting they listen for at least a moment before letting them go. Instead, she gave each of the three sisters a small purse and said, even more lovingly than a grandmother, "Your brother is right. You've all grown up, and it's time to take advantage of this time to go out and explore. Take this purse, and use the money in it to buy anything fun or delicious. If it's not enough, have your brother make a note of it and come back to me to withdraw it."

Then he sent them away quickly: "There are many people at the Lantern Festival, so don't get separated."

As she spoke, the mistress's aura seemed to return to Cheng. She said with a half-smile, "Brother Heng, if anything goes wrong with my sisters, you, as their elder brother, will be responsible. Otherwise, mother will not forgive you!"