Chapter 62: Protecting the Shortcomings
Chen Tang divided the plum branches into three bottles, gave one bottle to Nanny Sun to take back to Yujin Hall, and asked the maids to deliver the other two bottles to Mingfang Pavilion and Beixiaoyuan.
Seeing that the two masters had been cold in the snow for half a day, Bai Lu had already ordered people to prepare hand warmers and fox blankets, and boiled two bowls of hot ginger soup. She served them as soon as the two men saw Nanny Sun off.
After drinking, the couple sat face to face on the kang, covered with a fox blanket, and warmed each other's hands with a small hand warmer.
Seeing that the two masters were not in the mood to enjoy the snow, Bai Lu was about to order someone to lower the door curtain when she suddenly saw a figure flash by and another person entered the yard.
It turned out to be Aunt Chun, who walked over with a happy face.
"Greetings to the Third Master and Third Madam."
Chen Tang had already pulled his hand out and stood up to let someone in.
"Please take a seat. The Third Master just sent plum blossoms to Sister Luan to play with. I'm afraid they haven't arrived yet!"
"I saw it on the road. It's really beautiful. My sister will definitely like it. Thank you, Third Master and Third Madam, for loving your children."
"It's not worth much. If Luan'er likes it, feel free to pick it."
Qi Huaijing saw Aunt Chun's face full of joy, so he asked, "It's so cold, what's the matter?"
"It turns out there is a happy event. Our Qin family's eldest master has a new baby, and the Qin family's wife is here to invite everyone to a full moon banquet. Our grandmother has prepared a banquet, and please invite Madam, the third master and the third grandmother to come and have a seat."
Qi Huaijing just smiled and said, "It's really a happy event. No wonder I saw Brother Qin with such joy when I met him a few days ago."
Aunt Chun agreed with a smile, exchanged a few more words of greeting, and then stood up to say goodbye.
Qi Huaijing originally didn't like Chen Tang going to the West Courtyard, but this time he was calm and composed.
"Don't worry. Our Madam has no other good qualities, but she is very protective of her children. You are her biological daughter-in-law, no matter how she treats you normally... once you really meet an outsider, you will become her wife, and she will definitely not let anyone bully you easily."
Chen Tang smiled, it turned out that the mother and son had been dealing with each other for a long time.
"You're not going? They've also invited the Third Master."
"I'm not going. This is a boudoir matter, and my second brother is not here. You two can just talk. I'll just go to the shop and take a look."
Chen Tang nodded, knowing that he would not go, and asked him deliberately.
"Didn't you say there was nothing going on outside today?"
"Things have their priorities. My wife wants to enjoy the snow, which is naturally a matter of urgency. My wife wants to go out to visit guests, so I have nothing to do."
Chen Tang pouted at him with a smile, and pushed him out to do his business.
After everything was packed, Chen Tang went out with the Bailu painting screen. Before he reached the entrance of Mingfang Pavilion, he saw from afar Madam Yue, wearing a large sable fur cloak, sitting in a small bamboo sedan chair, and accompanied by five or six maids, coming in droves.
Chen Tang was more considerate than she was in front of her stepmother. She went over to meet her mother-in-law early and personally helped her out of the sedan chair, acting like a good daughter-in-law.
Qi Huaijing was right. Madam Yue didn't pay much attention to Chen Tang in the past, but now that relatives from outside came, as soon as she got off the sedan chair, she grabbed her hand. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were very affectionate and were welcomed into Mingfang Pavilion by Qin together.
Upon seeing the Qin family's mother-in-law, Madam Yue smiled and pulled Shen Tang closer.
"Mother-in-law, this is Jing'er's daughter-in-law. Have you seen her before?"
"Of course I have seen her. She must be the eldest daughter of his aunt, right? It really is a close relationship. We are a family again!"
Mrs. Yue felt a little displeased when she heard this.
"His uncle is a member of the imperial examination system and is an official in the Academy of Education! She is a daughter of an official family. She is well-educated and well-mannered, unlike us who can't recognize a few words and are actually blind!"
Mrs. Yue originally looked down on an eighth-rank minor official like the Shen family's father, but compared with a small merchant like the Qin family, he was worthy of mention.
Qin Jiangyun didn't know many words, and seeing that his mother looked a little embarrassed, he quickly asked everyone to sit down and talk.
Qin Jiangyun usually has the power of a grandmother in charge. Today, her mother came to her house for a rare occasion, so she paid more attention to the decency and pomp. Not only did she dress up Luanjie like a beautiful girl, but she also filled the banquet table with exotic fruits and fresh dishes, warm wine and fragrant tea, which was extremely rich.
There were only five proper guests at this banquet.
Mrs. Qin and Mrs. Yue were in-laws, so they couldn't help but say some polite and flattering words - naturally, it was the Qin family complimenting the Yue family, after all, the Yue family was so wealthy.
Qin and Shen Tang were sisters-in-law, and they were no less polite when it came to exchanging pleasantries. They talked about clothes, then jewelry, and then food, without saying a single serious word.
But Luan Jieer, the child was innocent and cute, and she was familiar with everyone present. She ran down after eating half of the meal, and imitated the adults, making "polite" conversations with people.
"Grandma, I fell into the water a few days ago - don't be afraid, my aunt fished me out again!"
"Grandma, why don't you come over to play with us? I see you seem to have gained a little weight..."
"Aunt, when are you going to give birth to a little brother? My dad said that I'm going to have a little brother soon..."
Before she could finish her words, Aunt Chun came up quickly and coaxed her to go out and play.
Children speak without restraint, and everyone, with their own thoughts, pretended not to hear. Only Mrs. Yue was horrified and immediately asked for a mirror.
"Have I gained weight? Where did I gain weight? I haven't eaten much these days, how could I gain weight!..."
Chen Tang and Qin took turns to persuade her that she was not fat at all and still looked so young, and that what the child said was not true. Mrs. Yue was relieved, but her face was still listless and she didn't eat much.
I don’t know if it was because of this little episode, but Mrs. Qin didn’t sit for long after dinner. She said a few polite words and then got up to leave.
Qin Jiangyun sent his mother away, but was not in a hurry to leave. He left Madam Yue and Shen Tang in the main hall to drink tea.
Aunt Chun brought the fragrant tea, and Qin presented it to Madam Yue with a smile. Then she looked around, frowned, and whispered a scolding to Aunt Chun.
"The madam is here, why are you the only one serving her? What's the rule?"
Mrs. Yue drank her tea slowly and didn't pay attention to what she said.
However, Shen Tang, upon hearing this, immediately understood Qin's plan.
Madam Yue is the elder in the family and the biological mother-in-law. Apart from Qin, there are only two concubines, Chun and Xue, who are allowed to serve in front of her.
Today, Madam Yue came to Mingfang Pavilion. Mrs. Qin was considerate, Aunt Chun was respectful, and the maids were all courteous, but Aunt Xue did not come out to serve her.
Madam Yue's family background was really good. She didn't even like Chen Tang, the daughter of a poor official, let alone Aunt Xue, a wild girl from the countryside.
Chen Tang thought to himself that the reason why Aunt Xue could act so arrogantly in Qin's courtyard for so long was not only because she was favored by her second cousin...
Moreover, she had never acted arrogantly in front of Mrs. Yue.
Now, it is heard that Aunt Xue has fallen out of favor with Qi Chengzhou because of the loss of her son, and the second cousin has always respected his stepmother. Qin probably wants to take advantage of Aunt Xue's disadvantage and trample this person into the mud again under the name of Madam Yue.
It would be best if Madam Yue got angry and sent Aunt Xue out of the house, so that Qin could reap the benefits without getting her hands dirty, and the second cousin probably wouldn't say much for the sake of his stepmother.
Chen Tang sighed secretly, the West Courtyard was indeed a place of trouble, there was always trouble as soon as he arrived.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
