Chapter 206 Aunt
When everyone saw the girl, whose appearance was as beautiful as a fairy, smile broadly and then turn to the side to lift the carriage curtain herself, it seemed that there was someone inside!
So the fourth girl to appear wasn't Princess Chang Le?!
The Lin family held their breath, their eyes fixed intently on the carriage door. Finally, a young girl with black hair, snow-white cheeks, red lips, and white teeth slowly emerged from inside. Seeing everyone staring at her, she smiled shyly.
Not to mention Lancheng, it would be hard to find such a beauty in the entire Qi Kingdom. The Lin family prided themselves on having no bad-looking members, and they were used to seeing their own and their family members' good looks. They were all dazzled by this little girl's appearance, and for a moment no one came to their senses.
"Grandmother?"
The other party stopped, surrounded by several maids. Seeing that the Lin family members seemed to be staring at her in a daze, she had no choice but to speak first, tentatively looking at the old lady who was surrounded by the Lin family members in the middle.
Her uncle had told her that Madam Lin was over seventy years old. Apart from knee pain that made it difficult for her to walk in rainy or snowy weather, she had no other ailments. She slept well, ate well, and was a rare example of longevity and good health.
At this moment, one could see that the old lady in the very center had firm and smooth skin, with few wrinkles on her face, and was in excellent spirits. She must be the maternal grandmother of the Lin family.
The Lin family members were all brought back to their senses by that clear, crisp call.
A smile of surprise and delight spread across Madam Lin's face. Ignoring the help of her maids, she insisted on going forward to greet them herself.
"This old woman pays her respects to Princess Chang Le!"
The Lin family members suddenly realized that this was a princess, and they quickly lifted their robes to bow down.
Qi Yuxuan quickly stepped forward and steadily supported Madam Lin, preventing her grandmother from actually kneeling down. The Lin family members nearby, however, didn't pay attention and knelt down in a flurry.
Some members of the Lin family also became officials, but they were only minor officials scattered in various places. Apart from the old master Xiao, who went to the capital and became the Minister of Rites, and was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Tutor by the emperor, the most promising one was Lin Kuangzheng, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.
Therefore, at this time, the Lin family of Lancheng could only be considered minor officials and celebrities, far inferior to the high-ranking families in the capital.
"Get up quickly, everyone. There's no need for such formalities among family members."
Zheng Yanling didn't want to disturb Qi Yuxuan and the Lin family, so she cupped her hands in greeting, introduced herself, and then excused herself, saying she wanted to go for a stroll in Lancheng.
The Lin family members led Qi Yuxuan into the main room. As soon as they lifted the heavy rabbit fur curtain, a warm fragrance wafted out, instantly warming Qi Yuxuan.
Old Madam Lin took her hand and, without giving her a chance to explain, led her to sit on the main seat of the daybed.
The Lin family members stood in two neat rows, men, women, and children all with calm and happy expressions, showing that the family usually lived in harmony and rarely quarreled.
Qi Yuxuan had imagined such a scene in her previous life, but it didn't come true. In this life, she moved to the Princess's mansion, and it was just her and her mother. It was far from the lively atmosphere of a large family. Today, she finally experienced it.
However, several gazes were too intense for Qi Yuxuan to ignore, so she looked up and saw several teenage girls standing behind her mother, probably her cousins. She smiled gently, and when she smiled, the girls smiled back, all smiles, which made her feel happy.
"Come, let me introduce you. This is your eldest uncle and aunt, and your second uncle and aunt..."
Once everyone had arrived, Old Madam Lin took Qi Yuxuan's hand and introduced them to her. Although they were all her aunts and uncles, they were not all Old Madam Lin's biological children, but rather the children of the brothers of the late Old Master Lin, making them several generations removed from Qi Yuxuan.
Qi Yuxuan called out to the others, but her uncles and aunts dared not respond. They repeatedly said they dared not, and bowed again, looking very apprehensive.
They still remembered the message the princess had sent half an hour earlier: if she arrived at the Lin family's residence and saw someone standing outside, she wouldn't come in. This terrified the ladies, who feared that the person arriving was one of those arrogant and domineering princesses from storybooks, and that the Lin family wouldn't have a peaceful month ahead.
After meeting five maternal uncles and aunts, and four paternal uncles and aunts—a total of eighteen elders—Qi Yuxuan was overwhelmed, unable to distinguish their surnames and faces. Then, a string of children of all shapes and sizes appeared behind her. The older ones looked like they had reached adulthood, while the younger ones were still in her arms, timidly looking at her with their bright, dark eyes.
"Quickly greet the Princess, your aunt!"
What? !
Qi Yuxuan blinked blankly, thinking she had misheard.
But then a line of Lin family children, big and small, shouted in unison:
"Greetings, Your Highness, Aunt!"
The childish voice rushed over, and Qi Yuxuan felt as if it had been deafened.
She hasn't even reached marriageable age yet, how did she become so many people's aunt?
The Princess Chang Le who arrived was beautiful and charming, yet she had no airs of a princess. At least the younger members of the Lin family who were of similar age all felt that she was kind and easy to get along with at first glance. They then stepped forward, lined up, and introduced themselves one by one.
“Aunt, my name is Lin Fei, I am sixteen years old, and I am the granddaughter of the eldest branch of the Lin family.”
"Aunt, Princess, my name is..."
After everyone had been introduced, Qi Yuxuan finally understood.
Lin Hui was the youngest daughter of the old lady Lin. You can tell by the fact that her uncle was ten years older than her. She was also Lin Hui's youngest daughter, so her seniority in the Lin family naturally rose. It wouldn't be surprising if she were an aunt or even a great-aunt.
After giving gifts to the younger generation, and seeing the children happily leave, the adults in the house finally breathed a sigh of relief.
They were really afraid that if the child said something inappropriate while inside the house, it would offend the princess. Fortunately, the princess was not the kind of person who was amiable on the surface but petty at heart, and their worries were unnecessary.
"Hey, where did Yao-ge go?"
Madam Lin glanced around at the Lin family members, but didn't see her grandson, Lin Chengyao.
Qi Yuxuan had never heard of this name before and didn't react much.
Madam Lin explained to her, "He is the youngest son of your fifth maternal uncle, your cousin. His name is Lin Chengyao. He is just twenty years old this year. He is quite diligent in his studies. He passed the provincial examination this autumn and became a Juren. He will go to the capital next spring to participate in the spring examination. When you go back, let him come with you so that you can look after each other."
Qi Yuxuan nodded in agreement.
Just then, a light footstep sounded outside the door. Qi Yuxuan looked up and saw the curtain being lifted, revealing a handsome face that was clearly that of a member of the Lin family.
Seeing is believing. Lin Chengyao looked at the stunningly beautiful young woman sitting next to his grandmother, exuding nobility and majesty, and guessed her identity. Having seen two rare beauties in Lancheng today, he didn't hesitate for long before bowing respectfully.
"This humble subject pays his respects—"
"No need for such formalities."
Qi Yuxuan quickly had someone help him up; she had almost lost count of how many times she had had to explain the formalities and politeness that day.
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